iStock/Thinkstock(NEWMAN, Calif.) -- Hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the nation are expected to descend on a small California farming town this week to honor a police corporal described as his family's "role model," who was gunned down in the line of duty by an alleged gang member a day after Christmas. Cpl. Ronil Singh's colleagues at the Newman Police Department in California's Central San Joaquin Valley said plans to honor their fallen colleague will include two honor guard public viewings a day ahead of his funeral on Saturday. "I'm not going to say Ronil was my older brother, he is," Reggie Singh, holding his brother's 5-month-old son, told a crowd of several hundred who attended a candlelight vigil in Newman. "And, he is still alive within us." A police honor guard will stand sentry at Singh's casket for a viewing set for Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m at the Newman Community Meeting Room, followed by a second viewing and honor guard salute at a funeral home in nearby Modesto. On Saturday, law enforcement officers from throughout California and across the nation are expected to attend Singh's funeral at 10 a.m. PST at the CrossPoint Community Church in Modesto. Ugesh Yogi Singh posted a tribute to his nephew on Facebook, calling Ronil Singh "my familys Action Hero." He said Singh was "a very adventurous and beautiful soul, taken away too soon." Singh's alleged killer, Gustavo Perez Arriaga, was arrested on Friday, following a massive statewide manhunt involving hundreds of police officers and multiple law enforcement agencies. He was taken back to Stanislaus County in the slain officer's handcuffs to face justice. Arriaga, 32, described by officials as a member of the Surenos street gang and an undocumented immigrant, was allegedly attempting to flee to his native Mexico when he was captured at a house near Bakersfield, some 200 miles from where Singh was shot, officials said. Seven people, including Arriaga's two brothers and his girlfriend, were also arrested on suspicion of either misleading authorities about Arriaga's whereabouts or aiding him in evading authorities, police officials said. Ronil Singh, one of just 12 officers on the Newman police force, was killed about 1 a.m. Wednesday after he pulled Arriaga over on suspicion of driving under the influence. Arriaga allegedly opened fire on Singh without warning as the officer approached his pickup truck, said Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson. Singh managed to return fire despite being mortally wounded, Christianson said. He later died at a hospital. Christianson railed against the state's newly enacted SB 54 law, which is credited with making California a so-called "sanctuary state." The law, passed in October, is seen as a rebuke of President Donald Trump's immigration policies, limits how much California law enforcement can cooperate with federal authorities like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The sheriff suggested that sanctuary laws prohibited his department from sharing Arriaga's gang ties, "other active warrants" and past DUI arrests with federal immigration authorities. "This is a criminal illegal alien with prior criminal activity that should have been reported to ICE. We were prohibited, law enforcement was prohibited, because of sanctuary laws, and that led to the encounter with Officer Singh," said Christianson, who has worked with Trump directly on immigration issues and appeared at an anti-sanctuary city roundtable in May. While the manhunt was going on for Arriaga, Trump tweeted about the suspect's undocumented immigration status, writing that it was "time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!" Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the incoming chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said on ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday that sanctuary laws have actually helped police in New York City "promote public safety" by encouraging cooperation between the police officers and residents, particularly in predominantly immigrant neighborhoods. "I'm not going to take issue with the sheriff's assessment of the situation being unfamiliar with California laws," Jeffries said. "Clearly, it's a human tragedy. Clearly, we have to do better in terms of preventing these type of occurrences from taking place and to keep our law enforcement safe, to keep our communities safe. That's what Democrats intend to do and will continue to do on a bipartisan fashion." John Cohen, a former California police officer and undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security during the Obama administration, said any suggestion that California's sanctuary laws prohibit local police from sharing information with ICE about violent criminals is "misleading." "The law, in fact, does allow that and precisely enables local law enforcement officials to work with ICE when targeting criminals and gang members in particular," said Cohen, an ABC News contributor. "What it doesn't allow is for local law enforcement to respond to ICE civil detainers and to engage in activities that are exclusively focused on enforcement of immigration laws against noncriminal aliens." But friends and family of Singh put politics aside to grieve. Officials said Singh was a native of Fiji, who legally immigrated to the United States and achieved his dream of being a police officer. Singh's widow, Anamika, held her baby son and stood at a makeshift memorial honoring her husband during a candlelight vigil on Friday night just hours after Arriaga's arrest. "He was just a role model," another one of Singh's uncles, Aklesh Singh, told the tearful crowd. 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 Sport Third Entisar for Mheiri at Meydan after Fresu rides For The Top to victory Inaugurated in 2013, the 2000m Listed feature was won by subsequent Group One winner Special Fighter in 2015, the first of what is now three victories in the race for Musabbeh Al Mheiri who also saddled Military Law to claim the prize in 2018, also under Fresu. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Honey production in Irans Gilan province has increased by 10 percent, Deputy Director of the Agricultural Organization of Gilan Province Khojat Ali Akbarnejad said. Honey production has reached 5,500 tons, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Last Iranian year (started on March 21, 2017), about 4,590 people were dealing with beekeeping in the Gilan province. Some 310 people have recently begun to deal with beekeeping this Iranian year. Presently, about 4,900 people are engaged in beekeeping in Irans Astara, Rudsar and Siahkal counties. There are about 300,000 honeycombs in Gilan province compared to 282,000 honeycombs last Iranian year. Presently, 1 kilogram of honey was sold at 500,000-800,000 rials (about $11.9-19) in the markets of the Gilan province. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The balance of trade of Iran's agricultural sector has increased by 60 percent and reached $3.5 billion this Iranian year (started on March 21, 2018) compared to the same period of last Iranian year, Director General of the Export Development Department of the Iranian Ministry of Agriculture Shahrokh Shajari said. The balance of trade increased by 8.7 percent in terms of weight and 35 percent in terms of value during eight months of this Iranian year compared with the same period of last Iranian year, Shajari added, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Thus, 4,580,000 tons of agricultural products worth $4.6 billion were exported during eight months of this Iranian year. This testifies to 20-percent-increase in terms of weight and 19-percent-increase in terms of value, he added. During the reporting period, 12,806,000 tons of products worth $6.8 billion were imported, which is 1.2-percent-decrease in terms of weight and 7-percent-decrease in terms of value, Shajari said. Food products worth $2 million were exported during eight months of this Iranian year, which is by 24 percent more compared to the same period of last Iranian year, he said. Iran exports about four million tons of agricultural products annually. There are only 350 refrigerator containers to transport these products. The capacity of these containers is 120,000 tons. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The products $2.222 billion were exported to Afghanistan during eight months of this Iranian year (started on March 21, 2018) compared to the same period of last Iranian year, Mohammad Mehdi Javanmard Qasab, head of Trade Promotion Organization of Iran's Afghanistan Desk, said. This figure increased by 26 percent in terms of value compared to the same period of last Iranian year, Qasab added, Trend reports referring to ILNA. During the reporting period, the goods worth $7.6 million were imported, which is 44 percent less compared to the same period of last Iranian year. Iran mainly imports sesame, agricultural products and marble from Afghanistan, he added. The export of Iranian goods to Afghanistan increased as a result of the activity of the representatives of the Iranian Trade and Development Organization, as well as the Iranian trade attaches in Afghanistan, he said. This growth has accelerated since 2011. Over the last few years, Afghan businessmen have been investing in Irans various economic sectors, namely, carpet weaving, food industry and hotel industry, Qasab said. Iran and Syria signed Sunday an agreement for a long-term strategic cooperation between the two countries in Tehran, Trend reports with the reference to IRNA. The agreement was signed by Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammad Samer al-Khalil and Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami with attendance of ambassadors of the two countries, SANA reported. Khalil said that the relations between the two countries are excellent at many levels and we are looking forwards for upgrading cooperation in the economic field. He clarified that in parallel with victory in the war we are now making a great economic cooperation between Syria and Iran. The Minister said that the agreement constitutes a comprehensive cooperation at the financial and banking levels, adding that the agreement contributes to facilitating trade exchange and overcoming obstacles that hinder upgrading the cooperation. For his part, Eslami stressed that the historical relations between the two countries are witnessing their pinnacle, clarifying that all the exerted efforts and measures between the two countries peoples and governments will lead to achieving a sustainable peace and security in the region. He pointed out that todays plan is an introduction for a broad action between the two countries in the future. In a similar context, Minister Khalil also met with Chairman of Irans Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Gholamhossein Shafei. Khalil said that the Ministry started to identify the problems and obstacles that hider boosting the relations between the two countries, expressing desire by the two sides to upgrade relations, particularly economy. He called for opening mutual accounts and banks between the two countries, referring to the importance of cooperation between Syrian and Iranian central banks. For his part, Shafei said that exchanging visits between senior officials in Iran and Syria indicates the strategic relations between the two countries. Four people were arrested in Rotterdam on Saturday under suspicion of planning a terrorist attack, Trend reported citing Sputnik. According to the local authorities, as quoted by the online news platform NL Times, the police have collected evidence at the scene where the arrests were made. The police have not yet revealed the details of the planned attack. The arrest was conducted by the joined group of Rotterdam police officers and specialist arrest teams. The prosecutor's office is currently investigating the incident. Earlier this week, Dutch police arrested seven people aged from 21 to 34, who were seeking to acquire guns, grenades and bombs to organize a multiple-site terrorist attack at a major public event in the country. UK trade minister Liam Fox has estimated the chance of his country staying in the European Union at 50 percent if the prime ministers Brexit plan fails to clear the parliament, Trend reported citing Sputnik. "If we were not to vote for that, Im not sure I would give it [Brexit] much more than 50-50," the secretary of state for international trade said in an interview to The Sunday Times out Sunday. He reportedly said that he would like to see more concessions from Brussels but insisted that a withdrawal agreement that fell short of the ideal was better than a no-deal Brexit. Prime Minister Theresa May called off the vote in parliament on her proposed deal this month after it became too hard to sell. She promised a meaningful debate and a vote on the terms of the withdrawal in the week starting on January 14. The Colombian government is investigating a possible plot by three Venezuelan nationals to assassinate President Ivan Duque, Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a video message, Trend reported citing Sputnik. The trio was arrested in the cities of Valledupar and Barranquilla, according to Caracol Radio. They carried large-calibre weapons, a machine gun, a grenade and a scope. Colombian authorities are reportedly looking into whether the suspects had any links to the Venezuelan government. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier accused Bogota of a plot to kill him. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza responded on Twitter, saying that Venezuela had been trying to contact the Colombian top diplomat to offer police and intelligence help in probing the allegations. "We will request from the Colombian authorities the information regarding the three captured Venezuelan nationals with an intent to conduct a rigorous investigation," he tweeted. Arreaza added that the Venezuelan government hoped to investigate together with Colombia the failed drone attack on President Maduro during his speech in Caracas on August 4. Voting in Democratic Republic of Congos long-anticipated presidential election got off to a shaky start on Sunday due to torrential rain in the capital, long delays at some polling stations and broken-down machines, Reuters reports. Three opposition strongholds will see no casting of ballots at all after the authorities canceled the vote there, citing health risks from an ongoing Ebola outbreak and ethnic violence. President Joseph Kabila, in power since his fathers assassination in 2001, is due to step down after the vote in the first democratic transition for a country plagued by authoritarian rule, coups and civil wars since independence from Belgium in 1960. Kabila voted early in the morning in the capital Kinshasa at the same school as the candidate he is backing, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, whom the latest opinion polls showed trailing two opposition candidates. My only concern is that we have this very heavy rain and probably voter turnout might be low, but hopefully the skies will clear, and the voters will turn out in numbers, Kabila, wearing a dark blue suit, told reporters. In the eastern city of Goma, where the weather was clear, a Reuters witness saw residents casting their votes, but another polling station in the city was still closed 90 minutes after polls opened at 6 a.m (0400 GMT). The majority of voters here are stressed, said Kayembe Mvita Dido, first in a line of dozens waiting at a polling station in the shadows of the towering Nyiragongo volcano. Some do not even know how to use the voting machine, he said, referring to a new electronic voting system, criticized by the opposition as vulnerable to fraud. Several machines broke down Kinshasa, Goma and Bukavu, bringing voting in those polling stations to a halt, witnesses said. Some voters complained they could not find their names on the rolls. Streets in Kinshasa were also flooded due to a violent storm that appeared to have knocked out the power in two polling stations visited by Reuters, although that should not affect the machines whose batteries are meant to be charged ahead of time. Despite repeated delays to the election, which was originally meant to take place in 2016, diplomats and poll observers have said authorities are ill-prepared, raising fears of a repeat of the violence that followed elections in 2006 and 2011. Kabilas agreement to stick to constitutional term limits should represent progress for the mineral-rich central African country. Critics, however, say they doubt the vote will be untarnished by fraud, and that Kabila could continue to rule from the sidelines. He has not ruled out running again for president in 2023. Russias Aerospace Forces will get their first medium-range surface-to-air missile system S-350 Vityaz next year, the Defence Ministry said, Trend reported citing Sputnik. In 2019, the Aerospace Forces will receive the brand-new missile system, S-350 Vityaz, for the first time ever, the statement reads. The troops will also be equipped with around a dozen of Pantsir-S air defence missile-gun systems and S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) long-range air defence weapons, the ministry added. Russian troops stationed in the Khabarovsk, Leningrad, Kaliningrad, and Crimea regions as well as in the Arctic were supplied with Pantsir-S and S-400 weapons earlier this year. Turkey intends to continue close cooperation with Russia and Iran in Syria, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday after negotiations in Moscow, Trend reported citing TASS. "Ankara and Moscow share the opinion that it is necessary to destroy all terrorist organizations in Syria. We will continue close cooperation with Russia and Iran on Syria and regional issues," Anadolu Agency quoted the foreign minister as saying. Ankara remains committed to Syrias territorial integrity and is ready to counter attempts to undermine it, he said. "As the guarantors of the Astana process, we are certainly committed to the territorial integrity and unity of Syria and are ready to deter any actions aimed at undermining these principles," the Turkish foreign minister said. Cavusoglu added that Turkey and Russia had also discussed issues related to the fight against terrorism. "We confirmed our readiness and determination to continue the fight in order to liberate Syria from this scourge," he said. "Today, the defense and foreign ministers discussed the steps our countries have taken within the Astana process, as well as further steps in this direction," the Turkish top diplomat noted. According to Cavusoglu, the meetings participants also touched upon the implementation of the Memorandum on setting up a demilitarized zone in Syrias Idlib. "We considered the actions we will take to implement the memorandum and resolve issues that may emerge along the way," he said. "We believe that the document has made it possible to ensure stability, thus significantly contributing to efforts to advance the political process," he added. The Turkish top diplomat also pointed out that the four ministers had exchanged views on the situation "surrounding the United States plans to withdraw troops from Syria." "We discussed ways to coordinate our joint efforts given the circumstances," Cavusoglu noted. KYODO NEWS - Dec 30, 2018 - 18:23 | Feature, All, Japan A novel self-cooking "breakfast club" targeting seniors living alone is gaining popularity since its launch in 2017 near Tokyo, as more elderly people in Japan live as single on the back of higher divorce rates and other reasons. The monthly gathering has been initiated by a nonprofit organization in Nagareyama, Chiba Prefecture, which has provided toll-free matching services for singles, after it noticed that many single elderly may be actually seeking someone they can talk to rather than going so far as marrying someone. The "senior cafeteria" program, subsidized by the city government, quickly became known such as through social networking services, with the number of registered members jumping to about 60 from four. On a morning in December in Nagareyama, some 30 people wearing aprons and head scarfs gathered in a special kitchen room of a gas company to make eggs benedict. They were cracking jokes and laughing while cooking. "I hadn't cooked until I came here," said Tatsuo Hayashida, 88, while toasting buttered muffins on a frying pan. Hayashida lost his wife about two years ago due to illness and currently lives in a nursing home. "I should have told her more often that her cooking was delicious," he uttered. Eiji Sekine, a 64-year-old participant who got divorced some 10 years ago, was also among those who were enjoying the event. "I came to realize the joy of cooking and eating with friends. I would also like to try some new menus," he said. Women with cooking experiences have also taken part in the program, feeling joy to have someone eat their dishes. Chisa Matsuzawa, the 51-year-old vice head of the nonprofit organization, said the program can do much more than just feeding the body. "People may be able to supplement nutritional deficiencies (through food delivery services), but it won't solve the issue of eating alone," she said. "Cooking, eating and talking with others will provide an opportunity (for seniors) to find friends who can support each other. We will also cooperate with other local governments if they wish to open the cafeterias," Matsuzawa said. According to a survey by the Cabinet Office, the number of people who were aged 65 or above and living by themselves in Japan jumped from about 880,000 in 1980 to around 5.92 million in 2015. The champion athlete who has been fighting the case of her friend, has attacked the state government machinery for failing to defend the victim. Hydrogen fuel cells are a promising technology for producing clean and renewable energy, but the cost and activity of their cathode materials is a major challenge for commercialization. Many fuel cells require expensive platinum-based catalysts--substances that initiate and speed up chemical reactions--to help convert renewable fuels into electrical energy. To make hydrogen fuel cells commercially viable, scientists are searching for more affordable catalysts that provide the same efficiency as pure platinum. "Like a battery, hydrogen fuel cells convert stored chemical energy into electricity. The difference is that you're using a replenishable fuel so, in principle, that 'battery' would last forever," said Adrian Hunt, a scientist at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory. "Finding a cheap and effective catalyst for hydrogen fuel cells is basically the holy grail for making this technology more feasible." Taking part in this worldwide search for fuel cell cathode materials, researchers at the University of Akron developed a new method of synthesizing catalysts from a combination of metals--platinum and nickel--that form octahedral (eight-sided) shaped nanoparticles. While scientists have identified this catalyst as one of the most efficient replacements for pure platinum, they have not fully understood why it grows in an octahedral shape. To better understand the growth process, the researchers at the University of Akron collaborated with multiple institutions, including Brookhaven and its NSLS-II. "Understanding how the faceted catalyst is formed plays a key role in establishing its structure-property correlation and designing a better catalyst," said Zhenmeng Peng, principal investigator of the catalysis lab at the University of Akron. "The growth process case for the platinum-nickel system is quite sophisticated, so we collaborated with several experienced groups to address the challenges. The cutting-edge techniques at Brookhaven National Lab were of great help to study this research topic." Using the ultrabright x-rays at NSLS-II and the advanced capabilities of NSLS-II's In situ and Operando Soft X-ray Spectroscopy (IOS) beamline, the researchers revealed the chemical characterization of the catalyst's growth pathway in real time. Their findings are published in Nature Communications. "We used a research technique called ambient-pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) to study the surface composition and chemical state of the metals in the nanoparticles during the growth reaction," said Iradwikanari Waluyo, lead scientist at IOS and a co-corresponding author of the research paper. "In this technique, we direct x-rays at a sample, which causes electrons to be released. By analyzing the energy of these electrons, we are able to distinguish the chemical elements in the sample, as well as their chemical and oxidation states." Hunt, who is also an author on the paper, added, "It is similar to the way sunlight interacts with our clothing. Sunlight is roughly yellow, but once it hits a person's shirt, you can tell whether the shirt is blue, red, or green." Rather than colors, the scientists were identifying chemical information on the surface of the catalyst and comparing it to its interior. They discovered that, during the growth reaction, metallic platinum forms first and becomes the core of the nanoparticles. Then, when the reaction reaches a slightly higher temperature, platinum helps form metallic nickel, which later segregates to the surface of the nanoparticle. In the final stages of growth, the surface becomes roughly an equal mixture of the two metals. This interesting synergistic effect between platinum and nickel plays a significant role in the development of the nanoparticle's octahedral shape, as well as its reactivity. "The nice thing about these findings is that nickel is a cheap material, whereas platinum is expensive," Hunt said. "So, if the nickel on the surface of the nanoparticle is catalyzing the reaction, and these nanoparticles are still more active than platinum by itself, then hopefully, with more research, we can figure out the minimum amount of platinum to add and still get the high activity, creating a more cost-effective catalyst." The findings depended on the advanced capabilities of IOS, where the researchers were able to run the experiments at gas pressures higher than what is usually possible in conventional XPS experiments. "At IOS, we were able to follow changes in the composition and chemical state of the nanoparticles in real time during the real growth conditions," said Waluyo. Additional x-ray and electron imaging studies completed at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at DOE's Argonne National Laboratory--another DOE Office of Science User Facility--and University of California-Irvine, respectively, complemented the work at NSLS-II. "This fundamental work highlights the significant role of segregated nickel in forming the octahedral-shaped catalyst. We have achieved more insight into shape control of catalyst nanoparticles," Peng said. "Our next step is to study catalytic properties of the faceted nanoparticles to understand the structure-property correlation." ### This study was supported by the National Science Foundation and Brookhaven's Laboratory Directed Research and Development program. Operations at NSLS-II and APS are supported by DOE's Office of Science. Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov. Follow @BrookhavenLab on Twitter or find us on Facebook. A new era is on the horizon for Texas law graduates taking the bar exambut many current and prospective law students might not know anything about it. The Texas Supreme Court has approved a recommendation to replace the Texas bar exam with the Uniform Bar Examination, effective in February 2021. Its a big deal, because reciprocity will allow graduates to transfer UBE scores to 34 other states. Another perk is the fewer topics and essay questions than the existing Texas bar exam. Most law students are so focused on the normal day-to-day of law school that they dont pay much attention to the bar exam. They just know the bar exam is hard and theyll have to take it one day, said Femi Aborisade, president of the student bar association at The University of Texas School of Law in Austin. Aborisade noted that he wished he had the choice to take the UBE rather than the Texas exam when he graduates in May. Im a 3L and I think we have the notion it would be easier. Were a little disappointed its not going to be implemented next year, he said. We were grandfathered into a bad system. Its a different story for current 1Ls, who will be sitting for the UBE in July 2021, and anyone graduating in December 2020, who would be taking the February 2021 exam. They may have an easier time cramming than their predecessors and might even perform better, said James McGrath, associate dean of academic support, bar passage and compliance at Texas A&M University School of Law. I think its a more manageable list of subjects to have to study post-graduation, he said, explaining that the Uniform Bar Exam queries test-takers on 14 topics rather than 20, and has six essays rather than 12, as on the current Texas bar exam. The current Texas bar exam already includes three of the UBEs four testing componentsthe multistate bar exam, multistate performance test and essay questions. However, the UBE doesnt test on Texas-specific procedure, evidence or essay subjects. To make up for the omission, the Supreme Court approved a recommendation to add a Texas law course and exam, which will ensure that law grads who want to be Texas lawyers have enough knowledge about Texas law, ethics and procedure. The Texas Board of Law Examiners will be working with the high court to create the Texas law course and exam. Reciprocity is undoubtedly the tests biggest benefit. The UBE allows lawyers to move between states without spending the time and money needed to take multiple bar exams. This is advantageous for new law school graduates who wish to look for employment in more than one stateincluding both Texans who wish to move to other states, and those from other states who wish to practice law here, said the May 2018 report by the Task Force on the Texas Bar Examination, the entity that recommended switching to the UBE. The Texas Supreme Court accepted the recommendation in October 2018. Over the past eight years, use of the UBE has skyrocketed from nothing to 34 U.S. jurisdictions. Texas will be the 35th state. That means Texas law grads who take and pass the UBE starting in 2021 will be eligible to transfer their scores and become a licensed lawyer in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington state, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Wyoming and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Having a state-specific law course to supplement the UBE is very common. The Texas task force recommendation was for an online Texas-specific examwithout essaysfocused on Texas legal ethics, the Texas Constitution, civil and criminal procedure in our state and more. Some other things are also left up to individual states. They still set their admission requirements, passing scores that range from 260 to 280, out of 400 total. The Texas task force recommended that the Supreme Court set Texas UBE passing score at 270, because thats equivalent to the current Texas exams passing score of 675. UBE states are also responsible for setting their own maximum age for transferred UBE scores, which typically range from two to five years, and states make their own character and fitness decisions and testing accommodation decisions. According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, a nonprofit that developed the UBE, it maximizes a law grads job opportunities in other states. In addition to skipping the chore of taking multiple exams, if a grad failed to meet one states minimum passing score, he could take the same score and get admitted to practice law in a state with a lower cut score. Switching to the UBE is a great idea, said Nikki Smith, assistant dean of the office of career and professional development at Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston. It gives people more flexibility, especially now were in a state of people being more mobile and opportunities popping up around the country, Smith said. On the other side, the UBE might bring more job competition. We already have 10 Texas law schools. If we go with the UBE, we open opportunities for people outside the state of Texas, she said. Current 2L students who will graduate and take the July 2020 exam may have a hard choice to makewhether to sit for the last Texas bar exam, or attempt to take the UBE instead. This could happen if they wait for the first UBE in February 2021, or if parameters set up by the state would allow for it, perhaps go to another UBE state for the July 2020 exam and then transfer their scores to Texas. Its something well have to stay on top of and educate ourselves in the career office, so we can add that piece to our counseling, Smith said. Angela Morris is a freelance journalist. Follow her on Twitter at @AMorrisReports. FILE PHOTO: A worker waits for customers as bottles of Johnson & Johnson baby powder are displayed at a medical store in Kolkata, India, December 20, 2018. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri By Rahul Singh and Krishna N. Das NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's drugs regulator has ordered Johnson & Johnson to stop manufacturing its Baby Powder using raw materials in two of its Indian factories until test results prove they are free of asbestos, a senior official said on Thursday. The official at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), who declined to be named citing the sensitivity of the matter, said a written order had been sent to the U.S. company telling it to stop using the "huge quantities" of raw materials stocked in its plants in northern and western India. The company said on Wednesday that Indian drug authorities visited some of its facilities and took "tests and samples" of its talcum powder. It also said that the safety of its cosmetic talc was based on a long history of safe use and decades of research and clinical evidence by independent researchers and scientific review boards across the world. The visits came as the CDSCO and state-based food and drug administrations launched an investigation into J&J's Baby Powder following a Reuters report last Friday that the firm knew for decades that cancer-causing asbestos could be found in the product. J&J has described the Reuters article as "one-sided, false and inflammatory". The company told Reuters that it is in full compliance with the current Indian regulatory requirements for the manufacturing and testing of its talc. "All talc in India is sourced and exclusively sold in India and surrounding markets including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and fully meets the regulatory standards of the Government of India," the company said in an emailed statement. J&J also said its talc is routinely tested by both suppliers and independent labs to ensure that it is free of asbestos. Asked if the order meant the company would have to stop producing its ubiquitous baby powder in India for now, the official at the drugs regulator said that was "the inference you have to take" at least as far as the stores of raw materials were concerned. Story continues "We have told them until this investigation concludes, you should not use the raw material. Test results will take time," the official said. "Testing for asbestos is not a routine procedure. It might be in traces. It will require us to develop a method and all those things." Read the Reuters investigation https://reut.rs/2rAz2TO FAMILIAR BRAND J&J's Baby Powder is one of the most recognized foreign brands in India along with Colgate toothpaste and Surf detergent. The company started selling its Baby Powder in India in 1948, just a year after the country won independence from the British. Presenting gift boxes containing the product and others aimed at newborns is almost a family ritual in this country of 1.3 billion people, 28 percent of whom are aged between 0-14. The company also commands a strong retail distribution network through small pharmacies, larger stores and the internet. There is yet to be any significant signs of a backlash against J&J products in India because of the scare. At eight pharmacies across India visited by Reuters reporters on Thursday, seven said J&J remained the No. 1 seller of powder for babies. That doesn't mean it isn't under pressure from local and international competitors who sell talc-type powders, such as Bengaluru-based Himalaya Herbals, and Italy's Artsana, which produces Chicco baby brands. And some individual consumers say they are now very wary of J&J's Baby Powder. "It is really very, very shocking," said Sitaram Beria, a chartered accountant in the eastern city of Bhubaneswar. He said he stopped applying J&J powder on his six-month old baby after hearing about the Reuters report over the weekend. J&J leads sales in the Indian baby and child toiletries market, which market research provider Euromonitor estimates would be worth 12.5 billion rupees ($178 million) this year, and forecasts will grow 84 percent to 23 billion rupees in 2022. Euromonitor did not give a breakdown for baby powder alone but said J&J was the biggest player in the overall segment, followed by Mumbai-based VVF Ltd, Artsana, Wipro of Bengaluru and Himalaya. Himalaya said in a statement that its herbs-based baby care products "are exclusively promoted and recommended by over 40,000 doctors in the country, which is the greatest endorsement for us," while declining to provide any financial figures. The other companies could not be reached for comment. ($1 = 70.2600 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Krishna N. Das, Rahul Singh; Additional reporting by Saumya Sibi Joseph in Bengaluru; Editing by Keith Weir and James Emmanuel) LONDON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The British government will spend more than 100 million pounds ($130 million) chartering extra sea ferries to ease cross-Channel congestion if the United Kingdom fails to secure a trade deal before leaving the European Union next year. Just three months before the United Kingdom is due to leave the world's largest bloc, the risk of a no-deal Brexit is rising -- the nightmare scenario for many businesses, which are now planning for an economic shock. Extra ships will be needed to work new routes across the Channel in the event that the main French terminal of Calais and Britains Dover and Folkestone are clogged up by customs checks. Currently, Britain's membership of the EU means that trucks drive smoothly through border checks within the bloc. But in a no-deal Brexit, even a few minutes' delay at customs for each truck would be likely to mean vehicles backing up at ports and queuing on feeder roads on both sides of the Channel. To ease a potential backlog, the government has awarded three contracts to provide additional freight capacity on routes from English south-coast ports including Poole, Portsmouth and Plymouth. They comprise one worth 47 million pounds with the French firm Brittany Ferries, a 47 million pound deal with the Danish shipping company DFDS and a 14 million pound contract with Seaborne Freight. The leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat party, Vince Cable, called the move "complete madness" and said public money was being spent recklessly in a last-minute bid to prepare for a no-deal outcome. The contracts were not put out to tender. The Department for Transport said it was responding to a "situation of extreme urgency" brought about by "unforeseeable events". About 16,000 trucks pass between Dover and Calais every day, transporting everything from perishable food to medicines and the industrial goods needed to keep factories running. "This extra capacity is a small but important element of the DfT's no-deal planning," the Department for Transport said in a statement. "While remaining committed to working to ensure a deal is reached, the department is helping ensure the rest of government are fully prepared for a range of scenarios." Story continues Earlier this month, the government announced that all government departments must step up planning for a no-deal Brexit, including putting 3,500 armed forces personnel on standby to deal with any disruption. ($1 = 0.7871 pounds) (Reporting By Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Kevin Liffey) More From CNBC The daughter of one of the founders of Iran's Islamic republic has warned that, while still strong, the system her late father helped establish some 40 years ago is weakened and could someday collapse. Faezeh Hashemi, the daughter of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, said in an interview with a Tehran daily published on December 27 that "intimidation" and "fear" were the main things propping up the Islamic establishment. "In my view, a breakdown [of principles] has already happened, there hasn't been a physical collapse, but I see that as very likely," Hashemi told the independent Mostaghel newspaper. Hashemi, 56, a former pro-reform lawmaker who was jailed for six months in 2012 after being convicted of antiregime propaganda, said one doesn't see the open and physical crackdowns on dissent like those seen in the antigovernment protests of 2009, but a lot of repressive measures are taking place behind the scenes. "In every segment of society, groups of activists are in jail, from workers to teachers, truck drivers, women's rights activists, environmentalists, students..., [those involved in economic activities], and citizens who are either in jail or have been sentenced to jail," she said. A collapse isn't imminent, she noted, "but there's been a breakdown. Everywhere you look there's inefficiency, there's a lack of leadership and reason, everything is abandoned, there's no attempt to find solutions to the problems or if there is then things only get worse, there are no signs of improvement." 'Trampling Everything' Hashemi has previously come under pressure from hard-line conservatives attempting to smear the legacy of her father, who died in 2017, and also due to her own stances and support for reforms. They denounced her and called for her punishment in 2016 for meeting a leader of the persecuted Baha'i faith with whom she used to share a cell in Tehran's Evin prison. In March 2017, the hard-line judiciary sentenced her to six months in jail for charges that included "antistate propaganda, spreading lies against the judiciary, and the Revolutionary Guards Corps," the opposition website Kalame reported. She was also briefly detained in the 2009 crackdown. Hashemi appeared to place much of the blame for the country's current problems on the hard-liners, accusing them of interpreting religion to serve their own interests and "trampling on everything" to remain in power. But she also criticized President Hassan Rohani, who is in his second term and is seen as a relative moderate. "The president says things as if he's not the president, he talks in a way as if he were [a member of] the opposition," she said. "I know that the government is not in charge of major issues, there are significant barriers, but there are problems even in those segments under the control of the government." Hashemi said Iran needed to seriously review and update laws and practices that have gone wrong. Her comments come amid heightened U.S. pressure on Iran and the reimposition of tough economic sanctions, including penalties targeting the country's oil exports that contributed to a collapse of the national currency earlier this year. The rial has strengthened in recent weeks, but the cost of living remains significantly high. Protests over economic problems and corruption spread to more than 80 cities and towns last December and in early January. Since then there have been sporadic protests during which protesters have chanted slogans against the establishment. In a June interview with the Financial Times, Hashemi said that the survival of the Iranian establishment depended on reforms and also negotiations with the United States under President Donald Trump, who has taken a hard line on the Islamic republic. A tumultuous year in Afghanistan is ending with a renewed push and newfound hopes that the start of a dialogue with the Taliban may be in sight. The United States increased its air campaign in the country, leading to a rise in civilian casualties, but the Taliban gained territory. U.S. generals think Afghan military's losses are unsustainable. VOA's Ayesha Tanzeem looks at the ups and downs of Afghanistan in 2018. 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. 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. if there is a lack of some other doctor to testify Manish Signature Read More A lawyer defending a doctor from malpractice charges easily avoids damagesabout proper medical procedures.A) if there is a lack of some other doctor to testifyB) unless there will be another doctor to testifyC) without another doctor's testimonyD) should there be no testimony from some other doctorE) lacking another doctor to testify_________________ avaneeshvyas wrote: In a Question paper there are 4 multiple choice questions. Each question has 5 choices with only one choice as the correct answer. What is the total number of ways in which a candidate will not get all the four answers correct? A. 19 B. 85 C. 120 D. 624 E. 1024 A candidate can answer the test in 5*5*5*5=5^4 number of ways (each question has 5 choices and we have total of 4 questions). Now, out of these cases there will be only one case when the candidate answered all the four questions correct. Therefore the total number of ways in which a candidate will NOT get all the four answers correct is 5^4-1=624.Answer: D.Hope it's clear._________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P1 Purpose: P2 Purpose: P3 Purpose: P4 Purpose: Main point ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Which one of the following most accurately states the main point of the passage? Pre-thinking Main point question To present a new approach to training ethics, detailing the benefits of such approach. (A) Training in ethics that incorporates narrative literature would better cultivate flexible ethical thinking and increase medical students capacity for empathetic patient care as compared with the traditional approach of medical schools to such training. Correct, the author throughout the passage stress the differences with the current methodologies (B) Traditional abstract ethical training, because it is too heavily focused on theoretical reasoning, tends to decrease or impair that medical students sensitivity to modern ethical dilemmas. Too narrow (C) Only a properly designed curriculum that balances situational, abstract, and narrative approaches to ethics will adequately prepare the medical student for complex ethical confrontations involving actual patients. Only makes this choice too extreme. Plus abstract training is never considered as fundamental (D) Narrative-based instruction in ethics is becoming increasingly popular in medical schools because it requires students to develop a capacity for empathy by examining complex moral issues from a variety of perspectives. Incorrect information (E) The study of narrative literature in medical schools would nurture moral intuition, enabling the future doctor to make ethical decisions without appeal to general principles. The second part of this option is completely inconsistent ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Which one of the following most accurately represents the authors use of the term moral imagination in line 38? Pre-thinking inference question [b]Gladiator59 Giving oneself over to the ethical conflicts in a story requires the abandonment of strictly absolute, inviolate sets of moral principles. Reading literature also demands that the reader adopt another persons point of viewthat of the narrator or a character in a storyand thus requires the ability to depart from ones personal ethical stance and examine moral issues from new perspectives. [/b] (A) a sense of curiosity, aroused by reading, that leads one to follow actively the development of problems involving the characters depicted in narratives. (B) A faculty of seeking out and recognizing the ethical controversies involved in human relationships and identifying oneself with one side or another in such controversies (C) A capacity to understand the complexities of various ethical dilemmas and to fashion creative and innovative solutions to them (D) An ability to understand personal aspects of ethically significant situations even if one is not a direct participant and to empathize with those involved in them. (E) An ability to act upon ethical principles different from ones own for the sake of variety. 2. Which one of the following most accurately represents the authors use of the term moral imagination in line 38?I believe that without having the lines or/and the term highlighted lots of time is lost here. It'd be great to have the term highlighted here.[/b](A)aroused by reading, that leads one to follow actively the development of problems involving the characters depicted in narratives.(B) A faculty ofinvolved in human relationships and identifying oneself with one side or another in such controversies(C) A capacity to understand the complexities of various ethical dilemmas andAn ability to understand personal aspects of ethically significant situations even if one is not a direct participant and to empathize with those involved in them.(E) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would most likely agree with which one of the following statements? Pre-thinking Inference question We need to evaluate the options here (A) The heavy load of technical coursework in todays medical schools often keeps them from giving adequate emphasis to courses in medical ethics. Incorrect because the heavy load detach students from reality (B) Students learn more about ethics through the use of fiction than through the use of non-fictional readings. Fiction is wrong here. Plus the author makes a comparison only with abstract and narrative while this statement is too general (C) The traditional method of ethical training in medical schools should be supplemented or replaced by more direct practical experience with real-life patients in ethically difficult situations. out of scope (D) The failing of an abstract, philosophical training in ethics can be remedied only by replacing it with a purely narrative-based approach. only makes this option too extreme (E) Neither scientific training nor traditional philosophical ethics adequately prepares doctors to deal with the emotional dimension of patients needs. Correct. The heavy load is not good for them and an abstract approach to ethics is also not good ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Which one of the following is most likely the authors overall purpose in the passage? Pre-thinking Min point question To present a new approach to training ethics, detailing the benefits of such approach. (A) To advise medical schools on how to implement a narrative-based approach to ethics in their curricula. The author does not directly address students (B) To argue that the current methods of ethics education are counterproductive to the formation of empathetic doctor-patient relationships. This is not the main point. The main point is to present a new approach (C) To argue that the ethical content of narrative literature foreshadows the pitfalls of situational ethics. out of scope and incorrect (D) To propose an approach to ethical training in medical school that will preserve the human dimension of medicine. Correct and broad enough (E) To demonstrate the value of a well-designed ethics education for medical students. The author does not want to demonstrate something. She wants to present a new approach which she believes correct ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. The passage ascribes each of the following characteristics to the use of narrative literature in ethical education EXCEPT: Pre-thinking Detail question Let's evaluate the options (A) It tends to avoid the extreme relativism of situational ethics. Mentioned in the last paragraph (B) It connects students to varied types of human events. To grasp the development of character, to tangle with heightening moral crises, and to engage oneself with the story not as ones own but nevertheless as something recognizable and worthy of attention, readers must use their moral imagination. (C) It can help lead medical students to develop new ways of dealing with patients. mentioned. They can develop empathy and hence new ways of dealing with patients (D) It requires students to examine moral issues from new perspectives. Reading literature also demands that the reader adopt another persons point of viewthat of the narrator or a character in a storyand thus requires the ability to depart from ones personal ethical stance and examine moral issues from new perspectives. (E) It can help insulate future doctors from the shock of the ethical dilemmas they will confront. Never mentioned ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. The authors attitude regarding the traditional method of teaching ethics in medical school can most accurately be described as Pre-thinking Author's attitude question The author is contrary to such methodology (A) unqualified disapproval of the method and disapproval of all of its effects The disapproval is motivated. out (B) reserved judgment regarding the method and disapproval of all of its effects the author is not reserved (C) partial disapproval of the method and clinical indifference toward its effects clinical indifference is wrong (D) partial approval of the method and disapproval of all of its effects All its effects is too extreme. Although the conceptual clarity provided by a traditional ethics course can be valuable , (E) partial disapproval of the method and approval of some of its effects Correct ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's a great day to be alive! Hi everyone,Very lengthy passage even for LSAT's standards.Got 4/6 correct in 14 minutes, including 5:15 minutes to read and 8:45 minutes to answer the questions.In the first paragraph the author presents a problem that medical students are facing now: lack of empathy. Because of such lack they cannot deal with current ethical dilemmas. Lastly the author suggests a solution to this problem: training students in ethics through the usage of narrative literature.To present a problem and suggest a solution.Here the author admits that there are training in ethics in some school but she condemns the abstract way in which they are conducted. Then the author proceeds by proposing training in ethics based on narrative literature so that physicians get a more concrete preparation and develop empathy.To condemn current trainings in ethic and to suggest a more concrete approach to the subjectIn paragraph 3 the author resents one of the benefits of the usage of narrative literature in training ethics: flexible ethical thinking. As a matter of fact reading narrative literature helps to put yourself in other people shoes and hence to be more empathetic with the person in front of you.To present one of the benefits of using narrative literature in training ethics: flexible ethical thinkingIn the last paragraph the author refutes one of the possible consequences that could be related with the approach previously described, that is developing a too extreme relativistic morality. The author in fact claims that such development would be of no value for physicians and patients. Lastly the author clams that reading narrative literature can give a better understanding of human nature and a flexible morality.To refute a possible consequence of reading narrative literature and to present the benefits of such practiceTo present a new approach to training ethics, detailing the benefits of such approach. Grand Old Partisan salutes Josiah Walls, born in Virginia this day of 1842. Forced into servitude to a Confederate officer, he was liberated by Union forces. He enlisted in the 3rd Infantry (U.S. Colored Troops) and deployed to Florida. Peace restored, the courageous sergeant remained in the state. After three years teaching at a Freedmen's Bureau school, he bought a farm near Gainesville. As a Republican, Walls was elected to the 1868 constitutional convention, then to the state house, and then to the state senate. In 1870, Walls defeated a more moderate candidate for the GOP congressional nomination. Surviving an assassination attempt, he defeated an ex-Confederate for the U.S. House of Representatives. After two re-elections, he was elected again to the state senate. "We demand that our lives, our liberties, and our property shall be protected by the strong arm of our government, that it gives us the same citizenship that it gives to those who it seems would sink our every hope for peace, prosperity, and happiness into the great sea of oblivion." Later on, Walls was mayor of Gainesville and county commissioner. After his political career, he raised citrus fruit and managed the farm of what would become Florida A&M University. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WPzXbawvaPs Michael Zak is author of Back to Basics for the Republican Party, a history of GOP civil rights achievement. Each day, his grandoldpartisan YouTube channel and Grand Old Partisan blog celebrate more than sixteen decades of Republican heritage. And, see Speech Raves for audience feedback from his presentations in thirty-one states so far. He also wrote the 2005 Republican Freedom Calendar. Clarence Thomas cited Back to Basics for the Republican Party in a Supreme Court decision. Buy the book at Amazon See www.youtube.com/q?v=IzxKCiXc5Qc for a brief video of a Texas Republican praising Back to Basics for the Republican Party. "This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!" "Michael Zak wrote the definitive history of the GOP." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan." "Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before." and "one of the best books I ever read" 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 Members of the Iranian opposition group, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) have made their home in the Albanian capital of Tirana under UN supervision in 2016, after leaving Iraq. Because of this, the regime in Iran is prepared to take risks. In fact, the regime appointed a new ambassador, who is believed to be a member of the Intelligence Ministry (MOIS). It is also believed that a special section within the embassy was created to organize operations against the MEK. Senior regime officials admit that the MEK has successfully led daily anti-regime protests in the country. The regime must respond to persistent dissidents across the world. Two Iranians were arrested in Tirana on March 22nd, and charged with plotting a terrorist attack against thousands of MEK members at their Iranian New Year celebration. Then, on October 10th, Belgium charged an Iranian diplomat and three other individuals with planning to bomb the grand gathering of the Iranian opposition coalition, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), in France last June. According to Frances Foreign Ministry, there is no doubt the MOIS was behind the plot. They froze the assets of Tehrans intelligence services and two of the Iranian nationals, including the diplomat waiting prosecution in Belgium. In response, the regime has launched a campaign against the MEK. A wave of false news against the MEK has recently been spread in the Guardian, Al Jazeera, MSNBC and Channel 4 in what appears to be an organized attempt to exploit respected news outlets. The EUs failed appeasement policy towards Iran is being blamed for this increase of terrorist attacks by Irans regime against dissidents and opposition groups in Europe by members of Iranian communities in Europe. They say that the current EU Foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and her colleagues are responsible for this emerging threat to EUs security. The former Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Patrick Kennedy, told and international conference last week, today response to Irans terrorist operations has been weak and inappropriate to emerging threats. He said that the regimes targeting of the organized resistance movement demonstrates its fear of the NCRI coalition. Secretary of State Pompeo tweeted, European nations have thwarted three Iranian plots this year. He also called on the international community to sanction the regime for terrorist activities. Designating the entire Revolutionary Guards and the MOIS as Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) is what the Iranian people want, as well. Seemingly with great glee, the New York Post features coverage of a move made by the Brooklyn Detention Complex. With no explanation why, the correctional facility posted a sign in the visitors' quarters that the New York Post is banned. Here are the details from the tabloid. According to civil rights lawyer - Ron Kulp - the ban is unconstitutional. For example, the media outlet is not providing information such as how to break out of prison. That could have justified a ban. Given the power of the media and the contention that the ban is unconstitutional, Brooklyn Detention Complex is in a public relations crisis mode. Already, it has blundered badly. Before a potential crisis (not all flashpoints become crises), during it, and afterward, the must-do is to provide all available information in a timely manner in all appropriate mediums. When managing the Blue Bell product recall, kglobal partner Gene Grabowski made use of video. That helped humanize the message. A high-ranking spokesperson should be designated. Then there should be regular updates. Owned by media genius Rupert Murdoch, the New York Post has the resources to not only sustain this crisis. It can escalate it. Global activists supporting journalism can position and package this into a high-profile issue. BTW, in September, the New York Post published an article that some of the 800 inmates at the Brooklyn Detention Complex were using makeshift fishing poles. With those they snatched up whatever from folks standing on Atlantic Avenue. Out of the Box Communications = Unexpected Results Complimentary Consultation janegenova374@gmail.com I help, not sell. Saturday, December 29, 2018 The California State Bar Court Hearing Department recommends disbarment for an attorney's abusive billing practices Respondent's procedures for dealing with complaining clients constituted overreaching. When clients complained about her billings, she would threaten to sue or file liens against them. The essence of a fiduciary or confidential relationship is that the parties do not deal on equal terms, because the person in whom trust and confidence is reposed . . . is in a superior position to exert unique influence over the dependent party. (Beery v. State Bar (1987) 43 Cal.3d 802, 813.) Respondent exploited her position as an attorney and intimidated her clients. The Supreme Court has long recognized that the right to practice law is not a license to mulct the unfortunate. (Recht v. State Bar (1933) 218 Cal. 352, 355.) Respondent did just that by filing invalid liens against DeMarco and threatening to sue Berg for $100,000, based on an hourly agreement that never existed. As a result, Berg panicked and was forced to give Respondent four parcels of land. She claimed that Berg did not pay her a dime for costs; when in fact, Berg had paid her $1,000 for filing fees and $600 for travel expenses. Respondent charged Rojas $1,524.95 on a blank check when the client clearly told her to tear up the check and terminated her employment. Editor's note - I learned a new word "mulct" - to extract money from (someone) by fine or taxation. In the DeMarco matter, Respondent intimidated opposing counsel Hylton and Thakor with threats of reprisal. Respondent threatened to sue Hylton if Respondent's name was not included on DeMarco's settlement checks. Respondent then filed a state bar complaint against Hylton for not paying her share of DeMarco's settlement funds. And when Respondent threatened to file a state bar complaint against Thakur, she withdrew from the case. And Respondent's lack of candor is a significant aggravating factor... Respondent is dishonest and abusive towards her clients, opposing counsel, and others. Indeed, Respondent engaged in multiple acts of deception for personal gain. Her 'lack of insight makes [her] an ongoing danger to the public." (In the Matter of Song, supra, 5 Cal. State Bar Ct. Rptr. 273, 279.) She has no recognition of her wrongdoing and has flagrantly breached her fiduciary duties. Her extreme dishonesty to this court and to her clients raises concerns as to whether her misconduct may recur and is particularly troubling to this court. Here, the attorney was brought down by taking a fee interest in client property. It is much harder to prove the more common form of mulcting, i. e. bill padding. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/12/the-california-state-bar-court-hearing-department-recommends-disbarment-for-an-attorneys-billing-practices-respondents-proce.html Saturday, December 29, 2018 The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended an attorney for nine months for practice while on administrative suspension Attorney Schiltz was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 1987. He had no disciplinary history prior to the filing of this complaint. His law license has been administratively suspended for failing to comply with CLE reporting requirements since May 31, 2016, and for failing to pay annual bar dues and to provide a required trust account certification since October 31, 2017. He practiced in several matters while suspended including At the time of his May 31, 2016 suspension for failure to comply with CLE reporting requirements, Attorney Schiltz had been the attorney for a particular town for several years, including acting as municipal prosecutor. Attorney Schiltz did not timely inform the town or the town's municipal judge of his suspension, nor did he timely advise the town to seek successor counsel. From June of 2016 through at least April 30, 2017, Attorney Schiltz continued to represent the town in municipal court and other proceedings. When he petitioned the Board of Bae Examiners for reinstatement On October 6, 2016, Attorney Schiltz filed a petition for reinstatement with the BBE. In it, Attorney Schiltz stated, "I have not practiced law during the time of my suspension." This statement was false. He defaulted We agree with the referee that Attorney Schiltz should be declared in default. Although the OLR effected personal service of its original complaint and mailed the amended complaint to both Attorney Schiltz's office address registered with the State Bar and the address at which he was served with the original complaint, he failed to appear or present a defense. Accordingly, we deem it appropriate to declare him in default. In addition, the referee properly relied on the allegations of the complaint, which were deemed admitted. The court did not impose the referee's 18-month suspension Under the unique circumstances of this case, we conclude that a nine-month suspension is appropriate. In imposing this suspension, we agree with the referee's view that the six-month suspension requested by the OLR in its amended complaint is insufficient. The court was influenced by the absence of prior discipline. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/12/the-wisconsin-supreme-court-suspended-an-attorney-attorney-schiltz-was-admitted-to-practice-law-in-wisconsin-in-1987-he-had.html Scientists are studying fossils of a large meat-eating dinosaur they describe as interesting, both in life and in death. The dinosaur is said to have lived and hunted 198 million years ago in what is now northern Italy. The fossils were discovered in 1996 close to the village of Saltrio, near Milan, in Italys northern Lombardy area. They were found in an area where miners cut rock to use for building. This led to a long, difficult process of removing the creatures remains from the surrounding rock. The scientists reported that the dinosaur, called Saltriovenator zanellai, weighed at least one ton and was 7.5 meters long. They said this means that during the period when it lived, Saltriovenator was the largest-known meat-eating dinosaur that had ever existed. Its death also was noteworthy. After dying, Saltriovenator somehow floated into the sea and sank to the bottom. There the remains provided meals to numerous sea creatures before fossilizing, the researchers said. The bones show marks likely left by attacking sharks and fish. They also show signs of feeding by smaller creatures, such as sea urchins. And there are small holes in the bone apparently left by even smaller marine worms. This is absolutely unique, said Cristiano Dal Sasso of Milans Natural History Museum. In scientific writings, he said, there are reports of some dinosaur bones being attacked on land by other animals and, more rarely, insects. At least three kinds of marine animals left those traces on the bones of Saltriovenator, he added. Dal Sasso led the researchers. Their findings were published earlier this month in the scientific journal PeerJ. Saltriovenator is the second dinosaur of its kind ever found in Italy. It combined the qualities of early meat-eating dinosaurs with those of more developed ones. The name Saltriovenator means hunter from Saltrio. The creature walked on two legs. Each hand had four fingers, three of which possessed claws. Its head was about 80 centimeters long, while its mouth had sharp teeth. The creature was about 24 years old at the time of death, and still not fully grown. It lived in a coastal environment and likely hunted plant-eating dinosaurs and possibly smaller meat-eating dinosaurs, the researchers said. Dinosaurs are said to have first appeared on Earth about 230 million years ago during what is known as the Triassic Period. Scientists say the earliest meat-eating dinosaurs were less noticeable than larger non-dinosaur predators that died off by the end of the period. With the competition gone, meat-eating dinosaurs increased in size during Earths Jurassic Period. I'm George Grow. Will Dunham reported this story for the Associated Press. George Grow adapted his report for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Quiz Quiz - Big Dinosaur from Italy Got Burial at Sea Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story predator n. something that gets food mainly by killing and eating other organisms claw n. a part of an animal that is used for seizing and holding things absolutely adv. completely or totally unique adj. being without equal; special marine adj. of or related to the sea fossil n. mineral remains of an ancient animal or plant We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. Higher education in the United States has never been more costly. The College Board is an independent organization that supports the growth of higher education in the U.S. It says that the average cost to attend a public, four-year American college or university has increased more than 300 percent in the last 30 years. Most American colleges and universities do offer some form of financial assistance to their students. However, not all schools offer aid in the same way, and not all students are able receive the same kind of aid, says Loutfi Jirari. He is the associate dean of academic life and director of international recruitment at DePauw University, a private liberal arts college in Indiana. Jirari says there are several types of financial assistance that colleges and universities offer students. There is aid that schools award to students with strong academic records. Schools also give special awards to students who are especially skilled at a sport, musical instrument, or other activity. Jirari says the financial aid process can be complex, no matter what kind of assistance a student is seeking. It demands just as much attention as any other part of the college application process. Students should consider several things before sending in any aid application materials, Jirari says. For example, there are two main types of colleges and universities in the United States: public and private. Public universities are controlled by the states in which they are located. Private schools are independently operated. What does this mean in terms of applying for financial aid? For both domestic and international students, Jirari says, there is a world of difference. He should know; he was once an international student himself. Born in Morocco, Jirari attended one year of college in his home country before finishing his higher education at Southern Illinois University, a public research university. He says most public American universities do not offer any financial aid to international students. That is because those schools have special responsibilities to students living in-state. State universities have to serve the needs of the students in the state and the students in the U.S. first and foremost, Jirari told VOA. They are, of course, very, very open to having international students. But they are not able to give financial aid because they just dont have that for international studentsPrivate universities dont have to follow everything that is dictated by the states. So, Jirari says, the first step for both domestic and international students should be to ask what a school offers. He suggests contacting schools financial aid offices directly. Applicants can get answers to questions they may have about the schools financial aid availability. Jirari also notes that financial aid offices and admissions offices often work together. Any time an applicant contacts and communicates with a school directly, the school sees it as a good sign. When they ask questionswe give them points, Jirari said. That is a sign that the student cares about the university, and for us, we use those points to decide admission and also to decide scholarships. Jirari says that students usually apply for financial aid from a university at the same time that they apply for admission. This is typically in the fall term of their final year of high school. American citizens can apply for financial aid from both the U.S. government and their college or university of choice. They do so by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. International students must apply for financial aid through one of two other methods. They can use the College Boards College Scholarship Service, or CSS, Profile. They can also use the International Student Financial Aid Application. Almost all U.S. colleges and universities use at least one of these methods to determine how much aid they will give to students, Jirari says. The main difference between the two is that the CSS Profile costs about $25 for the first school students apply to, and about $16 for each additional school. The International Student Financial Aid Application is free. But Jirari says that neither method is necessarily better than the other. He says that the FAFSA, the CSS Profile and the International Student Financial Aid Application all ask for the same kind of information. That information includes detailed proof of how much money, property and other assets a students family possesses. They also ask students to report the number of siblings a student has so schools know if their family is supporting more than one college student. Jirari notes that completing these application materials correctly is very important. For example, students must make sure that all their familys financial information is reported using the value in American dollars. Otherwise the student risks making it appear that their family is wealthier than they actually are. Also, he says, students must make sure all the documents they provide the school match the ones they use in their visa application. If a student does not tell the full truth on every part of their application, the school can and will find out. That can create serious problems. Ive seen so many instances for both domestic and international students where students might try to hide an asset, thinking they will get more scholarship, he said But what that causes is for us to see that student is being untruthful. And in a lot of instances we will deny that student. In the end, schools do not want money to be a barrier to getting an education. They will give as much aid as they feel is reasonable, Jirari says. But students must fully understand how much a college or university costs. He notes that some schools only list their basic costs of attending classes on their websites without including other costs, such as housing. That is another reason why student should ask financial aid officers questions during every step of the process. The student can then compare how much a college or university truly costs to how much aid they are offering. Im Pete Musto. And Im Dorothy Gundy. Pete Musto wrote this report for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. How common is it for colleges and universities in your country to offer financial aid? What is the process of applying for financial aid like? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz Quiz - College Admissions: Searching for Financial Support Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story academic adj. of or relating to schools and education recruitment n. to find people with the qualities that are right, needed, or appropriate for a company, school, organization, or the armed forces and get them to join application n. a formal and usually written request for something, such as a job, admission to a school, or a loan domestic adj. of, relating to, or made in your own country world of difference idm. a big difference dictate(d) v. to make something necessary admissions n. the act or process of accepting someone as a student at a school scholarship(s) n. an amount of money that is given by a school or an organization, to a student to help pay for the student's education asset(s) n. something that is owned by a person or company sibling(s) n. a brother or sister instance(s) n. example or occasion UN tells UK: Allow Assange to leave Ecuador embassy freely UN rights experts called on British authorities on Friday to allow WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to leave the Ecuador embassy in London without fear of arrest or extradition. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention reiterated its finding published in February 2016 that Assange had been de facto unlawfully held without charge in the embassy, where he has now been holed up for more than six years. He initially took asylum to avoid being extradited to Sweden, where authorities wanted to question him as part of a sexual assault investigation. That investigation was dropped. "MR. ASSANGE ALREADY PAID A HIGH PRICE" Assange, whose website published thousands of classified US government documents, denied the Sweden allegations, saying the charge was a ploy that would eventually take him to the United States where prosecutors are preparing to pursue a criminal case against him. Britain says Assange will be arrested for skipping bail if he leaves the embassy, but that any sentence would not exceed six months if convicted. It had no immediate comment on the experts call, but in June, foreign office minister Alan Duncan said Assange would be treated humanely and properly. The only ground remaining for Mr. Assanges continued deprivation of liberty is a bail violation in the UK, which is, objectively, a minor offense that cannot post facto justify the more than six years confinement that he has been subjected to since he sought asylum in the Embassy of Ecuador, the UN experts said in a statement. It is time that Mr. Assange, who has already paid a high price for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of opinion, expression and information, and to promote the right to truth in the public interest, recovers his freedom, they said. Lawyers for Assange and others have said his work with WikiLeaks was critical to a free press and was protected speech. New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Popular online stores in South Africa are listing the PlayStation 4 console as out of stock following the festive season sales period. Big retailers including Takealot, Raru, Dion Wired, BT Games, and Incredible Connection all list the PlayStation 4 as either unavailable or out of stock. Of the retailers checked, Makro was the only one with stock which was available to order online. However, the store provided a delivery time of 7-10 working days. A MyBroadband reader said he has also tried to buy a PlayStation 4 from several South African stores, including Makro, but the console has been unavailable this week. The apparent shortage affects standalone consoles, including the PlayStation 4 and Playstation 4 Pro, as well as console bundles which include games such as the FIFA 19 and Spider-Man bundles. The shortages may be a result of Black Friday sales and other specials in the build-up to Christmas, with the PlayStation 4 a popular gift option. MyBroadband asked PlayStations distributors in South Africa for comment on the reported shortage, but it did not immediately reply to questions. International shortages South Africa is not the only country affected by console shortages of late, however. In October 2018, there were reports of the PlayStation 4 Pro not being available at many stores in the US with even Amazon affected by stock shortages. Polygon reported that the best was to secure a Pro console was to buy a bundle deal which included games, as these were more readily available toward the end of 2018. Now read: Awesome PC and PlayStation 4 games coming in 2019 South Africas gold is being stolen at an alarming rate and being sold overseas, according to a report in the Sunday Times. The report stated that organised crime syndicates are behind the looting and work in partnership with illegal miners. Research shows that in recent years tons of gold has been illicitly shipped out of the country, particularly between 2012 and 2016. Dubai, for example, bought 34 tons of gold from SA in those four years, stated the report. However, the sales do not show in South Africas trading account and are worth $1 billion. It was also estimated that the countrys economy loses around $1 billion each year thanks to illegal gold mining. The report further stated that reasons for the large illegal flows on top of the illegal miners and crime syndicates include the closure of the Sars illicit economy team. Illegal mining The source of the illegally-sold gold is illegal mining, which is a big problem in South Africa. The report quoted an illegal miner in Welkom who stated his group of workers sells 4kg of gold per month, while the area he works in produces around 40kg of gold per month via illegal mining. Gold is then smuggled out of South Africa to Mozambique and Swaziland, and then flown to Dubai and India. Illegal mining does more damage than the theft of gold, however. Transnet and Sasol recently came forward to warn of the potential of a disaster in Johannesburg as illegal miners use explosives to blast rock underground. The miners are coming within metres of gas and fuel lines under Johannesburg, which could cause a massive explosion in struck. There is also the risk of parts of the city collapsing due to a network of tunnels made by the miners. A 140km stretch of tunnels runs underneath areas such as the M1 highway and FNB Stadium. Reports state that the city has asked the government to help fight illegal mining, but has not received any assistance so far. Now read: Government to assess illegal mining risks in Joburg They can come anytime and ask ... The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age By Tim Wu Columbia Global Reports. 154 pp. $14.99 paperback Two decades into the 21st century, capitalism is huge and getting huger. Three-quarters of all industries became more concentrated between 1997 and 2012. About 10 pharmaceutical companies control the production and sale of the worlds medicine; three chemical firms dominate the supply of seeds and pesticides, and thus global agriculture; and one combined corporation produces nearly every non-craft beer for sale on the planet. At the same time, tech giants Facebook, Google and Apple dominate their markets, controlling not just commerce but access to news and our personal information. As Tim Wu argues in The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age, global economic concentration is now at levels unseen in more than a centurysince the early days of industrial capitalism. A policy advocate and law professor at Columbia University, perhaps best known for coining the term net neutrality in 2003, Wu offers a vital diagnosis: America has abandoned its rich tradition of anti-monopoly, or antitrust, law. And while the very term antitrust may strike many as dreadfully dry, Wu manages to make this brisk and impressively readable overview of the subject (the entire text runs about 140 pages)vivid and compelling. Americas antitrust history began with the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, passed as a reaction to the rising power of monopoly trusts. The law lay dormant for a decade until activated by President Theodore Roosevelt against J.P. Morgans Northern Securities railroad company and John Rockefellers Standard Oil. Despite his trustbuster image, Wu argues, Roosevelt had little problem with bigness itself. He even offered Rockefeller the chance to keep his monopoly as a public trust, subject to government supervision. Whats more, during his campaign to reclaim the White House in 1912, Roosevelt argued (unsuccessfully) for regulated monopolya system in which commerce would be controlled by a small group of monopolists, who would be, in turn, controlled by government. It was a model later implemented by Italy and Germany in the 1930s. The standout figure in antitrust was jurist Louis Brandeis, the architect of the vision that did triumph in 1912: Woodrow Wilsons regulated competition. Born in Louisville to immigrant, small-business-owning parents, Brandeis cut his legal teeth defending small-business clients in Boston and emerged as a leading opponent of monopolies in the two decades before Wilson named him to the Supreme Court in 1916. For Brandeis, industrial size was the chief problem. Large companies, whether strictly monopolies or not, thwarted individual initiative, restricted competition and thus innovation, and used their size to obscure economic inefficiencies. Most important, large corporations could not be reconciled with democracy and liberty, either for small businesses trying to compete or workers out to make a living. The biggest threat, Brandeis wrote in 1914, was the suppression of individual liberty, indeed of manhood itself. The view that fighting monopoly meant defending democracy triumphed after World War II with what Wu calls Peak Antitrust. Democratic Sen. Estes Kefauver minced no words linking a competitive economy with political freedom. Through monopolistic mergers the people are losing power to direct their own economic welfare, he said. Putting such power in too few hands, he continued, results in a Fascist state or the nationalization of industries and thereafter a Socialist or Communist state. Passed in 1950, his Anti-Merger Act gave the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission new authority to prevent anti-competitive mergers, nipping industrial giants in the bud. Peak Antitrust endured through the 1970s, culminating in the breakup of AT&T in 1982 after eight years of litigation. The end of that regulated monopoly led, in Wus view, to a proliferation of advances in communications technology, including modems that linked home computers over a network, thus producing the Internet revolution. Even as the AT&T case made its way through the courts, however, a conservative backlash undercut the antitrust movement, principally by severing the intellectual and moral link between monopoly and democracy. Beginning in the 1960s, conservative scholars at the University of Chicago argued for applying economic analysis, particularly theories about prices and allocative efficiency, to legal questions like antitrust. Most influential was Robert Bork, who argued that the original Sherman Act intended to deal with only a specific problem: higher prices for consumers. Historians largely discount Borks interpretation, which Wu condemns as laissez-faire reincarnated, albeit clad in the costume of economic rigor. It appealed, Wu asserts, by oversimplifying complex problems and presuming economic rationalitythat the existing structure is the efficient structure. Yet Borks narrow interpretation of Sherman transformed antitrust. First published in 1966 and elaborated in a book called The Antitrust Paradox in 1978, Borks thesis reshaped how antitrust was taught in law schools and practiced by judges. Despite pushback by liberal legal scholars in the 1990s, the judiciary continued to drift toward Bork, and antitrust had entered a deep freeze by the George W. Bush presidency. The denouement came in 2004, when Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia argued that monopoly power was not only legal but a positive good. The opportunity to charge monopoly prices ... induces risk taking that produces innovation and economic growth. Wu is an unreconstructed Brandeisian, and his bookwhose title comes from Brandeissees Americas last hope in a robust antitrust policy. His agenda calls for enforcing the 1950 Anti-Merger Act as its authors intended, by preventing anti-competitive moves like Facebooks acquisition of Instagram and Googles purchase of YouTube. When that fails, he calls for vigorous prosecutions of companies whose size and influence block competition, erect barriers to entry or otherwise hurt the general welfare. Such a case tradition was once at the core of Sherman Act enforcement but has gone unused since AT&Ts breakup more than 35 years ago. Finally, Wu challenges the legal community to invest the energy to make those judgments and to repudiate the too-easy solutions offered by Bork and the Chicago School, as well as the false notion that capitalism self-regulates in the public interest. Real political freedom and economic justice demand it. Waterhouse is an associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is the author of Lobbying America: The Politics of Business From Nixon to NAFTA and The Land of Enterprise: A Business History of the United States. It had been a place of refuge and recovery for more than 450 former soldiers tormented by battlefield-related trauma. But on the morning of March 9, The Pathway Home became a deathtrap. A farewell party for two employees of the Yountville facility turned into a hostage situation when, around 10:20 a.m., a recently expelled Pathway client showed up carrying a rifle and shotgun, told seven people to leave Madison Hall and then seized three female staff members. More than seven hours later, law enforcement officers found all three women shot to death, and the gunman dead by his own hand. The slayings of Pathways executive director Christine Loeber, clinical director Jennifer Gray Golick and psychologist Jennifer Gonzales Shushereba, who was 26 weeks pregnant, brought a sudden halt to an ambitious program founded a decade ago to ease the recovery of veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress or traumatic brain injuries men like Albert Wong, an Army veteran of the Afghanistan war who authorities say killed the three staffers and himself. Pathways quarters on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California never reopened after the attack. In July, directors announced the nonprofits Yountville building would close for good, as Pathway began a new effort to pass its knowledge to other groups trying to carry out its mission of aiding veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq. The mission had begun in 2008, the brainchild of Fred Gusman, a longtime social worker with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs who launched Pathway as an inpatient center for former soldiers to be treated for nine months at a time. Key to the treatment was the presence on staff of veterans those who could understand firsthand what trials and torment their fellow soldiers had endured in battle. If you dont have veterans on your staff, its going to be tough. It doesnt matter if you have the strongest treatment, Gusman would say seven years later. If they dont feel that youre for real, its hard. Pathways innovations in veteran care caught the attention of a national audience. The lives of recovering soldiers became the subject of the documentary Of Men and War as well as the book Thank You for Your Service, which was itself turned into a movie in 2017. However, the fundraising needed to supply Pathway $1.2 million a year proved a constant struggle, and the home eventually was forced to reduce enrollment from 34 to 15 clients. In September 2015, Gusman stepped down and Pathway suspended operations while its leaders searched for ways to make its treatment model financially sustainable. The new model Pathway eventually announced was a support system for veterans enrolling at Napa Valley College to prepare for civilian careers. Future clients would spend their days studying on campus while living at Pathways Yountville center and receiving therapy there. At the core of the revamped Pathway Homes clinical team were the 48-year-old Loeber, hired to lead Pathway in 2016; Golick, 42, the clinical director; and the 32-year-old Shushereba, a clinical psychologist with the San Francisco Department of Veterans Affairs health care system. After their deaths, the building where they had worked was repaired, but the therapy never resumed. On July 22, Pathways board of directors announced it would give up its lease at the Veterans Home, and create a handoff to a similar residential therapy program at a federal VA center in Martinez. The care of six men who had been Pathway clients at the time of the shootings was transferred to Mentis, which hired one of the homes clinicians. As we continued to evaluate our short-term and long-term future, it just became more and more clear that we would not go back into our facility at the Veterans Home, said Yountville Mayor John Dunbar, a Pathway board member. People can imagine the emotional and psychological impacts of losing our three friends and colleagues; to this day it weights heavy on us as a board and as a staff. In the months since, The Pathway Homes backers have sought to preserve its spirit and transmit its therapy model to others seeking to create their own support groups for trauma-stricken veterans. Board members announced work on an online guidebook that would distill therapy lessons learned during the homes decade working with former soldiers. Incorporating interviews and videos with former clients, clinicians and volunteers, the package is scheduled to become available as soon as 2019. Family members of the slain Pathway staffers also strove to keep memories of their loved ones, and of their sacrifice, vital. At a celebration of life held in Yountvilles Lincoln Theater only a short stroll from where the Pathway workers died Shusherebas father Mike Gonzales implored his audience to remember the lengths the victims had gone to help those others could or would not. What they had in common was this, he said at the memorial 10 days after the attack. They were willing to spend their lives toiling in obscurity, doing a job that was thankless and that was never going to end. Who does that? My thought is, only the best of us do. 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. Roughly 2 million civilian employees work for the federal government. They are men and women of every racial background and from every state in the country. Yet there is one thing they all have in common: They made a choice to serve, even knowing, in many cases, that they could be making more money in the private sector. Unfortunately, it appears that we have a president who, rather than leading the nations public workforce, consistently chooses to belittle it. The latest example came when the president took to Twitter on Thursday morning, day six of an unnecessary government shutdown instigated by congressional Republicans at President Donald Trumps behest. In what has become a familiar pattern of politicizing the largely nonpartisan, nuts-and-bolts work of the federal government, Trump tried to exert political pressure on congressional Democrats to fund his ineffective border wall by asking: Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are Democrats? What the president fails to understand is that federal employees dont go to work wearing red or blue jerseys. What they do wear are the badges of law enforcement and the hats of park rangers and the uniforms of first responders, and they make up the backbone of our government. They bring their skills and expertise to strengthen our nation and make a difference in the lives of their fellow citizens, regardless of political affiliation. As the senior senator from Virginia, I represent hundreds of thousands of federal employees and service members. I have no idea how many of them are Democrats, but I know this: They include voters and nonvoters alike; they are independents and Republicans and Democrats and libertarians and vegetarians. Those who are hurt by this shutdown include Forest Service firefighters and National Weather Service forecasters in red states, and U.S. Marshals and Drug Enforcement Administration agents in blue states. What distinguishes them isnt their partisan affiliationits their commitment to serving our country. Like all Americans, federal employees have a right to hold personal political beliefs. But what separates your average public servant from the president is an ability and, indeed, a legal obligation to leave their political views at home and do their jobs without regard for partisan politics. The president who declared that he would be proud to shut down the government is holding one-quarter of the federal governments agencies hostage in an effort to get $5.7 billion for a wall that experts say would fail to improve border securityin the process treating 800,000 federal workers like poker chips from one of his failed casinos. Sadly, this is only the latest salvo by a president determined to attack and undermine our countrys public servants. It started with the hiring freezes that threw a wrench into the day-to-day operations of nearly every federal agencywith no apparent benefit to the taxpayers. It continued with executive orders undermining workplace protections for federal workers and their ability to organize as part of a union. The targeting was compounded by the administrations plan to cut retirement benefits for 2.6 million federal retirees and survivors, and recently led to an attempt by the president to arbitrarily freeze the pay of the entire federal workforce. Thankfully, the Senate saw the shortsightedness of that endeavor and voted to override the administrations freeze. The House can and should follow suit. Instead of receiving thanks for their service, right now thousands of them are simply wondering if their next paycheck is going to come, and how they are going to pay their bills. About 380,000 federal workers have been furloughedforced to take unpaid time offwhile another 420,000 are being expected to work without pay for the duration of the shutdown. During one of the busiest travel times of the year, thousands of air-traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents worked without pay so that Americans could get home to spend the holidays with their families. Meanwhile, some of them didnt know how they were going to pay for Christmas presents for their own kids. While the Senate moved before Christmas to guarantee back pay for any federal worker hurt by the shutdown, the House left town without voting on the bill. This is to say nothing of the thousands of federal contractors also affected by this shutdown, most of whom are unlikely to ever receive retroactive pay. These are real people with real families who are struggling. They arent bargaining chips, Mr. President. Please stop holding hard-working federal employees hostage. Its time to work with Congress to reopen the government and end this pointless, painful government shutdown. Mark Warner, a Democrat, represents Virginia in the U.S. Senate. He wrote this for The Washington Post. It also does not reflect the views of the Firm of which the Author is working for. Since the inception of this blog, the Author has avoided writing views and opinions of his clients or views and opinions which third parties has paid him to write. The Author has maintained editorial independence since Day One. Any individual or group affected by the opinions and views of the Author can write the author thru mangubat.patricio@gmail.com. Opinions and views expressed in this blog are personal views of the Author and does not involve organisations and companies being serviced by the Author as part of his profession as a Strategic Communications professional. Armenian FM meets with OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Putin and Erdogan discuss Azerbaijan, Armenia, Syria, Libya, and Ukraine Armenia and Poland FMs discuss regional security issues Erdogan and Putin support coordination of efforts on Karabakh UN launches campaign against Gender-based violence online NEWS.am daily digest: 03.12.21 Azerbaijanis kill Nagorno-Karabakh resident captured today Armenia deputy FM: Azerbaijan blatantly ignores core principles of international law (PHOTOS) 2-day workshop on Inclusive Development kicks off in Armenia Armenia Prosecutor General to head for Egypt Dollar ascent continues in Armenia Union Against Genocide founder, chairman Ali Ertem dies in Germany Karabakh resident captured by Azerbaijan is cattle breeder Writer, statesman Vano Siradeghyans wake is held in Yerevan 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' facing troubles in China The Packaging of ARARAT Nairi Wins a Master Medal on a Famous British Competition Armenia official on unblocking: Routes, procedures for crossing border still being discussed at this phase Azerbaijan takes Karabakh citizen captive Armenia President, Russia ambassador discuss regional security, stability Ronaldo: Michael Carrick was a class act as a player and he can become a great coach as well Canada FM expresses solidarity with Armenian people EU envoy to Armenia on another Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting: We are in touch with both sides UAE signs contract for 80 French Rafale fighter jets Statements on Armenia army falsification of wartime orders to be sent to the investigative body Armenia FM briefs Netherlands colleague on situation as result of Azerbaijan military aggression Bruno Fernandes: Everyone is looking forward to work with the new coach Protest staged outside Armenia consulate in Los Angeles (PHOTOS) Benny Gantz believes US will support Israel in attack on Iran Armenia MFA spokesman: FMs Mirzoyan-Bayramov meeting possible in Stockholm today Armenia appoints permanent representative to Council of Europe Passenger, 53, dies in hospital after accident on Goris-Stepanakert motorway Young Karabakh filmmakers movie wins at Cannes Film Festival President: 178 births registered in Artsakh in November 9th Khachaturian International Festival to be held in Yerevan Artsakh film directors movie becomes winner at Cannes Film Festival Barcelona intend sign two players in January 1 more person dies of coronavirus in Artsakh "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Are you ready to pay 25 thousand dollars for a ticket? Switzerland launches reform project for modernization of Armenia Vocational Education System in Agriculture Nikol the traitor banner is placed on gate of Armenia consulate general in Los Angeles Armenia, Greece FMs discuss need for returning all Armenian captives in Azerbaijan 399 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia PM makes new appointment Large fire breaks out in Armenias Charentsavan, burnt body of elderly woman found in apartment (PHOTOS) Mansion from Home Alone shared on Airbnb for rent (PHOTOS) Atletico Mineiro claim Brazil championship title (PHOTO, VIDEO) 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) Valentino orders ad for Ukraine cat, Stepan London Christmas tree becomes subject of ridicule What are best breakfast options for weight loss? Newspaper: Armenia parliament ruling majority faction holds night meeting Newspaper: What did Armenia ex-President Kocharyan discuss with his political teammates? Ronaldo scores 800th, 801st goals of his professional career Premier League: Man United beat Arsenal, Ronaldo scores 2 goals Serie A: Lazio play draw Premier League: Tottenham win in London 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 Arsenal ready to pay 85m for Fiorentina forward 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 Eriksen has his first training session after heart surgery 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 HBO loses $ 30 million to unreleased Game of Thrones spin-off 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 Luciano Spalletti disqualified for two matches Blinken: US hopes to work with Russia to resolve Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Apple Music Award announces Artist of the Year 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 Mohammed Salah hopes to win Premier League and Champions League titles Ben Affleck comments on reunion with Jennifer Lopez Ivan Aivazovsky bust unveiled in Stepanakert Josep Guardiola: Steven Gerrard is already a good manager Why deaths from Covid are so high in Armenia? Armenia electricity tariffs may increase as of February 2022 Exchange of fire occurs in area of Karabakhs Karmir Shuka village Armenia health minister: Restrictive measures applied at the right time enable protecting economy too 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 YEREVAN. The Special Investigation Service (SIS) of Armenia has verbally denied the petition by Karen Batikyan, one of the attorneys of businessman Samvel Mayrapetyan, and with a request for the return of Mayrapetyans passport. Armenian News-NEWS.am has also learned from the magnates legal team that there is no written reply to this petition yet. The court on Thursday released Samvel Mayrapetyan from custody on an AMD 30mn (approx US$62,000) bail. Subsequently, his attorney petitioned to the SIS so that he continue his medical treatment in Germany. Also, they are preparing to lodge a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights. Businessman Samvel Mayrapetyan was arrested on charges of mediation to bribe-taking, and a criminal charge was brought against him. The SIS is investigating this criminal case. To note, Mayrapetyan is also the owner of a TV company in Armenia. The Daily Beast Courtesy Mykayla BolieuThe family of Sativa Transue, a 26-year-old American woman from Spokane, Washington who was found dead in her Cancun hotel room while on vacation with her boyfriend, said she looked like she had been beaten to a bloody pulp when Mexican authorities discovered her body on Saturday.I received a call from the Mexican consulate letting me know my daughter has passed away and that shes been found dead, Jayme Bolieu, Sativas mother, told The Daily Beast in an interview. H News Eleonora Rosati included in Managing Intellectual Propertys The 50 Most Influential People in IP list The list, which was released on 28 November, recognizes individuals who are shaping IP law, policy and business throughout the world. It has typically included an array of in-house counsel, judges, officials and academics, as well as celebrities that have had a particularly big recent impact on IP. Eleonora has been recognized as an influential voice in the IP industry this year. As well as writing regularly for popular blog IPKat, Rosati is editor of the Journal of IP Law and Practice and a prolific contributor to the 1709 copyright blog. Some of her notable posts have concerned the EU Copyright Directive and its controversial Article 13 and EU and UK cases on copyright protection for the taste of cheese and who should pay for an online blocking injunction. She has also shared her expertise on various sector developments with Managing IP. Rosati has been also instrumental in keeping her students abreast with IP developments at the University of Southampton, where she has been an associate professor in IP law since 2014." *** On 16 September last , The IPKat published a by Constance Leong, "How Singapore Is Fast-Tracking FinTech Patent Applications (and making more "Crazy Rich Asians"?)". The IP Office of Singapore has announced that it has granted its first patent under the FinTech Fast Track initiative to a firm in ASEAN called Voyager Innovations. Under the accelerated scheme, Voyager received its patent grant in under seven months, significantly cutting down the usual time for patent grants of two to four years, if not longer. Calls for papers The Centre for Intellectual Property Rights at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi, under the aegis of the National University of Advanced Legal Studies, welcomes submissions for the first volume of the . Authors are encouraged to explore contemporary issues and areas often overlooked relating to intellectual property law and policy. The is a student-edited, peer-reviewed, double blind and open access journal. Contributions from practitioners in the legal profession, undergraduate and post-graduate students, researchers and academics in the form of articles, essays, notes, commentaries and reviews are welcomed. Submissions deadline is 16 January 2019 . For more submission guidelines and more information on the call, see . : Established in memory of distinguished practitioner and author, Stephen P. Ladas, the Ladas Memorial Award Competition is an annual award that is presented in two categoriesStudent and Professionalfor a paper on trademark law or a matter that directly relates to, or affects, trademarks. Two student winners will each receive U.S. $2,500 and a complimentary registration to the 2019 Annual Meeting. The professional winner will receive a set of Stephen P. Ladass three-volume treatise, Patents,Trademarks, and Related Rights.The winning papers will be considered for publication in The Trademark Reporter, INTAs legal journal. The deadline for applications is 18 January 2019 . Email with questions. For more information, see . Events The University of Michigan Law School invites junior scholars to attend the 5th Annual Junior Scholars Conference , which will be held on 26-27 April 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The conference provides junior scholars with a platform to present and discuss their work with peers, and to receive detailed feedback from senior members of the Michigan Law faculty. The Conference aims to promote fruitful collaboration between participants and to encourage their integration into a community of legal scholars. The Junior Scholars Conference is intended for academics in both law and related disciplines. Applications from postdoctoral researchers, lecturers, fellows, SJD/PhD candidates, and assistant professors (pre-tenure) who have not held an academic position for more than four years, are welcomed. Applications are due by 12 January 2019 . Further information can be found on the NEW YORK (AP) Three more alleged leaders of an extremist Jewish sect have been arrested on charges of kidnapping two children in New York and the children have been found safe in Mexico, authorities said Friday. The three plus a fourth man arrested earlier have been charged with abducting the victims 14-year-old Yante Teller and her 12-year-old brother Chaim Teller on Dec. 8 from their home in upstate New York and taking them out of the country. "As alleged in the complaint, the defendants engaged in a terrifying kidnapping of two children in the middle of the night, taking the children across the border to Mexico," U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said. "Thankfully, the kidnappers were no match for the perseverance of the FBI, the New York State Police and Mexican authorities, and the children were recovered this morning after a nearly three-week search," Berman said. Defendant Aron Rosner was arrested in New York City on Dec. 23, and Nachman Helbrans, Mayer Rosner and Jacob Rosner were arrested Thursday after they were deported from Mexico to New York. Their attorney did not return an email seeking comment. Authorities say the men are leaders of Lev Tahor, an extremist Jewish sect based in Guatemala. The FBI said in the court filings that the children's mother had been a "voluntary member" of Lev Tahor but fled the group in recent weeks after its leadership became increasingly extreme. Her father, Shlomo Helbrans, founded the sect and, in 1994, was convicted of kidnapping a 13-year-old in New York. Shlomo Helbrans was later deported to Israel. He drowned in Mexico in 2017. Defendant Nachman Helbrans is the brother of the kidnapped children's mother and had become the new leader of the sect, the authorities said. FBI Agent Jonathan Lane referred in the criminal complaint against the defendants to reports of Lev Tahor subjecting children to "physical, sexual and emotional abuse." Berman said the kidnapping victims were found Friday morning in the Mexican town of Tenango del Aire and plans are underway to reunite them with their mother. In this article: Here are the main dates in the life of Israeli writer Amos Oz, who died on Friday aged 79. - May 4, 1939: Amos Klausner is born in Jerusalem. - 1954: Joins the kibbutz of Hulda, central Israel, at the age of 15 and takes the surname Oz, meaning "strength, courage" in Hebrew. - 1965: Publishes his first book, "Where the Jackals Howl", a collection of short stories. - June 1967: Fights in the Six-Day War as part of a tank unit. - October 1973: Again serves in the Israeli military during the Arab-Israeli war. - 1978: Co-founder of the "Peace Now" movement, Israel's premier anti-settlement peace movement. - 1987: Publishes "Black Box", a novel written in the form of letters exchanged between Israeli Jews. - 2002: Publishes his autobiographical novel "A Tale of Love and Darkness" hailed as a modern classic of world literature and a bestseller around the world. - 2005: Wins the prestigious Goethe Prize for his oeuvre. - December 28, 2018: Dies from cancer aged 79. Bangladesh stepped up security Saturday in a bid to contain violence during a general election expected to see Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina win a record fourth term. Authorities have deployed around 600,000 police, army and other security forces ahead of Sunday's vote, a senior official said, following a deadly campaign marred by clashes. The forces -- which also include the elite Rapid Action Battalion, navy, border and coast guards and auxiliary police units -- are providing security to some 40,000 election booths. "We have ensured the highest level of security in Bangladesh as per the capacity of the country," Rafiqul Islam of the election commission told AFP. "We hope there will be a peaceful atmosphere," he said. Clashes have gripped the Muslim majority country of 165 million in the run-up to the polls. Thirteen people have been killed and thousands injured in skirmishes between supporters of Hasina's ruling Awami League and activists of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The BNP, which boycotted the 2014 election, says its supporters have been deliberately targeted in a a bid to deter them from voting and rig the election in Hasina's favour. The Awami League and BNP are leading their own alliances in the country's 11th parliamentary polls since independence in 1971. The BNP, whose leader Khaleda Zia is in prison on graft charges, has accused the election commission of bias during the electoral campaign -- a charge rejected by its chief commissioner, K.M Nurul Huda. The opposition says that some 14,000 of its activists have been detained since the election schedule was announced on November 8. It also alleges that around 12,000 activists were injured in attacks by ruling party followers. The ruling party denies the allegation. Rafiqul Islam said election authorities were still hopeful the vote would be credible. The United States has raised concerns about the elections while the United Nations called for greater efforts to make the vote fair. Story continues "We're trying our best to have a free and fair election," he said. Islam added that authorities may slow down internet speeds on election day in an effort to "prevent the spread of rumours", that could trigger unrest. The country's telecoms regulator shut down higher speed internet services on Thursday before restoring them on Friday morning. The election commission has also imposed restrictions on public transport and cars on polling day in an effort to maintain security and "conduct the election smoothly", he said. A Bangladeshi man walks past a photo of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in Dhaka on December 29, 2018 - AFP Bangladesh's main opposition called for a fresh vote on Sunday as the country's prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, and her ruling Awami League were declared the winners of an election tainted by violence and vote-rigging allegations. At least 17 people were said to have been killed in election day clashes, while reports flowed in of alleged vote manipulation and people being blocked from entering polling stations by ruling party supporters. As Mrs Hasina's alliance sailed past the 151 seats needed to form a government and headed for a landslide third consecutive term, the country's main opposition leader called for the "farcical" election to be declared void. Kamal Hossain, head of the Jatiya Oikya Front (JOF), the largest opposition alliance, told a press conference in Dhaka that votes had been "rigged on a massive scale across the country". He urged Bangladesh's election commission to dismiss the result and call "fresh elections under a non-partisan caretaker government as soon as possible". Salahuddin Ahmed, a candidate for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the largest single party in the opposition alliance, was stabbed in Dhaka as the election unfolded Credit: Reuters Election Commission Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed finished delivering the results of the voting early on Monday. Ahmed said the ruling Awami League-led alliance won 288 seats while the JOF, led by former president H.M.Ershad, had 20 seats. An opposition alliance led by Mr Hossain had only seven and others got three out of 300 seats. The poll followed a campaign that had been marred by violence and a crackdown on freedom of speech. Human Rights Watch and other international groups had decried repressive measures which they said had created a climate of fear. Some 600,000 security personnel had been deployed for the election, while authorities ordered the shutdown of high speed internet to prevent the spread of "rumours" that might spark unrest. Vehicles in Dhaka burn after an opposition rally which ended with police using tear gas and batons after the election was announced Credit: AFP On Sunday, polling agents alleged that they had stayed away out of fear. Others claimed they had been beaten up and forced out of voting centres. Story continues Rumana Mahmood, a JOF candidate in Sirajganj, 68 miles northwest of Dhaka, claimed that 90 percent of her supporters had been prevented from voting for her. "In most cases they were not allowed to enter the voting centres. Police and the ruling Awami League party cadres blocked them, she alleged to the Telegraph, claiming that supporters of the ruling party had stuffed ballot boxes in favour of the government. Supporters of Bangladesh Awami League march along a street as they take part in a rally ahead of December 30 general election vote Credit: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP One 65-year-old woman in Ms Mahmoods constituency claimed that the police had not allowed her to vote freely. "We were around 20 or 25 women from the same locality. The policemen at the gate of the centre said that he would allow us inside if we voted for the boat (symbol of the Awami League), she said."In my locality there are hundreds of people who have not been allowed in any voting centre today." Bangladesh has become increasingly authoritarian under Mrs Hasinas rule, moving closer towards a de-facto one-party state while Begum Khaleda Zia, her arch-rival, and leader of the largest opposition party, the Bangladesh National Party, serves a lengthy prison sentence on corruption charges. Billionaire and retiring California governor demand action Americas year of extreme weather in pictures Michael Bloomberg and moderator Chuck Todd appear in a pre-taped interview on Meet the Press in Washington on 20 December. Photograph: NBC NewsWire/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images Michael Bloomberg slammed Donald Trumps inaction on climate change on Sunday and said any candidate for president in 2020 he himself might be one must have a plan to deal with the problem. At the same time, retiring California governor Jerry Brown likened the fight against climate change to the fight against Nazism during the second world war, saying: We have an enemy perhaps very much devastating in a similar way. Both men appeared on NBCs Meet the Press. The billionaire former New York mayor said: It would be a lot more helpful if we had a climate champion rather than a climate denier in the White House. You know, Ive always thought Trump has a right to his opinions. But he doesnt have a right to his own facts. A vocal critic of the coal industry, Bloomberg, whose fortune is estimated at $40bn and who spent $100m on his last mayoral race, has said he plans to make climate change a leading issue in the 2020 race, whether or not he runs. Any candidate for federal office better darn well have a plan to deal with the problem that the Trump science advisers say could, basically, end this world, he said. I can tell you one thing, I dont know whether Im going to run or not, but I will be out there demanding that anybody thats running has a plan. Bloomberg paid his latest visit to Iowa, site of the first voting in the presidential election cycle, earlier this month. Joining him in a call on Sunday to make climate change a national priority was Brown, a presidential hopeful in the past now standing down after 16 years at the head of the Golden state. He said wildfires in California should serve as a wake-up call. We see it in the fear in peoples eyes, as they fled, many elderly who died, Brown told NBC. This is real, its dangerous. And weve got to wake up the country, wake up the world. Brown, one of the few governors to have implemented climate policy, compared the challenge of galvanizing public opinion to that faced by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1941. Story continues It took Roosevelt many, many years to get America willing to go into world war two and fight the Nazis, he said. Well, we have an enemy, though different, but perhaps very much devastating in a similar way. Brown echoed Bloombergs criticism of the president. He is very convinced of his position, Brown said of Trump. And his position is that theres nothing abnormal about the fires in California or the rising sea level or all the other incidents of climate change. Jerry Brown, seen at a bill signing ceremony in 2016. Photograph: Damian Dovarganes/AP Brown contended that US economic wellbeing, conventionally trumpeted by the Trump administration, was the key issue on which Americans should vote. Weve got to get off this idea, Its the economy, stupid, he said. No, its the environment. Seventy per cent of Americans believe global warming is happening, according to polling cited by NBC, but only 57% believe climate change is caused by humans. A rejection of the human role in climate change is a central plank for political leaders who refuse to back environmental regulations and other policies to confront the problem. The world is getting hotter, Bloomberg said. There are bigger storms than ever before; there are droughts where we used to have floods and vice-versa; our water is getting less; and weve got to do something about it. The challenge is what we do about it. And the opportunity is the value of what we do. The Daily Beast Rochester Hills District CourtThe parents of alleged school shooter Ethan Crumbley are on the lam after failing to turn themselves in on involuntary manslaughter charges Friday afternoon, law enforcement said.James and Jennifer Crumbley's shocking disappearance prompted a Be On the Look (BOLO) alert Friday afternoon, with the U.S. Marshals eventually taking over a search for them after they failed to surrender for a 2 p.m. arraignment. The couple were last seen by the public on Thursday when the Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Dec. 20, 2018. WASHINGTON Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Saturday called on federal courts to enforce existing immigration laws to stem the tide of undocumented migrant families from entering the United States and Congress to fix a broken immigration system that has created a humanitarian crisis at the southern border. The system is clearly overwhelmed and we must work together to address this humanitarian crisis and protect vulnerable populations, Nielsen said in a statement released Saturday after her meetings Friday with local and federal officials in El Paso, Texas, one of the nations busiest border crossing points. We know that if Congress were to act, or the courts were to enforce the law as written, we could address this crisis tomorrow. Instead we continue to do more with less. As I have said before, I ask Congress to please put politics aside and recognize this for the growing security and humanitarian crisis it is, said Nielsen, who is visiting border facilities in Yuma, Arizona, on Saturday. Nielsen arrived in El Paso Friday following the deaths this month of two migrant children who were in Customs and Border Protection custody. She met with officials there in response to the increase in the apprehensions of families and unaccompanied children crossing the border illegally, including those with illnesses. This week, Nielsen ordered a series of actions to care for undocumented immigrants who are apprehended, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection medical exams for all children it holds in custody. United States Coast Guard medical personnel deployed to the border to assist the Border Patrol in health screenings. In a Saturday tweet, President Donald Trump blamed the deaths on Democrats "and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally." "If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try!," he tweeted in a reference to the border wall he's seeking that has led to the federal government's partial shutdown, now in its second week. Story continues More: Two migrant children recently died in Border Patrol custody. There were documented warning signs More: While the US debates caravans and wall, thousands of migrants are dumped in border cities Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, has said many questions remain unanswered regarding the deaths, but noted the "lack of adequate medical supplies, equipment and resources" at CBP detention facilities to treat migrants and the agents working there. Castro also suggested that many more migrants were taking more dangerous paths into the country because of the Trump administration's policy of turning asylum-seekers away from legal ports of entry. This policy, he said, was "putting families and children in great danger." The administration has struggled to deal with an unprecedented influx of family units and unaccompanied minors along the southern border, many claiming asylum. That spurred last springs controversial "zero-tolerance" policy that resulted in thousands of separated families. It was later blocked by a federal judge. In the past two months, two other federal judges have ruled against actions by the Trump administration to deal with the migration crisis. The court decisions come at a time, say DHS officials, when the number of immigrant families and unaccompanied children has risen dramatically. CBP apprehensions in those categories rose 86 percent more than 68,000 family units and almost 14,000 unaccompanied children over last years total. At a contentious congressional hearing Dec. 20, Nielsen and Democratic lawmakers got into a heated exchange over administration policies to resolve the border crisis. Nielsen repeatedly defended her department's actions, saying her agents are dealing with an unprecedented wave of asylum-seekers that has overwhelmed the U.S. immigration system and requires massive changes in U.S. immigration law. She told the House Judiciary Committee that Customs and Border Protection needs more officers to man the nation's ports of entry, that Border Patrol needs more agents to patrol regions in between, and that the southern border will never be completely secure until the U.S. completes a "wall system" including a combination of walls, fencing, and technology. And she repeatedly asked the members to update U.S. laws that allow unaccompanied minors and family units to apply for asylum and remain free in the country. This crisis is the direct result of loopholes created by federal law and adverse federal court rulings that prevent the detention and repatriation of illegal unaccompanied alien children and family units, she said. Republican El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, who met with Nielsen during her visit Friday to the border city, told the El Paso Times that the DHS chief is correct in blaming the border crisis on Congress. If Im going to blame somebody, Im not going to blame CBP. Theyre just trying to follow law enforcement requirements, he said. Im blaming Congress on both aisles, in both houses, because theyve had plenty of opportunities to deal with this but they havent had the fortitude to do it and its time they man up. Thats my frustration. I cant blame people for dealing with a system thats broken, doing the best they can. They need to fix the system, he added. On Saturday, in response to what he called Nielsens latest photo opportunity in Yuma, Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona, again called on her to step down from DHS. Ive been clear from the beginning, he said in a statement. Secretary Nielsen has no business serving as DHS Secretary, and the latest accountability and transparency issues at DHS provide more evidence that she is unfit to lead. I reiterate my call for her to resign. Contributing: Eliza Collins, Sergio Bustos and El Paso Times This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DHS chief blames Congress, courts for humanitarian crisis at southern border Dahal gains ground as Oli feels the heat As communist party Chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli faces mounting criticism from within the party and the public, his comrade in arms Pushpa Kamal Dahal is gaining ground in the unified party. Director of migrant charity Annunciation House, Ruben Garcia, answers questions from the media after reading a statement from the family of Jakelin Caal, pictured - The El Paso Times President Donald Trump has blamed the Democrats for the deaths of two migrant children in US custody, lashing out also at the childrens parents for mistreating them. On Christmas Day it was announced that an eight-year-old boy from Guatemala died in US government custody, becoming the second migrant child to pass away while in the administrations care this month. The death came just weeks after another Guatemalan, seven-year-old Jakelin Caal, died in a hospital on December 8, shortly after being apprehended by border agents. She died of dehydration and shock after crossing from Mexico into the United States illegally with her father. Mr Trump on Saturday said the Democrats who are refusing to fund his $5 billion (4bn) plans for a border wall were to blame for the two deaths. Relatives and friends of the family carry the coffin of Guatemalan seven-year-old Jakelin Caal, who died in a Texas hospital two days after being taken into custody by US border patrol agents Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally, he tweeted. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! He then turned to blame the childrens parents. The two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadnt given her water in days. Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit! Mr Trump remains cooped up in the White House, having cancelled his planned Christmas holiday break at his private Florida club. Donald and Melania Trump answer phone calls from children on December 24 The US government shut down on December 21, running out of money after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on the budget, sparring over funding for the border wall. Mr Trump tweeted earlier on Saturday that he was "in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security." But there has been little direct contact between either side during the stalemate, and Mr Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington for another five days, to keep Congress in session. Story continues Several federal departments are running on a skeleton staff, and Nasa has dramatically reduced its staffing in the midst of the standoff. On Friday night the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which had the money to function a week longer than some agencies, implemented its shutdown plan at midnight. The Smithsonian Institution has also announced that its museums and galleries will close starting midweek if the partial shutdown drags on. Donald Trumps former campaign chairman was working with a former Russian spy during the US presidential race over debts he owed to a Kremlin-linked oligarch, it has been claimed. Paul Manafort led Mr Trumps campaign for president for three months in 2016 before he was forced to resign after his links to Russian interests in Ukraine were made public. Now a former member of the GRU, Russias most feared and secretive spy service, has said he was in contact with Manafort during that time over millions of dollars the political adviser allegedly owed to billionaire businessman Oleg Deripaska. He owed us a lot of money, and he was offering ways to pay if back, Victor Boyarkin told Time, in reference to Manafort in 2016. Mr Boyarkin also told the magazine he had been approached by special counsel Robert Muellers office, which is probing possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign, but that he told investigators to go dig a ditch. His claims could be relevant to Mr Muellers investigation as they would present some of the clearest evidence of leverage powerful Russians had over a senior member of Mr Trumps team. Mr Boyarkin was last month placed at the top of the US governments latest sanctions list against high-profile Russians involved in Moscows continued regard for international norms. The Treasury Department document described Mr Boyarkin as a former GRU officer who reports directly to Deripaska and has led business negotiations on Deripaskas behalf. In a 2015 complaint filed to a court in Virginia, Mr Deripaska, a metals magnate, alleged Manafort owed him $19m (14.95m) in relation to a failed business investment in Ukraine. Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort pleads guilty Lawyers for Mr Deripaska complained in a petition filed in the Cayman Islands a year earlier that Manafort had simply disappeared. Mr Boyarkin said it was left to him to reclaim the money on Mr Deripaskas behalf. I came down on him hard, he said. Story continues When Manafort reappeared, serving initially in April 2016 as an unpaid adviser to the Trump campaign, the 69-year-old tried to offer Mr Deripaska private briefings about the election, apparently in an attempt to get whole, according to emails seen last year by The Atlantic. He attempted to do this through an old associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, who had worked for Manafort for a decade in Ukraine. There is no evidence any meetings occurred between Manafort and Mr Deripaska, and it is unknown if Manafort is actually indebted to the oligarch, or if he paid him back. Mr Boyarkins assertion he was in contact with Manafort, in his role as debt collector for Mr Deripaska, would appear to contradict the latters denials last year of any contact with Manafort during the presidential election. Mr Deripaska, one of Russias wealthiest men, remains under US sanctions imposed in April in retaliation for alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He amassed his fortune under Mr Putin and has bought assets abroad in ways widely perceived to benefit the Kremlins interests. US diplomatic cables from 2006 described him as among the two or three oligarchs Putin turns to on a regular basis and a more-or-less permanent fixture on Putins trips abroad. The 50-year-old achieved a deal of fame in the UK in 2008 when the then-business secretary, Lord Mandelson, and shadow chancellor George Osborne found themselves aboard his yacht off the coast of Corfu last summer. Mr Deripaska has been contacted for comment. Manafort was convicted of eight financial crimes in August, uncovered by Mr Muellers team, and faces sentencing early next year. Manafort could not be reached for comment. Special counsel spokesperson Peter Carr declined to comment. By Jason Lange and Ann Saphir WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Jerome Powell had a bumpy first year as Federal Reserve chairman when it came to talking policy, by turns spooking and comforting investors even as economic data offered increasingly mixed signals and President Donald Trump stepped up his attacks on the U.S. central bank. And as 2018 closes out with a dramatic slump in stocks and a drop in bond yields, financial markets will need to brace for next year, when Powell is scheduled to make more unscripted public remarks than any Fed chief in history. A lawyer and former investment banker whose long career in markets and government gave him the real-world perspective Trump sought in a Fed chair, Powell took office in February determined to improve the Feds communications with Congress and the public. He meets frequently with legislators, and speaks about policy in a style that is less economic textbook and more folksy than past Fed chiefs, who in recent decades have all been economists. That style may have been part of Powell's appeal to Trump, but it has arguably contributed to market volatility as investors hang on Powell's every word for clarity on how much further the Fed may raise rates. I have people in my building who are just furious about this, said Carl Tannenbaum, chief economist at Northern Trust, referencing Powells recent description of the Feds current situation as walking through a dark room. Though the metaphor was meant to show Powell's appreciation of the uncertainty the central bank faces and a reason for caution, Tannenbaum said it left investors in the lurch. The problem is, the Fed cant just sit there in the dark. The Fed has to make an effort to shed light on whats going on. Powell has continued to advertise the Fed's "uncertainty," using the word four times at his Dec. 19 news conference following the Fed's rate hike at its last policy meeting of the year. Story continues But with Powell sending one set of messages in his remarks that risks are mounting and rate hikes may need to go slower while still producing Fed forecasts that show rates continuing to rise next year, The message in here is a little bit sloppy, said University of Oregon economics professor Tim Duy. Crystal-clear guidance, meanwhile, has its own drawbacks. At the December news conference following the Fed's fourth rate hike of 2018, Powell said definitively that the Fed's balance sheet downsizing was on "automatic pilot" and he did not anticipate any changes. Though the remarks were consistent with past Fed guidance, stocks sank on disappointment that he did not indicate more flexibility. A couple days later, New York Fed President John Williams, a close ally of Powell and a permanent voter on the Fed's policy-setting committee, conveyed a softer approach. Stocks rose. All Fed chairs have stumbled, and roiled markets across the globe as a result. Ben Bernanke in 2013 sent world stocks plummeting when he suggested the Fed would slow its bond-buying stimulus. Alan Greenspan back in 1996 tried to deflate stocks by noting "irrational exuberance" in asset values, though the effect was short-lived. But past Fed chairs have never operated under the current level of open scrutiny from the White House, with Trump's own commentary roiling markets as well. Complicating matters further, weaker global growth may threaten what have been powerful gains in the U.S. job market and strong domestic growth. Add to that a trade war with China and a shutdown of parts of America's federal government over a budget impasse, and the result is a potent blend of uncertainties that have markets betting the Fed will not raise rates even once next year. It is against this background that starting in January Powell will hold a news conference after every Fed meeting to provide more clarity about Fed actions and thinking, as he explained when he announced the change in June. The change will mean that Powell will hold eight news conferences in 2019, up from the current practice of four per year. But the change also increases the odds of a stray market-rankling remark. It might be a good time to say even more forcefully that the Fed does not have all the answers, said former Fed Vice Chair Alice Rivlin. "That's always difficult," Rivlin said, recounting Greenspan's reaction when she used the word "guess" in a speech. "(He) said, don't use the word 'guess' because it sounds like we don't know what we're doing. And I thought well, okay -- but we don't." (Reporting by Jason Lange and Ann Saphir; Additional reporting by Howard Schneider; Editing by Dan Burns and Leslie Adler) Jerusalem (AFP) - An Israeli aircraft hit a Hamas position in the Gaza Strip late on Friday in response to the first fire from the territory since a November flare-up, the military said. "An army attack helicopter targeted a Hamas military position in the south of the Gaza Strip," an army statement said. It said it had responded after a "launch towards Israel" that Israeli media said was a rocket. Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas said the Israeli aircraft fired two missiles which damaged one of their positions but caused no casualties. It was the first rocket fire from Gaza since an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire announced on November 13 ended the worst flare-up around the territory since a 2014 war. In the space of 48 hours, hundreds of rockets and mortar rounds were fired into Israel, killing one person and wounding 27. The barrage followed a botched Israeli commando raid which killed a Hamas commander and six other militants as well as an Israeli officer. Seven Gazans were killed and 26 wounded in retaliatory Israeli air strikes before the ceasefire took effect. Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008, and mass protests along the border since March 30 have triggered deadly clashes with the Israel army that have raised fears of a fourth. During a protest on Friday, Israeli fire killed Karam Fayyad, 26, on the border east of the city of Khan Yunis, the Gaza health ministry said. At least 240 Palestinians have been killed since the demonstrations began, most of them by Israeli fire during border clashes but also by air and tank strikes. SRINAGAR, India (AP) Anti-India protests and clashes erupted in disputed Kashmir on Saturday after a gunbattle between militants and government forces killed four rebels, police and residents said. The fighting came as the region was already reeling under the deadliest bloodshed in a decade in which over 500 people have been killed. According to rights groups, they include at least 269 militants, 158 members of Indian government forces and 156 civilians. Indian troops early Saturday surrounded a southern village in the Pulwama area on a tip that militants were hiding there, leading to an exchange of gunfire, police said. Four militants were killed, police said, adding that troops suffered no casualties. Residents said government forces blasted one civilian house with explosives during the fighting, a common counterinsurgency tactic by Indian troops in Kashmir. At least two other houses were damaged. The fighting sparked protests after hundreds of residents tried to march to the site of the battle in an attempt to help the militants escape. Government forces fired warning shots, shotgun pellets and tear gas at the stone-throwing protesters. At least six people were reported injured. India and Pakistan each claim the divided territory of Kashmir in its entirety. Rebels have been fighting Indian control since 1989. Most Kashmiris support the rebel cause that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown. BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's prime minister said on Sunday that top security officials from Baghdad had met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, and hinted at a bigger Iraqi role fighting Islamic State militants as U.S. troops withdraw from Syria. "This issue has a lot of complications," Adel Abdul Mahdi told reporters, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement this month that he will withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq's neighbor. "If any negative development takes place in Syria it will affect us. We have a 600 km (400 mile) border with Syria and Daesh (Islamic State) is there," Abdul Mahdi said. The premier said the Iraqi delegation had visited Damascus to "gain the initiative, not just deal with the consequences" of any future Islamic State (IS) activity emboldened by the U.S. withdrawal. Iraqi news websites said the visit took place on Saturday. Abdul Mahdi said Iraq sought to move beyond its current arrangement with Syria - under which it launches air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syrian territory - but did not got into more details. "There are groups operating in Syria, and Iraq is the best way to deal with this," he said, responding to a question about the possibility of increased involvement of Iraqi forces in Syria. Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary groups backed by Iran already operate inside Syrian territory against the Sunni Muslim militants of Islamic State. Abdul Mahdi has previously said that about 2,000 Islamic State fighters are operating near the border in Syria and trying to cross into Iraq. Islamic State was militarily defeated in Iraq in 2017, but has continued to launch guerilla-style attacks on security forces in the north of the country. (This story corrects name to Mahdi in paragraph two) (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by John Davison; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Efforts on to unite two factions of rights activists and conflict victims Amid a widening rift between the human rights activists and conflict victims, a group of civil society members has started an initiative to bring them together to have a common voice in the transitional justice process. Retired general gives interview to Los Angeles Times Statements on immigration and more likely to anger president John Kelly looks on as Donald Trump meets with North Korean defectors in the Oval Office. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images As Donald Trump attracted criticism for blaming the deaths of children in US custody on Democrats opposed to his demands for a border wall, outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly said he had nothing but compassion for migrants attempting to enter the US without documentation. Illegal immigrants, overwhelmingly, are not bad people, Kelly said, describing many migrants as victims misled by traffickers. I have nothing but compassion for them, the young kids. Two young Guatemalan children have died in US custody this month. Amid debate, the causes of death remain unknown. Kelly, a retired Marines general, spoke in an interview with the Los Angeles Times conducted by phone on Friday and published on Sunday morning. He will leave the White House on Wednesday. His remarks, jarring with those of the president, echoed those of his successor as homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, who visited the border this weekend. In a statement released around the same time on Saturday that Trump tweeted that any deaths of children or others at the border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies, Nielsen said: The system is clearly overwhelmed and we must work together to address this humanitarian crisis and protect vulnerable populations. Nielsen also called on Congress to act with urgency. That is unlikely during a standoff over funding for Trumps wall which has now led to a nine-day government shutdown. Kelly, an immigration hardliner, also clashed with the man who is still his boss when he said: If you want to stop illegal immigration, stop US demand for drugs, and expand economic opportunity in Central America. On Friday, Trump tweeted a threat to cut off all aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador for doing nothing about migration to the US and taking our money. Story continues Kellys interview contained a number of statements likely to irk Trump, who remains at the White House during the shutdown, communicating with the outside world via his Twitter account. The chief of staff criticised the implementation of the family separations policy at the border, which in the summer brought down a greater deal of thunder on the president. Of Trumps demanded wall, for which he has shut down the US government despite campaigning on a promise to make Mexico pay, Kelly said: To be honest, its not a wall. The president still says wall, he said. Oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. Citing the thorny question of withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and Trumps urge to pull out of Nato, the Times said Kelly defended his rocky tenure, arguing that it is best measured by what the president did not do when Kelly was at his side. Kelly was one of the so-called adults in the room many of them generals, who supposedly restrained Trumps worst impulses. Another, defense secretary Jim Mattis, will also leave on 1 January, his resignation over the withdrawal from Syria brought forward by a president piqued by the favourable media attention it gained. Trump has chafed at media accounts of experienced aides acting to calm his wilder behaviour. In September, in his bestselling book Fear, the veteran reporter Bob Woodward wrote that Kelly called Trump an idiot and said working for him was like working in Crazytown. Trump responded angrily and Kelly denied the quotes. Telling the LA Times his was a bone-crushing hard job, Kelly echoed recent comments by fired secretary of state Rex Tillerson, who said Trump regularly pushed the limits of his authority under law. The paper wrote that Trump never ordered him to do anything illegal, Kelly stressed, because we wouldnt have. Kelly told the paper that if he had said to me: Do it, or youre fired, he would have resigned. In the end, after a succession of reports of infighting and arguments within a chaotic White House, Kelly did resign. He told the paper he decided to go after the November midterm elections, in which Republicans lost control of the House. Trump announced his departure on 8 December. Amid near-meltdown at the White House, no permanent replacement has been named. Kelly was asked why he stayed 18 months. He said it was down to duty. Military people dont walk away, he said, two days before walking away. (Screen grab via Instagram/TSN) Some people just have life figured out. A few earlier than others. Take, for instance, this young and inspiring fan attending Saturdays Denmark-Switzerland World Junior clash, who showed extreme resourcefulness in his quest for the perfect sentimental biscuit. The kid appearing to still be in the single digits age-wise but with superior intellect compared to you or I requested a puck from each squad in both Danish and German (the latter national language of the Swiss). After a Denmark skater flipped him a biscuit, he bolted to the other side of the rink, flipped his sign over, and obtained one from a Switzerland player soon after. Not only is this little dudes grind on another level, hes also a master linguist, apparently, and has educated the masses by explaining how to request a puck in two different European languages. This kid is a five-tool player. I have no idea if all the spelling and grammar is correct here, and Im not going to check because Im lazy and its also irrelevant the kid succeeded, which is all that really matters. Truly a genius, this kid is easily one of the greatest in-rink puck collectors of our time. More hockey coverage from Yahoo Sports: DAHLONEGA, Ga. (AP) The Latest on storms moving across the South (all times local): 6:10 p.m. Rescue workers in north Georgia used a ladder and ropes to get to a woman and baby stranded in a pickup truck inundated by rising waters. Dramatic video posted to Facebook showed crews working to reach the truck Friday as water reached the vehicle's windshield. The rescue occurred near Dahlonega amid a storm that dumped several inches of rain across the region. Crews used a ladder and ropes to get a rescue worker onto the bed of the truck, before helping the woman put on a life jacket and crawl back across the ladder. A spokesman for Lumpkin County Emergency Services said the pair were in stable condition when they were dropped off at an area hospital. ___ 9:15 a.m. The head of emergency management in a southwestern Mississippi County says they had an "extreme flash flooding event" following heavy rains that hit the area. Glen Moore says authorities have had to rescue residents from about 25 area homes. He says they received more than nine inches (23 centimeters) of rain starting from around 3 p.m. Thursday to 3 a.m. Friday. He's asking people to stay away from roads that are barricaded. He says they had to rescue one man whose car was swept away after he went around a barricade intended to keep people from passing through a flooded road. Moore says the man was able to get out of the car and hold onto a tree until authorities could get a boat to rescue him. __ 7:45 a.m. Teams are heading out to determine the extent of damage in Mississippi after a line of storms moved across the South. Glenn Flynn with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said in an email Friday morning that no deaths or serious injuries had been reported from the storms. Officials had opened three emergency shelters in Forrest and Jones counties, but Flynn said only a few people were there early Friday. The National Weather Service planned to check the Vicksburg area for evidence of a tornado. Forecaster Mike Edmunston said there had been at least two dozen water rescues in the Hattiesburg area. Story continues The storm dumped up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi. The storms were moving in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and western North Carolina on Friday. ___ 6:45 a.m. A storm that dumped up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi moved into Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and western North Carolina on Friday. The National Weather Service posted flash flood watches and warnings for much of the South. The storm system was blamed for a death in Louisiana earlier this week when a tree fell on a camper. Forecasters planned to check Friday on a possible tornado near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Forecasters said up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain were possible in northern Alabama and central and north Georgia. A flood warning was also issued for Asheville, North Carolina. Water flooded more than a dozen homes in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, and more than two dozen water rescues were reported in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, because of the rain. The Republican governor of Maine has certified Democrat Jared Golden as the winner in the states 2nd Congressional District, but in one last jab he wrote stolen election next to his signature on the form. Governor Paul LePages signature officially caps off a contentious race for the district in the state in the November elections, which switched in favour of Mr Golden from the Republican after successive rounds of voting during the states historic foray into ranked choice voting. Ive signed off on the CD2 election result as its no longer in federal court. Ranked Choice Voting didnt result in a true majority as promised-simply a plurality measured differently, Mr LePage wrote in a tweet accompanying a picture of the certificate. It didnt keep big money out of politics & didnt result in a more civil election. Maine is the first state to use ranked choice voting for a national office, and the results attracted a near immediate lawsuit from Republican Representative Bruce Poliquin. The Republican had initially led the field after the first round of votes were tallied, but failed to attract a majority of votes. Read more Maine Democrat wins historic House election as party flips seat Once the third and fourth place votes had been redistributed voters had been given the option to rank their choices, so ballots for candidates who were mathematically unable to win after the first count were then rearranged Mr Golden had won 50.5 per cent of the vote. Mr Poliquins legal challenge to those results was thrown out by a federal court, and the now-outgoing congressman conceded the race this week. Maine voters had approved the ranked-choice system. Mr Golden said in an email that Mr LePages characterization of the results were wrong in an email sent to the Portland Press Herald. Ive signed off on the CD2 election result as its no longer in federal court. Ranked Choice Voting didnt result in a true majority as promised-simply a plurality measured differently. It didnt keep big money out of politics & didnt result in a more civil election #mepolitics pic.twitter.com/0fEhD1dvAb Paul R. LePage (@Governor_LePage) December 28, 2018 Maine people are tired of this kind of poor leadership which is why they voted for change in November, Mr Golden said. Maine Attorney General Janet Mills, a Democrat, won her bid for the governors mansion during the 2018 election. By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - A Hilton hotel in Portland, Oregon fired a security guard and a manager after a black guest captured them on video calling the police to report him for trespassing after he had been speaking to his mother by phone in the lobby, the hotel said on Saturday. Police responded to the call and escorted Jermaine Massey out of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, where he was staying, on Dec. 22, a law firm representing Massey said in a statement. His attorneys said Massey was doing nothing more than "calling his mother while black." Massey videotaped his interactions with the security guard and manager and posted it to Instagram where it was widely viewed. He has called his treatment by the hotel an incident of racial profiling. "Following an internal review, we have terminated the employment of the security guard and manager involved in this incident," the hotel said in a statement on Saturday. "Our hotel is a place of hospitality, and their actions were inconsistent with our standards and values." The identities of the security guard and manager were not released and they could not be reached for comment. In the video shared on social media, the security guard can be heard telling Massey that police would be arriving to escort him away. Massey protests that he is staying at the hotel. "Not anymore," the guard responds. On Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said he was deeply troubled to hear about what Massey went through. "No one should be treated this way, and I hope this serves as a catalyst for necessary changes that address the systemic nature of discrimination of all forms," Wheeler said on Twitter. Hilton said in a statement it has no tolerance for racism and was working with the independently owned and operated hotel in Portland to reinforce training on diversity. Massey's attorney, Greg Kafoury, said Massey plans to sue the Hilton chain over his eviction from the hotel. Story continues In April in Philadelphia, two black men were arrested at a Starbucks after a manager called police to complain that they had not made a purchase and refused to leave. Online video of their arrests sparked protests and accusations of racial profiling. Starbucks Corp chief executive Kevin Johnson called that incident "reprehensible." (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by David Gregorio) Medical fraternity warns stern protests Medical fraternity that has been opposing the Civil Servants Adjustment Ordinance 2075 has warned that they will not participate in the adjustment process until their demands are addressed by the government. By Alison Bevege SYDNEY (Reuters) - A landmark 11-country trade deal, a revamped version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), came into force on Sunday with New Zealand's trade minister hailing the opportunities it presented for exporters. The deal, which will slash tariffs across much of the Asia-Pacific region, does not include the United States after Washington pulled out of the TPP negotiations in 2017. "The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) provides New Zealand with trade agreements for the first time with three significant economies: Japan, Canada and Mexico," Trade Minister David Parker said in a statement. "The CPTPP has the potential to deliver an estimated NZ$222 million ($149.01 million) of tariff savings to New Zealand exporters annually once it is fully in force." The pact came into effect on Sunday for Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Mexico and Singapore, with Vietnam to follow on 14 January, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on its website. Brunei, Chile, Malaysia and Peru will begin 60 days after they complete their ratification process. Investment bank HSBC said in a press release that 90 percent of tariffs on goods in the first six countries were removed on Sunday in the first round of cuts. Australia is looking forward to favorable conditions for its agricultural exports including wheat, prompting U.S. competitors to warn they will need help to compete. "Japan is generally a market where we seek to maintain our strong 53 percent market share, but today we face an imminent collapse," U.S. Wheat Associates President Vince Peterson told a public hearing in Washington on Dec. 10. "In very real terms, as of April 1, 2019, U.S. wheat will face a 40 cent per bushel, or $14 per metric ton, resale price disadvantage to Australia and Canada," Peterson said, according to a transcript on the U.S. Wheat Associates website. Story continues The deal will reduce tariffs in economies that together amount to more than 13 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP) - a total of $10 trillion. If the United States were included, it would have represented 40 percent. U.S. President Donald Trump said in April that he would consider rejoining the trade agreement if the terms were more favorable to the United States. ($1 = 1.4899 New Zealand dollars) (Reporting by Alison Bevege; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Russian President Vladimir Putin told his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in a New Year letter on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialog on a "wide-ranging agenda," the Kremlin said following a series of failed attempts to hold a new summit. At the end of November, Trump abruptly canceled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions about Russian forces opening fire on Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them. Trump and Putin also failed to hold a full-fledged meeting in Paris on the sidelines of the centenary commemoration of the Armistice. The two leaders held their one and only summit in Helsinki in July. "Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia - United States) relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security," a Kremlin statement said. "He confirmed that Russia is open for dialog with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda." Moscow has said one of the key issues it wanted to discuss with the United States is Washington's plans to withdraw from a Cold War era nuclear arms pact. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying that now it was up to the United States whether to hold a new meeting in 2019. "The issue should be addressed to Washington. Both our president and his representatives have said that we are ready for the talks when Washington is ready for it," TASS news agency quoted Lavrov as saying in televised remarks. In a separate letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Putin pledged continuation of aid to the Syrian government and people in the "fight against terrorism, in defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity." Putin also sent New Year greetings to other world leaders including prime ministers Theresa May of Britain and Shinzo Abe of Japan, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping. Putin wished "well-being and prosperity to the British people," the Kremlin said. Story continues RELATED: President Trump meets with Vladimir Putin in Finland Russia's embassy in London said on Friday Moscow and London had agreed to return some staff to their respective embassies after they expelled dozens of diplomats early this year. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over accusations the Kremlin was behind a nerve toxin attack in March on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury. Russia, which denies any involvement in the poisoning, sent home the same number of British embassy workers in retaliation. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Editing by William Maclean and David Stamp) North Korean defectors protest in South Korea - AP North Koreans who defected but later changed their minds and returned to the North are giving lectures in towns and cities on the Chinese border extolling the pleasures of life under Kim Jong-un and the misery of being on the run in China and struggling to survive in a capitalist state. The lectures are part of the North Korean governments efforts to halt the steady flow of its citizens over the border into China, from where they attempt to reach a third country - often Thailand - and seek asylum and the assistance of Seoul to settle in South Korea. The North has been increasing its deterrents on the border, adding advanced surveillance equipment, including infrared cameras, and more guard posts. Dissident media has also reported that mobile wiretapping units are operating close to the border to detect anyone calling China to potentially arrange a defection. The use of double-defectors, however, is designed to reinforce the regimes message that many who flee the North regret their decision. A North Korean who attended a recent lecture in the city of Hoeryong, which is on the Tumen River that marks the border with China, said a double-defector in her 40s said she had not been able to earn any money after she had crossed the border and that she could not even go to a hospital when she was taken ill. The woman said she had been discriminated against the entire time she had been outside the North, adding that she was treated as less than human and that she became a perpetual social outcast. An official of the Ministry of State Security told the lecture that the woman returned to the North because she missed the warm embrace of the motherland and that she had been forgiven for defecting. Similar lectures were delivered to women working in farms and factories across Onsong County and at the Musan mine, the Seoul-based Daily NK news site reported. The double-defectors lectures have hammered home the message that it is difficult to earn enough money to survive in China and that there is a high likelihood of women being sexually exploited. People-smugglers known to sell young women to Chinese farmers looking for a bride or into the sex industry. Story continues The woman added in her lecture that she had been surprised after returning to the North at how fast our country is developing. According to the South Korean Unification Ministry, 1,042 North Koreans defected to the South in the first 11 months of the year, bringing the total number of defectors to 32,381. A handful of those are known to have returned to the North, some after being contacted by Pyongyangs operatives in the South and offered cash to go back to the North or warned that their relatives who remained behind may not be safe should they choose to remain in the South. Those who do return are occasionally paraded on state-run television to express their gratitude to the regime for allowing them to go back and uniformly criticising life in the capitalist South. Less than a month after declaring his long-shot candidacy for president in 2015, Donald Trump told a Las Vegas gathering he would get along very nicely with Russian President Vladimir Putin and there was no need to continue U.S. sanctions against Russia. I know Putin, and Ill tell you what: We get along with Putin, Trump said at the FreedomFest libertarian conference. The encounter meant little in the early days of a campaign that many regarded as another Trump exercise in personal vanity. But three years later, the episode involving young Russian gun-rights activist Maria Butina marks one of the earliest known and most direct efforts in the Russian governments campaign to probe the U.S. political system and Trump's unlikely ascendancy within it. Earlier this month, Butina pleaded guilty to serving as an unregistered agent of the Kremlin. Although her case was not brought by Russia special counsel Robert Mueller, the disclosures in Butina's case were among several recent developments that have brought a series of federal investigations closer into focus. The fast-moving events in the final weeks of 2018 also included documents outlining a wide range of criminal conduct implicating some of the president's former closest aides. Together, these cases have offered vivid accounts of the forces that now threaten Trump's presidency. The end-of-year developments included the Dec. 12 sentencing of Trump's former personal attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, to three years in prison for making hush-money payments to two women who claimed affairs with Trump, and for lying to Congress about Trump's efforts to secure a Moscow real-estate deal. On the same day, the company that owns the National Enquirer, headed by Trump associate David Pecker, agreed to cooperate with investigators to avoid prosecution for its role in the payoffs to women to block sex scandals from spilling into the 2016 presidential campaign. Story continues More: Trump's tweets: Judges in government secrecy cases say they are 'speculation' and not 'pure fact' More: Putin's holiday message to Trump: Russia 'open to dialogue ... on most extensive agenda' And on Dec. 18, a federal judge in the District of Columbia offered another stunner. During a sentencing hearing for Trump's former national security adviser, he excoriated Michael Flynn as having "sold out" his country for lying to Mueller's investigators about his communications with Russia's top diplomat in the United States. Flynn's sentencing was then abruptly postponed until at least March so that the judge could further assess his cooperation with prosecutors. Trump, through it all, has repeatedly called Mueller's inquiry a "hoax" and "witch hunt" and insisted his campaign did not collude with Russia to win the election against Democrat Hillary Clinton. "The Russian Collusion fabrication is the greatest Hoax in the history of American politics. The only Russian Collusion was with Hillary and the Democrats!" Trump tweeted on Sunday. Absolutely nothing (on Russian Collusion). Kimberley Strassel, The Wall Street Journal. The Russian Collusion fabrication is the greatest Hoax in the history of American politics. The only Russian Collusion was with Hillary and the Democrats! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2018 And Trump's denials concerning ties with Russia date to the early days of his administration. I dont know Putin, have no deals in Russia, the president wrote on Twitter on Feb. 7, 2017. Mueller has kept a tight lid on his investigation and whether he has found any evidence of collusion by the Trump campaign with Russia is still far from clear. There is growing speculation that Mueller could wrap up his inquiry as early as mid-February, but the special counsel has not made public his timetable. Meanwhile, the other federal investigations continue to grind on as Trump has stepped up his attacks on prosecutors and accused them of political motivations. Yet one thing is clear: Several of Trump's denials concerning his connections to Russia and his efforts to bury damaging information during his campaign have been undercut by revelations in the various probes. Here is a look at the drumbeat of recent revelations and their significance for the ongoing investigations: President Donald Trump Michael Cohen details Moscow Project Throughout the campaign and into his presidency, Trump vehemently denied that he had any business interests in Russia. Trump not only rejected any coordination between his campaign and the Kremlin but his repeated dismissal of financial ties to Moscow and potential business ventures there became one of Trumps go-to catchphrases "I have nothing to do with Russia" as familiar as "Crooked Hillary" or "Lyin' Ted." So when Mueller disclosed in court documents in early December how Cohen worked to conceal the presidents long-running interest in a Moscow tower project, the revelations eviscerated Trumps blanket denials. As early as November 2015, just five months after Trump launched his presidential bid, Russians were reaching out to Trump through Cohen with offers to boost the fortunes of the Moscow development, a vehicle that one of the Russians said could also provide the campaign with political synergy. Cohen, according to court documents, was juggling separate offers from well-connected Russians at the time, seeking to arrange a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. One contact, described as a trusted person in the Russian government, promised that a Trump-Putin meeting could have a phenomenal influence on pushing the tower project and Trumps political ambitions. The person, who was not identified in the documents, went further, suggesting there was no bigger warranty in any project than consent of (Putin). Despite the apparent assurances, Trumps lawyer never followed up because he was working on the Moscow Project with a different individual who Cohen understood to have his own connections to the Russian government. As Trump connections to Russia became an increasing risk to the campaign, according to court documents, Cohen lied about the back-channel Russia discussions when he told the Senate and House Intelligence committees that all discussions about a Trump tower development in Moscow had ceased in January 2016. In fact, prosecutors have asserted that the project was discussed on multiple occasions within the Trump company. As late as June 2016 in the heat of the campaign and as Trump continued to deny any links to Russia efforts to obtain Russias approval for the project continued while Trump and family members were briefed on the progress. In a May 4, 2016, email exchange with an Trump Organization official, who was not identified in court records, Cohen discussed traveling to Russia to advance the project before the Republican Convention in Cleveland in July, with the hope of arranging a separate subsequent trip by Trump. "My trip before Cleveland; (Trump) once he becomes the nominee," Cohen said in the email. By June, Trump was heading into the convention as the presumptive nominee of the party where he secured the formal nomination. The efforts to conceal the work were designed to minimize links between the Moscow project and Trump and give the false impression that the Moscow project ended before the Iowa caucus and the very first primary in hopes of limiting the ongoing Russia investigations, prosecutors said. Trump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, have asserted there was nothing illegal about seeking private business opportunities in Moscow, since his presidential bid at the time was far from assured. Maria Butina works as Russian agent Maria Butina, 30, illustrated that Russian efforts to influence the Trump campaign were brazen and went straight to the top. Separate examples featured Trump campaign officials conferring with Russians. In June 2016, campaign chairman Paul Manafort, son Donald Trump Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Russians in Trump Tower to get information about Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Meanwhile that spring, George Papadopoulos, a foreign-policy adviser to Trump's campaign, was busily trying to line up a Trump-Putin meeting. He finished two weeks in prison earlier this month for lying to FBI investigators about his Russian contacts. Butina's continuing cooperation with investigators is a wild card among the myriad investigations that shadow Trumps presidency. She was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia rather than by Mueller's team. But her plea agreement described a multi-year conspiracy aimed to influence people and political organizations, including the National Rifle Association and the Republican Party. She reported her progress to top Russian officials, according to the agreement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has met with Trump in the Oval Office, has called Butina a "political prisoner" who was jailed to "make her admit to something that she most probably did not commit," according to the Russian news agency Tass. Butina's open-ended cooperation agreement calls for meeting with prosecutors in D.C. and Northern Virginia, according to a confidential court agreement that was made public briefly Friday, according to The Washington Post and CNN. In March 2015, Butina drafted a proposal titled Description of the Diplomacy Project, according to the plea agreement she swore was true. She criticized official government channels and suggested using unofficial channels to influence U.S. foreign policy through individuals and groups such as the NRA. Butina sent a Google-translated draft of the proposal to Republican political operative Paul Erickson for advice. He has not been charged in the episode. She then sent her proposed budget initially $125,000 to a Russian official and others. The description of the official, a former first deputy chairman of the Russian Federation council and now a deputy governor of the Russian Central Bank, matches Alexander Torshin. Butinas efforts led to contacts. In July 2015, she asked Trump at the FreedomFest conference what his policy would be toward Russia and whether he supported sanctions the Obama administration and European Union imposed over Russian intervention in Ukraine. I believe I would get along very nicely with Putin, OK? Trump replied. I dont think youd need the sanctions, Trump added. I think we would get along very, very well. Trump hired Manafort the next year as his campaign chairman. Manafort now awaits sentencing for conspiracy, banking and tax convictions stemming from his work with a pro-Russia faction in Ukraine from 2006 to 2015. A draft of the Republican platform at the Cleveland convention in July 2016 contained language for arming Ukraine against Russia. But the version ultimately approved softened the language to say America would provide appropriate assistance to Ukraine and greater coordination with NATO defense planning. Trump denied urging the change. "I wasnt involved in that, Trump told ABC News at the time. Mueller has asked Trump about the platform change, according to ABC. During this period, Butina was building her contacts. In December 2015, her advocacy group Right to Bear Arms invited NRA officials to Moscow to meet high-level officials. We should let them express their gratitude now, we will put pressure on them quietly later, Butina wrote in a message to Torshin, according to the plea agreement. In May 2016, she wrote Torshin a note explaining why he should attend the annual NRA meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, where the group endorsed Trump because he could meet political candidates. Torshin met Donald Trump Jr. at a dinner at the convention, but Trump Jr. denied any quid pro quo between the campaign and Russia. "None at all," Trump Jr. told the Senate Judiciary Committee. In February 2017, she helped organize a Russian delegation with members hand-picked by (Torshin) and me, according to the plea agreement to the National Prayer Breakfast where Trump spoke during his first weeks in office. Reaction to the delegations presence in America will be relayed DIRECTLY to Putin and Lavrov, Erickson wrote in an email copied to Butina. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan will evaluate Butinas cooperation Feb. 12 before sentencing at a later date. Butina faces up to five years in prison, but defense lawyers have said guidelines call for six months. David Pecker kills stories about Trump At the same time Trumps aides began to field outreach from Russians, they opened a line of communication with another potential ally: The National Enquirer. In August 2015, Cohen and one or more members of Trumps nascent presidential campaign met privately with David Pecker, the chief executive of the Enquirers parent company, American Media Inc., federal prosecutors and lawyers for the company said n in an agreement sparing it from prosecution. On the table was what to do with negative stories about the tycoon whose life had long been the stuff of tabloid intrigue. This time, the tabloid was interested in something else. Pecker told Cohen and the campaign that AMI could deal with negative stories about Trumps relationships with women by tracking them down and paying for the rights to those stories so that neither the Enquirer nor anyone else would publish them. In effect, it was an effort to buy the silence of any woman who might come forward during the campaign. Federal prosecutors in New York have said the arrangement violated campaign finance laws that limit how much people and companies can spend to influence an election. Cohen later pleaded guilty to two campaign finance violations and seven other felonies. He and the Justice Department have separately said Trump directed him to arrange the illegal payments, putting the president at the center of another criminal investigation. Nearly a year passed before anything came of the arrangement. In the interim, the Enquirer fawned over Trump, with front-page splashes about his Manhattan penthouse and an editorial declaring: Only Trump has the guts to stand up to foreign leaders like Vladimir Putin and gain their respect! And it stomped his political rivals, falsely diagnosing Hillary Clinton with liver cancer and two strokes and suggesting that the father of Republican rival Sen. Ted Cruz had participated in the murder of President John F. Kennedy. In June 2016, a lawyer for a former Playboy playmate named Karen McDougal contacted an Enquirer editor with an offer to tell the tabloid about what she said was an extramarital affair she had carried on with Trump not long after the birth of his youngest son, prosecutors and AMI said in their agreement. Pecker alerted Cohen. And the editor, whom prosecutors didnt name, started negotiating to buy the rights to McDougals story. In August, the tabloid paid her $150,000. In return, she signed over rights to her story of a relationship with any then-married man. Prosecutors and AMI said the sum was substantially more than the Enquirer would ordinarily pay for such a story, but Cohen had promised to repay it. And besides, the company agreed, its principal purpose in entering into the agreement was to suppress the models story so as to prevent it from influencing the election. By early fall, Cohen tried to buy the rights from AMI. The company hired a consultant, who set up a shell company that could sell them to Cohen, along with a false invoice for advisory services. But Pecker reneged after the deal was signed. Instead, AMI had McDougal write for OK! Magazine and Star Magazine and put her on the cover of the fitness magazine Hers with an invitation to learn her secrets to ageless beauty. That month, an agent for Stephanie Clifford, a pornographic film actress who goes by Stormy Daniels, contacted the Enquirer to say she too had a story to tell about a sexual affair with Trump. The tabloid again alerted Cohen, who began negotiating to pay her $130,000 to keep silent, the Justice Department said in court filings urging a judge to put Cohen in prison. The deal languished for weeks until Pecker alerted Cohen that Daniels was close to selling her story to someone else. The next day, Cohen set up a shell company in Delaware and borrowed $130,000 to pay Clifford, according to court records. The Trump Organization reimbursed him for the payment, plus another $50,000 for what he described as tech services for the campaign. Then it doubled the sum and threw in a $60,000 bonus, according to court filings by prosecutors. A federal judge sentenced Cohen on Dec. 12 to three years in federal prison for the campaign finance violations and other charges, including lying to Congress about Trump's plans to build a tower in Moscow. "Time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds rather than to listen to my own inner voice and my moral compass," Cohen told the judge. "My weakness can be characterized as a blind loyalty to Donald Trump, and I was weak for not having the strength to question and to refuse his demands." While many Americans who desired a particular outcome to the election knocked on doors, toiled at phone banks, or found any number of other legal ways to make their voices heard, Cohen sought to influence the election from the shadows, prosecutors wrote. In doing so, they said, Cohen deceived the voting public by hiding alleged facts that he believed would have had a substantial effect on the election. Michael Flynn and Russia Not since the scope of the Russia inquiry was publicly acknowledged in March 2017 by then-FBI Director James Comey and later taken over by Mueller have the interactions of a former Trump administration official with Russians been described in such stark terms in a federal courtroom. Yet on Dec. 18, when former national security adviser Michael Flynn was preparing to be sentenced for lying to the FBI about his pre-inaugural communications with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan delivered a stunner. Sullivan characterized the conduct of the retired three-star Army general, who last year pleaded guilty as part of a cooperation agreement with the government, as no less than a national betrayal. Im going to be frank with you, the judge told a grim-faced Flynn. This is a very serious offense. It involves making false statement to the FBI on the premises of the White House in the West Wing! For the combat veteran and career military officer, what came next may have been more painful than the prospect of any prison term, as the judge motioned to the American flag and asserted that Flynns actions had undermined all it symbolizes. Sullivan ultimately agreed to postpone Flynns sentencing until his cooperation with prosecutors is complete. But the searing rebuke and collapse of the sentencing hearing reverberated far beyond the courtroom. The White House, which was closely monitoring the hearing, was caught off guard. Trump spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, in a briefing shortly after Flynns court appearance, stuck to the administrations disputed claim that the national security adviser was somehow ambushed by FBI agents during the January 2017 interview when Flynn falsely claimed that he had not discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with ambassador Kislyak. Flynn and his attorneys flatly rejected that notion during the hearing Tuesday, where Sullivan made clear that Flynn stood a better chance of avoiding a prison term if he continued to cooperate with prosecutors. Muellers team had already recommended Flynn serve no prison time because of his extensive cooperation with investigators Muellers team. Flynn, 60, has met with investigators 19 times since entering his plea last year. Yet the judges admonition raised the prospect that Flynn may have more to give. Just how much and the implications of any additional assistance were unclear. Flynns cooperation in at least one other criminal case was revealed Monday when two of the generals former business associates were charged with illegal lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government. Robert Kelner, Flynns attorney, said Tuesday that it was likely that Flynn would be called to testify at any future trial. At the same time, prosecutors acknowledged that Flynn likely would have faced additional criminal charges had he not agreed to cooperate with Muellers team. It is immediately unclear what Flynn has provided investigators related to any additional Russia contacts, both during the administration and the campaign. But few apart from Flynn, who also served as a national security adviser to the campaign before joining the administration, had access to information about interactions with other governments during the campaign, transition and early days of the Trump government. Muellers office said Flynns lies about his interactions with Russias ambassador were important because they raised the question of why he was lying to the FBI, the vice president, and others. And they hinted he may be helping them find the answers, saying in a previous court filing that among the subjects on which he was cooperating were interactions between Trumps campaign and transition team and the Russians, noting that several members of the transition team publicly repeated his lies. Flynn had more to say on the subject, but prosecutors left it blacked out in their public court filing. Sullivan is set to reassess Flynns cooperation in March. The more you assist the government, the more you help yourself at time of sentencing, Sullivan said. Im not promising anything; the court was just being upfront with you. Mueller's machine grinds on As Flynn continues his cooperation, so do Butina, Cohen and Pecker. While they hardly represent the universe of witnesses Mueller and prosecutors in D.C., Virginia and New York are leaning on to understand the scope of Russia's intervention and Trump's political operations, it is now clear that they are key to shaping the contours of the continuing investigation. Where it all ends largely rests in an all-but-closed shop that Mueller has run since taking over the investigation after Comey's May 2017 firing. Outside of Mueller's offices, however, the path forward has been blurred. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, appointed in the wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' firing in November, decided not to recuse himself from oversight of the investigation, even though a Justice ethics officer recommended that he step away because of past public criticisms of the probe. Former Attorney General William Barr, nominated by Trump as the permanent successor to Sessions, also has drawn fire for his own criticism of the Mueller probe in a memo he sent earlier this year to the Justice Department. However, during a late December news briefing, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein offered assurances that the inquiry was in good hands, "Whether it's Bob Mueller or Rod Rosenstein or Matt Whitaker or Bill Barr, that investigation is going to be handled appropriately by the Department of Justice," Rosenstein told reporters on Dec. 20. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'I know Putin': How a drumbeat of 2018 revelations shadows Trump's presidency A skip was set on fire near Esplanade Compans Caffarelli in Toulouse on Saturday, December 29, as yellow vest demonstrators gathered in the city. According to Le Monde, a dozen people were arrested in Amiens for taking part in a yellow vest demonstration, as the local authorities placed a ban on such rallies until January 2. The protests were the seventh weekend of action against the policies of French President Emmanuel Macron and his party, La Republique en Marche. However, the number of protesters has decreased since the movement gained notoriety for their opposition to a proposed increase in the gas tax in November. On November 17, 282,000 were estimated to have protested throughout France. Protests on December 22 attracted 38,000, according to the government. Credit: Thea Guillemot via Storyful South Korean students gather with bouquets of rosebays to plan for Kim Jong-un's trip to Seoul - Junho Lee North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has written a rare letter to Seoul vowing to frequently meet Moon Jae-in, South Koreas president, to discuss nuclear disarmament. In the missive, described by South Korean officials as warm in tone, Kim pledged to pursue peace between the two countries and expressed regret that he had been so far unable to visit South Korea after Mr Moon invited him to do so in September. But he expressed a strong will to visit the South Korean capital in the future and Mr Moon welcomed his overtures via his social media account. If we meet together with sincerity, there is nothing we cannot achieve, Mr Moon said. The North Korean leader, long denounced as a dictator in the South, can expect a warm welcome from at least a section of the South Korean population if he arrives. In recent months fan clubs have sprung up to prepare a welcoming party for his visit. Earlier this month, dozens of South Korean university students in black winter coats sat down on a frozen pathway in Seouls Maronie Park to discuss their unlikely new hero. Clutching bunches of pastel pink rosebays, symbolising the sea of flowers that greeted Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president, on his trip to Pyongyang in September, they broke into song. Lets make reunification happen a minute sooner, the students chanted, in a refrain referring to their political goal to see the Korean peninsula unified. The meeting, attended by The Telegraph, was a stark reflection of the perceptional shift taking place in the South. Until now, we did not know Kims true self. We only saw the media portrayal of him as an evil man! one speaker said. Such scenes would have been unthinkable in the South Korean capital one year ago. Not only because Pyongyang was still threatening Seoul and Washington with the prospect of war but because the Souths National Security Act was prepped to jail anyone praising, inciting or propagating the activities of an anti-government organisation. Story continues South Korean President Moon Jae-in was given a warm welcome in Pyongyang in September Credit: Pool/AP The enforcement of the 1948 law has been relaxed during President Moons 18-month-old administration as he pursues a diplomatic detente with Pyongyang to halt its nuclear weapons and missiles programme and bring peace to the peninsula. The more tolerant political atmosphere has allowed at least a dozen civic groups collectively known as the Paektu Praise Committee- to spring up as an unofficial welcoming squad for Kims planned visit to Seoul. Although the confirmation and timing of his unprecedented trip has not yet been nailed down, the groups are already preparing. Some are learning the dance moves of a North Korean art troupe, while others are visiting schools to collect welcome messages. At the Maronie Park event in mid-December, enthralled students watched a short drama about a local family excited about Kim coming to Seoul. I like our Chairman Kim more than BTS! yelled the familys father, referring to a K-pop band that has stormed the global charts this year. To one side, a pop-up photo gallery displayed highlights of 2018s Korean diplomatic calendar Kim and President Moons first meeting on the border in April, holding their hands in the air, smiling with their wives on a group trip to the Norths Mount Paektu. A student welcome committee organised a pop-up gallery in Seoul of President Moon's meetings with Kim Credit: Junho Lee I believe the events we hold influence peoples reactions to Kims visit. Many people who didnt really know about Kims visit see our event and learn more, said participant Ha In-cheol, 23. We do receive many positive reviews. People write postcards saying Welcome to the South, We hope you visit us soon. We also sell stickers and badges welcoming Kim and many people buy them, he said. In a Telegraph interview, Kim Han-sung, 28, who heads up the Korea Progressive University Students Union, a branch of the praise committee, said the welcoming parties had been inspired in part by President Moons warm reception in Pyongyang. The people there welcomed him with the Unified Korea flag and flowers. We plan on doing the same thing when Kim comes here. We are also planning for a candlelight cultural festival, campaigns, and street performances to welcome him, he said. The groups are practicing songs popular with the Norths Samjiyon orchestra, a traditional music ensemble that performed at the South Korea Winter Olympics earlier this year. The orchestras greatest hits include Let us run towards the future and We welcome you. Left wing groups in Seoul are taking a positive view of Kim Jong-un Credit: Junho Lee All these songs are very meaningful in the relationship of the two Koreas, said Mr Kim. But he admitted that, despite a generally positive public reaction to their street activities, pro-Pyongyang activists were coming under fire online. We receive lot of attacks on the internet, he said. The rise of left-wing groups promoting positive engagement with Kim Jong-un has also sparked a backlash from conservatives which analysts say could erode public support for Mr Moon. The presidents ratings are already on a downward spiral due to the countrys economic woes. Meanwhile, defectors who have taken shelter in the South after fleeing hardships and persecution in the pariah regime have also been left aghast at Kims sudden surge in popularity after long being portrayed as a ruthless dictator. At the Teach North Korean Refugees (TNKR) office in Seoul, some said they were baffled by the positive reactions to his planned visit, reported the Korea Times. I had a miserable life in North Korea, I was sentenced to one of the harsh prison camps. Later, after I was released, I escaped, but I got captured and sent back. Then my life in that living hell became even worse, said Eunhwa, a woman who arrived in the South in 2015. I'm so surprised to hear South Koreans saying nice things about Kim Jung-un. It means they really don't understand the evil to the north. Mikyung, a woman who escaped North Korea in 2016 said she was amazed at the Souths high expectations about Kims desire for peace. It should be clear to anyone who understands the regime that it is seeking survival on its own terms, not to compromise, she said. He will continue trying to exert complete control over everyone within North Korean territory and maybe even the entire Korean Peninsula. New Chinese envoy Hou arrives Hou Yanqi arrived in Kathmandu on Saturday to serve as the 21st Chinese ambassador to Nepal. Officials from the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy welcomed her at the Tribhuvan International Airport. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders and senior adviser Stephen Miller attend a Cabinet meeting, Aug. 16, 2018. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP) WASHINGTON In recent weeks, the White House has been shaken by an ongoing government shutdown, tumbling markets and the abrupt departure of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. With few allies left in the White House and a press office in disarray, President Trump has increasingly turned to Stephen Miller, one of the key architects of his hard-line immigration policies, to be the public face of his administration. Miller had remained behind the scenes much of the last year, but earlier this month he stepped into the spotlight for a rare pair of television appearances that has left Trump allies with concerns about the state of the White House communications operation. Three of them shared their perspectives with Yahoo News. On Dec. 16, Miller went on CBS Face The Nation to declare that Trump was absolutely willing to shut down the government if his demand for $5 billion to fund a border wall was not met. Four days later, Miller got into a shouting match with CNNs Wolf Blitzer as he argued for the wall. These appearances drew shocked reactions due to Millers high volume, extreme positions and combative tone. The controversy could have been predicted. Miller similarly raised eyebrows the last time he blazed across the media landscape in 2017, and was rarely seen in the public eye afterwards. Trumps reliance on Miller comes as the White House press operation has been rocked by reports of impending high-profile departures. These rumors have come as the presidents spokespeople have retreated from view as weeks have gone without on-the-record briefings. Since Dec. 19, Trumps communications team hasnt even accomplished its most basic task: distributing guidance detailing the presidents public schedule. The White House did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Yahoo News about the lack of briefings, guidance and Millers growing public profile. Former members of the Trump administration were far more forthcoming, though they requested anonymity in order to frankly detail their concerns. Story continues Several former officials who spoke to Yahoo News said Millers reemergence as a public face of the White House was a public relations catastrophe. If youre a comms person, you dont want to have him out there because every time he goes out, its an absolute disaster, one former West Wing staffer told Yahoo News. Another former White House official echoed that sentiment. Miller is so awful on TV, its counterproductive to put him on, the ex-official said. Trump adviser Stephen Miller. (Photo: Leah Millis/Reuters) A former member of Trumps transition team told Yahoo News they believed Miller came to the fore because other officials are unenthusiastic about the hard-line immigration policies Miller pushed the president to adopt. While Trump launched his presidential campaign with blistering attacks on illegal immigration, Miller has been the mastermind who designed policies to target migrants. He was a major force pushing for Trumps travel ban aimed at certain majority-Muslim countries and the separation of immigrant children from their parents at the border. Nobody wants to defend Stephens positions, so they stick his ass out there, the ex-transition team member said. Stephens in the background telling everyone, Max pressure, max pressure, and saying those things are feasible. Everyone whos actually worked in policy is like, That cant work, go defend it yourself. Miller did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Yahoo News about concerns surrounding his public appearances. Even before Miller took the lead in urging the shutdown over border wall funding, many of the policies most closely associated with him have been lightning rods. The so-called Muslim travel ban and the child separation policy both sparked widespread protests and legal challenges. The former member of Trumps transition team said Miller managed to survive in spite of these strategic mistakes because his ideas appeal to the president. The boss likes him, the former transition member said of Miller. Hes certainly not judged on his policy successes; all he has is failures. He shows deference and he makes these outrageous policy suggestions. Watching Miller represent the Trump administration during an especially tense stretch this past month left some Trump allies convinced the White House messaging operation has gone haywire. These concerns have been fueled by dramatic staff turnover and continuing rumors of more imminent departures from the White House press office. Indeed, just as Miller has stepped into the spotlight, some of the regular White House spokespeople have disappeared from view. Press secretary Sarah Sanders and deputy press secretary Raj Shah have both seen their public roles diminish since June, when reports first emerged they were planning to depart the West Wing. Raj Shah outside the West Wing of the White House, Sept. 25, 2018. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) Sanders, one of the most visible White House faces, is now conducting briefings about once a month rather than a few times a week as was customary in previous administrations and earlier in Trumps tenure. Her retreat from the briefing room has coincided with a growing chorus of reports saying she is plotting an exit. Yahoo News reached out to Sanders to ask about the criticism of the White House press operation and rumors of her impending exit. She answered with an email saying shes traveling and asked for specific questions and details about this story. Sanders did not respond after receiving a list of queries. Shah, one of the only other spokespeople who has led multiple briefings, is also keeping a low profile. In July, Shah was tapped to work on communications for the confirmation of Trumps Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh. By September, Yahoo News reported Shah had told multiple associates he planned to leave his post after Kavanaugh was seated. One of the sources familiar with Shahs plans said his calculus included the assumption Sanders also planned to leave the White House. Shah did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Yahoo News. While Shah has stayed mum about his situation, his title has changed to communications adviser from principal deputy press secretary. Both the ex-official and the second former White House staffer said they heard Shah would be off the White House payroll after the year ends. Trump has already had five different communications directors. The former White House staffer also pointed to some lower profile departures and said they had a clear impact. The Trump administration has shed at least four assistant press secretaries, resulting in vacancies and hasty promotions in a position the ex-staffer described as vital for playing triage. You have a situation where stories that could have been small are now blowing up and just causing huge crises and controversies, the former staffer said. Bill Shine, who became Trumps fifth communications director in July, did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story. The ex-staffer also suggested the White House had devoted insufficient resources to develop a team to publicly advocate for the administration and build relationships with television networks. They attributed some of the reluctance to engage with media to fear that followed a crackdown on leaks that occurred after a spate of negative stories earlier in the Trump administration. This concern about unauthorized press engagement resulted in a situation where people were only communicating with reporters anonymously and critically. Theres this fear factor with this whole leaking thing, the ex-staffer said. Now no one talks to the press except to leak. The other former official agreed that the White House communications operation was understaffed, and suggested it would have a hard time finding new talent. No professional in good standing will even interview for a job. The former White House official said, adding, Its a zombie comms shop. Night of the living dead. Editors note: An earlier version of the story quoted a source saying Raj Shah no longer had a White House office or telephone. The story should have noted that he retains an office in the Executive Office Building and a government cellphone. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: See our 2018 year-end features >>> Each year, Japanese whalers haul hundreds of harpooned whales aboard their giant 8,145-ton vessel, the Nisshin Maru. And for decades, they've killed most of these whales in the open Antarctic seas, under the guise of performing scientific "research." But now Japan is changing course, in a curious way. On Wednesday Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced that the nation will retreat from killing whales in the Antarctic waters. Instead, the Japanese have dropped the pretense of hunting whales for research and say they will strictly hunt whales in waters around Japan mostly for the whales' meat. "Its a bit of a strange kind of move," Carl Safina, a marine ecologist at Stonybrook University, said in an interview, noting that Japan still intends to hunt whales, but just not in certain whale-rich waters. While this leaves the Southern Hemisphere free of whaling for the first time in centuries a true conservation victory the Japanese continued killing of whales still has dubious legal merit. Following Wednesday's announcement, Japan will soon be leaving the United Nation's International Whaling Commission the world body in charge of whale conservation. This commission halted commercial whaling over 30 years ago, in 1986. Since then, nearly every nation in the world has stopped commercial whaling. But now Japan will be largely on its own a sort of whaling renegade unbound from the global agreement and still killing whales though in its own waters. A dead minke whale caught by Japanese whalers. Image: Sea Shepherd / Marianna Baldo "Now, theyre blatantly criminal operations," Paul Watson, a captain and president of the anti-poaching organization Sea Shepherd, said in an interview. Watson has repeatedly led campaigns to intervene during Japanese whaling operations on the open ocean. "Basically they will be pirates," added Carolina Castro, a Sea Shepherd media manager, over email. Story continues Yet, by leaving the International Whaling Commission, Japan will no longer be beholden to the commission's conservation rules, regardless of the reality that most every nation in the world has stopped hunting whales. But even if Japan did remain bound to the whaling conservation agreement, there's no world power that would to stop Japan from whaling in its own waters, specifically Japan's "Exclusive Economic Zone," which stretches 200 miles from its coast. "The trouble with all the conservation agreements is that theres no enforcement mechanism for almost any of them," said Safina. SEE ALSO: 2018 takes the podium as one of the hottest years on record. Lets look deeper. Iceland and Norway the other two whaling nations also kill whales with impunity. No other government intervenes. Rather, nations can impose economic sanctions, if they wanted. For instance, the U.S. MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 states that foreign nations should be punished for engaging in illegal fishing. While commercial whaling likely won't ever be stopped by another government, it now exists as a taboo, a fringe, antiquated practice that eventually might die out on its own. "Theres not any real need for anything from a whale in modern industrialized civilization," said Safina. "Our respect for life on the planet should make it seem appalling to kill the grandest living things that have ever existed." The good news For those seeking to protect whales whose numbers were vastly diminished in the 20th Century the Japanese decision is welcome news. Whaling will continue, but there will be less of it. "The silver lining is they dont feel like killing whales much anymore they're only going to kill them in Japan's territorial waters," said Safina. "I dont find this to be very upsetting." "Theyve retreated to their own economic zone," said Watson. "It's wonderful news from my point of view." Sea Shepherd harassing a whaling vessel. Image: Garry Stokes/Sea Shepherd Although Japan's greater motives aren't known, there's potential that they intend to wind down their whaling operations, possibly for good. After all, the business, with diminished demand, is not likely turning much of a profit if any profit. "It hasnt made money for decades," noted Watson. Rather, Watson argues modern whaling is driven by political influence. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is from a whaling district, he said, and also noted that both a strong political board and whaling union keep the practice afloat. "It's all political it doesnt make any economic sense," said Watson. "There are thousands of tons of refrigerated whale meat that cant be sold." Safina wonders if the recent move is to help the Japanese "save face." In other words, perhaps the Japanese want to gradually get out of the whaling, but don't want to appear weak or influenced. "Maybe they are sick of doing it," said Safina. "But they can't just stop because that would make it look like they bowed to pressure, and they are obsessed with saving face the Japan government is obsessed with it." Whatever Japan's longer-term aims, the retreat of hunting will be of benefit to whales, which will now be free from hunting in the entire Southern Hemisphere. And more whales are of considerable value to the ocean's food web, which benefits from a process called the whale pump: Whales fertilize the surface waters with large plumes of feces, replenishing the surface waters and as consequence, making them more productive. "Theres never too many whales," said Watson. SADDLE BROOK, NJ A former patient has filed a class-action lawsuit against a Midland Avenue surgery center whose poor sterilization practices may have exposed nearly 3,800 former patients to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV during medical procedures earlier this year. The three-count lawsuit was filed Friday in state Superior Court in Hackensack by Lauren Marrero, the patient, and her husband, Julio. It claims the HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook was negligent, careless, reckless and guilty of "wanton misconduct on a continuing basis" for exposing patients to the dangerous pathogens. "The Defendant knew or should have known that the sterilization procedures at their facility were insufficient and posed a substantial risk of harm to the Plaintiffs and others similarly situated between January 1, 2018 and September 7, 2018," the lawsuit read. The suit also blamed the center for not properly vetting, training or supervising its medical staff. The Marreros say the center's negligence resulted in physical pain, emotional anguish, distress, fear and anxiety, among other things, the suit read. They seek compensatory damages, interest and attorney's fees. Previous coverage: Two employees fired from facility that may have exposed thousands to HIV, hepatitis Mark Manigan, an attorney for HealthPlus Surgery Center, on December 29, 2018, part of a press conference to discuss what the center is doing to comply with NJ Department of Health regulations. The facility was closed by the NJ Department of Health recently for not complying with certain regulations. Mark Manigan, a Roseland attorney representing the center, declined to comment on the lawsuit. The lawsuit is the first to be filed against HealthPlus, which the New Jersey Department of Health ordered closed after a Sept. 7 investigation revealed poor drug storage methods, an outdated infection control plan and a failure to properly clean and disinfect medical hardware and instruments, according to a report released Friday. The center reopened three weeks later when state inspectors found it had fixed the issues. Anyone who stayed for a procedure at HealthPlus from January to Sept. 7 may have been exposed, the Health Department has said. But the risk of infection is low, the department added. Story continues Still, 3,778 former patients including Marrero received letters the week of Christmas urging them to be tested for the diseases. What a thing to wake up to, said Michael Maggiano, the Fort Lee attorney representing the Marreros. They need to know what happened. They need to know how this happened. Because when they walked into this facility, they trusted HealthPlus [Lauren Marrero] feels betrayed. But at a Saturday morning news conference, Manigan continued to blame a pair of now-fired employees for failing to follow proper sterilization procedures. Both were let go in September for performance-related issues, he said. "The investigation revealed that, by and large, the lapses that occurred were attributable to a handful of people who have been removed," Manigan told reporters. Theyve been replaced HealthPlus deeply regrets this incident, but it is proud of how it's responded to it, and it's committed to continuing to perform admirably going forward. The center's nursing director also resigned Sept. 6 just one day before the Health Department closed HealthPlus. Manigan has declined to say if the resignation was directly related to the complaint and subsequent closure. HealthPlus Surgery Center, on December 29, 2018, following a press conference to discuss what the center is doing to comply with NJ Department of Health regulations. The facility was closed by the NJ Department of Health recently for not complying with certain regulations. Maggiano, the Marreros' attorney, dismissed Manigans statements Saturday. The blame could not be shifted onto the shoulders of individual employees, he said. This is about an insidious, systemic failure of a major caregiver institution of Bergen County, Maggiano said. The answer cant be, Well, weve fired two people. Yan Moshe, the Long Island real-estate mogul who owns the center and another like it in Hackensack, did not attend the news conference and has not spoken directly to the media. The Hackensack facility has also been cited in the past for failing to meet safety regulations. But Manigan said Moshe does not plan to change his organizations management hierarchy in response to the complaints. "Mr. Moshe is confident in his current complement of managing staff and clinical staff," Manigan said. Betty McCabe, the HealthPlus administrator, is not expected to resign, he added. Moshe bought Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in December 2017 despite having no experience running a hospital. Now called Hudson Regional Hospital, it is the facility to which HealthPlus is referring patients for testing. The center is paying for the tests, Manigan said Saturday. State regulators have also investigated Excel Surgery Center, which Moshe previously owned, according to previous reporting by The Record. Investigators found the center failed to report a parking lot car fire that caused a building evacuation and wasnt using proper procedures for administering multi-dose vials of medication in the operating room. The center later filed correction plans with the state, which was accepted. At HealthPlus, investigators found a staff member failed to adequately wet and disinfect a stretcher that held a sheet containing what appeared to be a blood stain, according to the report. They also found workers had crowded too many loose instruments into a small bag used to disinfect medical instruments, precluding total sterilization. And that other sterilized instruments had rust-like stains. Anyone who needs to be tested because of the exposure in Saddle Brook can call 1-888-507-0578 to schedule an appointment. This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: A surgery center may have exposed more than 3,000 patients to HIV. Now a lawsuit has been filed Giza (Egypt) (AFP) - Crowds of tourists stared in awe at the towering pyramids of Giza near Cairo Saturday undaunted by a nearby bomb attack a day earlier that killed holidaymakers from Vietnam. A roadside bombing claimed the lives of three tourists and their Egyptian guide Friday when it ripped through the bus they were on as it travelled near the world-famous attraction. The attack comes as Egypt's vital tourism sector has begun to recover after years of instability and jihadist violence that scared visitors away. "I think terrorism can strike anywhere in the world," Somand Yang from South Korea told AFP. "You have to be careful but it is also like luck." Security forces guarded the entrance to the sprawling site and Yang, 32, said she had no qualms about visiting. "Lightning never strikes twice in the same place. So I figured it will be even safer today," she said. - 'Completely devastated' - Excited holidaymakers rode camels and queued to enter a tomb as they snapped pictures of the Great Pyramid, the only surviving structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Hawkers followed the tourists, doggedly trying to sell trinkets and souvenirs. Despite the steady flow of visitors, Egyptians working at the site said they were shaken by the attack -- and concerned that it could hit their livelihoods. "I knew the guide who died yesterday," said Dalia Sadaka, as she accompanied a group of sightseers. "I completely broke down yesterday, but I had to get to work in the morning," she said, pointing to her visibly swollen eyes. - 'Truly regrettable' - Earlier hit hard by a string of bloody attacks and unrest, visitor numbers to Egypt have more recently staged a partial recovery. In October 2015, a bomb claimed by a local affiliate of the Islamic State jihadist group killed all 224 people on board a passenger jet carrying Russian tourists over the Sinai peninsula. That incident dealt a severe blow to Egypt's tourism industry, which was still reeling from the turmoil set off by the 2011 uprising that forced veteran leader Hosni Mubarak from power. Story continues The official statistics agency says arrivals reached 8.2 million in 2017, up from 5.3 million the year before. But that figure was still far short of the record influx in 2010 when over 14 million came. "I fear yesterday's incident may have an impact on our source of income," said an elderly man who offers camel rides, declining to give his name. "It is very regretable," he said. "We were finally happy that tourism started picking up a bit." (Reuters) - A U.S. healthcare worker who may have been exposed to the Ebola virus while treating patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo arrived in the United States on Saturday and was put in quarantine in Nebraska. The medic, who is not exhibiting symptoms of Ebola, will remain under observation for up to two weeks at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha, Nebraska Medicine said in a statement. The individual's name was not released for privacy reasons. Symptoms such as fever and abdominal pain may appear up to three weeks after contact with the deadly virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Should symptoms develop, the healthcare worker would be moved to the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, one of only a few in the United States for treating infectious diseases. The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo is the second worst ever and has killed 356 of the 585 people infected since it began six months ago, according to the World Health Organization. Nebraska Medicine, a network of hospitals, clinics and healthcare colleges, together with academic partner UNMC, are among world leaders in the treatment of Ebola, which spreads through contact with bodily fluids and causes hemorrhagic fever with severe vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding. Nebraska Medicine cared for three patients with the virus in 2014 and monitored several others for exposure during a 2013-16 outbreak in West Africa that was the worst on record, with more than 28,000 cases confirmed. (Reporting by Andrew Hay in New Mexico, editing by G Crosse) By Andrew MacAskill LONDON (Reuters) - The British government will spend more than 100 million pounds ($130 million) chartering extra sea ferries to ease cross-Channel congestion if the United Kingdom fails to secure a trade deal before leaving the European Union next year. Just three months before the United Kingdom is due to leave the world's largest bloc, the risk of a no-deal Brexit is rising -- the nightmare scenario for many businesses, which are now planning for an economic shock. Extra ships will be needed to work new routes across the Channel in the event that the main French terminal of Calais and Britains Dover and Folkestone are clogged up by customs checks. Currently, Britain's membership of the EU means that trucks drive smoothly through border checks within the bloc. But in a no-deal Brexit, even a few minutes' delay at customs for each truck would be likely to mean vehicles backing up at ports and queuing on feeder roads on both sides of the Channel. To ease a potential backlog, the government has awarded three contracts to provide additional freight capacity on routes from English south-coast ports including Poole, Portsmouth and Plymouth. They comprise one worth 47 million pounds with the French firm Brittany Ferries, a 47 million pound deal with the Danish shipping company DFDS and a 14 million pound contract with Seaborne Freight. The leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat party, Vince Cable, called the move "complete madness" and said public money was being spent recklessly in a last-minute bid to prepare for a no-deal outcome. The contracts were not put out to tender. The Department for Transport said it was responding to a "situation of extreme urgency" brought about by "unforeseeable events". About 16,000 trucks pass between Dover and Calais every day, transporting everything from perishable food to medicines and the industrial goods needed to keep factories running. "This extra capacity is a small but important element of the DfT's no-deal planning," the Department for Transport said in a statement. "While remaining committed to working to ensure a deal is reached, the department is helping ensure the rest of government are fully prepared for a range of scenarios." Earlier this month, the government announced that all government departments must step up planning for a no-deal Brexit, including putting 3,500 armed forces personnel on standby to deal with any disruption. ($1 = 0.7871 pounds) (Reporting By Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Washington (AFP) - Outgoing White House chief John Kelly said in an interview published Sunday that he had "nothing but compassion" for undocumented migrants crossing into the US, and undercut President Donald Trump's claims to be building a "wall" at the Mexico border. As a partial government shutdown entered a ninth day due to an impasse over Trump's demands for funding the US-Mexico border barrier, the president's chief of staff told the Los Angeles Times: "To be honest, it's not a wall." "The president still says 'wall.' Oftentimes frankly he'll say 'barrier' or 'fencing,' now he's tended toward steel slats," Kelly said. "But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it," he added. Building a solid "wall" along the 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) US-Mexico frontier was a central plank of Trump's 2016 election campaign, and he has tweeted about it almost 100 times this year alone. "Either we build (finish) the Wall or we close the Border," Trump -- who has adopted the 2020 re-election mantra "promises made, promises kept" -- posted as recently as Friday. A former Marine general who led the military command responsible for Latin America, Kelly was Trump's Homeland Security secretary before becoming White House chief of staff in July last year. His relationship with the president reportedly deteriorated, however, and he is to be replaced at the end of the year by Mick Mulvaney, the current budget director. "Illegal immigrants, overwhelmingly, are not bad people," Kelly told the LA Times, adding that many had been manipulated by traffickers. "I have nothing but compassion for them, the young kids." The remarks were in sharp contrast to the rhetoric of the president who regularly appeals to his overwhelmingly white political base by taking a hard line on immigration. Story continues - 'Pathetic immigration policies' - Trump has spoken of an "invasion" of migrants and complained of "many gang members and some very bad people" among a thousands-strong caravan of immigrants that traveled to the US in October. Migrants from Central America say they want to reach the US to escape poverty and gang violence. Trump has threatened to end aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, despite a State Department announcement on December 18 that the US was ready to offer $4.5 billion in investment in Central America and southern Mexico, and that the administration was requesting an additional $180 million in assistance to the region. On Saturday Trump blamed opposition Democrats "and their pathetic immigration policies" for the deaths of two Guatemalan children who crossed the border illegally with relatives who were taken into custody by US Border Patrol. In a departure from the stance taken by his boss, Kelly said the way to halt illegal immigration was to "stop US demand for drugs, and expand economic opportunity" in Central America. Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, said on ABC's "This Week" that investment in Central America was one element of a "multi-faceted problem" that also requires funding border security. - 'Wasting taxpayer dollars' - He called for a "sober-minded non-partisan look at our immigration laws" as part of the solution to an upsurge in family and child arrivals. "We've asked for about 1,000 miles of wall... And what we're talking about is not just a dumb barrier," McAleenan said. "We're talking about censors, cameras, lighting, access roads for our agents, a system that helps us secure that area of the border." The Democrats are refusing to provide billions for Trump's border wall project and the president insists he will not fully fund the government unless he gets the money. As long as the debate holds up approval of a wider spending bill, about 800,000 federal employees are not getting salaries and non-essential parts of the government are unable to function. Kellyanne Conway, a close Trump advisor, said on "Fox News Sunday" that whether the border barrier was a "wall" or not was "a silly semantic argument," adding that the president had already compromised, since he had originally asked for $25 billion. Mulvaney told Fox last week that the administration had shown movement on the latest $5 billion demand for border security. "We actually came off of our $5 billion slightly," he said. Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeffries agreed on ABC's "This Week" that immigration reform and enhanced border security were needed. "At its core, our responsibility in government is to manage public money. We can either manage it efficiently or we can waste taxpayer dollars," he said. "And what Donald Trump and the Republicans want to do is waste $5 billion in taxpayer money on an ineffective medieval border wall that is a fifth-century solution to a 21st century problem." Officials struggle to identify fake earthquake victims The government authorities in Dhading district are having a difficult time to identify the fake earthquake victims. Washington (AFP) - According to President Donald Trump, federal workers affected by the US government shutdown support him as he insists on no deal until Congress funds a wall on the Mexican border. But rather than cheering him on, many of the 800,000 workers forced either to work without salaries or go on unpaid leave are voicing growing anxiety as they wonder how to pay approaching bills or buy holiday gifts for their children. After past shutdowns, Congress quickly ensured that federal workers were retroactively paid. But the end of the month is approaching with no headway on reopening the government. Kevin, a statistician, said he recently relocated to Washington with his wife and young son from the southeastern US in search of the long-term stability of a government job. But he said he used up his savings to finance the move and that his son has required early intervention services for delayed development. "Taking care for a kid with special needs is draining physically, mentally and financially," he told AFP in an email. "Our budget is really tight and getting tighter. I no longer purchase clothes for myself and I cut my own hair." He may also have to put his rent on a credit card, added Kevin, asking that his surname be withheld because of rules against government employees speaking on politics. Kevin's colleagues have reassured him that they have survived similar situations. The shutdown is the third this year, after two brief funding gaps, and another stoppage in 2013 was resolved after 16 days. But Kevin is less optimistic this time, saying Trump, facing multiple crises, was acting like a "cornered animal." Asked Wednesday on a surprise trip to Iraq how long the shutdown will last, Trump replied: "Whatever it takes." Syl, who works at the Internal Revenue Service, said she only had enough savings to pay her upcoming rent and a few other expenses after spending on travel and gifts for the holidays. Story continues While acknowledging that "I don't have it as bad as other employees" with children, she said that she resented "being used as a political pawn for the wall." - Panic as bills approach - One of the major unions of federal workers, the National Treasury Employees Union, said nearly 80 percent of members indicated in a survey they were "very concerned" about paying for housing and other living expenses. Some government employees and their families shared their predicaments online with the hashtag #ShutdownStories. @katyjb88 wrote that her husband was in the Coast Guard and that they had one child with another on the way. They live in New York where they pay more than $2,000 a month in rent. While active military are exempted from the shutdown, the Coast Guard is affected. Even if they are paid later, she wrote, "that won't help with bills due on the 1st." For others, including @Ancient_Scout, consequences are even more immediate. "Broke my lease to accept new fed job for which I have to attend 7 months of training in another state. Training canceled with shutdown," @Ancient_Scout tweeted. "Homeless. Can't afford short(?)-term housing/have to work full-time for no pay/returning Xmas presents." @juliedotburr said that as a government contractor she will not get paid at all so long as the shutdown persists. "I am a single mom in panic mode. Picking up extra shifts at my 2nd job but it won't pay the rent!" she wrote. - Solidarity with workers - Signs of solidarity are growing in Washington, where lawmakers return Thursday with no deal in sight. The Z-Burger restaurant is offering hamburgers free to federal employees, while Spanish chef Jose Andres, a longstanding critic of Trump, has invited the workers for a free sandwich in all of his Washington restaurants from 2pm to 5 pm. But there are occasional signs of support for Trump, who has made a wall and a tough line on immigration the centerpiece of his 2016 campaign and said Tuesday that federal workers "want border security." @InsiderIRS, a Twitter user with no followers as of Wednesday afternoon, wrote that federal workers bore a constitutional responsibility to defend against "invasion." "As an IRS employee, I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with my furloughed comrades to support the sovereignty of our nation," @InsiderIRS wrote. I just think a comment like that from a white person is never going to sit well with someone who isnt white. Whether someone means it as racist or not, it just never sits well for white people to say. Reply Parent Thread Link mte Reply Parent Thread Link Exactly Reply Parent Thread Link yeah. tbh no one should hear that, that guy was a wanker. Reply Parent Thread Link Take a step back and look at the comment as a whole, its a flustered white man telling a black woman: Youre in Australia, youre playing by our rules. I kinda understand the vibe, its like othering her and thats all types of uncomfortable. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It is Reply Parent Thread Link Shes allowed to feel whatever way about being verbally harassed. It made her feel uncomfortable and racially attacked. Not sure why you feel the need to analyze that. Reply Parent Thread Link ...wasnt there a whole post about micro and subtle racism and how some racism isnt just blatant and loud? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link As a person of color when a white person disrespects you you're allowed to feel like it's racism because most of the time it is. Racism is sometimes subtle like that Reply Parent Thread Expand Link This is literally the perfect example of a microaggression. Like..... Reply Parent Thread Link You think this cowarding White woman would say the same to Carrie Underwood? Reply Parent Thread Link It is racist. Here's Dev Patel being told a similar thing by white people in America. "You're in OUR COUNTRY. GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY!" after he refused to sign autographs. Unfortunately for him, he was young and alone in this situation. The frightened look on his face tells you everything you need to know. He had a pack of white men verbalyl and racially attack him. It's weird how this only happens to 1. People of color, when they don't do what white people want. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link mmmno if a white man said that to me, i'd be shook & disgusted Reply Parent Thread Link Nah it's still racist as fuck Reply Parent Thread Link Are you serious? Reply Parent Thread Link ever heard of racial microaggression? Reply Parent Thread Link As a white person you dont get to say if microaggressions seem racist or not. The audacity of this take. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Australian men treat all women like shit. They are the worst. Reply Parent Thread Link ia I would be curious to know what he meant, if indeed he meant "Australia's rules" It looks like everyone here was behaving badly Reply Parent Thread Link Hmm I knew you were that type of girl. Reply Parent Thread Link whew the dragging you got. delicious. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link White Australian male paparazzi being shitty? Never!!!!!! Reply Thread Link That's awful. White people are so entitled, and to be received with this shit after flying for 10 hours, ugh. Somehow this reminds me of that old post about Kelis being discriminated against in a London airport. That was such a messy post. Reply Thread Link Whats with Australia being absolute garbage to celebs? I feel like Ive read about their media/press being unkind before. She just got off a 10 hour flight, people are so insanely inconsiderate. Reply Thread Link They are horrible. I remember that even heathe ledger before he died had sworn off doing press at home unless it was someone hand picked because he said they acted like they hated him. Hugh Jackman is like the only one who gets a pass for the most part. Reply Parent Thread Link i think chris hemsworth does too a bit. Reply Parent Thread Link Australians being racist? Reply Thread Link It's so strange because when travelling all the Aussies I meet are really kind and decent but ask em about fellow Aussies and they'll basically say they're walking trash cans. Reply Parent Thread Link Same! Every Australian Ive met have been really nice but maybe thats why theyre traveling and not at home - to get away from the assholes out there Reply Parent Thread Link Resize this. I expect more from you. Smh Reply Parent Thread Expand Link She has every right to be upset but it's weird how she's making it sound like this is an Australia problem. Reply Thread Link As an Aussie, can confirm. They're fucking terrible, I remember when Pink went off at them. Possibly Mel B too and Nicole Kidman. Reply Parent Thread Link It's crazy how they're still in that mid 00's mentality when everybody else has mostly calm down even the American paps. Reply Parent Thread Link ?? She's describing an incident of racism that occured in Australia. She obviously hasnt dealt with something this bad with another country to talk about it. Reply Parent Thread Link Im sure most people will say that want to leave a place if they get off a plane and encounter two incidents Reply Parent Thread Link colored people?? anyway, paparazzi are garbage, as always Reply Thread Link Australian Paps are known as especially terrible, so I'm not surprised they're being POS to someone like Cardi. Reply Thread Link Australia needs to be called out more for its racism. I have no interest in going to that country. Edited at 2018-12-30 02:45 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link I have a black coworker that was talking about her plans to go there and asked for advice or tips and all I could contribute is my knowledge of Australia being super racist Reply Parent Thread Link Yup. My boyfriend likes to joke about going to Russia and Australia, and im like, they hate you, why would you even think about going to those countries. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link australia is a white settler colony. whites need to get out of that island. Reply Parent Thread Link Pretty much My friends were trying to get me to go on A trip with them there and I was like no, hard pass and told them why I already live in the south. At least here I have other black people I can go to Reply Parent Thread Link lol same. i'm from a pretty white city and all my friends were traveling there when we were in our early 20s asking me to come along. HARD PASS. Reply Parent Thread Link Australia has some shocking racism that we absolutely need to deal with (and wont, because try getting a racist Australian to admit they are racist), but its no worse than America on that score. People can look down their noses all they want but the whole world can see what goes on in the US. And less danger of being shot here. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link my friend lived in australia for six months to study english and she came back hating it so much, she was pretty much traumatized tbh Reply Parent Thread Link My friend has been living in Australia for a year and the stories she tells me are so sad. The way Indigenous people are treated is awful. Reply Parent Thread Link australia is racist as fuck Reply Parent Thread Link I think it's weird that a PUBLICIST got so heated and conducted herself that way when the woman insulted cardi/her husband. If it was cardi herself who went off it wouldn't be so weird. She needs a better team Reply Thread Link Her publicist is just an old friend of hers and really, more people should stand up for their clients imo. Reply Parent Thread Link What? Its obvious why Cardi couldnt react. Everyone including the paps wants a reaction from her, thats why they were saying shit like that. Her publicist, who is her friend too, defended Cardi. Reply Parent Thread Link Well yeah, it's obvious that the paps were saying mean stuff to get cardi's attention. As a friend it makes sense to react defensively but not really as a publicist Reply Parent Thread Expand Link and i feel like if cardi had reacted, folk would have blamed her and called her ghetto, classless, violent, etc. Reply Parent Thread Link Its her friend lol Its nice she defended her, dont allow disrespect especially to your client who isnt doing anything wrong. Fans and paparazzi need boundaries. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Like, don't you see this as a triple-edged blade tho? Reply Parent Thread Link Um Reply Parent Thread Link White people being terrible to a black woman. Must be a day ending in day. Im sure there will be those who defend the paps too cause it a day ending in.. Reply Thread Link Or say shes overreacting Reply Parent Thread Link The comments in this post are already weird as fuck so i cant imagine what whites on other blogs are saying. Reply Parent Thread Link Part black Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Only part Black huh? Not full Black like Ariana? Reply Parent Thread Link yet cardi, as a whole human being, is being treated horribly. all parts of her \_()_/ Reply Parent Thread Link yeah and they were only being part racist. Reply Parent Thread Link This comment isnt sitting well with me. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link If you're an Ariana stan, whew chile, the I-RON-Y. Reply Parent Thread Link Not surprised. Reply Thread Link fuck those idiots i'm glad she kept her composure, esp now she's got a reputation for having a temper these assholes will keep trying it Reply Thread Link I see them trying to bait her into a story about how she's an angry black woman. Reply Thread Link Mexicos military have taken control over 58 key fuel installations in the country, including refineries, upon orders by new President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who has vowed to fight corruption and fuel theft within and outside state-run energy company Pemex. Lopez Obrador unveiled a plan on Thursday to increase the presence of military and the use of the army in fighting rampant fuel theft that has been costing Mexicos state firm Pemex billions of dollars annually. According to Pemexs own estimates, the losses from fuel theft over the past three years have reached US$7.5 billion (147 billion Mexican pesos). According to Lopez Obrador, authorities are also involved in widespread fuel theft. This is the theft of national assets, of public funds, of money that belongs to all Mexicans, Reuters quoted Lopez Obrador as saying at a regular news conference on Thursday. On Friday, the Mexican army took control of refineries of Pemex across the country, where unionized workers were blocking the access to some of the sites, UPI reports, citing the Excelsior newspaper. Mexican media report that three officials at Pemex, suspected of having facilitated fuel theft, had already been arrested for the alleged crimes. The three Pemex officials have been sacked and will be facing criminal charges, Mexicos Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero said at Lopez Obradors news conference on Thursday. Related: ExxonMobil Faces Off With Venezuelas Navy Pemexs new management are aware of the fact that company employees have been complicit in fuel theft and moved to deal with the problem, Gertz Manero said. Illegal taps on Mexican fuel pipelines jumped by 45 percent annually between January and October 2018, according to Pemexs latest report on fuel theft. Earlier this year, former Pemex chief executive Carlos Alberto Trevino Medina said that fuel theft was expected to cost the state oil company as much as US$1.78 billion (35 billion pesos) in 2018. Apart from rampant fuel theft, Pemex also has to cope with declining domestic oil production, which hit in October one of the lowest monthly production rates since 1990 when records began. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Last week the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil, the primary U.S. benchmark, fell to a 17-month low. The price, $45.88/bbl, marks a stunning fall from a price that closed at $76.40/bbl on October 3rd. So, what has caused this roller coaster ride, and where are prices headed as we head into 2019? Lets first review how to we got to sub-$50 oil as we near the end of 2018. Thats important, because I think it strongly influences what is likely to happen in 2019. Why Oil Prices Rose in 2018 In my 2018 predictions, which I will grade in a couple of weeks, I projected that oil prices would reach $70/bbl in 2018. The price of WTI, the U.S. benchmark, rose to that level in May and remained there for most of the summer. There were several reasons I expected oil prices to rise. The threat of sanctions on Iran, global demand that continues to rise (despite increasing predictions of the demise of demand growth), and the deteriorating situation in Venezuela were just three of the reasons I predicted higher oil prices. But if you had asked me in mid-summer what I expected for the rest of 2018, I would not have anticipated an oil price collapse. I largely attribute this decline to an unexpected variable in the oil markets that I call The Trump Effect. The Trump Effect President Trump has done some good things for the oil industry, but he has a blind spot when it comes to oil prices. He has been vocal about the need to keep oil prices low, even as the U.S. becomes an increasingly important global oil producer. This would have been an understandable position a dozen years ago, when net imports had reached 14 million barrels per day (BPD). But today, with net imports of crude oil and finished products transitioning into net exports, its becoming a different ballgame. Low oil prices are a threat to the dream of U.S. energy independence, as they reduce the incentive to invest in new oil production. Low oil prices are also a threat to renewable fuels like ethanol, which become less competitive in a low oil price environment. Related: UBS: Expect $80 Brent Next Year Most of the states that benefit from high oil prices are states that voted for President Trump: Texas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Iowa, Pennsylvania. There are a handful of exceptions, such as California and Colorado, but the oil states are mostly Trump country. However, President Trump has taken actions that have hurt U.S. oil producers. Why Oil Prices Fell in 2018 This past summer, China had become a major importer of U.S. oil to the tune of 500,000 BPD. But the trade war with China resulted in China halting imports of U.S. oil. This loss of market hurt U.S. oil producers, and helped push inventories higher in the U.S. This further hurt U.S. oil producers by pushing prices down. But then President Trump also undercut oil producers by waiving sanctions on Iran. Leading up to the implementation of sanctions on Iran that would cut off their oil exports, Trump persuaded Saudi Arabia to begin pumping more oil to compensate for Irans pending lost exports. Then, just before sanctions were set to go into effect, Trump announced that waivers would be given to a number of countries to allow them to continue to import Iranian oil. Among those countries was China, which ironically means U.S. oil producers lost business to Iran as a result of this decision. Saudi Arabia felt double-crossed by the decision to grant waivers, which resulted in too much oil in the market. The price of oil predictably plunged. But I expect Saudi to approach things differently in 2019. Verdict: Higher Oil Prices in 2019 Following the waivers on Iranian imports, Saudi Arabia vowed to cut production. The market wasnt convinced, and crude oil continued to fall. Related: $50 Oil Wont Kill U.S. Shale But then OPEC surprised a lot of people by agreeing with Russia to cut a total of 1.2 million BPD of oil from the market. The last time OPEC announced a major cooperation agreement with Russia, oil prices rallied from the $40s up past $70/bbl once it became apparent that the group was sticking to its agreement. I expect similar results this time. Jointly, OPEC and Russia produce more than 50% of the worlds oil. They have significant pricing power if they manage to maintain discipline. I expect they will do so given the positive results from the previous production cuts, and therefore I expect the price of oil to recover back above $60/bbl in a few short months. I would note in conclusion that there was another draw on U.S. crude inventories this week, the third straight decline. Inventories of petroleum and finished products are now 17.5% lower than they were a year ago. Despite this, U.S. crude oil prices are more than 20% lower than they were a year ago. This is setting up the sort of disconnect I saw in the natural gas markets a few months ago. This disconnect led to a >60% rally in natural gas prices. But theres still the Trump wildcard. As long as he is committed to lower oil prices, he will continue to cajole and coerce Saudi Arabia for more oil production. I expect he will have less success with this approach in 2019. By Robert Rapier More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: ConocoPhillips is the best-performing energy stock on the S&P 500 Energy Index this year. The news is all the more impressive because it is the only stock with a positive performance on the index in the year to date, Bloomberg reported this week, adding that the S&P 500 Energy Index has itself booked a 25-percent slide since the beginning of 2018, on track to finish with the worst annual performance since the 2008 crisis. Conoco clearly stands out. In fact, the supermajor has been standing out in the oil crowd for a while now. Earlier this year, when the company announced it would be parting with some of its acreage in the Permian and South Texas, some were confused: wasnt everyone flocking to the Permian? But Conoco made it clear its not an at all costs situation for it. The company offloaded some non-core assets worth US$250 million to focus on its priorities, among them higher shareholder returns and a focus on higher-return projects. As of April this year, Conocos average sustaining cost per barrel was US$40. At the start of February, the company announced it will lift the 2018 dividend by 7.5 percent and buy back shares worth US$2 billion, despite booking a loss for 2017. During that year, Conoco also paid down US$7.6 billion in debt and bought back US$3 billion in shares. Besides, it reported a 200-percent organic reserve base replacement rate. With such a track record after the 2014 price meltdown, whats not to love about Conoco? The strategy it is using to recover from the crisis is what other supermajors are using, too: raise dividends, buy back shares issued in the heat of the crisis, pay down debt. However, its booking better results than the other supermajors. Related: ExxonMobil Faces Off With Venezuelas Navy Earlier this year, after it announced the Permian and South Texas asset sale, Conoco also said it will be divesting its business in the UK section of the North Sea. The price tag for the assets was an impressive one: US$3 billion for fields producing a total 67,000 bpd of oil equivalent as of the third quarter of this year and infrastructure. The supermajor is in exclusive talks with Ineos for the assets. Conoco also pursued Venezuelas PDVSA aggressively to enforce a court ruling awarding the supermajor with a US$2-billion compensation for the forced nationalization of its operations in Venezuela by the Chavez government. Conoco seized PDVSA assets in the Caribbean, which eventually forced the state-owned company to negotiate a payment schedule. This victory in a long-running dispute cannot have passed investors by. The latest in the good news department for Conoco shareholders was the announcement of the 2019 budget, which revealed the company is rather upbeat about the future despite the recent slide in international oil prices. Conoco said it planned to pay shareholders more than 30 percent of cash from operations and buy back another US$3 billion worth of shares. It also said it would achieve free cash flow generation at oil prices of US$40 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate. Conoco is not inventing the wheel. The company is using tactics that would make the most sense in a hypervolatile oil price environment. And these tactics are working better than they are working for its peers. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Solar lamps along Singha Durbar, Bhadrakali start working after a year After nearly a year, the solar lamps in front of Singha Durbar, the nations administrative hub, have finally been repaired. Twenty-four solar lamps have started lighting the street since Friday, finally relieving pedestrians of the inconvenience the road, which would otherwise be engulfed in darkness, had been causing. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday rejected calls for a new vote after being declared landslide winner in an election marred by deadly violence that the opposition slammed as "farcical" and rigged. Having secured a record fourth term, Hasina swept aside opposition protests over clashes between rival supporters that left at least 17 dead and allegations of ballot box stuffing and intimidation. "The election was totally free and independent. There is no doubt about it," the 71-year-old Hasina said. "I have nothing to hide. Whatever I do I do it for the country. My conscience is clear," she added in comments to reporters. The ruling Awami League party and its allies won 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with the main opposition securing only six seats. Hasina insisted she had no desire "to remain in power" and that voters had backed her party because of Bangladesh's economic growth during her decade-long rule. The opposition alliance, led by the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), said it had been the target of a crackdown for months leading up to Sunday's poll and called for a rerun. "We are demanding that a fresh election is held under a neutral government as early as possible," alliance leader Kamal Hossain told reporters. Election authorities said they had not received a single complaint against the vote and that there was "no scope to hold a fresh one". Hasina has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor South Asian nation and for welcoming Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar. But critics accuse her of authoritarianism. Her arch-rival and BNP leader Khaleda Zia was jailed for 17 years this year on graft charges that her party said were politically motivated. Deadly violence that blighted the election campaign spilled over into voting day -- with 17 people killed -- even though authorities deployed 600,000 security forces across the country. The deaths brought the total number of fatalities during the campaign and election day to 21, police confirmed. The United Nations called for restraint in the wake of the violence. "We encourage the parties to address electoral complaints in a peaceful manner and through legal means," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. "Violence and attacks on people and property are not acceptable." - 'We'll cast your vote' - The opposition alliance accused Hasina's party of stuffing ballot boxes and using other illegal means to fix the result. BNP spokesman Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said there were "irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats. One voter, Atiar Rahman, said he was beaten by ruling party activists in the central district of Narayanganj. "They told me not to bother, 'We'll cast your vote on your behalf'," he told AFP. The opposition said the unrest was stirred up to deter voters but the election commission reported 80 percent turnout. - Free and fair? - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first international leader to call and congratulate Hasina, the Bangladesh leader's press secretary said. China's President Xi Jinping also greeted her with Beijing's envoy handing over "congratulatory messages". Experts say Hasina's victory will be sullied by accusations that she hamstrung opponents. "This result might affect our democratic system and might also damage state institutions," Sakhawat Hussain, a former election commissioner, told AFP. The opposition claims some 21,000 of its activists were detained during the campaign, crushing its ability to mobilise support. Thirty-five of its candidates were arrested over what they said were trumped-up charges or disqualified from running by courts, which Hasina's opponents say are government controlled. The leadership of Bangladesh has alternated between Hasina and Zia, allies-turned-foes, over the last three decades. Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has now secured her third consecutive term in office, and fourth overall. She was gifted victory in the 2014 election when the BNP boycotted it, claiming it was not free and fair. Rights groups have since accused her administration of stifling freedom of speech by toughening a draconian anti-press law and the enforced disappearance of dissenters. Hasina rejects accusations of authoritarianism but analysts say she feared young voters would support the BNP. Her government was criticised this year for its heavy handling of weeks of major student protests that brought Dhaka to a standstill. After a year of record bloodshed, Afghans are bracing for an even deadlier 2019 with the threat of a US drawdown and a looming presidential vote likely to fuel violence. President Donald Trump's plan to slash the number of US soldiers in Afghanistan before negotiators have struck a peace deal with the Taliban has crushed hopes among many Afghans for an end to the 17-year conflict. The news, which the White House has not confirmed, capped an annus horribilis for the war-weary country which by some estimates has overtaken Syria as the world's deadliest conflict zone this year. Ordinary Afghans, who have long borne the brunt of the relentless fighting, told AFP they felt increasingly despondent about the future as the Taliban and the Islamic State group adapt to ramped up security to carry out almost daily attacks on civilians and security forces. "It is getting worse every day," said electrical engineering student Mohammad Hussain in Kabul, one of the deadliest places in the country for civilians. "The security we had four or five years back was better than now. Even when we don't have attacks in Kabul, we are waiting for something to happen." Zabihullah Shirzad, who owns a garbage collecting company in the Afghan capital, said he could not remember a bloodier year than 2018 and predicted 2019 would be even deadlier. "We will see more killing and bloodshed," the 42 year old said. "I am not optimistic about the peace talks." Their gloomy comments reflect the findings of a Gallup poll published in October, which showed an unprecedented level of pessimism among Afghans. And an Asia Foundation study in December suggested more than 60 percent of Afghans thought the country was moving in the wrong direction -- unchanged from a year earlier. - 'Very bad year' - Several key indicators show Afghan security locked in a downward spiral, underscoring their negativity. Civilian deaths hit a record high in the first half of the year, while the Taliban are slaughtering Afghan forces in greater numbers than ever before. This year was also marked by some of the deadliest suicide attacks since the start of the war in 2001, including an ambulance bomb blast that targeted a crowded street in Kabul in January, killing more than 100 people and wounding hundreds more. The bloodshed was exacerbated by Trump's more aggressive strategy for Afghanistan, which he reluctantly announced in August 2017, putting thousands more US boots on the ground and giving its air units greater leeway to go after the Taliban and IS. One estimate puts the number of conflict-related deaths at more than 40,000 this year -- almost equal to the combined total for Syria and Yemen -- according to data compiled by the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Afghanistan also took the unenviable title of deadliest country in the world for journalists, with 15 media workers killed, including AFP chief photographer Shah Marai and AFP driver Mohammad Akhtar. Adding to the misery was the worst drought in recent history, which forced more than 250,000 people to abandon their homes, overwhelming humanitarian agencies as they struggled to provide enough food and shelter. Thousands of displaced families have set up makeshift tents on the edge of cities, and some are even selling their young daughters into marriage to repay debt or buy food. "It was a very bad year -- the situation has not improved at all," said Thomas Ruttig, co-director of Afghanistan Analysts Network. - Pain of war - Some observers saw positive signs that, if the circumstances are right, could translate into good news in 2019. An unprecedented three-day ceasefire in June was widely celebrated by Afghans taking selfies and sharing ice cream with Taliban fighters, seemingly underscoring the desire for peace on both sides. And the insurgents' apparent willingness to meet with US officials as part of a push for peace talks in recent months could bode well for a deal, said Lotfullah Najafizada, director of Afghanistan's largest private broadcaster Tolo News. "I think Afghanistan will pass 2019 with some success. I hope it will be a historic year," Najafizada said. But slashing US troop numbers -- which many fear would be a harbinger for a full withdrawal -- before any deal is struck could trigger a civil war "with a regional dimension", warned Davood Moradian, director general of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies. Ruttig said Washington should put Afghanistan's need for peace ahead of its own desire to pull out troops and save money. "They are as much a part of the problem as they could be the solution," he said, describing US policy in Afghanistan as "dysfunctional". Another spoiler in 2019 could be Afghanistan's presidential election, originally scheduled for April 20 but now likely to be pushed back to the summer. The vote, which President Ashraf Ghani plans to contest, could unleash a similar wave of violence that marred October's shambolic and bloody parliamentary election. But after so many years of war, Afghans are "more resilient" and the country would survive, Moradian said. "Many Afghans have learned to live with the chronic pain of war," he said. "That pain does not stop them pursuing a normal life." Dozens of Bali flights were cancelled in June when Mount Agung last erupted and shot a plume of ash and smoke more than 1,000 metre (3,300 feet) into the sky A volcano on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali erupted Sunday, belching ash high into the air and over nearby villages as officials warned tourists to keep clear of the area. Mount Agung has been erupting periodically since it rumbled back to life in 2017, when it grounded hundreds of flights and left 120,000 visitors stranded. On Sunday morning, the volcanowhich is about 70 kilometres (44 miles) from the tourist hub of Kutasent ash skywards as it erupted for about three minutes, according to the country's volcanology centre. "Residents near Mount Agung as well as climbers and tourists should not carry out any activity in the danger zone or within four-kilometre radius from the crater," the centre said in a statement. On December 22, an eruption from Anak Krakatoa triggered a tsunami which hit the western tip of the neighbouring island of Java and southern Sumatra, killing at least 426 and leaving more than 7,000 injured. In the latest eruption, several villages on Bali were covered in a thin layer of ash but no smoke or lava was detected coming from the crater and no evacuation has been ordered. The volcanology centre also warned residents near rivers in the area to be on alert forcold lava flowsa type of mudflow that can form from rock and ash in the rainy season and which is often a prelude to the blazing orange lava of popular imagination. In June, dozens of flights were cancelled after Agung erupted and shot a fresh plume of smoke and ash more than 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) into the sky. Agung's last major eruption in 1963 killed around 1,600 people. Indonesia is the world's most active volcanic region and lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activities. Explore further Bali volcano's alert status lowered after decreased activity 2018 AFP Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Supreme Court acquits murder convict mayor Mayor of Katahariya Municipality, in Rautahat district, Siyaram Kushwaha, who was sentenced to life imprisonment on a murder charge, arrived in his hometown in a chartered helicopter on Saturday, after the Supreme Court (SC) acquitted him. Ad Investing Trends How This Rare Metal Is Going To Solve A $173 TRILLION World Problem And Could Benefit Investors According to Bloomberg NEF, changing the world to "All Green Energy" could cost about $173 trillion. And without this rare metal, going green would be IMPOSSIBLE. That's why there's a literal "gold rush" to find it. (HINT: It's not electric vehicles, nuclear power, or wind energy). Tamu Lhochhar, New Year of Gurung community, marked with fanfare (In photos) People from Gurung community across the nation celebrated Tamu Lhochhar, Festival on Sunday. Two provinces to issue re-entry labour permits from today Services for migrant workers have been decentralised with the government deciding to issue re-entry labour permits from outside Kathmandu for the first time. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. A Morocco prosecutor on Sunday presented to an anti-terror judge 15 people suspected of links to the murder of two Scandinavian women in the Atlas Mountains, Rabat's attorney general said. The prosecution asked that the suspects be investigated for "setting up a gang to prepare and commit terrorist acts", "premeditated attacks on life" and "advocating for terrorism", the attorney general said. Seven other detainees will be referred to the prosecution in the coming days, the statement added. 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. The two women were beheaded, authorities have said. Moroccan authorities have arrested some 20 people over their alleged links to the double homicide, labelled a "terrorist" act by Rabat. Among those arrested was a Spanish-Swiss man living in Morocco and detained in Marrakech on Saturday over alleged links to some of the suspects. He subscribed to "extremist ideology", according to Morocco's central office for judicial investigations. The four main suspects were arrested in Marrakesh and belonged to a cell inspired by Islamic State group ideology, Morocco's counter-terror chief Abdelhak Khiam told AFP. None of the four had contact with IS members in Syria or Iraq, he said. The head of the suspected cell is 25-year-old street vendor Abdessamad Ejjoud, according to investigators. He was identified in a video filmed a week in which the four main suspects pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to authorities. 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. Chinas first ever appeal court for intellectual property disputes a major bone of contention in the ongoing trade war with the US will open for business in Beijing on Tuesday, the nations top court said on Saturday. The new body would handle cases that demanded highly technical expertise, Luo Dongchuan, vice-president of the Supreme Peoples Court, which established the new body, told a press conference in the Chinese capital. The creation of the appeal court was the latest effort to protect intellectual property rights, inspire innovation and improve the business environment, said Luo, who will oversee its operations. Individuals and companies would be able to use it to appeal against the rulings of other courts in cases involving patents, new varieties of plants, the design of integrated circuit boards and computer software, and monopolies, among other things, Luo said. It would not handle cases concerned with unfair competition, trademarks or commercial secrets, he said. The protection of intellectual property rights has been a key issue of the trade war, with the US accusing China of rampant IPR theft, often in the form of forced technology transfers. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Beijings lax protection laws, saying they had cost the United States up to US$600 billion a year. The announcement of the new appeal court comes as trade negotiators from the two countries are preparing to meet in Beijing, but Luo dismissed suggestions its creation was influenced by Washington. China has for many years followed international regulations and international treaties to protect intellectual property rights, he said. So its not because of the demands by foreign countries that weve stepped up protection [efforts]. This is an integral part of our own development. Story continues Beijing has always argued that it fulfils the commitments it made when joining the World Trade Organisation in 2001 and puts great effort into protecting the intellectual property rights of foreign firms. But IPR protection remains a major concern for foreign companies operating in the country. There have been improvements in IPR protection over the past two decades, but thats not enough given the fact that China is now the worlds second-largest economy, said a European diplomat who is involved in intellectual property protection but asked not to be named. Zheng Wanqing, a professor at Zhejiang Gongshang University who specialises in IPR protection, said that a national appeal court could help to standardise the rules for handling IPR cases and in doing so ease the concerns of foreign businesses. Many of the complaints by foreign companies are the result of different standards at different local courts, he said. A national appeal court could help to consolidate those standards, which would protect foreign companies from local protectionism. The new court is not the only move Beijing has taken to improve IPR protection recently. Last week, a draft of a new foreign investment law, which outlaws forced technology transfers, received its first review by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, Chinas legislature. This article China launches appeal court for intellectual property right disputes first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. When Oops is not enough Nepali students should be sensitised about ethical writing practices Chinese students miss out on early places at MIT but whats to blame for the change in fortune? No students from mainland Chinese schools have been admitted to the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through its early admission programme this year, intensifying concerns that candidates are facing growing difficulty in entering the United States best universities. Unlike in the past, when at least a handful of students from Chinese schools made it through the early admission system, this year there were none, according to results released by the university. The news epitomised the falling success rate of mainland Chinese students seeking places at top US colleges in recent years amid growing uncertainty about immigration and visa policies, and the increased importance placed on applicants soft skills, some industry insiders have said. MIT offered early admission to more than 700 students chosen from 9,600 applicants from around the world. While five of them were Chinese nationals, they all graduated from US high schools. This is in line with the overall trend, said Sun Rui, founder of Insight Education, a company based in the south China city of Shenzhen that helps Chinese students apply for undergraduate programmes in the United States. We feel that its harder each year to apply for top universities, she said. The number of students from Shenzhen who secured a place at one of the top four colleges in the US had been falling year by year, she said. Last year, a couple of students from Shenzhen made it to Stanford. This year it was none. While Chinese students had a reputation for getting high exam scores, Sun said they were often at a disadvantage when it came to soft skills, such as leadership and citizenship. Chinese schools did not care about the latter, but American schools valued them greatly, she said. As more Chinese children were being sent abroad to study at a younger age, those who went to US high schools were replacing those from Chinese schools when it came to undergraduate admissions, she said. Story continues Li Li, whose daughter is at high school in Shanghai, said she had always wanted her child to apply for a top 20 US university but was now reconsidering. Given the current circumstances, your know, all the curbs on immigration and visa policy, I think I will consider another country, say, Australia, she said. With richer parents eyeing better education abroad, Chinese students now account for about a third of all international students in US universities, according to official figures. But potential applicants are being frightened away as Washington, under the administration of President Donald Trump, tightens it policies on Chinese students out of concerns about them being potential spies. The Financial Times reported recently that the White House had actually debated a proposal to stop all Chinese nationals from studying at US universities over such concerns. New restrictions and requirements were introduced this year for Chinese postgraduates majoring in science and engineering, as Trump accused China of stealing technology and intellectual property from US companies. Sun said that an unpredictable admission policy was another reason for the drop off in Chinese students success in applying for top American schools. For example, unlike before, some top schools now require writing samples from international students, which to some extent shows they have worries about the applicants actual skills, she said. This article Chinese students miss out on early places at MIT but whats to blame for the change in fortune? first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. More from South China Morning Post: 30 Dec After going home empty handed at the TVB Anniversary Awards, TVB actress Rebecca Zhu is moved to have won 2018 StarHub Best TV Drama Character Award at the inaugural StarHub Night of Stars. As reported on Mingpao, the actress, who won for her role as stunt woman Sheung Mei Mui in the TVB series, "The Stunt", accepted the award during the ceremony that was held at the Sands Theatre in Marina Bay Sands on 22 December. "I am honoured to win this award among many strong opponents," she said. She also shared the good news on her Instagram account afterwards, writing, "It's a great honour to get Singapore's "Best Drama Character". I'm grateful to Singapore's Starhub for this acknowledgment." "I'm also grateful for the support from my audience and friends. My company TVB has cultivated me with great care, and this award has a very important meaning for me! I know that there is still a lot of room for progress, so I will continue to work hard, do my best, challenge myself to play many more characters and film more great projects!" she added. (Photo Source: Rebecca Zhu Instagram) Ringo Lam, the Hong Kong action director and producer whose work included City on Fire, Maximum Risk, and Replicant died Saturday at the age of 63, Variety reports. Lam was found unresponsive in bed by his wife. Lam is best known in the United States for City on Fire, a 1986 film about an undercover cop (Chow Yun-Fat), a thief (Danny Lee), and a botched jewelry store heist, was a major influence on Quentin Tarantino, who incorporated plot elements and images from the film into his directorial debut Reservoir Dogs. Some of the shots Tarantino quoted can be seen in this rerelease trailer: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lam, born in 1955, entered an actors training program run by the Hong Kong television network TVB in 1973. There, he met fellow student Chow Yun-Fat, who he would frequently direct later in his career. More enamored of being behind the camera than in front of it, he studied directing at York University in Toronto, Canada, before returning to Hong Kong in 1981. His break came when director Po-Chih Leong resigned from Esprit dAmour after a fight with the producer. Lam took over the filmabout a third of it had been shot alreadyand received sole credit. Lam wasnt in love with the movies supernatural love story, but, as he later explained, he had no choice, I need food, so I do the best I can. A few movies later, he landed the fourth film in the Aces Go Places series of James Bond spoofs (the aptly-titled Aces Go Places IV, released under the slightly less apt U.S. title Mad Mission 4: You Never Die Twice). It was a box-office hit, and earned Lam a blank check from producer Karl Maka, which he spent making City on Fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City on Fire won Lam the Best Director prize at the Hong Kong film festival, and followed the movie with two more gangster films, 1987s Prison on Fire, 1988s School on Fire, and 1991s Prison on Fire II. In 1996, Lam came to America to direct Jean-Claude Van Damme and Natasha Henstridge in Maximum Risk for Columbia, a film in which, five years after Double Impact, Van Damme again played identical twins. Although the movie made money, it wasnt a smash hit, and Lam returned to Hong Kong, where he made Full Alert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further adventures in international filmmaking followed: Lam directed Van Damme again in 2001s Replicant and 2003s In Hell. (Although it was initially announced that he would be directing the 1999 Dennis Rodman vehicle Simon Sez, he only ended up producing it, which was probably for the best, career-wise.) Van Damme mourned Lam on Twitter: Advertisement Advertisement Im deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Ringo Lam. We worked together on Maximum Risk, In Hell and Replicant. My heart goes out to his family, friends and loved ones. Jean-Claude#JCVD #RIP pic.twitter.com/JMs3rSVcl2 JCVD Official (@JCVD) December 29, 2018 Advertisement Lams output slowed in the new centuryafter In Hell, he directed only three more films, 2007s anthology Triangle, for which he shared directorial duties with Johnnie To and Hark Tsui, 2015s Wild City, and 2016s Sky on Fire, which starred Daniel Wu. Wu posted his memories of the director on Facebook: In a 2016 interview with the South China Morning Post, Lam talked about the way the death of his mother influenced his work on Sky on Fire: Why 2018 was the year of promisessome kept and many brokenfor Nepal Tangled in a series of ironies and contradictions, promises this year have simultaneously been broken and kept. For every swing forward on a promise, the governments pendulum of change has swung back, revealing glaring chasms between progress and derailment. Outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly gave an extensive interview to the Los Angeles Times in which he reflected on his tumultuous tenure under President Donald Trump. During the two-hour conversation, Kelly, who is officially stepping down Wednesday, said that the White House long ago gave up on the idea of a border wall. To be honest, its not a wall, Kelly said. And that isnt a new development. The president still says walloftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. Advertisement Kelly also suggested that he may not see the wall as the priority that his boss does. During his brief tenure as head of Homeland Security in early 2017, he went to get advice from those who actually secure the border. And what he heard from the agents, who Kelly characterized as salt-of-the-earth, Joe-Six-Pack folks, is that the wall wasnt the solution to everything. They said, Well we need a physical barrier in certain places, we need technology across the board, and we need more people, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another portion of the interview, Kelly blamed then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions for the policy to separate families at the border, which caught the White House by surprise. What happened was Jeff Sessions, he was the one that instituted the zero-tolerance process on the border that resulted in both people being detained and the family separation, Kelly said. He surprised us. It was then up to Kirstjen Nielsen, the Homeland Security secretary who at first denied the existence of such a policy, to take it on and make it work. She is a good soldier; she took the face shot, a senior White House official said. No one asked her to do it, but by the time we could put together a better strategy, shed already owned it. As he gets ready to leave the White House, Kelly said that this tenure should be measured not by what the president did but rather what he did not do. Kelly denies he was ever asked to do anything illegal, but says he always made sure Trump had access to numerous points of view before making a decision. Its never been: The president just wants to make a decision based on no knowledge and ignorance, Kelly said. You may not like his decision, but at least he was fully informed on the impact. Donald Trumps former campaign manager Paul Manafort came under strong pressure from an ex-Russian spy during the presidential campaign to pay his debts to an oligarch, Time revealed. Victor Boyarkin, who was recently put on a sanctions list by the U.S. government, acknowledged to Time that he was in touch with Manafort at the heart of the presidential campaign on behalf of the oligarch. He owed us a lot of money, Boyarkin said. And he was offering ways to pay it back. Although special counsel Robert Muellers office reportedly approached him as part of their investigation, Boyarkin claims he declined to cooperate. But he does appear to be an important link between the Trump campaign and Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, a man who is seen as a powerful ally of President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Manafort joined Trumps campaign he was almost broke and Deripaska was demanding money from him over a failed business deal in Ukraine and other ventures, reports Time. Boyarkin was charged with collecting those debts. I came down on him hard, Boyarkin now says. Manafort was in some $17 million in debt. It had already been reported that Manafort allegedly offered to give Deripaska private briefings on the election to get whole. But Boyarkins name could provide further clues about Manaforts contacts in Russia and how he is connected to oligarchs who have close ties to the Kremlin. Getting to him was far from easy though. Time explains: Even after TIME learned his full name in April, he proved a difficult man to find. His online presence amounted to digital scraps: one photo of him at a conference in Moscow, a few benign quotes in the Russian media from his years selling arms for state-linked companies, and some vague references in U.S. government archives to someone by that name, Commander Viktor A. Boyarkin, serving in the 1990s as an assistant naval attache at the Russian embassy in Washington, D.C. a job sometimes used as cover for intelligence agents. Only in early October was a TIME reporter able to track Boyarkin down. In the company of a senior Russian diplomat and two young assistants from Moscow, he attended a conference in Greece that was organized by one of Putins oldest friends, the former KGB agent and state railway boss Vladimir Yakunin. How did you find me here, was the question Boyarkin asked, repeatedly, when confronted about his ties to Manafort during a coffee break at that conference. Once he agreed to discuss their relationship, it was mostly to confirm the basic facts, often with a curt, Yes, so what. (He did not respond to numerous requests for comment after his name appeared on the U.S sanctions list on Dec. 19.) A court in Virginia convicted Manafort on eight charges of bank and tax fraud in August. His sentence is scheduled for February. Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made it clear Saturday she isnt just willing to stand up to Republicans who criticize her as she responded to comments made by outgoing Sen. Claire McCaskill that essentially repeated many of the Republican talking points against the incoming lawmaker. Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a thing and shiny object, but its pretty disappointing, Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York, wrote on Twitter. She went on to criticize the two-term senator from Missouri who lost her seat in November when she was defeated by the states former attorney general, Josh Hawley, who received Trumps endorsement. Advertisement Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a thing and shiny object, but its pretty disappointing. McCaskill promised shed 100% back Trump up on his anti-immigrant rhetoric & lost. In MO, almost all progressive ballot issues won. https://t.co/53qKvnr8KG Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 29, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know her, McCaskill told CNN in an interview earlier this week when she was asked whether she would consider Ocasio-Cortez a crazy Democrat as she referred to some of the members of her party on the campaign trail. Im a little confused why shes the thing. But its a good example of what Im talking abouta bright shiny new object, came out of nowhere and surprised people when she beat a very experienced congressman. She then went on to note that even though Ocasio-Cortez is now talked about a lot, at the end of the day, Im not sure what shes done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm. Advertisement Advertisement McCaskill unsure why Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a "thing" pic.twitter.com/ltMh0ykSpK TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) December 26, 2018 Advertisement McCaskill was also more than a bit patronizing toward the incoming lawmaker, wishing her well but also offering a piece of advice. I hope she also realizes that the parts of the country that are rejecting the Democratic Party, like a whole lot of white working class voters, need to hear about how their work is going to be respected, and the dignity of their jobs, and how we can really stick to issues that we can actually accomplish something on, she said. The rhetoric is cheap. Getting results is a lot harder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ocasio-Cortez then continued her criticism of McCaskill in a subsequent tweet, questioning why she felt it necessary to publicly speak about how Republican senators criticize the president in private conversations. Im also not sure why McCaskill is covering for the GOP by saying they secretly think Trump is nuts, she wrote. Nobody cares. Trump is melting down our institutions and inciting division between people. At any time GOP could have checked him and choose not to. Theyre accomplices. On the eighth day of the partial government shutdown, President Donald Trump is stepping up attacks against Democrats as part of his ongoing demand to try to get his border wall funded through threats. The commander in chief is now saying that Democrats are to blame for the recent deaths of two Guatemalan children who died while in the custody of Border Patrol. The president said that if the wall had been built earlier the children would have never died because they would have never tried to reach the U.S. border in the first place. This marks the first time the president has publicly mentioned the death of the migrant children and comes a day after he vowed a full closure of the southern border if Democrats dont agree to fund his wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally, the president wrote on Twitter. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! The two..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement The president then went on to claim that the two children who died at the border this month were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The president also said the girl who died, Jakelin Caal Maquin, hadnt been given water in days, a contention her father has denied. He did say though that she wasnt given any water while the two were detained and under the custody of the Border Patrol. Caal died on Dec. 8, less than two days after she was detained by Border Patrol. A cause of death has yet to be determined. ...children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadnt given her water in days. Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018 Trumps comments on Twitter came mere days after Felipe Gomez Alonzo died late on Christmas Eve. Authorities have said the eight-year-old had the flu, but insist more tests are needed to determine a cause of death. Which of The Slovak Spectators stories were the most popular among readers in 2018? News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled 1. Fire at the Christmas market The popular Roland Restaurant Cafe fell victim to a fire that engulfed a stall in downtown Bratislava. Click to see video: A stall at Bratislavas Christmas market caught fire Read more 2. Who will work for Jaguar? Women and the long-term unemployed are an untapped resource of the work force for the JLR plant in Nitra, according to the carmakers HR director, Nicci Cook. Read also: Read also: Jaguar will need people from abroad for its plant in Slovakia Read more 3. Ancient board game found The tomb of a Germanic prince in Poprad uncovered a precious secret. Read also: Read also: Ancient board game has no parallel in Europe Read more 4. What stories did Jan Kuciak work on? Investigative reporter Jan Kuciak, murdered along with his fiancee by unknown perpetrators, was working on serious topics concerning VAT fraud. In his last months, he had been dealing with the work of people close to the Italian mafia Ndrangheta in Slovakia, and their past relations with the main state advisor of the former prime minister Robert Fico, Maria Troskova. Read also: Read also: Kuciak investigated links between politicians and mafia Read more 5. Slovak app prevents food waste We value food, Dominika Kovacova, one of the women behind the idea of the app, told The Slovak Spectator. She and her colleague Martina Luknarova work with gastronomy, organising food festivals and keeping in touch with various restaurants, cafes and bakeries. Read also: Read also: Slovak app prevents food waste and saves money Read more 6. Henry Acorda dies The death of young Philippine-born expat Henry Acorda shook Slovakia in late May. Read also: Read also: Expat dies following street attack in Bratislava. Attacker charged with manslaughter Read more 7. Whom do Slovaks marry the most among foreigners? Compared to other countries, the number of mixed marriages is still low. Slovaks, much like Bulgarians and Romanians, are the least likely to marry a foreigner. The rate of mixed marriages in these countries ranges from 1.5 percent to 4 percent. Read also: Read also: Who do Slovaks marry the most among foreigners? Read more 8. The last piece of Jan Kuciak Read the last, unfinished piece of Jan Kuciak, an investigative journalist who was murdered with his fiancee Martina Kusnirova in their house in Velka Maca in February. Read also: Read also: Italian mafia in Slovakia. Tentacles reaching out to politics Read more 9. An exorcist's story People with spiritual problems of various kinds or those obsessed with dark forces often seek the help of exorcists. Read the experiences of one. Read also: Read also: I have met dozens of people possessed by Satan, exorcist claims Read more 10. Talking to a polyglot How to learn more than 50 foreign languages? Englishman Richard Simcott will offer some tips. Read also: 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 Israel has vowed to work with the United States to block a bid by the Palestinians for full membership in the United Nations, a move that would confer international recognition of Palestinian statehood. Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said Wednesday that he will submit a request next month to the Security Council for full UN membership, according to the official Wafa Palestinian news agency. "We are preparing to stop the initiative," said Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon in a statement. "The Palestinians pay terrorists and encourage violence yet seek to become a member state of the United Nations." Danon accused Palestinian leaders of engaging in "destructive policies that have encouraged recent terror attacks" and said he was gearing up to block the initiative "in cooperation with the United States delegation." Any move by the Palestinians to seek full UN membership will face a veto from the United States at the Security Council, diplomats said. Under UN rules the General Assembly must approve any request to become a UN member-state, but it must first be submitted to the Security Council. To win the council's approval, the Palestinians would have to secure nine votes from the 15 members and no veto from any of the five permanent members: Britain, France, China, Russia and the United States. The Palestinian foreign minister said he plans to travel to New York next month to personally submit the request. It remains unclear whether the application would quickly be put to a vote at the Security Council. - New council members back Palestine - UN diplomats said the Palestinian move to seek full UN membership comes as South Africa and Indonesia, two strong supporters of the Palestinians, are set to take their seats as non-permanent Security Council members. The council is tentatively scheduled to hold its monthly meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on January 22. The Palestinians were granted the status of UN non-member observer state in 2012, a decision taken by the General Assembly where no member-state holds veto power. The United States voted against that resolution, in line with its long-standing view that there should be no international recognition for the Palestinians until progress is made in peace efforts with Israel. That view has hardened under President Donald Trump's administration, which has cut off aid to the Palestinians and recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, overriding Palestinian claims to East Jerusalem. Asked for a comment, the US mission to the United Nations said it was unable to respond due to the US government shutdown. The Trump administration is preparing to roll out, possibly in early 2019, its much-awaited peace proposals for the Middle East -- although Israeli elections scheduled for April could once again delay that plan. About 137 countries out the UN's 193 member-states recognize some form of Palestinian statehood. Wonder Caves: Ideal Spot for Hikers and Cave Explorers Don't get involved if you want to stay alive -- the moral of this new film would seem to be -- with either mercenaries nor the governments of the USA, China, North Korea or South Korea. That's what happens to the two heroes of, written and directed by, an ever-so-lightly-political action/adventure thriller in which betrayal is epidemic.It doesn't matter whose side you imagine you may be on, you're still as good as dead.Our heroes here (one of them takes a rather long time revealing himself) are a South Korean mercenary, now-residing in America with his pregnant wife, nicknamed Ahab (played by, above and on poster, top), and a North Korean doctor (played by, below) whose job is to tend to the well-being of North Korea's premier, known here as "King."The two men refer to each other as "Northie" and "Southie"(or so the English subtitles would have it) and eventually, if slowly, begin to bond and grow to respect their opponent for very good reasons. Mr. Lee played the lead role in that crackerjack South Korean crime thriller, and he is every bit as good (with much less to do) in this new film. Mr. Ha -- a staple of more first-rate South Korean films than you can shake a stick at -- is hugely impressive all over again. (That's, below, right, who plays Ahab's American operative.)The movie itself is manufactured to within an inch of its life, and yet it moves fast enough and is so filled with exciting twists and turns that it should more than keep fans of action, assassination, politics, explosions, and mistrust more than satisfied. The plot has to do with the mercenaries' need to kidnap and keep alive the North Korean head-of-state, and much of the action is seen via visual monitors located all over the place (including different countries) that show only one side of the action. Consequently, it is rare for more than than even a few cast members to share the screen in any particular scene.So much is always happening simultaneously -- our Southie has to save the life of the North Korean President via everything from CPR to a blood transfusion at the same time as he is directing his team of mercenaries how to get out of ever more dangerous situations -- that the viewer barely has a chance to draw a breath. This makes the movie move like gangbusters. On the down side, however, is the heavily accented English spoken by both our heroes, which is difficult enough to understand that you may wish for the English subtitles to translate, not just the Korean dialog, but the English portion, too.Yes, the movie is in many ways beyond ridiculous, with the events we see requiring super-human strength, skill and smarts from (and luck for) our two heroes. But if you can so easily accept the sanitized silliness of the latestnonsense (which, clearly, most of the world did), thenshould prove a cakewalk of unusually piquant delight for most action fans. And if the film's finale offers up a nice nod toward a possible united Korea, it's too bad the filmmaker could not have allowed the emphasis to remain on themen at the closing moment, rather than only on our heroic "Southie."The film opened this past Friday in California in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, and will expand eastward across the country in the days to come. To find the theaters nearest you, clickand then click onand then just keep clicking one until you've exhausted either the list or yourself. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc joined a ceremony to inaugurate a multimillion-dollar new airport in the northern region on Sunday. The prime minister praised local officials for their endeavor to allow a private developer to construct Van Don International Airport at the opening event in Quang Ninh Province, which is home to the famed Ha Long Bay. The top leader also thanked those residents in Van Don District who had agreed to relocate to make way for the airport. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (central) holds a bunch of flowers as he arrived on the first commercial flight, operated by Vietnam Airlines, to land at Van Don International Airport in Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province, December 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre He required that local authorities and the developer ensure the airport would be operated safely and effectively so that Quang Ninh can sustainably develop. The Van Don airport sits on a 325ha land plot in Doan Ket Commune, Van Don District, Quang Ninh. Sun Group, a Vietnamese firm, started building it under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model in March 2016. The airport is the second to have been constructed after another one on Phu Quoc Island off the southern province of Kien Giang since 1975, when Vietnam was reunified. BOT is a form of project financing, wherein a firm receives a concession from the public sector to develop and operate it over a designated period of time before transferring it back to the government. The Van Don International Airport cost almost VND7.5 trillion (US$323 million) to build, with VND734 billion ($31.6 million) provided by the Quang Ninh administration to fund site clearance and the rest covered by Sun Group. The airport has a runway 3.6km in length and 45m in width and it is able to welcome large cargo and passenger aircraft, such as the Boeing 787, 777 and Airbus A350. A plane is welcomed with a water salute at Van Don International Airport in Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province, December 30, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre At the inauguration, the Van Don airport received the first commercial flight, carrying PM Phuc and his entourage, operated by national carrier Vietnam Airlines that departed at 7:20 am on Sunday from Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City and arrived at 9:25 am the same day. Initially the airport can service nine flight routes and 7,000 passenger visits a day. No-frills carrier Vietjet will also offer the Ho Chi Minh City-Quang Ninh service once a day from January 20. Van Don, 551 square kilometers in area, is an island district located to the northeast of Quang Ninh. Vietnam is considering establishing a special economic zone on Van Don. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Russian companies have a strong interest in Vietnam as the latter is an important partner of the federation in Southeast Asia, a Russian trade official said this week. The trade relations between Vietnam and Russia have been significantly elevated since the Southeast Asian countrys free trade deal with the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union entered into force on October 5, 2016, Dmitry Makarov, head of the Ho Chi Minh City branch of the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in Vietnam, said at a press conference to wrap up the year 2018 on December 26. The Eurasian Economic Union is a free trade zone that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Economic results in 2018 have indicated that Vietnam is still a key trade partner of Russia in Southeast Asia, Makarov said in Ho Chi Minh City. Bilateral trade topped $4.8 in January-October, up 23 percent year on year, he said, quoting Alexey Popov, General Consul of Russia in the city. Russian imports into Vietnam rose 46 percent while Vietnamese exports to Russia climbed 13 percent, he elaborated. Russia exported to Vietnam food, foodstuffs, autos, machinery, iron and steel, and iron-steel-made products, gas, medical devices, and others. Russian wheat has topped the list of exports to Vietnam for the first time in the history of bilateral trade, reaching $477 million in value in January-October, 2.5 times that of the same period of last year, Makarov said. Russia has overtaken Australia and Canada in terms of the volume of wheat imports into Vietnam, he added. One of the reasons for this is import duties being reduced to zero percent. Makarov believed that more Russian goods will be shipped to Vietnam as more and more Russian firms are exploring the Vietnamese market and looking for trade partners. In 2018, there have been very many Russian companies coming to Vietnam so seek business opportunities, the trade official said. They operate in smart city sectors, medical devices using nuclear technology, firefighting equipment, wind power, and food, among others. Trade between the two countries have also been hindered by certain technical barriers, he said, adding the removal of these would lead to more positive results. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! LONDON -- Trade minister Liam Fox said there is a 50-50 chance that Brexit may be stopped if parliament rejects the governments divorce deal with the European Union next month. If we were not to vote for that, Im not sure I would give it (Brexit) much more than 50-50, Fox, a leading supporter of leaving the EU, told the Sunday Times newspaper. With three months left until the United Kingdom is due to leave the EU on March 29, Mays Brexit deal is floundering, opening up a range of possibilities from a Brexit without a trade deal to calling Brexit off. Earlier this month, May pulled a planned vote on her deal after admitting parliament would reject it. Lawmakers are set to vote on the deal in the week starting Jan. 14. There is another Hoi An that is charming, peaceful, picturesque, and fascinating in these photos taken by a Vietnamese photographer when he visited this historic town this month. Nestled along the central coast of Vietnam, Hoi An is an attraction to both domestic and foreign visitors. The small town was recognized as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1999. It is located downstream of the Thu Bon River in the coastal delta of Quang Nam Province, 30km south of the central hub of Da Nang. The ensuing pictures were captured by Tran Bao Hoa, a photographer from the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, as he visited the town in late December. I could not describe my feelings when I came to Hoi An then, Hoa said. I have been there for many times but never have I seen it that fanciful. I just grabbed the camera and depicted a very beautiful and heavenlike town. Hoi An was unusually captivating against the moonlight at four in the morning, the photographer said, remarking it appeared miraculous amid the clouds at dawn while conjuring up a pang of nostalgia at dusk. In 2019, Vietnam will celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hoi An being recognized as a World Heritage Site. The local administration will organize an event to mark this milestone at the Ky Uc Hoi An stage, located in Cong Vien An Tuong Hoi An Park in Hoi An City, on December 31. About 3,000 lanterns will be lit alongside a colorful fireworks display and a musical performance at the event. Why not grab your bags and come to Hoi An? Ancient houses in Hoi An What a scene! Hoi An at four in the morning Hoi An at dusk Hoi An at night Hoi An alongside the Thu Bon River Boats dock in Hoi An Let's visit Hoi An! Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Torrential rains in the south-central Vietnamese province of Phu Yen triggered widespread flooding that wreaked havoc on crops and seriously disrupted traffic on Saturday. Around 5,000-7,000 hectares of rice paddies there were inundated following a deluge lasting from the dawn of Friday to the morning of the following day, according to Phan Trong Ho director of the local agriculture department. All rice seeds that had been sowed two to seven days earlier were at enormous risk of being damaged as the affected regions terrain hampers rapid floodwater recession, Ho said. Local authorities on Saturday advised farmers in other vulnerable areas against planting rice grains as heavy rain might persist in the disaster-prone province. An inundated road in Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam, December 29, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre The precipitation of 145 millimeters measured on Saturday caused water in several of Phu Yens irrigation reservoirs to rise above the acceptable level and it was very likely that they would discharge water. This meant flooding was threatening downstream areas that had been pretty safe and the authorities were figuring reaction strategies for the scenario, including an evacuation plan. Floodwaters were flowing so quickly over a local road that traffic ground to a halt. Men stand next to a traffic-banning sign along an inundated road in Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam, December 29, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre A man watches a flooded expanse of land in Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam, December 29, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! ABC once had a rule of no international formats, which was good for the independent sector. In recent years it has abandoned that and quietly increased the number of adapted formats. The latest is Escape from the City, based on the UKs Escape to the Country (seen on 7TWO). Originally planned for a stripped 6pm weeknight slot, ABC has rethought those plans meaning it will screen most of the year in a Thursday slot (presuming it rates). There are 5 presenters: Simon Marnie, Bryce Holdaway, Del Irani, Dean Ipaviz and first cab off the rank in Jane Hall (pictured second from left). Week 1 we are in the chill-out arty town of Bellingen, just south of Coffs Harbour. And why wouldnt you want to move there? Hows this for a view? Hall asks (although it is unavoidably wet for the 2 days our crew are in town filming). Maroubras young family of 5, headed up by parents Brad & Monique, are hoping to slow down their pace, spend more time together and maybe attempt a little off the grid sustainable living. Halls primary experience in property appears to be having undertaken her own tree-change, yet here she will become ABCs answer to Shaynna Blaze, guiding buyers and viewers on acquisitions nudging a million dollars. As it turns out, she manages to do that just fine, presumably supported off camera by a surefire research team. We visit 4 local properties for sale, all of which tick various boxes meeting our buyers ideal purchase. For Brad & Monique these include central location, houses with character, a decent yard, some adult space for yoga and music, and room for starting organics. The sticky-beak factor never disappoints for viewers, some of whom will be aspiring for their own sea / tree-change. I dont think you would ever have to leave, Monique will sigh at one property. One of the 4 properties is a Mystery House (arent they all sorta mysteries?) which appears to be a wildcard idea, in this case a rustic, farm-size property that allows for major self-sustenance. At each location we also get to play guess the price tag, .bound to have Goggleboxers in a twist. I didnt think it would be possible for somebody like me to own something like this, a shocked Brad says at another site. Its hard to ignore that the premise is not new (Location Location Location Australia and Buying Blind for example), but it matters little. ABC makes this show their own thanks to some serious planning and presenters such as Hall, whose annunciation is as clear as a bell. How often do you say I own a lake?' she asks. There are two indulgent sequences, visiting locals who specialise in making Chai Tea and Smoked Fish which feels a little like we are dragging this out to fill an hour, and there is a disconnect in regards to whether a property is actually purchased or not. Given the amount of production time that has lapsed that strikes me as a unfortunate misstep. I was actually expecting follow-ups on how our family adjusted to the big move. This aside, Escape from the City is a leisurely couch-escape produced by Fremantle which, at first glance, has been worth the wait. 2019 looks like being a big year for Seachange TV. Escape from the City airs 7:30pm Thursday on ABC. By Serajul Quadir, Krishna N. Das and Zeba Siddiqui DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party took a big lead over the opposition in a national election on Sunday, early results and trends showed, in a poll that was marred by allegations of vote rigging and violence that killed 17 people. A third straight term for Hasina's Awami League was widely expected, but the main opposition led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rejected the election and called for a fresh vote in the country of 165 million people. The Election Commission said it was investigating complaints of rigging, even as at least three voters in southeast Bangladesh, including a journalist, said they were barred from entering polling booths or were told their ballot papers had already been filled in. "Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation," commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman said. "If we get any confirmation from our own channels then measures will be taken as per rules." But as results started coming in showing the Awami League winning 48 seats and one for the BNP, Asaduzzaman declined to comment if its investigation would have any bearing on the final outcome. Hasina's party was leading in 114 seats while the BNP was ahead in two, according to TV channels. There are 300 parliamentary constituencies in Bangladesh. "The election is a cruel mockery with the nation," BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said. "This type of election is harmful to the nation. The country has suffered so much through this election." Reuters saw a group of about 50 women chanting "Sheikh Hasina! Sheikh Hasina!" on a deserted street in Dhaka as election results started trickling in. Reuters reporters across the country saw sparse turnout at polling booths during the election. In nine polling centres Reuters reporters visited in Dhaka, posters bearing the Awami League's "boat" symbol far outnumbered those of the opposition. Story continues Mahbub Talukdar, one of the five election commissioners who stirred a controversy last week by saying there was no level-playing field for the parties, told Reuters he did not see any opposition polling agents near the Dhaka booth where he voted, suggesting they had been kept away. Clashes in the Muslim-majority country broke out between workers of the Awami League and its opponents, led by the BNP of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. At least one of the victims was attacked by a machete-carrying group, police said, adding a man from a paramilitary auxiliary force also died. Police spokesman Sohel Rana said seven victims were workers of the ruling party and five from the BNP. He said around 20 people were wounded. 'VOTE MANIPULATION' Alleging vote manipulation, at least six candidates fighting against the Awami League withdrew from the contest in Khulna, a divisional headquarters 300 km (186 miles) southwest of Dhaka. Media reports said across the country more than 40 out of 287 opposition candidates in fray pulled out alleging vote rigging. Rasel, a 34-year-old voter in the southeastern district of Chittagong, said he saw police and some Awami League workers he knew stopping people from entering one polling centre. "They told me that 'voting is going on nicely, you dont need to go inside'. If you try to enter, you will be in trouble'," Rasel, who declined to give his second name fearing reprisals, told Reuters by phone. The local electoral officer said he had investigated the incident and "found long queue in these centres and people were casting votes with a festive mood". The Awami League said opposition supporters were wrongly accusing the party. Soon after voting finished at 4 pm (1000 GMT), Reuters saw polling officials unsealing see-through ballot boxes and pouring the contents onto a blue plastic sheet on the floor of an election booth in Dhaka. Final results are expected to be clear early on Monday. The BNP boycotted the last election in 2014 claiming it wouldn't be free and fair. The party has been hobbled by the absence of its chairperson Khaleda, 74, who has been in jail since February on corruption charges which she says are politically motivated. Hasina and Khaleda have alternated in power for most of the last three decades and this is the first election the BNP has contested without its leader. It stitched together the National Unity Front alliance with smaller parties, but has alleged its supporters and candidates faced attacks and intimidation, including shootings and arrests, at the hands of ruling party activists during campaigning. Hasina's party has denied the charges. After voting in Dhaka, she told reporters people favoured her party to "continue the pace of development". She has already invited foreign journalists and poll observers to her official residence on Monday. Under Hasina, the country's $280 billion economy grew 7.8 percent in the 2017/18 financial year that ended on June 30, compared with 5.1 percent when Hasina took over in 2008/09. Over the same period, annual sales of its economic mainstay, the garment industry, nearly tripled, with garment exports worth $30.6 billion in 2017/18, making up 83.5 percent of total exports. One of Hasina's top jobs if she retains power will be to address demands by garment workers for a higher minimum wage. At a polling booth in old Dhaka on Sunday, some were afraid to comment on the polls, describing an atmosphere of fear. A middle-aged businessman who declined to be named said: "I am here to vote, but my family says, 'what's the point?' The ruling party will come back in power in any case." Hasina has been praised internationally for providing refuge to Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar, but her government is accused of suppressing dissent and jailing critics. Hasina has faced accusations in the West of increasing authoritarianism. Her son, Wazed, told Reuters Hasina regarded such accusations as a "badge of honour". (Additional reporting by Ruma Paul, Serajul Quadir, Rafifqur Rahman and Mohammed Ponir in Dhaka; Enamul Haque in Khulna; Hasibur Rahman in Bogra; Nazimuddin Shyamol in Chitagong; Nurul Islam is Cox's Bazar; Editing by Nick Macfie, William Maclean) By Zeba Siddiqui and Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - At least three voters in southeast Bangladesh, including a journalist, told Reuters on Sunday that they were barred from entering polling booths or were told their ballot papers had already been filled in, hours after voting began in the nation's general election. The journalist, who declined to be identified for fear of reprisals, said activists of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League party in Chittagong, Bangladesh's second-largest city, warned him and other voters at the polling centre not to go inside. "They said we didn't need to go inside as our votes had already been cast," the journalist told Reuters by phone, adding that there were five other voters around him at the time at the polling centre set up at the national primary school in Chittagong's Kotwali area. "I am hearing the same thing happening at several other polling booths in Chittagong," the journalist said. His comments add to accusations by several leaders of the country's main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) who have alleged rigging and vote manipulation by the Awami League. The Awami League said opposition supporters were wrongly accusing the party. The Election Commission said it had received complaints of rigging that it was investigating. "Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation," the agency's spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman said. If we get any confirmation from our own channels then measures will be taken as per rules. At least 10 people were killed and more than a dozen injured in political clashes on Sunday by the time voting ended at 1000 hours GMT. At least six candidates of the opposition National Unity Front alliance said they had pulled out alleging rigging. When Rasel, a 34-year-old voter in Chittagong, went down to the polling centre set up at a local polytechnic college in his area, he said about 30 people stopped him from entering the booth. He knew at least one of them was an Awami League activist, he said. Story continues "They told me that 'voting is going on nicely, you dont need to go inside'. If you try to enter, you will be in trouble'," Rasel, who declined to give his second name fearing reprisals, told Reuters by phone. He turned back without voting. Hasina has promised to conduct a "free and fair" election and earlier this month said in a public speech that she would not try to win the election using "unfair means." She is seeking a third straight term in power. At a polling centre in the Umkhali south of Chittagong, a cab driver named Ali said his family had to turn back from the polling centre as ruling party workers there told them their votes had already been cast. "I am very disappointed that there will not be a fair result in this election," he told Reuters by phone. (Additional reporting by Serajul Quadir in Dhaka; Editing by Martin Howell) Egyptian security forces have killed 40 militants in raids in the Sinai Peninsula and the Greater Cairo area, just hours after a roadside bomb targeted a tourist bus in the capital, killing three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian guide. The interior ministry, which oversees the police, said 10 of the militants were killed when the security forces stormed their hideout in el-Arish, a coastal city in the turbulent north of Sinai, the epicentre of a long-running insurgency by Islamists. Another 14 were killed in a Cairo suburb and 16 more in a housing scheme on a major road heading west from Cairo. It is not clear exactly when the raids took place (AP) The ministry said the militants were preparing for attacks on government and tourism facilities, army and police personnel, as well as Christian churches. Officials also released a series of images purportedly depicting some of the militants killed in the raids, with assault rifles seen next to their bodies. The statement did not say when the raids took place, suggesting that the timing of its release was designed at least in part to show that security forces were scoring successes against militants across the country and staunch potential criticism of their perceived failure to protect tourists. The area where the attack took place Marioutiyah, near the famed Giza Pyramids has seen a series of attacks over the past two years, mostly targeting the police. It is also widely suspected of being home to jihadist cells loyal to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group removed from power by the military in 2013 after its divisive rule lasted one year. The attack on militants came after a bomb blast hit a bus carrying tourists on Friday (Nariman El-Mofty/AP) Friday nights attack took place as Egypts vital tourism industry was showing encouraging signs of recovery after years in the doldrums because of the political turmoil and violence that followed a 2011 uprising that toppled an autocratic president. The revival of the labour-intensive sector has been warmly welcomed in a country whose economy is struggling to find its footing, with a series of ambitious reforms unleashing wave after wave of steep price rises. Story continues The attack is also likely to prompt authorities to further tighten security around tourists and the facilities they frequent hotels, museums, antiquity sites and bazaars during the busy holiday season. Security measures already cause long delays at the countrys airports and antiquity sites. Tourist buses routinely get a police escort and Egyptians are generally subjected to even more stringent security checks at tourist facilities. The blast came amid signs of recovery in Egypts crucial tourism sector (AP) There will likely be stepped up security measures for churches and associated facilities ahead of the New Years Eve celebrations and next months Christmas of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the dominant denomination among Egypts estimated 10 million Christians. Egypt has battled Islamic militants for years in the Sinai Peninsula in an insurgency that has occasionally spilled over to the mainland, striking minority Christians or tourists. However, Fridays attack was the first to target foreign tourists in almost two years. Fridays blast wounded 11 other Vietnamese tourists as well as the Egyptian driver of the bus, which was carrying a total of 15 Vietnamese tourists, according to Vietnams ministry of foreign affairs. Ten others were seriously injured. Vietnamese ambassador to Egypt Tran Thanh Cong visited the scene of the attack and Al Haram Hospital, where the victims were being treated, the ministry said. JERUSALEM/AMMAN (Reuters) - Israel protested to Jordan on Sunday after the spokeswoman for the government in Amman was photographed stepping on the Israeli flag during a meeting with trade unionists. Jumana Ghunaimat, Jordan's minister for media affairs and communications and the government spokeswoman, on Thursday walked over an Israeli flag painted on the floor of the headquarters of Jordan's professional unions in Amman. She was on her way to attend a meeting between Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al Razzaz and union representatives. Razzaz, however, entered the building through a rear door, avoiding having to walk over the flag. Israel's Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Sunday deploring the flag "desecration", and said it had summoned acting Jordanian ambassador Mohammed Hmaid for a reprimand and that the Israeli embassy in Amman had also issued a "sharp protest". The flag was painted on the floor of the building several years ago to encourage passers by to tread on it, a mark of disrespect, unions said at the time. Despite the neighbours' 1994 peace deal and commercial and security ties, many Jordanians resent Israel and identify with the Palestinian struggle against it. Jordan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Qatarneh confirmed in a statement issued via state media that the Israeli embassy in Amman had asked for clarifications over the incident and that Israel had called in the Jordanian charge d'affaires in Tel Aviv to "discuss" the matter. Qatarneh said that Jordan respects its peace treaty with Israel and that Ghunaimat had entered a private building by its main entrance to attend an official meeting. The flag had been painted at a time when the unions were controlled by Jordan's mainly Islamist opposition, fierce ideological foes of Israel. They have since lost influence and Jordan's professional unions are mostly now run by nationalist and secular parties that avoid party activism. Story continues Still, some union members were unhappy that union leaders had allowed Razzaz to avoid the flag. "The unions took a cowardly stance by allowing the prime minister to enter from a back door and his aides no doubt told him of the presence of the flag at the entrance," Masira Malaas, a leading union activist, said. (Writing by Dan Williams and Suleiman al-Khalidi; Editing by Susan Fenton) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appears headed for a landslide victory in a general election marred by opposition claims of vote rigging, as at least 14 people were killed in clashes between ... Early results showed Hasina racing into a clear lead, winning each of the first 29 seats declared some by tens of thousands of votes according to Channel 24, which is compiling results from around the country. The deadly violence and bitter rivalry that marred the election campaign spilled over into voting day, even as authorities imposed tight security with 600,000 troops, police and other security forces deployed across the country. Ten people were killed in clashes between Hasina's ruling Awami League party and supporters of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, police said, while three men were shot by police who said they were protecting polling booths. An auxiliary police member was also killed by armed opposition activists, according to officials. Hasina, 71, has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor South Asian nation during her decade in power and for welcoming Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar. But critics accuse her of authoritarianism and crippling the opposition including arch-rival Khaleda Zia who is serving 17 years in prison on graft charges to cling on to power. The BNP-led opposition alliance Sunday accused Hasina's party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result, which was to be announced Monday. BNP spokesman Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal told reporters there were "irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats contested. Its Islamist ally Jamaat-e-Islami said it would reject the results. "Voters are not allowed to enter booths. Especially women voters are being forced to vote for the boat," Alal said, referring to the Awami League symbol. 'We'll cast your vote' Bangladesh election commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman told AFP the body had "received a few allegations of irregularities" and was investigating. Story continues Authorities ordered mobile operators to shut down high speed internet services until midnight Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest. Voting in the capital Dhaka was largely peaceful as convoys of soldiers and paramilitary forces were on the streets where most traffic was banned. However voters in provincial areas reported intimidation. Atiar Rahman said he was beaten by ruling party activists in the central district of Narayanganj. "They told me not to bother, 'We'll cast your vote on your behalf'," he told AFP. The opposition said the unrest was stirred up to deter voters, and presiding officers reported a low turnout across the country. Sunday's deaths brought to 18 the official police toll for election violence since the ballot was announced on November 8. Police said they acted "in self-defence" in the southern town of Bashkhali, when they fired on opposition supporters who stormed a polling booth, killing one. In a separate incident a man was shot by police after he tried to steal a ballot box. With AFP Parrots have entered Greece in a big way, and the Hellenic Ornithological Society will survey to assess the extent of this invasion. The birds are visible wherever greenery is abundant. The census will reveal a true picture and help to draw up a suitable action plan. Panagiotis Latsoudis is the head of the society, and he confirms that in the island of Crete the parrot populations have increased in practically all major cities. Incidentally, the island of Crete is a great holiday destination. The Guardian reports that a teacher took the initiative to keep track of the problem in his own way. He would visit the parks at sunset to get the feel of things. In his opinion, Greece is becoming a habitat of wild parakeets from other countries, and they compete with other birds for nesting holes. Ecosystem under threat from parrots The birds are a menace in Brussels where the parks are teeming with the birds. They appear to have become an invasive species as their population keeps multiplying at alarming rates and a time might come when their population overtakes that of local pigeons and sparrows. One reason for parrots to make Greece their home could be the climatic conditions. The parks here have an attractive green cover that is what the birds look for. Parrots are native to far off places, and it is not clear how they arrived in Greece. They do not fall in the category of migrant birds and cannot fly long distances. Experts believe they are escapees. That is how they had entered Britain many years back. It is possible that, in this case, they were caged birds when they first arrived in Greece, probably in Athens, and then escaped into freedom. Discuss this news on Eunomia There are fears that they will ease out many other species of birds. The European Commission is also worried and considers them a threat to native biodiversity. They could add parakeets to the list of invasive alien species. In Israel, the birds have damaged sunflower crops while they belong to the category of endangered species in Puerto Rico. The parrot count is important for Greece According to the Ekathimerini, an ornithological Society has begun the process of taking stock of ring-necked parakeets in different city parks of Greece. That will form the basis for the authorities to take necessary action in order to counter the menace of the birds. Other places in Europe also face similar problems and there are fears that these non-native birds could, in due course of time, turn out to be a threat to local biodiversity. Courtesy of Chris - Fotolia.com In the very center of Savannahs historic district lies a green oasis called Forsyth Park. It is one of the favorite places for locals to sit in the shade and escape from the relentless sun. Many tourists also rest their tired feet in this park. It is a great place to people watch, have a picnic, take your dog for a walk, go for a jog in the morning, or dribble a soccer ball with friends. With 30 acres of green space, huge mature trees, and countless flowering bushes (annuals and perennials), the park is a riot of colors throughout most of the year and one of the best things to do in Savannah. There are often concerts in the open air, and the Farmers Market takes place here every Saturday. You will not be able to resist taking a photo of the beautiful old fountain, one of the most popular and most photographed attractions of Savannah, Georgia. Courtesy of kameraaddikt - Fotolia.com Visiting Honolulu would not be complete without a visit to Pearl Harbor, where the infamous Japanese attack in December 1941 killed 2,403 people and forced the U.S. to enter WWII. Pearl Harbor is a National Historic Landmark and also an active military base. Organized tours will take you to important sites such as the battleship the USS Missouri, the site where the Japanese surrendered, the USS Arizona Memorial, the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, the USS Bowfin where you can get a glimpse of life on a WWII submarine, and the Pacific Submarine Museum with its indoor and outdoor exhibits. You will also see a documentary on the history of Pearl Harbor and so much more. It is an emotional journey, and there is much to see, so plan on spending a day going from site to site, especially if you are travelling with kids, who will love roaming aboard battleships and a submarine. You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Honolulu, Oahu" Back to Top Five things to know before applying for a medical marijuana license Thinking about applying for a medical marijuana license in Aberdeen? Here's what to know. Californias Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. has stepped up to help those affected by Northern Californias Camp Fire and has recruited a number of breweries around the country to do the same, including several from New Mexico. Sierra Nevada created Resilience IPA as a fundraising effort to help those affected by the Camp Fire, which killed at least 86 people and displaced more than 14,000 families. The brewery, along with participating breweries around the United States, will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund. More than 1,400 breweries around the country have brewed Resilience IPA to help the effort, according to a Sierra Nevada news release. Albuquerques Canteen Brewhouse, Marble Brewery, Steel Bender Brewyard and Quarter Celtic Brewpub; Cimmarons Blu Dragonfly Brewing; Cloudcrofts Cloudcroft Brewing Co.; Los Alamos Bathtub Row Brewing Co.; Santa Fes Rowley Farmhouse Ales; and Taos Eskes Brew Pub are participating. Resilience IPA will be available on tap and can be taken home in growlers or crowlers. If weve ever shown what our New Mexico craft beer industry can do thats why I love this business, said Steel Bender co-owner Shelby Chant. Thats why were in this business. Were able to do this, were able to do this kind of work, and we have a real blast doing it together. We really do. Marble Brewery was contacted by Sierra Nevada to be part of the effort. Of course, were very excited, said Leah Black, Marble Brewerys public relations and social media director. Sierra Nevada is like, theyre innovators in the craft beer scene. You know, they were one of the originators, really, and to help such a cause, its the biggest wildfire in California history, so it had such an impact, and we have people here that have family members that have impacted by it out there, so it was just a no-brainer to sign on and do this. Canteen Brewhouse also jumped at the chance to be part of the relief effort and brewed a 15-barrel batch. The effort of this project was to deliver unity and show our community that we are all standing as one with the people who suffered in the California wildfire, said Zach Guilmette, Canteen Brewhouse head brewer. Steel Bender head brewer Brian Haggerty compared the flavor profile of the IPA to that of a popular video system in the 1980s. Resilience IPA is like an Atari, he said. It hits all the old-school IPA buttons. A nutty sweetness dominates the malt profile laying the base for the classic pine and citrus notes coming from the Centennial and Cascade hops. Our variety of American Ale yeast adds just a bit of fruitiness to round out what is, decidedly a Sierra Nevada Style IPA. Black said the beer has become a popular choice of Marble staffers. Its a beautiful beer, she said. Its so funny, because we have employees here that stick to their regular classics that they love, the different styles here, and everybody for their shift beer has been drinking this Resilience, so were going to be raising a lot of money. Its pretty awesome. Out with the old, in with the new is the theme each New Years. Nowhere is that more true than in New Mexico as 2018 ends and 2019 begins. With the beginning of the new year, New Mexico will be getting a new government, fresh with a new governor, new state office holders and new legislators. Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham takes office Tuesday, taking over for Republican Susana Martinez, who will complete her second term on New Years Eve. New Mexico could see more change in the coming year than it has in the past eight years. That may or may not be a good thing. Martinez told the Journal she wished Lujan Grisham success because her success will be New Mexicos success. We do, too. But Lujan Grisham has her work cut out for her as she tries to fulfill myriad campaign promises while making decisions in the states best short-term and long-term interests. Job. No. 1 is the budget, and the governor and Legislature will have an interesting time slicing up the revenue pie, with more than $1 billion in new money expected to be available for the fiscal year starting July 1 thanks to the recent oil and gas boom. While state economists are urging caution following the budget crisis of just a few years ago, there are plenty of government agencies and advocacy groups seeking a slice of that new money. Theres a proposal to raise teachers salaries by $10,000 a year part of an effort to comply with a vague District Court judges order in a lawsuit saying New Mexicos schools are not adequately funded. The total price tag on proposed fixes to the education system ranges from $350 million to $1 billion. And there are other unfunded liabilities that need addressing: Two public retirement systems that wont meet their promises to employees. A $250 million backlog in film incentives. Hundreds of millions of dollars in deferred maintenance in state buildings. The state road fund thats been starved for years because officials have had to scramble to pay off the Rail Runner debt. And the additional $63 million for Medicaid as the federal government scales back its subsidy. And thats just scratching the surface. The state Department of Finance and Administration is recommending reserves of at least 25 percent a pragmatic move considering state government and lawmakers spent much of 2016 breaking piggy banks and looking under couch cushions to cobble together a budget. Nobody wants to go there again, and the legislative freshman class of 2019 should heed the warnings of experienced upperclassmen and truly save more than a little something for a rainy day. On that topic, they should also ignore the advocacy rhetoric that the states Land Grant Permanent Fund is a rainy day kitty to be tapped for any well-meaning yet vaguely defined program that tugs at heartstrings it is a sovereign wealth fund established to provide New Mexico with a meaningful income stream when oil and gas revenues dwindle either as those finite resources are tapped out or as green energy takes their place. It must remain healthy as it funds a tenth of our state budget. And so as gasoline prices slide and worries of an impending recession loom, raiding it to throw what amounts to our childrens savings at problems just to keep a campaign promise is irresponsible to the nth degree. But back to that billion-plus in new revenue. Considering its one-time money, it should unequivocally go to one-time expenses that dont dig future Legislatures a recurring-spending hole they cant get out of without saddling New Mexicans with new taxes. And that brings us to long-overdue capital outlay reform. The state continues to dole out infrastructure money in thirds, to the executive branch as well as the House and Senate, which in turn use political patronage rather than an impartial prioritization to build what the state does or doesnt need across 33 counties. This new years capital spending would truly invest in New Mexico if its based on a system that ranks the biggest infrastructure needs rather than random political wants. Other proposals promise to keep the Roundhouse humming earlier this month legislative staff reported an 80 percent jump in requests for legislation to be drafted, compared to similar periods before a 60-day session. Lujan Grisham will be under a lot of pressure to address the states K-12 education system. In addition to trying to interpret that lawsuit ruling which she should appeal to the N.M. Supreme Court for learned guidance from that panel shell have to balance her campaign rhetoric with accountability to taxpayers, parents and students. The states A-F grading system has finally given the public insight into how our 89 school districts stack up academically, teacher evaluations have been adjusted so student improvement on standardized tests accounts for no more than 30 percent, and the PARCC test has provided five years of student results linked directly to the Common Core curriculum something that would have to be replaced at an unnecessary high cost in dollars and lost data. Lujan Grisham should put students before the small union membership and continue reforms that have more New Mexico students proficient in math and reading, more taking and passing advanced placement courses, and more graduating high school and not needing remediation for college coursework. Crime will also be on many lawmakers minds. Communities that have had to resort to bidding wars to fill their law enforcement ranks deserve a return-to-work program that gets select retired officers back in uniform while holding pension funds harmless. And while the proposed omnibus crime bill has promise, the draft is defendant-centric; victims deserve justice, too, especially when it comes to tougher penalties for child abuse. In addition to shoring up pension funds, lawmakers must finally get those accounts onto paths of fiscal sustainability. While expecting employees to kick in more for their retirements will be politically unpalatable for many, sticking taxpayers who have no pensions at all with a higher tab is a non-starter, as is doing nothing and breaking a retirement-fund promise to state employees. Another promise that must be kept is a true state ethics commission that is transparent and accountable to the public. Voters approved one by constitutional amendment earlier this year, and they do not need to be visited by ghosts of proposed ethics commissions past, which would have delivered little more than secretive whistleblower witch hunts. Theres also ending the disenfranchisement of fully one-fifth of the states independent voters by opening our primary elections which our secretary of state supports finally banning cruel and indiscriminate trapping on public lands as well as barbaric animal killing contests, continuing to diversify our energy portfolio with renewables that promise a new private-sector powerhouse, regulating the bad actors in our essential oil and gas industries to clean up and protect our air and water, and balancing the desire to grow government exponentially with revenue from legalized recreational marijuana with its huge societal costs. And so much more. Once again, a new year promises a fresh start for New Mexico, and we wish our latest group of leaders nothing but success in making smart short- and long-term decisions. Our state, and its current and future residents, depend on it. 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. PARIS Yellow vest protesters marched on the headquarters of leading French broadcasters Saturday, as small groups turned out in Paris and around France despite waning momentum for their movement. Hundreds of demonstrators some chanting Journalists Collaborationists! gathered at the central offices of television network BFM and state-run France Televisions. Some protesters hurled stones and other objects during scattered skirmishes with riot police firing tear gas. Some members of the broad-based yellow vest movement accuse French leading news media of favoring President Emmanuel Macrons government and big business and minimizing the protests even though the demonstrations have been the leading news story in France since they kicked off Nov. 17. Dozens of protesters twice tried to march on the elegant, tourist-filled Champs-Elysees, the site of repeated clashes between police and demonstrators in recent weeks. Blue police car lights flashed along the avenue glittering with red holiday decorations. Another small group of yellow vest demonstrators gathered near the Eiffel Tower, where police officers arrested several. But by nightfall, tourists and couples were back at adjacent Trocadero plaza to enjoy spectacular views of the tower. Both police and protesters appeared to be out in much smaller numbers than previous weekends. The holiday season and winter chill may have put a damper on Saturdays turnout, along with a raft of concessions by Macron to calm the movement after rioting nearly reached his presidential palace earlier this month. Despite Macrons offers of tax relief and other aid, many people remain frustrated with his pro-business leadership and are continuing to stage roadblocks at roundabouts around the country. Peaceful gatherings were held Saturday in several cities, from Marseille on the Mediterranean to Albertville in the Alps and Rouen in Normandy. Protesters continued blocking roundabouts in several sites, tangling traffic and letting just a few drivers through at a time, on a busy weekend of holiday travel. They brandished French flags and placards with a range of demands. New protests are expected on the Champs-Elysees on New Years Eve, when Paris puts on a light show that typically attracts large crowds of spectators. Paris police plan extra security for the annual event, which sometimes degenerates into violence after midnight. The yellow vest movement was launched to express anger over fuel tax hikes hurting working people who commute by car, but grew to encompass broader anger over Macrons economic policies. Its named after the fluorescent protective gear French motorists must keep in their cars. WASHINGTON It had been months since retired Lt. Cmdr. Michele Fitzpatrick paid attention to news coverage. She was turned off by President Donald Trumps tweetstorms and attacks on critics such as the late Republican Sen. John McCain, a war hero. But as the November midterm elections approached, she fired up her laptop. A member of the U.S. Coast Guard Academys Class of 1980, the first to include women, Fitzpatrick began researching candidates and poring over issues. On Election Day, she voted without hesitation: all Democrat. I just dont think whats happening now is helpful, Fitzpatrick, of Groton, Connecticut, said in a telephone interview, pointing to the negative discourse in Washington. Its almost like watching kids and bullies on the playground instead of people actually doing something about helping this country to survive and to thrive. Thats hardly a startling view from a Democrat these days. But from a military vet? Long seen as a bastion of support for Republicans, the face of the U.S. military and its veterans is changing and perhaps too is their political bent. Veterans by and large did vote for GOP candidates on Nov. 6, affirming Trumps frequent claim that they stand among his strongest backers. But more women are joining the military, and they are bucking the pattern, according to data from AP VoteCast. The 60-year-old Fitzpatrick recalls suppressing her opinions as a young hardcore Democrat in an overwhelmingly Republican military but finding other ways to promote change, such as supporting other female cadets. Now, women in the military are helping elect new Democratic lawmakers and spur discussion on once little-mentioned topics such as sexual harassment and women in combat roles. As political candidates, female veterans also had a breakout performance in the midterms, sometimes campaigning as a foil to Trump: empathetic and competent on issues such as health care while also trustworthy on military and defense, typically a GOP strength. I see this as a beginning edge of a larger movement, said Jeremy Teigen, professor of political science at Ramapo College and author of Why Veterans Run: Military Service in American Presidential Elections, 1789-2016. Both current and former female service members were more likely to vote in the 2018 midterm elections for Democrats than Republicans, 60 percent to 36 percent, according to the data from VoteCast. Men with military backgrounds voted Republican by roughly the same margin, 58 percent to 39 percent. A record number of female veterans four were elected to the House, all Democrats. Three won in political swing districts, helping give the party control of the chamber next year. Democratic Rep.-elect Chrissy Houlahan, a former Air Force captain, said she was motivated to run after organizing a bus trip last year to the Womens March in Washington. She felt her election would serve as a repudiation of Trump, but she avoided sharp rhetoric in favor of a message of service to country and getting things done. She recalled Pennsylvania voters telling her they were exhausted by gridlock and partisan attacks and would like our nation and our democracy and our values to stabilize to what we can recognize. All told, 55 percent of voters who had served in the military backed Republican candidates in the elections, compared to 42 percent who supported Democrats, according to VoteCast data. Trump frequently embraces the U.S. military and veterans in speeches, referring to my military, though he has also insulted war heroes such as McCain and military families who criticize him. I think the vets, maybe more than anybody else, appreciate what we are doing for them, Trump said last month. Not the female veterans, though. Their margin of support for Democrats was comparable to that of women overall, according to VoteCast data. AP VoteCast is a nationwide survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters including more than 4,000 current and former service members conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Laura Cavallaro, 35, who served on active duty in the Marine Corps from 2001 to 2005 and on inactive duty until 2009, says shes never voted but thinks she will in 2020. A recent graduate of Rhode Island College, she said she believes Trump has kept his promises about helping the economy and creating jobs. At the same time, Who knows if hes going to say something to the wrong person and start another war? she said. Thats particularly concerning for military veterans who know whats at stake in combat. When Cavallaro joined the military, she considered herself a Republican because her parents were. Now, she sees herself more as an independent, saying shes pro-gun rights and pro-gay rights. I think being in the military kind of opened my eyes to a lot more things, she said. If I had stayed in Rhode Island, I wouldnt have met so many different personalities and people with other political views. In 2016, the Defense Department lifted all restrictions on the roles women can perform in the military, spurring broader debate about combat missions and even whether women should be eligible for the draft. Currently, there are more than 20 million veterans of the U.S. armed forces, about 10 percent of them female, the fastest growing subgroup. In the U.S. military forces, 16.6 percent of those enlisted are women, up from about 2 percent in 1973. Women now make up 20 percent of the Air Force, 19 percent of the Navy, 15 percent of the Army and 8.6 percent of the Marines, according to Defense Department figures. In the Coast Guard, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, women make up 22 percent of the officers and 13 percent of those enlisted. The Coast Guard Academy, where Fitzpatrick was among the first women to attend in 1976, enrolled a class this year that is 40 percent female, a new high. Teigen, who studies military voting, said that in the context of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, female veterans running for office provided a contrast for voters, someone who was willing to volunteer to take time out of their youth to serve their country and stand up for others, compared to Trump, a New York billionaire with five wartime draft deferments and a fraught history with women. Of the military veterans who ran for the House, 12 were women, the highest number ever. Houlahan will serve her first House term starting in January, along with former Navy pilot Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., and Navy veteran Elaine Luria, D-Va., who defeated another veteran, Republican Rep. Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL. The women prevailed in tight races by tying their opponents to Trump and the GOP congressional majority while pledging to work on both sides of the aisle. All had stories about being among the only women working among men and used their platforms to speak out about abuses in the military. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, a frequent Trump critic, also won re-election. She is a member of her states National Guard. In all, seven female veterans will serve in the next Congress, up from four. The veterans in the House will join Sens. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot, and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, a combat veteran in the Iowa Army National Guard. Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., a retired Air Force colonel, lost her Senate bid but was later appointed by Arizonas governor to replace Sen. Jon Kyl in the seat that belonged to McCain. I sure hope I get to make history, Houlahan said cautiously, when asked about her candidacy and the influence female veterans could have on Washington. That would be amazing. And I would be happy to serve everybody, not just the women and the Democrats. ___ McDermott reported from Providence, Rhode Island. AP writers Lolita C. Baldor, Emily Swanson and Hannah Fingerhut in Washington contributed to this report. LOS ALAMOS Mystery fans know that there are often moments when viewers want to jump inside the play or film to ask certain questions that somehow arent being posed to the suspects. And now you get to, says Miles Ledoux. The Los Alamos resident and murder mystery playwright is staging his first interactive show with the Los Alamos Little Theatre. Murder at the Lone Elm premieres Monday night with a special New Years Eve performance. Regular shows run from Jan. 4-19. Ledoux has been producing interactive mystery shows for more than a decade, mostly in Canton, Ohio, and Los Angeles before he moved to New Mexico two years ago. The show takes place in the Lone Elm Inn, a hotel somewhere near Los Alamos, said Ledoux. Someone is killing off guests and staff. The mayhem starts when a man falls down the stairs in what may or may not have been an accident. Hotel security chief Dana Hunt is the first to suspect foul play and the hotel guests or possibly not guests and staff are all suspects. Its unclear why, Ledoux said of whats happened at the hotel. But it might have something to do with a dead scientist, an arms dealer and an assassin. The show relies heavily on audience participation. The characters mingle with the audience at the beginning of the show and the crowd is later given a chance to take part in an interrogation after the first characters death. Audience members will be allowed to ask the characters any questions they want in an effort turn up potential clues. The 10-person cast has to be ready for any and all inquiries. As preparation, Ledoux had the actors come up with their own backstories to draw inspiration from during these improvised scenes. In that sense, every night, the performance will be a little different, said Shashi Charles, who plays one of the Lone Elms guests, Lenora Cooke. Because obviously the audience will ask different things and the characters can say different things (on) different nights to the questions. And while scripted scenes and the ending will always stay the same, revelations from the audience interrogation can take the casts improvised scenes in different directions. Its kind of like a real-life Choose Your Own Adventure book, said Cassandra Bowman, who is playing hotel security chief Hunt. Its kind of like, if this happens, initiate this sequence. Or, if this happens, initiate this. At the end of Act I, the audience members will be asked to vote on a slip of paper for who they think the culprit is. And then Act II is the solution, said Ledoux. Before the act begins, audience members will also get a chance to declare their theories out loud. At the end, whoever guesses correctly will be in the running for prizes. The interactive element enhances the live theater experience, says Charles. And in a small town like Los Alamos, where the audience will likely know most of the people on stage and vice versa, it forces everybody to suspend belief or reality even more. You can be a passive audience member, but you dont have to be, she said. You can be very involved. Sometimes, those who are too shy to actually be on stage as an actor or an actress, its kind of a way for them to be involved in a dramatic presentation without being vulnerable in that way. Other members of the cast include Teresa Bradford, Megan Pimentel, Spook Kellum, Alex LEsperance, Gwen Lewis, Terry Beery, Aaron Waller and Matthew Waller. Mondays show starts at 7:30 p.m. At each show, all audience members will be served ice cream. If you go WHAT: Los Alamos Little Theatres Murder at the Lone Elm WHEN: Special New Years Eve performance Monday, 7:30 p.m. Regular shows are Fridays and Saturdays Jan. 4-19, also at 7:30 p.m. There will be a Sunday matinee Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. WHERE: Performing Arts Center, 1670 Nectar St. in Los Alamos TICKETS: General admission $15/$13 for students and seniors. Purchase at brownpapertickets.com or in advance at CB Fox Department Store, 1735 Central Avenue. Tickets are also available at the door. California Democrats stole the midterm election using a new method that is illegal elsewhere, but completely legal in the Golden State: a practice called ballot harvesting, which allows third parties to submit mail-in ballots for voters. It sounds bizarre, as outgoing Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) described it to the Washington Post but it is absolutely true: Democratic operatives handed in pile after pile of other peoples ballots. And Democrats are proud of it, mocking Republicans for failing to take advantage of a new law signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2016, over GOP objections, that allows ballot harvesting, and which some Republicans are now blaming for their defeat . Ballot harvesting by Democratic Party operatives a surprise tactic they likely saved for the general election appears to have made the difference. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Democrats ran a disciplined, door-to-door campaign offering to deliver voters ballots to the polls: Few people noticed when Gov. Jerry Brown signed the changes in AB1921 into law two years ago. In the past, California allowed only relatives or people living in the same household to drop off mail ballots for another voter. The new law allowed anyone, even a paid political campaign worker, to collect and return ballots harvesting them, in political slang. In Orange County alone, where every House seat went Democratic, the number of Election Day vote-by-mail dropoffs was unprecedented over 250,000, Fred Whitaker, chairman of the county Republican Party, said in a note to supporters. This is a direct result of ballot harvesting allowed under California law for the first time. That directly caused the switch from being ahead on election night to losing two weeks later. For Democrats, the ballot harvesting was all part of a greater effort to get out the vote from their supporters, particularly from occasional voters. We beat Republicans on the ground, fair and square, said Katie Merrill, a Democratic consultant deeply involved in November campaigns. Many of the field plans included (ballot harvesting) as an option to deliver voters or their ballots to the polls. Republicans, in contrast, simply focused on traditional turnout operations and lost badly. In the days after the election, some Republicans speculated that there had been voter fraud in the state. And, true, Los Angeles County prosecutors busted a ring that bribed the homeless to register fraudulently. The Department of Motor Vehicles also registered 1,500 ineligible voters. Yet ballot harvesting likely had a bigger effect. Democrat Secretary of State Alex Padilla mocked Republican concerns, telling Politico: What they call strange and bizarre, we call democracy. But it is democracy as practiced almost nowhere else in the world except for one-party banana republics in failed third-world states, where the sight of ruling party apparatchiks dropping off bundles of ballots is not unusual. Eric Eggers, author of Fraud: How the Left Plans to Steal the Next Election, told Breitbart News that ballot harvesting also creates opportunities for coercion and bribery. Nevertheless, it is legal. And as Shawn Steel, the California committeeman for the Republican National Committee (RNC), wrote, it is not necessary for Democrats to break the law when fraud has effectively been legalized, through ballot harvesting and other methods. Merciless and unsparing, California Democrats have systematically undermined Californias already-weak voter protection laws to guarantee permanent one-party rule, he said . RNC chair Ronna McDaniel patted herself on the back after the election. But she lost the House. If she hopes to succeed in 2020, she had better learn to steal elections legally just like the Democrats do. Prichard lives in Los Alamos For many, this time of the year prompts much reflection on the reasons to be thankful the challenges overcome throughout the past 12 months, and goals we hope to accomplish in the New Year. For Luna Community College, 2018 was far from typical. The year was marked with several challenges that called for a community to establish an institutional culture built on collaboration, transparency, assessment and quality outcomes. Although the past year brought about difficult and uncertain times, we now look back and celebrate the changes that came from the most challenging time in the colleges history. The year began with a sense of urgency to complete the colleges Show-Cause Report that was due to its accrediting agency on Feb. 1. Just months prior, the Higher Learning Commission placed the college on a show-cause order. The order provided Luna with 90 days to make notable changes in its governance and administrative practices, all while drafting a comprehensive report that demonstrated the colleges compliance with all criteria for accreditation. In response to the show-cause order, college faculty, staff and administration came together to develop and adopt a shared governance policy that provides for a collaborative model of decision-making that includes the board of trustees, the president, administration, faculty, staff and students. It is now the process by which institutional direction and policies are developed, modified and implemented. Integral to shared governance was the establishment of the colleges first Staff Advisory Senate. The Senate serves as a source of input on issues and decisions that relate to regular full-time/part-time and non-faculty staff at the college. Within the past year, the Senate has conducted elections, completed drafting its by-laws and marked its one-year anniversary by re-establishing the colleges Years of Service Celebration for employees. In May, the college completed construction of its Media Arts Auditorium. The 18,000-plus-square-foot auditorium is among the largest public venues in northern New Mexico, with a total capacity of 1,200. Just two weeks after its grand opening, the auditorium reached capacity when hundreds celebrated the spring 2018 commencement. Following a study, the board of trustees approved a $300,000 salary parity proposal aimed at raising employee compensation to a level consistent with sister institutions throughout the region. The proposal, which yielded salary increases for 70 percent of college personnel, raised the colleges minimum wage to above $10/hour. Salary adjustments took effect prior to the end of the fiscal year to ensure the 2 percent state-mandated salary adjustment was applied to increased salaries. In addition to addressing staff compensation, the college has grown by more than a dozen new positions that have been created to increase student services, completion and graduation rates. New positions include a director for institutional research, developmental education specialists, a total of seven faculty/advisors one for each academic department, a director for student and career services, and a veterans resource coordinator. Following a site visit and committee hearing in Chicago, the Higher Learning Commission board voted in July to remove the college from show-cause and place the institution on probation. This measure recognized the significant work and changes achieved by the institution over a short period. Just a few months ago, the college went live with its all-new website. The new site, which is still located at Luna.edu, captures the increased levels of sophistication, professionalism and service that can be found throughout the campus. All this, and so much more, has given Luna Community College reason to celebrate a wonderful 2018. It also sets the stage for a wonderful new year. In the past 12 months, we learned much about our ability to persevere under pressure. We learned much about the undivided support of the communities we serve. However, most important, we learned that we can never be successful if we dont first face trials. On behalf of the campus community and board of trustees, thank you for helping make 2018 a wonderful year! Thank you for your support and honesty, and for holding us accountable. We wish you a safe and happy holiday season, and a very prosperous New Year. Ricky Serna is interim president at Luna Community College in Las Vegas, N.M. Where craft beer was around the early 1990s, the new, evolving industry of hard kombucha may be today. Thats according to one of the owners of Honeymoon Brewery, a Santa Fe-based business that has been working for the past few years on its concoction of fermented tea, with an ABV (alcohol-by-volume) thats similar to many beers. Id say were in a group of pioneers, for sure, said president and CEO Ayla Bystrom-Williams. The homegrown company is now selling its product at its new tap house, or kombucheria, which opened earlier this month. The Honeymoon team is rolling out its product in a space that they hope feels like a homey spot to hang out and try their new offerings, as well as other locally made drinks. The former homebrewers, who not long ago were making batches at a maximum of 10-20 gallons, now plan to make 400 gallons on site every month, according to co-founder James Hill. Hard kombucha production is gaining a foothold elsewhere in the country, but is still rare in the Southwest. The name Honeymoon, according to Bystrom-Williams, came from an early idea that the product was going to be like a marriage of beer and kombucha. And while hard kombucha is legally considered a beer it is also a fermented alcoholic drink and comes from similar brewing process the owners note that their hard kombucha doesnt have the same taste. I guess the one thing that makes it more like a beer than anything else is that its really effervescent and carbonated, when wine and spirits are never that, said Bystrom-Williams. Its its own category and a hybrid of these different elements, fellow owner Amberley Pyles added. Taking a scientific approach Bystrom-Williams and Hill, who are both business and life partners who grew up here and attended Santa Fe Prep, founded the company after several years of Bystrom-Williams homebrewing her own kombucha and beer separately. According to Hill, Bystrom-Williams had the idea for the business following Whole Foods decision in 2010 to pull standard kombucha from the shelves because of elevated alcohol content. Thats when kombucha companies went back to the drawing board to adjust their products, he said, but his partner viewed that as kneecapping the fermented product. She wanted to go the other way, and thats when we really started doing some very experimental and innovative homebrewing recipes, said Hill, who added that Ayla taught him how to brew both kombucha and beer. Back in 2015, the Honeymoon crew partnered with a biochemist from Los Alamos National Laboratory to discover how to up the alcohol content of the drink. They have since patented their brewing process. Kombucha is normally made through an open-air fermentation process using sugared tea, and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (or SCOBY). But to make hard kombucha, Hill said, Honeymoon used brewers yeast and more sugar, and brewed it in an anaerobic or oxygen-free tank. The anaerobic process produces ethanol, he explained, because yeast behaves differently when its in the presence of oxygen or without it. Since working with LANL, Bystrom-Williams and Hill said they also took a scientific approach to ensuring there was a market for their drinks. The two gained insight from hard kombucha distributor Whole Foods, advertised a fake hard kombucha brewery on social media to gauge if people wanted to buy the product, and spoke with patrons in stores and bars from Santa Fe to Taos. And really, I would say, eight out of 10 people said, Oh, I drink kombucha, but I always wish it was more robust, said Bystrom-Williams. Honeymoon was also accepted into now-defunct SFid, a local offshoot of the ABQid program for startups. The program invested $20,000 in Honeymoons development. Most notably, in 2016, Honeymoon placed first out of 15,000 applicants for the Miller Lite Tap the Future competition. Bystrom-Williams and Hill had to pitch their company to Daymond John of Shark Tank fame and then undergo a closed-door business plan review at the MillerCoors headquarters in Chicago. Honeymoon earned $220,000 in prize money. Following their big win, Bystrom-Williams said she and Hill started looking into contract brewing deals with manufacturers in Albuquerque. Thats when they met Pyles, who came on as a partner and Honeymoons vice president of marketing. Pyles used to be the director of marketing at Albuquerques Marble Brewery. Bystrom-Williams described her as the final piece of the puzzle for opening a production space. After Pyles and brewer John Seabrooks came on board, the team instead decided on a tap house model where the brewing and drinking both happen on-site. The Honeymoon location, in the Solana Shopping Center on West Alamada, is next door to La Montanita Co-op. Bystrom-Williams used to work there and said she would often talk to the manager about kombucha and its growing popularity. It started blowing up and they started increasing the number of coolers they had devoted to it, said Bystrom-Williams. I knew there was a big amount of foot traffic here and at Betterday (a coffee shop in the shopping center), too. Just with the model that we went with, where were trying to have people drink at the source and experience the product on site where we brew, we felt positioning ourselves where people are obviously kombucha drinkers and are already shopping is best for us. Bystrom-Williams added the business wanted to provide a watering hole for people who live in the West Alameda area, something she said the neighborhood hasnt had for at least a decade. Weve had a lot of people from the craft beer community who have come in and loved it, Pyles said of the product. People who are looking for something gluten-free, people who dont want to drink a heavy beer, who want something a little lighter, but still something with alcohol content in it. Creating a house-like space The 1,700-square-foot spot includes a bar and group tables made by local craftspeople, as well as restaurant booths, which were donated by a local furniture supply shop that had some left over. The front of the kombucheria also has a couch and more lounge-like chairs, which Pyles said were added to create a living room-like atmosphere. We wanted it to feel like a house, a second space, a space outside of your house where you can come hang out, meet people from the neighborhood, meet friends, but we wanted to set it up where people would talk to each other, even if they didnt know each other, she said. And for it to be a space to meet new friends, neighbors. For now, because the team could not start using its equipment until the brewery received its business licenses, Honeymoon is offering two flavors while supplies last, both with about 5.5 percent ABV, slightly more than the alcohol content of traditional American beers like Bud or Coors. Hill said the brewery should be at full-scale production around the end of January and add two to four more flavors to the menu by spring or summer. And of course well have lots of product to test, small batches, at that time, he said. Its current flavors are Camellia Blanco its name is a play on Camellia sinensis, the species name for the tea plant which is made with a combination of black and green teas, fresh ginger, lemon and jasmine flower. The other flavor, Camellia Flor, is similar, but with hibiscus flowers infused. The ginger and lemon is from the co-op next door, according to Bystrom-Williams, and the tea comes from the Art of Tea, an organic tea distributor based in Los Angeles. Aside from its own products, the kombucheria offers local beers from La Cumbre, Turtle Mountain, Monks Brewery, Rowleys, Bosque and Tumbleroot, and wine from Albuquerques Sheehan Winery. Also on the menu is Ohoris coffee, local craft sodas from Zia and Patricks Fine Foods, and Honeymoon recently brought in a keg of low-ABV kombucha from New Mexico Ferments. Bystrom-Williams said they plan to always carry kombucha from another company so the taphouse can offer an under-21 product. Standard kombucha usually has an ABV of 0.5 percent or less. Visitors can also pay extra for cannabidiol oil to be added to their drink. The non-psychoactive compound is normally found in cannabis and is believed to have medical benefits, though Hill noted Honeymoons is actually derived from hops in India that have a high concentration of naturally occurring CBD. The brewery sells snacks from local distributors, including sandwiches from The Providers, a pre-packaged food company in Santa Fe, and pickles from the Barrio Brinery. The owners are making plans for homemade potato chips from the co-op next door. Hill said Honeymoon also encourages customers to bring in food from other eateries if theyd like. The staff will even bus their table. The brewery now offers kombucha in five- ($3) and 10-ounce ($6) pours, but Pyles said the plan is to add pints to the menu and fill growlers when production is at full scale. When the business began, the initial goal was to discover how to make the drink, Hill said. Now, its about perfecting the taste. And with all of the different flavors that go into creating the different brews, he said, no two batches are exactly the same. Every bottle is going to be different, Hill said. And thats whats fun about it, too. You never exactly have the same glass every time. Its definitely not Bud Lite (and) 50 years later, youll know it. Its just so different. Honeymoon Brewery Tap House WHERE: 907 W. Alameda Unit B WINTER HOURS: Tuesdays-Thursdays, 2-7 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Closed Sundays and Mondays. Hours may change in the coming months. SAPELLO Gary Morton, time-tested cowboy and talented, point-on painter of the puncher life, is standing in the back room of his house, portions of which are a log cabin built a hundred years ago in this small community a dozen miles north of Las Vegas, N.M. For a normal person this would be the living room, says Morton of the space, flooded by late-morning winter light from a north-facing window. For Morton, its a studio outfitted with an easel, paints, brushes, prints and paintings finished and in progress. Outside that north window are wide-open spaces stretching across pasture to mountains studded with pinon and cedar. But the rugged, rolling, climbing and dropping ranch lands of the West are also in the studio, captured in Mortons art. Men on horseback and the cattle they work populate paintings inspired by life at ranches such as the Cates Ranch west of Roy; the D Ranch between Carlsbad and El Paso; and the O6 Ranch in the Davis Mountains of west Texas. But mostly, in pieces with titles such as Trot and Trot Again, We Rode Out on the Morning and the 40-by-60-inch Living the Dream, Mortons work is set on the historic and sprawling Bell Ranch near Tucumcari. And thats the way it should be. Because he got his start, both as a cowboy and as an artist, at the Bell. Calluses and accolades Morton, 67, has earned his share of calluses, rope burns and accolades over the years. He started as a green cowboy at the Bell just out of high school, hired on at various other ranches over the years, worked his way up to jobs such as Bell Ranch wagon boss and manager of the CR Ranch near Las Vegas and ran his own stock on leased grazing. He has served as chairman of the New Mexico Arts Commission and director of the states Office of Cultural Affairs. In 2015, the New Mexico Department of Agriculture recognized Morton with the Rounders Award, presented to people who live, promote and articulate the Western way of life. And his painting, The Simple Pleasures of New Mexico, which depicts a mounted cowboy taking a break to soak in the beauties of a river valley landscape, hangs in New Mexicos Capitol Building. As a painter he does good work and he gets it right because he has lived that (ranch) life, said Curtis Fort of Tatum, a former Bell cowboy himself and a top-notch Western sculptor who is a recipient of the 2017 Rounders Award and this years Governors Award for excellence in the arts. Garys paintings have a feel to them. He gets the anatomy of the people, the horses and the cattle. The rope length is right. And the paintings have a story to them. You know where the cowboys are going and what theyre going to be doing. Mortons life can be traced to his hometown of Tucumcari and the Bell Ranch. Growing up in Tucumcari, one was able to see the Bell cowboys when the came to town, Morton said. As a young teenager, it was like watching a hawk on the wing. They had a certain look, a confidence, just plain cool and everyone knew they were cowboys from the Bell. Morton remembers his first glimpses of the Bell Ranch. My dad, a brilliant mechanic, owned a farm implement dealership there in Tucumcari and would cut peoples hay, he said. I started going with him as a kid. He was doing some custom farming at the Clabber Hill farm, which was part of the Bell Ranch, and I can still remember seeing that gate, a simple iron gate, locked, with the Bell brand on the overhead. I could see through the gate, the road running through a 20-section pasture, rolling over hill after hill. It was a great source of curiosity for me even as a kid. Morton might never have become a Bell cowboy, perhaps not a cowboy at all, if he had not been kicked out of Tucumcari High for skipping classes. Wolf of the world My moms twin sister lived in Gallup so I went to live with her family and graduated from Gallup High School, Morton said. My aunt and uncle had kids a little younger than me, and they were into rodeo. They had horses. My uncle roped a lot and the kids ran barrels. As a result, Morton got the rodeo bug and decided he wanted to ride broncs. After a few months, I got a ride on bareback bronc and stayed with him, Morton said. I thought I was the wolf of the world. Figuring he was a sure-enough cowboy, Morton applied for a job at the Bell after finishing high school in 1969. He got an interview with ranch manager George Ellis. I told him I had been riding broncs, Morton said. I didnt know there was a big difference between rodeo broncs and ranch broncs. Rodeo contestants need only stay on a bronc for eight seconds to get a score. But if a ranch horse breaks in two, the cowboy has to stay with it until it stops kicking or face a long walk home and the razzing of the other hired hands. Morton said that during his first summer, the other hands, including Fort, spent a lot of time chasing his horses. I am sure that Curtis could tell I did not know anything, but he never let on, Morton said. He was helpful without being obvious. I am pretty sure if it hadnt been for his friendship, I would not have lasted a month. Fort said that even though Morton was not raised in the ranching life he must have had it in his blood, because he turned out to be as good a cowboy as I ever worked with. A bunkhouse start After that summer of 69, Fort and other young Bell cowhands returned to college. But Morton stayed on the ranch, continuing his studies in cowboyology. Frank Vigil, the Bell windmill guy, had a TV, Morton said. One night we watched a PBS special about (famous cowboy artist) Charlie Russell. I had been interested in artwork as a kid and having seen the Russell story on TV, I was inspired to do artwork of the (cowboy) life I was living. I began to paint in the bunkhouse that winter. Morton never had any formal art training, but he and Fort shared their artistic interests, working and learning together. And Morton credits Western painters Robert Lougheed, whose art illustrates George Ellis book Bell Ranch As I Knew It, and Tom Ryan with demonstrating their techniques, giving him tips and offering encouragement. Even after he began making a living as a painter, Morton would do spring and fall work on ranches, taking his camera with him to record experiences he later translated into paintings. He did his last ranch stint in 2010-11 at the Bell, where it all started. For the last six years, Morton, the divorced father of two and the grandfather of three, has been the caretaker for the 300-acre Sapello spread. He looks after the land, the landowners four horses and two horses of his own and paints in what time he has left over, building up an inventory for a one-man show down the line. I still visit ranches in order to get new ideas and reference material for my painting, he said. You never dream you are painting history. But if you are in it long enough, you actually are. Squeaking from a co-workers shoes led a Rio Rancho woman to write a childrens story, and a desire to do something good for the community led her to turn the book into a fundraiser for children who need shoes. Debbie Coston wrote the book Stanley and the Squeaky Shoes and founded The Squeaky Shoe Project to use proceeds from the book to buy new shoes for children in need. She delivered her first donation of 14 pairs of shoes to Colinas del Norte Elementary last month. School counselor Janice Spratte said she had a student in mind to get shoes right away, since school staff members had noticed his toes showing through holes in his shoes. He gets to pick first, she said, expecting to see the student the next day. Spratte planned to put out the other 13 pairs for parents to pick up the next time the schools free food pantry was open. She said people often dont think about students needing shoes, so she was thrilled to get the donation. Coston said the project started when she worked at a call center. Her friend and co-worker Stanley Robinson had shoes that always squeaked as he walked. It was an ongoing joke, and Coston wrote Robinson a story about his squeaky shoes as a Christmas present. But that wasnt enough. It really just kept bothering me: We can do something with this, she said. She decided to publish the story and use the proceeds from sales to buy kids shoes. Costons friend Gayle Lewis Bennett created the pictures for Costons story about a boy who gets new, squeaky shoes. Robinsons son Fitzgerald was the model for the title character. Bennett left her illustrations black and white so children could color them. Coston had the book printed through the Center for Hands On Learning in Rio Rancho and formed a nonprofit she calls The Squeaky Shoe Project under the umbrella of Rio Rancho Creative Crossroads, run by Neal Shotwell. A pastor at Costons church, First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho, ordered 40 books to get her started. She and her grandson, Colinas del Norte fifth-grader Justin Coston, sold the books at church, a craft show and on Amazon. Sales began in September, and 200 copies sold by the end of November. Plus, some people made donations. Coston sought out a few business sponsors, and then she and Justin went shopping. It felt kind of weird because we were buying so much and it was for people we didnt even know, Justin said. But I knew it was for kids who didnt have what I have, so it was good. Coston hopes to give shoes to every Colinas del Norte student in need and expand to other elementary and middle schools in Rio Rancho and the surrounding area. Olga Kern will celebrate New Years Eve with the help of a family friend named Tchaikovsky. The renowned pianist will perform the composers Piano Concerto No. 1 at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe at 1 and 5 p.m. on Monday. Kerns great-great-great grandmother was also a pianist and was a good friend of the man who also wrote The Nutcracker. We have a lot of letters from him to her and from her to him and some interesting photos, the pianist said in a telephone interview from New York. Its all about musical moments. He dedicated some piano pieces to her. The Russian-born Kern began learning the piece with the booming opening octaves when she was just 14. Tchaikovsky wrote the concerto in 1874 and 1875. It remains one of his most popular works and among the best-known of all piano concertos. It surfaces regularly in pop culture, appearing in a Monty Pythons Flying Circus sketch, the 1990 film Misery and in the 1971 cult classic Harold and Maude. The composer lifted some of his musical ideas from Russian folk tunes, incorporating Western-style melodies. It is so challenging that Tchaikovskys preferred pianist, Nikolai Rubenstein, at first refused to play it. Although the concerto is infamous for its technical difficulty, Kern says her biggest challenge is bringing out the colors in the composition. By now, I know all the Tchaikovsky concertos all three, she said. But No. 1 is a masterpiece. I think its kind of a winter concerto, she said. In the second movement, the flute sings a very lovely melody. Snow is falling in a field. Its just beautiful; the troika comes with the trio of horses. His music is just getting inside of your heart. I can listen to The Nutcracker 100 times, and it just gets more beautiful. The Santa Fe date marks the first time Kern has played the work on New Years Eve. She tries not to schedule concerts that day. In Russia, New Years Eve trumps Christmas in importance. Russians celebrate with parties, fireworks and concerts. When Kern was growing up, she and her family spent the time at home eating salmon and sturgeon, among other dishes. In Russia, its a family tradition, she said. We always had a celebration with the family. My mother was always preparing some great warm dishes and a lot of different salads with potatoes. Its like Thanksgiving. At least one recipe came from a French chef who cooked for czars, she said. Russians were learning a lot from the foreigners then, especially the French. We just eat and its a feast. Kern jump-started her American career in 2001 when she won the gold medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, Texas. She was the first female winner in 30 years. In 2016, she launched the Olga Kern International Piano Competition in Albuquerque. Kern will perform with Santa Fes Joe Illick conducting the New Years Eve Orchestra. The program includes Tchaikovskys Symphony No. 6 (Pathetique). If you go WHAT: Joe Illick and the New Years Eve Orchestra with pianist Olga KernWHEN: 1 and 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31 WHERE: Lensic Performing Arts Center, 211 W. San Francisco St., Santa Fe HOW MUCH: $5-$20 at ticketssantafe.org, 505-988-1234 Sometimes it takes collaborative works across borders to express universal truths. The Museum of International Folk Art has gathered pieces by Peruvian artists and woven them with local traditions in its Gallery of Conscience. Six Peruvian artists combined with groups from Tewa Women United, the Alas de Agua Art Collective and Santa Clara Pueblo artist Nora Naranjo Morse to create Community Through Making From Peru to New Mexico, opening on Sunday, Jan. 6. The Peruvian artists joined their New Mexican counterparts for 10-day residencies, discovering common ground to shape healthy and vibrant communities. Places of Memory connected women from Native communities in the Espanola area and the National Association of the Families of the Abducted, Detained and Disappeared of Peru, centered in Ayacucho. These artists use their creativity to heal community and individual trauma, curator Amy Groleau said. The work of the three Peruvian artists centers on the violence that took place in and around Ayacucho from 1980 to 2000. Seventy thousand people disappeared, Groleau said. We had a meeting at Tewa United with workshops about trauma. The Tewa women promote healthy living with services for domestic violence, incarceration and addiction. Tewa potter Kathy Wan Povi Sanchez hosted a healing pottery session in her San Ildefonso home, Groleau said. Perus Rosalia Tineo Torres, who comes from a family of well-known whistle makers, also attended. Her father, Leoncio Torres, was interrogated and abused by the Peruvian government. Her father was very famous, Groleau said. Museum donor Alexander Girard collected a lot of his work around 50 pieces. She found pieces by her grandmother in our collection. A Street Art installation brings together muralists, printers and painters whose work focuses on modern social issues. Peruvians Carol Fernandez and Fernando Castro founded the Lima-based Amapolay Manufacturas Autonomas, using silk-screen printing as a form of popular protest. They want to return to their ancestral roots with a lot of flair, Groleau said. The couple paired with alumni and faculty of the Institute of American Indian Arts in creating a mural at the Gallery of Conscience. They all made designs that spoke to the need for unity and care for each other, Groleau said. The third collaboration pairs sculptors Aymar Ccopacatty of Peru with Santa Clara Pueblos Nora Naranjo Morse in Rivers of Plastic. Both artists see plastic trash infesting their communities. The exhibit is a large loom weaving plastic with clay and found metal. Nora talks about the landfill (in Espanola) starting to encroach upon her traditional clay source, Groleau said. We gathered the trash in Santa Fe and the museum to make this loom out of trash. Its going to be installed so that it snakes through the gallery. If you go WHAT: Community Through Making From Peru to New MexicoWHEN: Public opening 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6; 1-2 p.m., artists will discuss their work; 2-4 p.m., artist pop-up market and art-making activities WHERE: Museum of International Folk Art Gallery of Conscience, 706 Camino Lejo, Museum Hill, Santa Fe HOW MUCH: $7 New Mexico residents; $12 nonresidents at 505-476-1200, internationalfolkart.org. 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31 (3) May 30 (1) May 29 (1) May 28 (2) May 26 (1) May 25 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (1) May 15 (1) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) From the story of a mother touring her daughters artwork to a Los Angeles drifter who steals jewelry from corpses, the Aux Dog Theatre will host its fifth annual festival of solo shows beginning Friday, Jan. 11. The series of six mostly original plays opens with Diptych by Mark Dunne, written specifically for Aux Dogs X-Space. Based on San Diego-based painter Susan Rodens artwork, the piece explores a mother-daughter relationship, artistic director Victoria Liberatori said. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday from Jan. 11-27. American playwright Jeffrey Hatchers Thief of Tears examines the life of an LA wannabe actress who pilfers jewels from the dead. Rachel Wiseman will perform this play exploring love and humanity through the lens of a dead relatives wake. Hatcher co-wrote the stage adaptation of Tuesdays with Morrie with author Mitch Albom. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 11-12, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13. Brenda Adelmans My Brooklyn Hamlet is the tragic story of the authors mother, who was shot and killed by her father in 1995. Adelmans father then married her mothers sister in an eerie echo of Hamlet. The play explores how Adelman overcame the trauma. Its riveting, Liberatori said. The single performance takes place at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18. The single performance of Accidental Nudity by Debra Ehrhardt and Mariana Williams will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19. Divas in Danger showcases three shocking tales by authors Brenda Adelman, Debra Ehrhardt and Marianna Williams. Performances are at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20. The series will end with Corrie Remembers by Susan Sandager, the story of the Dutch watch maker Corrie ten Boom, who helped more than 800 Jews escape the Nazis by hiding them in her home. The late ten Boom was the author of the best-selling book The Hiding Place, which became a 1975 film starring Jeanette Clift and Julie Harris. The Ten Boom Museum in The Netherlands is dedicated to her and her family for their work. Performances are at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 25-26, and at 2 and 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27. The Spanish colonizers brought more than horses, guns and smallpox to the Americas. They carried sketches and prints of devotional art to inspire artists across the continents. These works often hung in Spanish colonial homes not as cloistered objects but as sacred links to the divine. Peyton Wright Gallerys 26th Annual Art of Devotion exhibition spans continents, oceans and centuries as artists paired European aesthetics with imagery from across the hemispheres. This years show gathers significant pieces of 17th- to 19th-century Viceregal artwork, including paintings, sculpture, furniture, silver work and objects from the former Spanish and Portuguese colonies Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Ecuador, Chile, Venezuela, Brazil, Guatemala and the Philippines. The exhibition also encompasses paintings by European Old Masters, Russian icons and New Mexican bultos, cristos and retablos. During this time, European monastics traveled to the New World to evangelize the native people. They brought thousands of devotional images to help communicate aspects of Catholic dogma. Local artists used these portraits as templates, often incorporating regional vegetation and wildlife into their own sacred scenes. When gallery owner John Wright Schaefer launched the show 26 years ago, it drew from 100-200 visitors. Last years event lured from 2,500-3,000 guests. This years version features several paintings on copper by Mexicos Andres Lopez, including the 34-by-25-inch La Sagrada Corazon de Jesus, 1785. Its the largest Mexican on copper weve ever had, Wright Schaefer said. Painters on copper typically were the artists of stature, who were formally trained, he added. At the time, copper was pricier than silver. The works were usually commissioned by important patrons or cathedrals. Artists liked the metals smooth surface. The oil flowed majestically, Wright Schaefer said. They liked the lack of tooth. They enjoyed the simple, tactile surface preparation. Lopez was active from 1777-1812. The sacred heart was developed in the Middle Ages, Wright Schaefer said. In the 1760s it became kind of a cult image championed by the artists in Latin America. An unknown Mexican painter produced Divina Pastora, an image of the Virgin May surrounded by a group of sheep, in the 18th century. Thats more of a personal devotional work and weve never seen one so large, Wright Schaefer said of the 50-inch painting. The setting of Mary within a flock came from a monk who reported a vision of the scene in 1703 Seville. He commissioned the Spanish painter Alonso Miguel de Tovar to create the image. Bernabe Lobattos Huida a Egipto, a depiction of the Holy Familys flight into Egypt, is another example of oil on copper, this time painted c. 1675. According to the Gospel of Matthew, soon after the visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus because King Herod wanted to kill the child. Iconic representation of the story developed after the 14th century. (Lobatto) was the official painter of the Ecuadoran government in 1662, Wright Schaefer said. Its a lovely 17th-century piece. Recent auction house records show a robust market for this historic art, he added. The one in New York two weeks ago was very strong with the colonial material, he said. The quality was good; the prices were exceedingly strong. Lopezs works sold for upwards of $500,000, he said. If you go WHAT: 26th Annual Art of DevotionWHEN: Through Feb. 28 WHERE: Peyton Wright Gallery, 237 E. Palace Ave., Santa Fe HOW MUCH: Free at 800-879-8898; 505-989-9888; info@peytonwright.com. Gov. Susana Martinez made history in 2010 when she was elected as the states first female governor. Heres a timeline of major events during her eight years in office: Jan. 1, 2011 Martinez delivers inaugural address on Santa Fes historic plaza in 5-degree weather after winning governors race against Democrat Diane Denish. She tells the crowd of onlookers: Your government will serve no interests but yours. Jan. 31, 2011 The governor issues an executive order authorizing State Police to ask about the immigration status of people arrested on suspicion of committing a crime, rescinding a policy implemented in 2005 by her predecessor, former Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson. April 8, 2011 Martinez signs into law legislation imposing a $50 million annual cap on state film rebate spending, after describing the rebates as Hollywood subsidies on the campaign trail. Two years later, she signs a bill expanding the film incentive program for qualifying television shows. Aug. 25, 2011 A state jet that Martinez had targeted as a symbol of governmental excess is sold by the Martinez administration to a retired Alaska publishing executive for roughly $2.5 million. The jet had been purchased by the administration of then-Gov. Bill Richardson for $5.5 million in 2005. Oct. 7, 2011 Martinez vetoes the Legislatures plans for redistricting of the state House and Senate, saying they were drafted to serve the political purposes of Democrats. New district boundaries are eventually decided in court trials. Dec. 15, 2011 House Majority Whip Sheryl Williams Stapleton apologizes for referring to Martinez as the Mexican on the fourth floor during a confrontation with a Republican legislator. Martinez says the people of New Mexico are the ones who deserve the apology from Stapleton, the first black woman elected to the New Mexico Legislature. Aug. 29, 2012 Martinez delivers a well-received, prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. She tells attendees: Growing up, I never imagined a little girl from a border town could one day become a governor. April 4, 2013 A tax package passed by lawmakers in the frantic final minutes of a 60-day legislative session is signed into law by Martinez, who describes it as a game-changer for New Mexicos economy. The bill reduces corporate tax rates and phases out the hold harmless payments the state makes to cities and counties. But the Martinez administrations top budget official later apologizes to legislators for giving incorrect information about the bills fiscal impact. April 18, 2013 Martinez named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, with political strategist Karl Rove describing her as a reform-minded conservative Republican. June 24, 2013 Human Services Department freezes Medicaid funding for 15 nonprofit behavioral health providers, alleging overpayments, mismanagement and possible fraud. The Attorney Generals Office would eventually clear all providers of fraud, prompting searing criticism of the Martinez administration for destabilizing a system that provides services for the mentally ill and addicted. Nov. 4, 2014 Martinez easily wins re-election to a second term, getting more than 57 percent of the votes cast in the governors race to defeat then-Attorney General Gary King, a Democrat. Feb. 16, 2015 The state Senate votes 22-19 to confirm Hanna Skandera as New Mexicos secretary of public education, ending a four-year long saga that hinged on Skanderas qualifications and controversial education policies, such as a teacher evaluation system, that she had implemented. Nov. 19, 2015 Martinez elected by fellow GOP governors as the Republican Governors Association chairwoman at a meeting in Las Vegas, Nev. She then travels out-of-state at least 20 times for fundraisers, campaign events and political meetings in the year following her election to the high-profile post. Dec. 12, 2015 Martinez faces criticism after audio recordings surface of her testy, late-night telephone exchange with police dispatchers after officers responded to a Santa Fe hotel clerks complaint about noise and rowdy behavior during a holiday staff party. The governor later apologizes for her behavior and that of certain staffers, but insists she was not intoxicated at the time of the phone calls. March 8, 2016 The governor signs into law a bill putting New Mexico drivers licenses in line with the stricter requirements of the federal Real ID Act, ending a fractious, five-year debate over whether undocumented immigrants should legally drive. Under the new laws two-tiered system, undocumented immigrants along with any citizens who want them are able to get driving authorization cards. May 24, 2016 Donald Trump criticizes Martinez during campaign stop in Downtown Albuquerque, telling a crowd of 8,000 people that she has to do a better job. Martinez, who had told reporters she was too busy to attend the event, responds by saying she will not be bullied into supporting a candidate. Sept. 14, 2016 Facebook announces it will build a massive data center in Los Lunas, a move that Martinez describes as a big win for the state. The announcement comes two years after New Mexico missed out on a high-profile Tesla battery factory. March 14-15, 2017 In a flurry of action, Martinez vetoes 10 bills passed by lawmakers most of them with broad bipartisan support after the Senate votes to override the governors veto of a bill dealing with teacher absences. The state Supreme Court later invalidates the vetoes, ruling the governor did not follow proper constitutional procedures. April 7, 2017 Martinez uses her line-item veto authority to ax all proposed state spending for the legislative branch and New Mexico colleges and universities from a $6.1 billion budget bill passed by the Legislature. She also vetoes a $350 million tax package, paving the way for a May 2017 special session during which the vetoed higher education funding is restored. Nov. 9, 2018 Martinez meets for two hours with Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham, says she is handing over power at a time the states fiscal health is as good as its ever been. More money for at-risk students, educator compensation and continuing merit-pay bonuses for highly-rated teachers. These are some of the priorities Public Education Department Secretary-designate Christopher Ruszkowski thinks the state should be investing in contributing to a total of about $430 million in additional recommended investment. The outgoing PED leader presented his budget proposal to the Legislative Finance Committee a group of legislators tasked with fiscal analyses and recommendations earlier this month. Ruszkowski has but a day left on the job as Democrat Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham gets ready to take over, bringing with her a new secretary of education. How much consideration his plan will be given amidst the gubernatorial shift is unclear, especially as some of his items would require legislative changes. For instance, Ruszkowskis plan includes $80 million more into the at-risk index but that needs legislation. Still, Ruszkowski says his proposal is based on the needs of the current K-12 system that he learned about visiting each district in the state. Also in the budget proposal is $120 million for educator compensation with the aim of upping the pay base of teachers to $41,000 annually to spur recruitment in the state. This too would have to go through the Legislature. The LFC put out a teacher compensation progress report this month that shows the average teacher in New Mexico makes about $11,000 less annually than the national average. Earlier this year, an increase in minimum starting teacher pay from $34,000 to $36,000 per year was included in the states budget. The finance committee report also says the Legislature should consider giving teachers, who meet benchmark requirements at hard-to-staff schools, more money. In addition to salaries, Ruszkowski suggested setting aside $10 million for merit pay bonuses for teachers who do well on the states evaluation system to help with retention something the state is grappling with currently. The LFC report did show half of the states teachers leave the profession within just five years of graduating, but it also highlighted the need to evaluate the impact of merit pay, saying the effectiveness is unknown. Ruszkowskis proposal comes at a time when other education budget proposals are floating around. A judge ruled this summer that New Mexico is violating the constitutional rights of at-risk students by failing to provide them with a sufficient education. The judge is requiring that immediate steps be taken by April. Since then, the plaintiffs lawyers in the lawsuit, community members and the Legislative Education Study Committee have been working on plans with consistent suggestions such as altering the at-risk index, upping teachers salaries and investing in early childhood education. Grab your jacket and and give yourself extra time to get where you're going Friday morning. We have brisk temperatures and areas of dense fog across northern California early today. Sunny skies and warm temperatures are ahead for the rest of your Friday and this weekend. Cooling down with the chance for showers early next week. Severe Radar Temperatures BIGGS, Calif. - Dogs were barking at 4:00 Sunday morning in a Biggs home, warning residents that something was amiss. When they went to investigate, the owners were held at gunpoint by three men. Several items were stolen from the home, which was in the 300 block of J Street in Biggs. Also, a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria sedan was taken from the home by the home invaders. The stolen sedan was found a short time later on the 1100 block of Eighth Street. Some of the property taken during the home invasion was recovered inside of the vehicle. Police said evidence they discovered will be processed for DNA and fingerprints. Two of the suspects were described as black male adults who were wearing dark clothes and masks. A third suspect, also wearing dark clothes and a mask, is described as being a white or Hispanic male adult, approximately 25-30 years old with a thin build. If you have any information about this home invasion please contact Gridley-Biggs Police Detective Alberto Rodriguez, at (530) 846-5670. Iraqs grand Sunni mufti, Sheikh Mahdi al-Sumaidaie, said in his Friday pray lecture in Baghdad that participating in New Year's celebrations is forbidden for Muslims. The official Facebook page of Iraqi Dar al-Iftaa, the highest Sunni religious authority in the country, quoted him as saying, It is not permitted to celebrate the New Year or congratulate it or participate in it. He added, Participating in their (Christian) celebrations is similar to following their manners [and beliefs], so agreeing with their religious celebrations is agreeing with their infidelity [Kofr]. In his lecture, Sumaidaie quoted controversial 14th-century Salafi cleric Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, who issued a fatwa saying, Congratulating Christians in their celebrations is as same as congratulating them for worshiping their cross and believing in Jesus as son of the God. Ibn Qayyim and his teacher Ibn Taymiyyah (1263-1328) are the most respected Muslim scholars for all Salafi movements. Sumaidaie's fatwa sparked a wave of anger among not only among Iraqi Christians, but among other Iraqi minorities, secular activists and even moderate Muslim clerics. The Chaldean Catholic Church called the fatwa "false, malicious and far from the correct knowledge of religions." Religious clerics must call for brotherhood, tolerance and love, instead of breeding division and rebellion, the statement reads, adding, Our people today need our common denominators to be deepened in a way that contributes to coexistence, not expanding hatred. The church also demanded that the Iraqi government take action against these types of speeches and prosecute the promoters, especially when they are issued from official platforms." The prominent Yazidi organization Yazda also condemned Sumaidaie's fatwa, calling upon Iraqi government to dismiss him from his post. Sumaidaies official title is The republics mufti and it is a public post under the authority of the Iraqi government. Yazda called the fatwa an unbalanced racist statement that does not fit with the country's need to establishing tolerance and coexistence among all Iraqis. Sumaidaie has close ties with the Iraqi government and the Popular Mobilization Units. But the Iraqi Sunni Endowment, which is under the authority of the prime minister, denounced the fatwa while expressing congratulations to all Christians in Iraq and around the globe for Christmas and New Year's celebrations. In a separate statement, the head of the Sunni Endowment, Abdullatif al-Humaim, said Sumaidaie's fatwa does not represent the organization and called him an extremist self-styled cleric who only represents a small minority of a Salafi group that not only opposes celebrating Christian events but also criticizes celebration of the Prophet Muhammad. Humaim praised Iraqi Christians for their great contributions in the history of Iraq and human civilization. The head of the Iraqi Ulama Group, Khalid al-Mulla, who is a prominent Sunni cleric from Basra, issued a fatwa against Sumaidaie's fatwa, calling on Muslims to attend Christian celebrations as part of expressing kindness to them, which God demanded from Muslims. Sumaidaie is not the only cleric slamming Muslims who participate in Christian celebrations. Sayyed Ala al-Mosawi, who is a Shiite cleric heading the Shiite Endowment, said Christian celebrations at Christmas and for New Year's are pagan celebrations added to Christianity after Jesus Christ. He also attacked Christians for committing sins such as drinking alcohol in these celebrations. Mosawi had previously said that non-Muslims have three options: take up jihad alongside Muslims, convert to Islam or agree to pay jizyah a yearly tax historically levied by Islamic states on Christians and Jews. Joseph Saliwa, a Christian who formerly served in parliament, referred to figures such as Sumaidaie and Mosawi as hidden DAESH; DAESH is the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State (IS). Saliwa said Sumaidaie and Mosawi are potentially more dangerous than IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The former legislator demanded that the Iraqi government cleanse public institutes of such dangerous figures. According to a survey conducted by the Masarat Organization in early 2018, 42% of hate speech in Iraq comes from clerics. Amina al-Dhahabi, who supervised the research team that conducted the survey, told Al-Monitor, Statements like Sumaidaie's fatwa had a great role in paving the road for extremist militias such as the Islamic State to penetrate Sunni communities and establish a strong position among them. She added, Without such fatwas, no one could persecute Christians and other minorities and expel them from their hometowns. The wave of criticism from clerics about participation in New Year's celebrations came after the Council of Ministers announced Dec. 20 that there would be a three-day public holiday from Dec. 30 through Jan. 1. Iraqi Christians have been demanding that the Iraqi government make Christmas a public holiday, but the government announced a New Year's one instead. BAGHDAD Turkish airstrikes on the Iraqi governorates of Sinjar and Makhmour on Dec. 13 brought the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) back to the fore, raising questions about the future of relations in the region, especially if Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan carries out his threat to launch a ground incursion into Iraq to fight the PKK. Ankara labels the PKK a terrorist organization, and, per an agreement signed under the regime of Saddam Hussein, is allowed to pursue the PKK within 40 kilometers into the Iraqi border. Yet, every time Turkey carries out a military action in Iraq, the Iraqi government denounces it. On Dec. 14, the Iraqi government summoned the Turkish ambassador in Baghdad and handed him a letter of protest over frequent violations of Iraqi airspace. Turkeys airstrikes in northern Iraq coincided with Erdogans threat to launch an operation targeting the Kurdish units backed by Washington in northeastern Syria. Before this, Turkey announced Iran's approval of this move, suggesting either a deal between Iran, Russia and Turkey to share influence east of the Euphrates, or a Russian attempt to implicate Turkey in a deeper conflict with Washington. Moscow, meanwhile, aims to barter with Turkey: a Turkish incursion east of the Euphrates in exchange for Ankara relinquishing some terms of the Sochi agreement, allowing the Syrian regime forces to spread in Idlib. To achieve these aims, Ankara needs to secure its border with Iraq, including in Sinjar, where both the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the People's Protection Units (YPG) operate. Turkey considers the YPG and SDF extensions of the PKK. On Dec. 16, the PKK threatened to carry out an operation inside Turkish territories in retaliation for the Turkish airstrikes, which killed eight PKK members. The Turkish bombing comes within the framework of a Turkish plan to expand its influence in Syria and Iraq," PKK member Kawa Shimkhos said in a statement on the party's website. "The Turkish reinforcements on Syrian territory coincided with the bombing of northern Iraq." It is unknown whether the Turkish moves against the PKK and its loyal factions in Syria will lead to conflict with US forces. The tension between the two NATO members is due to Turkeys belief that Washington will not implement the terms of the Manbij agreement signed in June. The agreement called for the exit of the YPG and the SDF from Manbij, but this has yet to be achieved within the allotted six months of the agreement. After Turkey's escalation in Iraq and Syria against the PKK and its affiliated factions, Turkey could receive major concessions from Washington. In return for not invading Iraq, Turkey could receive help in fighting the PKK and in implementing the Manbij road map to remove the YPG and to establish a local administration. But it is difficult for the United States to make concessions to the Turks. This was evident in Washington's announcement that it would arm the Kurdish factions and set up monitoring posts to prevent friction with Turkish forces. Instead, Turkey could opt to use the Russians and Iranians in carrying out its plan, allowing them to expand inside Idlib. President Donald Trump's decision on Dec. 20 to gradually withdraw US troops from Syria and to continue to work with partners to confront the Islamic State can be interpreted as a tactical move by Washington to avoid any clashes with Turkey in its potential invasion east of the Euphrates. US forces prefer withdrawal to having to adopt a bystander position in any confrontation between the Turkish army and the US-backed Kurdish factions. The Trump administration may use political and economic pressure to delay any Turkish operation in order to reach a comprehensive Syrian settlement that would include Syrian Kurdistan. Otherwise, if Kurdish forces withdraw from Syria, they will head toward Iraq, specifically to areas under PKK influence. Yet the PKK is expected to face continuous Turkish military operations, something feared by Arab and Kurdish parties. Iraqi Kurdish parliamentarian Kawa Mohammed believes the violation of Iraqi sovereignty should be addressed by all official institutions in the country to prevent massacres by Turkish raids against civilians. If this goes on, in light of no solution to this region, especially at the governmental level, Yazidis would be ousted from their historic areas, he told Al-Monitor. Minorities and their regions should not bear the brunt of regional and internal conflicts. This threatens international peace and stability. It seems that the Turkish government is determined to annihilate its historical opponents across Kurdish territories in Iraq and Syria, especially after the PKK secured, for the first time, a foothold in Iraqs Sinjar, away from the Qandil Mountains and close to the Turkish border. This coincides with a dramatic shift in the situation in Syria, where many Kurdish factions emerged that could obtain autonomy in Syria. Ankara adamantly refuses Kurdish self-rule in Syrian Kurdistan, even if attaining this requires keeping the Bashar al-Assad regime in power. At a Dec. 16 press conference, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu asserted that his country may cooperate with Assad if he is re-elected in democratic and credible elections held under the auspices of the United Nations. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Qatar and Palestine are working to boost their bilateral trade, taking steps that one expert says will double their exchange over five years. The Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Palestine Trade Center (PalTrade) to increase partnership efforts between the two countries. During a Dec. 12 meeting in Doha that was also attended by Palestinian Ambassador to Qatar Amir Ghannam as well as Qatari and Palestinian businesspeople, the two sides agreed to allow nine Palestinian food and agriculture companies to export their products to the Qatari market. The Qatari private sector opens its arms to [our] Palestinian brothers. Qatari businessmen are keen on cooperating with their Palestinian counterparts to promote trade exchange between the two sides, said the chamber's First Deputy Chairman Mohammed bin Ahmed Tuwar in a statement. PalTrade is a non-profit organization that helps Palestinian companies export their products to Arab and international markets. In 2015, PalTrade introduced the Palestinian Exporter Award to promote trade. The new Palestinian food products that will be exported to the Qatari markets include mainly oil and milk and agricultural crops such as guava, citrus and herbs, PalTrade Chairman Arafat Asfour told Al-Monitor. He pointed out that the trade volume between the two countries stands at $30 million a year. With the new agreement, he expects that number to double during the next five years. Asfour stressed that PalTrade encourages competition among Palestinian companies, urging them to continuously improve their products and to sell them at suitable prices by broadening their export horizons. He noted that Palestinian products have reached about 100 countries around the world. Mohammad Skik, who heads PalTrade in the Gaza Strip, told Al-Monitor, The agreement with Qatar will help boost the Palestinian economy. Exporting Palestinian products will bring more foreign currency to the Palestinian economy and will increase employment and create hundreds of new jobs. Palestine exports its products to many Arab, European and international markets, the most important of which are Jordan and the United States, with receive the biggest shares of Palestinian exports, especially agricultural goods, stone and marble. This agreement will be the first of several others with Qatar and the Gulf countries in general for the exportation of industrial products as well, such as stone and marble, Skik said, noting that PalTrade is seeking to enter all international markets. Qatar has played a major role in supporting the Palestinian economy by establishing development, economic, social, infrastructure and health projects in the territories, especially the Gaza Strip. All told, the projects amounted to $1 billion in investments between 2012 and 2017, according to Arabi21 news. The trade agreement between Palestine and Qatar can be seen as part of Qatars political and economic [contributions] to improve the living conditions of the Palestinians, especially in the Gaza Strip, in a bid to promote security and calm in the Palestinian territories, Mohammed Abu Jiyab, editor-in-chief of Al-Eqtisadiya newspaper in Gaza, told Al-Monitor. He explained that Qatar, with the approval of Israel, provides financial grants to Palestinians to help them cope with the deteriorating economic situation. On Oct. 10, Qatar made a $150 million grant to the Gaza Strip, $15 million of which is to be paid out over six months as salaries for Gazas government employees. This is in addition to $60 million for fuel needed to run Gazas electric company over six months. On Nov. 6, Qatar announced it would provide $100 in cash aid to each of 50,000 poor families in Gaza. It is clear that Qatars [help] isn't limited to providing financial aid because of the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories, but also aims to set the wheels of the Palestinian economy in motion by introducing Palestinian products in Qatari markets, Jiyab added. The agreement between Qatar and Palestine will also improve the Palestinian trade balance, which will boost the Palestinian economy, he said. In 2017, for the first time since 1995 Palestinian exports exceeded the $1 billion mark a 14.9% increase compared with 2016. Meanwhile, Palestinian imports reached almost $5.85 billion in 2017, according to statistics from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Palestinian exports are transported through Israel, which controls the five commercial crossings of the West Bank (Jalamah, Beituna, Tarqumiyah, Taybeh and Bissan). The goods travel inside the Israeli territories all the way to the crossings of Ben Gurion Airport and the ports of Haifa and Ashdod, and then make their way to international markets. Israels ongoing occupation of the Palestinian territories is one of the major obstacles to Palestinian exportation because of the tight Israeli security measures, screening and clearance of Palestinian goods, Jamal Jawabra, secretary-general of the Federation of Palestinian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor. He explained that containers are unloaded for manual inspections followed by X-rays and dogs. He noted that truckers are also frisked and in some cases asked to undress. Security clearance might take weeks and even months, resulting in major losses for the Palestinian merchants, especially with products with short shelf lives such as agricultural and food products, Jawabra concluded. Russian President Vladimir Putin has, so far, held off a Syrian government assault on Idlib and prevented an escalation by Israel and Syria, and by extension Iran. But keeping the peace in Syria will ultimately require deeper US-Russian coordination to manage the US troop withdrawal and prevent another round of costly bloodshed. When Moscow decided to launch a military operation in Syria in 2015, several goals were established. More than three years later, virtually all of them have been achieved, writes Fyodor Lukyanov. Radical Islamists have been crushed. President Bashar al-Assad has retained and strengthened his power. Russias regional clout has grown dramatically alongside its military and political impact on the global stage. Putins latest effort is to seize the opportunity of the withdrawal of American troops in Syria to prevent a Turkish-Syrian conflict and re-establish Syrian government control over those areas held until now by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with the support of soon-departing US forces. A Turkish ministerial delegation was in Moscow on Dec. 29 to work through the details, which will be challenging, given Turkeys preoccupation with destroying the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG), and the bad blood between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Assad. But the initial signs are good for those who consider Syrian state control of its territory as progress toward the end of the war. In the current situation, we are still supporting the integrity of Syrian soil, Erdogan said Dec. 28. These areas belong to Syria. Once the terrorist organizations leave the area, we will have nothing left to do there. While the United States may hope to leverage the new turn in US-Turkey policy to counter Iran in Syria, Washington is starting from behind, having ceded the diplomatic track to Russia until now. Lukyanov says the Astana format is a miracle in itself since it witnesses the cooperation of states that are largely distrustful of each other and have different interests in most regards. However, the Russia-Turkey-Iran triangle demonstrates a new type of partnership. The parties are united not by the desire to attain a common goal but each to achieve its own. However, each party understands that the other two make it all possible. Meanwhile, Erdogans next steps are fraught with risk and uncertainty. The Turkish government is approaching the matter cautiously, despite the self-congratulatory mood in Ankara, writes Semih Idiz. Turkey has put its planned operation in northern Syria on hold for the time being, and is cooperating with Washington to facilitate a coordinated and orderly withdrawal of US forces from the region. The question in many minds concerns the risks to Turkey that will attend Ankaras commitment to fight IS [the Islamic State] after the United States pulls out of Syria. Other developments being watched carefully in Ankara include the decision by the United Arab Emirates to reopen its embassy in Damascus, which appears to be a prelude to Assads normalizing ties with rival Arab states, adds Idiz. The UAE decision comes only a week after Sudan's Omar al-Bashir visited Assad in Damascus. There is even talk of Syria returning to the Arab League soon. The Arab League had condemned Turkeys past incursions into northern Iraq against the PKK [Kurdistan Workers Party] as a violation of Arab sovereignty. A Turkish incursion into Syria could, therefore, cause an Arab backlash. With the US pullout, Putin is even more on the spot in Israel. "Israel could not have sent a clearer signal, writes Ben Caspit. President Donald Trump might be pulling US troops from Syria, but we [Israel] are staying. We will not be deterred by Iranian threats, we will not bow our heads to Russian pressure, and we will not ignore Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allied Lebanese Hezbollah militia. Israel fully understands the complexity and volatility of the situation, adds Caspit. The airstrike attributed to Israel in the late hours of Dec. 25 does not augur well. It marks another stage in the slow but ongoing slide by all sides involved on Israel's northern front into a danger zone, where each could easily lose control and set off an all-out conflagration. We are not there yet, but if this trend continues, we might be someday. Outwardly, Israel continues to signal seeming equanimity over the speedy US pullout from Syria, but officials concede in internal discussions that the move greatly complicates things for Israel, Caspit continues. The pullout is not taking place in a vacuumWith each passing month, it becomes clearer that Russian President Vladimir Putins pledge to keep Iranian forces in Syria at least 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Israeli border is not holding water. Following the most recent IAF strike, a senior Israeli official told The Associated Press that Iranian forces had returned to 'the forbidden zone' and crossed the 80 kilometer line. Israel knows it has to keep the Russian bear as calm as possible, but it will never be able to truly trust it. Given the risks ahead, the US remains, as we wrote here in June, the missing piece in Putins Syria strategy. Syria has failed to amplify and give a boost to the US-Russian agenda, writes Lukyanov, and the constructive, albeit reluctant, interaction between the two countries' militaries seems likely to be on the wane and may even be viewed as something no longer necessary. Some American officials were taken aback by the decision of the YPG to seek support from the Syrian government to deter an attack by Turkey, according to The New York Times. We here at Al-Monitor were "taken aback" that anyone who works this issue could be "taken aback" by this development. As we wrote here last week, we have been all over this trend, including the Russian role in mediating between Syria and the Kurds, since 2016. Robert Ford, former US ambassador to Syria, picked up these trends, writing in The Washington Post last week that the United States should offer Russia cooperation in smoothing the way for a deal between the SDF and Damascus that would allow Syrian troops to return to eastern Syria in a manner that meets Turkish security concerns and gives no new space to the Islamic State. Ford, who has criticized US policy as behind the curve, had previously supported arming moderate Syrian opposition groups and advocated US talks with the radical Salafi group Ahrar Al-Sham. Larry Langford is home. The former Fairfield and Birmingham mayor, who is in failing health, arrived in an ambulance at Princeton Baptist Medical Center at 7:22 p.m. Saturday from the federal medical prison in Lexington, KY. The ambulance was escorted by two vehicles from the Birmingham Police Department containing about 10 Langford family members, and medical personnel. The family members left Birmingham at 5:30 AM Saturday and drove straight to Kentucky to meet Langford at the Albert B. Chandler Hospital. The caravan stopped twice to refuel and to replenish Langfords oxygen tanks. Hes in good spirits, Langfords wife Melva said after the ambulance arrived. Niece LeNa McDonald said, Thirty-three years ago that man brought me home from the hospital; today I got to bring him home. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell visits Larry Lanford at hospital Saturday night I have been in close touch with Mayor Langfords family. We want to make his return home to Birmingham as comfortable as possible as his family focuses on his health. We welcome him home to his beloved city and urge everyone to join us in prayers for Mayor Langford and his family, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said Saturday night. Langford, 72, was met at the hospital by several other family members, friends and supporters, including U.S. Congresswoman Terri Sewell. Langford served eight years and eight months of a 15-year sentence for bribery and corruption convictions stemming from his time on the Jefferson County Commission before a federal judge, in a ruling on Friday afternoon, reduced his sentence to time served. He now begins the 36-month term of supervised release previously imposed, which will include home confinement (if health allows) and possible electronic monitoring. Langford was convicted in October 2009 of taking about $235,000 in bribes in exchange for giving county sewer bond business to investment banker Bill Blount. He was not scheduled to be released until May 2023. In a statement Friday, the family said: "We are most appreciative of the hard work and collective efforts of the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Northern District, the offices of U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, Alabama state Sen. Bobby Singleton, Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, as well as all those who issued press releases, wrote letters, and said prayers. Langford family and friends at hospital - Langford sister-in-law Casi Ferguson, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, wife Melva Langford, attorney Tiffany Johnson, Alabama state Rep. Juandalyn Givan and niece LeNa McDonald U.S. District Court Judge Scott Coogler, who originally sentenced Langford, granted the reduction in sentence after a request by Hugh J. Hurwitz, Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons via Jay E. Town, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama. The defendant, Coogler wrote in the order, has been diagnosed with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, sickle-cell trait, plantar fascial fibromatosis, bursitis, esophageal reflux with esophagitis, dysphagia secondary to a cricopharyngeal bar and esophageal stenosis, sensorineural hearing loss, pterygium, and anemia. The defendant is considered debilitated under Federal Bureau of Prisons policy and, based upon recent deterioration in his health, his condition is considered by the Bureau of Prisons to be terminal, with a life expectancy of 18 months or less. Town, in a statement to AL.com, said that After reviewing the information provided by the Bureau of Prisons, it was our judgement that compassionate release and reduction of sentence was appropriate under these limited circumstances. Efforts to free Langford by family attorney and Birmingham native Tiffany Johnson Cole, Birmingham attorney Reginald McDaniel, Givan, who is also an attorney, and others have been in the works for several years. A recent effort to free Langford, sparked by his deteriorating health, was supported by numerous politicians, including U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, Givan and Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin. The family learned just before Christmas that Langford was in critical condition and might not survive through the week. As I have said before, justice should be fair, but merciful. I am deeply grateful to all those who heeded our renewed call for the immediate compassionate release of Mayor Larry Langford, Sewell said in a statement. The holiday season is a reminder of the importance of family, and the commutation of Mayor Langfords sentence means that our former Mayor can spend his final days at home in Alabama with loved ones. My prayers are with the whole Langford family as they reunite and provide comfort to Mayor Langford in the days and weeks ahead. Family is important, and I know that Mayor Langfords wife and so many relatives and supporters look forward to reuniting with him in Alabama, said Woodfin. I have maintained that Mayor Langford was the ideal candidate for compassionate release. Im glad that federal officials saw fit to grant his immediate release. My prayers are with him and his family. In November, the BOP denied Langford a compassionate release/reduction in sentence, despite its finding that he met the criteria for a reduction/release due to his diminished health. Due to the nature and circumstances of Mr. Langfords offense, his release at this time would minimize the severity of his offense and pose a danger to the safety of the community, wrote Ken Hyle, BOPs assistant director and general counsel. Fridays decision was a reversal of that decision. Full coverage of Larry Langford Below is a timeline provided by a Langford attorney of the history of Langfords requests to be released from prison Did you know that there are 65 million people in the world who have been forced from their homes by war, famine or disaster? What if you could help, by showing up to listen to 15 children from three small countries sing and dance and worship? On Jan. 13, at 8 a.m. and 9:15 a.m., the Children of the World Choir will perform at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Hazel Green, and give those in attendance both an inspiring performance and an opportunity to help a world crisis thats affecting millions, particularly in the Middle East, Africa and Central America. Its one of the greatest refugee crises in the history of the world, said Kayla Eshleman, the choir leader. Theres a saying in Somalia: No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark. Thats the kind of situation these people are in. The Children of the World Choir is made up of eight kids from Nepal, three from Uganda and four from the Phillipines. They are selected by the international organization World Help to spend 10 months traveling through America, singing at churches and Christian schools, raising money and bringing awareness to the refugee crisis and World Helps Refuge + Strength project. Theyve already made stops in 16 states, and will visit 11 more before they are done, including a Dec. 30 performance in at Ladonia Baptist Church Phenix City and the Jan. 13 stop in Hazel Green. What theyll see is the kids singing and dancing and a very energetic performance, and the kids sharing their stories and letting people know how they can get involved, Eshleman said. The choir sings songs worship songs in their native languages as well as in English. You might wonder, how can parents send their children away to another country for a 10-month choir tour? But, in many cases, the choir members are in childrens homes for children who have lost their parents, or whose parents cant afford to provide for them, Eshleman said. Part of the mission and ministry is to find sponsors for the refugee children at $35 per month, and all of the choir members are sponsored already. And in return for using their talents to raise awareness for the cause, the children in the choir will get something most important an education. After they finish in the program, they go on to get a scholarship to finish their education just for being part of the choir, Eshleman said. Severe weather has the potential to add a little unwelcome excitement to this New Year's Eve. The Storm Prediction Center has placed a slight risk for severe weather over parts of north and west Alabama and a marginal risk farther to the south on Monday afternoon and evening. A slight risk means scattered severe storms will be possible, and a marginal risk means isolated severe storms will be possible. The National Weather Service in Huntsville is expecting a line of strong to severe storms to move into Alabama on Monday afternoon or evening ahead of a cold front. The storms are forecast to track from west to east across the state, but they could lose some of their punch as they do. Forecasters said that damaging winds and more heavy rain will be the main concerns, but there could also be a brief tornado. The wind could also pick up on Monday morning and into afternoon ahead of the storms, with gusts up to 35 mph possible, the weather service said. There will also be a marginal threat for severe storms farther south into central Alabama, according to the National Weather Service in Birmingham. The timeframe for storms for central Alabama will be from noon until 9 p.m. Forecasters said wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph will be possible as the line of storms moves through the region. More heavy rain will also be possible. The weather service said the area of greatest concern will be along and west of a line from Selma to Clanton to Anniston. The weather service in Mobile said a few strong storms will be possible for interior southwest Alabama on Monday afternoon or evening, roughly north and west of a line from Thomasville to Wiggins, Miss. Forecasters said that instability farther south and east will likely be too low for stronger storms. And the parade of storm systems is expected to continue this week. The next system will begin to affect the state on Wednesday and could wind down with snow showers over north Alabama early Friday morning, the weather service said. It is often asserted that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 proved that HWA was right and he really did see the future. This of course is nonsense. Herbert W. Armstrong said that Christ would return within twenty years in his book Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted those words so someone in there knows HWA spoke nonsense.) How convenient for them to forget this. Also Herbert W. Armstrong never said the Soviet Union would collapse. He thought it would survive intact until a few years after Christ's return. It shows how biased some many in the COGs are that they never seem to notice this. This inconvenient truth is just tossed into the memory hole. It is true that HWA said that some Eastern European states would break away from Moscow's orbit and join the European Empire he said would arise at any moment. But he never talked of the Soviet Union collapsing. He did not teach that. Also he portrayed the rise of the European Empire to be far quicker then what has actually happened. In Mystery of the Ages Christ was supposed to return by 2005 at the most. So assertions that the fall of the Berlin Wall somehow prove that HWA was right is just complete nonsense spread by people who, for whatever reason, are still in denial that HWA was a false prophet who merely talked out of his own "human reasoning". An Alabama prison inmate was stabbed to death inside the lockup and another prisoner is suspected in the killing. The slaying happened Saturday afternoon at the St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville. Killed was 24-year-old Terrance Andrews. Prison spokesman Bob Horton said a fight broke out between two inmates about 3:30 p.m. Saturday inside a prison housing area. Correctional officers found Andrews unresponsive with multiple stab wounds. He was taken to the prisons infirmary where he was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m. Cedric Leshawn Davis Prison officials have identified inmate Cedric Leshawn Davis, 35, as a suspect in Andrews death. Davis is serving a life sentence for a 2006 murder conviction in Baldwin County. Andrews was serving a 25-year sentence on a 2013 first-degree robbery in Mobile County. A murder charge against Davis is pending. The ADOC is investigating the homicide to determine the circumstances that led to the fatal incident. Around ten years ago, I interviewed three clergywomen in Dothan, Alabama, for a regional lifestyle magazine. All three were warm, intelligent women with interesting stories of how they came to serve their faith communities in these roles. As I questioned sharp, witty Rabbi Lynn Goldsmith about her experiences leading the only temple in our area, she was transparent about one frustration. It rankled her when, at community-wide interfaith events, Christian pastors sometimes prayed in Jesus name. She said those three little words made Jews feel excluded from the communal prayer experience. Why, she asked rhetorically, couldnt we just pray to Almighty God when we were gathered with other Abrahamic faith groups? I didnt respond to her concern for two reasons: I dont speak for all Christians, and I was there on that day as a journalist. My job was to learn about her experience and present it to our readers. But in the weeks and months after that interview, I continued to ponder whether her criticism was fair, or if she was asking too much. We Gentiles dont come into the world assuming a covenant relationship with God by virtue of our lineage. The Rabbi experiences God as part of the tree of Abraham. Im a shoot grafted on by Jesus. (Romans 11: 17-24) I believe that Jesus Christ is the only means through which I can approach the Almighty in prayer. Its his sacrifice that redeemed me and allows me to engage in relationship with God. So when I pray in Jesus name, Im not trying to exclude anybody. Im just acknowledging how an orphan like me snuck in the back door. Thats what is in my heart. Dothan was pushed into the spotlight in 2009, when local businessman Larry Blumberg started an initiative to bolster our dwindling Jewish population. Mr. Blumberga man of considerable means and lifelong member of Dothans Temple Emanu-Eloffered to pay up to $50,000 each to Jewish families willing to relocate to the Wiregrass. All he asked was that they become active members of Temple Emanu-El and stay a minimum of three years. Eleven families took Mr. Blumberg up on his offer, but most have since left, according to an article in Wednesday's edition of The Washington Post profiling one of the remaining transplant couples. The couple, Lisa and Kenny Priddle, say they are weary from attempting to be Jewish in a sea of Evangelical Christians, and are considering moving back home to New York. As I read about their experience, I was reminded of my conversation with the Rabbi years ago. Lisa Priddle made mention of an incident where a coworker at a Dothan hospital offered a prayer at an office celebration in Lisas honor in Jesus name. She didn't appreciate it. We will never know what exactly Lisas coworker was thinking when she prayed for her Jewish friend that way. Was it completely innocentone of those auto-pilot prayers where you hit the high points and wrap it up in Jesus name out of rote habit? Or did she love Lisa and think this was an ideal time to not-so-subtly evangelize her? (It wasnt.) We just dont know. Sadly, the the Priddles feel as though they have experienced shades of discrimination in Dothan. I genuinely hate that. Its interesting to note, however, that in an interview upon her retirement from Temple Emanu-El, Rabbi Lynn did not characterize her decade as a member of our religious minority that way. She acknowledges that a few of our Lower Alabama types called the temple to try and convert her over the years, but it seems that she sees this for what it is: enthusiasm born out of conviction and love, which is pretty much the opposite of hate, even if annoying. I hope that she came to see the distinctly Christian interfaith prayers that way, too: born out of love for Jesus rather than hatred or lack of regard for non-Christians. Awkward? Yes. Anti-Semitic? Doubtful. I love the Temple Emanu-El folks Ive been privileged to know in my 22 years as a Dothanite. They brought me casseroles and baby gifts when I had my children. Theyve welcomed me into their sacred space for neighbor night to watch Shabbat services and ask questions, no matter how dumb. Many of them, like Mr. Blumberg, are respected pillars of the community whose families built this town from the ground up. I want everyone to have a personal relationship with Christ. I sincerely believe that hes the answer for us all. But I also believe that the best testimony I can offer my Jewish friends (and my cultural Christian friends, and my religiously unaffiliated friends) is to love them well and show them respect, and allow God to work in our midst to illuminate truth. Is that an evangelistic cop-out? I dont think so. I think some of us just evangelize with a surgical knife rather than a sledgehammer. Some with a crockpot rather than a blow torch. I hope the Priddles decide to stay in Dothan. I think their doing so may rest on their ability to recognize that living out Judaism in the Bible Belt will never look and feel like it does on the East Coast. But that doesnt make it bad. Sometimes you have to build a history with folks to develop trust and authentic community. That takes time, but its time well spent. The US president will face a number of legal and legislative challenges that will make his job a lot harder. 2019 is not looking good for US President Donald Trump. He will be challenged in court and in Congress and his presidency, along with his 2020 bid, will suffer as a result. Trumps multiplying lawsuits If you like binge-watching legal, crime, and conspiracy shows on TV, stay tuned to your favourite news channel in the new year. The trials of Trump will top them all. The investigations and lawsuits target campaign violations, tax fraud, self-dealing, commercial fraud, violations of the emoluments clauses forbidding foreign gifts, conspiracies, and obstruction of justice, with more to be revealed. They come from multiple directions: Robert Mueller, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, the attorney general of the State of New York, possibly the New York State Department of Finance and Taxation, the attorney generals of Maryland and Washington, DC, consumers who bought into enterprises promoted by the Trump family, a porn star and a Playboy model, protesters in Iowa who were assaulted after Trump yelled knock the crap out of [disrupters], and from one of the men facing criminal charges from the attack because he relied on Trump following that up with I promise you I will pay for the legal fees. In the last two years, the Republican majority has prevented any real investigations of Trump in Congress. In January, however, theyll be reduced to an impotent minority that can only whine and moan. Adam Schiff, who will head the Intelligence Committee, recently said, All the arguments the Justice Department made about Michael Cohen that the rich and powerful shouldnt play by a different set of rules as average people applies with equal force to the president of the United States. That makes the attitude of the incoming majority very clear. There are legal actions against the Trump Organization, the Trump Foundation, against Donald Trump, personally, three of his children Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka and his son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump will do his best to hide behind the theory that a sitting president cannot be indicted. That will be challenged. It will go to the Supreme Court, possibly more than once. As he already knows, his cronies and associates have no such protection. Mueller, and everyone else, is moving up the chain. The three heirs and the son-in-law will almost certainly be indicted. The conventional wisdom is that Trump will use his pardon powers to protect them and that he will also, at that point, have a breakdown. However, it would be far more in character for him to put his own survival first and pressure them not to flip and not to rat, and hang them out to dry. There will be cries for impeachment. Impeachment by the House is the equivalent of an indictment. The trial takes place in the Senate and requires a two-thirds majority to remove the offender. At the moment, it seems impossible any Republicans would break rank, let alone the 19 that would be necessary even if all 47 Democrats stood solidly to convict. Thats the drama. It will make compelling television, indeed. What of substance? The Obamacare challenge Democrats will fight to protect Obamacare. Trump, individually, and the party, collectively, swore to not merely remove it, but to replace it. The replacement they swore would be better and cheaper and less governmental. That was, and remains, a promise that cant be kept. The only way to provide better outcomes at less cost is to make it more governmental. To say otherwise is to deny the evidence of all the healthcare systems around the rest of the world as well as private vs public (Medicare and Medicaid) systems domestically. Furthermore, at least some of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed under the Obama administration have become very popular, most notably the requirement that insurers cover people regardless of prior conditions. During the mid-terms a host of Republicans swore they had supported that protection even when they had done all they could to gut it and they would continue to do so without saying how, since there is no way short of supporting the ACA or a system thats even more socialistic than Medicare for All. Many Republicans will continue to attack Obamacare rhetorically. But the number of red-state government trying to block it and diminish will decrease, if only because the number of states under Republican control is declining. Democrats in the House will try to improve and expand it. In 2016, Senator Bernie Sanders moved Medicare for All from a fringe concept to a legitimate subject for debate. Several contenders for the partys 2020 presidential nomination will take the same position. Congressional Democrats will introduce bills that go in that direction. At some point, one of those people will explain that increasing public health systems is not increasing costs, it is moving costs. Since Americans spend about $10,000 per capita on mostly private insurance, and spending in comparable advanced countries with national health is about half that, moving the spending should actually reduce the burden. Republican control of the Senate and the presidency will keep those ideas from being implemented in the next two years, but the rhetoric from an increasing number of credentialed people will pave the way for a true national health system to become a reality. Immigration: The only trump card left Trump will continue to push for The Wall, but he wont get it. Theres nothing he can offer in return that would make the Democrats accept it. Everyone is so convinced that its dead, that using private money raised by crowdfunding has been promoted online and floated on Fox News. It wouldnt be legal and wouldnt overcome the host of legal lawsuits that already complicate putting up a wall. And its a far cry from having Mexico pay for it. Trump will continue to campaign against immigrants as if the Zombie Apocalypse is coming from Central America. Its what he started with as he descended that famous escalator surrounded by a hired throng. Its what he always goes to whenever other things fail. Hell attack birthright citizenship. But its in the constitution. He will continue to promote the culture of cruelty separating families and letting children die as a disincentive. What a gift that will be to congressional committees controlled by Democrats and all those wannabe presidential candidates. He may deploy more troops, but there are legal limits to what they can do; elements of the military dont like it, and the far right, which so desperately fears the power of the federal government, may even turn against it. Is it possible that Trump will launch a Wag the Dog military event in order to be a heroic war president, as President George W Bush did? The intelligence community and the military the deep state will slow him down, as they were probably prepared to do with Richard Nixon. The legislature may resist him. Theres already a movement in the Senate to take war powers away from him. Where will Trump go with foreign policy generally? Ask Vladimir Putin. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The delay is to allow time to fix problems that surfaced in Octobers parliamentary polls, electoral official says. An Afghan official has said that presidential elections, which were originally scheduled for coming April, will be held on July 20 next year. The polls were postponed to allow time to fix technical problems that surfaced during Octobers parliamentary elections, deputy spokesperson for the Independent Election Commission Abdul Aziz Ibrahimi reminded on Sunday. More time is needed to verify voter lists and to train election workers on a biometric identification system, aimed at reducing fraud. Parliamentary elections were overwhelmed by delays after the few staff trained on the biometric system did not show up at the polling booths and countless registered voters could not find their names on voter lists. Polling booths opened up hours late, forcing the second day of voting. Several legal complaints have been filed challenging the results, with many polling results still not announced. Controversy in 2014 The last presidential election, held in 2014, was also mired in controversy and widespread allegations of fraud. Officials want to avoid a repeat in 2019. In the 2014 polls, the two leading candidates, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, fought a tight race that went to a second vote. 181018102716970 However, before the results of the runoff could be announced, Abdullah alleged massive vote fraud and warned of widespread protests. John Kerry, the then US secretary of state, interceded and helped cobble together a unity government and convinced the election commission to hold off on announcing the results of the runoff, which Ghani seemed poised to win. Ghani was named the president and Abdullah was given a newly created title of chief executive. The arrangement was intended to last only two years but has continued up to the present, resulting in a government marked by deep divisions that has struggled to combat the Taliban. Vote counting begins across Bangladesh as death toll from election-related violence climbs to 17. Dhaka, Bangladesh Vote counting was under way on Sunday after Bangladeshis cast their ballots in general elections marred by deadly violence and accusations of irregularities. At least 17 people were killed in election-related violence in various parts of the South Asian country, a police spokesperson said. But the capital, Dhaka remained relatively calm. The Daily Star, the leading English-language newspaper, said the deaths occurred mostly because of clashes between supporters of the ruling Awami League and the opposition Jatiya Oikya Front. Two people were killed during attacks in south-eastern Chittagong and western Rajshahi, the paper reported. One man who tried to steal a ballot box was shot dead by the police in central Cumilla, while another was killed in a fight in the same district, the paper said. One death was reported in each of the following districts; Dinajpur, Rangamati, Coxs Bazar, Bogura, Gazipur, and Sylhet. The Daily Star said a member of a law enforcement agency was killed in south-eastern Noakhali. Mobile internet was shut down and more than 600,000 security personnel were deployed across the country in a bid to check violence following a bloody campaign. But fears of violence kept voters away from the polling stations, according to local media. Allegations of rigging About 104 million people were registered to vote in the countrys 11th general election. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League hopes to win the vote on the back of rapid economic development during her 10-year rule. The opposition Jatiya Oikya Front has accused Hasinas Awami League of vote rigging. We are getting disturbing reports outside Dhaka that overnight votes have been cast illegally, said Kamal Hossain, who leads the alliance. More than 40 opposition candidates pulled out of the election after polls opened, citing vote rigging and ballot stuffing, according to the Daily Star. Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, the joint general-secretary of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), the main party in the opposition alliance, called the election a mockery. But Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general-secretary of the ruling party, said he was satisfied with Sundays vote. We are happy with the way the vote turned out. I believe Awami League will gain an absolute victory, he said. The elections commission, which has yet to announce the voter turnout rate, said it would investigate allegations of vote rigging. Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation, SM Asaduzzaman, the spokesman of the elections commission said. If we get any confirmation from our own channels then measures will be taken as per rules. Abdul Malik, secretary at the Ministry of Information, said the election was held peacefully and successfully. He added: Results will be announced in collaboration with the election commission. The Awami League needs 151 seats in the 300-seat parliament to form a government. If Hasinas party wins, she will be taking office for a record fourth time. The opposition claimed thousands of its activists were arrested in the lead up to the polls. Minister says internal and external actors were responsible for threats to President Ivan Duques life. Colombias foreign minister condemned an alleged plot to kill President Ivan Duque on Saturday and said three Venezuelan citizens had been arrested in possession of weapons. With immense concern and the utmost condemnation, I want to inform the international community that, in effect, for several months, there have been intelligence probes into possible attacks against the life of the president, Carlos Holmes Trujillo said in a video posted on the ministrys social media accounts. He added without elaborating that three Venezuelans in possession of weapons of war had been arrested in connection with such plots and appealed to Colombians to share any information they have that could affect Duques safety, before thanking unnamed foreign intelligence agencies for helping to protect the president. In a separate statement, Trujillo said that the threats came from internal and external actors. ATENCION: Rechazo energicamente posibles atentados contra la vida del Presidente @IvanDuque pic.twitter.com/wWCyW1E7Po Carlos Holmes Trujillo (@CarlosHolmesTru) December 30, 2018 TRANSLATION: ATTENTION: I strongly reject possible attacks on the life of President Ivan Duque Blu Radio, based in the Colombian capital, Bogota, reported that the Venezuelans were arrested in the northern Caribbean cities of Valledupar and Barranquilla this month and had in their possession an assault rifle with a telescopic sight, a 9mm mini-Uzi submachine gun, ammunition and a stun grenade. Citing sources it did not identify, Blu said any alleged plot would have likely had the support of Colombian left-wing armed groups, whom Duque has vowed to clamp down on. Regional rivals The announcements came amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours following the mutual expulsion of officials from both countries and the presence earlier this month of Russian long-range bombers in Venezuela. Duque Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros harshest regional critic has urged countries that defend democracy not to recognise Maduros government, which he calls a dictatorship. 180327150648624 Colombia is one of seven countries that have presented an unprecedented petition to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in September to investigate Maduro for crimes against humanity. It is the first time ICC member countries have asked for a probe into a fellow member. The investigation was initially proposed by Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay and Peru, with Canada and France later adding their support. Maduro, who has not commented publicly on the arrests, will begin his second six-year term on January 10 after winning a controversial election in May, which was slammed as illegitimate by political opponents, the European Union, the United States and the majority of Latin America. He has previously accused Colombia, the US and the incoming government of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil of plotting a coup in Venezuela and seeking to assassinate him, he has also called Duque a devil who hates Venezuela. 180914083345729 In September, the New York Times reported that Trump administration officials had held secret meetings with Venezuelan military officers to discuss plans to overthrow Maduro. Trump had said that month that all options are on the table for dealing with Maduro. Duques government, however, has refused to back a military intervention in Venezuela, with which it shares a 2,220km border. Colombia is the main destination for Venezuelan migrants and refugees, having accepted more than one million people fleeing food and medicine shortages and a spiralling economic crisis. According to the United Nations, about 2.3 million people have left Venezuela since the crisis began in 2015. Syrian state media says Iraqi forces can now attack ISIL targets inside Syria without getting approval from Damascus. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has authorised Iraqi forces to attack ISIL targets inside his country without waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, Syrian state news agency SANA said. The development comes as the two neighbours, who are also both allied with Iran, work to coordinate their fight against rival groups ahead of a planned US military withdrawal from Syria. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group declared a caliphate in 2014 after seizing large swaths of Syria and Iraq, establishing its de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa. 181223131305616 However, the group has lost all of its strongholds and the vast majority of the territory it controlled since then, although thousands of its armed members are thought to remain in war-battered Syria. Iraqi warplanes and artillery have pounded ISIL positions inside Syria in the past, after getting the green light from Syrian authorities. The group has been defeated in Iraq but still holds a small area in Syria close to the Iraqi border. On Saturday, al-Assad received a letter from Iraqs Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi calling for both countries coordination in fighting terrorism, SANA said. 181228092705808 President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that the US will withdraw all of its 2,000 forces in Syria. The US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which fought in the forefront of the battle against ISIL, has expressed concerns that the US plans to withdraw forces could lead to the revival of the armed group, saying that they had not been defeated yet in Syria. The SDF said the fight against the group was at a decisive stage that requires even more support from the US-led coalition against it. Economic deal Separately, in Tehran, Iran and Syria signed on Sunday a long-term strategic and economic agreement as the war winds down in the latter. Syrias SANA news agency quoted Syrian Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Mohammed Samer al-Khalil, who signed the agreement, as saying that the deal includes full cooperation on the financial and banking levels. 181222114949131 Al-Khalil said that priority in the reconstruction of Syria will be given to Iranian public and private companies, according to SANAs report. The Syrian government estimates reconstruction of the war-torn country will cost some $200bn and last 15 years. Iran and Russia have been the main backers of al-Assads government since the crisis began nearly eight years ago. The Syrian government has gained control of large parts of the country with the help of Iran and Russia and some Arab countries, including the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, have reopened their embassies in Damascus. Voting in three cities delayed by electoral commission until March 2019 over Ebola outbreak and ethnic violence. Kinshasa, DRC An armed militia overrun several polling stations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as millions voted to elect a new president. Mai Mai fighters attacked voting stations in six townships in Lubero town in North Kivu province, forcing voters to cast ballots for a candidate of their choice, a local government official told Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, in South Kivu, a police officer and a civilian were killed following allegations of voter fraud at a polling station in Walungu. Voting started slowly on Sunday due to heavy rains but long queues marked the later part of the polling day. In the capital, Kinshasa, there were long delays at several polling stations due to lack of voting machines. The electoral body had said on Wednesday 20 percent of the polling stations in Kinshasa would not open due to the lack of voting machines after a fire destroyed one of its main warehouses in the city. The city is home to about 15 percent of the Central African countrys registered electorates. In Bumbu municipality in Kinshasa, only 10 out of the 12 polling stations were opened for voting, leaving many voters frustrated. Dozens of other voters could not find their names on the voting register. I have looked through all the lists and my name is not appearing on any of them. Im very disappointed as I wanted to cast my vote for the candidate who will change things here. I wonder why are they complicating things. I need to vote but now Im not allowed to, Nicoles Manebo, a 50-year-old nurse, told Al Jazeera. Analysts said more should have been done to prepare voters to use the machines which have been deployed for the first time in the country. Many voters have never seen such a tool before they went into the polling booth. It was a big problem for many voters I saw today. This will, of course, affect their voting experience in one way or another, Gode Kadima, a political analyst, told Al Jazeera. More than 46 million Congolese registered to take part in the election which has been repeatedly delayed since 2016. As many as 21 candidates are competing to succeed Kabila, who came to power following the assassination of his father in 2001. Meanwhile, voting did not take place in three opposition strongholds with at least 1.2 million registered voters. The electoral commission (CENI), earlier this week, said it was delaying voting in the eastern cities of Beni and Butembo in North Kivu until March next year because of the ongoing Ebola outbreak which has claimed more than 330 lives. CENI also said voting will take place in March next year in Yumbi in the western Bandundu province because of ethnic violence. More than 100 people have been killed in the area since the start of this month. On Sunday, security forces fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Goma, North Kivu province headquarters, unhappy with the postponement of the vote in the two cities. Meanwhile, the powerful Catholic Church said 846 polling stations have been put up in prohibited places such as police and military posts. The church, which sent more than 40,000 observers across the country, said voting machine in 544 out of the 12,300 voting places it monitored were not functioning. DRC, a mineral-rich country of 80 million people in central Africa home to more than 60 percent of the worlds cobalt, has never had a peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Voters are also electing representatives for the national and provincial assemblies. Preliminary results are expected on January 6, while the official results of the presidential polls will be announced on January 15. 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Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe More than 46 million Congolese have registered to elect the successor to President Joseph Kabila. Kinshasa, DRC Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is heading to the polls on Sunday in long-delayed elections, two years after they were first scheduled to be held. Voting stations opened at 5am (04:00 GMT) and will close at 5pm (16:00 GMT). There were only small queues of voters in the capital, Kinshasa, as heavy rain kept many from casting their ballot in the early hours of the election. After casting his vote in Bumbu municipality in the capital, Peter Ekoto, 47, told Al Jazeera that the voting procedure was straightforward. It was an easy process. I thought it will be a complicated but it was not. It took me less than a minute. This election is the quickest and the most smooth I have seen, Ekoto, a humanitarian worker, said as heavy rain poured down. Democratic Republic of Congos President Joseph Kabila casts his vote at a polling station in Kinshasa [Baz Ratner/Reuters] More than 46 million Congolese have registered to elect the successor to President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the central African country for 17 years. As many as 21 candidates are competing to succeed Kabila, who came to power following the assassination of his father in 2001. The outgoing president, his chosen successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, and leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu all cast their ballots in the same polling station in Kinshasa. Martin Fayulu, Congolese joint opposition Presidential candidate, casts his vote at a polling station in Kinshasa [Baz Ratner/Reuters] Shadary said he was confident of a victory in this election. As of tonight, I am certain that I will be the president of the republic, he told reporters. Fayulu, meanwhile, said Sundays vote marked the end of Kabilas rule. By this vote, we sign not only the end of the misery of the Congolese people, but also the insecurity of our people. We aspire to change and it is that change we must bring through this election, he added. The electoral commission said official results of the presidential poll will be announced on January 15. Electronic voting In Kinshasa, home to four million voters, 20 percent of the polling stations did not open due to a lack of electronic voting machines. Earlier this month, one of the electoral commissions main warehouses in the city was burned down, destroying more than two-thirds of the voting machines allocated for the city. A man displays ink on his hand after casting his vote at a polling station in Kinshasa [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera] Sundays vote marks the first time electronic voting systems are being used, and some opposition figures and international observers have expressed concern, saying the machines are more vulnerable to vote-rigging than traditional ballots. Micheline Kabund, a 47-year-old teacher, said she found the machines easy to use. But I dont know what is inside the machine. If the result comes out like we voted then change will come. I hope the machines are not manipulated, she said at a voting centre in Kinshasas Bumbu district. Meanwhile, Blandine Kiemba, also a teacher, said electronic voting would be complicated and difficult for those who do not know how to read or use a computer. The machine is quick and easy to use if you know how to read, she said. In Bumbu, only 10 out 12 polling stations had opened, and more than a dozen voters said they were unable to vote because they could not find their names on the register. Blandine Kiemba said electronic voting will be difficult for people who do not know how to read [Hamza Mohamed/Al Jazeera] Aristote Zenga, a 25-year-old driver, said he had registered to vote but could not find his name on the voters lists. Im feeling very bad about this, he said. It is my first time trying to vote. Voting is not taking place in at least three cities, where more than one million registered voters live. Last Wednesday, the electoral commission (CENI) said it postponed the presidential and parliamentary polls in the three cities because of concerns over Ebola outbreak and ethnic violence. Voting in Beni and Betumbo in the eastern North Kivu province has been delayed until March next year, due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak which has killed more than 330 people. Voting in the western city of Yumbi in Bandundu province will also take place in March next year owing to ethnic violence that claimed the lives of at least 100 people this month. The DRC, a country of more than 80 million people, has not seen a peaceful transition of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Dhaka, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League (AL) party has won Bangladeshs parliamentary vote, the countrys election commission has announced, after the main opposition alliance rejected the violence-marred polls. Three-hundred seats were up for grabs in the 350-member parliament, or Jatiya Sangshad, in Sundays elections.Another 50 seats are reserved for women. An AL-led coalition won a massive 288 seats, while the main opposition alliance dominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured just six. 181228093827764 In the last elections four years ago, which were boycotted by the BNP, the AL had won 234 seats. A party needs 151 seats to form a government. My congratulations to the Awami League, Helal Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the Election Commission Secretariat, said in a televised address as he read the results. Bangladeshs ruling party had surged ahead within hours of the counting of the votes an outcome the Jatiya Oikya Front, the BNP-led opposition alliance had feared. In a hurriedly called news conference earlier on Sunday night, the leader of the Jatiya Oikya Front dubbed the election farcical. 181230200747512 We reject the farcical election and want the election commission to hold a fresh election under a non-partisan administration, said Kamal Hossain, an 82-year-old jurist who wrote the countrys secular constitution. Fourth term Hasina, who has headed the AL since 1981, went into the polls on the back of a decade of impressive GDP growth and booming garment exports. Bangladesh is the worlds second-largest exporter of garments after China. The 71-year-old leader is set for a record fourth term in office in the South Asian Muslim-majority nation of 160 million. The sheer scale of the victory, as of now, reveals the nature and scale of the rigging. It cannot be described as the verdict of the voters. Ali Riaz, professor at Illinois University She has been applauded for hosting nearly one million Rohingya refugees who took shelter in Bangladesh after fleeing a brutal military offensive in neighbouring Myanmar. But critics have accused Hasina of authoritarianism and crippling the opposition. Her bitter political rival and leader of the BNP, Khaleda Zia, 73, is serving a 17-year jail term for corruption. Opposition alliance accused Hasinas party of using stuffed ballot boxes [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera] Voting in the capital, Dhaka, was largely peaceful as convoys of soldiers and paramilitary forces were on the streets, where most traffic was banned. At least 17 people were killed across the country in clashes between members of rival parties on Sunday despite the deployment of around 600,000 security personnel to prevent violence. More than 40 opposition candidates pulled out of the election after polls opened, citing vote-rigging and ballot-stuffing, according to the Daily Star. The opposition claimed thousands of its activists were arrested in the lead-up to the polls. We are getting disturbing reports outside Dhaka that overnight votes have been cast illegally, said Hossain of Jatiya Oikya Front. A travesty of an election Ali Riaz, professor at the department of politics and government at Illinois State University in the US, said: It was a travesty of an election. What happened throughout the country, polling centre by centre, from driving out the polling agents to ballot stuffing, cant be called an election, let alone a credible election. The sheer scale of the victory, as of now, reveals the nature and scale of the rigging. It cannot be described as the verdict of the voters, Riaz told Al Jazeera over the phone. 181226193113181 The elections commission said it would investigate allegations of vote rigging. Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation, SM Asaduzzaman, spokesperson for the elections commission told Reuters news agency. If we get any confirmation from our own channels then measures will be taken as per rules. Later, the election commission suspended voting at 22 centres across the country. Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, joint secretary-general of the BNP, the main party in the opposition alliance, called the election a mockery. But Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint secretary-general of the ruling party, said he was satisfied with Sundays vote. We are happy with the way the vote turned out. I believe Awami League will gain an absolute victory, he said. About 104 million people were registered to vote in the countrys 11th general election. Additional reporting by Saqib Sarker from Dhaka Two days of torrential rain in northern Syria caused major flooding in Idlib and Aleppo. Thousands of families displaced by years of war in Syria are being displaced again. Two days of torrential rainfall in the countrys northern region caused major flooding in refugee camps in Idlib and Aleppo. The affected occupants stared helplessly as their flimsy tents and makeshift shelters were washed away. Aid groups have appealed for international help. Al Jazeeras Mohamad Elbardicy reports. Number of migrants making the risky crossing from France to UK in small boats since October continues to rise. Six Iranian men have been found on a beach in southeastern England, according to British officials, as the number of migrants making crossings of the English Channel in small boats from France continues to rise. The United Kingdoms Home Office said on Sunday the men had been given medical checks and turned over to immigration officials for processing. Border Force officials were called on Sunday morning after the men were found on a beach in Kent with a rigid-hulled inflatable boat. In another recent incident, eight Iranian men were spotted in a small boat near the busy port of Dover on Friday and brought ashore for medical assessments and immigration interviews. About six hours earlier, border officials detained a Syrian and three Iranians encountered on a dinghy in a nearby area. French authorities rescued eight migrants off the port of Calais [Marine Nationale via AP] On Thursday, 23 Iranians were discovered in three locations in Kent. On Tuesday, French authorities rescued eight migrants, including two children, after their engine failed off the port of Calais as they tried to make a similar crossing. British Home Secretary Sajid Javid on Friday called the crossings a major incident and reached out to French officials for more coordination. He has appointed a commander to oversee the response to the incidents and asked for daily updates. Javid is also assessing whether to deploy additional border enforcement vessels in the Channel amid fears that incidents such as these could encourage more people to try to make the crossing. The crossing is risky because of rough seas and a high volume of commercial and ferry traffic. Hayemin Hehadash, or New Right, will be a partnership between right-wing secular and religious politicians. Two Israeli ministers have announced their split from the religious-nationalist Jewish Home party and have set up a new right-wing faction that they say will be a partnership between secular and religious politicians. Naftali Bennett, the minister of education, and Ayelet Shaked, the justice minister, announced their new party, Hayemin Hehadash or New Right, in a news conference in Tel Aviv on Sunday and vowed to take votes away from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus right-wing Likud party. According to The Jerusalem Post, the New Right will alternate between religious and secular candidates on its list. We did not succeed in Bayit Yehudi in raising the banner of real partnership between religious and secular, Shaked said, using the Hebrew name for Jewish Home. Well regain Knesset seats that have slipped from the Likud to the left to parties that claim to be right-wing but are in fact left, she said. The party will strengthen the right. The ministers said that while Jewish Home had become a significant force in government over the past six years, their power had waned. We greatly appreciate Netanyahu and his contributions over the years to Israel but the real right, the whole nationalist camp, cannot be captives of one person, Bennett said. With Hayemin Hehadash, Israel is winning again. The party will firmly oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, he continued. I want to be very very clear, he said. The New Right party is right-wing, no buts and no sort-ofs. In favour of the Land of Israel without compromise, against a Palestinian state, period. He also added that the New Right party would not have allowed the Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip 13 years ago. Last week, Netanyahu announced new elections would be held on April 9 next year. In a statement, his Likud party warned that by splintering the right, Bennett and Shaked had not learned the lessons of the lost 1992 election that led to the Oslo peace process disaster. The only solution for the right to remain in power is to vote for the Likud party led by Netanyahu, the statement said. Minister Jumana Ghuneimat was pictured last week stepping on Israeli flag when entering trade union complex in Amman. Israel says it has filed a complaint to Jordan over a picture of a Jordanian government minister stepping on an image of the Israeli flag. Jumana Ghuneimat, minister of state for information, was pictured last week stepping on the flag design when entering a meeting at a trade union complex in Amman. Footprints were also printed on the flag design. The image of the flag has been affixed to the floor at the entrance to the complex for several years to protest against Israels occupation of the Palestinian territories and Jordans normalised ties with Israel, union officials say. Israel called Jordans ambassador in for clarifications on Sunday, the foreign ministry said. Ghuneimat has not yet responded to the controversy [Anfre Pain/EPA] Majed Qatarneh, spokesman of Jordans Foreign Ministry, confirmed that Israel had sought clarifications over the incident and the ministry was handling the issue through diplomatic channels. The Israeli side was informed that the building is a private one and the minister entered it from the main entrance for an official meeting, he said. We have emphasised that we respect the peace treaty with Israel. Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz was reported to have entered the building through a side door. Israel and Jordan signed a peace agreement in 1994, but relations have often been frosty amid differences over Israeli policies in Jerusalem, where Jordan is a custodian of Muslim sites, and over the Palestine issue. The only other Arab state to have diplomatic relations with Israel is Egypt. Kims letter comes days before he is expected to announce major policy decisions and goals in a New Years speech. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in asking for talks in the new year, according to Moons office. The Blue House said that Kim expressed regret that he couldnt make a planned visit to Seoul, South Koreas capital, by the end of December, as pledged by the leaders during their last summit in September in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. Chairman Kim expressed a strong willingness to visit Seoul as he monitors the situation, South Korean Presidential Spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters in a televised briefing on Sunday. Kim also stated that he is willing to meet often with President Moon in 2019 to advance discussions of the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and to resolve together the issue of denuclearising the Korean Peninsula, said Kim Eui-kyeom. 181213140846077 Kim and Moon met three times in 2018 and have made a series of goodwill gestures as well as vowing to resume economic cooperation when possible. The rivals have also taken steps to reduce their conventional military threat, such as removing mines and firearms from the border village of Panmunjom, destroying some front-line guard posts and creating buffer zones along their land and sea boundaries and a no-fly zone above the border. Chairman Kim said that the leaders by meeting three times in a single year and implementing bold measures to overcome the long period of conflict lifted our (Korean) nation from military tension and war fears, Kim Eui-kyeom said. Committing to denuclearisation The letter comes days before Kim Jong Un is expected to address North Koreans in a New Years speech that the countrys leaders traditionally use to announce major policy decisions and goals. Last year, Kim used his speech to initiate diplomacy with Seoul and Washington, which led to his meetings with Moon and an historic June summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore. 181013073434764 In these meetings, Kim signed on to vague statements calling for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing when or how this would be achieved. Post-summit nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang quickly settled into a stalemate as the countries struggled between the sequencing of North Koreas disarmament and the removal of US-led international sanctions against North Korea. Doubts remain as to whether Kim will voluntarily relinquish North Koreas nuclear weapons, which are considered an important bargaining chip for the cash-strapped country. Prosecution asks for terrorism probe of suspects linked to beheading of two female tourists in Atlas Mountains. Fifteen people suspected of links to the murder of two Scandinavian women in the Atlas Mountains have appeared before a judge in Morocco. The attorney generals office in Rabat said in a statement on Sunday that the prosecution requested the investigation of the suspects for setting up a gang to prepare and commit terrorist acts, premeditated attacks on life and advocating for terrorism. The statement said seven other detainees would be referred to the prosecution in the coming days. It was unclear whether the suspects, who were brought to the Court of First Instance in Sale, near Rabat, in a convoy of four police vans amid tight security, included a Swiss-Spanish man arrested in Marrakesh on Saturday. The two students Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, of Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, of Norway were found beheaded on December 17 near the village of Imlil, en route to Toubkal, North Africas highest peak and a popular hiking and trekking destination. Terrorist act Moroccan authorities have arrested about 20 people over their alleged links to the double murder, labelled a terrorist act by Rabat. Among those arrested was the Swiss-Spanish man living in Morocco who allegedly had links to some of the suspects, teaching them social media skills and archery. He subscribed to extremist ideology, according to Moroccos central office for judicial investigations. The killings have shaken Norway, Denmark and Morocco [Screenshot Reuters TV] It said the man was also suspected of involvement in recruiting Moroccans and sub-Saharan Africans for terrorist schemes targeted at foreign interests and security forces. The four main suspects were arrested in Marrakesh. They belonged to a cell inspired by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) armed group, Moroccos counterterrorism chief Abdelhak Khiam told AFP news agency. However, none of the four had contact with ISIL members in Syria or Iraq, he said. Pledge of allegiance The head of the suspected cell is 25-year-old street vendor Abdessamad Ejjoud, according to investigators. He was identified in a video in which the four main suspects pledged allegiance to ISIL leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to authorities. The killings have shaken Norway, Denmark and Morocco. Another video circulated on social media networks allegedly showed the murder of one of the tourists. Morocco, which relies heavily on tourism income, suffered an attack in 2011, when a bomb blast at a cafe in Marrakeshs Jamaa El Fna Square killed 17 people, mostly European tourists. An attack in the North African states financial capital Casablanca killed 33 people in 2003. Authorities say suspect is involved in recruiting Moroccans and sub-Saharans to carry out attacks. Moroccan authorities have arrested a Swiss national in connection with the killing of two Scandinavian women as part of an ongoing investigation, Moroccos Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said. The two tourists, Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, of Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, of Norway, were found dead early on December 17, 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. The man arrested on Saturday, who has not been named, is also suspected of involvement in recruiting Moroccan and sub-Saharan nationals to carry out terrorist plots in Morocco against foreign targets and security forces in order to take hold of their service weapons, according to the BCIJ. It said he also held Spanish nationality with residence in Morocco. BCIJs statement added that the suspect is alleged to have taught other suspects communication skills using state-of-the-art communication technologies and the handling of firearms. The suspect is currently in custody as part of the investigation under way to shed light on all the criminal acts and terrorist schemes he was planning to execute, the BCIJ stated. Wave of arrests Authorities have arrested 19 other men in connection with the case, including four main suspects who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, Daesh, also known as ISIS) in a video made three days before the tourists bodies were found. {articleGUID} Moroccan security and domestic intelligence service spokesperson Boubker Sabik described the four men as lone wolves, and said the crime was not coordinated with the Islamic State, without explaining how the authorities had come to their conclusion. 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. So far 242 out of 1,669 Moroccans who joined the ISIL group have been arrested, said Sabik. Some fighters were using false passports and trying to hide among refugees heading for Europe as foreign fighters suffer setbacks in the Middle East. In 2017 and 2018, Morocco said it dismantled 20 armed group cells planning attacks in the country. Israeli leader claims Brazilian president told him that embassy relocation from Tel Aviv is a matter of when, not if. Brazil will move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, with only the date of the transfer to be decided, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking during a meeting with leaders of Brazils Jewish community in Rio de Janeiro, Netanyahu said the countrys President Jair Bolsonaro told him that it was when, not if he moves the embassy. We attach enormous importance to Brazil, and Brazil in the context of Latin America, he said. This heralds a historic change. Netanyahu, who is the first Israeli prime minister to visit Brazil, held an official meeting with Bolsonaro on Friday. After the meeting, Bolsonaro said that we need good allies, good friends, good brothers, like Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said that Bolsonaro accepted his invitation to visit Israel, a trip that is likely to take place in March. However, neither man raised the embassy issue when they spoke to journalists shortly after their meeting. Nor did they post anything about it on their Twitter accounts, despite Bolsonaro, in particular, being a fervent social media user. Bolsonaro (right) and Netanyahu (left) visited a synagogue in Rio de Janeiro [Leo Correa/Pool via Reuters] Bolsonaro is hosting Netanyahu and leaders of a number of other counties for his inauguration, which is taking place in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, on Tuesday. The new leader said in early November he intended to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump in moving his countrys embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But he later backtracked. He is under intense pressure from Brazils powerful agriculture sector to not do so, as it could hurt Brazilian exports to Arab nations who view East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. The Arab League had told Bolsonaro that moving the embassy to Jerusalem would be a setback for relations with Arab countries, according to a letter seen by Reuters news agency earlier in December. The embassy relocation would be a sharp shift in Brazilian foreign policy, which has traditionally backed a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In a New Years letter to US President Donald Trump, Putin says Moscow ready for dialogue on a wide-ranging agenda. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a letter to his US counterpart Donald Trump, has said Moscow is ready for dialogue on a wide-ranging agenda, the Kremlin said. Vladimir Putin stressed that the [Russia United States] relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security, a Kremlin statement said on Sunday. He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda. At the end of November, Trump abruptly cancelled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions around Russian forces opening fire on Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them. The letter comes days after Trump said he was pulling all 2,000 US troops from Kurdish-held northeastern Syria, declaring that Washington had achieved its objective with the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group in the region. Moscow intervened on the side of Syrias government in 2015, a few years after the conflict began. In a separate letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Putin pledged the continuation of aid to the Syrian government and people in the fight against terrorism, in defence of state sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also sent New Years greetings to other world leaders, including prime ministers Theresa May of Britain and Shinzo Abe of Japan and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Putin wished well-being and prosperity to the British people, the Kremlin said. Russias embassy in London said on Friday that Moscow and London had agreed to return some staff to their respective embassies after they expelled dozens of diplomats early this year. Britain had expelled 23 Russian diplomats over accusations the Kremlin was behind a nerve toxin attack in March on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury. Russia, which denies any involvement in the poisoning, sent home the same number of British embassy workers in retaliation. Taliban refuses to hold formal talks with the Western-backed Afghan government next month in Saudi Arabia. The Taliban has rejected Kabuls offer of talks next month in Saudi Arabia where the armed group, fighting to restore strict Islamic law in Afghanistan, will meet the United States officials to further peace efforts, a Taliban leader said. Representatives from the Taliban, the US, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan met this month in the UAE for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan. But the Taliban has refused to hold formal talks with the Western-backed Afghan government. We will meet the US officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi, a member of the Talibans decision-making Leadership Council told Reuters news agency on Sunday. {articleGUID} However, we have made it clear to all the stakeholders that we will not talk to the Afghan government. Position remains the same Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said the leaders of the group would not talk to the Afghan government. In a statement released on Saturday, Mujahid accused media outlets of spreading baseless rumours that the group would hold talks with the Kabul administration in Saudi Arabia. It also stressed the Taliban position remains the same and has not changed. The armed group has insisted on first reaching an agreement with the US, which it sees as the main force in Afghanistan since US-led forces toppled the Taliban government in 2001. We are advancing [the] negotiations process [with] the US under a strong and extensive plan to bring an end to the occupation of our country Afghanistan, the Taliban says. {articleGUID} Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified after Taliban representatives started meeting US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad earlier this year. Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times to discuss the withdrawal of international forces and a ceasefire in 2019. But the US has insisted that any final settlement must be led by the Afghans. According to data from the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission published in November, the government of President Ashraf Ghani has control or influence over 65 percent of the population but only 55.5 percent of Afghanistans 407 districts, the lowest since 2001. The Taliban says it controls 70 percent of the country. A close aide to Ghani said the government would keep trying to establish a direct line of diplomatic communication with the Taliban. Talks should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, the aide said on condition of anonymity. It is important that the Taliban acknowledge this fact. US President Donald Trump has announced a pullout of American troops from Syria, a decision that prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis, and there have been reports that he is considering a partial pullout from Afghanistan. The transfer of the port of Hodeidah and two others is part of a peace deal reached in Sweden earlier in December. Yemens Houthi rebels have handed over control of the vital port of Hodeidah to government forces. The transfer of the port of Hodeidah and two others is part of a peace deal reached in Sweden earlier this month, aimed at ending almost four years of war which has caused a humanitarian disaster. Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed forces have also agreed to open up aid corridors. Al Jazeeras Paul Chaderjian reports. Listening to the sanctimonious left deify caravans of migrants for being poor reminds me of a time when -- to reach out and be Christ-like -- my husband Jerry and I placed our family at risk. It happened in the mid-eighties at the end of the 1970s Jesus movement, when, in our home, Keith Greens Jesus Commands Us to Go was on the turntable 24-7. Zealous to live out the Gospel, Jerry, our two small children, and I attended church three times a week. Our style of living out the Great Commission was to remain, without exception, trusting and hospitable to all. By leaving our door open, both Jerry and I truly believed we were doing the Lords work. One holiday season, Mary Pascucci, the village bag lady -- long white whiskers and all took a long overdue soak in our bathtub. Crazy Mary spent Christmas Eve in my nightgown and slippers drinking spiced tea and eating Italian Pignoli cookies. Mary was loud and smelly, but harmless. But then, a few months later, my good-hearted husband went to deposit a bag of old clothes into a St. Vincent DePaul dumpster and returned with a guest. As my politically-incorrect hubby ascended our front steps, he humorously announced, Look who I found in the dumpster -- Jesus dressed like a Mexican. Jerry believed that finding a disadvantaged person rolled up in the fetal position in a dumpster was God presenting our family a unique opportunity to extend charity to a person in need. The gentleman in tow used the alias, Jose, but turned out to really be Norberto Torres. Norberto was Latino and about 18-years-old. Gazing down at the floor whenever he spoke, the shy man responded softly to questions in broken English. Whether Jerrys find was legally or illegally here was irrelevant to us because we were eager do-gooders wanting to serve God. Norberto typified the angelic destitute person that every liberal supporter of illegal immigration dreams of saving. For overly enthusiastic young believers like Jerry and myself, we were more than happy to prove our commitment to Christ by clothing, housing, and feeding a street person. And so, Norberto spent a week sleeping on the floor on an air mattress in our living room. Jerry gave him his coat; we fed him and sat him in the front row at church. When Norberto was home, he insisted on watching the movie Jesus of Nazareth, which, as ministers of the Gospel, we considered a divine sign from above that God ordained the encounter. Yet as spiritually fulfilling a happenstance ministering to Norberto, aka Jose, turned out to be, with two small children, it wasnt feasible for the vagabond to siesta indefinitely on our floor. Thankfully, a Jesuit priest we knew had connections at a ministry in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx called My Brothers Place. Run by a Pallottine Order of priests, the 12-bed shelter accommodated homeless men and agreed to give Norberto a bed and place him in a job at a trucking firm in New Yorks Garment District. Feeling comfortable with that option, Jerry gathered up our poverty-stricken disciple, packed him into our 1972 Chevy Malibu, and chauffeured him to the Bronx. That Saturday was the last time we saw Norberto. A year or so later we heard that a Sister of the Good Shepherd, Virginia Thomann, aged 65, who counseled men at the shelter, was found dead propped up at her desk. At the time, the police were unsure whether the nun was murdered during a robbery or as a result of an argument with someone she knew. Soon after we learned our former houseguest was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. It seems Norberto was asked to leave the shelter for breaking house rules concerning drug use. During an argument over seized money, the mild-mannered fellow we accommodated for a week, became enraged and stabbed the gentle, devoted nun who helped care for him four times in the neck with a penknife. Thats right, the 18-year-old Jesus in a Jose suit that Jerry fished out of a dumpster, the dude who we opened our home to for a solid week, went on to murder a nun. According to the AP, like Jerry and Jeannie, Sister Thomann, always left the door open. In his eulogy, John Cardinal O'Connor extolled the murdered nun for her misguided belief that Even though [homeless men] were street kids, [she] described them as saints.'' Thirty years after her death that sounds exactly like the open-borders illegals are Jesus, Mary, and Joseph crowd. A story like ours doesnt bode well for the liberal belief that people in need = moral character. Nor does it build confidence in Jerrys and my false assumption that being kind has the power to transform a self-serving criminal into a God-fearing person. And the story didnt end there, after being arrested, convicted, and spending two decades in prison for killing Sister Thomann, in 2014, while on parole, Norberto sodomized and forced oral sex on a neighbors child while babysitting in a Harlem apartment. The predator pleaded guilty after his DNA from semen was found inside the girls clothing. After recovering from a fractured skull and a brain bleed inflicted by the boyfriend of the victims mother , for the rest of his life, Norberto Torres will not sleep in dumpsters, nor on anyones living room floor. Instead, for an additional 25-years-to-life, Torres will occupy a permanent cot with his name etched on it, located in the corner of a jail cell. The moral of this harrowing tale is that naivety and misguided benevolence caused Jerry and me to embrace a person we should never have trusted. Looking back, I realize that, unlike Sister Thomann, by Gods grace, its a miracle our family and our 7-year-old daughter escaped unscathed. I believe theres a lesson to be learned concerning the current immigration debate because, lest we forget, much like Norberto, illegal immigrants have already raped children and murdered nuns. By irresponsibly pushing the poverty-translates-into-piousness narrative, and insisting on the categorical embrace of illegals who may turn out to harbor motives similar Norberto Torress, the open borders faction puts countless American lives at risk. Jeannie hosts a blog at www.jeannie-ology.com. Its been known for a long time that revolutions eat their own, and it appears that the preposterously cobbled together coalition of leftist groups that tag their movement intersectionality is no exception. As the facts behind the Womens Marches become more widely known, their organizers and the press, which covered for them, are covered in shame and deservedly losing traction. In 2017 women (or is it womxn?) marched under a broad banner in opposition of President Trump. The hodgepodge banner under which they marched included womens rights, immigration and healthcare reform, reproductive rights, the natural environment, LGBTQ rights, racial equality, freedom of religion, and workers rights. Apparently, the marchers were under the mistaken belief that all these issues had a common denominator and the boogeyman was Trump. In fact, to take one example alone, low-skilled and semi-skilled workers had every reason to support the Presidents view on the border. Indeed, the increase in support for the President among Hispanic and black voters is to my mind an indication they understand this better than do well-off women marching in pink pussy hats because Hillary lost. Hispanics, by definition, are primarily a working-class demographic, as we on average own only a tenth of the household wealth of white families. Thankfully, President Trumps policies of tax cuts and regulatory relief point to a brighter economic future for all wage earners, including Hispanics. For example, an incredible 2 million Americans have dropped off food stamps since Trump was elected. In the most recent government jobs report, wages for non-managerial workers rose at a 2.7 percent annual clip, the highest in a decade. The jobless rate for non-college graduates just hit the lowest level since 2001. These gains are highly beneficial to hard-working Hispanics, as Trumps policies continue to lift the economic underdogs. Moreover, in contrast to the assumptions of the leftist identity-politics hucksters, Hispanics are far from uniform on immigration issues, and actually take a very moderate and pragmatic approach to the border and enforcement. In fact, per Zogby Analytics exit polling from 2016, twice as many Hispanics believe immigration enforcement is too lax versus too stringent. Regarding the recent border issues, an Economist/YouGov poll found that only 20 percent of Hispanics support the previous policies of catch and release where families entering the country illegally are not detained but summoned to report back for a later hearing -- at which many never show up. Instead, 64 percent of Hispanics support either detaining the whole family together, or detaining parents and children separately. This will disappoint the Democrats, to be sure, but legal Hispanics hardly support open borders. But the inconsistency between the views and associations of the march leaders and the useful idiots who followed their call was highlighted in recent weeks when the media were compelled to finally report what had been known for a long time but kept hidden from credulous consumers of their pap: the Womens March leaders were linked inextricably to Louis Farrakhan, an anti-Semite, anti-homosexual, anti-white propagandist who spreads lies about slavery -- ignoring the most significant role of Moslems in it even to this day. And the press hid the fact that women like Linda Sarsour were all in for Sharia, the religious-legal system that more than any other punishes women, gays, and blacks. Sharia creates the submission culture that keeps the poor at the bottom with little chance of upward mobility and society at such a low level of productivity that environmental protection and proper healthcare are unaffordable, and legitimizes slavery, which continues in places like North Africa. Indeed, her anti-American point of view was known months before the march in 2017 but barely, if at all, covered by the mainstream media. Linda Sarsour, a national co-chair of the Womens March on Washington -- whose stated mission is to send a bold message that womens rights are human rights -- is also an outspoken advocate of Islamic Sharia Law that restricts the rights of women, claiming Sharia is reasonable and has simply been misunderstood.[snip] Sarsour, a Palestinian Muslim American, who has said she believes that America is a nation built on the values of genocide and slavery and thatnothing is creepier than Zionism, spoke at the Womens March last Saturday. I will respect the presidency, she said. But I will not respect this President of the United States of America. I will not respect an administration that won an election on the backs of Muslims and black people and undocumented people and Mexicans, and people with disabilities, and on the backs of women. Sarsour has openly supported Sharia law, a legal system that treats women much differently than men and punishes lawbreakers with flogging, amputation, and stoning. Any claims by her that she wants participation by all, including gays, is probably true because it makes her movement seem more vast than it is. But her larger objectives are clear, given her long, documented history as a propagandist for the worst elements of the Nation of Islam and the Islamists. She wants to use them now to crush these useful idiots later if she succeeds. When it finally became too obvious what was up, the organizers of the march this year in Chicago cancelled it. It appears the march in Seattle has also been cancelled and instead workshops are scheduled around MLK events. In Eureka, California, the march was cancelled because they couldnt get enough minorities to participate in this nonsensical event: "Up to this point, the participants have been overwhelmingly white, lacking representation from several perspectives in our community," the press release went on to say. "Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organizing team will take time for more outreach. Our goal is that planning will continue and we will be successful in creating an event that will build power and community engagement through connection between women that seek to improve the lives of all in our community." Other one-time marchers may be slower on the uptake than minorities, but then its been established that over the past decade IQs have been falling. Of course, Democratic leaders once did understand the deleterious effect of open borders. At Instapundit, Ed Driscoll documents their opposition to such policies, until Trump tried to make the opposition concrete: And while Ive emphasized Linda Sarsour, its clear that she is far from the only anti-Semite, anti-white leader of the Womens March charade. Organizer Tamika Mallory argues that the very creation of Israel was a human rights violation and objected to the ADL being part of a group tagged to help Starbucks anti-bias work. And then theres Carmen Perez: Carmen Perezs Jew-hatred became an issue this weekend when Jewish co-founder of Womens March movement said she was forced out because by Perez and Mallory because of her Jewish Heritage. 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. [snip] After that first march, the hatred continued At a meeting days after the march, an argument broke out between Ms. Wruble and the other leaders. Ms. Mallory and Ms. Perez began berating Ms. Wruble, according to Evvie Harmon, a white woman who helped organize the march, and who attended the meeting at Ms. 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 Ms. Harmon, whose account was first published by Tablet. The greatest regret of my life was not standing up and saying This is wrong. Another Womens March founder Rasmea Yousef Odeh is no longer in America, she was deported in October 2017 for concealing her murder/conviction of two Israeli college students.[snip] So if you really oppose hatred put your pink pussy hats (and pink pussy yarmulkes) away and find an inclusive group to support. The media, which did such a great job for so long burying the sentiments and objectives of the organizers of the womens march, continues on, this time, serving as a mouthpiece of open borders, Qatar, and Iran. The comment section of the Washington Post inormally is a place I avoid, filled as it is with low-information true believers, so I share the surprise of Ann Althouse that even they are not buying the sob story about immigrants and the virtue of open borders. Reading these comments, I believe the American culture has changed radically since the fall of 2016, when Trump was painted as a racist for saying the situation at the border had to change. I think, for all the press resistance to Trump's fight against illegal immigration, minds have changed. It seems that Democrats are no longer using the idea that it's racist and hateful to want to control immigration. I feel there's been much less talk about the suffering of the children, but when a child dies, like this poor boy, it will be reported, and it gives us an opportunity to see how Americans are reacting to a sad story about a child. I'm amazed at the reaction in The Washington Post. It's so Trumpian! Actually, given the quotes of leading Democrats by Driscoll, I assume that the culture has not changed radically since the fall of 2016, its just that in the fall of 2016 Democrats shifted gears in a misguided effort to get needed Hispanic and low-information voters support, and, frankly, I believe that they picked the wrong hill to die on. With this shutdown they continue to follow the same stupid strategy. Its not only burying facts which would make the left look bad that distinguishes todays media, the Washington Post abandoned journalistic ethics to propagandize for Qatar and Iranian interests and the rest of media fell in line with them. Don Surber documents the Khashoggi fiasco: A Saudi paper, Arab News, reported, "Washington Post subtly admits Khashoggi columns were shaped by Qatar." The Post wrote, "Text messages between Khashoggi and an executive at Qatar Foundation International show that the executive, Maggie Mitchell Salem, at times shaped the columns he submitted to the Washington Post, proposing topics, drafting material and prodding him to take a harder line against the Saudi government. Khashoggi also appears to have relied on a researcher and translator affiliated with the organization, which promotes Arabic-language education in the United States." Submitted? Published. The word is published. This admission vindicated President Trump's reluctance to break relations with an 80-year ally. [snip] Khashoggi's death has been illuminating. The press blindly took up his cause, elevating him to the status of Time Magazine Thing Of The Year. David Reaboi, a security expert, wrote five days ago, "Once President Trump released a robust statement supporting the US-Saudi alliance, intense political pressure was felt from anti-Trump forces in the American media, which pushed Democrats toward Qatar and Iran, and away from Saudi Arabia. Suddenly, the alliance had become a partisan issue; prominent Democrats in Congress began calling for a reevaluation of American policy toward the country. The intensity with which the Kingdoms critics have attacked the US-Saudi relationship specifically points to more than just a target of opportunity. These critics could be placed into (at least) one of the following categories: (a) a pro-Iran position; (b) a pro-Islamist/Muslim Brotherhood position; and (c) anti-Trump. Often -- as with the case of the Washington Post -- it is a combination of all three. So as the year winds to an end, we have still nothing to sustain the lefts claim that the Russians colluded with Trump. Instead we are seeing more evidence that the press is colluding with Americas enemies -- the anti-American, anti-white, anti-Semite, anti-women, pro-Islamists. No wonder they covered up what they knew about the Womens March organizers. Happy New Year. World War 2 history is rich with some of the finest, most historically significant speeches of the 20th century. Examples include President Roosevelt's "Day of Infamy" speech the day after the Pearl Harbor attacks, General Dwight Eisenhower's ordering of the D-Day Normandy invasion, and British prime minister Winston Churchill's "We Shall Never Surrender" address to Parliament's House of Commons. There was another: General George Patton's speech to the Third Army an address that I believe sits atop the greatest military speeches in American history. Memorialized by George C. Scott in the opening scene of the 1970 film Patton, its eloquence was its imagery of brutality its urgency in its promise that the soldiers were guaranteed to witness death in war. The film featured a PG-13-rated version of the general's original speech, given numerous times in the months leading up to D-Day. The speech, in its mostly original form, can be found here. World War 2 officially ended in the summer of 1945, but Europe was won Christmastime 1944. Speeches don't win wars, but they are crucial to morale and the soldiers' sense of duty. This singular, motivational oration embodied Patton's strategic genius, as well as his unrelenting rejection of neutrality and excuse-making. Words into Action Here are excerpts, as written for the biopic (toot-my-own-horn brag here: I can cite the speech verbatim by memory): I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor, dumb bastard die for his country. Men, all this stuff you've heard about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans, traditionally, love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooters, the fastest runners, big league ball players, the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. This is the moment Patton links the American soldiers to our Revolutionary Army, whose efforts and sacrifices begat the greatest superpower in world history, as well as armies that came before World War 2. Americans have never lost and will never lose a war, because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans. Now, an army is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, fights as a team. This individuality stuff is a bunch of crap. The bilious bastards who wrote that stuff about individuality for the Saturday Evening Post don't know anything more about real battle than they do about fornicating. As strong an individual personality as Patton was, he innately grasped that the chain is only as strong as its weakest link; every man was responsible not only for himself, but all others in his unit. Now there's another thing I want you to remember: I don't want to get any messages saying that we are holding our position. We're not holding anything. Let the Hun do that. We are advancing constantly and we're not interested in holding onto anything except the enemy. We're going to hold onto him by the nose and we're going to kick him in the ass. We're going to kick the hell out of him all the time and we're going to go through him like crap through a goose. Patton had earned the nickname "Old Blood and Guts" because he produced more results in less time with the fewest casualties of any other general, Allied or Axis, in the war, according to Patton biographer Alan Axelrod. As the general had once remarked, "nobody ever defended anything successfully; there is only attack and attack and attack some more." All right, now, you sons-of-bitches, you know how I feel. Oh...I will be proud to lead you wonderful guys into battle anytime, anywhere. His men knew he would fight to his death, alongside them on the battlefield. Winning the War Nine days before Christmas 1944, the Wehrmacht launched a last-ditch military offensive, at the Battle of the Bulge, and it was effective, killing thousands and trapping another 6,000 in the area of Bastogne, Belgium. Patton's proposed campaign of leading the Third Army into Bastogne over the course of just 48 hours was met with looks of incredulity from his fellow generals and commanders. Patton never underestimated the Nazis' will to win; the blitzkrieg of the Bulge was largely influenced by Germany's desperation, and Patton understood that a desperate enemy is a dangerous enemy. Patton had long respected the prowess of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, his contemporary of the Third Reich, and acknowledged that the Allies, severely battered and depleted from the Bulge, could still lose the war on the European front. Old Blood and Guts knew that death or capture was guaranteed for the 6,000 Allied soldiers if he and his men didn't arrive in time. Imagine the pressure Patton and his men must have felt; they faced uncertainty as to whether they could relieve, and if they didn't relieve in time, they themselves faced certain death or capture. No Hollywood film can replicate the real-life and understandable fear those men must have felt. But despite or, maybe, in spite of the apprehension and unpredictability, the general and our boys did it. They spent their Christmas holiday moving 100 miles across France, over two days, to relieve Bastogne just as Patton had said would happen. It was the most ground covered in the shortest period of time up to that point in our military history. The victory ensconced General Patton, in my humble opinion, as as great an American as any who has ever lived. Could General Douglas MacArthur, who commanded the Southwest Pacific during Bastogne, or General George Marshall, who led operations in the Pacific and elsewhere throughout Europe, have led the Third Army to victory? Certainly. This moment, however, was Patton's destiny, and moment of redemption, since he had developed a reputation for lacking discipline due to a 1943 incident in which he slapped and mocked shell-shocked Allied soldiers. The Nazi armed forces were the most vicious and sophisticated our military had ever faced. Had the Bastogne relief occurred a day or two late even, perhaps, an hour or two late it is possible that the Allied forces would have been forced into surrender. At that moment in our history, in the West's history in world history the side that outfought the other side would reign supreme. Defeat was never an option for General Patton. I've never served in our military, and I know war to be Hell only from history and stories from veterans I know and admire. Conversely, that Hell does conjure a superhuman intrepidity within our servicemen. We as Americans enjoy our many freedoms because of these heroes and heroines, and we owe it to all of them to fight to preserve the liberties they risked and gave their lives to defend. Americans, as General Patton said, love to fight. And fight we will to maintain American greatness. Rich Logis is host of The Rich Logis Show, at TheRichLogisShow.com, and author of the upcoming book 10 Warning Signs Your Child Is Becoming a Democrat. He can be found on Twitter at @RichLogis. When I read this article by Washington Post writer Charles Lane, acting as though he is surprised that fraudulent reporting continues with all the fact-checking, I thought it was a joke. He seems astonished that a German reporter would get away with writing negative things about Americans based on stereotypes. Below are some excerpts from Lanes piece. Everything he complains about in the fraudulent German pieces could be said about the U.S media. My guess is that the Der Spiegel writer knew he could get awards by repeating what is written and said in the U.S media, with few ever questioning what he wrote. He knew they would go along. Obama said Republicans cling to their religion and guns. Hillary said Trump supporters were deplorable and irredeemable. Obama compared tea party members to domestic terrorists. Almost all U.S. journalists supported Obama and Hillary no matter what they said or did, so why wouldnt journalists from other countries gladly climb aboard with the stereotypes? ...the gun-toting, death-penalty-seeking, racist American nonetheless remains a stock character of much superficial coverage, The despicable Dick Durbin went on the Senate floor and compared the military activity at GITMO to Nazis, Pol Pot and Soviet Gulag and the media frequently uses Durbin to target Trump. Is it any surprise that a prize winning journalist would write a fictional story about Gitmo? He made up a story about an oft-tortured Yemeni released from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, and another about a Joplin, Missouri, woman who travels the country just to witness executions. We hear frequently how Trump supports the Nazis. Trump and other Republicans are frequently referred to as racists, sexists, homophobes and xenophobes. Similarly, while many German journalists report honestly from this country, going to great lengths to travel and meet ordinary people, the gun-toting, death-penalty-seeking, racist American nonetheless remains a stock character of much superficial coverage, particularly in left-leaning outlets such as Hamburg-based Der Spiegel. Ugly Americans, and American ugliness, crop up repeatedly in Relotius's articles. He made up a story about an oft-tortured Yemeni released from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, and another about a Joplin, Missouri, woman who travels the country just to witness executions. And on the outskirts of rural Fergus Falls, Minnesota, a majority of whose voters backed President Trump in 2016, Relotius purportedly found a large sign - "almost impossible to overlook," he wrote - reading "Mexicans Keep Out." The fact that no one in the U.S. press or social media had previously spotted the sign apparently did not prompt so much as a follow-up call to Fergus Falls by Der Spiegel's editors. They believed what they found believable. Their credulousness was rooted partly in truth - xenophobia, gun violence and the rest are real problems in the United States, just as anti-foreigner violence was, and is, in Germany. But it also reflected bias: Contempt for American culture has a long history among the continental European cognoscenti, the sort of people who read Der Spiegel and write for it. Negative caricatures of the United States have taken hold in broader German public opinion, too, especially since a stereotypical Ugly American, Donald Trump, reached the White House - but well before that, too. The sub-headline on the piece: I was naive; thought fraud in reporting was done for The Kelley scandal, like the 2003 revelation of Jayson Blair's frauds at the New York Times, disproved my belief that Stephen Glass's fakes at the New Republic (in the 1990s, when I was the magazine's editor) might be the last. Surely computer-aided fact-checking would deter fraud, I thought. However, the unmasking of Der Spiegel's erstwhile ace, Claas Relotius, as a phony on Dec. 20, mere days after he collected his fourth German Reporter Prize, shows yet again that my hope was naive. Reporters keep inventing stories and getting prizes for them. What's going on? Fact-checking and other procedural matters are relevant but not fundamental. A great German philosopher got closer to the point when he wrote: "Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made." Germany today finds itself in a galling situation: It depends, for both military protection and export markets, on a country - the United States - that many Germans, including influential figures in academia, the media, business and politics, regard with ambivalence bordering on disdain. Lanes home paper, the Washington Post, has participated widely in the fraudulent reporting on Russian collusion with Trump and yet Lane acts like hes shocked about fraudulent reporting. Almost all of the media intentionally and fraudulently reports that the Obama Justice Department operated independently and no one was above the law. Journalists frequently even use known perjurers Comey, Clapper, Brennan and Holder to bolster their attacks on Trump/ The Washington Post was the main source of hit pieces on booth Roy Moore and Brett Kavanaugh, seeking to destroy them with no actual evidence that the actual accusations were true. When a police officer in Ferguson, MO shot a black thief trying to grab his gun, a fraudulent narrative of hands up, Dont Shoot roared through the media, destroying the police officer and ginning up racial hate and violence. It intentionally ginned up hate of cops. White kids from Duke were accused of rape throughout the media without actual evidence. These kids were targeted to help gin up racial hate. It is truly appalling how many people journalists will intentionally destroy to push an agenda. The term white Privilege is a purely racist term to gin up racial hate. When Trump gave a speech about Charlottesville, Virginia, he said there were good people on both sides of the issue. The issue was clearly whether statues should stay up or go down, yet the media fraudulently, to this day, says that Trump is sympathetic to Nazis to gin up racial hate and hate of Trump. The U.S continues to accept over one million immigrants as citizens each year, yet the media intentionally and fraudulently labels Trump and other Republicans as xenophobes to gin up racial hate and to push Hispanics and others to vote for Democrats. The media constructs and advances a narrative every day, deciding what to report, how to report and what not to report. Most often the narrative coincides with Democrat talking points seeking to push the Democrat agenda and destroy Trump and Republicans. When the fact-checkers share the same prejudices as the reporters, no one should be naive enough to believe they would prevent fraudulent reporting. Photo credit: H.H. Oldman Jesse Jackson was getting away with a big lie so well that the Chicago Sun-Times even wrote an editorial based on his phony claim. As the old, wry journalism joke goes, Jacksons lie was so agreeable to the prejudices of MSM-ers, that it was too good to check. Enter the brave and scrappy bloggers at CWB Chicago, a neighborhood blog that: was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. We knew from city data that robberies in our neighborhood had been soaring to record highs for three consecutive years. Yet public officials and police representatives at CAPS meetings continually said that crime was going down. Telling the truth and calling BS on pols, papers, and people that perpetuate lies is a habit at CWB Chicago, which is why I read it so often, even though I have never lived in Chicago (though I admit a great fondness for the city, despite its many, worsening problems). Among the worst of those problems: criminals roaming the streets, far too many of them either out on low bail, or charged no bail at all, under the terms of the Illinois Bail Reform Act of 2017. CWB reported: Rev. Jesse Jackson made a pre-Christmas plea for 19 publicly-unnamed Cook County Jail inmates to be released. These individuals were jailed merely for being poor, Jackson said, adding that liberating the poor was in the spirit of Christmas. Jackson based his claim on a politician, elected Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart: Back in March, CWBChicago published a three-part series that exposed holes in Cook County authorities claims that hundreds of inmates were jailed in Cook County just because they are poor and unable to put down a bail deposit of $1,000 or less. Our team secured a list of the inmates that Cook County Sheriff Tom Darts office was referring to when Dart repeatedly made his claim about the hundreds of people who were supposedly jailed because they are poor. Then, we pulled scores of those inmates court files at random. The truth, we reported on March 6th, on March 25th, and March 26th was that about 85% of the people on Darts list had been free on low or no bail, but they violated the terms of their release by skipping court or committing more crimes and wound up back in jail. Another 10% of the people on Darts list were in jail for violating terms of probation sentences. Jackson and Dart (Image credit: CWB Chicago) You might think that this would be case-closed material. But if so, you dont know Jesse. So, you can imagine that we were skeptical when Rev. Jesse Jackson made a pre-Christmas plea for 19 publicly-unnamed Cook County Jail inmates to be released. These individuals were jailed merely for being poor, Jackson said, adding that liberating the poor was in the spirit of Christmas. A Dart spokesperson claimed that most of the 19 individuals had never had a bond review. Oh, the humanity! Why, it's unjust! Except that its a big fat lie. And it was too good to check for the Sun-Times [T]he Sun-Times editorial board, apparently taking no time to investigate the veracity of Jacksons claims, wrote an opinion piece calling for the 19 people to be freed. Theres no excuse for denying a bond review to people who have a right to one under state law, they wrote in calling for Jacksons mysterious 19 prisoners to be unlocked. CWB Chicago was more rigorous than the editorial board of Americas 35th biggest newspaper, and, it turns out, the Chief Judge of Cook County was not pleased that his courts were being slandered as deficient in their treatment of bond hearings: CWBChicago last week asked Dart, Jackson, and the Sun-Times to please name the 19 people who were jailed merely for being poor so we could tell their stories publicly. No one responded to our inquiries. Now, the Sun-Times has published a letter from Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans. The judge wanted to set Jackson, Dart, and the newspaper straight: The fact is that our judges previously released 15 of these defendants to the community. For varying reasons, they returned to jail because they did not comply with the terms of either their pretrial release while their cases were pending or their probation sentences that allowed them to avoid prison time when their cases concluded." Incredible, isnt it? Evans found the exact same flaws that we found in March. The 19 werent jailed merely for being poor. Fifteen of them are jailed because they violated the terms of other release agreements. Evans went on: Three of the defendants were in custody because they were enrolled in substance-abuse treatment in jail. Generally speaking, defendants in jail-based treatment complete a 90-day program so that they can increase their chances of successful sobriety when they return home. So, now, these three werent jailed for being poor, either. They agreed to be in jail as part of a drug recovery effort. Of the 19 people Jackson pleaded to have released, only one is unaccounted for in Evans letter. CWBChicago has filed a Freedom of Information request for the 19 individuals names and inmate ID numbers. We look forward to telling you the truth about their situations, just as we did about hundreds of others in March. Stay tuned. This story is not over. But I am not holding my breath for the Pulitzer Prize Committee to take any notice of the achievement of CWB Chicago in correcting a serious lie affetcing public policy endorsed by a major newspaper. Lyon, FranceFor years criminal websites shrouded in secrecy have thrived beyond the reach of traditional search engines, but a group of French engineers has found a way to navigate this dark weba tool they dont want to fall into the wrong hands. We insist on this ability to say no, Nicolas Hernandez, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Networks, says at the companys offices near Lyon, in the heart of Frances Beaujolais wine country. He said Aleph refused 30 to 40 percent of licensing requests for its Google of the dark web, based on reviews by its ethics committee and input from its government clients. Most web users never venture beyond the bounds of sites easily found and accessed with casual web surfing. But people and sites seeking anonymity can hide behind layers of secrecy using easily available software like Tor or I2P. These sites cant be found by searching: instead, users have to type in the exact URL string of often random characters. In an authoritarian regime, a protest movement could use the secrecy to organise itself or connect with the outside world without fear of discovery. But the dark web is also ideal for drug and weapon sales, people-smuggling and encrypted chat-room communications by terrorists. When Alephs co-founder Celine Haeri uses her software to search for Glock, the Austrian pistol maker, several sites offering covert gun sales instantly pop up. A search for Caesium 137, a radioactive element that could be used to create a dirty nuclear bomb, reveals 87 dark web sites, while another page explains how to make explosives or a homemade bazooka.Some even advertise the stars theyve gotten for customer satisfaction, Hernandez said. Over the past five years Aleph has indexed 1.4 billion links and 450 million documents across some 140,000 dark web sites. As of December its software had also found 3.9 million stolen credit card numbers. Without a search engine, you cant have a comprehensive view of all the hidden sites, Hernandez said. He and a childhood friend began their adventure by putting their hacking skills to work for free-speech advocates or anti-child abuse campaigners, while holding down day jobs as IT engineers. Haeri, at the time a teacher, asked for their help in merging blogs by her colleagues opposed to a government reform of the education system. The result became the basis of their mass data collection and indexing software, and the three created Aleph in 2012. They initially raised 200,000 euros ($228,000) but had several close calls with bankruptcy before finding a keen client in the French militarys weapon and technology procurement agency. They asked us for a demonstration two days after the Charlie Hebdo attack, Hernandez said, referring to the 2015 massacre of 12 people at the satirical magazines Paris offices, later claimed by a branch of Al-Qaeda. Politicians dont seem to heed the multiple warnings in multiple nations that the populist revolt against elites imposing their preferences is real, and fueled by genuine anger. The spectacle across the English Channel of (mostly provincial) French citizens rampaging through their capital city, burning expensive cars and smashing fancy shop windows doesnt seem to have made a sufficient impression on the British cabinet. Consider this, via the BBC: Senior Brexiteer minister Liam Fox says there is a 50-50 chance the UK will not leave the EU on 29 March if MPs reject Theresa May's Brexit deal next month. The international trade secretary told the Sunday Times it would only be "100% certain" if MPs back the deal. He said if the deal is rejected, that "would shatter the bond of trust between the electorate and Parliament". MPs are due to vote on the withdrawal agreement in January, with the UK scheduled to leave the EU on 29 March. The agreement negotiated by Mrs May with the EU - which sets the terms of the UK's exit and a declaration on future relations - will only come into force with a majority backing in Parliament. The Commons vote was due to be held on 11 December but the PM postponed it once it became clear it would be defeated by a large margin. I take that Mr. Fox is actually warning against the turmoil that might follow the demise of an initiative that the British public outside the London metropolitan area voted in. London, like Paris, seems to have a very different character from the rest of its country. Those capital cities (like our own Washington, DC) are full of prosperous elites who are mostly untroubled by the downsides of globalism, warmism, and the other utopian fixations of progressive elites. They look down on the uncultured, un-educated peasants citizens that resist what they regard as the arc of history purportedly bending toward what they think of as enlightened policies. Should parliament fail the ratify the deal May conceded negotiated with the EU, and if the government says in essence, Never mind, I expect that Paris wont be the only capital invaded by angry mobs. 2019 is not shaping up as a placid year. We are cursed to live in interesting times, as the ancient Chinese proverb has it. Graphic credit: Rievente Hat tip: John McMahon Mexico is worried. According to the Washington Post, the nation to our south is reacting with apprehension to a tiny change in U.S. immigration policy from President Trump, who asked would-be asylum seekers to wait their turn to adjudicate their asylum claims on the Mexican side of the border, not the American one. It seems logical enough, but on the Mexican side, the thought wheels are churning. According to the Post: Border cities like Tijuana could become, in effect, giant waiting rooms for the U.S. immigration system. Mexico is not prepared to provide housing and other services for what could be thousands of migrants, according to officials and migrant advocates. Disaster is the only word that comes to me, said Pat Murphy, a Catholic priest who runs Casa del Migrante, a large shelter in Tijuana. We are already living in such a tenuous situation now. It's a high cost, and it's brought on by Mexico's lax border laws and tolerance of human smuggling cartels. Recall that Mexico's then-lefty candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called the right of migrants to migrate north "a human right." Now with the migrants pit-stopped there, that's made America's problem Mexico's problem, assuming they're going to pay to house, feed, and medically treat these foreigners, which they probably will. It certainly shows that the heat is on in Mexico City, particularly with Mexican cities prepared to erupt in protest at disrespectful and entitled migrants who act more like invaders than tourists. Tijuana has already protested, and now Mexico's southern cities are murmuring protest. That leaves one way to resolve this, which the Washington Post neglected to mention: Mexico can erect a border fence on its southern border, same as President Trump is trying to do on the U.S. southern border, to keep unauthorized migrants out. Given that it's a far shorter border, it wouldn't take much to get up. Lopez Obrador might even be able to hit the U.S. up for the funding. If he doesn't want Mexico's cities erupting in protest, he will give this most obvious of solutions some serious consideration. Trump tiny change may make all the difference as this issue drags on and caravans continue to form. If so, Trump deserves some credit for using this kind of leverage that actually works. Maybe that border wall President Trump is trying to get constructed would be best constructed at Mexico's southern border. Image credit: Screenshot from CBS News This Morning, via YouTube Public employees at the University of Washington are arguing that the First Amendment gives them the right to have their identities concealed in a case involving the sale of body parts for medical research. The 9th circuit court just heard arguments on the case that grew out of an undercover video by David Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress. WorldNetDaily: The case is Jane Does 1-10, et al v. David Daleiden, in which he as an investigative journalist is seeking information about the public employees working in a research lab at the university and what theyve done, and abortion facility personnel. They all want their involvement in research using aborted baby body parts to remain secret, according to officials with the Thomas More Society, which is representing Daleiden in this case. They have gone to court to force heavy redactions to the public documents. However, that is contrary to the law, which says that those documents must be released because they detail their work procuring, processing, and transferring the organs and tissue of aborted babies in connection with the universitys large taxpayer-funded fetal tissue research program, the organization explains. Washington States Public Records Act requires full disclosure, but a lower court ordered the redactions, holding that the First Amendment required them. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed that decision, unanimously holding that the district court had not provided the facts and law sufficient to make a clear showing that the U.S. Constitution requires the heavy censoring of these public records. The case returned to the district court and is now, again, before the federal appeals court, the group explained. A ruling on the concealment demand is expected shortly, but the legal team said Circuit Judge M. Margaret McKeown called it a very interesting case. She, along with Senior Circuit Court Judge A. Wallace Tashima and Circuit Judge Jacqueline H. Nguyen, heard Thomas More Society Special Counsel Peter Breen argue that, This case has nothing to do with academic freedom or expression the requested injunction in no way touches research.' It's ironic that such a "simple medical procedure" would generate secrecy worthy of America's nuclear arsenal. Planned Parenthood has refused to release mortality statistics on abortions performed by them, and many other records have been denied investigators as PP cites confidentiality agreements and proprietary interests. In this case, UW employees want to hide information about who uses baby parts, bought from brokers, in research. One would think they would be proud of the research they do and would want the whole world to know it. Do they know they're doing something wrong and are ashamed of their role? This case is far from over, as are several other lawsuits brought against the CMP by abortion providers and body part brokers. The spokesman for the legal team from the Thomas More Society arguing the case questions the First Amendment argument used by UW employees: "How can you say that you are being chilled if youve put yourself out there in national media on the abortion issue? Most lefty legislators in California are laying low over the death of Ronil Singh, a Newman, Calif. cop murdered at the hands of a multiple-convicted illegal immigrant. That's due to their own role in making California a sanctuary state that effectively makes it impossible to throw criminals out. The county sheriff of Stanislaus County, where the town of Newman is located, has stated right flat out that sanctuary state policies were what left the police officer dead. According to the San Francisco Chronicle: We were prohibited law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws and that led to the encounter with officer Singh, Christianson said at Fridays news conference. The outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasnt restricted, prohibited, or had their hands tied because of political interference. With that going on, it's obvious enough to most lefty legislators that their law has killed a law-abiding American legal immigrant contributing to society, as well as left an infant fatherless. Being no fools, they know it's not a good time to have the cameras on them. There's one exception, though, and it's an amazingly gross one: Kevin de Leon, the actual author of California's sanctuary state law, whose last known job was running for the Senate against Sen. Dianne Feinstein during the midterms, an election he lost. I actually pulled the lever for Feinstein, despite her utterly loathesome stunts directed against then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, which ought to tell you how bad de Leon is. And in terms of shamelessness, de Leon (the "de" is fake, by the way) does not disappoint. Here is his crocodile-infused teary tweet: https://twitter.com/kdeleon/status/1078095944669745152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1078095944669745152&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fbrettt-3136%2F2018%2F12%2F29%2Fsenator-who-authored-californias-sanctuary-state-bill-sends-condolences-to-family-of-slain-officer%2F Twitchy has a must-read curation of just how well those tears and flapdoodle went down on Twitter here. Obviously, he retains his obnoxious ambition. (See his unflattering Wikipedia page here.) And obviously, he's feeling the political heat same as the others. So he went and made that frankly insulting tweet, pretty well mocking the grief of the family in Newman with his own phony claims to sorrow. The others stayed away. De Leon got out front and claimed he was with them. And more to the point, claimed his law had nothing to do with it. As if the Stanislaus County sheriff wouldn't know. He's right now saying on the radio that sanctuary state laws protect law-abiding legal immigrants and any criticism of his law, which is "here to stay" is politicizing the death. Really? Politicizing a political problem? Talk about the last refuge of the scoundrel, no politics for him, is that it? Oh and he also hopes the bad guy goes to jail for the rest of his life, he says, trying to make himself out to not be a monster. Nice thing to say after the fact, it seems, but the rest of us would prefer Officer Singh alive instead. All we can do is hope the pressure stays on, de Leon keeps thrashing, and this outrage created by him is what this sinks is career for good. Despite the temptation to abolish the crown after Hillarys stunning performance as a sore loser in 2016, another Democrat is making a strong case for membership in the sore loser hall of fame, where she joins Al Gore and John C. Breckinridge (who was defeated by Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and went on to join the Confederacy as Secretary of War). Whatever Bettie Cook Scott may lack in national prominence, she makes up with chutzpah. When she lost her bid to move from the Michigan House of Representatives to a Michigan State Senate seat by losing the Democrat primary, she simply stopped showing up for work. Her district, in the City of Detroit, only elects Democrats, so the primary was tantamount to electoral victory. Tom Gantert of Michigan Capital Confidential reports: Democrat Bettie Cook Scott stopped showing up to legislative sessions as a state representative for the 2nd District in the Michigan House after she lost her bid for a state Senate seat in the August primary election. The Detroit representative was far and away the state legislator who missed the most votes in 2018, according to an analysis done by Michigan Votes, the Mackinac Center for Public Policys vote-tracking website. Scott missed 599 of a possible 1,045 votes in 2018. She missed all 488 votes from August through December 2018. MichiganVotes.org said in its analysis that it is unable to recall a similar situation in the past 25 years. Michigan Votes released its report on missed legislative votes on Friday. State representatives are paid $71,685 a year. Scott didnt respond to an email seeking comment. Photo credit: Michigan State Legislature Rep. Scott missed just under 40% of the year, if she quit the day after the August 7 primary, or $28,477.60 worth of her annual salary. If you or I stopped doing our jobs, wed certainly not get paid for the rest of the year, but of course it doesnt work that way for solons, who always seem free to abandon their jobs to run for higher office. But abandoning her constituents out of pique is not even at the top of the list of Scotts offenses against decency in 2018. On the day of the primary, she employed a racial slur to characterize her primary opponent. Jessica Chasmar of the Washington Times: Michigan state Rep. Bettie Cook Scott is facing backlash from more than a dozen progressive groups after she allegedly used a racial slur against her Democratic opponent. Ms. Scott, who is black, is accused of calling state Rep. Stephanie Chang, who is of Taiwanese descent, a ching-chang and ching-chong, according to several witnesses who spoke with the Detroit Metro Times. Ms. Scott allegedly went on a tirade against Asian immigrants while speaking to voters outside polling precincts during last weeks Democratic primary, saying these immigrants from China are coming over and taking our community from us, Metro Times reported. Ms. Chang went on to win the race for state Senate District 1 with 49 percent of the vote, compared to Ms. Cooks 11 percent. These comments are offensive to all Asian-Americans, Ms. Chang told Metro Times. It isnt about me. Its about an elected official disrespecting entire populations, whether they be Asian-American, immigrant, or residents of Senate District 1 or [Ms. Cooks] own current house district. The backlash got to her, apparently: Ms. Scott on Thursday publicly apologized to Ms. Chang and said she planned to apologize in person during a meeting with her next week. Those are not the kinds of comments that should be made nor are they the kind of comments I would normally make, Ms. Scott said in a statement issued through her lawyer Bill Noakes, The Detroit News reported. I humbly apologize to Rep. Chang and to her husband, Mr. Gray, and to the broader Asian American community. We live in a time of increasing divisiveness, she said. As a state representative, I should never do anything to contribute to an atmosphere of divisiveness and for that, I am terribly sorry. I look forward to meeting with Rep. Chang to express my apologies directly to her as soon as shes able to meet with me. Even after whatever personal reflection followed her apology, Rep. Scott still could not get it together to show up and do the job for which she was being paid. The Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is home to many famous dead people, including Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison. The grave of Oscar Wilde, in particular, is very popular. His female fans have smothered the tomb with kisses leaving red lipstick marks all over. Many female visitors, after assaulting the grave of the famous Irish writer, move over to the adjacent plot for their next targetthe effigy of Victor Noir. Its perfectly reasonable to ask who Victor Noir is, just like it was a century and a half ago when the man was alive. He was an ordinary young man, an unimpressive fellow, who just found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Nobody knew him until he was dead. His recent cult following, however, has nothing to do with the manner of his death nor its political fallout, but rather on the mysterious bulge in his pants. Photo credit: David Edwards/Flickr Victor Noir was working as an apprentice journalist for the newspaper La Marseillaise, in 19th century Paris. At that time, the newspapers owner, Henri Rochefort, and the editor, Pascal Grousset, became embroiled in a conflict with Prince Pierre Bonaparte, the great-nephew of Napoleon, and cousin of the then-ruling Emperor Napoleon III. In order to settle the matter in a way unbefitting of an editor of a newspaper, Grousset sent Victor Noir and another of his employee to the home of Bonaparte to deliver a challenge to a duel. Prince Bonaparte originally declined the challenge and asserted his willingness to fight Rochefort instead. An altercation broke out that resulted in Bonaparte drawing out his pistol and shooting Victor dead. The murder of a journalist by a member of the emperors family infuriated the public, and on the day of the funeral, some 100,000 people showed up at Noirs home in Neuilly. To add salt to injury, Pierre Bonaparte was acquitted of the murder charge, leading to a number of violent demonstrations across the city. Later on that year, the Prussians invaded France and the empire was overthrown. Victor Noirs martyrdom was conveniently forgotten and the young journalist remained peacefully in his hometown Neuilly for the next twenty years, until his name began to make rounds again. This time, a decision was made to erect a memorial to his name. Renowned French sculptor, Jules Dalou, was given the job of creating the sculpture in bronze. Dalou choose to depict Victor Noir at his moment of death. Using sketches made by the press for reference, Dalou sculpted a life-sized bronze effigy of Victor lying flat on the ground as though he had just fallen down when he met his unnatural death. For reasons unknown, Dalou decided to give the sculpture a noticeable bulge under the belt. Whether or not anybody noticed this, we dont know, but in the 1970s, a myth began that rubbing the crotch and kissing the statue on the lips will bring women enhanced fertility and a blissful sex life. You can see the effect of this myth on the statueVictor Noirs lips and groin are shiny, while the rest of his body has the usual greenish tone of oxidized bronze. In 2004 a fence was erected around the statue of Noir, to deter indecent touching of the statue. But this agitated so many women that the fence was torn down again. Photo credit: Chupacabra Viranesque/Flickr Photo credit: theblackdog2071/Flickr Photo credit: istolethetv/Flickr Photo credit: istolethetv/Flickr Photo credit: Neil Howard/Flickr Photo credit: Jp Rosa/Flickr Source: Wikipedia / parisisinvisible.blogspot.com Clark airport deal done in record time posted December 30, 2018 at 07:55 pm by Darwin G. Amojelar December 30, 2018 at 07:55 pm The success of the bidding for the Clark International Airport operations and maintenance contract shows the seriousness of the Duterte administration to implement the Build, Build, Build program, according to North Luzon Airport Consortium. The Bases Conversion and Development Authority in partnership with the Department of Transportation recently awarded the O&M contract to the NLAC, which includes Changi Airport Group, the operator of the number one airport in the world, Singapore Changi Airport. NLAC said the successful selection process proved that the government was committed to providing its citizens with world-class, efficient and comfortable infrastructure, as envisioned under the Build, Build, Build program.The Clark airport expansion project was done in record time, within the first two years of President Dutertes terma major accomplishment considering that development plans for the airport were neglected for years, the group said. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. The Philippines is working on a plan to penetrate the worlds biggest home retailing network Ikea and supply some of the materials for the products the Swedish company sells. Senen Perlada, the Trade Departments director for export and promotions, said the agency proposed to Ikano Group, owner of the Ikea franchise in Manila, to source some of the materials, if not the products, to create the designs for the Swedish firm. If we could just supply 1 item and I suggested we can deal with the numbers if we start in the Asean. We know that what the company needs is a system-wide supply, but starting with Asean isnt bad, Perlada said. The Ikano Group, which was originally part of Ikea board, holds the franchise for Ikea Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. Ikea is set to build its largest Asean store in Manila. Perlada said one limitation Ikea has is that product designs should come from Sweden. They do not allow designs to come from other sources. Everything else, the designs in particular are very Swedish-centric. But with the supply of materials, thats where we come in, he said. Perlada said the Philippines could start with something as simple as a kitchen implement, something made of wood or bamboo like a chopping board or perhaps, a pillow case, or something organic like food.He said the Philippines has a treasure throve of good and quality home furnishings and knick-knacks that are all export-quality. Perlada said one should only look at the product line-up of Go Lokal, a marketing program of the department, to find out how good Philippine-made products such as food, clothes and health items are. He said with Ikea, the price should be competitive enough as all Ikea products adopt the global pricing. Theyll do the selling for us. It has to be competitive since they have this thing on global pricing. This is a challenge for usto do well with export, get the volume we need and the proper pricing for our products. But I think Ikea is good company to work with, he said. Ikea has around 9,000 stock keeping units of well-designed, functional home furnishing products, at any given time. Ikea announced its partnership with SM Prime Holdings in October to build its biggest store in Asean. As a tenant, the store will be leasing a total of 65,000 square metres of space from SM Prime right beside the MOA Arena. Our View: Sooner or later were going to have to start getting practical about the climate The Lazar 3 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle is now in service with the Serbian armed forces. On December 20, 2018, Serbian Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin and Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Milan Mojsilovic visited members of the Serbian Armed Forces who are in charge for the use and maintenance of the new Lazar 3. New Lazar 3 in APC Armored Personnel Carrier version of the Serbian army. (Picture source Serbian MoD) Serbian Chief of General Staff pointed out that it was a final phase of the training of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces in the use of the new fighting vehicle Lazar 3. According to the Assistant Director of Jugoimport SDPR JP Aleksandar Lijakovic, "The Lazar 3, after this demonstration and training of the members of the Serbian Armed Forces, has been officialy introduced in the Serbian Armed Forces". The Lazar 3 is not only a new vehicle, but it's a new concept in the field of combat armored vehicle. This is an 8x8 armoured fighting vehicle manufactured under the criteria of the leading vehicles of western production, which encompasses a rather modern approach to armoured protection, movability, fire power and capability for long-lasting combat in conflicts of different intensity, antiterrorist fight, anti-guerrilla fight, peacekeeping operations, and in classical conflicts of medium intensity, added Aleksandar Lijakovic. The Lazar 3 is the latest generation of 8x8 APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) in the Lazar vehicle family designed and manufactured by the State Company Yugoimport. The LAZAR 3 was unveiled in February 2017 during the defense exhibition IDEX 2017 which was held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Lazar 3 is available in APC and IFV configuration, it uses the same chassis but equipped with different type of weapon station. The APC version is fitted with a remotely operated weapon station armed with a 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine gun, while the IFV version has a one-man turret armed with an M86 automatic 30mm cannon with double-feed mechanism coupled to one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The layout of the Lazar 3 IFV is very similar to Lazar 2, with driver and commander position located in the front left side of the hull with the engine at the right side. The vehicle can carried a total of 12 military personnel including commander, driver, gunner and 9 soldiers. The Lazar 3 has a ballistic protection Level 3 STANAG 4569 against firing of small arms 7.6251mm caliber AP (Amor-Piercing) at 30 meters and anti-mine protection levels 3a and 3b STANAG 4569, mine explosion pressure activated under any wheel or track location (Level 3a), mine explosion under center (Level 3b). Everyones talking about the new Black Mirror movie, Bandersnatch, partly because its a choose your own adventure movie but how does that work, with Netflix? Whew: The network created an entirely new software called Branch Manager. The final product which looks like islands of flowcharts that branch out to include series of if-then options creates an infinite number of variations to the story because of the state tracking technology that tracks viewer choices as the experience progresses. The Hollywood Reporter Concepcion, TarlacSenator Joseph Victor Ejercito is pressing for the restoration of the Department of Healths P30-billion budget for its Health Facilities Enhancement Program as he visited two hospitals which he warned would turn into white elephant projects without the said funding. Im really fighting for the restoration of the budget. Last year, the HFEP budget was P30 billion, said Ejericto, chair of the Senate committee on health and demography. Ejercito said he saw how HFEP can help provinces, especially in the expansion and upgrade of health facilities. Although provincial and local government units can provide funding for these health facilities, Ejercito said these would not be enough. They are largely dependent on HFEP funds from the DOH to improve their health facilites, he said. HFEP funds, the senator said, becomes more necessary as President Rodrigo Duterte is about to sign into the Universal Health Care measure which seels to enroll all Filipinos under a state-backed health insurance program both as paying and non-paying members.We have to prepare for that. Im very concerned about the first year of UHC implementation because theres no budget HFEP for 2019, he said. Ejercito said he is open to significantly reducing the funding, noting that the government can settle for half of the budget or at least P16 billion to finish the construction of pending health facilites. We have to focus first on these structures so they can already be used th personnel and patients, he said. If there were people who were remiss in the implementation of HFEP, if the absorptive capacity was slow, our people should not be allowed to suffer. If theres no HFEP budget for 2019, this would still be the situation you will still have people in hospital corridors across the country. But if these facilities would be finished, all patients will be inside hospital rooms, Ejercito added. 4.6L AWD To be more precise, the slab of America and the German missile met at the Palm Beach International Raceway, engaging in a quarter-mile brawl.Note that both the Corvette and the RS7 had been taken down the aftermarket path. And these toys weren't just fitted with minor mods. Instead, the velocity tooks had received serious custom hardware that meant they could deliver tons of extra performance.For one thing, the Corvette we have here started out in life as a standard C7 (think: N/A6.2L V8), but it left its natural aspiration behind in favor of a supercharger.As for the Audi RS7 , this had been gifted with full bolt-ons. And we mustn't forget the fact that thehardware of the beast gives it a serious advantage in the initial phase of the race.Speaking of which, the aural side of the battle brings an interesting detail of the 'Vette. It seems that the Chevy comes in manual form and the clutch appears to slip while the blown V8 fights to get off the line.Well, as the YouTuber behind the stunt we have here mentioned in the description of the video, the Audi managed to complete the quarter-mile run in 10.7 seconds, while the supercharged Chevrolet Corvette required 11.5 seconds for the task.Returning to the aural part of the brawl, this is where the 'Vette easily takes the cake. SUV EV But their excuse is that everybody is now selling hybrids, so the same stuff that took over California two decades ago just isn't going to work.Of course, it's not going to work! Just look at Apple - the company that invented the smartphone is now losing to some Chinese brands. So the lesson is that you've got to take that cash and put it into something that makes profits.The automotive equivalent of the superconductor is the. If it's tall, people will pay extra for it, but there's still no way to have one that's green and affordable. We have things like the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace , but those don't exactly reinvent the wheel. Instead, Toyota needs to develop hybrid technology that's specifically tailored to the SUV.And that already exists in the Lexus RX, one of the most popular luxury vehicles in America. So it's no surprise that this Prius SUV rendering looks like a Lexus too. Kleber Silva took the features off the 2019 Prius and added them to a taller vehicle, the result being something that looks cheap and relatively frugal.Will turning the Prius into an SUV fix the sales problem? We think it won't. Japan still buys about 20,000 units per month, so you can't mess with that. Likewise, the RAV4 is Toyota's bread and butter model which shouldn't be competed with. In our mind, the only solution is to have a $30,000 Priuswith a huge battery and no-nonsense, practical interior. But they are way behind VW and the Koreans when it comes to battery development. As far as shock goes, it was not the arrest of Carlos Ghosn and his number 2 man, Greg Kelly, upon arrival at Haneda Airport. It was not even the allegations of underreporting Ghosns pay. Nor the the abuse of company expense accounts, luxury homes on the back of multi-residence private-jet setting. No, it was the speed by which the normally discreet Japanese publicly announced Ghosns arrest and quickie termination from Nissans Board of Directors. Definitely not the norm in this country of glacial incremental change and opaque organizations prone to cover-up anything that would embarrass high ranking Japanese officers/officials. The template would be a quiet exit, no press hoopla nor headline accusations of financial misconduct. What makes this laffair Ghosn even shocking and intriguing is that the point man for exposing this scandal, quick and public was, Mr. Hiroto Saikawa, Mr. Ghosns anointed one to take his place in Nissan come 2nd quarter of next year. Twenty-five years ago, the worlds auto industry was scrambling for growth through consolidation, acquisitions and mergers. To survive, one needed to grow. Carlos Ghosn, 'le Cost Killer' as he was known, was just going through some earnest stable cleansing at Renault. There was a kitty and Renault was wasting no time, despite a costly retreat from American Motors, its huge wager for the prize North American market. EU anti-trust and anti-monopoly statues was making Renaults union with Volvo difficult as it is. Partnering with PSA Peugeot Citroen, just as dependent on the EU market as Renault, would have added nil its net world market coverage. FIAT, the other EU-dependent volume maker was already in a tight embrace with GMs bid to be Autoworld. The German prestige brands had their own ideas and VW had already swallowed the better 2nd and 3rd tier volume brands worth promoting. Healthy though Renault was, Ghosn was not going to rest on rent-seeking purely on the EU market. Growth at all cost Halfway across the world, the Japanese number one, Toyota could do no wrong. Volume wise, Toyota was already the biggest world wide. Its success was based on being anywhere and everywhere, selling the best possible bang for the buck with white goods reliability and covering all market segments and niches. Behind Toyota was a strong Japanese candidate for world number 2, which followed the same expansionist dictum; Nissan. The Japanese held the world as its oyster. They will only do JVs and badge engineering as a temporary first step, in markets defended by the older brands, before they come in, big and in full force. This dynamic aggression meant that HQ was betting big in pursuit of any perception that would equate to product superiority i.e. F1 racing, loose reins on R&D finance and fantasies. Overnight insolvency Japans and Asias quest for dominance was felled by the 1997 Asian Crisis. This caught Nissan at the most unfortunate vortex of spiraling costs and ballooning debt. Its bankers, faltering under the strain of bad real estate deals and 'zombie' companies, can only give so much while its high growth partners in China - Yulon of Taiwan and Dong Feng of Guangzhou - reached their country limits on overseas loans to Nissan. What Nissan needed was its own 'le Cost Killer'. Genuine growth 20 years later, Group Renault-Nissan may not be a marriage made in heaven but Renault got the instant market expansion it craved for while Nissan, duly chastised for indulgent funding and planning, was able to survive to fight another day. From what looks like a desperate start, specially for Nissan, the Renault-Nissan alliance or pseudo merger has lasted and undeniably grew these past 20 years. A delicate Tango with the Japanese Despite 'le Cost Killers' ruthlessness and impatience with waste, he and Renault navigated the sensitivities of dealing with the determined and exemplary engineers and officers of Nissan. The brash Western or Mediterranean-Latino ways of Ghosn is not really different from the styles of aggressive and abrasive MBA grad captains of industries that were pushing stellar rates of growth on lumbering multinationals - regardless of cultural background. Case in point: they tolerated the confusing existence of two Nissan distributors in the Philippines for almost as long as the Renault-Nissan alliance. Still, the take no prisoners approach was entirely foreign to the consensual and self-effacing Japanese axing Japanese workers, sacrificed to the altar of survival, left a residue of bitterness to employees wedded to cradle-to-grave employment. The next obvious step Twenty years later, a full blown merger can only be a rational expectation - any Business consultant MBA would say that. But this merger has had its low level contentions ever since. The Government of France owns 15% of Renaults voting stock and it has already said no to any further deepening of the merger. Nissan, despite owning 15% of non voting stock and having only a token voice in Boulogne-Billancourt, will not have any of it either. The power of Renaults 43% ownership of voting stock was neutered for the sake of grave political considerations. Still, the recent acquisition of Mitsubishi proved that this strained relationship still works for the benefit of all. For that alone, Ghosn has proven that he is the glue that has kept the two partners together. Unfair practices Of the two partners, Nissan should have the most to gripe about. After the painful ICU resuscitation of the first 3 years, Nissan was back to being the Japanese company that it was, albeit no longer no. 2 to Toyota. And ever since 2004, Nissan contributed the larger share to revenues, year in and year out. Not only that - almost all volume parts modules and platforms of the entire group - Renault, Dacia of Romania [Renaults entry level brand], Samsung Renault of Korea and Autovaz of Russia - were from Nissan, while Renault pursued the romance of fancy future automotive concepts, the stuff that Andre Citroen and the French are known for. An all Nissan line up Even the way to a profitable future was Nissans - the Leaf EV and the entire EV range. Nissans products kept Renault in the race for the steady and reliable A-B-C car segments and LCV segment. The volatile HGV [heavy goods vehicle] truck market was hived off to RVI [Renault Vehicules Industriel] where Nissan has no reach nor intent. All of Renaults SUVs are Nissan. Renault had little to show for the luxury branch, after Patrick le Quements artsy fartsy Avantime, Vel Statis and the lamented R25 of the 80s. Though not of the same stature and coverage as Lexus, Nissans Infiniti can still hold its own. It wouldnt be churlish to say that while Nissan provided the bread and butter but also the foie gras and champagne; Renault, the feudal overlord, was just happy consuming them and giving little in return, save for that capital injection that saved Nissan in 1999. Nissan for all intents and purposes, seemed to be happy with such a lop sided existence - for so long as the Japanese side is run to Japanese standards and not French-Brazilian-Lebanese ones. Whose empire? So what has Renault got to show for these 20 years? They havent returned to North America. Theyve kept a token presence in the Latin American countries that they were once in. They are no longer as dominant in the Francophone ex-French colonies of Africa. They still keep their Eastern European presence thanks to Dacia and Autovaz. But they are nowhere to be found in the growth markets of the Near East, Middle East, India, China and ASEAN, Markets were Nissan has been long and continue to be strong. Wherever there is a Renault presence, Nissan is there. But wherever there is a Nissan presence, you can be sure that there will be no Renault presence and may never be one, Samsung Renault not withstanding. For all intents and purposes, the Renault-Nissan alliance looks like a comprehensive global Nissan empire and Renaults, like swiss cheese patchy in product and full of holes in coverage. Upend the apple cart So what upset this delicate entente cordiale, that slowly but surely made Renault Nissan the worlds largest car maker last year? The accusation of a lavish lifestyle at the cost of a corrupt and abusive view of corporate governance and transparency may just be a smoke screen, the tip of the ice berg or worse, a petty tantrum exploited to rid Nissan of a personal grudge. Frequently exposed Japanese corporate conspiracies and cover-ups dont make a paragon of transparency of some Japanese firms either. After all, Ghosns compensation was completely Renaults purview and to Renault, what seemed like an excessive life style to the Japanese, was par for the course considering the results: Renault was the jolly and corpulent Santa Claus, while Nissan were Santas tireless worker elves. Renault can continue to produce in high cost France to the nodding satisfaction of the French Government, for as long as Nissan provided the parts, the engineering and the profits. The lavish life style of Ghosn may even be entirely legal and compliant with French standards of taxation and compensation and the normally benign Tokyo Finance or Stock Exchange crime prosecutors may term Ghosns misreporting as a mere clerical oversight. Past Presidents of France were pilloried in the Press for bling but it never sent them the bill or jail. A slap on the wrist, no criminal charges and the deletion of Tokyo from any of Ghosn immediate travel plans may be in store. The charge sheet From the seclusion of Tokyos Detention Center, Ghosn has come out fighting, hiring well-known international lawyers. The main and root issue levelled against Ghosn was he underreported his income and hence clouded Nissans financial statements, making a lie of its assets and liabilities. Sensitive to Japanese stereotypes against well paid execs, Ghosn, from the beginning of his Nissan chairmanship, deferred the bulk of his income and stock options to be availed off on his retirement scheduled 2nd Qtr 2019. As to such being stated in the annual report, Tokyos finance and ethics prosecutors say it depends on company policy and Nissans are silent on booking or unbooking of future income. So, wheres the violation? Moreover, foreign execs are required to report their income if they stay more than 30% of the year in Tokyo. Ghosns time doesnt accumulate to 30% even. Lavish lifestyle Expensive homes, if where Ghosn resides near such, are Nissan owned assets, so no misappropriation there. Jet setting? Imperative, since it was the remoteness of Nissan leadership that made it miss the signs of impending doom. What remains to be clarified is the scope of work and duties of Ghosns sister, who is employed as a consultant. What next? With Ghosn, out of the picture, it further begs the question that why after 20 years, didnt the Renault-Nissan pseudo-merger grow into or move on to the next stage of a merger? Was this a case of it aint broke, why fix it? Or why didnt it break up sooner rather than a not-so-hoped forever? Did it really have to move on? A world without Ghosn The usually discreet Japanese are hardly into spectacular gestures. But when they do, it is for bigger gain. After 20 years, Ghosn may have been looking to cement the cushy and relaxed feudal overlord rent seeking status quo apres 1999 existence of Renault from whom he retires in a year. But this may have been the straw that broke the camels back for the Japanese. Nissan, now stronger and bigger [though not yet as dominant as it was in the days before 1997] can go it alone without the need to support an expensive European parent [like a known work of art]. It just needed an excuse to remove Ghosn which would trigger either the divorce with Renault or the ascent of Nissan management over the entire alliance. Mitsubishi was a duty to country and countrymen and will look like a fruitful one. Thats one typical Japanese company which has had the same overlord at the helm from the first cover-up about Fuso truck brakes killing a bystander in 1988. But Renault? Theyve been paid and paid handsomely. Nissan can now take charge of its destiny and they do not need to kowtow or bear with the sensibilities of the cultural non-assimilating non-Japanese. Future partners Where will that leave Renault? Renault will still need 'le Cost Killer' although for a different purpose since he is still, as of this writing, CEO at Boulogne-Billancourt. With Renault back to its dilemma of picayune market share, high French production costs and middling growth, it will still need a global partner. GM and Ford, may not want to acknowledge it, but both sorely need it, especially now that the US market has niched into an all SUV one. FCA, another possible partner is dealing with succession after the loss of Sergio but what they really need is another Sergio. The Germans are too busy dealing with their own goal, 'Dieselgate'. Do it again? How about the Japanese? More than 20 years ago, Patrick le Quement, Ghosns design chief was all praises for the styling and engineering dogma of another Japanese brand; Honda. After all the acrimony that come with divorce, the French-Japanese alliance did produce the worlds largest car maker last year, a 20-year cushy existence for the financier-rent seeker and a spectacular turnaround and comeback for one of the worlds top ten car makers. A fledgling California airline says it is canceling flights until further notice because of a shortage of pilots. California Pacific Airlines began service to and from its base in Carlsbad, California, in November with four 50-seat ERJ145s and was plagued with delays and cancellations shortly after it launched. In one case, a plane was damaged when it was hit by a backhoe on a ramp in Pierre, South Dakota, but other cancellations were blamed on mechanical issues. In late December the airline announced it was canceling all flights until it could get more pilots hired and trained. The airlines reservation website shows no availability through the end of February. Airline officials told the NBC San Diego affiliate that the company hoped to resume service in February. Those who have booked flights in January will get refunds. The airline lists its destinations as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Reno and San Jose with one-way fares starting at about $100. Assuming a safe New Years Eve, Monday ends what can best be described as an average year for airline-related fatalities. According to one measure (fatalities involving airliners in flight, not necessarily in revenue service) there were 16 accidents that killed 555 people (as of Dec. 27) in 2018. That compares to the safest year on record in 2017 when there were only 59 deaths. Aviation Safety Net opined that the tenfold increase is not acceptable. The airlines, regulators and crew must work together to ensure this troubling trend does not continue, the publication said in its annual review. For perspective, there were 45 million airline flights in 2018 carrying 4.5 billion passengers. The most serious crash was the loss of a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX in Indonesia in October, which killed all 189 on board. The cause hasnt been determined but the investigation is focused on sensors related to an automatic system designed to prevent the aircraft from being inadvertently stalled. The crash of a Cubana Boeing 737-200 in Havana in May killed 112 of 113 people on board. The only U.S. passenger fatality was a woman who was partly sucked out of the window of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 that experienced an uncontained engine failure over Pennsylvania in April. Aviation Safety Net counted the death of a suicidal Horizon Air ramp attendant who stole a company Q400 and intentionally crashed it near Seattle in August. On the slushy morning of Dec. 16, 1960, six residents of the Park Slope neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, suffered the irreversible consequences of turbines overtaking the propeller age, when one of the first jetliners, a United DC-8, collided with a piston TWA Super Connie over Staten Island, eight miles away. In total, 134 lives were destroyed, including those six on the ground who may have thought they had nothing to do with aviation. For the millions who survived and our descendants who fly today in the safest transportation system available, much changed, even if few are aware. I was a kid in northern New Jersey in 1960 when I saw the EXTRA front page photo. Black and white devastation resembling the London Blitz 20 years earlier, except for the lone United empennage poking from the brownstone rubble. No YouTube video can speak like a well-composed photo. Give me Robert Capa Tri-X over an iPhone, stop-your-damn-panning shot any day. The photographer caught the horror one Short Eight wrought on a Brooklyn neighborhood, and I swore Id never step inside an airplane. But, if I didback-pedaling almost immediatelyId take the last seat in the tail, because thats what survived. I didnt know that there was one survivor, although he wouldnt survive long. Stephen Baltz was 11, and his story haunted me so that years ago I wrote a novel, Muzzy, that pivoted around this midair. Muzzy means indistinct or blurred and encapsulates how lifeincluding aviation lifecan be altered when the best laid plans of pilots and air traffic controllers go to pieces in a blur of undetected mistakes. This blog limits telling the entire story, but it comes down to two airliners, flying IFR in typical winter weather, meeting a mile above Staten Island in what was both preventable and possibly inevitable. United was en route from Chicago to New York International Airport (then Idlewild, now JFK). TWA was headed to LaGuardia from Columbus, Ohio. They met when United overshot a holding fix and clipped TWA inbound for the LaGuardia ILS. The DC-8s right, outboard engine tore open the Connies cabin roof like an ice cream scoop through soft vanilla, scattering debris around Miller Field on Staten Island. End of all those stories. United continued toward Idlewild, struggling with the literal loss of the number-four engine, embedded in the TWA wreckage. The United crew likely did everything possible to save the aircraft, but as systems failed, they lost control, and the promises of the jet age plowed into the ironically named Pillar Of Fire church in Park Slope, inside of which a maintenance man was napping. He was one of the six on the ground killed by the least expected visitation in this week before the holiday season. And New Yorkers adore the holidays. The funny thing about fatal airplane accidents is theres nothing funny. Theyre brutal, chaotic and unplanned. Post-accident investigations, by contrast, are methodical and usually thorough. When researching the novel, with the help of NTSBs Scott Dunham (now retired), we accessed the 60-year-old accident reports, which are colorless but paint a sobering image, especially to former controllers and pilots (Scott and I). A brief sketch: United had been in radar contact with Center when cleared direct to Preston intersection and told to hold. Radar service was terminateda common occurrence since coverage was far from universalthen, United was switched to approach control as it motored off-airway in search of Preston. Preston was defined by two radials from two VORs (Colts Neck and Solberg), back then called Omnis. Think 1960, long before GPS. To identify Preston, the crew ideally would have utilized two VOR receivers tuned to the separate but identifiable cross-radials. As needles centered the DC-8 shouldve entered the hold at 5000 feet to await a clearance beyond the fix. Routine. Just like today, or at least how we train today for the unlikely VOR-radial holds sans RNAV that were standard fare back then. United, not in radar contact, called Idlewild approach and reported, approaching Preston, the holding fix. In truth, theyd already passed it. TWA, in radar contact with a LaGuardia approach controller, was being vectored for the localizer and warned of unknown-altitude, converging traffic. TWAs approach controller had no idea it was a United DC-8, because ATC radar lacked sophisticated tracking data or handoff capability. TWA was likely in the clouds without any chance of seeing the wayward DC-8, doing 301 knots and intercepting them at the same altitude. TWA was doing 160 knots. Fate doesnt need to be a hunter to do the math. United was lost and cruising at high speed while the crew was preoccupied identifying Preston intersection by using one VOR receiver. The other receiver was INOP, and the crew had not informed ATC; werent required to back then. We are now. I once shot a solo localizer approach into Teterboro, New Jersey airport (TEB) in my 1951 Bonanza with a 1951 panel in IMC, using a single VOR receiver and no RNAV. Mildly challenging, but I had radar service to put me on the localizer and call the f approach fix. Uniteds crew had one VOR, no ATC radar help and little positional awareness. Todays airlines are packed with navigational aids unimagined when United hit TWA. Rules have changed, as they always do after a disaster. Maximum speed (in most cases) is now 250 knots below 10,000 feet. Going direct isnt usually permitted without radar monitoring, and only fools fly IFR with one stinkin VOR receiver for sole navigation. ATC has radar around the busier airports, and pilots have GPS plus ADS-B Out, In and Sideways or soon will. Safety has improved, although as the recent Lion Air accident reminds us, the best laid plans of engineers and planners sometimes amount to naught. Meanwhile, Happy Holidays to us one and all who refuse to stay out of the sky, because its still the most amazing leap for humans who are only vaguely aware of how anything works. TerraPower, a nuclear-energy company founded by Bill Gates, is unlikely to follow through on building a demonstration reactor in China, due largely to the Trump administrations crackdown on the country. Why it matters: This is a blow to America's attempts to commercialize advanced, smaller scale nuclear technology and, separately, further evidence of soured relations between the U.S. and China under President Trump. Driving the news: In a year-end blog post covering various topics published Saturday night, Gates said of TerraPower: We had hoped to build a pilot project in China, but recent policy changes here in the U.S. have made that unlikely. Details: The Trump administration, led by the Energy Department, announced in October that it was implementing measures to prevent Chinas illegal diversion of U.S. civil nuclear technology for military or other unauthorized purposes. Those measures have made it nearly impossible for TerraPowers project to go forward, according to multiple people familiar with the development. TerraPower had pursued plans to build a pilot reactor in China because that country has two things America doesnt growing electricity demand and a long-term strategic energy plan a top TerraPower executive told me last year Morning Consult an analyst For the record: The Department of Energy continues to support the development of advanced nuclear reactors in the United States by Terrapower and others. This cutting edge technology has the ability to offer Americans a clean and resilient resource for electricity and other purposes," said Energy Department spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes in an emailed statement. "DOE also sees opportunities for global exports of this technology to nations who seek to develop their own civilian nuclear power programs for peaceful purposes. The big picture: Gates has long been bullish on combating climate change with advanced nuclear energy because the technology is carbon-free and smaller and deemed safer than existing nuclear plants. He founded TerraPower a decade ago, and next year he plans to speak out more about how America needs to regain its leading role in nuclear power research, he said in his blog post. Unfortunately, America is no longer the global leader on nuclear energy that it was 50 years ago. To regain this position, it will need to commit new funding, update regulations, and show investors that its serious. Bill Gates Whats next: We may be able to build it [the reactor] in the United States if the funding and regulatory changes that I mentioned earlier happen, Gates said in his post, although he didnt specify which funding or regulations. Meanwhile, the Energy Department just announced Go deeper: Moves to shift to a federal form of government should carry the administrations fiscal commitments to the Moro region under the Bangsamoro Organic Law, United Nations Development Program peace adviser on the Moro political transition Naguib Sinarimbo said. Sinarimbo, who is also the secretary-general of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, said the advocacy for a shift to federal form of government should guarantee the constitutional recognition of the peace agreements covering wealth-sharing and block grants provisions as embodied in the BOL. The Bangsamoro Organic Law seeks to create a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with expanded self-governing powers in the place of the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Sinarimbo said a principle in federalism holds that only proceeds from locally-collected taxes or locally -generated revenues could constitute fiscal shares that pertain to the state or region of origin in the allocation of national resources to state or regional governments. But the BOL provides for a wealth-sharing scheme through a five-percent resource allocation from the net national collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and five percent of the net collection of the Bureau of Customs.Sinarimbo said this and other BOL provisions on wealth-sharing should be carried and sustained under any new Charter. He said having gone through a long history of conflict and underdevelopment, it is important to the Bangsamoro people to secure assurance from the national government through a special fiscal arrangement that all the wealth-sharing and block grant provisions of the BOL shall be upheld. Sinarimbo said the national government should sustain its BOL commitments in all level of efforts to rewrite the Constitution to make the Bangsamoro region at par with other regions of the country in terms of development. By Trend Colombia can use Alat Free Economic Zone (FEZ) in Baku, Azerbaijan as a hub for exporting its goods to Central Asia, Hamid Zeynalov, charge d'affaires of the Azerbaijani embassy in Colombia, told Trend. "Colombia considers Azerbaijan as a hub. The country is interested in delivering its products to Azerbaijan and to Central Asia, as well as to Iran through Azerbaijan, thats to say, through the Alat FEZ. Colombia, for its part, can also serve as a hub for exporting Azerbaijani goods to Latin American countries," he said. Zeynalov pointed out that there are a lot of goods that can be exported from Azerbaijan to Colombia and vice-versa. "Colombia can export coffee, flowers, meat, gold, emerald, leather goods, fruits and etc. to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, for its part, can export tea, textile, carpet, cognac, wine, silk products and dried fruits to Colombia," he said. The diplomat noted that if the two countries manage to increase the volume of trade turnover, they can launch cargo transportation in the future. ""In general, Colombia shows great interest in the development of economic relations with Azerbaijan. The new government of Colombia is interested in cooperating in the region namely with Azerbaijan," said Zeynalov. The Free Economic Zone (FEZ) is being created in the Alat township on the basis of the presidential decree signed in March 2016. The territory of the new Baku International Sea Trade Port is also included in this zone. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Next express trains in Azerbaijan may run in the directions of Gabala and Yalama, Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC Javid Gurbanov said, Trend reports Dec. 29. "If construction work goes according to schedule, then the railway services to Gabala will be launched by the end of 2019. Technical capabilities allow this to be realized. The next destination will be Yalama," he added. The chairman of the company further added that a tender has already been announced for the construction of the Baku-Yalama railroad for the movement of express trains. "Due to the rough land of the area, the process is expected to take two years," Gurabnov said. "There will be underground and land crossings along the route." Commenting on the Baku-Ganja-Baku express train, which started its operation today, Gurbanov said that its test speed was chosen at 159 km/h. "The speed is periodically changed. Now it is 130-135 km/h. The technical capabilities of the train allow to increase the speed up to 300 km/. When the project was implemented, the maximum speed was calculated to be 160 km/h. The speed is planned to increase in the future," he added. The Baku-Ganja-Baku express train departed from the Baku Central Railway Station for the first time today at 09:00. Travel time of the train on the route is 4 hours 28 minutes. The express train will also stop at Bilajari, Yevlakh and Goran stations. The express train, consisting of four cars, has 367 seats - nine seats for the first class, 62 seats for the business class and 296 seats for the standard class. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Military units of the armed forces of Armenia violated ceasefire 27 times throughout the day, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Dec. 30. Armenian armed forces, located in Dovekh, Shavarshavan, Voskevan villages and on nameless hills in Noyemberyan region, on nameless hills in Ijevan region, in Chinari village of Berd region subjected to fire the positions of the Azerbaijan Army located in Kamarli, Ashaghy Eskipara, Jafarli villages and on nameless hills in Gazakh region, in Aghdam, Aghbulag villages of Tovuz region. The positions of Azerbaijan Army were also fired from positions of Armenian military units located near the occupied Taghibeyli village of Aghdam region, Nuzgar village of Jabrayil region, as well as from positions located on nameless hills in Goranboy, Terter and Aghdam regions. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev congratulated Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, President of the Council of State and Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cuba. "On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my sincerest congratulations to you and all the people of your country on the occasion of the Liberation Day of the Republic of Cuba. On this festive day, I wish you the best of health, success in your endeavours, and the friendly people of Cuba everlasting peace and prosperity," President Aliyev said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The high-level talks between Russia and Turkey on Syria were useful, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday, Trend reported citing TASS. "We held a very useful meeting of our interdepartmental team: the foreign and defense ministers and the intelligence services chiefs," he said. "Following the agreements, which were reached by our presidents, we discussed further steps to implement those tasks, which were outlined in the Astana format, primarily in the context of fighting terrorism, resolving humanitarian issues and creating conditions for refugees return," Lavrov added. The high-level talks between Russia and Turkey on the situation in Syria were held in Moscow on Saturday. Russia was represented, in addition to Lavrov, by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Head Sergei Naryshkin and Chief of Russias General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The Turkish delegation included Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Head of the National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Ports in Poole, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Immingham and Felixstowe are slated to be accommodating additional crafts if London fails to make a deal with Brussels, triggering a no-deal Brexit scenario, Trend reported citing Sputnik. The Department for Transport has spent 107.7 mln on ferries in order to prevent a transport collapse in case of a no-deal Brexit, The Guardian reported on Saturday. According to official documents, the department signed contracts with the French company Brittany Ferries, the Danish company DFDS and the UK's Seaborne Freight to ease pressure on Dover, as additional crossings are estimated to add 10% more traffic on the Dover Strait. The contracts, however, were not put out to tender, as, according to the department, they were concluded due to "situation of extreme urgency" brought about by "unforeseeable events". Members of the UK parliament are set to return after a Christmas recess on January 7, and a new debate over May's Brexit deal is scheduled for January 9. A vote on the deal is then expected to take place the following week. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The farm sector should transform into adapting digital agriculture and disruptive breeding technologies in order to catch up with predicted food scarcity and raise agriculture contribution to jobs and GDP. The farm sector in Southeast Asia is the least digitized sector of the economy with only $4.6 billion invested for agriculture technology in 2016 according to AgFunder. On the contrary, the needed investment for agriculture technology in the region totals to $265 billion per year according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Southeast Asian agriculture expert Dr. Paul S. Teng said in a consultation organized by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study & Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) that technology adoption will be a key determinant of farm growth. Teng stressed digital agriculture, which primarily refers to Internet of Things (IoT) enables knowledge intensity in agriculture. For one, agriculture production depends highly on weather stability, and IoT provides higher accuracy of information on data-enabled agriculture through more accurate weather forecasting. IoTmobile computing data sensors, satellite and imagerycontributes to information on irrigation, soil condition, and topography which are critical in farming. Technologies in financing (fintech) will also be pivotal in farm developmentproviding time-sensitive small loans to farmers. Given that time-sensitive small loans are the biggest challenge that farmers face, itll be interesting to see solutions such as record-keeping platforms that enable small and marginal farmers to keep records, track their farming activity and build a credit profile, said Teng Smart phones are instrumental in collaboration between fintech startups and traditional farm financing entities. This would help farmers in effectively building a knowledge base that will help them get access to favourable loan terms that correlate with their farming activities, said Teng in the SEARCA-organized Reshaping Agriculture & Development in SE Asia. New biology will also help raise food production Gene-Editing biotechnologies (CRISPR, TALENs, Zinc Finger Nucleases) provide capabilitythe ability to edit native crop genes coding for important traits and generating non-transgenic plants. Genome-edited (important) crops include, soybean, maize, wheat, rice, potato, tomato, and peanuts. These are among the technologies that should be invested in, according to AgFunder 2018: Farm Management Software, Sensing & IoTAg data capturing devices, decision support software, big data analytics Robotics, Mechanisation & EquipmentOn-farm machinery, automation, drone manufacturers, grow equipment Novel Farming SystemsIndoor farms, aquaculture, insect, algae & microbe production (excludes consumer home grow kits) Novel seedsBiotech seeds Bioenergy & BiomaterialsOn-farm agriculture waste processing, biomaterials production, anaerobic digesters (excludes supply chain companies) Agribusiness MarketplacesCommodities trading platforms, online input procurement, equipment leasing used by farmers Farm-to-Consumer eGrocery Online platforms for farmers to sell and deliver their produce direct to consumers Miscellaneous Land management tech, financial services for farmers. But on top of investing in technology, Teng said the agriculture sector should be directed to this transformation process toward the following: Managing Climate Uncertainties and Water Scarcity Agro-industrial Value Chains and Integration of Smallholders Farm Tourism and Family Farming As global population is projected to reach to 10 billion by 2050, worldwide farm productivity should be raised by 60% in 2050 in order to close the food gap. In the Philippines, agricultures contribution to GDP (gross domestic product) as of 2016 dropped to 9.7% from 19.14 in 1990. Nevertheless, employment in agriculture was still significant at 27% of population depend on it for livelihood.as of 2016. Importation in developing countries like the Philippines is still intensive to which the economy depends to sustain peoples nutrition. ASEAN countries produce much (top 3 for a range of agrifood products) but still depend on imports from outside region to meet needs for animal feed (soybean) and wheat . Theres still high prevalence of hunger and under-nutrition. Contact The Californians Robert Price at 661-395-7399, rprice@bakersfield.com or on Twitter: @stubblebuzz. His column appears on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays; the views expressed are his own. A home and several vehicles were destroyed early Sunday in a northwest Harris County fire. Houston firefighters showed up around 5:30 a.m. to find a single-story home near Chasewood and Steeplechase completely engulfed in flames, smoke billowing from the windows. The fire spread to vehicles in the driveway and chewed through the roof of the brick house. MANHUNT: Gunman kills 8-year-old leaving east Harris County store It's not immediately clear if there was anyone inside, but one firefighter was loaded onto a gurney and taken from the scene. His condition is unknown. Authorities did not say what started the blaze, and shuttered Chasewood to traffic for hours as they worked to contain and clean up from the fire. Paranaque City Rep. Gustavo Tambunting welcomed a Supreme Courts decision upholding the validity and constitutionality of the anti-hospital deposit law. I am proud our Supreme Court has ruled that this law has not violated the rights of our hospitals. Clearly, there was no real basis for this case to have been filed in the first place, he said. Tambunting is one of the principal authors of the Republic Act 10932. No Filipino must be deprived of basic emergency care due to poverty. We ask our hospitals to be our partner in achieving this goal, he said. If the Court were to invalidate the questioned law on the basis of conjectures and suppositions, then it would be unduly treading questions of policy and wisdom not only of the legislature that passed it, but also of the executive which approved it, the ruling read.The law increased the penalties against hospitals who require deposits before accepting patients in emergency or serious cases. The coverage of the law now includes pregnant women in active labor as one of the emergency cases which hospitals cannot refuse. It also makes the hospital liable in case a patient dies due to the refusal of treatment by the medical facility. According to Tambunting, the law would ensure the health of poor patients, and that they would not be put at even greater risk simply because they do not have enough money to pay the advanced deposit. Police are investigating an incident in which a car was driven erratically through a Northern Ireland town which saw the driver of another car challenged by one of its passengers. It happened in Carrickfergus on Saturday afternoon. Detective Sergeant Lyttle said: We are trying to trace the movements of a large silver or light-coloured car that was being driven erratically on the towns Victoria road around 3.15pm. "We believe the driver took the third exit at the roundabout, going right onto Prince Andrew Way. At this point, we believe the vehicle stopped, a male passenger got out and challenged the driver of a stationary grey Ford Kuga. We would be keen to identify the driver and passenger of the silver/ light-coloured car and the vehicle - and are appealing to the public for help. I would ask anyone who saw what happened or who was driving in the area at the time and has dashcam footage of the car, either prior to or during the incident, to get in touch with police as soon as you can on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 841 of 29/12/18." The head of the Community Rescue Service - Northern Ireland's only low-land search team - has praised the work of its volunteers after what has been the busiest 12 months and its busiest Christmas period in its 11-year history. The service carries out search operations between the sea and the mountains in partnership with the police and emergency services. The majority of calls its team of volunteers deal with concern vulnerable people or emergency situations. To date the service has dealt with 404 calls this year with over 20 search operations in the past three weeks including nine in 48 hours over the weekend. Eight of which were all on Friday. Some of those calls are dealing with people suffering dementia, while most concern people in very distressed or a vulnerable state of mind. "That's the nature of the job," regional commander Sean McCarry told the Belfast Telegraph, "Northern Ireland has the highest suicide rate in all the UK and Ireland, if not the world. "We can be the last line of help for someone. They could feel they've reached a point where they feel there is nothing else left to live for and we are there to support and help them. "We are an entirely voluntary-led organisation. Every penny raised goes right back into the charity to continue the work. Our operations can go on for hours and all our members do it unpaid they pay for all their own food, their fuel, nothing is reimbursed so the charity is not out of pocket. Expand Close Sean McCarry said he was humbled by the exceptional and noble effort of Community Rescue Service volunteers and their families. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sean McCarry said he was humbled by the exceptional and noble effort of Community Rescue Service volunteers and their families. "And I am always amazed at the exceptional people we have. We had call outs on Christmas day - it is phenomenal what they do. They work tirelessly and see it as a privilege that families at their most vulnerable times allow them in and trust them. "I consider the work of the organisation my most amazing achievement and the work of the volunteers just uplifts your heart. They are helping people in crisis, they may well be the last line of defence and those volunteers are exceptional people. "There would be no other voluntary organisation as busy as us. I always think there is nothing more noble than people giving up their family time to help others in need and our members do just that." The service was set up in 2007 when a need for a low-land rescue operation was needed. Previously it was deemed too dangerous for a volunteer-led organisation to carry out searching for missing people during the Troubles and the security services took the lead. Sean - who has a 40-year search and rescue background - was approached and since the organisation has grown to having around 150 members across 10 teams throughout Northern Ireland with 16 boats. They have been involved in some of the most high-profile search operations in the past 12 months. As well as search operations it also provides a blood bike service to take vital supplies, including baby milk, around the country and also night-time safety patrols around Belfast to assist people who may have been injured or feel vulnerable during a night out. Often people are out in the town from 10pm to 5am. "It's a massive commitment. We have people from all backgrounds and all walks of life. From Pastors and ministers to engineers and they are all fully trained. Also around 30% of our membership are women which is very important in helping vulnerable people. "They are also really important in the supporting the membership. They help make a real family atmosphere which is important given the work we do. "So many families are always very grateful for our help and that too goes a long way to keeping moral up in the service. The work can be very tough on our members. "We also have very flexible employers who support our members, their staff. They know it is life-saving intervention work they do. "Their own families and friends are also very supportive. The dedication of our volunteers is exceptional and for their families to be so understanding and for them to give up their time together, warms the heart. It is never a burden for them, always a an absolute privilege. "We are always recruiting - and it is not because we are losing people - it's because the work is always increasing. "Last year we were the busiest of all the other low-land teams throughout the UK and Ireland and it is looking like it will be another very busy year." To support the Community Rescue Service or to volunteer you can find it on Facebook, email info@communityrescue.org or call 07711233802. A near-2,000 mile pilgrimage by an Irish missionary could become a recognised European cultural route and trigger a tourism bonanza, campaigner Deborah Girvan said (Liam McBurney/PA) A near-2,000 mile pilgrimage by an Irish missionary could become a recognised European cultural route and trigger a tourism bonanza, campaigners said. A satnav map of the evangelising journey of Bangor monk St Columbanus from Ireland to modern-day Italy in the early days of Christianity has been created. It follows a donation from French benefactors. Europes leading human rights organisation has been urged to bestow official status on the saints route in the month ahead. The hope is that this can become a symbol of peace and understanding and it could see a platform for significant educational and cultural exchangesDeborah Girvan Deborah Girvan, president of the European Columban Way, said: This is escalating, it is growing, there is huge momentum behind this. Regardless of the outcome of Brexit, this is an era of intolerance and uncertainty. The hope is that this can become a symbol of peace and understanding and it could see a platform for significant educational and cultural exchanges. It has potential to unite Europe and not disunite it. Columbanuss peregrination from Ireland to Bobbio in what is now northern Italy, where he set up a monastery, is celebrated as a golden age for Irish influence and learning in Europe. Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, said Columbanus was an inspiration for the modern Europe. Expand Close Deborah Girvan said the Columbanus project had the potential to unite Europe and not disunite it (Liam McBurney/PA). / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Deborah Girvan said the Columbanus project had the potential to unite Europe and not disunite it (Liam McBurney/PA). He travelled more than 3,000 kilometres across Ireland and Europe at the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 7th century. Columbanus was born on the Wexford/Carlow border and became a monk in the monastery at Bangor, Co Down, under the abbot St Comgall for more than 20 years. He crossed the Irish Sea with 12 companions, among them St Gall from whom the city St Gallen in Switzerland takes its name. The saint founded monasteries in Annegray, Fontaine-les-Luzeuil and Luxeuil-les-Bains in the foothills of the Vosges mountains in eastern France, in Bregenz on the banks of Lake Constance in Austria and in Bobbio near Milan. His journey forms the basis of the pilgrimage route called the Columban Way beginning in Bunclody, Wexford, where he was born and ending in Bobbio, where he died. A stone from Bangor outside a church in Bregenz represents the post-Second World War rebuilding of Europe. Kenneth Irvine, from the Friends of Columbanus Bangor, said a satellite navigation system paid for by the French had been a major advantage for tourism. Expand Close Bangor Abbey, where St Columbanus studied before his pilgrimage across Europe (Liam McBurney/PA). / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bangor Abbey, where St Columbanus studied before his pilgrimage across Europe (Liam McBurney/PA). A phone app contains all the monastic sites, places to stay and eat and other places of interest. Mr Irvine said he hoped it would become a cultural route of the Council of Europe, a post-Second World War human rights organisation which pre-dates the EU, but that needed a lot more planning and work. He added: The potential for tourism and bringing people is significant. A Co Down tour guide has suggested there are 18 million faith tourists in the US who are interested in how Christianity started and the monastic movement. A woman hospital worker had a large knife pulled on her at the end of her shift in an attempted car jacking. It happened on the Crumlin Road in the early hours of the morning as the woman was returning to her car parked on Fleetwood Street. The woman - aged in her 20s - managed to get into the car as the man ran toward her and lock the doors. However, the man was able to get hold of the door handle before swearing at her and telling her to get her out of the car. He then pulled a knife, described as being between six and seven inches long and cut the woman in the arm, ripping her sleeve. The woman ran back to the hospital to raise the alarm. Although she was not physically injured in the incident, she was left very shocked by what happened," said Detective Sergeant McPhillips. Her attacker is described as being 5 5 in height, of skinny build and wearing a dark-coloured hat or hood. He was also wearing a dark tracksuit with stripes down the arms of the top and dark bottoms. He wasnt wearing gloves, was clean-shaven with some stubble and spoke with a Belfast accent. This was a frightening episode for this woman to experience as she finished a hospital shift helping others and we are appealing to the public for help. We believe the man left Fleetwood Street and made his way up the Antrim road to the Vicinage Park area where he was picked up by a silver-coloured car. I would appeal to anyone who was in the area of the Crumlin road, Fleetwood Street or nearby Vicinage Park between 12 midnight and 12.45am and saw any suspicious activity or a male fitting this description to get in touch with us immediately on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 31 of 30/12/18. "Alternatively, information can be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime." The Belfast Health Trust confirmed there was an incident and police were investigating. Condemning the attack, Sinn Fein councillor JJ Magee described it as "shocking". "This must have been a very frightening experience for the driver," he said. "No one should have to face incidents like this and people should be able to go about their business free from fear or intimidation. "I would encourage anyone with information on this incident to bring it forward to the PSNI." Police believe the two incidents may be linked. A pregnant woman who went missing on Saturday afternoon has been found safe and well. Police and the family of Judith Barr launched an appeal after she went missing in the Antrim area on Saturday afternoon. On Saturday evening police and her family confirmed she had been found safe and well. Police thanked the public for their assistance in the appeal. Jean Claude Juncker has called on Britain to decide what it wants (Matt Cardy/PA) Jean-Claude Juncker has called on the United Kingdom to get your act together over Brexit, branding some Britons entirely unreasonable for expecting Brussels to put forward a solution. The European Commission president also rejected claims of a plot to keep the UK in the EU by all possible means and revealed he fears the majority of MPs deeply distrust both the EU and Theresa May. The top Eurocrats comments to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag were published as Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox said the chances of Britain leaving the European Union will be little more than 50-50 if the Prime Ministers deal is rejected by Parliament. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs Mays deal would be incendiary and said it was a matter of honour for them to support the PM. MPs are due to vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the week of January 14 after Mrs May, facing the prospect of a significant defeat, pulled the original date of December 11. However the bid to buy more time to secure key concessions on the Irish backstop, the key flashpoint for DUP and Brexiteer detractors of the deal, appeared to falter when her fellow leaders refused to change the legal text of the agreement. Expand Close Anti-Brexit campaigners have been making their views known (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anti-Brexit campaigners have been making their views known (Yui Mok/PA) The PM said talks would continue, although the EU has repeatedly warned negotiations over the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. Should MPs reject it when they vote in the coming weeks it could raise the prospect of no-deal and with it the risk of heavy economic consequences for the UK and EU, or a second referendum on Brexit. My appeal is this: get your act together and then tell us what it is you want Mr Juncker said: It is not us who are leaving the United Kingdom it is the United Kingdom that is leaving the European Union. I find it entirely unreasonable for parts of the British public to believe that it is for the EU alone to propose a solution for all future British problems. My appeal is this: get your act together and then tell us what it is you want. Our proposed solutions have been on the table for months. Mr Juncker said it was up to the British to decide if the final decision is put back to the people in a second referendum or so-called Peoples Vote. However he said he was working on the assumption that (the UK) will leave, because that is what the people of the United Kingdom have decided. I have the impression that the majority of British MPs deeply distrust both the EU and Mrs May, Mr Juncker added. It is being insinuated that our aim is to keep the United Kingdom in the EU by all possible means. That is not our intention. Expand Close International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said Government cannot renege on Brexit (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said Government cannot renege on Brexit (Victoria Jones/PA) Dr Fox told the Sunday Times that Brexit will only be 100% certain if the House of Commons backs the Prime Ministers deal in a crunch vote next month. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs Mays deal would be incendiary and said it was a matter of honour for them to support the PM. Having given the public the right to decide on EU membership in a referendum, Parliament cannot now, with any honour, renege on that result, said Dr Fox. Were they to do so, I think you would shatter the bond of trust between the electorate and Parliament. And I think that would put us into unprecedented territory with unknowable consequences. Campaigners for a second EU referendum seized on the International Trade Secretarys comments, saying that polls suggested that fewer than 50% of Britons now want to leave the EU. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a leading supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a referendum, said: Brexit not happening isnt 50-50 as Liam Fox says. Its actually 56-44. The Government is obviously trying to shake us up so we think we have got no choiceDavid Davis Former Brexit Secretary David Davis said he expected defeat for Mrs Mays plan in the Commons to force the UK and EU back to the negotiating table to strike a new deal before March 29. Mr Davis told LBC radio: They will have to come back and deal again. The deal shes got is no good. It will be very, very nerve-wracking for some people and some companies, but at the end of the day we will get a deal and it will be a better one than she has got. Thats where I think it will go and thats what I think she should do. Mr Davis dismissed ministers warnings of the dangers of a no-deal Brexit as scare stories. The Government is obviously trying to shake us up so we think we have got no choice, he said. They are saying to the ones who want Brexit If you dont vote for this you wont get Brexit and to those who dont want Brexit If you dont vote for this you will have the worst sort of Brexit, you will have a hard crash-out. Both these stories cant be right. They are trying to run the clock down. I dont think its a wise strategy. Labours shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the Government had put Britain into a ridiculous position. He tweeted: Combination of false Brexit promises and useless Government. No deal has never been viable and, as every day passes, it becomes less so. But the Scottish National Partys leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, retorted: The SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Green Party are all working together to try and get a Peoples Vote. Why dont Labour work with us and others on the Government benches to stop this madness? Labour will not be forgiven for standing aside. You can call me anytime. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has been criticised over the migrant crisis (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Home Secretary Sajid Javid is under pressure to get a grip on the issue of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel amid criticism over the Governments response. Mr Javid has cut short his Christmas break and is returning to Westminster to deal with what he described as a major incident unfolding in waters off the south coast of England. Six Iranian men were found on a Kent beach early on Sunday, in the latest successful crossing of the Channel from France by migrants in inflatable boats. The group were handed over to immigration authorities after arriving in Kingsdown, near Deal. The Home Secretary has promised to do more to tackle the issue, saying it is of grave concern that people are attempting the perilous crossing. Expand Close A Border Force RIB on patrol in Dover Harbour (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Border Force RIB on patrol in Dover Harbour (Victoria Jones/PA) However, in the face of calls for more Border Force Cutters to be deployed in the Channel, he said it was vital we strike a balance between protecting them and protecting our borders and avoid encouraging more people to take the risk. He spoke by phone on Sunday with French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who said they had agreed to strengthen our actions to combat Channel crossings undertaken by certain irregular migrants on small boats, at peril of their lives. Mr Javid thanked the French minister for his partnership, adding: UK and France will build on our joint efforts to deter illegal migration protecting our borders and human life. Thank you @CCastaner for your partnership. UK & France will build on our joint efforts to deter illegal migration - protecting our borders and human life https://t.co/7vUc0BvHMr Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) December 30, 2018 Mr Javid has come under criticism from Labour and some Tory MPs for his handling of the issue, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott accusing him of being slow to respond and branding his strategy flawed. Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Ms Abbott said: He has still to explain exactly how the Government plans to handle these mass criminal operations in British waters. The Home Offices flawed strategy has been to focus on deterring refugees, thinking that the issues in the Mediterranean would never reach our shores. While the Tories wax lyrical about control of our borders and being tough on security, they cannot seem to get a grip on criminal smugglers operating on a few hundred miles of coastline, in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Mr Javid also came under fire from Rehman Chishti, the Tory MP for Gillingham and Rainham who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee. He told the Sunday Telegraph there has been a lack of leadership to get a grip on this issue. Mr Chishti added: They have not got a grip on it. What we have got is unsatisfactory and somebody has to do something. Ultimately the buck stops with the Home Secretary. Mr Javid appeared before the Home Affairs Committee in November when he was asked about the measures being taken to stem the number of migrants attempting the crossing. He said he was considering whether to bring Border Force Cutters on operations in the Mediterranean back to the Channel, although he was yet to make a decision. On Saturday Mr Javid said he was keeping the number of Border Force vessels in the Channel under close review, but admitted there was no one easy answer. Immigration Minister @carolinenokes met Border Force and @NCA_UK colleagues at Dover to see the work being done to deal with the deeply concerning increase in migrants attempting to cross the Channel. pic.twitter.com/SQfMBCiaan Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) December 29, 2018 Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Tory MP for Dover and Deal Charlie Elphicke called for all five of the Border Forces Cutters to be deployed in the Channel as a powerful deterrent. Rejecting Mr Javids suggestion that increasing patrols would encourage more people to attempt the crossing, Mr Elphicke said: You dont deter burglars by leaving your front door open. This cannot be done on the cheap with the half-hearted Dads Army-type set-up suggested by the Home Office in the past, he said. Mr Javid declared the situation a major incident on Friday, appointing a gold commander to oversee the situation and give daily updates. He said on Saturday: The situation in the Channel is of grave concern, with people gambling their lives in reckless attempts to reach the UK in unsafe boats and treacherous conditions. It is vital we strike a balance between protecting them and protecting our borders, ensuring we do not encourage more people to make this dangerous journey. You dont deter burglars by leaving your front door openCharlie Elphicke Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the armed forces were ready to offer help if needed, but there had not been any requests from the Home Office. The head of the National Crime Agency-led Project Invigor organised immigration crime task force Chris Hogben warned more crossings were likely in the coming weeks. Mr Hogben said significant resources were being devoted to helping French authorities disrupt trafficking activities and dozens of crossing have been prevented, while three suspected facilitators had been arrested and charged. A spokeswoman for the Immigration Services Union (ISU), which represents Border Force staff, said the two ageing Cutters available for patrols were woefully inadequate. Lucy Moreton also said it was very difficult to know how much the French authorities were doing to prevent people-smuggling from the camps housing migrants around Calais. We are being told that those touting for these crossings are absolutely open about it, she told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. They are around and about in the camps, they are in the cafes in those areas of Calais. A spokeswoman for the French Maritime Prefecture, Ingrid Parrot, said authorities were dealing with a network of organised people smugglers. Detention Action said the reason for the crisis was the Governments failure to create safe and legal routes for people to claim asylum in Britain. The charity said: How can we claim to uphold our proudest tradition of offering sanctuary to those fleeing persecution if we require people to make death-defying journeys to claim that right and then imprison them indefinitely in detention centres when they arrive? Instead of laying the blame solely at the hands of criminal gangs, Sajid Javid must step up and provide safe passage for those in distress if he wants to avoid further human tragedy. The UK and France have agreed to step up action to deal with migrants making the perilous attempt to cross the English Channel in small boats. An enhanced action plan to be launched in the coming week will include increased joint patrols and surveillance, disruption of organised trafficking gangs and efforts to raise awareness among migrants of the dangers of a Channel crossing. The plan was agreed in a phone call between Sajid Javid and his French counterpart Christophe Castaner after the Home Secretary cut short a family Christmas break to return to the UK and deal with the problem. Mr Javid has come under growing pressure to act, with Labour accusing him of being slow to respond and Conservative MP Rehman Chishti telling him to get a grip. We have a duty to reach out the hand of humanity, support and friendship to people who are in danger and seeking a place of safety.https://t.co/1EaUJ9Lpj6 Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) December 30, 2018 Dover MP Charlie Elphicke repeated calls for Border Force cutters to be called back from search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean to patrol the Channel. But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Britain had a duty to support those seeking a place of safety. Responding to a call for compassion from the Bishop of Dover, Mr Corbyn said: We have a duty to reach out the hand of humanity, support and friendship to people who are in danger and seeking a place of safety. In the latest in a sequence of Channel crossings, six Iranian men were found on a Kent beach early on Sunday having arrived from France in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat. The group were handed over to immigration authorities after being spotted in Kingsdown, near Deal. Expand Close A Border Force RIB on patrol in Dover Harbour (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Border Force RIB on patrol in Dover Harbour (Victoria Jones/PA) In his call, Mr Javid assured the French Interior Minister of the UKs commitment to supporting his countrys efforts to tackle the problem, including by supplying personnel and equipment. The two men agreed on the need to ramp up co-operation and will meet face-to-face in January to assess whether further action is required, the Home Office said. Mr Javid will chair a meeting on Monday to discuss further action with senior officials from Government departments and agencies, including Border Force and the National Crime Agency. Mr Castaner offered reassurances over Frances efforts to break up people-smuggling gangs, pointing to the dismantling on December 19 of an entire organised crime group that had been trafficking migrants through the country. Thanking the French minister for his partnership, Mr Javid said: The UK and France will build on our joint efforts to deter illegal migration protecting our borders and human life. Thank you @CCastaner for your partnership. UK & France will build on our joint efforts to deter illegal migration - protecting our borders and human life https://t.co/7vUc0BvHMr Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) December 30, 2018 The Home Office said increased activity would be led from the UK-France Co-ordination Centre at Coquelles, near Calais. Mr Elphicke said: I welcome the Home Secretary taking personal responsibility for the situation. Illegal crossings have now been on the increase for more than two months and more needs to be done as a matter of urgency. But he added: It falls short of the kind of joint action and operations needed on the English Channel specifically for the immediate return to France of people found making illegal crossings. Moreover, we cannot simply leave it to the French. I am calling for our Border Force cutters currently cruising the Mediterranean to return to UK waters and form a new Dover Patrol to take back control of our borders immediately. Mr Javid declared a major incident on Friday after dozens of migrants in small boats arrived on the Kent coast over the Christmas period. But he resisted calls to deploy more cutters to the Channel, saying he was keeping the number of vessels available to the Border Force under close review, but stressing that there was no one easy answer. Mr Javid said it was vital to strike a balance between protecting migrants and protecting Britains borders and to avoid encouraging more people to put to sea. Rejecting Mr Javids suggestion that increasing patrols would encourage more people to attempt the crossing, Mr Elphicke said: You dont deter burglars by leaving your front door open. Immigration Minister @carolinenokes met Border Force and @NCA_UK colleagues at Dover to see the work being done to deal with the deeply concerning increase in migrants attempting to cross the Channel. pic.twitter.com/SQfMBCiaan Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) December 29, 2018 Writing in the Daily Telegraph, ex-Ukip leader Nigel Farage said Mr Javid could become the next prime minister if he followed the lead of former Australian PM Tony Abbott to make it crystal clear that any individual who crosses the Channel by dinghy and illegally enters British waters will not be allowed to stay in our country. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the armed forces were ready to offer help if needed but there had no requests from the Home Office. Chris Hogben, the head of the National Crime Agency-led Project Invigor, warned more crossings were likely in the coming weeks. Mr Hogben said significant resources were being devoted to helping French authorities disrupt trafficking activities and dozens of crossing have been prevented, while three suspected facilitators had been arrested and charged. The charity Detention Action said the reason for the crisis was the Governments failure to create safe and legal routes for people to claim asylum in Britain. Instead of laying the blame solely at the hands of criminal gangs, Sajid Javid must step up and provide safe passage for those in distress if he wants to avoid further human tragedy, the charity said in a statement. The UK could establish new military bases in the Caribbean and Far East as part of a bid to become a true global player following Brexit, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has said. Mr Williamson said that the 1960s policy of withdrawal from regions east of Suez had been ripped up as the UK takes the opportunity to recast its role on the global stage. He played down the significance of his announcement that troops were being put on standby to assist civil authorities on Brexit day, describing it as good sensible planning to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. For so long - literally for decades - so much of our national view point has actually been coloured by a discussion about the European Union. This is our moment to be that true global player once more Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Williamson said Britons should be much more optimistic about our future as we exit the European Union. He said: This is our biggest moment as a nation since the end of the Second World War, when we can recast ourselves in a different way, we can actually play the role on the world stage that the world expects us to play. For so long literally for decades so much of our national view point has actually been coloured by a discussion about the European Union. This is our moment to be that true global player once more and I think the armed forces play a really important role as part of that. Mr Williamson said he was looking at opportunities to establish a UK presence not just in the Far East but also in the Caribbean as well. He declined to identify possible locations, but the Telegraph quoted a source close to the Defence Secretary as saying that new bases, housing service and maintenance staff, supply ships and equipment, could be sited in Singapore or Brunei in the South China Sea, or Montserrat or Guyana in the Caribbean within the next couple of years. Mr Williamson said: I am very much looking at how can we get as much of our resources forward based, actually creating a deterrent but also taking a British presence. We are looking at those opportunities not just in the Far East but also in the Caribbean as well. He said he expected a dramatic shift in political focus after Brexit with the UK building deeper relationships with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Caribbean states and nations across Africa. The Defence Secretary predicted these countries would look to the UK for the moral leadership, the military leadership and the global leadership. He said that recent research showed that Britons under-estimated the potential for UK global influence. The research showed that while the rest of the world saw Britain standing 10 feet tall when actually we stood six feet tall Britons saw us standing five feet tall, not the six, and certainly not the 10, he said. Labour MP Chris Leslie, a leading supporter of the Peoples Vote campaign, said: Gavin Williamsons claims that Brexit would allow the UK to build bases in the Far East or the Caribbean betray an ignorance of military strategy that is worrying in a Defence Secretary. And Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a second EU referendum, said: Brexit is making Britain a laughing stock, not a force to be reckoned with. If the Defence Secretary really thinks Brexit will make Britain a true global player, hes not read the reports his own Government have been producing. They tell a different story of Brexit Britain being put through economic ruin and being locked out of key defence capabilities which keep us safe. Lets put an end to this farce and let the public have the final say over whats best for them, including the option to stay and strengthen ourselves within Europe. House Speaker Gloria Arroyo on Sunday called on the people to forgive those who have hurt them as the nation bids farewell to 2018 and greets 2019 with hope for peace and prosperity. Sow forgiveness, not hate; unity, not division, she said in her New Years message. Let us greet the new year with gratitude to God for all His blessings and hope for a peaceful and prosperous Philippines, she added. Let us not build fences but spread kindness and compassion. Let us not sow division but unity, not hate but forgiveness. She wished that 2019 would bring endless opportunities to fulfill our dreams and be a true blessing to others. With Arroyo at the helm, the House processed at least 1,300 bills. Her former election lawyer, meanwhile, lauded the Pasay City lower court for the dismissal of the election sabotage case against her. The dismissal will surely benefit all political parties and their candidates in the 2019 elections, especially in the senatorial race, said Romulo Macalintal, who is running for a senatorial seat in the 2019 mid-term election.Arroyos case was based solely on her alleged statement to the public to vote straight for her senatorial bets in the 2007 polls, he added. Macalintal was then the lawyer of Arroyo in the 2004 presidential poll. The Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112 ruled in her favor for failure of the prosecution to prove the guilt of accused beyond reasonable doubt and moral certainty despite ample opportunity and even without evidence in favor of said accused, the demurrer to evidence is granted and the charge of electoral sabotage against accused is hereby ordered dismissed. In a six-page decision, Judge Jesus Mupas granted her demurrer to evidence and dismissed the credibility of the whistleblower, former Maguindanao provincial administrator Norie Unas, who said that he heard Arroyo say Dapat 12-0 sa Maguindanao, kahit ayusin o palitan pa ang resulta. While the case was dismissed on Arroyos demurrer to evidence, it only means that mere encouragement by parties or candidates to vote straight for their candidates in their respective slates is not an election offense, Macalintal said. This only confirms my previous position that there is nothing illegal or unlawful to campaign for the entire slate of a political party or group of candidates especially so that the Constitution allows multi-party system in our electoral processes, he added. People navigate a flooded street in the town of Baao in Camarines Sur province on December 30, 2018. Dozens of people died and thousands fled their homes after a tropical storm slammed the Philippines at the weekend, dumping heavy rain over large areas in the eastern seaboard as the country prepared to greet the New Year, authorities said Sunday. The number of people who have died due to rain-induced floods and landslides has reached 45 in the Bicol region, regional Office of Civil Defense director Claudio Yucot said. These are initial reports, he told reporters. The figure can still go up because there are reports of missing. In giving a breakdown of the deaths by area, the regional office said 13 died in Albay province; 16 in Camarines Sur; three in Camarines Norte; six in Sorsogon; and seven in Masbate. Yucot said the public may have let their guard down after the governments weather agency downgraded the storm's severity warning. Many people chose to stay at home after the storm warning was downgraded, Yucot said, adding that residents in low lying areas in the town of Tiwi had reported hearing a loud sound before water came tumbling down of the slopes causing floods. The storm, given the local name "Usman," struck on Saturday evening, as most of the Catholic country was preparing for the New Year. It churned maximum winds of 55 kilometres (34 miles) an hour and gusts of 65 kph (40 mph). The storm did not raise alarm in a country used to weathering some 20 storms a year, some of them devastating. Manilas disaster risk agency spokesman, Edgar Posadas, said that officials had done their part in raising warnings, and had told residents in the storms path to take precautions days before it hit. "The government has played its role here. What we need is immediate action and sincere participation of the people in the communities in times of calamities, Posadas said. According to reports, more than 22,000 people fled their homes ahead of the storm. Manuel Damo, the disaster relief chief in the town of Tiwi, said seven bodies, most of them minors, were retrieved Sunday in the landslide-hit town. The victims must have relaxed after Usman was declared a low pressure area. Most people opted to stay at home than go to evacuation sites. They didnt know that the rain would be more dangerous than the storm, Damo said. In September, typhoon Mangkhut unleashed heavy rains and barreled through the nation with winds of 170 kph (105 mph) and 260 kph (160 mph) gusts, causing two major landslides that left 141 people dead. 'We believe in miracles': Local man receives new heart after health scares National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Sunday, expressed optimism for a more stable and secure nation in 2019 even as he admitted that the proliferation of illegal drugs had become a national security threat along with communists and terrorist groups. According to Esperon, the NSC and the countrys security sector have succeeded in adequately managing national security in the face of numerous issues and concerns that continue to challenge the security of the nation. In his statement, Esperon said that President Rodrigo Dutertes creation of the National Security Strategy and the establishment of a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict were instrumental in integrating the countrys major security policies and coordination of all concerned agencies to effectively address security threats, issues, and concerns both within and outside the country. In the external environment, the West Philippine Sea issue remained to be contentious due to overlapping territorial claims and maritime domain concerns among the various claimants, Esperon said in his statement. Amid this renewed global interest on Asia, the Duterte Administration adopted a middle ground position signifying that the Philippines is a friend to all and an enemy to none, he added. Esperon noted that Dutertes foreign independent policy has enabled the country to forge partnerships with China and Russia while maintaining its ties with the United States. He, however, maintained that the country continues to use the diplomatic engagements with China and other claimant states of the resource-filled waters without compromising Philippine national interest. Trans-boundary issues such as terrorism, drug trafficking, piracy, smuggling, and human trafficking are being addressed through the strong collaborative mechanisms within the ASEAN framework, Esperon said. The campaign against illegal drugs has become a primary mission and the campaign will even be more intensified to eradicate the menace, he stressed. He then underscored that the operations against communist rebels, terrorist groups, and other extremists will be relentless as they continue to threaten the lives of the public and hamper the countrys potential economic gains.Esperon said that despite keeping other threat groups at bay, military operations against the Abu Sayyaf Group and the renegade Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters would be relentless. More security forces will be deployed as necessary, the NSC chief said. He also gave emphasis to Dutertes issuance of Executive Order No. 70, which created the NTF-ELCAC, allowing the government to tackle the decades-old problem with communists with whole-of-nation approach. The whole-of-nation Approach gives importance to inclusive and sustainable framework towards attaining peace, he said. He also said that the extension of Martial Law implementation in the Mindanao region will be vital in ensuring the success of the upcoming plebiscite of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in January 2019. According to the top security official, prospects are bright for an even more stable and secure nation in 2019. The security sector will become more robust in addressing future security challenges. We are optimistic that as we are able to provide continuing stability, more developmental prospects, small and big, such as our Build, Build, Build projects, will see fruition. All these will translate to improved economic standing and better living conditions of most Filipinos, Esperon said. We, in the security sector, stand with the President, and remain committed to secure our territory, ensure sovereignty, and implement law and order all for the well-being of the Filipino and for our future generations, he said. 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 President Rodrigo Duterte drew outrage Sunday after saying he touched his maid when he was a teenager, with womens groups accusing him of attempted rape and encouraging sexual abuse, while the Palace tried to dismiss the tale as a laughable anecdote. In his latest remarks, Duterte recounted a confession he had with a priest in high school, detailing how he had entered the room of his maid while she was sleeping. I went to the room of the maid. I lifted the blanket. I tried to touch what was inside the panty. I was touching it. She woke up, so I left the room, the teenage Duterte told the priest. When the priest asked where he went after, Duterte said he went to the bathroom to do the usual and went back to the maids room. I tried to insert my finger, Father. There was hair. It was wet, he said. Asked if the maid woke up, Duterte said: No, Father. She was closing her eyes. Fast asleep. So, I went to the bathroom again, Father. Twice, he added. The priest then told Duterte to recite one Our Father and five Hail Marys, so he will not go to hell. Duterte, however, shrugged off the belief of hell and some of the other Catholic teachings. Womens rights political party Gabriela denounced Dutertes repulsive comments and called for him to resign, saying he had confessed to attempted rape. Rape does not happen only through penile insertion. If it is a finger or an object it is considered rape, said Joms Salvador, secretary general of Gabriela. Duterte, 73, made the remarks as he blasted the Catholic Church over allegations of sexually abusing children. The president, who brands the church the most hypocritical institution in the mainly Catholic nation, said Saturday that he and his classmates at school were molested during confession. It was his latest tirade against bishops and priests who have been critical of his drug war which has left more than 5,000 people dead, according to official figures. Duterte and his aides often dismiss his controversial statements about women as a joke or insist they are taken out of context. Duterte provoked fury in 2016 when during an election campaign speech he said he had wanted to rape a beautiful Australian missionary who had been murdered in a prison riot. Womens advocates said Dutertes latest comments endangered domestic workers. More than a million Filipinos work abroad as domestic workers, according to the Labor Department. Flaunting abusive practices encourages the rape culture and in this case, sexual abuse of domestic workers, said Jean Enriquez, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific. The Palace played down Dutertes confession of misbehavior as a laughable anecdote.Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte purposely spliced the story with vulgarity to characterize the behavior of the priest who insisted on hearing more sins during their confessions when there were none. In his inimitable allegorical style of dramatizing the sexual abuse the President suffered when he was a minor, he (Duterte) has made up a laughable anecdote to dramatize the fact of sexual abuse that was inflicted on him and his fellow students when they were in high school, Panelo said in a statement. The Palace official said Duterte has even asked the public to research on the internet the late Jesuit priest Fr. Mark Falvey, who allegedly groped him and other Ateneo students during sessions in the confession box. The Jesuit order paid $16 million settlement on complaints of sexual abuse filed against him, Panelo said. He said Duterte has come up with an unorthodox and mischievous method of exposing and criticizing the hypocritical practices of the men in robes. While the telling of the concocted story triggers laughter [from] his audience, the message that the President intends to convey is not lost on his listeners, he said. The President will not discard his shocking and amusing out-of-the-box utterances that have been his political signature, which has endeared him to the masses, and which he finds effective in transmitting to the nation his political and social dogmas, he added. In his speech, Duterte again related that he was molested by a Catholic priest. Its true. All the children went through that. While were confessing, they touch us, Duterte said in his speech. The President also mentioned in his speech that case of a foreigner priest in Biliran who was arrested for 50 cases of molesting. The President also expressed skepticism over the Churchs concept of hell. They invented heaven and hell. Theres heaven because you will really go there. Now if you say hell, why would God create you and throw you to the fires? How will you burn? Duterte asked, displaying again his copy of the book Altar of Secrets: Sex, Politics, and Money in the Philippine Catholic Church. The book, which Duterte claims to be a bestseller, contains exposes on ranking prelates. Im not picking a fight with them. But the situation is being handled by the Church. All countries that the Church interferes in do not progress. Everything [does not advance] once the religions meddle, he said. He said priests should not use religion to interfere in the affairs of the state. They will use it as their platform. Its really crazy... Do not use the platform of religion to criticize me. Just say that I am wrong. Do not use God, he said. The Catholic has become a very lewd thing. She (the Church) has to correct itself before it can clearly [criticize]. If not, I will really be their enemy and I will continue to attack them, he added. He then said the Catholic belief of a Holy Trinity was silly. "There is no better way to end this year than to count our blessings. " "There is no better way to end this year than to count our blessings. " While going over the texts and mails which have been pouring like rain with good wishes and prayers from family, friends and acquaintances, I cannot help but be reminded of the remarks of the iconic Mr William Buckley, Jr., before an audience gathered together at the thirty fifth anniversary dinner of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington D.C. on November 29, 1988. Entitled Toward a Recovery of Gratitude, Buckleys remarks served as a counterpoint to the anniversarys theme Sources of Renewal: The Permanent Things and the Recovery of Man, as he reminisced about the founding of the Institute invoking in the process the need for gratitude as an integral part of mans renewala point he precisely advised when he noted in this wise in reflecting on the theme of recovery, I thought to point to the recovery of a faculty conspicuous for its torpor. I thought it proper to excerpt in this yea-end column nuggets of Buckley wisdom as we bid goodbye to 2018 - a year which has seen the country go through a number of challenges, natural disasters and human failures, which has in a real sense sapped some of the vitality and vigor which we evoked as a people in 2017 as we embraced the first full year of governance of the Duterte administrationand help us navigate 2019, the midpoint of Dutertes term. We note that in this passing year, as the issues and concerns which have bedeviled our country for ages became even harder to resolve and put to rest and as new ones kept cropping up, it is as if the national recovery, call it renewal, which all of us had hoped would be carried over more extensively as President Duterte went about executing his program and delivering on his campaign promises was in a state of torpor as Buckley would have it. It has truly been a tough year for the administration and for the country even as Malacanang, of course, raved over the Presidents last quarters very good survey rating. No doubt even as President Duterte worked doubly hard to deliver his very success became his own handicap as he bruited about in his own unique ways hammering at many institutions, the Catholic Church in particular, as if it has become the main obstacle to our moving forward. A lot of other institutions, other practices even were in the Presidents gun sight and he did not mince words to pound at them. But, in the same token, he also spared a number of other institutions and practices, people even, and was therefore pinned down for such. He was considered too cautious in resolving the rice crisis, for example, and even the smuggling of high-value items like the twice repeated shabu-magnetic-lifter caper. Indeed, if one were to go over the anti-Duterte chatter in social media circles this administration is on its way to being marginalized. Well, that is not likely to happen anytime soon. But, as Mr. Buckley noted, even as we have a lot to be discouraged about we have much, much more to be grateful for. There is need, he said, to cultivate the faculty for gratitude. And so, I excerpt the more quotable notes from that invocation 30 years ago:A country a civilization that gives us such gifts as we dispose of cannot be repaid in kind. There is no way in which we can give to the United States a present of a bill of rights in exchange for having given us the Bill of Rights. One offense, however,the near universal offense, remarked by Ortega y Gassett as the fingerprint of the masses in revoltis that of the Westerner, rich or poor, learned or ignorant, who accepts without any thought the patrimony we all enjoy, those of us who live in the Free World. We are left with the numbing, benumbing thought that we owe nothing to Plato or Aristotle, nothing to the prophets who wrote the Bible, nothing to the generations who fought the freedoms activated in the Bill of Rights. We are basket cases of ingratitude, so many of us. We cannot hope to repay in kind what Socrates gave us, but to live without any sense of obligation to those who made lives as tolerable as ours, within the frame of the human predicament that God imposed on uswithout any sense of gratitude to our parents, who suffered to raise us, to our teachers, who laboured to teach us, to the scientists, who prolonged the lives of our children whose disease struck them down is spiritually athropying. We cannot repay in kind the gift of the Beatituedswith their eternal, searing meaningBlessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. But our ongoing failure to recognize that we owe a huge debt that can be requited only by gratitudedefined here as appreciation, however rendered, of the best that we have, and a determined effort to protect and cherish itour failure here marks us as the masses in revolt, to revolt against our benefactors, our civilization against God himself. We need a rebirth of gratitude for those who have cared for us, living or dead, mostly dead. The high moments of our way of life are their gifts to us. We must remember them in our thoughts and in our prayers and in our deeds. Truly, as we bid goodbye to 2018 there is no better way to embrace the New Year than to count our blessings and even our failures as we endeavor to make our lives and that of our people better in eternal gratitude to the Almighty and to those who have, one way or the other, showered us with unrequited gifts of trust, love and wisdom. A blessed New Year to all. Philippine National Hero Jose P. Rizal Day is commemorated every 30th of December in the Philippines. In our nations history, his name can never be removed as he was one of the greatest Filipino heroes who fought hard for freedom from the hands of Spanish colonizers back in late 1800s. I am rooting for the youth of today to uphold on the value he imparted on our race, to love our nation. With the advancement of technology, our young generation of today are becoming more empowered than ever before through the presence of social media. Anyone can now voice out his/her thoughts with just a tap or click on their screens. But this power greatly comes with a responsibility to analyze and think first before posting. Social media is a diverse virtual world consisting of people from all ages, from all walks of life. I am urge the people to use social media to advocate for peace instead of just merely ranting and post negative matters on the web. This way, we can have a social media that is more positive, more encouraging, and more peaceful. Jose Rizal may not have social media during his time but he knew how to use his pen and brain to free us. The same goes with us all today. We have to learn to embrace the fact that we are what we say. If all we say is negativeeither to our neighbors, friends, or the governmentwe become no better than the terrorists and rebels who just exist to be antagonists of progress in this country.After all, the last thing that our heroes in past would want is for us to forget about the concept of unity and peace. They fought for it. And we must sustain. Sustain the love. Sustain the peace. Sustain the nationalism. We do not have to destroy one another. Instead, we have to do our own ways in nation-buildingthat we, too, can become heroes on our own. HALIFAX - Newly released documents offer a glimpse into how high-level government officials grappled to respond to the revelation that Veterans Affairs was funding the PTSD treatment of a Halifax man convicted of killing an off-duty police officer. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Christopher Calvin Garnier, charged with second-degree murder in the death of Truro police officer Const. Catherine Campbell, heads from Nova Supreme Court during a break in Halifax on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017. Newly released documents offer a glimpse into how high-level government officials grappled to respond to the revelation that Veterans Affairs was funding the PTSD treatment of a Halifax man convicted of killing an off-duty police officer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Andrew Vaughan HALIFAX - Newly released documents offer a glimpse into how high-level government officials grappled to respond to the revelation that Veterans Affairs was funding the PTSD treatment of a Halifax man convicted of killing an off-duty police officer. Emails obtained by The Canadian Press through Access to Information and Privacy legislation reveal a slew of people within the Veterans Affairs office including the deputy minister, policy analysts and communications officers were involved in shaping the message that was relayed to media about Christopher Garnier's benefits. The news came out during Garnier's sentencing hearing for the second-degree murder of Catherine Campbell, a Truro, N.S., police officer. The court heard Veterans Affairs was covering the cost of his psychologist because his father is a veteran who has also been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Within the hundreds of pages of emails deliberating how to respond to the inundation of media inquiries, officials discussed pertinent policy and what messages would "support the rationale for including family members in a veterans treatment plan." Trevor Nicholson, a senior policy analyst with Veterans Affairs, outlined for several of his colleagues how the department's mental health policy functions. "Who may be included in a veteran's treatment plan or rehabilitation plan... is at the discretion of the decision-maker based on the recommendation of the veterans treating health professional, and in consultation with the veterans," said Nicholson in an Aug. 28 email. "(Veterans Affairs Canada) may include family in treatment sessions with the veteran patient and/or provide session to family members on their own in order to address the impacts that the patients' mental health condition is having on the other members of the family unit." In an email to nine of her colleagues the next day, Veterans Affairs official Sandra Williamson wrote that "it must be made clear that the full range of benefits and services offers to veterans is NOT offered to family members." Mary Nicholson, director of health care and rehabilitation programs for Veterans Affairs, agreed with Williamson's approach. "I'm sure it's part of your messaging but also important to note that family members were only ever granted access to recognize the important part they play in supporting ill or injured veterans part of the well-being framework," she wrote in an email on Aug. 29. Even Veterans Affairs deputy minister Walt Natynczyk and associate deputy minister Lisa Campbell weighed in on what the department told the media. "(The deputy minister and associate) have asked us to update our lines to include two things... That the focus of providing counselling etc. to a family member is always based on the best interest of the well-being of the veteran... and a line around what services we may provide and what correctional services might provide, and including that there is no duplication or overlap of these services," communications officer Steven Harris wrote on Aug. 29. In a statement to The Canadian Press about the Garnier case, Veterans Affairs said communications lines are developed and reviewed regularly as part of a daily work process. "It is part of normal business processes to connect to different areas of the department to ensure that messaging accurately reflects department policy and activity," spokesman Martin Magnan said in an email. In September, the Trudeau government ordered officials to adopt a more critical eye before approving funds and services for the family member of veterans particularly relatives convicted of serious crimes. Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O'Regan told the House of Commons that benefits would in the future not be provided to a veteran's family member who is incarcerated in a federal facility. But when it came to Garnier's benefits, O'Regan repeatedly cited privacy considerations for refusing to discuss the case while indicating the order would not be retroactive. The federal government was also apparently flooded with letters from the public, as widespread outrage mounted over Garnier's receipt of financial assistance for a mental condition that was brought on by the murder. "Quite frankly this is an outrage and a direct slap in the face, towards veterans, by a Liberal government that has already lost major support from the veteran community. Catherine Campbell's parents deserve better from (Veterans Affairs Canada) and from the government of Canada," a citizen, whose name is redacted, wrote on Aug. 29. Another member of the public, whose name is redacted, wrote: "I can only imagine what mental repercussions must come from strangling a female police officer to death here at home in Canada. The murderer must be truly appreciative of the flood of support from (Veterans Affairs Canada), while surviving members of our veteran families struggle." In an Aug. 30 email to several other Veteran Affairs officials, Anick Bedard wrote that O'Regan was receiving a "large number of emails" reacting to the news. In response to one letter, Nova Scotia Liberal MP Sean Fraser conceded that his initial reaction was one of disbelief. "It was difficult at the outset to understand how someone who suffers from PTSD as a result of a murder they committed should be eligible for health benefits from Veteran Affairs Canada," Fraser wrote on Aug. 30 in an email attached to the file. "Despite my first reaction, I want to be extremely careful about how policy may develop in response to the extraordinary facts of this case. The system that provides medical coverage to veterans and their families is a good one, and a political knee-jerk reaction to this case has the potential to deny coverage to veterans and their family members who need it, which I don't believe is a result that anyone wants." Garnier who strangled the 36-year-old woman and used a compost bin to dispose of her body is appealing his second-degree murder conviction and sentence. The conviction carries an automatic life sentence, but a Nova Scotia Supreme Court justice ruled in August that Garnier would be able to apply for parole after serving 13 and a half years less 699 days for time served. During his trial, Garnier repeatedly told the jury he did not remember using the large green compost bin to dispose of the body near a harbour bridge, where it stayed undetected for nearly five days. Garnier had also argued that Campbell died accidentally during rough sex that she initiated after they met at a downtown bar earlier that evening. Follow (at)AlyThomson on Twitter. CALGARY - Legal experts say proposed changes to the Criminal Code after a high-profile acquittal in the fatal shooting of an Indigenous man are short-sighted. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Gerald Stanley enters the Court of Queen's Bench for the fifth day of his trial in Battleford, Sask., on February 5, 2018. Legal experts say proposed changes to the Criminal Code after two high-profile court cases are short-sighted. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards CALGARY - Legal experts say proposed changes to the Criminal Code after a high-profile acquittal in the fatal shooting of an Indigenous man are short-sighted. Key changes in a federal bill, which has passed third reading, involve peremptory challenges during jury selection and use of preliminary inquiries. Peremptory challenges allow lawyers to remove a potential juror without giving reasons. Calgary lawyer Balfour Der, who has worked as both a prosecutor and a defence lawyer for 38 years, said the proposed changes are a knee-jerk reaction in part to the acquittal by an all-white jury of a Saskatchewan farmer in the shooting death of a 22-year-old Cree man. "It's a reaction of the government to satisfy an interest group which may have been complaining after this," he said in a recent interview. "I can't imagine anything less helpful in jury selection to both sides than to have no peremptory challenges. You're not just looking for a jury of your peers but you're looking for an impartial jury." Visibly Indigenous potential jurors were released during jury selection for Gerald Stanley's trial. The farmer said he accidentally shot Colten Boushie in the back of the head when a group of Indigenous youths drove on to Stanley's farm near Biggar, Sask., in August 2016. He was found not guilty of second-degree murder in February. The verdict triggered a backlash across the country. Boushie's family, academics and politicians said the acquittal underscored the systemic racism in the justice system and called for changes, specifically to jury selection. Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould agreed. She said removing the challenges would make sure juries were more representative of the Canadian population. "Our criminal justice system must be fair, equitable and just for all Canadians,'' Wilson-Raybould said at the time. Lawyers would still have the right to challenge a potential juror for cause, but the legislation would empower the judge to decide. Der, author of a textbook on jury law, said banning peremptory challenges would mean you could "get stuck with the first 12 people who say they're ready, willing and able to be jurors. "I don't know how that's going to get more First Nations people on juries." Lisa Silver, a University of Calgary law professor, who appeared before the parliamentary standing committee that examined the bill, said the Stanley verdict was the result of several factors. "To take away peremptory challenges is not the full answer," Silver said. "Some defence lawyers suggest that they've used peremptory challenges when they've had an Indigenous client and it's been to their benefit." Silver, Der and Calgary defence lawyer Alain Hepner said a better solution would be to change the way a prospective jury pool is selected. That list currently comes from voter registrations, drivers licences or identification renewals. "Aboriginal names are easy to figure out," Hepner said. "Those names are obvious, so let's get the jurors that are their peers." The proposed legislation would also restrict preliminary inquiries only to offences that carry life imprisonment. The inquiries are hearings to determine whether there is enough evidence to go to trial. That change stems from a 2016 Supreme Court decision which limits how long it can take for a criminal case to go to trial before it is deemed unreasonably delayed. The so-called Jordan ruling says provincial court cases need to be tried within 18 months and those in superior courts must be heard within 30 months. Silver said preliminary hearings allow lawyers to weigh the strength of a case and can lead to early guilty pleas. "The prelim was the legislative shield against the power of the state," Silver said The hearings don't take up much time, Der said. "Preliminary inquiries don't cause delays. If anything, they may speed up the actual trial because both sides get to see the witnesses, hear the witnesses, know what is an issue, what is not an issue." Follow @BillGraveland on Twitter ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. - Speakers at another pro-pipeline rally in Alberta continued their attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, saying if leaders in Ottawa don't hear their message now, they will when a planned convoy arrives there in 2019. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Pumpjacks are shown pumping crude oil near Halkirk, Alta., on June 20, 2007. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta. - Speakers at another pro-pipeline rally in Alberta continued their attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, saying if leaders in Ottawa don't hear their message now, they will when a planned convoy arrives there in 2019. Chad Miller with the group Oilfield Dads told the crowd gathered in Rocky Mountain House that the province is suffering its "worst recession turned depression" in a generation due to weakened oil prices, exacerbated by a lack of pipeline capacity. "Even those that put away for the rainy days and then some have had to use their savings, and more, to try to weather this never-ending hard times scenario," Miller said. Numerous rallies and truck convoys have been held across Alberta and Saskatchewan in recent weeks to protest against federal actions that critics say will make building pipelines more difficult. Those 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. A convoy in Medicine Hat, Alta., last weekend attracted 650 vehicles, according to police, and groups are planning one in February that will travel from Western Canada to Ottawa. "Today, I say to Ottawa, can you hear us yet?" Miller asked the crowd during Saturday's rally. "Don't worry, you'll see us in February when we convoy to Ottawa!" A truck convoy was also held Saturday in Lloydminster, which straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary. Earlier this month the federal government announced it would spend $1.6 billion to help energy companies struggling due to plunging oil prices. But Jason Nixon, who represents Rocky Mountain House in the provincial legislature, said what Alberta really wants is pipelines. "Trudeau, we don't want your money. We want you to get out of the way," Nixon said to the crowd in Rocky Mountain House. The groups Rally 4 Resources and Canada Action say in a Facebook event post that the convoy to Ottawa is intended to end Feb. 20 on Parliament Hill. The post says letters voicing support for the industry, as well as individual and family photos, will be delivered to the Senate. The page stresses that the event is not connected to the so-called yellow vest campaign, which also advocates for pipelines but is associated with opposition to Canada signing the United Nations migration pact. "To be clear, we take issue with bad policies put forward by Justin Trudeaus government, but we do not favour any political party. This movement is about supporting our families," the Facebook post states. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has criticised rising chief executive pay levels, saying they are increasingly out of touch with average worker pay conditions. The trade union umbrella group's own research found that average total pay levels for chief executives of listed Irish companies increased by 6% in 2017. It noted CRH boss Albert Manifold's 8.6m total remuneration package for that year and the 3.6m paid to Paddy Power's chief. "The report points to the astronomical sums of money paid to some CEOs in comparison to modest pay claims of Irish workers. Some CEOs seem impervious to the pressures faced by workers including childcare and housing," said ICTU general secretary Patricia King. "According to the CSO, average earnings in 2017 were 37,646. For the third year in a row, the greatest variance between the average worker's wage and the top CEO's is in CRH. It would take an average worker 230 years to earn what the CEO earned in 2017," said ICTU industrial officer Peter Rigney. "This is closely followed by Kerry Group at 214 years and DCC at 141 years. Even at the lowest paid CEO, that of Aminex, it would still take nine years for the average worker to earn what the CEO earned in 2017, he said. "The upward trajectory of CEO pay continues unabated, notwithstanding growing concern at this phenomenon. However, the consensus on high pay is changing. There is a lessening degree of acceptance by shareholders, proxy advisors or by society as a whole that executive pay should continue on an unlimited upward trajectory," said Ms King. ICTU acknowledged that the way companies report on executive pay has become more rigorous. That trend is set to continue with Dublin-listed firms being obliged to follow the guidelines of the UK's Financial Reporting Council. New and more rigorous FRC guidelines are also set to become effective in 2020. However, Dr Rigney said: "It remains to be seen whether the effect of these new guidelines is to slow the rate of increase of corporate pay or merely to illustrate an unrelenting upward trend in greater detail." The head of Amnesty International Ireland says a simple lunch between Mary Robinson and the daughter of the ruler of Dubai shouldn't dismiss the grave concerns around the treatment of the Emirati princess. Photos of her meeting earlier this month with Sheikha Latifa were released last week, with Mrs Robinson subsequently criticised by activists concerned for the princess' welfare - describing the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as a 'willing pawn' for the family that controls the country. The Coast Guard saved 400 lives this year, their annual report has stated. This is up 60 on last year's number as their director emphasised the importance of raising the alarm in time. If you can raise the alarm and you can stay afloat then you have an outstanding chance of being rescued by our world-class rescue service, said Chris Reynolds. The Coast Guards three rescue Coordination Centres at Malin Head, Valentia Island and Dublin managed a total of 2650 incidents which saw a rise of 150 over 2017. The report also reveals that over 1,100 missions were conducted including volunteers. I want to particularly acknowledge the commitment and professionalism of our volunteer members, Mr Reynolds emphasised. "In addition to the three core services that they provide they are an integral part of community resilience and continually act as the eyes and ears of our RCCs in assessing and responding to any coastal emergency. The volunteers were to the fore of the Coast Guard's efforts during storm Emma. There were also 670 helicopter missions undertaken by the Coast Guard, including on behalf of the HSE and helping search for missing persons. Family homelessness nationwide is at unprecedented levels, while the number in Dublin rose for the sixth year in a row, according to Focus Ireland's Review of 2018 The report shows that there are 9,968 people homeless across the country with two-thirds of these in the Dublin Region. The charity has said that they worked with over 15,000 people in the past 12 months and despite their efforts, the number of families entering homelessness has increased. They are calling on the Dail to take more action, criticising the "over-reliance" on the private rental market and the number of social houses being built. "This year is seeing the largest ever increase in family homelessness. While a significant number of individuals and families have been supported to move on from homelessness, there have been a number of challenges that has seen homelessness increase again this year to new record highs," the report states. Focus Ireland say the challenges they face are: A reduction in allocations by some Local Authorities The continuing housing crisis has led to increasing tightening of the private rental market The number of families entering homelessness increased While the majority of those in emergency accommodation are in the Dublin Region (67%) 2018 has seen homelessness and in particular family homelessness in the rest of Ireland grows to unprecedented levels "When we take account of the reclassification family homelessness in Ireland rose by 52% in 2018," the report states. "Once again homelessness has risen (and) family homelessness has risen for the sixth year in a row and we have seen record numbers of nearly 10,000 people homeless, that (includes) nearly 4,000 children," Spokesperson for Focus Ireland, Roughan MacNamara said. "Focus Ireland is calling for significant action in the new year to tackle this ever-rising issue." Update: Three men arrested by Gardai investigating a robbery at a grocery store in Stillorgan yesterday will appear in court tomorrow morning. Earlier: Three men have been arrested in Dublin after a shop was robbed with a knife and a hatchet. A man has been killed after his car left the road, smashed through a fence and crashed into a field near Glanmire in Cork. The alarm was raised around 7am when a passerby spotted a car in a field near junction 18 on the M8. Its believed the car had been travelling southbound on the R639, which runs parallel to the M8 at this location, when it crashed through a fence at the beginning of a sweeping right bend and careered through waste ground before coming to a rest in a field. The driver, believed to be his late 40s, and who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, suffered fatal injuries. Emergency services including two HSE ambulances and paramedics, a critical care doctor, two units of the County Fire service from Midleton and three from Cork city, as well as gardai, rushed to the scene. But the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The northern off-ramp at junction 18 has been closed for a full technical examination by garda forensic collision investigation. Gardai in Mayfield are appealing for witnesses. The Irish Cancer Society is warning that so-called superfoods are a scam that only cause more damage to vulnerable people. The charity is urging the public not to follow 'fad' trends ahead of their New Year's health kick. Head of research at The Irish Cancer Society, Dr Robert O' Connor, said the belief that certain foods can cure your health is nonsense. "The concept of a superfood is just an exploitative scam, to be frank," he said. "There is no such thing as a magic fantasy berry that can detoxify or change our basic and people need to be very wary of people making false claims." The charity said it is so important that the Cancer Advertisement Bill is introduced as non-proven treatments are dangerous. Dr O'Connor said it is pure greed to take advantage of someone's hope. He said: "It's false and misleading hope and I guess our concern and the reason that the Cancer Advertisement Bill has been brought forward is this is so common now and it is directly impacting the health of cancer patients and people going through other forms of cancer treatments. "People need to be held accountable for the false claims they are making." "Now the tables have turned against De Lima." "Now the tables have turned against De Lima." She might have just been a pawn in Noynoy Aquinos personal war against his perceived enemies but she was nonetheless his most vicious attack dog. And a brutal attack dog she was as she readily and rabidly pounced on anyone as if no law ever existed, just to please her equally-salivating master. On November 15, 2011, Senator Leila de Lima, in her capacity as the Justice Secretary, stopped former President, now Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from leaving to seek medical treatment for a rare bone disease in another country. Despite not being physically present to stop the former President from entering the airport premises that time, De Lima admitted she had ordered the Bureau of Immigration and requested then Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas to direct the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the NAIA management and personnel to enforce the watch list order. The Supreme Court had already issued a temporary restraining order against this. The very reason for preventing the former President from leaving the country, de Lima said, was because a non-bailable case was being prepared against her, thus the need to ensure she would never ever leave the country. Aware she was treading on thin icethere was no pending case against the former President that time, nor was a hold departure order issued against her by any competent courtDe Lima hurriedly prepared a case against Arroyo, conferred with the then officials of the Commission on Elections, had a resolution for the filing of an electoral sabotage case against Arroyo in relation to alleged tampering of the 2007 senatorial elections and had it filed just a day after preventing the Arroyos from leaving. Sources even claim that de Lima had former Comelec chair sign the resolution even as he was then confined at a hospital. What an efficient attack dog De Lima was. Filing the case just a day after holding the Arroyos at the airport, having it raffled merely 15 minutes after filing and securing an arrest warrant against Arroyo just a couple of hours after. De Lima stood her ground, continued to defy the SC and refused to allow Arroyo to leave the country for medical purposes, disregarding the fact that even the rush the filing of of the Joint DOJ-Comelec panel of an information for poll sabotage should not automatically result in barring the Arroyos departure because: (a) The Supreme Court has still to decide on the petition challenging the validity of the formation of the said panel;(b) The resolution finding probable cause is subject to a motion for reconsideration and subsequent appeal before the higher courts; (c) A hold departure order (HDO) has to be issued by the proper court after due notice and hearing, which issuance is likewise subject to a motion for reconsideration and appeal; and (d) An HDO can only be issued based on the three grounds prescribed by the Constitution justifying the impairment of the right to travel. Nevertheless, the case, which was simply borne out of De Limas blind subservience to her master, was so weak that Arroyos counsel, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, described it as, as thin as the soup made from boiling the shadow of a chicken that has been starved to death. Even opposition senatorial candidate, lawyer Romy Macalintal, who at that time refused to make any comment on the charges against Arroyo, had this to say after Pasay City RTC Juge Jesus Mupas finally dismissed the case against the former President: From the very first time that I was informed of the filing of the said electoral sabotage case I knew it will not succeed if tried by an impartial tribunal. He even congratulated Arroyo for a much-deserved victory on the dismissal of the apparently baseless and politically motivated electoral sabotage case against her. And De Lima should be aware of that. She was after all, an election lawyer before Arroyo plucked her out and gave her a break as chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights. But with the backing of her master, De Lima violated and misinterpreted the law and put Arroyo in hospital arrest for the next 13 monthsfive at St. Lukes and eight at Veterans Memorial Medical Center. After being granted bail after having spent more than a year in hospital detention, the Aquino government again manufactured a non-bailable case against Arroyo based on more misinterpretation of the law. But now, the tables have turned against them, particularly against De Lima. All cases against Arroyo have been dismissed, the latest was the electoral sabotage case, the very first case which sent her into detention. On the other hand, we now have De Lima in jail. The justices and the judges have spoken. There was no truth to the trumped up charges against the former President, now Speaker Arroyo. Her colleague had already admitted the cases were politically-motivated. Maybe its about time De Lima admitted her part in the persecution against Arroyo and apologized to her personally. The Taoiseach says he is in favour of financial support for parents seeking IVF treatments. Many countries have updated their laws on the issue. But a 2015 law regulating donor-assisted human reproduction still hasn't taken effect here. It would ban anonymous donation and provide for the setting up of a national register so children can access information once they turn 18. Leo Varadkar says it's very necessary legislation but it's fallen behind schedule. "It is the case that we already provide some assistance through the tax system. "You can write off 20% of the cost against tax and the medicines are covered under the DPS scheme. "But couples who need IVF or need AHR do face very high costs. We would like to assist them in some way and we set aside some money to do that," the Taoiseach added. Two Irish men have been charged following an alleged assault in Australia in what police there think may have been a road rage incident. It was reported that Christopher McLaughlin, aged 24, and Nathan Kelly, aged 21, both with addresses in Donegal, were arrested near the scene in Sydney. They were detained after an incident which left a man in a critical condition in hospital. The 66-year-old man was found on the side of the road at the intersection of Grosvenor Crescent and Liverpool Road in Summer Hill, just after midnight local time on Saturday. It was reported that he received treatment at the scene and was then taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The two Irishmen were taken to Burwood Police Station where they were charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and affray. Police at the station confirmed the two men being detained were Irish and one officer told the Irish Examiner that a possible line of inquiry was that the man was injured in a road rage incident. It had been reported that neither Mr McLaughlin or Mr Kelly were known to the injured man. Mr McLaughlin, who is from Malin, and Mr Kelly, from Glengad, then appeared before Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. Neither man applied for bail and both are due to appear again before Burwood Local Court on January 9. "The consequences of childhood trauma are clear: it retards the childs development and could cause them to become abusers themselves, because they perceive the use of violence to handle situations and crises as being normal." "The consequences of childhood trauma are clear: it retards the childs development and could cause them to become abusers themselves, because they perceive the use of violence to handle situations and crises as being normal." A man tied his four-year-old son upside down to the window bars of their house and, taking video all the while, hit at yelled at the child several times. This took place in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. While many of us were on vacation, wrapping presents, or buying ingredients for the Noche Buena meal, a toddler was being tortured by his own fatherall to force his mother to return to their home. The couple had a misunderstanding on Dec. 13 which led the wifes going to her familys home in Iloilo. The husband sent the video to his wife on Christmas Day. In the video he can be heard asking the boy if he was happy with his mothers departure, hitting him when he would not respond. This is one of the worst instances of child abuse I have heard about. It is horribly similar to the videos of the Ateneo bullying, where the 14-year-old bully also took videos of himself beating up fellow students. From whence comes this wave of violence? Researchers say that people who abuse children were often themselves abused when they were young, leading to a cycle of hurt and pain that only stops when mindfulness and the will to break the cycle are exerted. The World Health Organization distinguishes four types of child maltreatment: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, and neglect [while] exposure to family violence is typically considered a form of emotional and psychological abuse (Steven Roche, in a 2017 paper). Family and child psychologist Dr Honey Carandang, speaking about bullying in a recent television interview, said that Most of the time, it starts in the family maybe they [parents] say certain things. that are hurting the children and they are not aware they are doing it most of the time. On the cyclical nature of abuse, Jackie at Stopabusecampaign.org wrote in June this year: There is abundant evidence that children who are being abused physically or emotionally (or both) are likely to bully their peers or develop anxiety and suicidal thoughts as well as drug or alcohol-related problems. According to a study conducted by researchers from both the University of Washington and Indiana University, children who are exposed to any form of violence at home often lack common coping mechanisms and engage in higher levels of physical and relational bullying than those who grow up in a stable, loving home. Child abuse in this country is so widespread and common that 8 out of 10 Filipino children have experienced it, according to the Council for the Welfare of Children and the United Nations Childrens Funds National Baseline Study on Violence against Children, the first national study on violence against children in the Philippines.The studys findings, released in April this year, showed that thousands of children are robbed of their childhood and suffer lifelong developmental challenges as a result of violence. Any form of violence, the study said, could result in trauma, and start and perpetuate a vicious cycle stemming from the mentality that using physical force is normal. Experiencing childhood or familial sexual violence and experiencing or being exposed to violence in the home increases the risk that children will use or experience violence against partners, peers and family members, the study stated. The consequences of childhood trauma are clear: it retards the childs development and could cause them to become abusers themselves, because they perceive the use of violence to handle situations and crises as being normal. This could be the reason why this father dealt with his son in such horrific fashion, objectifying his own child and using him as a tool to force his wife to do what he wants. Aggressive behavior does not exist in a vacuum. May pinagmulan, as we saythere is a root cause. Eight out of ten children abused in the Philippines. One child harmed is one too many. This means that almost everyone you know, probably including yourself, has experienced some form of child abuse. I have. But some of us were fortunate enough to have broken the cycle of violence through conscious effort, by mindfully going over our past hurts, finding out the causes, moving on and forgiving, and resolving to relate to others from a place of love and understanding rather than anger and hostility. Others are not as privileged, and children keep on being harmed, and the cycle of abuse continues. May this video be a wake-up call that mindless violence is not the solution to problems, and that children need and deserve to be raised in a loving, and stable environment where they are free to fully develop and flourish in happiness and confidence. *** Dr. Ortuoste advocates zero tolerance against domestic and institutional violence. FB and Twitter: @DrJennyO Following the discovery of 14,000 bottles of fake Penfolds wine for sale in China in November, Wine Australia had to concede it can't keep track of the extent counterfeit Australian wine is being sold in the country. "We don't have any data which makes it the perfect crime," says Wine Australia's general counsel Rachel Triggs. "It is extremely hard to work out how much is going on." One solution to the problem has been developed by Australian business YPB which has created a specially designed serialised QR code with an embedded covert tracer. YPB Group chief executive John Houston. Credit:Jessica Hromas The ProtectCode covert tracer enables wine producers to track and trace every bottle and batch of wine throughout the entire supply chain using a small handheld scanner. The venom of the Australian tiger snake has been known to kill humans. Credit:Jason South Is one dose of antivenom enough? Doctors were unable to save either snakebite victim, and now years later, two coronial investigations into the deaths have exposed controversy over exactly how much antivenom people should receive. Influential advice published in The Medical Journal of Australia based on research from the Australian Snakebite Project says that one vial of antivenom should be sufficient for all snakebites, as a single vial is designed to neutralise all the venom one snake can produce. But this has been disputed by some experts, who in their evidence to the coroner said multiple doses could be needed, especially in more severe bites. Guidelines dangerous and clinically unwise Shane Tatti was initially given just one vial of tiger snake antivenom after he was rushed to Orbost Hospital in Victorias Gippsland region on November 6, 2014. Despite their concerns, doctors in Melbourne also held off providing more, on the advice of a toxicologist. Yet the court was told that at 3am on the day Mr Tatti died, the toxicologist agreed there was little to be lost from giving him one more dose of antivenom, as he was likely to die anyway. Intensive care consultant Dr Sam Radford said the toxicologist acknowledged to him that while one dose of tiger snake antivenom was supported by research as being no better than repeated doses, it was an area of considerable debate. Shane Tatti was a keen hunter and fisher. His mother said he was always making people laugh. Testing would later reveal Mr Tatti still had active venom in his body after he died. And that finding led Associate Professor Mark Little, a clinical toxicologist at Cairns Hospital, to conclude he had not received enough antivenom. Whilst it is likely that for many patients envenomed [poisoned] by a snake in Australia, one ampoule may be enough, this case would suggest that a higher initial dose (possibly two ampoules) might be required for tiger snake envenomings, he said. Another hospital toxicologist, Professor Julian White, dubbed the guidelines recommending just one vial of antivenom to be dangerous and clinically unwise. He called for them to be disavowed. The case of Mrs Z There was less criticism of the medical care of Mrs Z, the Melton victim, who was not named by the court. She was bitten while sleeping in her bed in the converted garage she had called home for 28 years, early on January 3, 2015. After being taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the 70-year-old woman received two vials of antivenom about three hours after the initial bites, and a third vial as she continued to deteriorate. She died the following afternoon after going into cardiac arrest. Conflicting advice However, the investigation into her death was also confused by conflicting evidence about what dose of antivenom would have been most appropriate. That concerned Coroner Caitlin English, who has called twice on the Victorian Health Department to review the states snakebite clinical guidelines, saying they do not acknowledge that there might be circumstances in which more than one ampoule of antivenom might be needed. Yet in a meeting in October this year, the governments expert group agreed it would not alter the guidelines, arguing that specific advice on the number of ampoules to be administered for severe bites was best given by clinical toxicologists. The group warned that giving more antivenom than was needed could result in anaphylaxis. Loading Meanwhile, in NSW, snakebite guidelines published online recommend that only one vial of snake antivenom is required to treat both children and adults, and that further antivenom will not speed up the process of recovery. Professor Geoff Isbister, a toxicologist who sits on the Victorian expert group and is an author of the controversial Medical Journal of Australia snakebite advice, said that in the case of Mr Tatti, it was unlikely the small amount of remaining venom in his body was the source of his severe deterioration. Instead, he said the more likely explanation was that the damage occurred before the initial dose if antivenom was administered, as the huge venom load quickly spread through his body. Professor Isbister said while there needed to be consideration of larger doses of antivenom for severe cases, it was currently impossible to establish which patients had received extreme amounts of venom and which hadn't. He called for more research into the issue, an appeal echoed by the Victorian coroner. Mr Tatti's mother, Susan, said though she was satisfied with the coroner's findings, the death of her son had left a huge hole in her life. He was so funny. He would put all these different wigs on and the hats, she said. Paramedics worked to save a rider in a critical condition who was involved in a crash at Woolloongabba but were unable to revive him. Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics are on the scene of the crash. Emergency services were called after a two-vehicle crash happened about 12pm on Sunday at the intersection of Longlands and Deshon streets. A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said paramedics, including the High Acuity Response Unit, tried to save the man but he died at the scene. A police spokeswoman said the 51-year-old Buderim man was riding his motorbike on Deshon Street when a 27-year-old Cooparoo man driving a sedan turned right towards Longlands Street before colliding. The survey questions on migration showed Australians vastly overestimate the proportion of the population born overseas. The average respondent guessed the share was 41 per cent, when the actual figure is 29 per cent. Were especially wide of the mark when it comes to Muslims. When respondents were asked what share of the population were adherents to the Muslim faith, the average guess was 17 per cent, more than five times the actual figure of about 3 per cent (Americans were ever further off the mark they guessed 17 per cent of their population is Muslim when it's actually just 1 per cent). We also wildly over-estimate the future growth in the Muslim population. In Australia, the average guess is that the Muslim population share will surge to 21 per cent by 2020, which is six or seven times higher than the projections by professional demographers. Theres a revealing trend in the publics thinking about the prevalence of overseas born in our population the margin of error in our estimates is growing. The average guess for overall migrant share of the population has risen by 3 percentage points since the question was last asked in 2015. Loading The erroneous trend is even more pronounced when it comes to Muslims; since 2016 the average guess for the share of Muslims in Australia has jumped from 10 per cent to 17 per cent. Ipsos researchers have noticed that public perceptions are often most inaccurate on topics that are being widely discussed in the media, and on issues that are of concern to us. The tendency for Australians to overestimate our Muslim population is a classic example. Another case in point is renewable energy and the response to climate change, a policy issue that has plagued both major parties. This years Perils of Perception survey asked respondents what share of energy consumed in Australia comes from renewable sources, such as wind and solar. The average guess was 21 per cent, more than double the actual figure of 9 per cent. In other words, voters have the impression that Australia is doing more to reduce greenhouse gas emission than we actually are. Also, Australians underestimate the level of temperature change over the past two decades. The typical respondents said nine of the past 18 years were among the hottest on record globally when in reality it is 17. Economic management is always a core issue at federal elections. But were wildly wrong on one of the most basic economic indicators: unemployment. People think that 23 per cent of working age Australians are unemployed and looking for work when the actual figure is just 5 percent. We also overestimate the scale of another important economic challenge: the ageing of the population. When Australians were asked what proportion of the population is aged 65 and over, the average guess was at 37 per cent. Thats a mammoth 23 percentage points more than the actual proportion of around 14 per cent. When respondents were asked what share of the population will be aged 65 years or older by 2050 the average guess was 51 per cent, more than double the actual figure projected by the World Bank. When it comes to gauging our economic place in the world, Australians are too pessimistic; the average guess is that Australia has the 30th largest economy by GDP when in reality the World Bank ranks us 13th (when measured in US dollars). Why are we so wrong, so often? We are often exposed to being misled by those around us, be it family members, friends, the media or politicians. But the cause of our collective misconceptions runs much deeper than the fake-news effect". Loading Our own internal biases are crucial. The Perils of Perception survey shows there is a systematic pattern to our errors. People the world over tend to think things are worse than they really are. Previous Ipsos surveys have shown Australians wrongly think the homicide rate is unchanged or rising even though it has been in decline for some years. We incorrectly assume deaths due to terrorism are on the rise and that the prevalence of diabetes is worse than it actually is. We overrate negatives and underrate positives and often assume the world is a more frightening and dysfunctional place than it really is. Beijing: A Chinese court has ordered the retrial of a Canadian man on a drug-smuggling charge after siding with prosecutors who argued that his original 15-year prison sentence for his conviction had been too light. The decision threatened to create another source of contention between two countries whose relations have deteriorated rapidly this month over the arrest in Canada of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou. Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on bail in Canada, will face extradition to the US. Credit:AP The Canadian, Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, was arrested in 2014 and tried and sentenced in obscurity. But he is likely to became a focus of attention in Canada after a court in China responded to his appeal against his sentence last month. The government sided with prosecutors, opening the possibility of an even harsher sentence. Denpasar: A volcano on Indonesia's tourist island of Bali shot a new burst of hot ash into the air on Sunday in the latest of the country's several eruptions within a week. Mount Agung erupted for about three minutes, spewing white clouds of smoke and ash more than 700 metres into the air, the Volcanology and Geological Mitigation Agency said in a statement. Mount Agung erupting in June. Credit:AP The eruption of the 3031 metre volcano didn't prompt evacuations, and its alert status remains at the second-highest level. The agency warned tourists to stay away from the danger zone in a four kilometre radius around the crater. Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that white dust from the eruption blanketed several villages close to the mountain slope in Karangasem district. Washington: Donald Trump has said that "any deaths of children or others" in US custody at the US-Mexico border were "strictly the fault of the Democrats" in a sharp ramp-up of the president's rhetoric over the proposed wall along the roughly 2000-mile frontier. In a series of tweets, the president blamed the "pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try!" The US-Mexico border fence under construction near the Santa Teresa border crossing in El Paso, Texas, in June. Credit:The New York Times "Border Patrol needs the wall and it will all end," Trump said in a follow up message on Twitter in which he reflected on the deaths this month of two young Guatemalan children in the custody of US border patrol agents. In an inexcusable example of abuse of power, the mayor of an Iloilo town and his sona congressmanmauled a policeman that they had disarmed and shackled, simply because he would not do their bidding. Reports say Guimbal Mayor Oscar Garin Sr. and his son, Iloilo 1st District Rep. Richard Garin had summoned PO3 Federico Macaya Jr. to the town plaza at 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 26. He was disarmed by his own police chief then handcuffed by Garin. The congressman then ordered a bodyguard to turn off the CCTVs in the area. As the shackled Macaya squatted, the congressman berated and kicked him, while the mayor fired into the air and spat on his face. He later pointed the gun at the helpless police officer and berated him as the beating continued for 45 minutes. What brought on this savage treatment? The congressman alleged that Macaya had persuaded a young man not to file a complaint against the son of a councilor over an altercation in the town plaza on Dec. 22, and ignored the policemans explanation that the young man decided not to file a complaint for fear that it would alarm his mother who was working abroad. Congressman Garin later issued an apology that sounded far from contrite. He said his actions were aimed not at the Philippine National Police as an institution, but at one erring policeman. My actions were merely a display of extreme frustration towards one, single PNP personnel, which to my judgment committed a great disservice to the people of Guimbal, he said.The police have acknowledged the apology, but said they still intend to file charges of physical injuries, alarm and scandal, direct assault against an agent of person in authority, and grave coercion against the two Garins. Reacting to the incident, President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered his Interior and Local Government secretary to file charges against the mayor and the congressman, who belong to his own PDP-Laban party. Even if the policeman was at fault, its not a reason, especially [for] a police officer, to be mauled, he said. We agree with the President 100 percent. There is no reason for our elected officials to abuse their power and act like gangsterwhether they be mayor of a small town in Iloilo n 2018 or a metropolitan city such as Davao in 2011. That was the year that the Presidents daughter, then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, captured for posterity on online video, assaulted a court sheriff who was bent on demolishing houses despite her request for a 24-hour deferment. Mr. Duterteat the time vice mayorjustified his daughters actions and said he would tell her to do the same thing over again. A little consistency, perhaps, would be better. After all, shouldnt laws and simple rules of civility be applied to all? In the Davao incident, for whatever reason, the sheriff eventually decided against filing charges against the mayor. We trust this will not happen again in Guimbal town. GOD IN THE QURAN Jack Miles Alfred A Knopf 241 pages; $26.95 MUHAMMAD Prophet of Peace Amid the Clash of Empires Juan Cole Nation Books 326 pages; $28 Is Allah, the God of Muslims, a different deity from the one worshipped by Jews and Christians? Is he even perhaps a strange moon god, a relic from Arab paganism, as some anti-Islamic polemicists have argued? What about Allahs apostle, Muhammad? Was he a militant prophet who imposed his new religion by the sword, leaving a bellicose legacy that still drives todays ... The consumer durable and home appliances industry are betting big on its return to growth in the new year, after a flat 2018 due to increased input costs and a weak demand. The FMCG players, on the other hand, are confident about their growth momentum continuing in 2019 on the back of growing rural demand and online sales. According to the Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA), the year 2018 did not go as per its expectations and the entire industry saw a flat growth, while some segments even witnessed decline in sales volume. "The consumer appliances and electronics sector, barring washing machines, witnessed almost flat growth in H1 (April-September)," said CEAMA President Kamal Nandi, adding that the demand only picked up during festival sales. "Although the ensuing rupee depreciation, uncertain climatic conditions and increase in input costs has resulted in a slowdown for the industry, we believe that with the new strong market fundamentals in place and policy reforms such as slab reduction on TV..., digital cameras and monitors, will help the industry achieve enhanced levels of growth, said Manish Sharma, President and CEO Panasonic India and South Asia. With the recent government decision to reduce the duty on TV screens up to 32 inch to 18 per cent from 28 per cent, manufacturers are expecting an increase in sales in the mass market segment. "... We expect consumer sentiments to be better and, hence, demand to pick up, pushing the market out of the slump. With some momentum in the rest of the fiscal, we expect the industry growth to be in single digit, Nandi said. The industry is also expecting some tax incentives from the government, especially in the air-conditioner segment and some energy efficient products. On the policy front, we appeal to the government to consider the reduction of the rate for air conditioners, and 32 inch and above size TVs from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. Some tax consideration for energy efficient appliances will also help drive consumers towards making more efficient choices, Nandi added. The FMCG market, on the other hand, expects to benefit from a robust consumption growth and growing rural markets, while it also expects technology and digital space to be a key growth enabler. The advent of technology and internet, coupled with the rise of young consumers, have helped the industry. With an increase in average spend by consumers using internet and e-commerce, it has become essential for these to make additional investment to meet increasing demand for products, Deloitte India Partner Anil Talreja said. ALSO READ: Rewind 2018: Commodity price relief for FMCG, weak rupee hurts durables Grant Thornton India Partner Dhanraj Bhagat said the FMCG sector, going forward, is expected to grow with rural demand, catering to different market needs with niche product offerings and higher market penetration through online sales. "This has been an exciting year as the FMCG sector has shown notable growth. It has gone up from $31.6 billion in 2011 to $52.75 billion in 2017-18, and it is anticipated that the momentum will be maintained with a 27.86 per cent compounded annual growth rate till 2020," Hershey India Managing Director Herjit Bhalla said. Bhalla said the current economic scenario suggests that urban FMCG sector will report 8 per cent revenue growth in fiscal 2018-19 while the contribution from the rural segment will be higher at 15-16 per cent. Moreover, the FMCG are also trying to influence consumers with intelligent deals. 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 High Court has directed the North Municipal Corporation to ensure completion of a parking lot at Gandhi Maidan in crowded Chandni Chowk area of the walled city by September 2020. A bench of justices S Muralidhar and Sanjeev Narula directed the fire department, the Urban Arts Commission, the Heritage Conservative Committee and other local authorities to give no objection certificates (NOC) for the Rs 4.45 billion multi-level parking project by January 31, 2019. It also directed the to forthwith process the corporation's application for getting environment clearance (EC) for the project and convey its decision to the municipal body by end of January. The court emphasised that the timelines mentioned for obtaining the NOC and EC be "strictly adhered to" so that the project is completed by September 2020. It also directed the commissioner of the corporation, who is awaiting a fresh posting by way of transfer, to "clear the files that are pending before him for orders of sanction and other issues concerning the Gandhi Maidan parking project". "The mere fact that he may be transferred should not delay the completion of the work in accordance with the agreed timelines," the bench added. Currently, the Gandhi Maidan parking, situated adjacent to the Chandni Chowk Metro Station, can accommodate 650 cars. The new structure will have six levels, including three underground floors. One floor will be reserved for commercial activities. This will create additional parking space for more than 2,500 cars, the corporation had earlier told the court. The directions from the court came while hearing PILs filed by NGO Manushi Sangathan and others in 2007 on the issue of redevelopment of the Chandni Chowk area and creation of lanes for non-motorised vehicles. In the matter, the court has passed a slew of directions to decongest the area by ordering registration of cycle-rickshaws plying there, construction of a parking lot at Gandhi Maidan for private vehicles, a bus depot at Dangal Maidan near Old Delhi Railway Station and creation of non-motorised vehicle lanes. All these projects are part of the main plan to re-develop Chandni Chowk and it is being actively monitored by the high court. Girls of a shelter home in were allegedly abused by its staff, following which an FIR was registered by the police, the Commission for Women (DCW) said Friday. During an inspection of shelter homes in on Thursday, the members interacted with girls aged 6-15 to understand their experience of residing at a shelter home, a statement said. Some elder girls at a shelter home in Dwarka area alleged that the female staff put chilli powder in their private parts as punishment. They were also forced to have chilli powder, it said. Any sort of defiant behaviour from the children would be met with "serious and grave punishment" because of which they had become submissive, it said. The teenage girls were also forced to wash utensils and clothes, clean rooms and toilets, and perform other kitchen chores, as the home did not have adequate staff. There was only one cook in the home for the 22 girls and staff, and the quality of was not good, the statement said. The teenage girls complained that they were beaten with scales for not keeping their rooms clean and not listening to the staff. They were not permitted to go home during summer and winter vacations, it said. The committee members shared the allegations with chief who immediately reached the home at 8 pm. Maliwal immediately called the Dwarka deputy commissioner of police, who sent a team of senior officers to the home and recorded statements of the children. An FIR has been registered by the against the staff, the DCW said. The DCW chairperson and the members of the expert committee stayed in the home till early morning, the statement said. A team of DCW counsellors as well as police have been deputed in the home 24/7 to ensure the safety of the children. The DCW shall continue to monitor the condition of the shelter home, it added. Earlier, the DCW had set up an expert committee in consultation with the Delhi on shelter homes to inspect various private and government-run shelter homes and give suggestions for their improvement. The world doesnt make sense so why should I paint pictures that do: Pablo Picasso The procession of silhouetted black figures moves slowly from one end of the boulevard to the other. The figures carry loads ranging from every day belongings like suitcases and plants to emaciated figures on IV drips and body bags (representative of the Ebola crisis in Africa I later learn) dancing in rhythm to a 15-minute soulful musical tract across eight gigantic screens in a dark room. 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 Taking cognizance of a recent inflammatory statement purportedly made by vice-chancellor of the Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur, the government has asked him to present his side of the story. In a purported video, which went viral recently, the VC, Professor Raja Ram Yadav can be seen telling students not to come crying if they get into a fight, rather beat up the person or maybe kill. #WATCH Purvanchal University Vice-Chancellor Raja Ram Yadav at a seminar in the University in Ghazipur: If youre a student of this University, never come crying to me. If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, well take care of it later. (29.12.18) pic.twitter.com/omFqXN55z9 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018 Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, who also holds the higher portfolio says, "I have asked the vice-chancellor to present his side of the video, which has gone viral on various social media platforms." In his address to the students, the VC can be seen in the video saying, "Agar aap Purvanchal University ke chhatra ho to rote huye mere paas kabhi mat aanaa. Ek baat bata detaa hoonAgar kisi se jhagda ho jaaye to uski pitaai karke aanaa, aur tumhaaraa bas chale to uskaa murder karke ana, uske baad hum dekh lenge (If you are a Purvanchal University student, don't come to me crying. If you get into a fight with someone, beat up that person. If possible, murder him. I will take care of things after that. A team leader from the and personnel went inside a 370-foot-deep mine, where 15 miners are trapped, to ascertain the water level inside on Sunday afternoon, officials said. The Navy divers and their equipment arrived at the site around 1.30 pm Sunday after which the Navy personnel started measuring the actual level of the water in the mine shaft. The 10 pumps brought by the rescue team from Odisha have been kept on standby. Meanwhile, the divers have also been kept on standby, the officials said. The Navy wanted to ascertain the water level as their divers can operate up to 100 feet in a closed container-type situation, a district official said. Nearly 200 rescuers from various agencies are stationed at the site. The Odisha Fire Service team had brought 10 high-powered pumps with them. East Jaintia Hills district SP Sylvester Nongtynger said that at least two pumps will have to be lowered down to the water level inside the mine shaft to begin the operation. Odisha Chief Fire Officer S Sethi said his team was tasked with pumping water out and they are ready for the job. "Our only concern is that if we install the pumps now, the carbon exhaust may suffocate the entire mine shaft," Sethi said. The remaining eight pumps will be placed at various locations identified in the area, he said. One high-powered submersible pumps with an output capacity of 500 gallons per minute is arriving Sunday from CIL Ranchi, CIL Kolkata GM A K Bharali said. Bharali, who arrived here four days ago, said that as soon as the generators and platforms are made available at the mine shaft, the pumping of water will begin. Five more pumps from CIL Centres in Ranchi, Dhandbad and Asansol are on road and are expected to arrive anytime, he said. A senior district official said a few pumps of Coal India Ltd have arrived in Guwahati and are expected to reach the site soon. ALSO READ: Navy divers join firefighters in rescue operation for Meghalaya miners A team of 25 CIL personnel are at the site and survey teams are doing their job, Bharali said. The miners have been trapped in the mine in the Ksan area of Lumthari village in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district since December 13, after water from the nearby Lytein river gushed into it. The Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is coordinating the rescue operations with the help of Navy, the NDMA and Coal India Ltd. "The Navy divers have reported that they have the capacity to go a depth of 100 feet, whereas the divers can go to a depth of 30 feet," East Jaintia Hills district SP Sylvester Nongtyngerthe said. Media buries the truth about illegal immigrants bringing wave of hepatitis, tuberculosis and HIV to America An astonishing report from Judicial Watch reveals how the same deceptive media that goes insane over U.S. children who are unvaccinated simultaneously goes to extraordinary lengths to cover up the disease infestation of illegal migrants. The media is actively conspiring to bury the truth about how migrants are bringing HIV, hepatitis and tuberculosis to America, all while receiving favored protections in sanctuary cities that effectively grant illegals legal immunity from the very same crimes that would send U.S. citizens to prison. (Calif. Governor Jerry Brown just pardoned violent convicted murderers in order to prevent them from being deported.) Heres the full article from Judicial Watch, an organization worthy of your year-end donations. Judicial Watch is doing the job the DOJ refuses to do. Media Buries Key Facts to Conceal Migrant Health ThreatTB, Hepatitis, HIV From Judicial Watch Heres a great example of the mainstream media distorting information to promote a liberal agenda, an act that is especially pervasive when it comes to immigration coverage. A story published by NBC news, and reiterated by various other outlets, claims illegal immigrants dont bring disease into the United States. The headline reads: Migrants dont bring disease. In fact, they help fight it, report says. The article focuses on a study commissioned by a medical journal called the Lancet and University College London. The finished product is titled Global patterns of mortality in international migrants: a systematic review and meta-analysis and one of the researchers, Dr. Paul Spiegel, proclaims that migrants spreading disease is a false argument used to keep them out. The editor of the Lancet said; In too many countries, the issue of migration is used to divide societies and advance a populist agenda. Nevertheless, buried deep in the news article the reporter offers this important nugget from the study, only after writing that migrants are less likely than people in their host countries to die of heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and other ills: The exceptions are hepatitis, tuberculosis and HIV. Last we checked those are deadly diseases and Judicial Watch has interviewed medical experts that confirm illegal immigrants do indeed pose a serious public health threat to the U.S. by bringing dangerous diseases into the country. This includes tuberculosis, dengue and Chikungunya. Just last month a prominent physician in a key border state warned that the caravan streaming north from Honduras will undoubtedly bring infectious diseases into the U.S. Among them are extremely drug resistant strands of tuberculosis and mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya that are widespread in the region. The same week Judicial Watch published the story about the caravan health threat a major newspaper reported on the health crisis created by the influx of Venezuelans fleeing to neighboring countries. The migrants are spreading malaria, yellow fever, diphtheria, dengue, tuberculosis and AIDS throughout South America. Many of the diseases had been considered eradicated in the neighboring Latin American countries, according to government officials cited in the article, which states that contagion from Venezuelas economic meltdown is starting to spread to neighboring countriesnot financially, but literally, in the form of potentially deadly diseases carried among millions of refugees. As an example, the story reveals that measles reappeared with a vengeance in a Brazilian city near the Venezuelan border that had declared the highly contagious airborne disease vanquished nearly two decades ago. Measles is already spreading beyond the Brazilian Amazon to other Brazilian states, as well as Colombia, Peru and as far south as Argentina, according to recent Pan American Health Organization reports, the article states. Other diseases racing through communities in Venezuela are now crossing borders and raising concerns among health authorities as far away as the U.S. Years ago, when Barack Obama let tens of thousands of illegal immigrant minors into the country, health experts warned about the serious hazards to the American public. Most of the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) came from Central America, like the current caravan, and they crossed into the U.S. through Mexico, in the same way that the caravan expects to. Swine flu, dengue fever and Ebola were among the diseases that the hordes of UACs brought with them, according to lawmakers and medical experts interviewed by Judicial Watch during the influx. At the time, a U.S. Congressman, who is also a medical doctor, told Judicial Watch about the danger to the American public as well as the Border Patrol agents forced to care for the UACs. The former lawmaker, Phil Gingrey, referred to it as a severe and dangerous crisis because the Central American youths were importing infectious diseases considered to be largely eradicated in this country. Many migrants lack basic vaccinations such as those to prevent chicken pox or measles, leaving Americas young children and the elderly particularly susceptible, Gingrey pointed out then. To handle the escalating health crisis the CDC activated an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that largely operated in secrecy. Even the recent study twisted by the mainstream media acknowledges that illegal immigrants are likely to carry hepatitis, tuberculosis and HIV. Selectively burying the information doesnt change the severity of the matter. Though not a mainstream media outlet, a popular leftist news and opinion site went so far as to label those who claim migrants pose a threat to public health racist. Donate to Judicial Watch at this link. Read more news about the dangers of open borders at OpenBorders.news. Violence perpetrated by Pakistan-sponsored terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir, natural calamities such as the floods in and security threats posed by were among the big issues that kept the busy in 2018. Besides, providing logistics for smooth assembly elections in nine states, preparation of the Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and the Amarnath pilgrimage were part of the key tasks in the year gone for the sensitive ministry, which looks after the country's internal security. In the fag-end of 2018, the ministry was hit by a controversy over giving power to 10 central agencies to intercept information from any computer. However, the government said rules for intercepting and monitoring computer data were framed in 2009 when the UPA was in power and its order only notified the designated authority. "The internal security scenario during 2018 remained largely peaceful while the situation on the borders with Bangladesh, and has significantly improved, even though cross-border firing along the Indo-Pak border has been a regular feature," a senior official said. Along the western borders, security forces have retaliated with equal measure to ceasefire violations and neutralised infiltration attempts. Till early December in 2018, 86 security personnel and 37 civilians were killed in A total of 238 terrorists were eliminated by security forces during the same period, which also saw 759 incidents of stone pelting in the As has been under the Governor's/President's rule since June, the ministry is now more involved in maintaining security in the state where it has provided over 60,000 paramilitary troops to assist local police in ensuring law and order. "The Centre took a major conciliatory initiative in in 2018 by declaring the suspension of operations in the state coinciding with the holy Ramzan month," the official said. ALSO READ: Centre extends deadline for updating Assam NRC by 6 months to June 30 However, after a review it was not extended beyond Ramzan following which security forces launched concerted anti-militancy operations resulting in significant gains, he said. In the Northeast, the security scenario has improved significantly which led to withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from and parts of during the year. Left-wing extremism (LWE) affected districts have decreased from 76 in 2013 to 58. The draft NRC, a list of Assam's residents, was published without any incidence of violence and the final NRC is on course. Natural calamities, especially floods and cyclone hit large parts in 2018 when the ministry provided emergency help by way of men, materials and to affected people. Kerala, which witnessed the worst floods in a century, was provided Rs 3,048-crore assistance from the Centre. At least 488 people were killed in the southern state due to rains and floods this monsoon, which hit 14 districts of Circulation of fake news through social media, which led to over two dozen incidents of lynchings and communal tension, upload of pornographic material and abuse of women online, were some of the new age crime that invited the ministry's intervention on several occasions throughout 2018. Before the end of the year, the was hit by a controversy over giving power to 10 central agencies to intercept information from any computer, a move that set off a political storm with the opposition accusing the government of trying to create a "surveillance state". But the government said the rules for intercepting and monitoring computer data were framed in 2009 when the Congress-led UPA was in power and its new order only notified the designated authority which can carry out such action. It has also rejected the opposition's charge of snooping. Nineteen people have been arrested in connection with the killing of a policeman in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district, a senior police official said on Sunday. Director General of Police (DGP) O P Singh, in a tweet, clarified that the deceased policeman, Suresh Pratap Singh Vats, was a head constable. Vats (48) was killed Saturday when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protests. "The death of head constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Ghazipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law (sic)," the DGP said in a tweet. According to Superintendent of Police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh, the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue. "When the prime minister had left Ghazipur, the party workers blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue," he told PTI on Saturday. ALSO READ: UP Police constable killed in stone pelting after PM's rally in Ghazipur The SP said the police are trying to identify other protesters by scanning video footage of the incident. Chief Minister has announced a compensation of Rs 4 million for the wife of Vats and Rs 1 million for his parents, the state has government said. Adityanath also directed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to take strict action against unruly elements and arrest them immediately. The death comes less than a month after the killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr district. He was shot dead during a mob violence over alleged cow slaughter. The man who allegedly shot the Bulandshahr inspector was arrested last week. Modi had addressed a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for a medical college and releasing a postal stamp on Maharaj Suheldev. He had left for Varanasi when the violence in Ghazipur took place. Former chief minister Yadav on Sunday indicated his Samajwadi Party (SP) might form an alliance with Opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but didnt comment if the Congress will have a role. "In UP, there will be sangam (confluence) of people and sangam of thoughts, and very soon it will be in front of you," news agency PTI quoted Yadav as saying in Lucknow. "I said that there will be sangam of people and thoughts. All answers are included in this," he told reporters who asked him about the Congress. Yadav this ... Five pilots of Pakistan's flag carrier have not even completed their matriculation, the country's aviation body told the after finding the academic credentials of seven pilots bogus. Justice Ijazul Ahsan said a non-matric person could not even drive a bus but these people were flying planes, putting the lives of passengers in danger, Dawn news reported. At least 50 Airlines (PIA) employees have been suspended for not furnishing their documents, the three-judge bench of the apex court was told, it said. Academic credentials of seven pilots were found to be bogus and five of them had not even done matric, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) revealed before the (SC) bench, headed by Saqib Nisar, on Friday, the report said. The bench was hearing a matter relating to the verification of degrees of pilots and other staff of the The CAA complained that educational boards and universities were not cooperating with it in carrying out the degree verification process. It said that cases of 4,321 employees of the PIA had been verified while 402 were pending, the report said. Justice Nisar asked the PIA to submit a list of its all 498 pilots along with their result of licence examination, the report added. Last month, the cash-strapped approved a Rs 1,700 crore bailout package for its ailing national flag carrier PIA which has been running into losses for years. The government approved the bailout package to keep it afloat. The PIA's accumulated losses surged to Rs 36,000 crore by the end of June, which, according to the finance ministry, speaks volumes about the persistently deteriorating performance of the carrier. The PIA has been in losses for years but successive governments have failed to improve its financial situation. The children of Carlos Ghosn, the jailed auto executive who oversaw an alliance that sold more than 10 million cars a year, believe accusations of financial misconduct against him are part of a revolt within Nissan against exploring a possible merger with Renault. Caroline Ghosn, the eldest of Ghosns four children, said that when she saw Hiroto Saikawa, the chief executive of Nissan, condemn her father during a televised news conference after his arrest, she suspected that Nissans investigation was rooted in opposition to proposed changes to the Nissan-Renault alliance and ... The government of Mexican Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Saturday decreed the creation of a free zone along the US border as part of a project to win investment, create jobs and reduce migration. "It is a very important project for winning investment, creating jobs and taking advantage of the economic strength of the United States," Lopez Obrador said on his visit to Monterrey in the northern state of Nuevo Leon. After signing the Tax Incentive Decree for the Northern Border Region, Lopez Obrador said that this free zone will begin to operate starting January 1 on a strip of land 25 kilometers (15 miles) wide along 3,180 kilometers of the US border, Efe reported. All through this strip, the government is reducing income taxes from 30 per cent to 20 per cent and cutting the value-added tax from 16 per cent to 8 per cent, while boosting the minimum wage by 100 per cent to 176 pesos ($8.80) and is making fuel prices the same as in the US. "It's going to be the biggest free zone in the world," Lopez Obrador said, adding that this project will inevitably reduce migration. He said the plan is to develop areas from south to north so Mexicans can stay in their native lands because they have no need to emigrate. "Migration should be a choice, not forced," he said. As part of this plan, the Mexican noted that his government has begun to launch projects like planting a million hectares (2 million acres) of fruit trees and timberland, which will create some 400,000 jobs in the southeastern part of the country. In that region, the Maya Train will be built with 1,500 kilometers of tracks, for the development of five southeastern states, which in turn implies a need for many more workers. Also in the works will be construction of the Dos Bocas refinery in Tabasco state and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec railroad in the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, which will connect the Pacific Coast with the Gulf of and give the country an alternative to the Panama Canal, the president said. The US-China trade war resulted in billions of dollars of losses for both sides in 2018, hitting industries including autos, technology - and above all, agriculture. Broad pain from trade tariffs outlined by several economists shows that, while specialized industries including U.S. soybean crushing benefited from the dispute, it had an overall detrimental impact on both of the world's two largest economies. The losses may give US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, motivation to resolve their trade differences before a March 2 deadline, although ... Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Donald Trump in a New Year letter on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a wide-ranging agenda, the Kremlin said following a series of failed attempts to hold a new summit. At the end of November, Trump abruptly cancelled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions about Russian forces opening fire on Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them. Trump and Putin also failed to hold a full-fledged meeting in Paris on the sidelines of the centenary commemoration of the ... After staying range-bound for several years, gold is expected to trade with an upward bias in 2019. A decade-long bull run in gold from 2001 to 2011 when it gained over six times, was followed by a 40 per cent decline by 2015. Since then it has traded in a range between $1,150 and $1,350 per ounce in international markets. In 2018, prices are still lower by 1.9 per cent in dollar terms but in India gold went up 7.9 per cent from Rs 29,240 to Rs 31,550 per 10 gm, due to rupee depreciation. Institutional investors globally, who were putting money on high yielding assets other than ... At least 10 people, including a law enforcement official, lost their lives in poll-related violence in Bangladesh on Sunday. The death toll is likely to go up as violence continues to rage in some pockets of the country despite heightened security. Two people were reported to have lost their lives in Comilla district until now, while one person died each in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangamati, Cox's Bazar, Bogura and Noakhali. Furthermore, around 64 people have been injured in clashes across the nation, reports The Daily Star. A Jatiya Oikya Front supporter Mujib lost his life in Comilla district's Chandina in police firing after he allegedly tried to snatch ballots from the polling centres. Another Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporter, identified as Bachchu Mia, was killed in a separate incident at the district's Murgaon voting centre in what has been termed as an Awami League-BNP supporters' clash by Nangolcoat Police Station Sub-Inspector Aminul Islam. Furthermore, clashes between the supporters of the candle symbol, Awami League and BNP led to the death of Abu Sadek at Pashchim Maliapara in Chattogram. Sadek's political affiliation has not been ascertained yet. In Rajshahi, supporters from BNP allegedly attacked and killed Merajuddin, an Awami League supporter at a high school in Mohonpur, according to The Daily Star. Meanwhile, an elderly voter, identified as Kina Mohammad, aged 65-years-old, lost his life in Dinajpur during a confrontation between supporters of the Awami League and the BNP. A leader from the youth front of Awami League, Mohammed Bashir Uddin, was killed by the BNP supporters after an attack on him and one of his followers when they were on their way to a polling centre in Rangamati on Sunday morning. Mohammed Abdullah, aged 23 years, from the Bangladesh Chhatra League, lost his life in a clash with supporters of the BNP at Rajakhali Matobbar Para centre, which falls under Cox's Bazar-1. He allegedly bled to death after being hacked by the BNP supporters. Nurunnabi, a member from Ansar Forces, a law enforcement agency, lost his life in Noakhali. He was allegedly killed by supporters of Jamaat and Shibir at a primary school. Polling is currently underway across the nation for the high-stakes 11th Parliamentary elections. Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is confident of a third term in office, as her Awami League-led Grand Alliance contests against the BNP-helmed Jatiya Oikya Front and other parties in the General Elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 10 people were killed when the car in which they were travelling was sandwiched between two trucks in Kutch on Sunday morning. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has expressed his condolences and sympathies to the family members of the deceased and asked the District Collector to extend all support to them. The mishap took place between Gandhidham and Bhachau in Kutch. "Their vehicle was got crushed between two trucks in a road accident on Bhachau-Kandla Highway," said the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana Police have claimed that there was a 5 per cent reduction in overall crime rate in the state in 2018. According to data provided by the state police, there is a reduction of 7 per cent in crime against women, while chain snatching incidents saw a fall by 43 per cent. There was a reduction of 19 per cent in kidnappings, whereas the rape cases fell by 11 per cent across the state. However, the crime against Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) saw an increase of three per cent. M Mahendar Reddy, DGP, Telangana, while addressing media, said, "There is a reduction of 5 per cent in the overall crime rate in the state. In 2019 there will be uniform citizen friendly police stations all over the state. Telangana Police are committed to creating a crime-free state." The DGP also said that in the next three years around 15 lakh CCTVs will be installed all over the state, out of which 10lakh CCTVs will be installed in Hyderabad city and remaining 5 lakh in rest of the state. "CCTVs will be installed in every village in the state and modernisation of all the police stations will be done in the coming days," said the DGP. He said that centres for women will be arranged in every district headquarters. The DGP further informed that the response time by the patrol teams is 8.5 minutes and cashless traffic enforcement will be implemented all over the state. "There was no major law and order problem in the state in 2018. Even the celebration of Ganesh festival remained peaceful," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Sunday alleged that the Special Public Prosecutor in AgustaWestland case is working as per the instruction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "It's shocking. How can a public prosecutor who represents both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) come to court and play None of these (information) can be revealed in public if an investigation is going on," he told ANI. "But if a public prosecutor comes to court and says all these things without telling all the facts, what is he doing? He is doing as he is being instructed by the Prime Minister. He is playing in court," he added. Sibal's remarks came a day after Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh told a Delhi court that the alleged AgustaWestland middleman, Christian Michel named a "Mrs Gandhi", apparently referring to UPA chairman Sonia Gandhi, during the interrogation by the ED. "He has also spoken about 'the son of the Italian lady' and how he is going to become the 'next prime minister of the country'," Singh had told the court on Saturday. Michel was arrested on December 5 over his alleged involvement in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam, following his extradition from the UAE. He is currently in ED custody. The helicopter deal finalised during the previous government headed by then prime minister Manmohan Singh got mired in the allegations of kickbacks. According to the ED charge sheet, Michel had received kickbacks to the tune of 30 million Euros from AgustaWestland for the deal involving the purchase of 12 VIP helicopters. The deal, signed in 2007, was scrapped in 2013 following the bribery allegation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A leader from the Awami League's youth front died in a clash with Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) activists at a polling centre at Rangamati's Kaukhaliupazila on Sunday. Mohammed Bashir Uddin, the Jubo League' general secretary from Gagra union unit and one of his followers were allegedly attacked by BNP supporters while they were on their way to the polling station on Sunday morning, The Daily Star reported while quoting local media. The incident was apparently a continuation of an altercation which took place between supporters of the BNP and the Awami League on Saturday night. Manjurul Islam, the officer-in-charge of Kaukhali Police Station confirmed the incident. The Daily Star has reported that 10 people have been also injured ever since voting commenced on Sunday morning for the 11th Parliamentary elections. Moreover, voting was suspended at a centre in Noakhali - 3 after miscreants allegedly took away all voting material. The incident took place despite tight security in 389 upazilas. The ruling Bangladesh Awami League-led Grand Alliance is contesting against the BNP-led Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) and Left Democratic Alliance in the elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is confident of the Awami League-led alliance, the Grand Alliance's win in the 11th Parliamentary elections. "I expect the win of Boat (the election symbol of Awami League-led alliance) is a must. 'Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu' (Win for Bangla, win for Father of the nation Bangabandhu). Long live Bangladesh," Hasina told the reporters after casting her ballot at the Dhaka City College on Sunday. The Daily Star quoted Hasina as saying, "We believe in democracy and we will accept the people's mandate." Polling is currently underway at 40,183 polling centres and 2,07,312 polling booths in the 299 constituencies. It will continue till 4:00 pm. However, voting has been postponed in the Jhenaidah 3 constituency by the Bangladesh Election Commission to January 27, 2019, due to the death of four supporters of the Jatiya Oikya Front's (National Unity Front) candidate. They were allegedly hacked to death by supporters of the ruling party at Kotchandpur upazila on Saturday. Security has been beefed up in 389 upazilas until January 2, to ensure a free and fair environment. The government has also shut down the mobile internet services in Bangladesh in the wake of the polls. Around 104.2 million people are expected to exercise their franchise in the 11th general elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League is all set to retain power as the trends of the counting of votes suggest that her party is heading for a massive win. However, the Jatiya Oikya Front has called the election a farce and has demanded its cancellation. As per unofficial results given on a Bangladesh newspaper website Prothom Alo, Hasina has got 2,29,539 votes while SM Gilani, BNP candidate, has got 123 votes. Awami League president was unofficially declared elected in Gopalganj-3 constituency. Jatiya Oikya Front leader Kamal Hossain said at a media conference: "We demand fresh elections to be supervised by a neutral caretaker government." He said the electoral process was plagued by ballot stuffing overnight, forcing out opposition polling agents, and killing of more than 12 people. The official result of the polls is yet to be announced by the Election Commission. The counting of votes polled in the 11th General Elections in Bangladesh, which concluded at 4 pm on Sunday, is underway in the nation. The polling began early morning on Sunday, which was marked by heavy violence, claiming as many as 12 lives and injuring 64 others. The capital city of Dhaka, however, witnessed peaceful voting, while several parts of the nation were engulfed in raging violence during voting. Police have arrested as many as eight people in connection with the clashes. A Chhatra League leader was killed by unidentified assailants in the violence in Gazipur. Another leader belonging to the Awami League Party was killed during a tussle between supporters of the ruling party and BNP over the occupation of a polling centre in Rajshahi's Tanore Upazila. Several leaders from multiple parties cried foul alleging the rigging of votes. A few leaders even boycotted the election citing the same reason. Two people were reported to have lost their lives in Comilla district until now, while one person died each in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangamati, Cox's Bazar, Bogura and Noakhali. Furthermore, around 64 people have been injured in clashes across the nation, reports The Daily Star. A Jatiya Oikya Front supporter Mujib lost his life in Comilla district's Chandina in police firing after he allegedly tried to snatch ballots from the polling centres. Another Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporter, identified as Bachchu Mia, was killed in a separate incident at the district's Murgaon voting centre in what has been termed as an Awami League-BNP supporters' clash by Nangolcoat Police Station Sub-Inspector Aminul Islam. Furthermore, clashes between the supporters of the candle symbol, Awami League and BNP led to the death of Abu Sadek at Pashchim Maliapara in Chattogram. Sadek's political affiliation has not been ascertained yet. In Rajshahi, the supporters from BNP allegedly attacked and killed Merajuddin, an Awami League supporter at a high school in Mohonpur, according to The Daily Star. Meanwhile, an elderly voter, identified as Kina Mohammad, aged 65-years-old, lost his life in Dinajpur during a confrontation between supporters of the Awami League and the BNP. A leader from the youth front of Awami League, Mohammed Bashir Uddin, was killed by the BNP supporters attacked him and one of his followers when they were on their way to a polling centre in Rangamati on Sunday morning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the polling for the 11th General Elections in Bangladesh on Sunday, women were denied the right to vote in the constituencies of Noakhali-4 and Chattogram-2. The women in the area alleged that the men from the ruling party allegedly barred them from exercising their right to cast votes, reported The Daily Star. The women were also allegedly physically harassed. "The men told us that they will only let us cast our votes to the Awami League. They also scuffled with us to not let us vote," the women revealed Around 20-30 women alleged that ruling party man bothered them as they were waiting in line to cast their votes in Chattogram-2 constituency, at Moddho Doulotpur Government Primary School polling centre of Fatikchori area. "They also tried to bar us from getting out of our homes, but we managed to reach the centre, and tried to drive us away," the women voters stated. (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 made AgustaWestland a part of 'Make in India' by removing the firm from the list of blacklisted helicopter design and manufacturing companies, said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Sunday. Addressing a press conference here, Surjewala called the Central government "a benefactor, protector, abettor, and supporter of AgustaWestland." "Why did Prime Minister Modi permit a blacklisted company like AgustaWestland to bid for 100 helicopters for Indian Navy," he asked. "Modiji, why did your government remove AgustaWestland and its parent company Finmeccanica from the blacklist? Why did you permit a blacklisted company like AgustaWestland to manufacture AW119 helicopters by giving them permission through FIPB? How did your government lose all the cases internationally against AgustaWestland and why have you chosen not to appeal," he further asked Prime Minister Modi. "We initiated the investigation on 12/02/2013. FIR was lodged and we were ready for the JPC but BJP backed out from the JPC. Media reports have elaborated as to how Christian Michel's sister and mother revealed in July 2018 that the Indian Prime Minister and Enforcement Directorate (ED) pressurised him to make false and fabricated statements against Congress leadership," Surjewala said. The ED on Saturday told a Delhi court that the alleged middleman in AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam Michel had named 'Mrs Gandhi,' but did not specify in which context the reference was made. "He has also spoken about 'the son of the Italian lady' and how he is going to become the 'next prime minister' of the country," ED's counsel told the court. Following the revelation made by the ED on Michel's statements, the court sent him to seven-day remand. The Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, finalised during the previous government headed by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, got mired in the allegations of kickbacks. According to the ED charge sheet, Michel had received kickbacks to the tune of 30 million Euros from AgustaWestland for the deal involving the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters. The deal, signed in 2007, was scrapped in 2013 following the bribery allegation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A British woman has alleged of being raped in a spa at a hotel here, following which the police registered an FIR under Section 376 (rape) of IPC at IT Park police station of the city. The alleged crime was committed on December 20, whereas the complaint was filed at the police station on December 27. The accused, named by the complainant, was employed in the hotel spa. The woman and her friend had gone to the spa for a foot and knee massage on December 20 where the accused alleged to have committed the crime. While she registered a complaint at the hotel on the same day, the formal police complaint was filed after she returned from an outstation tour. Chandigarh Police DSP (east) Harjit Kaur said, "We received the complaint on 27th December from a British lady. She had reported that while taking a knee massage in one of the hotels where she was staying, a masseur touched her inappropriately." "The incident occurred on December 20 and she had complained to the hotel authorities the same day after which the services of the accused staffer were suspended. The complaint came to us on December 27. We necessary investigation immediately," he said. She further informed that a case has been registered under Section 376 as "the act committed by the accused falls under the definition of such crime." "The accused is absconding. We are collecting more information from the hotel and are in the process of nabbing the accused," she added. She also informed that two teams have been formed to arrest the accused. Raids are being conducted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian Coast Guard on Saturday arrested 14 people and seized 2 boats carrying sand off the coast of Mumbai. A police case under relevant sections has been registered at Vasai Police station. Coast Guard Hovercraft, during deployment on Saturday, sighted two un-named and un-registered boats that were laden with sand, off Uttan. On being boarded, it was ascertained that no permit, documents or ID proof were with the crew, all of who claimed to be from West Bengal. Since no valid documents were found, the boat was detained and handed over to the police. Further investigation in the matter is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seeking to ensure complete transparency and accountability, the Defence Ministry is providing online booking facilities to exhibitors and vendors for the upcoming Aero India military exhibition in Bangalore while booking their space and availing facilities there. "We have developed a purely transactional website for Aero India as we are digitising the show. Exhibitors can enter the website after registration and book their space at the show venue without even having to call anyone as there is virtually nil human interface for this purpose," Defence Ministry spokesperson Col Aman Anand said. The facility provided to the exhibitors is just like the popular online booking applications through which users can book the seats of their choice in cinema halls and know exactly where they would be seated. Transparency in allowing space to exhibitors will be a big help for exhibitors as a few years back, an air force officer was Court martialled for allegedly seeking bribe for providing the space of choice to a vendor during the show. Sharing details of this innovative booking facility, ministry officials said that the Defence Ministry has so far earned revenue of Rs 60 crore from the exhibitors where the payments are being made through payment gateways by the vendors. Till now, 308 vendors consisting of 130 foreign vendors including defence majors American Boeing, Russian Rosoboroexport and several European firms have registered using this online facility available at the official AeroIndia website. The digitalisation of the air show is in sync with the best practices adopted by the world's biggest and oldest air shows, the officials said. Through digitisation, the Department of Defence Production has also provided facilities to the visitors through which they can directly complain to the ministry about unclean toilets or any other issues faced by them at the show, the officials said. The Ministry is also developing an app for the show which will help the user to avail all the facilities at the venue including directions to the stalls which they want to visit and book parking and other facilities. Officials also asserted that in order to encourage digitalisation, all the visitors who don't book tickets online would be charged Rs 250 extra for buying them on the spot. The show would be held from February 20-24 at Bengaluru. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It is unfortunate that Bulandshahr and Ghazipur incidents happened, and some elements are trying to disturb the environment in Uttar Pradesh, said Union Minister Piyush Goyal here on Sunday, while commenting on the two incidents which claimed the lives of two police personnel and one civilian. Speaking to media here, Goyal, however, claimed that law and order situation has improved exponentially in the state. "After Yogi Government coming to power, the law and order situation has improved and people also realise this," he said. "All the illegal activities have stopped now. Some people have also told me that unlawful element nowadays feel better to stay behind the bars rather than being out of the jail. I think such a law and order situation is being witnessed for the first time in Uttar Pradesh," he added. He also referred to the incidents from the past to substantiate his claims of improved law and order, citing that the people in the past were even afraid of filing the complaints. "I think you are forgetting that, from the past many years, people in UP used to be afraid of filing a complaint. When I came here for the campaign in 2017, on the very first day, a businessman was murdered in Lucknow in broad daylight. During one month long campaign, when there was Samajwadi government in the state, similar murders also happened in Saharanpur and Bulandshahr," said Goyal. Police Constable Suresh Vats was killed and two civilians were injured on Saturday after some members of a protest rally, organised by Nishad Party, allegedly hurled stones on them near Naunera area in Ghazipur. The police Constable was deployed at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur and was returning from the event when the incident took place. In Bulandshahr violence, Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and one civilian Sumit were killed when a mob got enraged over alleged slaughtering of cows after were found cow's carcasses in a nearby forest area. So far 19 people have been arrested in three different cases related to Ghazipur violence, including 11 in the case of murder. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Under "My Stamp" scheme, Keonjhar Police in collaboration with India Post has issued 10 postage stamps, each featuring the Ashok Chakra Awardees from Police Department across the country on Saturday. The step is a symbolic gesture in honour and memory of the ultimate sacrifice of heroes of the nation. Notably, the stamps issued by the district police are of Rs 5 denomination with a background picture of the Konark Sun Temple. Superintendent of Police, Keonjhar, JN Pankaj said: "It is sad that unlike the defence personnel, sacrifices of the police personnel who laid their lives for the motherland, generally remain unsung. However one should always remember that internal security is as important as external security and the sacrifices made by police personnel are holy." Moreover, "Ashok Chakra" is India's highest peacetime gallantry medal. It is peacetime equivalent to "Param-Veer Chakra" and around 84 people have received Ashok Chakra so far. A list of 10 police personnel named in postage stamp is here; IPS Randhir Prasad Verma: Awarded Ashok Chakra in 1992 and the Government of India also issued a Commemorative postage stamp in his honour in 2004. Kamlesh Kumari Yadav: She was a constable in CRPF who died on 13 December 2001 during the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. She was posthumously awarded Ashok Chakra. Pramod Kumar Satapathy: He was an Assistant Commandant of the Special Operation Group of Odisha Police who died in 2008 Naxal attack. He was awarded Ashok Chakra on January 26, 2009. R. P. Diengdoh: He was an Indian police officer in Meghalaya Police who died in 2007 while leading an operation to eliminate militants from the Meghalaya jungles. He was honoured with Ashoka Chakra in 2008. Mohan Chand Sharma: He was a Police Inspector in Delhi Police who was killed during an encounter with terrorists. He was awarded Ashoka Chakra on January 26, 2009. Tukaram Omble, Vijay Salaskar, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar: They were the Mumbai police officers, who lost their lives in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. These brave officers were awarded Ashok Chakra on January 26, 2009. K Prasad Babu: He was an Indian police officer belonging to the Greyhounds of the Andhra Pradesh Police. He was honoured with Ashoka Chakra after he played a vital role in thwarting a Naxal Attack, killing nine Maoists and saved lives of several innocents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey was spotted in public for the first time in over a year on Friday, after being charged with felony sexual assault. The 'Horrible Bosses' actor was snapped walking to a car in the morning hours. In an unsuccessful attempt to disguise himself, Spacey wore a hat and scarf apparently to cover his face, People reported. On Dec 25, the Oscar-winning actor was charged for felony sexual assault of a teenage boy in Massachusetts. Later the same day, the actor released a bizarre video on his Instagram account, breaking his silence about the news. In the three-minute-long video, titled 'Let Me Be Frank', the 59-year-old appeared to be portraying his 'House of Cards' character, Frank Underwood. Spacey acknowledged the charges which were made against him and suggested he will overcome them and revive his career. "Of course, some believed everything and have 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 asserted in the video. He added, "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?" Spacey's character in Netflix's 'House of Cards' was killed off in the final season after he was fired from the political drama. Spacey faced a public fall from stardom in the wake of sexual harassment allegation levelled by actor Anthony Rapp. Following Rapp, many others came to the fore and described their tryst with sexual harassment they faced at the hands of Spacey. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A blackmailer allegedly harassing a Delhi girl in order to upload her private photos on social media was arrested from Kolkata earlier this week after the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) intervened in the matter. On December 23, DCW's 181 Helpline received a call from a girl residing in Delhi, informing the Commission that a boy was blackmailing and threatening her to upload her intimate photos on social media. In her complaint, the girl also mentioned that the boy was doing the same with multiple other women as well. The girl shared this with her family but they asked her to keep silent fearing that it would bring shame to the family. The girl also tried to take help of the police but nothing could transpire. After receiving the call on 181 helpline number, Mobile Helpline Counselor of the Commission reached the police station with the victim and registered a complaint. When DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal spoke with the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), a First Information Report (FIR) was registered on December 24 at the K N Katju Marg Police station. DCP Outer ensured that a team of Delhi Police trace the location of the boy and went all the way to Kolkata to arrest him. On December 27, the boy was arrested and has now been brought to Delhi. However, he was given bail by the court. The boy after getting bail has once again approached the girl. The Commission now intends to support her in filing an application in court for cancellation of his bail. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A lady constable in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar accused a fellow constable of drugging her with a spiked glass of milk and then repeatedly raping her on the pretext of marriage. After a lady constable wrote to a senior police officer, Sudhir Kumar, police have suspended the accused, Keshav Sharma, who is a police constable and registered a case against him. In a complaint, the victim has told that she even got pregnant while being in a relationship with the accused, who forced her to head for miscarriage. The victim has further warned of the police of suicide, stating that, "If I won't get justice then I've no other choice but to commit suicide" Speaking to media about the matter, SP Dehat Alok Sharma stated: "Case has been registered and an investigation is underway. Accused constable has been suspended with immediate effect." "We have registered a case against the accused under sections 376, 313 and 506 of Indian Penal code (IPC), " he added. According to the victim, the accused asked her to step out from her marriage, when the victim agreed and informed him that she was finally taking divorce, Keshav refused to marry her. "One day, he came to my apartment saying that he was depressed and it was there that he gave a glass of milk to me, which was mixed with some intoxicating substance. When I got up the next morning, I realised that I was raped by him," she said. She further said that police haven't taken any strict action in the case and it's been five days already and police are unable to trace whereabouts of the accused. Notably, the victim got married to a resident of Bulandshahr, Parvinder, on September 2009. However, both departed their ways as they were not happy with their marriage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Locals in Gomti Nagar area on Sunday blocked a road and pelted stones on the police personnel after a five-year-old girl was allegedly murdered. Elaborating upon the incident SP, Trans Gomti, H Kumar told the media, "We had registered a missing person report. During our investigation, we arrested the accused and also recovered the body of the victim. The body was sent for the post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of her death." "People started pelting stones in aggression," he added. On Saturday, a police Constable was killed in mob violence in Ghazipur, while he was returning from his duty at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The divers of Indian Navy who went inside the inundated mine in the search of the 15 trapped miners in East Jaintia Hills returned disappointed on Sunday after diving upto 70 feet deep. Despite the deep dive, the team was not able to reach the ground level. SK Singh, Assistant Commandant, Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said, "Divers have come out now. They have said that the depth of water is too much. They dived till 70 feet down but still have not been able to reach the ground level". "Water is chilling which makes it difficult for divers to carry out the operation. We are trying our best. Tomorrow Navy Team will go inside with sophisticated equipment that they have. We are hoping for a better output tomorrow," said the official. Earlier in the day, Navy divers went inside the inundated coal mines to rescue 15 miners who are trapped inside since December 13. A 15-member diving team of the Navy from Vishakhapatnam arrived at Meghalaya on Saturday. The diving team of the Navy which arrived on Saturday is equipped with specialised equipment, including high-pressure pumps and a re-compression chamber and remotely operated vehicles capable of searching underwater. The Indian Air Force had also provided two aircraft to Meghalaya government for airlifting specialist personnel of the NDRF from Odisha for helping in the rescue operations. Union Defence Ministry has promised all help to the state government. The 15 miners have been trapped in a 370-feet deep illegal mine in Lumthari village here since December 13, when the water from the nearby river Lytein flooded the mine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday visited Rubina of Petipora Pulwama, sister of a terrorist, who was allegedly thrashed by policemen in Jammu. After meeting Rubina, Mufti said that this is an unfortunate incident and should not occur again. "It is an unfortunate incident that a militant's sister has been assaulted by the police. If the Governor has a problem with the terrorists, then he should fight with them. Why should their families and sisters be involved? I warn the Governor and the police that if such a thing reoccurs, then it will not be good for them," she said. She also said, "How did male police personnel touch a girl? Why were there no woman personnel? Family members of terrorists should not pay for this. This is my last warning to the Governor." On Friday, Mufti took to Twitter to assert that declaration of suspects as terrorists is premature. " security is supreme, but declaring suspects as terrorists on the basis of Sutli bombs, associating with the dreaded IS is premature. It has already devastated their lives and families. NIA must learn from earlier episodes in which the accused were acquitted after decades," she tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Navy divers have gone inside the inundated coal mines at East Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya to rescue 15 miners who are trapped inside since December 13. A 15-member diving team of the Navy from Vishakhapatnam arrived at Meghalaya on Saturday. JS Gill, retired Engineer-in-Chief of Coal India Limited (CIL), said that it would take five days to pump out water once started. "Navy divers have gone inside. Let us see what is recovered by them. If nothing is recovered, then we will pump out the water. Pumps have arrived but generators have not. After generators come, it will take five days to pump out water," said Gill. SK Singh, Assistant Commandant of Disaster Response Force (NDRF), said: "NDRF team is working in coordination with Odisha Fire Services personnel who have reached here with 10 high-pressure pumps. Also, 20-member team of Odisha Fire Service headed by chief fire service officer is assisting the local authorities and NDRF in rescue operations." "They are carrying all equipment and pumps along with them so they can take out water from the inundated mine. Some other agencies have joined us in the operation, a team of Navy divers has also reached here," added Singh. The diving team of the Navy which arrived on Saturday is equipped with specialised equipment, including high-pressure pumps and a re-compression chamber and remotely operated vehicles capable of searching underwater. The Indian Air Force had also provided two aircraft to Meghalaya government for airlifting specialist personnel of the NDRF from Odisha for helping in the rescue operations. Union Defence Ministry has promised all help to the state government. The 15 miners have been trapped in a 370-feet deep illegal mine in Lumthari village here since December 13, when the water from the nearby river Lytein flooded the mine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday said that the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Karnataka farmers' loan waiver are "incorrect and thus very unfortunate for the nation." "Farmers' crop loan waiver is a commitment our government has made to the farmers of the state to safeguard their interest and the process has already begun. We have made significant payments and despite that it is very sad that he (Prime Minister Modi) sees it as a 'cruel joke on farmers', misleading the people of the nation without obtaining the full facts about the scheme," he said. Sharing updates, Karnataka Chief Minister Kumaraswamy said: "The Prime Minister may kindly note certain updates and facts about the farmers' crop loan waiver before making such incorrect statements. Crop loan waiver is an open book and information available online unlike any other state." "The Government of Karnataka is handling honest taxpayers' public money with caution to reach true farmers. It is ensured that every genuine farmer gets the benefit. All middlemen, particularly in the co-operative sector are weeded out. Other states have shown a keen interest in this system. Aadhaar and electronic authentication of land records and ration card have ensured genuine farmers get the waiver," he said. "So far Rs 350 crore has been paid to about 60,000 farmers electronically into individual accounts of the farmers. Payments are being made every week electronically into farmers' loan or SB account. Next week another one lakh farmers will get about Rs 400 crore," he added. The Chief Minister further claimed that as many as 8.5 lakh farmers have given their Aadhaar, ration card and RTC details out of 21 lakh farmers in commercial crop loanees in about 10 days. "The officials have shown great commitment and are working on priority for the expeditious payment within January transparently and achieving successful implementation of the scheme," he said. "Despite making repeated requests, the Union Government has not come to the rescue of farmers and now the Prime Minister demeaning the State Government for political gain by making such incorrect remarks is inappropriate on his part," the Chief Minister said. He recalled that the Union Government had not responded to the protests of distressed farmers in New Delhi and now mocking Karnataka State Government's serious efforts to bail out the farmers is very undesirable. Addressing a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi took a jibe at the ruling Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka, claiming that while they had promised loan waivers for lakhs of farmers, till date only 800 farmers have been benefited from the loan waiver scheme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Firing a fresh salvo at Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his scathing tweet on Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) 2019, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday said that Rahul is desperate to see Gujarat's failure, however, Gujaratis have recognised his hatred for the state and have continuously rejected Congress and will keep doing so in future. "The glee in your tweet shows how desperate you are to see Gujarat fail. Gujaratis recognise your hatred for the state and have continuously rejected the Congress & will keep doing so! ##RaGaJhoothKiMachine," the Chief Minister tweeted. This comes after Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the VGGS 2019. "At the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, cynical sponsors no longer want to associate themselves with an event presided over by NoMo. They have left the stage, the way he likes it...Empty," Rahul wrote after the reports that UK envoy opted out from the Summit due to substandard commercial reasons. Continuing his tirade against Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister wrote: "Such a shameless liar you are Rahul Gandhi. This time Vibrant Gujarat is seeing even more participation." Notably, VGGS was conceptualised by the Prime Minister and the then chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi with an aim to make Gujarat a preferred investment destination in India. The 9th VGGS will be held from January 18 to 20, 2019. Uzbekistan, Czech Republic, Australia, Morocco and Sweden are among the countries which will participate in the Summit for the first time. Around 10 countries participated in 8th VGGS, however, this time 16 countries are partnering the summit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said that Russia is "open to dialogue" with the United States. In his holiday message, Putin congratulated US President Donald Trump on the occasion of Christmas, reported CNN. The statement released by Kremlin read, "In a congratulatory message to President of the United States of America Donald Trump on the occasion of the Christmas and New Year holidays, Vladimir Putin emphasized that Russian-American relations are an essential factor in ensuring strategic stability and international security, and confirmed that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the widest possible agenda." The message was included in a list of holiday greetings sent by the Russian President to heads of foreign states and governments. The Russian President had lauded his American counterpart's decision of pulling out the armed troops from Syria. Russia and the US have never seen eye-to-eye on several issues. The tension between the two countries was reflected when Trump cancelled his meeting with Putin which was scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina. Trump blamed Russia for the cancellation of the meeting after Moscow refused to release Ukrainian Navy ships and sailors seized during a maritime confrontation between the two countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Ashwani Kumar on Sunday claimed that United Progressive Alliance's (UPA) chairpersons Sonia Gandhi is being subjected to media trial through selective leaks. Speaking to ANI, he said, "It is very unfortunate that attempts are being made to tarnish her reputation. Sonia Gandhi has given great leadership to Congress party and to this country over the last several years. It is very unfortunate that she is being subjected to media trial through selective leaks." Lambasting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for allegedly trying to silence the opposition voice, he further added, "I can say without any hesitation that BJP and Prime Minister Modi's repressive cannot silence the voice of opposition. The main aim of these selective leaks is to encourage media trials of the opposition leaders." Kumar's remarks came a day after Special Public Prosecutor DP Singh told a Delhi court that the alleged AgustaWestland middleman, Christian Michel named a "Mrs Gandhi", apparently referring to UPA chairman Sonia Gandhi, during the interrogation by the ED. "He has also spoken about 'the son of the Italian lady' and how he is going to become the 'next prime minister of the country'," Singh had told the court on Saturday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A BJP MP has played down Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur incident saying that the law and order situation in the state cannot be evaluated on the basis of one or two 'isolated incidents.' A police constable, Suresh Vats was killed and two civilians were injured on Saturday after some members of a protest rally, organised by Nishad Party, allegedly hurled stones on them near Naunera area in Ghazipur. Udit Raj, who represents North-West Delhi seat in the Lok Sabha refused to admit the failure of law and order in the state and said, "Such incidents happen in Uttar Pradesh as the state has a population of as many as 25 crore people. One or two isolated incidents in the region cannot substantiate that something is wrong with the law and order." The deceased was deployed at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur and was returning from the event when the incident took place. BJP MP also hit out at the Opposition for criticising the government over the incident. "They will keep pouncing on us but that does not mean that we are not working." Earlier in the day, SP president Akhilesh Yadav blamed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's violent attitude for the death of the police constable. "This incident took place because the Chief Minister, whether he is in the Assembly or on a stage, only talks about violence. Sometimes the police don't know whom to beat up, and sometimes the public don't know whom to beat up," former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yadav said at press a conference in Lucknow. So far, 19 people have been arrested in connection with the violent protest and an FIR against 32 people has been registered. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Saturday announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the deceased cop's family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao will hold a high-level review meeting on the growth and expansion of the state's food processing industry on Monday. In the meeting, an action plan will also be devised to promote food processing industry in the state. Officials from Departments of Industries, Agriculture, officials and scientists of Agriculture University, Horticulture University have been invited to attend the meeting. The Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries of Agriculture, Finance, and Industries Departments will also attend the meeting. A press release issued from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Telangana government has taken up the construction of irrigation projects at a large scale, which would provide ample water for irrigation. "With this, there will be an increase in the cultivation of crops and produce. The government has targeted to establish food processing units in the states to provide minimum support price to the produce," the release further stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump on Saturday once again blamed the Democrats, who obstructed his plans of building a wall in the southern border with Mexico to stop illegal migration, for the death migrant children crossing into the US. The US President personally took to Twitter saying, "Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They can't. If we had a Wall, they wouldn't even try! The two....." "...children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadn't given her water in days. Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit!" he continued. Fox News reported that the US President cited the death of two migrant children from Guatemala, namely eight-year-old boy Felipe Gomez Alonzo and a seven-year-old girl Jakelin Caal Maquin, who lost their lives earlier this month while being in the custody of the Border Police. Both the children fell sick due to lack of proper food and medical facilities while crossing the border. The US President further said on Twitter that the father of the Guatemalan boy had said that it was not the fault of the Border Police. The US President Donald Trump had pushed for a border wall 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. Trump said, "For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us "NONE" for Border Security! Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown. Too bad! @FoxNews". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Culture recommended that under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), major corporates may be "compelled" to adopt heritage sites for their upkeep. It said that if proper values regarding the indigenous people and environment are followed and road and rail network is put in place, the industry may grow in a healthy way. "It is also necessary that things are not done hazardously and these will not misbalance the nature in the name of tourism development," observed the committee in its report tabled in the Rajya Sabha. It also asked the Tourism Ministry to update it on the steps taken to preserve the ecological balance at the tourist sites. The Committee said many of the key monuments, even those under the control of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), are without basic amenities like clean drinking water, toilet, interpretation centres, cleanliness, etc. It said that it was informed that the government has taken an initiative called 'Adopt a Heritage' to address deficiencies in the sector. Describing the initiative as a welcome step on part of the Tourism Ministry, the committee said, "There is no expenditure outflow from the Budget for the initiative." While suggesting that corporates adopt heritage sites, the committee said detailed plans for improvement of infrastructure and basic amenities have to be laid down by the Ministry or government agencies and it should not be left at the discretion of the organisation which is adopting the heritage sites. "Experience and experimentation in the initial two or three projects will make all the difference in planning for future projects that the ministry will take up for development," it said. "The committee also feels that to make a project a world-class experience, benchmarking is a must," the report added. Responding to the committee's observation, the Tourism Ministry said the project 'Adopt a Heritage: ApniDharohar, ApniPehchaan' is "voluntary in nature and the stakeholders cannot be compelled to adopt the tourist/heritage sites." It said the project is a collaborate effort between the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Culture and ASI and State/UT governments and aims at developing synergy amongst all partners to effectively promote "responsible tourism". "It aims to involve public sector companies, private sector companies and corporate citizens/individuals to take up the responsibility for making our heritage and tourism more sustainable through development, operation and maintenance of world-class tourist infrastructure and amenities at ASI/State heritage sites and other important tourist sites in India," the ministry told the committee. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The counting of votes cast in the 11th General Elections in Bangladesh, which concluded at 4 pm on Sunday, is now underway in the nation. The polling began early morning on Sunday, which was marked by heavy violence, claiming as many as 12 lives and injuring 64 others, reported The Daily Star. The capital city of Dhaka, however, witnessed peaceful voting, while several parts of the nation were engulfed in raging violence during voting. Police have arrested as many as eight people in connection with the clashes. A Chhatra League leader was killed by unidentified assailants in the violence in Gazipur. Another leader belonging to the Awami League Party was killed during a tussle between supporters of the ruling party and BNP over the occupation of a polling centre in Rajshahi's Tanore Upazila. Several leaders from multiple parties cried foul alleging the rigging of votes. A few leaders even boycotted the election citing the same reason. Two people were reported to have lost their lives in Comilla district until now, while one person died each in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangamati, Cox's Bazar, Bogura and Noakhali. Furthermore, around 64 people have been injured in clashes across the nation, reports The Daily Star. A Jatiya Oikya Front supporter Mujib lost his life in Comilla district's Chandina in police firing after he allegedly tried to snatch ballots from the polling centres. Another Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporter, identified as Bachchu Mia, was killed in a separate incident at the district's Murgaon voting centre in what has been termed as an Awami League-BNP supporters' clash by Nangolcoat Police Station Sub-Inspector Aminul Islam. Furthermore, clashes between the supporters of the candle symbol, Awami League and BNP led to the death of Abu Sadek at Pashchim Maliapara in Chattogram. Sadek's political affiliation has not been ascertained yet. In Rajshahi, the supporters from BNP allegedly attacked and killed Merajuddin, an Awami League supporter at a high school in Mohonpur, according to The Daily Star. Meanwhile, an elderly voter, identified as Kina Mohammad, aged 65-years-old, lost his life in Dinajpur during a confrontation between supporters of the Awami League and the BNP. A leader from the youth front of Awami League, Mohammed Bashir Uddin, was killed by the BNP supporters attacked him and one of his followers when they were on their way to a polling centre in Rangamati on Sunday morning. Mohammed Abdullah, aged 23 years, from the Bangladesh Chhatra League, lost his life in a clash with supporters of the BNP at Rajakhali Matobbar Para centre, which falls under Cox's Bazar-1. He allegedly bled to death after being hacked by the BNP supporters. Nurunnabi, a member from Ansar Forces, a law enforcement agency, lost his life in Noakhali. He was allegedly killed by the supporters of Jamaat and Shibir at a primary school. Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is confident of a third term in office, as her Awami League-led Grand Alliance contests against the BNP-helmed Jatiya Oikya Front and other parties in the General Elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Though the fledgling real estate sector facing a slowdown due to the weak residential segment showed signs of recovery this year with affordable and mid-segment housing driving sales amidst largely stagnant prices, the liquidity crisis gripping NBFCs, a major source of funding for realty, put the brakes on recovery. And with the assembly polls and upcoming general elections further casting a pall of uncertainty over the liquidity situation in the New Year, real estate is headed for a turbulent turnaround. This year, the spotlight was on the dominant residential segment. With key reforms of RERA and GST settling in and the disruptive impact of demonetisation fizzling out, residential real estate staged a recovery, propelled by substantial interest subsidy (up to Rs 2.67 lakh) and lower GST (8 per cent) on affordable and mid-segment housing. The availability of a sizable chunk of ready-to-move housing stock with zero GST contributed significantly to the recovery by pushing sales. This was made possible by debt-ridden developers focusing on completing and delivering projects due to stringent RERA rules and compulsion to generate cash flows. By H1, over 3.5 lakh homes, according to market research, were delivered in seven top cities. Flagship reforms like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) proved to be a panacea to bridge the housing deficit, especially in urban India, where, according to Magicbricks.com, 9 lakh houses, mostly affordable and mid-segment, were completed over three years. This year was marked by reforms like the liberalisation of FDI in retail, an IBC amendment treating home buyers at par with banks and institutional creditors and the government extending the interest subsidy benefits under PMAY to mid-segment housing. In fact, it was a year consumers as investors stayed away due to stagnant prices and concerns over the completion of projects. The stressed developers offered attractive discounts and deals to cut unsold inventory and generate revenue. By the end of the third quarter this year, there was double digit growth in sales. Despite this, the confidence of home buyers was still low as the benefits of reforms, especially RERA, did not benefit them much. In fact, they hardly got any relief in terms of refunds or completions/deliveries of projects. The liquidity crisis precipitated by NBFCs adversely impacted the completion of projects. Similarly, under GST, home buyers were deprived of the benefits of Input Tax Credit. Commercial real estate, including offices, retail and industrial real estate made steady progress. In fact commercial office leasing, propelled by the increasing trend of co-working spaces and foreign investors' interest in pre-committed high-grade office properties offering good rental yields, turned out to be saviour like affordable housing in the residential segment. The office space leasing is expected to touch the 39 msf mark in the top seven cities. Further, liberalisation of FDI norms in retail saw growing interest of foreign investors in this segment, with tier 2 & 3 cities significantly contributing to the growth of retail real estate, along with metros. Going forward, real estate will continue to face rough weather in the first half of 2019. Stalled housing projects continue to be stumbling blocks in the growth of the sector, especially with buyers staying away from risky under-construction projects, depriving them of realising the full benefits of the government's interest subsidy scheme under PMAY. (The writer is Founder & Editor of Ground Real(i)ty Media, a real estate content service. He can be contacted at vbehl2008@gmail.com) --IANS vinod/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling AIADMK is said to be on the horns of a big dilemma on BJP's push for an alliance with the party in Tamil Nadu in the coming Lok Sabha elections which promises to be an interesting battle with the DMK-led Opposition front, including the Congress and other parties. The AIADMK, which swept the 2014 Lok Sabha polls under the leadership of the late Jayalalithaa, is now split after her death and the BJP is said to be desperately looking for an alliance partner in a state where "Dravidian" has stymied the saffron advance even when it was making progress in elsewhere in the country. The BJP had appeared to woo the DMK when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the home of M. Karunanidhi, the late President of the party, and offered him rest and recuperation at his official residence in Delhi when he was sick. However, a series of events, including the seemingly negative attitude towards the state on issues like Cauvery and recently on assistance to the state after the devastation of Cyclone Gaja, has put paid to BJP's attempts to carve a niche in the state. Some of its allies in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections like MDMK and the DMDK have parted ways with the BJP, which is keen on riding piggyback on AIADMK. AIADMK sources said the BJP was keen on getting 20 of the 40 seats, including one in Puducherry, while leaving the rest to AIADMK and any other parties that could contest in a coalition headed by AIADMK. Recent meetings of Tamil Nadu ministers with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisamy in Chennai have triggered speculation that talks are on between the two sides for an alliance. The 2014 election was billed as a contest between "whether Modi or the lady" by Jayalalitha, whose party single-handedly won 37 of the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. The BJP won a lone seat in Kanyakumari and its ally PMK won the other seat. AIADMK sources say the party was in a serious dilemma whether to tie up with BJP as it was worried whether it would bring any advantage to it, especially after its defeat in the elections in Hindi heartland, and the anti-incumbency of five years of governance. The party itself was not seen to be strong as it was under Jayalalithaa and after the split after her death. The sources said the party, which has been supportive of the BJP government in Parliament all along and in the Presidential and Vice Presidential elections, was now wary of an open tie up. The party has opposed the triple talaq bill in Parliament as it fears erosion of support of the Muslims assiduously built by Jayalalithaa. AIADMK leaders point to a formidable coalition being built by DMK and Congress along with parties like MDMK, VCK and the Left parties on the other side that could raise issues of governance and target both the governments in the state and the Centre, if there was to be an AIADMK-BJP alliance. DMK President M.K. Stalin has even gone to the extent of declaring Congress President Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate of the UPA. They said that it would make sense for the party to assure the BJP that there could be a post-poll tie up between the two parties should the need arise. The AIADMK feels that it is in a better position to fight the polls separately than in an alliance with BJP. However, the party leaders are also aware of the difficulties being faced by some of the Tamil Nadu ministers who are under the scanner of central agencies like the CBI and Income Tax Department, which could be used to leverage its bargaining power with the AIADMK. Sources said the situation was likely to become clear when the Lok Sabha elections are declared and the schedule is out. --IANS vsc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The anti-BJP front gained currency this year in the wake of BJP's defeats in Kairana, Phulpur and Gorakhpur parliamentary by polls in Uttar Pradesh by the coming together of SP, BSP and RLD and as 2018 winds up the parties are now emboldened to go for the kill against BJP in the coming Lok Sabha polls. Interestingly, however, the Congress victory in the Hindi heartland in the recent Assembly elections, has come as a dampener for some of the ambitious regional parties who want to have a major say in how the next government is formed. In that context, rather than a single focussed anti-BJP front, analysts feel the situation is now ripe for a state-level alliances to take on the saffron party and for a Federal Front post Lok Sabha polls depending on the final numbers that come out it. Each regional party, except those like DMK and RJD which have shown their preference for Congress, would like to maximise its gains for acquiring bargaining power after the elections. There is a unity of purpose in Congress and several other opposition parties to "defeat BJP-RSS" in the Lok Sabha polls and several meetings have been held over the past year to build momentum against the Narendra Modi government. The year saw efforts by Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and NCP chief Sharad Pawar to bring state parties together along with the Congress on an anti-BJP platform. The ground for opposition unity was laid by Congress as it held meetings todecide joint candidates for presidential and vice presidential elections. Congress has consolidated its position in the opposition block after ousting BJP from power in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh but it needs allies in crucial states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. It has also lost its status as the pre-eminent party of the north-east. Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who has taken part in joint protests with other parties over policies of the Narendra Modi government, has been talking of the opposition parties together defeating the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2019 polls. The meeting of 21 anti-BJP opposition parties earlier this month decided come out with "a programme of work" over the next few months amid growing realisation that state-specific alliances will need to be worked out and a pan-India grand alliance was a near impossibility. But there is still no clarity about how and when these ground level alliances will take shape even though only about four months are left for the general elections. Even in Bihar, where an alliance between anti-BJP parties is a certainty, there is no clarity of who will fight in how many seats. The BJP-led NDA has sorted out its seat arrangement in the state. There is already some dissonance visible among the anti-BJP parties with Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party not attending the meeting of opposition parties earlier this month called at the initiative of Naidu. There is no clarity if Congress will be part of their proposed tie-up in Uttar Pradesh which sends 80 MPs to Lok Sabha. Telangana Rashtra Samiti leader K. Chandrasekhar Rao has also revived his efforts to forge a non-BJP, non-Congress platform after returning to power in Telanagana. Parties such as YSR Congress party, Biju Janata Dal, Indian National Lok Dal and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh may find an anti-BJP, anti-Congress platform more suitable to their political ambitions. Barring states where BJP and Congress are major players or where there is a NDA versus UPA battle, most states are likely to witness a multi-cornered contests in the Lok Sabha polls. Two important political events next month - Mayawati's birthday on January 15 and the rally being organised by Mamata Banerjee on January 19 - are expected to bring some clarity on how opposition parties will shape their alliances in the Lok Sabha polls. The anti-BJP parties have common issues against the Narendra Modi government including hardships caused by demonetisation, "flawed" implementation Goods and Service Tax, "misuse" of central agencies to target opponents, "intolerance", "corruption" and farmer distress. They have also put off the contentious decision of prime ministerial choice after the Lok Sabha elections and DMK leader M K. Stalin's projection of Congress President Rahul Gandhi for the post has not found many takers. BSP chief Mayawati and Mamata Banerjee are seen as the other contenders for the post. There was also broad opposition unity over demand for joint parliamentary probe on the Rafale fighter jet deal but the Samajwadi Party has seemingly broken ranks after the Supreme Court verdict on pleas seeking a probe. (Prashant Sood can be contacted at prashant.s@ -IANS ps/vsc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Polling stations in Bangladesh closed on Sunday after a day of violent clashes in which at least 12 people have died as well as a boycott by the main Muslim opposition party, reported EFE. Some 104 million citizens in the largely Muslim country were called to cast their ballots in what has been a deadly general election scarred by violence, mass arrests, a large military deployment and a boycott by the main Muslim party minutes before polling ended. "Such a lopsided election cannot be accepted under any circumstance, and that is why our candidates, who are contesting with the 'sheaf of paddy' symbol (BNP), have rejected and boycotted the polls in their respective constituencies," Shafiqur Rahman Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) secretary general said in a statement. "This is not an election but a farce and deception of the people of Bangladesh," Rahman added. Around 40,000 polling stations in 299 constituencies opened at 8 a.m. for around 104 million eligible voters. Since polls opened,10 people have been killed in violent clashes between the political factions and two people died in the early hours of Sunday as a result of political disputes, bringing Sunday's death toll to 12. The current Prime Minister and leader of the Awami League, 71-year-old Sheikh Hasina, is expected to win which would pave the way for her third mandate since she came to power in 2009. The BNP-led coalition- the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by three-time former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia who is currently in prison serving 17 years on corruption charges and as such her role as leader would be unclear - has accused the Awami League of targeting BNP activists and spreading a climate of violence and intimidation in the lead up to the vote. The BNP leads a coalition of political parties, including the JI, whose registration was canceled by a court but managed to present candidates via the BNP. Clashes between the opposition and Hasina supporters have gripped Bangladesh since the date for the elections was slated on November 8. The BNP has accused the government of a harsh clampdown which they claim has seen hundreds of opposition leaders and activists arrested. --IANS oeb/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Sunday alleged the Modi government was the benefactor and supporter of AugustaWestland, the helicopter manufacturing company involved in VVIP chopper deal, and said it was trying to suppress the truth by hiding behind the Enforcement Directorate. "The BJP is trying to hide behind the ED which has now become an 'embarrassing disaster'. The Modi lead government is the benefactor, protector, abettor and supporter of AugustaWestland," said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. The Congress also raised questions over the Modi government removing AugustaWestland from the list of blacklisted companies and allowing it to bid for 100 Naval helicopters for the Indian Navy. "The country wants to know why a blacklisted company like AugustaWestland was given the permission to bid for 100 Naval helicopters for the Indian Navy? Why did the BJP, after coming to power, removed AugustaWestland from blacklist? Why was the company permitted to manufacture AW119 military helicopetrs in India?" Surjewala asked. In 2014, India scrapped the contract with Italian company Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying the choppers to the Indian Air Force over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks for securing the deal after revelations made during a judicial trial against the company in Italy. The ED on Saturday brought in the name of 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'big man R', an apparent reference to Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, in a special court when it got a seven-day extension of custody of British national Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the deal. During arguments, ED counsel L.D. Singh also referred to Michel saying "big man 'R', son of an Italian lady who is going to be the next Prime Minister in a communication between Michel and AgustaWestland," an apparent reference to Congress President Rahul Gandhi. "We have nothing to do in a conversation between a lawyer and a client. If there is any evidence, why are they (ED) hiding behind fake innuendoes? If they have evidence, why don't they place it in public domain?" Surjewala stated. --IANS som-bns/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minor clashes and incidents of firing and booth capturing were reported at over a dozen places as panchayat elections were held in 13,276 panchayats across Punjab on Sunday. Results of the elections started trickling in later in the evening. People in the state's rural belt braved the cold wave to cast their votes. Tension prevailed in some villages in Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepur and other districts following violence, clashes between supporters of different candidates and incidents of booth capturing. Incidents of firing between warring groups were also reported from some places. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) alleged "complete hijacking of the panchayat elections by the Congress party". It said that this "amounted to murder of democracy and lambasted the State Election Commission (SEC) for failing to hold free and fair elections". In a statement, SAD spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said Congressmen not only incited violence during polling but also resorted to booth capturing even as the civil administration remained mute spectators and the Punjab Police facilitated rigging at various places by proceeding against Akali workers. Cheema said Akali workers were prevented from casting their votes at various places with Congressmen resorting to indiscriminate firing. He said that firing incidents were reported from Deena village in Moga, Bosarkalan in Patiala and at places in Ferozepur and Amritsar. He said booths were also captured at all these places by Congress activists. He complained of large-scale booth capturing from Mullanpur Dakha. The SAD leader said one person was killed in Mamdot in Ferozepur after he was overrun by a car in a stampede after Congress workers set a ballot box on fire. He said large-scale violence and booth capturing was also witnessed in Patiala, the home district of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh. He said in Sanaur, shots were fired and there was large-scale stone pelting. He said similarly in Rajpura SGPC member Surjit Singh Garhi was roughed up by Congress activists. The SAD leader said in Naushera in Amritsar district, police personnel indulged in lathi-charge on Akali workers. Punjab has a Congress government since March last year. Five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who is over 91 years old, cast his vote in his native Badal village in Muktsar district. His son Sukhbir Singh Badal and daughter-in-law and Union minister Harsimrat Badal also cast their vote in the village. The State Election Commission (SEC) officials said over 1.27 crore voters were eligible to vote. The voting started at 8 a.m. at 17,268 polling booths and ended at 4 pm. In some of the polling stations, enthusiastic voters were standing in long queues early in the morning. While there were 28,375 sarpanch (village headman) candidates in the fray for the 13,276 panchayats, 104,027 candidates contested for the posts of panch (village council member). An SEC spokesman had earlier said 1,863 sarpanches were elected unopposed after the end of the withdrawal process of nomination papers, and 22,203 panches have also been elected unopposed. Authorities in Punjab had received 210,494 nominations for the panchayat elections. Of these 48,111 nominations papers were filed for the post of sarpanch and 162,383 nominations papers filed for the post of panch. A total of 83,831 panches would be elected for 13,276 panchayats. --IANS js/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Prime Minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said she is confident about winning the 11th parliamentary election. In her reactions after casting vote at the Dhaka City College centre on Sunday morning, Hasina said: "The boat (her party symbol) will win." "I believe the people of the country will vote for the boat to help us continue the development journey. Pro-liberation forces will clinch the victory," bdnews24.com quoted the Prime Minister as saying. "Certainly confident," said Hasina responding to a question from the media. The reporters also asked her if she would accept any outcome of the election. "Obviously we'll accept it." Hasina also flashed a victory sign. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP on Sunday accused the Congress of giving a political colour to the investigation process involving AugustaWestland middleman James Christian Michel and said that the anxiety of the opposition party is evident with its behaviour in the case. Talking to reporters BJP Spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi sought to know from the Congress that why all the foreign nationals accused in corruption cases in India had links with the "first family" of the opposition party. "The people, who make hue and cry for inquiries into all economic matters, are now working in the rescue of a foreign national who is involved in corruption. Your (Congress') anxiety is evident," Trivedi said, pointing towards a slip of paper being passed by Michel to his lawyer Joseph in the ED custody which referred to a set of questions related to Mrs Gandhi. Condemning the Congress for giving the questioning of Michel by investigative agencies a "political colour", he said: "Let it be examined, everything would be clear in the AgustaWestland case." The BJP leader accused the Congress of giving a "cover fire" to Michel and trying to protect him. "Why is it so that all the foreign nationals accused in corruption cases in India have links with the first family of the Congress," he asked. Earlier, the Congress alleged the Modi government was the benefactor and supporter of AugustaWestland, the helicopter manufacturing company involved in VVIP chopper deal, and said it was trying to suppress the truth by hiding behind the Enforcement Directorate. The ED on Saturday brought in the name of 'Mrs Gandhi' and 'big man R', an apparent reference to Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi, in a special court when it got a seven-day extension of custody of British national Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the deal. During arguments, ED counsel L.D. Singh also referred to Michel saying "big man 'R', son of an Italian lady who is going to be the next Prime Minister in a communication between Michel and AgustaWestland," an apparent reference to Congress President Rahul Gandhi. --IANS bns/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen died at his south Kolkata residence on Sunday following old age complications, said his family member. Sen, 95, a widower, is survived by his only son Kunal Sen. The Padma Bhusan awardee filmmaker, who was ailing for a long time, breathed his last at his residence, 38 Padmapukur Road, in South Kolkata's Bhawanipore area around 10 a.m. Sen, also the recipient of country's highest film honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, made his debut as a filmmaker with a feature film, Raat Bhore in 1955, which starred Uttam Kumar. He is known for his acclaimed films like "Neel Akasher Neechey", "Padatik", "Bhuvan Shome" and "Akaler Sandhane", "Ek Din Pratidin" and so on. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has condoled Sen's death. "Saddened at the passing away of Mrinal Sen. A great loss to the film industry. My condolences to his family," she tweeted. Famous Bengali filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta expressed his grief and termed Sen's death as "the end of an era". Acclaimed Bengali actor-filmmaker Aparna Sen said more than a director and a colleague, Sen was like a family member to them. Film and stage actor Kaushik Sen, who debuted in Sen's film 'Ek Din Pratidin' as a child actor, said he did not have words to express Sen's influence on his career. "My relationship with Sen was very personal... cannot say much at this point. I learnt a lot of technical things about acting and filmmaking from him. I first acted in front of the camera because of him and my first film was also directed by him. I have also acted in the last film made by him," Sen said. Veteran actor Ranjit Mullick, who also made his acting debut under Sen, said he was a great fan of the film-makers sense of humour. "Mrinal Sen's name is pronounced with stalwarts like Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak in the same breath. I cannot believe he is no more. It is painful news. My debut film was directed by him. Sen had a great sense of humour. I was really fond of his jokes," Mullick reminisced. --IANS mgr/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid continued financial distress, the Indian telecom sector witnessed major developments in 2018, including the introduction of the National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP) and significant market consolidation. Talks of the country moving towards 5G network by 2020, efforts of companies trying to monetise their assets to strengthen their balance sheets and fulfilling their debt obligations also made headlines during the year. The Union Cabinet, in September, cleared the National Digital Communications Policy, which replaced the National Telecom Policy 2012 and aimed to provide broadband to all, ensure India's digital sovereignty and attract $100 billion worth of investments into the telecom sector. "The proposed investment of $100 billion will not only make access to communication services easy, but will also provide much relief to the financially distressed telecom sector reeling under debilitating debts, falling revenue and squeezed margins," said Cellular Operators Association of India Director General Rajan Mathews. "Overall, NDCP 2018 is pivoted around guaranteeing the sector's long-term sustainability and its readiness to invest in futuristic technologies," he added. The policy also takes into account the concerns of telecom operators. According to COAI, the fact that Indian service providers pay more than 30 per cent of their revenue as taxes and levies compared to the 10 per cent in other countries, was also considered and rationalised in the new policy document. Among the ambitious targets of the policy in its bid to provide broadband to all is the aim to provide 1 giga-bits per second (Gbps) connectivity to all gram panchayats by 2020 and 10 Gbps by 2022. Consolidation in the sector was, by-and-large, complete in 2018 with the merger of two majors - Vodafone India and Idea Cellular - to create Vodafone Idea, India's largest telecom service provider in terms of revenue and subscriber base. The merged entity became operational by the end of August with Kumar Mangalam Birla named the Chairman and Balesh Sharma the CEO of the new entity. Sector experts observed that as a result of the consolidation the market structure is now healthier and more stable with three major private players -- Vodafone Idea, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio -- and the public sector BSNL. As a majority of the telecom operators languished under debt and financial stress, the companies took to monetisation and transferred assets or businesses to subsidiaries. Bharti Airtel, at its Board meeting on December 20, decided to sell 32 per cent stake in Bharti Infratel to its wholly-owned subsidiary, Nettle Infrastructure Investments, for potential monetisation of the stake in future. With this, Bharti Airtel's share in Infratel would be 18.33 per cent, Nettle would have 35.18 per cent and the remaining 46.49 per cent stake would be held by the public and other shareholders. In November, Vodafone Idea too decided to demerge its fibre infrastructure business by transferring the assets to Vodafone Towers Ltd. Reliance Jio in December announced that it would hive off its fibre and tower businesses and form two separate companies. "The year 2018 was one of continued financial stress with a collective debt of Rs 8 lakh crore. This has accelerated further consolidation where companies were trying to monetise their assets to service debt obligations," Hemant Joshi, Partner for technology, media and telecommunications at Deloitte India, said. Despite the gloomy financial condition, the word which came up in every conversation on telecom and data connectivity in 2018 was "5G" or the Fifth Generation network with some telecom and technology players already coming up with instances of use and demos. Although, the Centre and some market players expect to commercially roll out the 5G network in 2020, sections in the industry feel the environment is not conducive for huge investments for moving on to next generation connectivity given the weak financial condition of majority of the market participants. "It looks rather difficult considering the financial stress and multiple technologies which are at play. Secondly, we should take own time to roll out 5G, till used cases for addressing the challenges of the country are established," Joshi pointed out. A panel set-up by the Centre has recommended that the 5G programmes would require funding by the government and a "high-level budget committee" should be formed to ensure adequate availability of funds for the sector. On December 17, Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan said that procedures for the auction of 5G spectrum are likely to be completed by August 2019. She also said that the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) is working on the recommendations of both the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the 5G task force set up by the government. "Everybody has already said that since the ecosystem is not ready, it will be (ready) somewhere only after July-August next year...We expect that we would have completed all the due procedures by then, so that you have the spectrum auction," she said. A major development, which impacted operations in the sector, was the Supreme Court's Aadhaar verdict in September as it struck down Section 57 of the Aadhaar Act that allowed private companies to seek Aadhaar authentication. This in turn barred the mandatory linkage of mobile phone numbers to the Aadhaar number. As a result, the industry had to work on an alternative e-KYC (Know Your Customer) process to verify and enroll subscribers. "The industry worked with the government on an OTP-based digital verification solution. This was done to keep customer convenience in mind for an entirely paperless process," the COAI's Mathews said. Progress on BharatNet has so far reached halfway with 301,154 km of optical fibre cable (OFC) laid connecting 121,652 Gram Panchayats of the targeted 250,000 to be covered by March 31, 2019, according to data provided by the government this month. The OFC under BharatNet are service-ready in 116,411 gram panchayats so far. Besides, service providers have installed WiFi hotspots in 39,359 gram panchayats under the WiFi Choupal initiative, as per government data. Union Communications Minister Manoj Sinha in October announced that the Indian telecom industry will roll out one million WiFi hotspots in the country by December next year. In a significant move for the broadband segment, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani in July announced that the company would come out with fibre-to-the-home broadband services, Jio GigaFiber. The roll out of its services is still awaited. Experts and market players feel the entry of Jio into the broadband segment might destabilise the segment as it happened in the telecom sector. On the outlook for the upcoming year, Mathews said the industry would advocate a stable and sustainable policy environment to promote innovation for a digitally empowered India through a "financially strong and viable industry". Deloitte's Joshi noted that 2019 may continue to be a year of financial stress and to deal with thism, the sector needs to think out-of-the-box and reduce its debt burden. "A model which the government uses for recapitalising the banks could be considered by the government for the telecom sector as well, especially with reference to spectrum pricing," he added. (Rituraj Baruah can be contacted at rituraj.b@ians.in) --IANS rrb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday said that it has arrested 11 people in the killing of a head constable by a violent mob on Saturday. "We have arrested 11 people for the death of head constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats," Ghazipur Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandra P. Shukla told IANS. He said the police have named 32 known and over 100 unknown persons in the case. Condoling Vats' death, Director General of Police O.P. Singh tweeted, "The death is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in three cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder." "Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence," Singh said. Vats, a head constable posted at the Karimuddin Police Station, died after he sustained head injury by the stone pelting mob of the Nishad party. This is the second such death involving police personnel and mobs this month in the state. On December 3, police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was killed in Bulandshahr in western UP when he tried to stop a mob of right-wing activists and villagers from keeping cattle carcasses to block a road from where a large number of Muslims were to return after a religious congregation. According to police, Vats was part of a police team trying to control the crowd which was protesting against the detention of a few of its members during a series of demonstrations during the day. The official said that Vats had arrived at the protest site to control the crowd around 4 p.m., after finishing his duty at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in the district, which was 15 km away. However, an hour later he succumbed to his injury, he said. Vats was attached with the Karimuddinpur police station for over a year and belonged to Pratapgarh district. Vats is survived by his wife and three children -- a son and two daughters. Former Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday accused Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of following 'thoko neeti' (encounter policy) to avoid transfers, which has led to confusion in the police force. "The Chief Minister keeps harping about 'thok do' (encounter policy). Sometimes the police donot know whom to beat up." "The encounter policy has led the police officers to believe that they could be transferred if they don't organise 'encounters,' forcing their subordinates to follow this attitude," he alleged. On Saturday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the death of the policeman and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh to his family members. The Chief Minister has also announced "extraordinary pension for the wife of the deceased and government service for one person of his family". --IANS aks/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday said the UN will continue to bring people together to build bridges and create space for solutions in 2019. In his New Year message, the UN chief said the world is undergoing a stress test, as climate change is running fast, geo-political divisions are deepening, inequality is growing, and record numbers of people are moving in search of safety and protection. Despite such challenges, Guterres said there are also reasons for hope, highlighting the progress made on Yemen talks, Ethiopia and Eritrea tensions, South Sudan conflict, and the Paris Agreement implementation. "As we begin this New Year, let's resolve to confront threats, defend human dignity and build a better future - together," said the secretary-general. "When international cooperation works, the world wins," he said. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was partly cloudy with the cold wave sweeping most parts of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, while the Met office forecast "no chance of rainfall and snowfall in the state till New Year's Eve". The western disturbances -- storm systems originating from Caspian Sea and moving across the Afghanistan-Pakistan region -- will be active in the region from January 1, with rain and snow at many places, Manmohan Singh, the Director of the Met Office here, told IANS. Most of the prominent tourist towns like Shimla, Narkanda, Kufri, Manali and Dalhousie, located in mid-hills, may witness moderate snowfall on January 1, he added. Shimla, which saw a low of 5.2 degrees Celsius, had received snow on December 12, like its neighbouring hill destinations Kufri, Mashobra and Narkanda. Thereafter, there was no snowfall. Hills overlooking Manali in Kullu district, about 250 km from here, is still wrapped in a blanket of snow. Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest place in the state at minus 6.8 degree Celsius. It was minus 1.6 degree in Kalpa, 2.8 degrees in Dharamsala, 3 degrees in Kufri and 5.7 degrees in Dalhousie. "Temperatures across the state rose marginally since Saturday owing to clouds," the official added. Those in the hospitality industry are happy as they are expecting a record number of footfalls on New Year's Eve owing to chances of snow on the first day of the next year. "Snowfall is always an added attraction. Our guests are excited about chances of snow on January 1," D.P. Bhatia, Shimla-based liaison officer with the Oberoi Group of hotels, told IANS. --IANS vg/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On any busy traffic crossing in the historic Mughal city of Agra, one would be surprised to see the number of women on two-wheelers. Not only young girls, but more and more middle-aged women, including housewives, are now seen enjoying their new-found freedom of mobility, a stark contrast from a few years ago. One can witness similar scenes some 60 kilometers away in Mathura, the city considered sacred by Hindus being the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Mathura resident Pawani Khandelwal, who describes herself as a raging feminist, truly believes that something as simple as riding a two-wheeler can transform lives of middle-aged housewives in small towns where even switching from wearing a saree to a salwar-suit is seen as a revolution. Being able to ride a "scooty" - a smaller version of a scooter with auto-transmission - can empower women by making them self-dependent, she says. That was the reason that when she decided to start a scooter driving school for women, she could not think of a better name than 'Aatm Nirbhar' - literally meaning self-dependent. "Bicycles are now out of fashion. Most women go for a scooty or an electric scooter. After school hours, you will find so many of them with kids tucked tightly to their backs hurrying back home," commented school teacher Meera Gupta. "You can see girls zooming past, competing with boys as if to declare they are second to none," she added. The 23-year-old Pawani realised the need for an all-women driving school when her mother Rekha Khandelwal - who had never even ridden a bicycle - wanted to learn riding a scooty. "I have been riding a two-wheeler (a Royal Enfield motorcycle presently) myself now for over seven years and therefore I was always under the impression that it is basic thing to know and most people - men or women - already know how to ride a two-wheeler," Pawani told IANS. But when her mother wanted to learn riding a scooty, she had a really tough time finding a lady trainer. "That made me realise how difficult it is for women to learn this very basic skill because men in their families don't have the patience to teach them, and women in small towns aren't very comfortable with male trainers," she said. "When we began searching a lady trainer for my mom, I realised that in every household there was at least one woman who was in dire need to learn to ride a scooty. Moreover, I realised that for most women, especially housewives, riding a scooty isn't just a mode of transport, but a feeling of youth and freedom," Pawani added. Fueled by this desire to help her mother and other women like her, Pawani set up a purely women-driven and women-oriented two-wheeler riding school in November last year in Mathura. In just over a year, Aatm Nirbhar - which started with just a dozen women - has already expanded to four more cities including Agra, Bharatpur, Jaipur and Vrindavan training over 1,100 women. The initiative has also been recognised by the Transport Ministry of Uttar Pradesh and the Central government's "Start-Up India" programme. Pawani says that in a country with an unreliable public transport, most women - especially in small towns and cities - have to depend on their husbands, brothers and auto-rikshaws for one of the most basic human needs - mobility - be it for dropping their children to school, going shopping or to their tailor, and other basic chores outside their homes. With most women who sign up with Aatm Nirbhar not even able to ride a bicycle, their training is conducted over 10 one-hour sessions over 10 days, after which they can confidently ride the scooty and are awarded a certificate of learning. Since all of its students are women, all training sessions are scheduled keeping in mind their convenience and the lady trainers pick the student from her house and drops her back after the training session. This has helped the organisation win the trust of not only the women learners, but also their families. Moreover, with majority of its trainers coming from marginalised families, it is making more women financially self-dependent by opening up new job opportunities for them. Pawani started by creating a Facebook page to reach out to women to tell them about her school for driving. Women from age 16 to 60 signed up to learn how to ride a scooty with most of them surprisingly being middle-aged housewives. Each one of our trainers and students have a motivating story to tell - a story of their discovery of freedom, independence and self-reliance, says Pawani. "In the next two years, we want to expand to every tier-2 and tier-3 city of India with the support of self-driven women," she adds. On March 8 - which is celebrated globally as Women's Day - Aatm Nirbhar organised an entrepreneurship summit for women which was attended by over a 150 business women and budding female entrepreneurs. "Aatm Nirbhar is not just a company, but a thought that has inspired and continues to inspire thousands of women to rediscover their lost sense of independence and self reliance," Pawani says. (The weekly feature series is part of a positive-journalism project of IANS and the Frank Islam Foundation. Brij Khandelwal can be contacted at brij.k@ians.in) --IANS brij/vv/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen famed for his ability to put searching questions before the society -- especially the middle class -- died at his south Kolkata residence on Sunday following old age complications, family sources said. Sen, 95, a widower, is survived by his son Kunal. Sen, who was ailing for a long time, breathed his last at his Bhowanipore home around 10 a.m. after a cardiac arrest, his family physician said. His funeral is scheduled to be held on January 2 after his son comes back from the United States. Sen's body has been kept in city mortuary "Peace World". According to family sources, the filmmaker's last journey will not be stopped anywhere for public display on its way to the funeral. His death brings the curtains down on one of the most glorious chapters of filmmaking in India, where Sen and late directors Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak are revered as the 'trinity' for giving birth to the parallel (or new) cinema movement in the country. The "trinity" gave a new direction to the idea of filmmaking in India, displaying spontaneity, aesthetic sense and deep knowledge of the medium, that made the world look up in wonder and respect their creations. Born on May 14, 1923, at Faridpur (now in Bangladesh), Sen made his first Bengali film 'Rat Bhore' (The Dawn) in 1953, but it was his second directorial effort 'Neel Akasher Niche' (Under the Blue Sky) that received acclaim in the country for its lyricism and humane qualities. Sen followed it up with 'Baishey Shravan' (Wedding Day) that earned him plaudits from the critics beyond Indian shores. In 1969, Sen worked on a small budget provided by the Central government to direct 'Bhuvan Shome' (Mr. Shome) -- a film regarded as an important milestone in the new cinema movement in India. A lifelong Leftist, who, however, never took the membership of any communist party in India, Sen has left behind a rich repertoire of 27 feature films, 14 short and four documentaries during a career spanning six decades. Among his other venerated films are 'Interview' (1971), 'Ek Adhuri Kahani' (An Unfinished Story, 1971), 'Calcutta 71' (1972), 'Chorus' (1974), 'Mrigayaa' (in Hindi - The Royal Hunt, 1976), 'Oka Oori Katha' (in Telugu - The Outsiders, 1977), 'Ek Din Pratidin' (And Quiet Rolls the Dawn, 1979), 'Akaler Sandhane' (In Search of Famine, 1980), 'Chalchitra' (The Kaleidoscope, 1981), 'Kharij' (The Case Is Closed, 1982), 'Khandhar' (The Ruins, 1983), 'Genesis' (1986) and 'Ek Din Achanak' (Suddenly, One Day, 1989). His last film 'Aamaar Bhuvan' (This, My Land) came in 2002. An intellectual par excellence and a great conversationalist, Sen regaled in calling himself an "iconoclast" and "by accident, a maker of films". Widely feted, Sen received the Padma Bhushan in 1981, the Dadasaheb Phalke -- the highest award in Indian cinema -- in 2005, the French government's Commandeur de l'ordre des Arts et letters (Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters) in 2001, and Order of Friendship from the Russian government in the same year. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1997 to 2003, and president of the International Federation of the Film Societies for some time. Respected across the globe, Sen served as a member of International Jury at various film festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Moscow, Karlovy Vary, Tokyo, Tehran, Mannheim, Nyon, Chicago, Ghent, Tunis and Oberhausen. He came out with his autobiography 'Always Being Born' in 2004. His demise was condoled by emminent personalities across the film fraternity as well as important figures across different spheres of life including politicians. President of India Ram Nath Kovind wrote, "Sad to learn of the passing of acclaimed filmmaker Mrinal Sen. From Bhuvan Shome to the Calcutta trilogy, his penetrating and sensitive portrayal of social realities made him a fine chronicler of our times. A loss to Bengal, to India and to the world of cinema." Congress President Rahul Gandhi also expressed his grief. "He will live on through his vast body of critically acclaimed work. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and fans all around the world," Gandhi posted on social media. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed it is as an irreparable loss to the world of filmmaking. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted: "Mrinal Sen no more... a most amiable, distinguished creative cinematic mind, contemporary of Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak. I did my first ever voiceover in his film 'Bhuvan Shome'. Prayers and condolences." Famous Bengali filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta termed Sen's death as "the end of an era". Acclaimed Bengali actor-filmmaker Aparna Sen, who worked in three films made by Sen, said more than a director and a colleague, he was like a family member. Film and stage actor Kaushik Sen, who debuted in Sen's film 'Ek Din Pratidin' as a child actor, was at a loss for words. "My relationship with Mrinal Sen was very personal... cannot say much at this point. I learnt a lot of technical things about acting and filmmaking from him. I first acted in front of the camera because of him and my first film was also directed by him. I have also acted in the last film made by him," Kaushik said. Veteran actor Ranjit Mullick, who also made his acting debut under Sen, grieved at the "painful news". "Mrinal Sen's name is pronounced with stalwarts like Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak in the same breath. I cannot believe he is no more. It is painful news. He had a great sense of humour," Ranjit said. --IANS mgr/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Terming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks against the farm loan waiver scheme of Karnataka's coalition government unfortunate, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday reeled out figures to defend it. "The Prime Minister's remarks on our loan waiver is incorrect and unfortunate," said Kumaraswamy in a statement his office issued here. Interacting with BJP's booth workers in Karnataka through video-conferencing from New Delhi on Friday, Modi said the state's loan waiver scheme was a cruel joke on them (farmers). "The farmers want attention. But those in power in Karnataka are steeped in arrogance. The common man wants development, but those in power want only development of a dynasty. People want corruption-free development, but the state government wants development-free corruption," Modi said in English on the occasion. Reiterating that crop loan waiver was the state government's commitment to safeguard the interests of the farmers across the state, which began the process, the Chief Minister's statement said it was very sad that Modi had termed the scheme as a cruel joke on farmers, which amounts to misleading the people without facts about the scheme. "Our crop loan waiver is an open book and information is available online, unlike in many other states. The state government is handling tax payers' money with caution to reach the real beneficiaries (farmers)," asserted the Chief Minister. Claiming that about 60,000 farmers had been paid Rs 350 crore by electronic transfer into their individual bank accounts to date, the Chief Minister said by next week, another 1 lakh farmers would be paid Rs 400 crore through their account. "All middlemen in the cooperative sector have been weeded out. Other states have shown keen interest in our system, which uses Aadhaar unique identification number, electronic authentication of land records and ration cards to ensure only genuine farmers get the waiver," said Kumaraswamy in the statement. Lauding the officials for implementing the scheme expeditiously, the chief minister said Modi's remarks against the loan waiver was not expected. "In spite of several requests, though the central government did not come to the rescue of our farmers, the Prime Minister's remarks demean our efforts for political gain," the Chief Minister lamented. --IANS bha-fb/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Liverpool conceded an early goal to Arsenal before rebounding to dispatch the Gunners 5-1 and go nine points clear at the top of the English Premier League (EPL). Liverpool, who last won the English top-flight in 1990, are unbeaten after 20 matches with 54 points, nine ahead of second placed Tottenham, reports Efe. Roberto Firmino, who had yet to score at Anfield this season, produced a hat trick to power Liverpool to a ninth straight EPL triumph here on Saturday. With 38 points, Arsenal remain secure in fifth place for the moment despite losing their fourth match in a row. The visitors were first to strike, as Alex Iwobi found Ainsley Maitland-Niles open at the far post and the 21-year-old midfielder connected to make it 1-0 for Arsenal in the 11th minute. Liverpool were not slow to respond. Firmino broke his home scoring drought in the 14th minute and added a second goal just two minutes later. The third Liverpool goal came in the 32nd minute courtesy Sadio Mane, with an assist from Mo Salah, who went on to convert a penalty in first-half stoppage time to make it 4-1 for the hosts. Another penalty, in the 65th minute, set the stage for Firmino to complete the triple. --IANS ajb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Touted as the world's largest science meet, massive preparations are being made by the Lovely Professional University (LPU) near here for the Indian Science Congress beginning on its campus on January 3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ISC-2019 by addressing nearly 30,000 delegates at the inaugural ceremony at the LPU campus. The delegates will include Nobel Laureates, union ministers, eminent scientists, science policymakers, administrators, young researchers and school children from across India and other countries. Over 100 conferences and events of scientific and technology-linked themes will be held during the five-day (January 3-7) Congress. This is the 106th edition of the ISC. Scientists and experts from leading institutions like DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), DST (Department of Science and Technology), AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), UGC (University Grants Commission), AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and universities from US, UK and other countries will participate in the event. Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) president Manoj Kumar Chakrabarti said the ISC-2019 "will be a milestone for the future development of India since it is going to provide a great platform to exchange ideas and innovations among young minds". "The event will play a pivotal role in stimulating scientific research effort and raising the scientific temperament in the country and the world," Chakrabarti said. Nobel Laureates who have confirmed their participation include German-American biochemist Prof. Thomas Sudoph (2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine for work on vesicle trafficking); Hungarian-born Israeli biochemist and Nobel laureate in Chemistry Prof. Avram Hershko and physicist Frederick Duncan Michael Haldane (2016 Nobel Prize in Physics). Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan and Textile Minister Smriti Irani will also attend the event, an LPU spokesman said on Sunday. 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." Mittal said that a special 'Solar powered Multi-Seated Driver-Less Bus' has been designed and created by LPU engineering students which will ferry the Prime Minister to the ISC venue. Since the ISC's first session in 1914, it is only the second time for a university in Punjab to organise the science congress. The ISC-2019 will also have a 'Children's Science Congress', which will target children of 10-17 years age group, to carry forward innovation and research in science to a next level. "Nearly 150 science projects, finalised by the DST, will be showcased and children will also have the opportunity to interact with eminent scientists and Nobel Laureates," the spokesman said. The ISC will also have a 'Science Communicators' Meet' and a Women's Science Congress'. The latter will showcase the contribution of women in science, technology and the society. A 'Pride of India' Expo will also be organised separately during the event. --IANS js/pgh/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "By accident, a maker of films... Good or bad, yes or no, they know me as an iconoclast," Mrinal Sen said about himself in his autobiography, giving an apt and characteristically witty description of his cinematic philosophy. Anybody who had the privilege of interacting with Sen closely, always vouched for his sense of humour and down-to-earth approach, which made him a fantastic and indefatigable conversationalist. It was perhaps this ability to effortlessly reach out to all sections of people around him that made Sen so socially aware, and consequently, he produced a large crop of serious films that challenged prevailing social sensibilities and mores, putting a mirror before the society. Sen (95), who died in Kolkata on Sunday, was the last surviving member of the 'trinity' from Bengal - including master filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak -- who gave birth to the parallel (or new wave) cinema in the country by starting and cradling the domestic film society movement in one of the coffee houses of Kolkata. The troika gave a new direction to the idea of filmmaking in India, with their intellect, spontaneity, knowledge of world cinema and deep understanding of the nuances of the medium that made the world look up in wonder and respect their creations. A Marxist in belief, who, however, never took the membership of any communist party in India, Sen regaled in breaking age-old stereotypes, highlighting issues such as exploitation and erosion of values. Take for instance the film 'Kharij' (The Case is Closed), where the servant boy, a minor, working in a middle class family in Kolkata (then called Calcutta), dies by carbon-monoxide poisoning after being made to sleep in the kitchen. Fearful of facing retribution, police case, scandal, and weighed down by guilt, the young employer and his wife go all out to please the deceased's father. The bereaved man, however, displays great dignity, and returns to his village quietly, leaving the employers morally shattered. 'Kharij' shook the urban middle and upper classes so much that many changed their treatment of servants, particularly giving them better places to sleep. 'Kharij' belonged to a particular period in Sen's career, beginning from the 1970s -- a time of great turmoil and political unrest in Calcutta with the Naxalite movement spewing blood on the streets -- during which he made films one after the other provoking the urban society, and subtly capturing the political upheaval. Many critics have rated this particular period of Sen's career centering around the eastern metropolis as his most productive. The highlight of the genre was the trilogy - Interview (1970), Calcutta 71 (1972) and Padatik (1973). All three films are regarded as masterpieces for their social messages and political overtones. Born on May 14, 1923, at Faridpur (now in Bangladesh), Sen made his first Bengali film 'Rat Bhore' (The Dawn) in 1953, but it was his second directorial effort 'Neel Akasher Niche' (Under the Blue Sky) that received acclaim in the country for its lyricism and humane qualities. Sen followed up with 'Baishey Shravan' (Wedding Day), which earned him plaudits from the critics beyond Indian shores. In 1969, Sen worked on a small budget provided by the government of India to direct 'Bhuvan Shome' (Mr. Shome) -- regarded as an important milestone in the new cinema movement in India. Among his venerated films are 'Ek Adhuri Kahani' (An Unfinished Story -1971), Chorus (1974), 'Mrigayaa' (in Hindi - The Royal Hunt - 1976), 'Oka Oori Katha' (in Oriya - The Outsiders - 1977), 'Ek Din Pratidin' (And Quiet Rolls the Dawn -- 1979), 'Akaler Sandhane' (In Search of Famine -1980), Chalchitra(The Kaleidoscope - 1981), 'Kharij' (The Case Is Closed - 1982), 'Khandhar' (The Ruins -- 1983), Genesis (1986) and 'Ek Din Achanak' (Suddenly, One Day - 1989). His last film 'Aamaar Bhuvan' (This, My Land) came in 2002. Sen has left behind a rich repertoire of 27 feature films, 14 shorts and four documentaries during a career spanning six decades. Widely feted, Sen received the Padma Bhushan in 1981, the Dadasaheb Phalke -- the highest award in Indian cinema -- in 2005, the French government's Commandeur de l'ordre des Arts et letters (Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters) in 2001, and Order of Friendship from the Russian government in the same year. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1998 to 2003, and president of the International Federation of the Film Societies for some time. Widely respected across the globe, Sen served as a member of International Jury at various film festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Moscow, Karlovy Vary, Tokyo, Tehran, Mannheim, Nyon, Chicago, Ghent, Tunis, and Oberhausen. He came out with his autobiography 'Always Being Born' in 2004. (Sirshendu Panth can be contacted at s.panth@ians.in) --IANS ssp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Sunday began their operation to rescue 15 miners trapped inside a flooded illegal coal pit for 18 days in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district, but there was no news as yet of the miners. Lieutenant Commander Santosh Khetwal led a team of six divers , including five from the Navy and one from NDRF and assessed the depth of the water in the illegal coal mine. Two Naval divers dived about 80 feet inside the main shaft of the flooded coal pit, but couldn't locate any of the trapped miners. The divers spent more than two hours inside the pit in a inflatable raft with all necessary equipment. "They dived about 80 feet inside the main shaft of the coal pit but they couldn't locate anything due to high accumulation of water in the pit," Assistant Commandant NDRF, Santosh Kumar Singh told IANS. "We have decided to resume pumping of water from the pit on Monday morning with 100 horsepower pumps from Odisha fire services. Moreover, we have decided that Navy and NDRF divers will simultaneously dive inside during the water extraction so that we can try to get to the bottom of the pit," he said. Singh said that the Navy will also use the underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) on Monday's rescue operation. Noting that the ultimate aim of the rescuers is to evacuate the trapped miners, Singh said, "Rescuers never lose hope, as we work to rescue them." Coal India Limited (CIL) continued to surveyed the abandoned coal mines located at the adjacent areas of the mining tragedy site. "We have surveyed the abandoned mines. We will soon get one of the six submersible high-capacity equipment that can dewater 500 gallon per minute," A.K. Bharali, General Manager of CIL, Kolkata said. Crew members of Odisha Fire Services have placed their 100 horsepower pumps a tthe tragedy site to dewater the pit from Monday morning. The district administration has temporarily suspended pumping out water from the coal pit since December 24 with the two 25 horsepower pumps became ineffective due to continuous operations. Meghalaya police have arrested Jrin alias Krip Chulet, the owner of the coal mine, from Narwan village. Police said that a hunt is on for more people including the manager of the illegal coal mine. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and sought immediate Central support to rescue the trapped miners. Sangma had also promised that "appropriate action will be taken at appropriate time against those involved in the illegal mining". --IANS rrk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In another major upset of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) season six, Dabang Delhi rode on a strong second half performance to hammer Bengal Warriors 39-28 in the second eliminator here on Saturday. Naveen Kumar and Chandran Ranjit led from the front as they combined to score 19 raid points. In defence, Ravinder Pahal scored four tackle points. It was a slow performance in second half by Bengal Warriors which led to their downfall. Maninder Singh top-scored with 8 points but just didn't get enough support from other raiders. Chandran Ranjit opened Dabang Delhi's account in the second minute with a successful raid. Maninder Singh picked up a couple of raid points as after two minutes Bengal Warriors leveled the match at 2-2. Bengal Warriors inflicted an all-out in the 9th minute to lead 7-4. Bengal Warriors held the edge in the first half with Maninder Singh picking up raid points at regular intervals. In the 15th minute Maninder made a two-point raid to give Bengal 12-8 lead but Chandran Ranjit replied with a two-point raid of his own as Delhi trailed 10-12. Delhi forced a super tackle in the 16th minute to level the match at 12-12. Bengal Warriors came back strongly to inflict an all out in the 19th minute as they led 17-12. At the end of the first half, Bengal led 18-12. Delhi made a strong start to the second half as they picked three raid points in the 21st minute to trail 15-18. Bengal were in the lead for the first part of the second half as after 25 minutes they led 20-19. Naveen Kumar made a brilliant raid in the 28th minute to give Dabang Delhi 24-20 lead. In the 32nd minute, Delhi inflicted an all-out to lead 33-23 and went on to clinch the contest comfortably. --IANS kk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Political developments in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, the Rohingya refugee crisis arising out of Myanmar, mending ties with Nepal's new leadership and the situation in Afghanistan - neighbourhood took up much of India's time in the year just ending. New Delhi's Neighbourhood First Policy ended on a high note, however, with newly-elected Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering making India the destination of his first foreign visit. Maintaining the narrative of the India-Bhutan ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following a meeting with Tshering on Friday, announced that New Delhi will contribute Rs 4,500 crore to the Himalayan kingdom's 12th Five-Year Plan that runs from 2018 to 2023. India is a leading development aid partner for Bhutan. There are a number of institutional mechanisms between the two countries in areas like security, border management, trade, economy, hydroelectricity, development cooperation and water resources. Tshering, on his part, invited Modi to visit Bhutan and inaugurate the 720-MW Mangdechhu hydro-power project, being built with Indian aid and work on which is nearing completion. New Delhi has already set up three hydro-power projects in Bhutan with a total capacity of 1,416 MW, which are operational. About three-fourth of the power generated is exported to India and the rest is used for domestic consumption. The year, however, started off on a wrong note in the neighbourhood with then Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen, seen to have been distancing himself from India and leaning towards China, imposing a state of emergency in February. Yameen's move was in defiance of a Supreme Court ruling that ordered the release of nine opposition leaders, including former President Mohammed Nasheed. Pro-India Nasheed, who was in exile at that time, requested New Delhi to send an envoy, "backed by its military", to secure the release of judges and political detainees, including former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Though the Indian Army did not set its boots on the Indian Ocean archipelago nation, New Delhi kept calling for restoration of all democratic institutions there. The crisis came to an end in September when Ibrahim Mohammed Solih, put up as the joint opposition candidate, defeated Yameen in the presidential election. Modi attended Solih's swearing-in ceremony on November 17. following which the latter came to India earlier this month on his first official visit abroad. Following a bilateral meeting here, New Delhi extended lines of credit worth $1.4 billion to to the Maldives and both sides agreed to to maintain peace and security in the Indian Ocean region by deepening their bilateral cooperation. In the end, as one former diplomat put it, India's circumspection on the Maldives crisis paid off. In Sri Lanka, political turmoil was sparked when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister and appointed former President Rajapakse in his place in October. Wickremesinghe's United National Front party alleged that the removal was "unconstitutional" and said the new caretaker government could not continue in office as it had been defeated in no-confidence motions. The nearly two-month-old political impasse only ended when Rajapaksa stepped down on December 15 amid rising protests and Wickremsinghe was sworn in as the Prime Minister the next day. Sources here said new Delhi avoided knee jerk reactions or responses to these developments. India also reset its ties with Nepal through a visit by Modi to the Himalayan nation in May, his first after K.P. Sharma Oli became the Prime Minister. During the visit, both sides agreed to boost trade and economic links, connectivity via air, land and water, people-to-people ties, with Modi declaring that India will work like a sherpa in the Himalayan nation's development endeavours. This was significant given that there was a chill in India-Nepal ties during Oli's earlier stint between October 2015 and August 2016 when a border blockade blamed on New Delhi crippled Nepal's economy. There were also perceptions that Oli was leaning more towards China than India. In the east, the Rohingya refugee crisis emanating out of Myanmar kept India on its toes. Over 730,000 Rohingyas, whom Myanmar does not recognise as its citizens, have sought refuge in Bangladesh since August 2017 following a military campaign against the minority community in Rakhine State. With India being the only country sharing its borders with both Myanmar and Bangladesh, New Delhi's role in the crisis became crucial. Apart from sending humanitarian aid to the refugees in Bangladesh, India signed a development programme for Rakhine State late last year which was designed to assist the Myanmar government to build housing infrastructure for return of the displaced persons. Earlier this month, India handed over the first 50 such housing units to Myanmar during the course of President Ram Nath Kovind's visit there with that country's leadership appreciating New Delhi's role in the rehabilitation of the refugees. According to sources here, India consciously took a nuanced position on the issue. In terms of bilateral ties, India continued its role as a key development aid partner of Myanmar, working on major infrastructure projects. India managed to hand over the Sittwe port and the Paletwa inland water terminal, two major elements of the Kaladan Multi-modal Transport Project connecting Mizoram in India, to the Myanmar side. With Bangladesh, ties continued to remain positive as has been the case under the prime ministership of Sheikh Hasina. With the country going to polls on Sunday, what is being seen as positive is that India has not figured in any prominent manner in the run-up. Three India-aided projects in the areas of power supply and railway connectivity were also dedicated to the people of Bangladesh this year. The situation in Afghanistan also kept drawing India's attention. Though New Delhi has maintained that the peace process there should be Afghan-led and Afghan owned, India continued to play a key role in the reconstruction process. According to sources, though, all all countries view India's participation in the peace process as important (Aroonim Bhuyan can be contacted at aroonim.b@ians.in) --IANS ab/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For the Indian oil and gas sector, the year was defined by what occured outside with crude oil prices rising steadily to cross $86 a barrel owing to oil producers starting output cuts from January, before a sharp correction in the third quarter brought it down to below $50 earlier this month. Consequently, 2018 saw petrol and diesel prices scaling record highs daily under the dynamic pricing regime for transport fuel prices introduced last year, even as the rupee plunged to new lows against the US dollar in the second half of the year, leading to a soaring oil import bill and widening of the current account deficit. High fuel prices spurred the government to make excise cuts and increase its efforts to take India towards a gas-based economy. In mid-May, the price of petrol in Mumbai breached the Rs 86-a-litre mark as fuel prices across the country increased for the 15th day in a row, surpassing fresh records daily. Thereafter, following the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC producers deciding in Vienna to raise oil production by some 1 million barrels a day, fuel prices in the country suddenly started declining in June. Then in September, fuel prices resumed their daily record-breaking upward movement with petrol selling at over Rs 91 a litre in the country's financial capital and at around Rs 84 in Delhi. Amid calls for bringing petroleum products under GST, the situation forced the government to cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 1.50 a litre each in early October. Additionally, the state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) were mandated to reduce prices by Re 1 a litre each. Meanwhile, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan travelled to Vienna in June to convey India's view that the 13-nation OPEC should end the Asian Premium on oil being charged by the cartel and that prices have risen beyond the threshold that can be sustained by the world. "There is the need for OPEC governments to move towards responsible pricing," Pradhan said. In October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in New Delhi with the heads of global oil companies and made a strong case for partnership between producers and consumers, following which Saudi Arabia said it expects its output to rise from November to counter the impact of US sanctions on Iran. Highlighting the significant positioning of India in the oil and gas market, Modi said the oil market was producer-driven and both the quantity and prices were determined by the oil producing countries. Following the meeting, Saudi Petroleum Minister Khalid Al Falih told reporters that he expects Riyadh's oil production to rise in November from 10.7 million barrels per day (bpd) and that it has the required capacity in place to do so. "Saudi Arabia has the capacity to produce 12 million bpd and is currently producing 10.7 million bpd and production will rise further," Al Falih said. The decline in crude prices resumed sharply and UK Brent, for instance, fell from $86 a barrel to under $50 earlier this month, forcing oil producers to decide to reduce its supply by 1.2 million bpd for the first half of 2019. Petrol and diesel in India have declined by nearly 15 per cent each from the record high levels they had reached in October. Meanwhile, India received a US waiver to purchase oil from under-sanctions Iran and Pradhan announced that the Finance Ministry is working out the modalities of payment for imports from the Gulf nation. Continuing its efforts to boost domestic production, the government this year launched the second round bidding for Discovered Small Fields (DSF) with 190 million tonnes of oil and oil equivalent of gas worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore. It is likely to fetch the government Rs 45,000 crore. Of the 25 contract areas on offer, 15 are onland fields and 10 are in shallow offshore areas. The first round of bidding for DSF in 2016 had generated 134 bids for 34 contract areas of which 30 contracts were awarded. It saw entry of 13 companies that were new to the country's exploration and production industry. An impressive Rs 5,900 crore of investment was committed for the exploration of 55 oil and gas blocks awarded through the first round of auctions under the new Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). The OALP, under the new Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), allows the investor to carve out blocks of their choice and submit an Expression of Interest throughout the year. In August, the cabinet approved a policy framework for the exploration of hydrocarbons, permitting private companies to exploit unconventional hydrocarbons, including shale gas and coal bed methane (CBM), from their existing acreages. In a major step towards ushering in a clean gas-based economy, India launched its biggest auction of city gas distribution (CGD) networks, offering permits for selling compressed and piped natural gas (CNG and PNG) in 86 geographical areas (GAs) to bring gas to around half of the country's population in 26 states and union territories. The tenth CGD bidding round was also launched subsequently in 50 GAs spread over 124 districts in 14 states. In a major move on sustainable development, the government brought out the National Biofuels Policy for a sector poised to become an economy worth Rs 1 lakh crore, aimed at providing a cost-effective, pollution-free import substitute to polluting fossil fuels. The policy details the architecture for India to make the move towards adopting second generation, or advanced, biofuels in the future, from the current first generation ones being used, which are essentially sugar-based. In the notable foreign investment in the sector during the year, the Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPCL) was created as a 50:50 joint venture between Indian state-run OMCs with Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi's national oil company ADNOC. The mega refinery will be capable of processing 1.2 million bpd of crude oil by 2022, or 60 MT per annum. (Biswajit Choudhury can be reached at biswajit.c@ians.in) --IANS bc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Though Maoists tried to make their presence felt in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh during 2018 with sensational killing of a state legislator, the Telangana police chief is confident that the extremists would not be able to make a comeback in Telangana. Director General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy told IANS on Sunday that the police remained alert to thwart any attempts by Maoists to regroup. "Earlier they operated from here. If we are not alert any day, they may try to come back. That's why we have to constantly update ourselves," said the police chief. The Maoists gunned down a member of Andhra Pradesh Assembly and another leader of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Andhra-Odisha border in September. This was the biggest such attack by Maoists in over a decade. The Telangana police continued to maintain vigil on the border with Chhattisgarh to prevent Maoists from entering the state, which was once their stronghold. The Telangana State Committee of outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) is operating with 82 underground cadres out of which only 18 are from Telangana state and the remaining from Chhattisgarh. A total of 126 underground cadres of CPI (Maoist) hail from Telangana. Out of 17 Central Committee Members of the Maoist outfit, 10 come from Telangana. "They are all operating from outside Telangana," said the DGP. He earlier told the annual press conference that during the year, 19 extremists were killed during three incidents of exchange of fire with CPI (Maoist) and other groups. With the information shared by Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB), there were 16 incidents of exchange of fire during inter-state anti-Maoist operations in which 21 extremists were neutralized. The Telangana police arrested 120 extremists and seized 47 firearms including one AK-47 rifle and 5 Insas rifles during 2018. Ten extremists also surrendered during the year. On the arrest of Maoist sympathizer Varavara Rao and other urban Maoists by Pune police, the police chief said since there was urban-based spontaneous mass violence in Bheem Koregaon by those who had come from different parts of the country, the Pune police arrested them. "The incident took place there and they took action. If it had taken place here, we would have acted," said the DGP. Mahendar Reddy said urban Maoists were those who live among people in urban areas and use democratic means to help Maoists by giving them logistic support and required motivation for recruitment. "We are of the firm belief that if armed Maoists cadre moving underground have to be controlled, we have to control the urban naxalism," he added. --IANS ms/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As part of efforts for effective policing leveraging technology, Telangana police plan to install 15 lakh CCTV cameras across the state during next three years. Director General of Police M. Mahendar Reddy told reporters on Sunday that 10 lakh CCTV cameras would be installed in the limits of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits, covering three police commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda. Greater Hyderabad already has 5 lakh CCTV cameras and the number will be doubled in next three years. Another 5 lakh cameras will be installed in the rest of the state. He said the state was already in the forefront in leveraging technology in policing and was taking people related, process related and leadership initiatives to achieve its vision of building a safer Telangana. The police chief said during 2018 there was no major law and order problem and not a single communal incident. All major religious festivals and the elections to State Assembly were incident-free. He said the overall crime rate during the year came down by 5%. The crime against women was reduced by 7%. The DGP claimed that Telangana was the only state in the country with state-wide emergency response system. During the year, the police received 6.12 lakh emergency calls through its technology platform TSCOP and they were attended with average response time of 8.5 minutes. In Hyderabad the average response time to attend emergency calls is less than 5 minutes. Mahendar Reddy said the response time was not only the best in the country but comparable with the best in the world. The police force in the coming year would work to ensure citizen friendly and uniform service delivery across the state. The technology initiatives currently limited to Greater Hyderabad will be extended across the state to achieve the goal of aone state one service one experience for all citizens all time.' --IANS ms/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Torino held mighty Lazio to a 1-1 draw in their Serie A clash at the Stadio Olimpico here. Having won its two previous Serie A matches, Lazio conceded a goal three minutes into the first half stoppage time on Saturday off a penalty kick that forward Andrea Belotti successfully netted, reports Efe. Two minutes after the one-hour mark, Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic drew his team level, making the most of a pass from Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva. The last few minutes were intense, as two players were shown red cards over a four-minute stretch, with Lazio Montenegrin midfielder Adam Marusic being sent off first in the 86th minute and then Torino French midfielder Soualiho Meite at the end of the regular time. After the draw, Lazio holds the fourth spot in the Serie A table with 32 points, while Torino sits in the ninth spot with 27 points. --IANS ajb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The rumbling controversies and divisive trends of 2018 erupted in a perfect storm of chaos at the year's end with parts of the US government paralysed by a showdown between President Donald Trump and the Democrats, while senior officials quit, foreign and strategic policies fell into disarray, and the stock markets tumbled. Chief of Staff John Kelly and his Defence Secretary, Jim Mattis havr quit, and so has Nikki Haley, his United Nations ambassador and the first Indian American to serve on the US cabinet, along with several other officials. Adding to his sense of isolation, Trump lost control of the House of Representatives, the lower house, to the Democrats in the November mid-term elections (even though his Republican Party strengthened its hold on the Senate). "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 on Christmas Eve, a picture of isolation. He lacked the votes that are required beyond a simple majority to pass budget legislation in the Senate to include funding his $5.6 billion demand for building a wall along the Mexican border to prevent illegal immigration, which was one of his election pledges. He stood firm on not accepting a budget without the funding for the wall and the Democrats were equally defiant about not providing for it, leading to the government running out of funds and causing the shutdown. Illegal immigration was one of the flashpoints this year as Trump moved to curb the inflow of migrants - many of them economic migrants or those upset by gang-violence and seeking to claim refugee status. To discourage parents and others who bring children with them to claim sympathy and lenient treatment, he ordered the separation of children from parents citing a President Barack Obama-era court order against keeping children in custody for more than 20 days. It became a public relations nightmare for Trump and under a new court order, he had to reunite them. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 Central Americans came in a convoy in November to the Mexican border hoping to enter the US by the sheer force of their numbers. Trump mobilised the military to back up the border patrol to stop them. After some unsuccessfully tried to attack border patrol personnel and rush through the border, they are now camped out in Mexico awaiting their turn to appeal for asylum and posing a problem for both countries. While his campaign promise to build the wall has failed so far, he partially made good on another pledge to bring US troops home from the Middle East. He ordered a complete pullout from Syria and halving the troop-level in Afghanistan to about 7,000. Coupled with the pressure from within the US and the West against Saudi Arabia because of the killing of Washington Post coloumnist Jamal Khashoggi, the troop withdrawals threw Washington's Middle East strategy into disarray. This opens the way for Israel's and the Saudi's nemeses Turkey, Iran and Syria (and, by extension, Russia) to increase their influence in different areas of the region - upending the core of US policy that relies on Riyadh and Jerusalem. The withdrawals from Afghanistan will likely have an impact on South Asia and affect India. The troops pullback led to the resignation of Mattis, who opposed the pullout from Syria, and to criticism from many Republicans and conservatives. A positive development in 2018 - though still clouded by uncertainties - is Trump's North Korean diplomacy that led to a summit between him and Kim Jong-un, the Pyongyang strongman, after Trump's characteristic blasts of insults and threats. They agreed in principle to denulearisation of the Korean Peninsula and North Korea has begun dismantling its missile production and test facilities while there has been no progress on nuclear disarmament. On the economic front, Trump, who had promised to tackle the trade deficits and bring back manufacturing jobs, took on Mexico and Canada and reworked the trade agreements to reflect what he considered a fair deal for the US. While India and other countries were in his sights as tried to lower trade deficits, he launched an almost full-fledged trade war of tariffs against China, which retaliated. It has added to the uncertainty from the budget battle and the US central bank policies and wiped out all the gains the stock markets made this year. Wall Street indices ended in the red for 2018, even though by most measures, especially the low unemployment, the economy was strong. With their control of the House, Democrats, who are smarting from the 2016 election defeat that they blame on Russian interference, will be pushing harder for investigations into Moscow's role and into whether Trump collaborated with the Russians, as well as into various allegations against him and his family. So far the 18-month investigation by a special counsel has only trapped people connected with Trump campaign, including his former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, on charges like lying to investigators and bank fraud. A significant reflection of the nation's political divide is gun control, which the Democrats overwhelmingly support and Republicans oppose, and that will be a key issue as the nation gears up for the 2020 elections. This year saw at least four incidents of mass shootings, including one at a Florida school that killed 17 and at a Jewish temple that took 11 lives in Pennsylvania. Trump is crossing the half-way mark of his four-year term and will be in full campaign mode in 2019 as all parties start preparing for another polarising election in 2020. Short of an impeachment or evidence of direct collusion with Russians or a major criminal case, Trump will be his party's candidate. For the Democrats, the test will be to come up with a charismatic and unifying leader and a coherent policy alternative, which they did not manage in 2018. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis) --IANS abl/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Legendary Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen, who, along with his contemporaries Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak was considered a doyen of regional parallel cinema internationally, often had public debates with Ray regarding film narratives and styles, but always chose to term them as clash of ideas and not conflict. Sen, who directed 27 feature films, including 'Ek Din Pratidin', 'Kharij' and 'Khandahar' had said his films are "more of a thesis and do not have the imagery of Ray's masterpieces." "I am not a Kurosawa, I am not a Satyajit Ray, I am not a Godard, who believe in drawing sketches. I can't do that. I can't draw a single line. My films are a kind of thesis," the Dadasaheb Falke awardee filmmaker was once quoted in an interview. Sen, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 95, maintained he and Ray shared a warm rapport during their time but often indulged in "constructive criticism" of each other's films. Their differences came into public domain when the two exchanged 19 open letters in 'The Statesman' newspaper in 1965 over Ray's criticism of the script of one of Sen's film 'Akash Kusum'. In one of those letters, Ray questioned the topicality of the theme written by Ashish Burman, a script writer and a regular collaborator of Sen. "May I point out that the topicality of the theme in question stretches back into antiquity, when it found expression in that touching fable about the poor deluded crow with a fatal weakness for status symbols?" Ray wrote in one of these letters. "Had Mr Burman known of the fate of this crow, he would surely have imparted this knowledge to his protagonist, who now acts in complete ignorance of traditional precepts with, need I add, fabulous consequences," he had noted. Replying, Sen had written that iconic actor Charles Chaplin had also referred to the poor deluded crow of Aesop's Fables as "My conception of the average man, of any man, of myself" and asked whether Ray doubted the topicality of Chaplin's theme brought out with such mastery during the long years of his film career. The polemics - rich in content, and now keenly lapped up by wannabe film makers, critics and enthusiasts - continued for months till the newspaper called for a halt. Sen's 'Bhuvan Shome' also received some caustic comments from Ray, who despairingly wrote: "Summary in seven words: Big Bad Bureaucrat Reformed by Rustic Belle." Sen in his autobiography 'Always Being Born' claimed that Ray had "reacted rather unwholesomely" to the film. Talking about Ray in an interview, Sen said he had no conflict with the Oscar winning filmmaker from Kolkata and claimed that the media finds a sadistic pleasure in writing about their conflicts. "I did not like 'Abhijan', 'Aranyer Din-Ratri' and 'Asahni Sanket' (films by Ray). I openly said it with due reasons. We believed in constructive criticism. Both of us did not support gross commercialisation of cinema. I always admire 'Aparajito' as his best creation," Sen noted. --IANS mgr/ssp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wolverhampton Wanderers rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to defeat high-flying Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in their English Premier League (EPL) clash and end the London club's winning streak at five. Harry Kane put the hosts up 1-0 with a beautiful strike in the 22nd minute here on Saturday, but Spurs were unable to add to their advantage and the visitors erupted for three goals in the final 20 minutes, reports Efe. The comeback began with French defender Willy Boly, who brought his team level in the 73rd minute with a header off a cross from Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho. Wolverhampton pulled ahead in the 84th minute with a goal from Mexico's Raul Jimenez, assisted by Portuguese forward Ivan Cavaleiro. Portuguese winger Helder Costa sealed the win with a goal in the 87th minute. Spurs, sitting second with 45 points from 20 matches, are just a point ahead of defending champions Manchester City, who can overtake Tottenham with a victory on Sunday over Southampton. Wolverhampton, back in the Premier League again after six seasons toiling in the second and third divisions, are seventh with 29 points. Elsewhere, Brighton & Hove Albion topped Everton 1-0 on the strength of a second-half goal by Dutch forward Jurgen Locadia, while a late strike by Spanish midfielder Victor Camarasa gave Cardiff City a 1-0 away win over Leicester City. --IANS ajb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This refers to Bimal Jalan led committee to decide on RBI reserve transfer (December 27). The move by the government is definitely a step forward to achieve the objective of fund transfer from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). While the RBI is in no mood to lose its grip on financial stability by having a comfortable margin of reserves of assets to face any calamity in the future, the government is not keen on listening to its advice. The resignation of Urjit Patel hasnt shaken the government either. The failure of the government to achieve the target of fiscal ... As he lent a hand to former prime minister Manmohan Singh cut a cake at the partys national headquarters here on Friday to celebrate its 133rd foundation day, Congress president Rahul Gandhi remarked how his job as party chief was increasingly to distribute the cake equally because sometimes people tended to run away with the whole cake. There were laughs all around, but few had any doubt the message their 47-year-old boss was sending out he might allow seniors in the party to arm-twist him now and then, but would not spare the whip if pushed into a corner. For long ridiculed ... At least 10 people were killed in poll-related violence on Sunday as voting was underway across amid allegations by the ruling Awami League and opposition Nationalist Party (BNP) of attacks on supporters and candidates. Voting began at 8 am (local time) in the morning with Prime Minister appearing as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "I'm always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future," she said after casting her vote. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex- and BNP chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. Schools and colleges across were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. Meanwhile, violence marred the polling in parts of the country with media reports putting the death toll at 11. Dozens of people were wounded in the poll-related violence. A Jubo League - the youth wing of the Awami League - was killed and 10 others injured in a clash between the ruling party and opposition BNP supporters in Rangamati's Kawkhali, Bdnews24 reported. One BNP activist was killed in Chattogram, while an Awami League supporter died in Rajshahi, the news portal reported. An Awami League polling agent was killed in Narsingdi 3 constituency. According to the Daily Star newspaper, BNP men attacked and killed an Awami League supporter in Mohonpur, Rajshahi-3. One Oikyafront supporter was killed in Chandina in police firing. A voter died during tension between supporters of the Awami League and the BNP in Dinajpur-2. An activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League was killed in clashes with the BNP activists in Cox's Bazar-1. One Awami League supporter was killed during a clash with the BNP workers at Baghail Government Primary Schoo, under Bogura-4. A member of law enforcement agency was killed by activists of Jamaat in Noakhali-3 constituency. At least seven candidates - six being BNP nominees - announced to stay off the polls with most of them alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. "From the picture we have received, this is a violent election. We are seeing a one-sided election environment conducted at the whims of the government. This paints a clear picture that they want to ensure a favourable result through a one-sided contest," Rizvi told a media briefing at the party office. Party's secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media from his northwestern Thakurgaon constituency that some of their candidates stayed off the vote in their "personal decisions" but "we will announce our party stance at 4 PM when the voting will end". Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) Kamal Hossain expressed concern over the poll-related violence and allegations of rigging. "Every minute I receive calls saying Kamal Bhai (brother), it has already happened overnight. It began in the evening. I have gotten so many reports. These reports are concerning. It's sad and shameful," he said. The Jatiya Oikya Front is a coalition of four parties - Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League - led by Hossain. Bangladesh police chief Mohammad Javed Patwary said the nationwide polls are "progressing peacefully" and vowed to investigate the "isolated" incidents of violence. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards have been deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people are eligible to vote. Security agencies have been asked to keep an extra vigil on religious minority communities as media reports said at least three Hindu households were set on fire by miscreants between December 16 and 26. According to the eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling party's "boat" symbol outnumbered those of the main opposition's "sheaf of paddy". BNP earlier said intimidation and police harassment kept their activists away from the campaign and polling process. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful...We could tell you at the end of the day if the election was participatory," Nurul Huda told reporters. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first for the fourth terms. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while Rahman is living in Over two dozen firms have evinced interest in being appointed as auditors to conduct the planned special of private telecom for period FY12 to FY18, and nearly 18 of them have been found to be technically qualified so far, according to a source in the The bids are currently being evaluated, said the (DoT) official who did not wish to be named. The official said that final shortlisted names -- 4-5 firms are likely to be handed the mandate -- will be based on multiple criteria including the wherewithal of the auditor, as also the fee quoted. "About 26 firms came forward, and 18 have been found to be technically clear," the official source added. The audits will be carried out to check for any under reporting of revenue by telecom companies, an exercise that the DoT expects will be wrapped up by middle of next year. Audits will be conducted for all large private telecom as also those which have announced an exit or are in the process of merging with bigger rivals. An official familiar with the entire exercise has earlier said that the idea is to see whether there has been any concealment of revenue by operators. "... because our licence fee is based on their revenue. We want to ensure that the accounts reveal a fair and true picture of the revenue earned," the source had said. Telecom service providers pay licence fees and spectrum usage charges to the government on the basis of their income. The has been bruised by falling tariffs, eroding profitability, and mounting debt in the face of stiff competition triggered by disruptive offerings of Reliance Jio, owned by The industry has been seeking urgent relief measures entailing debt restructuring, cut in levies, and release of GST input tax credit locked up with the government. Reflecting the financial stress of the industry, the gross revenue of telecom service providers and licence fee paid to the government declined by around 10 per cent to Rs 58,401 crore and Rs 2,929 crore, respectively, in April-June 2018 compared to the year-ago period, according to recent data by telecom regulator Trai. "Gross revenue (GR) and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) of the telecom service sector for the quarter ended June 2018 has been Rs 58,401 crore and Rs 36,552 crore, respectively," Telecom Regulatory Authority of (Trai) had said in its Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator report released in October. The GR and AGR declined by 10 and 8.11 per cent, respectively, on year-on-year basis. The decline in AGR -- which is revenue earned from sale of telecom services alone -- led to fall in licence fees paid to the government by around 10 per cent to Rs 2,929 crore. Four people including a police officer and an electoral official were killed Sunday in eastern South-Kivu province as the DR Congo voted in presidential elections, the campaign of opposition candidate Felix Tshisekedi said. The officer and official were killed along with two civilians during clashes at a polling station in the Walungu area, campaign director Vital Kamerhe told AFP. He said the violence broke out after the electoral official was accused of trying to rig the vote in favour of Emmanuel Ramazini Shadary, the candidate championed by President Joseph Kabila in power for 17 years. "An agitated crowd started fighting with police. An officer was killed, which we deeply regret," said Kamerhe, a former president of the National Assembly who is from South-Kivu. The mob "then attacked the electoral official who died. Two civilians were also killed." South-Kivu authorities said an investigation had been opened into the incident. Catholic Church election observers (Cenco) did not mention the deaths in their third and final report on Sunday's vote at 2000 GMT. The election gives the DRC the chance for its first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Analysts, though, warned of the threat of upheaval was great, given organisational hitches and suspicion of Kabila, who had refused to quit in 2016 after his two-term limit expired. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Forty-nine women, including a Russian national and her two children, were rescued in a raid on a rehabilitation centre here while its owner and three employees arrested for allegedly torturing the inmates, the police said on Sunday. Following a complaint by a section of inmates, police raided the Kripa Ghar Rehab Centre in Bishnumati area of the Budhanilkantha Municipality on Saturday, said Homindra Bogti, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) at Teku-based Metropolitan Police Range. It is alleged that the owner of the rehabiliation centre 'Kripa Ghar Rehab Centre' and her three employees had been meting out inhuman treatment to women, aged between 12 and 60 years, who needed proper medical care and psycho-social service. The police raided the premises along with officials from the District Administration Office and a non-governmental organization 'Maiti Nepal', and rescued the victims. Bogti said the 30-year-old owner, Shruti Gurung and three employees have been arrested and sent to five-day judicial custody by a Kathmandu court. A Russian national and her two children were among the rescued women, the official said, adding that she had taken shelter there after her tourist visa expired. A total of 25 women have been reunited with their families, while 24 others are in the custody of Maiti Nepal, the DSP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over two dozen firms have evinced interest in being appointed as auditors to conduct the planned special audit of private telecom companies for period FY12 to FY18, and nearly 18 of them have been found to be technically qualified so far, according to a source in the Department of Telecom. The bids are currently being evaluated, said the Department of Telecom (DoT) official who did not wish to be named. The official said that final shortlisted names -- 4-5 firms are likely to be handed the mandate -- will be based on multiple criteria including the wherewithal of the auditor, as also the fee quoted. Also Read: At 2.6 degrees Celsius, Delhi records coldest December day in five years "About 26 firms came forward, and 18 have been found to be technically clear," the official source added. The audits will be carried out to check for any under-reporting of revenue by telecom companies, an exercise that the DoT expects will be wrapped up by the middle of next year. Audits will be conducted for all large private telecom companies as also those which have announced an exit or are in the process of merging with bigger rivals. An official familiar with the entire exercise has earlier said that the idea is to see whether there has been any concealment of revenue by operators. "... because our licence fee is based on their revenue. We want to ensure that the accounts reveal a fair and true picture of the revenue earned," the source had said. Telecom service providers pay licence fees and spectrum usage charges to the government on the basis of their income. The telecom sector has been bruised by falling tariffs, eroding profitability, and mounting debt in the face of stiff competition triggered by disruptive offerings of Reliance Jio, owned by Mukesh Ambani. The industry has been seeking urgent relief measures entailing debt restructuring, cut in levies, and release of GST input tax credit locked up with the government. Reflecting the financial stress of the industry, the gross revenue of telecom service providers and licence fee paid to the government declined by around 10 per cent to Rs 58,401 crore and Rs 2,929 crore, respectively, in April-June 2018 compared to the year-ago period, according to recent data by telecom regulator Trai. "Gross revenue (GR) and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) of the telecom service sector for the quarter ended June 2018 has been Rs 58,401 crore and Rs 36,552 crore, respectively," Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had said in its Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicator report released in October. The GR and AGR declined by 10 and 8.11 per cent, respectively, on a year-on-year basis. The decline in AGR -- which is revenue earned from the sale of telecom services alone -- led to falling in licence fees paid to the government by around 10 per cent to Rs 2,929 crore. Also Read: KGF box office collection Day 9: Yash's film inching towards Rs 150-crore mark, despite Simmba challenge Also Read: Simmba Box Office Collection Day 2: Ranveer Singh-Sara Ali Khan's movie is off to a great start At least five people were killed in poll-related violence on Sunday as voting was underway across Bangladesh amid allegations from both the ruling Awami League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of attacks on supporters and candidates. Voting began at 8 am (local time) in the morning with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appearing as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "People will cast their vote for Awami League to ensure the win of pro-Liberation forces," she said. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex-premier and BNP chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. Meanwhile, sporadic violence marred the polling in parts of the country with officials confirming five deaths while unconfirmed reports put the figure as high as nine with three of them being the ruling party activists. According to the local media, more than 30 people were wounded in the poll-related violence. A Jubo League - the youth wing of the Awami League - leader was killed and 10 others injured in a clash between the ruling party and opposition BNP supporters in Rangamati's Kawkhali. The deceased was identified as Md Basir Uddin, the Jubo League general secretary of Ghagra Union, Bdnews24 reported. The injured were admitted to Kawkhali Upazila Health Complex, said upazila Awami League General Secretary Ershad Mia. A BNP activist was killed in Chattogram, while an Awami League supporter died in Rajshahi, the portal reported. Two political activists were killed in separate incidents of election violence. At least seven candidates - six being BNP nominees - announced to stay off the polls with most of them alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said he is hopeful of a Jatiya Oikya Front victory if people are allowed to vote freely. Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) leader Kamal Hossain expressed concern over the poll-related violence and said, "It's sad and shameful." The Jatiya Oikya Front is a coalition of four parties - Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League - led by Hossain. Bangladesh police chief Mohammad Javed Patwary said the nationwide polls are "progressing peacefully" and vowed to investigate the "isolated" incidents of violence. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards have been deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people are eligible to vote. Security agencies have been asked to keep an extra vigil on religious minority communities as media reports said at least three Hindu households were set on fire by miscreants between December 16 and 26. According to the eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling party's "boat" symbol outnumbered those of the main opposition's "sheaf of paddy". BNP earlier said intimidation and police harassment kept their activists away from the campaign and polling process. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful...We could tell you at the end of the day if the election was participatory," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda told reporters. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first premier for the fourth terms and three consecutive ones. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet while the election commission enforced a ban on ordinary vehicles movement in the capital and other cities. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. Hasina on Saturday expressed fears that the opposition could boycott polls in the middle of voting as part of a "political trick" to evade a "humiliating defeat". "I want to caution all about the character of (main opposition) BNP...they may say in the middle (of the elections) that we are boycotting the polls," she said. "In that case (opposition boycott) I will ask our candidates and other contenders to continue polls until the voting is ended," 71-year-old Hasina said. Her comments came as the BNP is contesting the polls in a state of disarray in the absence of 73-year-old Zia and her fugitive son Tarique Rahman who is the acting party chief. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while Rahman is living in London ostensibly to evade the law as a court has sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack on a rally in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists. The BNP has stayed out of parliament since 2014 when it boycotted the last election over its demands for a poll-time non-party government. The opposition parties have expressed doubts about credibility of Sunday's election alleging their supporters were intimidated and arrested. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six Bangladeshi nationals have been sentenced to four-year imprisonment by a Thane court for illegally staying in India. Additional Sessions Judge N H Makhare, in her order issued last week, also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of the accused. Acting on a tip-off, the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) unit in Thane had in March this year raided a residential building in Bhiwandi town here and found the six Bangladeshi nationals residing there without any valid passport and other document, the prosecution told the court. The six -- Piyaro Husainali Shaikh (22), Manik Farid Shaikh (20), Farukh Saifulalam Shaikh (20), Subuji Mujid Shaikh (22), Mohammad Bilal Mohammad Mahabul Alam Shaikh (22) and Mohammad Al Amin Mohammad Yusuf Miya Islam (20) -- were arrested and booked under provisions of the Foreigners Act and the Passport Act. The judge said the accused submitted that they entered the country in search of jobs. "Their families are dependent on them. If they are kept behind bars then their family members will definitely face starvation. Hence, they have requested to a take lenient view," she noted. The prosecutor, however, sought strict punishment for the accused, saying they had committed an offence by residing in the country without any valid document. After hearing both the sides, the judge awarded four-year 'simple imprisonment' to all the accused. The court also directed authorities concerned to take necessary steps to deport the accused to their country on the completion of their prison term. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Afghanistan's presidential election will be delayed until July 20, an official said Sunday, three months later than the ballot had been scheduled to be held. The announcement by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) comes after weeks of speculation that the vote would be postponed to create space for US-led efforts to end the 17-year war with the Taliban. Provincial and district council elections, as well as a previously postponed parliamentary vote in Ghazni province, will be held on the same day, IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad told reporters. The presidential ballot was originally scheduled for April 20, which many observers had considered unrealistic given the IEC was still finalising results of October's shambolic parliamentary elections. A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani, who plans to seek re-election, welcomed the new timeline. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Sunday urged the US to take more objective view of its pledge to take measures to bring down the bilateral trade deficit and said that the two countries should enhance strategic mutual trust and avoid "strategic misjudgement". The statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry came a day after US President Donald Trump said talks on a deal to end the trade war with China are "moving well" after a telephonic conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. China has pledged to take measures to step-up American imports and investments to meet the US' demand of bringing down the USD 375 billion bilateral trade deficit. March 1, 2019 is the deadline for implementing the measures. In the past, the US and China have imposed tit-for-tat tariffs on over USD 300 billion worth of goods. An agreement reached between the two countries on the margins of the G20 summit in Argentina in November deferred the imposition of further tariffs till March. After Trump's telephonic conversation with Xi on Saturday on the ongoing trade talks, Trump tweeted "Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China. "Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made!". Both leaders expressed willingness to push for the implementation of their agreements reached during the G-20 summit in Argentina, state-run Xinhua agency reported about the Trump-Xi talks amid efforts by both countries to reach a deal to end the trade war. After a spate of tit-for-tat slapping of additional tariffs on each other's exports, both countries declared truce till March 1 next year to reach an agreement on Trump's demand that China should reduce the USD 375 billion bilateral trade deficit. Officials from both countries have been actively working to implement such consensus, Xi told Trump, expressing hope that both sides can meet each other halfway and reach an agreement beneficial to both of them and the world as early as possible, Xinhua reported. Xi said next year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the US and China. China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations and appreciates the willingness of the US side to develop cooperative and constructive bilateral relations, he said. Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the US should take more objective view of China's development. The progress achieved in the past 40 years has not come easily, and experience should be derived from that, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in statement. "The two sides should view each other's strategic intentions in a rational and objective manner, step up strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust and avoid strategic misjudgement," he said. The two sides should respect each other's sovereignty, security and development interests and properly manage differences in an effort to avoid disturbing the general picture of bilateral ties, he said. "Forty years ago, the bilateral trade volume was less than USD 2.5 billion... In 2017, it surpassed 580 billion dollars," Lu said. Two-way investment between the two countries also soared over the period. In 2017, two-way investment in various forms amounted to over USD 230 billion in accumulative terms from almost zero 40 years ago, he said. "Over the past 40 years, from advancing the proper settlement of regional hot-spot issues to fighting international terrorism, from tackling the global financial crisis to promoting global growth, China and the United States have conducted extensive cooperation at bilateral, regional and global levels," Lu said. Facts have fully shown that the development of China-US ties has not only delivered huge benefits to the two peoples but also contributed to peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and the world, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling AIADMK and the opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu will oppose the contentious triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, days after it was adopted by the Lok Sabha, the parties said Sunday. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be tabled in the upper house of Parliament even as opposition parties including the Congress have said that they will not allow its passage in the present form. "We oppose triple talaq bill," senior All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai said. The AIADMK strongman from the western belt of the state said it was the stand of his party that the government should not "interfere" in religious matters. "It is the duty of the AIADMK to safeguard the welfare of minorities. AIADMK will fully oppose this bill against our Muslim brothers," he told reporters here. Dravia Munnetra Kazhagam leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Kanimozhi said her party had been consistent in its position against "criminalisation" of triple talaq. "We are opposing jail punishment for pronouncing talaq. Even the Islamic tenets does not allow instant triple talaq," she said, adding that if violation of such tenets were to happen, it should not be made a criminal offence as it was a civil issue. "We will vote against the bill in the Rajya Sabha and it is the stand of the DMK that it (bill) be referred to a Select Committee," she told reporters. After the Supreme Court held instant triple talaq as unconstitutional last year, an ordinance was promulgated by the Centre prohibiting the practice. The Lok Sabha adopted the bill on December 27 after a heated debate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Annual bird census in Chilika, the biggest brackish water lake in the country, is slated to be carried out on January 4, a senior Forest officials said. Besides wildlife personnel, several experts of different organisations in and outside of the state will be engaged in the mammoth exercise, the official said. On eve of the actual head count, a training programme of the enumerators will be held at the Wetland Training and Research Centre (WTRC) in Chandraput near Balugaon on January 3, he said. As many as 100 experts from different organisations will take part in the census work, said Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Chilika Wildlife Division, Bikash Ranjan Das. "We will form 20 groups for enumeration of the birds in the entire lake, spread over about 1100-sq km," he said. Experts from organisations like Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Wild Odisha, National Board of Wildlife, Regional Museum and Natural History, Chilika Development Authority (CDA) and different state universities, members of the bird protection committees would participate in the bird count, the DFO said. While a blanket restriction has been imposed on entry of visitors to the Nalabana bird sanctuary area in the lake, tour operators have been asked not to take tourists to other parts of the lake, particularly Mangalajodi on January 4-on the day of enumeration, the DFO said. Visit of tourists might affect smooth conduct of the census. The restriction on entry of visitors will be lifted after the counting of birds in the lake, he clarified. In the last winter, as many as 8,93,390 birds of 147 different species were counted in the entire lake. Highest number of 3,20,826 birds were sighted in 15.59-sq km Nalabana bird sanctuary area, sources said. "Since the cold situation this time is more severe than the previous winter, we think more number of migratory birds might have visited the lake to take shelter in the winter," said an ornithologist here. The winged guests from far off places including Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, remote parts of Russia, central and South East Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas throng the lake every winter for feeding and roosting. They start their homeward journey with the onset of summer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has said that great civilisations in the world have grown on the bank of the rivers and Assam is blessed to have been located on the bank of the mighty Brahmaputra and Barak. The Brahmaputra and Barak are the life lines of the people of Assam and the development of the state has been catapulted by these rivers along with their tributaries, Sonowal said at the third edition of Dwijing Festival at Aie River Park in Chirang district on Saturday. The locational advantage of the state has been enriched by 121 tributaries of the Brahmaputra and 16 of Barak, he said. Realising this, Sonowal said Assam Government organised Namami Brahmaputra and Namami Barak to use water resources to aid development of the state. The ongoing Dwijing Festival on the bank of the river Aie is yet another testimony of the states dependence on river, he added. The chief minister said successful celebrations of these festivals amply testify that good governance is prevailing in the state. He also expressed the hope that Dwijing Festival will help in the growth of economy of the state with direct ramification of developing livelihood of the people along with their living standard. Spontaneous participation of the people belonging to different caste, creed, class, culture, in this festival showcased the peaceful co-existence of people in the state, he said, adding, festivals like this would further help in strengthening this harmonious relation and also the state to march forward. Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary speaking on the occasion said through Dwijing festival the organisers aimed to showcase the age-old harmonious co-existence in BTAD areas. Mohilary said the BTC administration is trying to transform this Dwijing festival into a major tourist attraction and is working to celebrate the festival in line with Hornbill festival. The 12-day festival opened on December 27. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The year grabbed the headlines for fake news, but the Indian reader's faith in fact remained undeterred with non-fiction emerging the most popular literary category in 2018. Continuing last year's trend, readers continued their love affair with non-fiction in all genres, including autobiographies, business and self-help books. Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming", "The Spy Chronicles" by retired spy chiefs of and Pakistan, and politician-author Shashi Tharoor's "Why I am a Hindu" were among the titles that did well, according to data released by Crossword bookstore. Poulomi Chatterjee, Editor-in-chief of Hachette noted that "the self-help, self-improvement-to-negotiate-the-world kind of non-fiction" books dominated the year evidenced by the "massive worldwide sales" of titles such as Mark Manson's "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k". Chatterjee, who is the Editor-in-chief of Hachette noted that the book that witnessed "massive worldwide sales", was among "the self-help, self-improvement-to-negotiate-the-world kind of non-fiction" books that dominated the year. "The Indian readership has traditionally always been partial to non-fiction, and that's what continues to rule today," Chatterjee said. She added that this success in 2018 was not due to "one or two obvious sellers" but a number of books that have sold very well. "In this genre we have seen massive success of titles like 'Factfulness' by Hans and Anna Rosling, 'The Made-in-India Manager' by R Gopalakrishnana and Ranjan Banerjee, and 'Mindset' by Carol Dweck among others," she said According to Prasun Chatterjee, editorial director, Pan Macmillan India, the year saw a spike in the interest for "non-fiction which relates to daily lives". The publishing house's best-selling titles this year included "The Jobs Crisis in India", and "The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India", which, Chatterjee said, relate to the "questions of employment, aspirations of the youth which are relevant while our country goes into general elections in 2019". Serious non-fiction also heated up the market significantly, with books like "The Dravidian Years", "Healers or Predators?", and "The Aadhar Effect". "We are extremely happy with these books - in terms of both sales and reviews," Sugata Ghosh, Director Academic Division, Press (OUP) India, said. However, Indians' love for non-fiction was not limited to new titles alone, as several publishing houses said 2018 was a hit for backlisters in the segment too. While Penguin India witnessed growth in the sales of previous works of authors like Sudha Murthy, Ruskin Bond, and Yuval Noah Harari, Pan Macmillan's "India After Gandhi" by historian continued to grow in sales along with the two parts of "Wonder That Was India" by A L Basham and S A A Rizvi. "'Inner Engineering' by Sadhguru, launched in 2016, continues to be sold in big numbers," Nandan Jha, Senior Vice President, Penguin Random House India, said. According to data shared by Crossword bookstores, other best-sellers in non-fiction this year included "The Heartfulness way", a book on spirituality by Kamlesh D Patel and Joshua Pollock, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Exam Warrior". From business perspective too, publishers have declared 2018 a year of "reasonably good success". While Pan Macmillan India registered an overall "growth of 7.5 per cent", Ghosh from OUP India said the sale was "decent" for academic titles, "great" for serious non-fiction and "not so great" for fiction. "India remains to be one of the largest book markets and is seeing growth in both print and digital printing," Nandan Jha of Penguin Random House said. Meanwhile, Crossword bookstores revealed a rise in the sale of fiction books like "Sacred Games", and "To All The Boys I've Loved Before", which have been adapted into TV series or movies aired on online streaming service The year has also been successful for Indian fiction writers like and whose respective books "The Girl in Room 105" and "Pyjamas Are Forgiving" were chart-toppers. (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.) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is cruising towards a landslide victory in Bangladesh's general election on Sunday with her Awami League all set to cross the 'magic number' of 151 in the 300-member House, following a tense vote that saw at least 17 people killed in poll-related violence and demands of a fresh vote by the Opposition, alleging rigged voting. According to the results announced until 11:30 pm, the ruling Awami League won 119 seats, followed by its key ally the Jatiya Party at 18, the bdnews.24 reported. Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia has suffered a massive rout with only two seats, it said. The Election Commission has so far confirmed the complete result of only one constituency in southwestern Gopalganj from where Hasina won bagging 229,539 votes, while her BNP opponent got only 123 votes. Facing imminent defeat, Bangladesh's opposition NUF alliance, with BNP as its key partner, rejected the outcome of the general election and demanded fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government. The National Unity Front (NUF) is a coalition of parties, including BNP, Gono Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League. "We reject the results and demand a new election under a neutral government," NUF convenor and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who heads the Gono Forum party, told reporters after early results suggested a win for AL-led Grand Alliance. "We ask that you cancel this election right away," Hossain urged the Election Commission, claiming, "we have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres". BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in Zia's absence and won from his northeastern constituency, described the polls as a "cruel farce". A total of 47 opposition candidates boycotted the polls as voting was underway. BNP's ally Jamaat-e-Islami, which is not a registered political party anymore, announced its boycott alleging massive vote rigging. Jamaat Secretary General Dr Shafiqur Rahman said 22 of its candidates contesting under the sheaf of paddy symbol and four others contesting independently have boycotted the polls. "People's lives are in jeopardy as the government continues to attack voters and the general public on election day...Such a lopsided election cannot be accepted under any circumstance, and that is why our candidates...have rejected and boycotted the polls," he said in a press statement. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The voting started at 8 AM and ended at 4 PM. The results are expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, the EC said. EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 17 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed in eight districts, and several others were injured in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported. The build-up to the election has already been marred by violence. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists, while others were workers of opposition BNP or its allies. Hasina appeared as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "I'm always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future," she said after casting her vote. Schools and colleges across Bangladesh were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. At least 10 candidates - mostly BNP nominees - announced to stay off the polls alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the nation for the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's private Jamuna TV has been taken off the air. Channel's chief editor Fahim Ahmed said private cable operators stopped broadcasting their transmission without giving any reason. An online newspaper quoting cable operators, however, reported that they stopped Jamuna's broadcast due to technical glitches. The channel is owned by an independent candidate in the polls with an influential businessman from the ruling party being her rival. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008, while it is widely expected to be won by the AL of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first premier for a fourth term. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls, while her son Tarique Rahman is living in London in self exile. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina emerged as the frontrunner in Bangladesh's general election on Sunday as she aims for a record fourth term in office with her Awami League gaining a big lead in early results following a tense vote that saw at least 17 people killed in poll-related violence. Voting ended earlier in the day to choose a new government amid the opposition's allegations of manipulation by the Awami League. Some reports said 20 of the ruling party's candidates have already won compared to just one from main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party of jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia. Election officials said Awami League candidates are leading in 62 seats while BNP contenders were leading in two constituencies. Former president H M Ershad's Jatiya Party, which is a partner of Awami League-led Grand Alliance, won one seat while opposition National Unity Front (NUF), with BNP as its partner, is yet to win a seat. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in Zia's absence, however won in his northeastern Thakurgaon constituency, officials said. The Election Commission has so far confirmed the complete result of only one constituency in southwestern Gopalganj from where Hasina won bagging 229,539 votes while her BNP opponent got only 123 votes. The EC said 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival, ex-premier Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The voting started at 8 AM and ended at 4 PM. The results are expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, the EC said. EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 17 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed in eight districts in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported, with dozens injured. The build-up to the election has already been marred by violence. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists while others were workers of opposition BNP or its allies. Hasina appeared as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "I'm always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future," she said after casting her vote. Schools and colleges across Bangladesh were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. At least 10 candidates - mostly BNP nominees - announced to stay off the polls alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. "From the picture we have received, this is a violent election. We are seeing a one-sided election environment conducted at the whims of the government. This paints a clear picture that they want to ensure a favourable result through a one-sided contest," Rizvi said. Veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who leads main opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) with BNP as its key partner, said "the overall environment is not bad" with huge turnout of voters. The Jatiya Oikya Front or NUF is a coalition of four parties - Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the nation for the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. According to eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling party's "boat" symbol outnumbered those of the main opposition's "sheaf of paddy". BNP earlier said intimidation and police harassment kept their activists away from the campaign and polling process. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful...We could tell you at the end of the day if the election was participatory," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's private Jamuna TV has been taken off the air. Channel's chief editor Fahim Ahmed said private cable operators stopped broadcasting their transmission without giving any reason and "so no one in Bangladesh now can see our channel due to the blackout." An online newspaper quoting cable operators, however, reported that they stopped Jamuna's broadcast due to technical glitches. The channel is owned by an independent candidate in the polls with an influential businessman from the ruling party being her rival. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first premier for a fourth term. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while her son Tarique Rahman is living in London in self exile. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-owned Bank of India on Saturday said the government has decided to infuse Rs 10,086 crore in the bank as part of Rs 28,615 crore capital infusion to be done in about half a dozen public sector lenders. The Finance Ministry had informed the bank about the capital infusion on Wednesday (December 26), Bank of India said in a regulatory filing. Also Read: At 2.6 degrees Celsius, Delhi records coldest December day in five years The fund infusion would be by way of preferential allotment of shares, it said. The board of directors would be considered by way of circular resolution on or after January 2, 2019, the proposal for raising capital by this infusion and further issue of equity shares at an appropriate time and other incidental matters, it said. According to sources, the government has decided to pump Rs 28,615 crore into seven public sector banks (PSBs) through recapitalisation bonds soon. Out of these seven PSBs, United Bank of India also announced about the capital infusion communication from the finance ministry. The government had earlier announced an infusion of Rs 65,000 crore in PSBs in 2018-19, of which Rs 23,000 crore has already been disbursed, while Rs 42,000 crore is remaining. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government would put an additional Rs 41,000 crore in PSBs over and above what was announced earlier. On December 20, the government sought Parliament's approval for infusion of an additional Rs 41,000 crore. The recapitalisation, the finance minister said, would enhance the lending capacity of PSBs and help them come out of the Reserve Bank of India's Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework. Eleven out of the total 21 PSBs are under the RBI's PCA framework, which imposes lending restrictions on weak banks. These are Allahabad Bank, United Bank of India, Corporation Bank, IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Dena Bank and Bank of Maharashtra. Also Read: Deloitte Haskins resigns as Fortis Healthcare's statutory auditor Facing imminent defeat, Bangladesh's opposition NUF alliance, with jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia's BNP as its key partner, on Sunday rejected the outcome of the general election and demanded fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government. The National Unity Front (NUF) is a coalition of parties including the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Gono Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League. "We reject the results and demand a new election under a neutral government," NUF convenor Kamal Hossain, who heads the Gono Forum party, told a media conference. His comments came after early trends and results suggested a landslide victory for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League-led Grand Alliance. "We ask that you cancel this election right away," Hossain urged the election commission claiming "we have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres". BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in Zia's absence and won from his northeastern constituency, described the polls as a "cruel farce". "This has caused long-term damage to the country...the nation has incurred huge damage," he said. A total of 47 opposition candidates boycotted Sunday's polls as voting was underway but Alamgir said they had stayed out due to personal reasons. Several foreign observers, including from India, earlier said polls were going smoothly as they saw no anomalies in polling centres they had visited. The Awami League, however, acknowledged that the polls were marred by violence at places but said 10 of its activists were also killed in opposition attacks as the clashes claimed 17 lives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Critical of groups like the RSS and Tablighi Jamaat in the 1920s, Bhagat Singh till today remains relevant as a "modern national leader and thinker" who emphasised the separation of religion from and state as true secularism, historian S Irfan Habib said Saturday. Speaking at the first Ranbir Singh Memorial Lecture at the India International Centre here, Habib noted that the revolutionary freedom fighter questioned the "policy of encouraging competing communalisms". "This policy ultimately led to the partition of the country in 1947. He, thus, stands out in bold relief as a modern national leader and thinker, emphasising the separation of religion from and state as true secularism," he said. The eminent historian added that Bhagat Singh was conscious of the "growing menace of communalism with the emergence of the RSS and some Muslim fundamentalist groups like Tablighi Jamaat". "Both are hydra-headed organisations today with several political and cultural fronts, posing a serious threat to the socio-political fabric of Indian society," he said. The lecture, organised by The Ranbir Singh Archive, was held to celebrate the 111th birthday of Ranbir Singh, a journalist and fellow freedom fighter with Bhagat Singh. Bhagat Singh's wish to see an egalitarian and secular India also reflected in his articles "Achoot ka Sawaal" (On Untouchability) and "Sampradayik Dange aur unka Ilaj" (Communal riots and their solutions). "What Bhagat Singh wrote in 1928 appears to be contemporaneous even now, which unfortunately proves how precious little has been done to resolve these questions," the octogenarian historian said. He also talked about the freedom fighter's disenchantment with journalism as it started "propagating sectarianism and chauvinism, communalising people's minds". The Padma Bhushan awardee said that the "ugly manifestation of a polarised press" can be seen today. "The communal platforms (RSS and Tablighi Jamaat) polarised the political leadership as well as the press, particularly the Hindi and Urdu press of the times. "Its ugly manifestation can be seen today in the emergence of Hindutva in India and the increasing Talibanisation of Pakistan, both of them threats to peace and harmony in their respective nations," Habib said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition BJP and Congress Sunday hit out at the Biju Janata Dal government in Odisha accusing it of cheating farmers by announcing KALIA scheme after rejecting demands like like farm loan waiver. Senior BJP leader and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said KALIA (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme ignored basic issues like price, pension and farm loan waiver, Odisha Congress president, Niranjan Patnaik said it was aimed to fool the farmers ahead of polls. Dismissing opposition allegations, Odisha Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera said KALIA scheme will help all farmers, including small, marginal and share-croppers. It will also help wipe out demand of loan waiver as farmers can get regular assistance. Behera accused opposition parties of indulging in spreading false propaganda as they are afraid that KALIA scheme will become popular among farmers. Claiming that Naveen Patnaik government was not sincere about helping farmers, Pradhan said KALIA scheme is an attempt to grab votes by misleading farmers in the state where assembly elections are due along with Lok Sabha polls early next year. Mounting a scathing attack on the state government, the Union Minister said the ruling BJD has "failed" to keep its promise of providing bonus to farmers and irrigation facilities in additional 10 lakh hectare of land. The BJP leader further claimed that farmers faced pest menace amid damage caused to crops in many areas by Brown Plant Hoppers (chakada). Padhan also took a dig at the BJD government over the name of the scheme and claimed there was an attempt to exploit the sentiments of the people by linking it to Lord Jagannath, who is known as Kalia by the devotees all over. "KALIA scheme is noting but a ploy to mislead and woo voters," he said. The Petroleum Minster said the Centres Ujjwala Yojana scheme has so far covered 35 lakh women in Odisha, while 10 lakh more beneficiaries will be added in next three months. The OPCC president accused the BJD government of trying to fool farmers with the help of KALIA scheme keeping an eye on the twin elections. Patnaik alleged the BJD failed to keep its promise to provide bonus over and above the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy and other farm produce. On Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's contention that loan waiver will lead to bankruptcy in economy, the OPCC chief sought to know as to how many times has the BJD government waive off loan of farmers during last 19 years ... Patnaik further said that Odisha's farmers are going to Chhattisgarh to sell their paddy after hike in MSP by the new Congress government. "Congress promises that Odisha's farmers will see better days very soon," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday alleged the BJP's "promotion" of the biopic 'The Accidental Prime Minister' is a mere political stunt by the party and a "desperate" effort to undermine the Congress ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Several Opposition parties, especially the Congress, have denounced the BJP for tweeting out the trailer of the film, a political drama based on a book written by former prime minister Manmohan Singh's media advisor Sanjaya Baru, last week. The biopic stars Anupam Kher as Manmohan Singh and Akshaye Khanna as Sanjaya Baru. The trailer of the movie shows Singh as a victim of the Congress's internal ahead of the 2014 general elections. Amarinder Singh in a statement said the BJP's attempt to project Manmohan Singh as a "weak and docile" prime minister is "not only childish but brazenly politically motivated". "It clearly shows their desperation and frustration in the face of an imminent defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," the Punjab chief minister said. Amarinder Singh said the BJP needed to accept that they had lost the support of people and it cannot be earned back by doing "cheap politics". "Even the worst critics of Dr. Singh could not find fault with him and the BJP was merely using the movie ... as a pawn in a futile attempt to undermine the Congress in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections," the statement quoted him as saying. Amarinder Singh said he was a witness to the "total independence" Manmohan Singh received from then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, "who did not believe in interfering in government matters". "Unlike the BJP, the Congress believed in allowing its leaders and members to run their own affairs as they deemed fit," he claimed. "This was particularly true in the case of Dr. Singh, whose elevation to prime ministership was in itself an indication that the party had complete faith in his abilities and capabilities," he said. Amarinder Singh said he himself had total freedom to function as he desired in Punjab which shows "the party follows a policy of non-interference in these matters". He said Manmohan Singh is a "great economist, an independent thinker and decision maker, who had created a niche for himself as one of India's most intelligent and visionary leaders". Manmohan Singh is a "world-class leader in his own right. The nation will forever remain indebted to the former prime minister for leading it to new heights of global eminence through his far-reaching decisions. If India became a global economic superpower, the credit goes to Dr Singh", he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A huge posse of policemen, over a thousand CCTV cameras, an equal number of motorcycles and 500 other vehicles have been deployed in Ahmedabad to maintain law and order during New Year festivities, a senior official said Sunday. Elaborate arrangements had been put in place to ensure that people do not consume alcohol (Gujarat is a dry state) or drugs, an official said. Speaking about the arrangements, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) J K Bhatt said, "A total of 1,006 CCTV cameras, including both of the civic body and police, will keep an eye on the city. Recently, we placed 226 CCTV cameras at 84 points." "We have kept 1,000 motorcycles for cross-patrolling. Around 500 vehicles of the police control room and local police stations have also been deployed," he added. He said policemen carrying breathalysers will patrol the streets to apprehend drunken revellers. Bhatt informed that a concerted campaign had been carried out over the past 20 days against bootleggers and party organisers have been warned against providing liquor to those attending them. "We have made preparations to ensure that law and order is maintained in the city during New Year celebrations on Monday and Tuesday," Bhatt said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad reached Pune amid heavy police security Sunday, after being allegedly detained in Mumbai Saturday. Azad was to address a rally at the SSPMS College ground here Sunday evening, however, it was cancelled as the organisers failed to get required permissions. His supporters had alleged Saturday that he was "detained" at his Mumbai hotel, a charge police denied. The firebrand Dalit leader was also scheduled to have an interaction with students at Savitribai Phule Pune University Monday, butvarsity officials said that no permission had been granted for the program. Azad is slated to visit Koregaon Bhima in Pune district on January 1 on the occasion of 201st anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima of 1818 which Dalits in Maharashtra commemorate. Speaking to the media, Azad said he will visit Koregaon Bhima even if the government uses force to stop him. After the permission for Sunday's rally was denied members of the Bhim Army have approached the Bombay High Court. "The hearing on our petition will take place Monday. If the decision comes in our favour, we will hold a rally here, and if the court denies us permission, we will not go against the law as we respect the Constitution," Azad said. Talking about the violence at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018, and police's crack-down on left-leaning activists in its aftermath, Azad insisted that the arrested activists were innocent. "The police are claiming they have seized a letter which talks about danger to the prime minister's life, however, it is clear that at present there is a danger to humanity," he said. According to the police, seized correspondence between some of the arrested activists and Maoists suggested that Maoists were planning "Rajiv Gandhi-like incident" to assassinate Narendra Modi. As lakhs of people are expected to visit the war memorial at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, police have tightened the security to avoid any untoward incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has directed health department officials to check the spread of swine flu in the state with special focus on the five districts where the number of cases has seen a spurt in recent months. During a high-level meeting, the chief minister asked the officials to focus on Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Baran districts, a release said. Principal of state-run SMS Hospital Sudhir Bhandari apprised the chief minister on the preparedness of the administration to curb the spread of swine flu in Jaipur. As per the medical and health department, a total of 22,172 people in the state were tested for swine flu from January 1 to December 28 this year. Out of them, 2,315 were diagnosed positive and 218 died. The chief minister directed a team of SMS Hospital to visit other medical colleges and hospitals in the state and coordinate with the health department staff to curb the spread of the disease. He also directed the officials to ensure required medicines were available at all hospitals, including Primary Health Centres. State Medical and Health Minister Raghu Sharma directed staff at control rooms to remain alert and work in an effective manner. A video conferencing meeting will be held on Monday with principals of medical colleges, superintendents of hospital and officers at the district and block-level to review the preventive measures taken up by the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill may not able to get through during the Winter session of Parliament which comes to an end on January 8, sources said Sunday. A meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), which is examining the bill, will be held on Monday to finalise the proposed legislation before being submitted to the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, to grant Indian nationality to people belonging to minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document. This was an election promise of the BJP in 2014. "The bill is likely to be tabled in the Lok Sabha either on January 7 or 8. There is very little time for debate before it is passed in the Lower House and then in the Rajya Sabha," a source privy to the deliberations told PTI. However, in Monday's meeting the BJP may have its way in incorporating some "contentious" provisions in the proposed legislation. JPC chairman Rajendra Agrawal said the committee will try to finalise the bill through consensus after examining every clause. "However, if we cannot reach a consensus, we will go for voting, which is a standard procedure for Parliament," he told PTI. The BJP has 14 MPs, including Agrawal, in the 30-member panel. The Congress has four members while the Trinamool Congress and the Biju Janata Dal have two MPs each. The Shiv Sena, JD(U), TRS, TDP, CPI(M), AIADMK, SP, BSP have one member each in the panel. The Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M) and a few other parties have been steadfastly opposing the bill claiming that citizenship can't be given on basis of religion. "If there is a voting, the BJP is likely to have its way in incorporating some contentious clauses. Monday's meeting is very crucial," sources said. In the last meeting of the JPC, held on November 27, opposition members moved clause-by-clause amendments and one Congress MP sought removal of Bangladesh from the purview of the proposed legislation. Interestingly, an NDA member suggested that Assam, where the bill received strong opposition, should be excluded from the ambit of the legislation. Various members from opposition parties have been asserting that citizenship is a constitutional provision and it cannot be based on religion, as India is a secular nation. Rather than resolving the situation in Assam, this bill is making the condition more volatile in the already tense state, an opposition member in the panel had said. Echoing similar sentiments, a Congress member said if all the proposed amendments come into force, then the Centre has to nullify the Assam Accord under which anyone entering the state illegally after March 1971, should be declared foreigner and deported. Agrawal said they were bound to submit the report in this session as in all practical purposes, Winter session is the last session of the current Lok Sabha. A large section of people and organisations in the northeast have opposed the bill saying it will nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of illegal immigrants irrespective of religion. Even the governments of Meghalaya and Mizoram have strongly opposed the bill and adopted resolutions against it. The committee has already taken six extensions from the Lok Sabha Speaker. Last time it had sought time for the presentation of the report was on the "first day of the last week of the Winter Session, 2018". During the course of its examination and study visits, the committee met a cross section of people in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Assam and Meghalaya and heard views of organisations, individuals, experts and others over the issue. The committee also heard the views of the chief secretaries and police chiefs of Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and West Bengal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 30 people have died in northern Chad after Arab fighters, crossing from neighbouring Libya, attacked miners in a region in the grip of a gold rush, rights activists said Sunday. The clashes broke out on Thursday in the Kouri Bougoudi area of the Tibesti border region, the Chadian Convention for the Defence of Human Rights (CTDDH) said in a statement. At least 30 gold miners were killed and more than 200 wounded, it said. Abdul Aziz Youssouf Mustapha, a Chadian with the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH), said the fighters attacked all "non-Arabs" who had come to Kouri Bougoudi in search of gold. All miners were forced off the gold-mining area on Saturday, he said. A military source confirmed that there had been fighting but did not give further details. Many of the miners hailed from the Ouaddai region in central-eastern Chad. Sources among the Ouaddai community also confirmed there had been clashes in Kouri Bougoudi. Kouri Bougoudi has been a theatre of violence since discoveries of gold were made there in 2012 and 2013. Miners have rushed in from around Chad and abroad, leading to friction over access to lucrative sites. The CTDDH accuses the government of orchestrating a takeover of the area by using Arab fighters. The government has given authorisation to several mining companies to exploit the deposits. In August, it carried out a military operation in the far north aimed at "clearing out" illegal miners and stopping cross-border incursions from Chadian rebels holed up in Libya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Colombia's foreign minister on Saturday condemned an alleged plot to kill President Ivan Duque and said three Venezuelan citizens had been detained in possession of "weapons of war." "For several months there have been intelligence probes into possible attacks against the life of the president," Carlos Holmes Trujillo said in a video on the ministry's social media accounts. He added that three Venezuelans in possession of "weapons of war" had been captured in connection with such plots, without going into further details. In a separate statement, Trujillo said that the threats came from "internal and external actors." The announcements come amid tensions between Bogota and Caracas, following the mutual expulsion of officials from both nations and the presence earlier this month of Russian long-range bombers in Venezuela. President Duque has called upon the "countries that defend democracy" to not recognise the government of Nicolas Maduro, who begins a new term on January 10, after being re-elected in polls that were boycotted by the opposition and branded a fraud by the international community. Maduro, for his part, has said the future government of Brazil under President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, Colombia and the United States are all involved in plotting a coup in Venezuela and want to assassinate him. Duque's government has said it would not support a military intervention in Venezuela, with which it shares a 2,200 kilometer (1,350 miles) border. Washington, on the other hand, has indicated "all options are on the table" for dealing with Venezuela's socialist leader. Right-winger Duque took office in August promising to diplomatically isolate the Venezuelan regime, which he calls a "dictatorship," and to get tough on his country's drug traffickers and remaining guerilla groups. Colombia is the main host country for Venezuelan migrants who have fled their country's economic crisis, the worst in its history. According to the UN, about 2.3 million people left Venezuela since 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government plans to rope in professionals for top positions at Air India through a global search process, as part of efforts to revive the national carrier, according to Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu. With the proposed strategic stake sale of the Air India failing to take off in May this year, the government has been working on various initiatives, including hiving off a significant chunk of over Rs 55,000 crore debt into a special purpose vehicle, to turn-around the ailing airline. Also Read: At 2.6 degrees Celsius, Delhi records coldest December day in five years Against this backdrop, the government is now actively considering the proposal to professionalise Air India management. Talking about steps for reviving the national airline, Prabhu said there are plans for complete professionalisation. "I have already ordered a global search for the professionalisation of Air India completely. All top positions in Air India should be filled by some sort of a global search. That proposal is now under active consideration of the government," the minister told PTI in an interview. A source in the know said the government plans to set up a search committee that would look for aviation professionals from across the world who can be brought to Air India. Currently, the national carrier -- which is staying afloat on taxpayers' money -- has nine members on the board, including two officials from the civil aviation ministry. The chairman and managing director are senior IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola while two well-known businessmen -- ITC chairman Y C Deveshwar and Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla -- are independent directors on the board. Ravinder Kumar Tyagi, Syed Zafar Islam, Daggubati Purandeswari are the other independent directors. Air India Director (Finance) Vinod Hejmadi, as well as Civil Aviation Ministry's Additional Secretary Gargi Kaul and Joint Secretary Satyendra Kumar Mishra, are also part of the board. Prabhu said debt is one of the biggest problems for the revival of Air India, adding that the civil aviation ministry is already working with the finance ministry to address the issue. The carrier is estimated to have a debt burden of over Rs 55,000 crore and about Rs 29,000 crore is to be transferred into a special purpose vehicle. On December 27, the Civil Aviation Ministry told the Lok Sabha that the government has prepared a revival plan for Air India. A comprehensive financial package, including the transfer of non-core debt and assets to a special purpose vehicle, implementation of robust organisational and governance reforms by the board and differentiated business strategies for each of the core businesses of Air India is part of the plan. "Higher levels of operational efficiency by strengthening management and implementing best business processes" are among the major elements of the plan. Also Read: KGF box office collection Day 9: Yash's film inching towards Rs 150-crore mark, despite Simmba challenge Also Read: Simmba Box Office Collection Day 2: Ranveer Singh-Sara Ali Khan's movie is off to a great start The Congress and the BJP engaged in a slugfest Sunday, with the opposition party alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government were AgustaWestland's protectors and promoters, while the saffron party accused it of defending Christian Michel and asked why it was scared of a probe into the case. While the Congress said it would probe the "collusion" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government with the company once it comes to power in 2019, the BJP condemned it for allegedly giving the issue a political colour. The ruling party asked why the name of a Gandhi family member cropped up whenever a foreigner was caught for corruption. The war of words started a day after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told a court that Christian Michel, an alleged middleman, had made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi". Terming the ED an "embarrassing disaster" under the NDA, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that Modi and his government were a "protector, benefactor and promoter" of AgustaWestland. Using the barb that 'chowkidaar dagdaar hai' (watchman is tainted) against Modi, the opposition party said that after the BJP came to power at the Centre, the Defence Ministry lifted the ban on the company imposed during the UPA rule and even allowed it to bid for 100 naval utility helicopters. "The ED may save the Modi government today, but when it is voted out of power in 2019, we are committed to fully investigate the collusion of the PM and his government with AgustaWestland," Surjewala told reporters. "Under Modi, the ED has become an embarrassing disaster," he said. Hitting back, BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the Congress was "jittery" since Michel's extradition and its fears were evident as it sought to provide cover to him in court. "Ever since Michel has been brought to India, the Congress expectedly is nervous and jittery and that is coming to the fore, as was evident at its press conference today," Trivedi claimed at a press conference. Asking why the Congress was "scared" of investigation into the case, he said the opposition party should allow the law to take its due course and the truth about corruption in will come out. "I want to ask a pertinent question, whenever in the last 30-32 years the names of any foreign national cropped up in corruption cases in India, be it Anderson, Ottavio Quattrochi, Guido Haschke or Christian Michel, why were all of them found to be linked with the Gandhi family...why are they linked to a member of the Gandhi family," he asked. Surjewala earlier claimed that the Modi government is on its way out and "a panic-stricken Modi government and its puppet ED will not be able to change the 'exit date and fate' of a government and the PM, already rejected by the people". He said the Congress is committed to order an investigation to examine the role of Modi and his government into the sordid saga of Agusta Westland. Surjewala alleged that the government was pressuring Michel to make a "false" statement against the Gandhi family and dared it to place in public domain any evidence it has against the Congress leadership. "They are using Michel as a sounding board to defend its own wrong doings and misdeeds. Panicking and running scared, the PM and his government are now raking up controversies to hide their own connivance," he claimed. "It is now clear that the 'chowkidaar is daagdaar' (the watchman is tainted)," he alleged. "The PM and his government are hiding behind the cloak of Michel to obfuscate their sheer connivance and complicity in protecting Agusta Westland," he alleged. Surjewala claimed that Modi and his government "mysteriously" withdrew the blacklisting of Agusta Westland and alleged it sanctioned investment through Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). Posing a set of six questions to the government, the Congress leader asked why the Defence Ministry ended the ban on AgustaWestland in July 2014 and made the company a part of the 'Make in India' programme. BJP leader Trivedi said the question is whether there is corruption in the AugustaWestland case and said that the CBI probe was ordered by the UPA government itself and the issue of corruption came up in Italy. "This issue was not a political one. There was corruption in the purchase of the helicopters which is linked to national security," he claimed. "Why are you scared of investigation... Those who have been demanding probe into financial scams are holding press conferences to Michel's defence, in a way. "We condemn the Congress for giving a political colour to the investigation process and ask them to let there be a fair probe into the matter," he said. Asked about the Congress' charge of the Modi government ending the blacklisting and allowing them to bid for Navy choppers, the BJP spokesperson said no questions were raised on the quality of the aircraft manufactured by these companies, but on the corruption in the deals. Trivedi also cited the example of Bofors guns, saying they were found to be of good quality and "that does not mean that the entire corruption in their purchase can be ignored". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and claimed that "cynical" sponsors of 2019 Vibrant Gujarat Summit no longer wanted to be associated with an event presided over by him. He said the sponsors had left the stage "empty". "At the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2019, cynical sponsors no longer want to associate themselves with an event presided over by NoMo. They have left the stage, the way he likes it...Empty," Gandhi said in a tweet, citing a media report. The report claimed that the United Kingdom, after refusing to be a "partner country" at the upcoming investor summit, on December 14 said it had decided to withdraw from the "show-piece, state-led event" due to lack of satisfactory "commercial outcomes". Reportedly, the UK is the second country after the United States to pull out as a partner country for the summit that is scheduled to be held from January 18 to 20, 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's Delhi unit has set up a WhatsApp number, called "Namo Again", to effectively connect with around 69,000 booth-level workers ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. BJP Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari felt that the chain of oral communication was not that effective and directed the party's social media and IT cell to use the mobile number to connect with all booth conveners, in-charges and panch pramuk, party leaders said. Panch pramukh or booth-level workers are the party's direct links with voters at each polling booth. There are 13,816 polling booths in the national capital. The BJP has appointed five panch pramukh at each polling booth, totalling around 69,000. "It was felt that messages and directions of the party's national and state leadership were getting delayed in reaching booth-level workers. Also, monitoring of completion of assigned work was not that effective," said Neelkant Bakshi, Delhi BJP's social media and IT cell co-convener. The "NaMo Again" mobile number will establish a direct link between Tiwari, booth conveners and the core group of 375 booth in-charges through a WhatsApp group and broadcast lists, Bakshi said. The booth in-charges will connect with panch pramukh to spread the messages further down the line through WhatsApp groups, he said. "The entire chain of communication is so devised that the messages and directions from party president to the booth level are communicated within seconds," Bakshi said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government has decided to erect 'Welcome Gate' at 12 border points of the national capital by next year, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. Sisodia told PTI that the Wecome Gate will be erected at Delhi's main border points - Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Sonipat, Kharkhoda, Bahadurgarh, Badli, Gurugram, Kundli and Gazipur. The move is aimed at giving an attractive and pleasing look to the commuters entering the capital. "There are around 127 small entry points to Delhi. I have cleared a proposal of DTTDC to erect attractive 'Welcome Gate' at main 12 border points of Delhi. "These gates will have attractive and pleasing look with colorful lights," Sisodia said. The gates will have inscriptions of 'Welcome to Delhi' on top. He said that Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) will execute the project, adding, these entry gates to Delhi will be erected by the end of next year. "I recently reviewed three-four designs of DTTDC. I have okayed the one which will attract people to click a selfie with it. They will also have digital advertisments," the deputy chief minister added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who shared a very cordial relationship with Mrinal Sen, Sunday said the legendary film-maker was in the know of things about the present situation in the country despite his illness. Sen passed away at his residence here at 10.30 am after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments. Sen was leftist in his beliefs and lifestyle till the very end and he got the lessons of making films from his leftist ideology, the senior CPI(M) leader said. "Despite his physical ailments, Sen was very much conscious about the present situation in the country and had a sense of discomfort for that. This came out from his conversations with me in recent times," Bhattacharjee said in a statement. "From Chile, Russia, Germany and Italy to France, he had a large number of friends among directors of different countries. He was rooted to his land but had a truly international outlook. He was an international personality," Bhattacharjee said. Left Front chairman and senior CPI(M) leader Biman Bose also condoled the death of Sen. "He was a Marxist, a true human being and friend of the common people," Bose said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a swipe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his efforts to form a front to take on the BJP in 2019 polls, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Sunday that the driver of the opposition alliance wagon doesn't even have a learner's licence and could drive it into a ditch. Naqvi also said it was out of compulsion that some opposition leaders, even the experienced ones, are backing Gandhi. "On one hand there is Narendra Modi and on the other is Rahul Gandhi, who works for four days and then he is on a picnic for four months, while Prime Minister Modi, in the last four years, has not taken leave even for four-and-a-half hours. This is the difference," he told PTI in an interview. Talking about the opposition alliance, the Minority Affairs Minister said a big coalition was being formed against the BJP and he has been told that National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah is coordinating it. Naqvi said the NC chief is an experienced politician and senior people should understand that the "person sitting on the driver's seat of the alliance's wagon does not even have a learner's licence and (therefore) whether this wagon will be driven into a ditch or dumped elsewhere, the experienced people should know". "Itne khiladi ek anari ke peeche chal rahe hain toh hum kya kar sakte hain (so many experienced people are walking behind a novice, so what can we do)," the 61-year-old leader said. Naqvi also exuded confidence that the performance of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will match the 2014 showing. "Last time we fought the election on Narendra Modi's 'naam' (name), this time we are fighting the polls on his 'kaam' (work)," the Rajya Sabha MP said. Asked if there was any merit in the opposition argument that the BJP lost the polls in the Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh due to agrarian distress, Naqvi said the BJP did not lose any vote percentage and its seats have also not been drastically reduced. "However, in the states we have lost, we will take a feedback and act," he said. As far as agrarian issues are concerned, the first budget of this government had the theme of 'mera gaon, mera desh' whose focus was on farmers, Naqvi pointed out. "From insurance scheme, soil health cards and neem-coated urea to MSP increase, several steps have been taken in the interest of the farmers. In the coming days we will do more," he said. Asked about incidents of lynchings creating insecurity among minorities, the Minority Affairs Minister said that they should be seen as criminal incidents and not as communal incidents. "This is not only a crime but a heinous crime. State governments also deal with them as criminal incidents and take action against the culprits," he said. Naqvi emphasised that in the last four years, no big communal riot has taken place in the country. "Another important thing is that in any part of the country, no terrorist attack, blast or such activities, have been successful. I am saying this because when a terrorist activity takes place, people get killed, which is very sad, but innocent minorities and people from the Muslim community also suffer. "In the last 10 years (before the NDA government), wherever there has been a blast, young people (from minority community) were arrested and the innocent ones are now being let off by courts under this government," he said. Minority communities, especially Muslims, are staying in the country fully secure and with a lot of freedom, he said. Naqvi alleged that there were "political forces" in the country that keep running a campaign of misinformation and fear. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) has urged the government to set up a shipping regulator with a view to rationalise freight charges to boost products' competitiveness and outbound shipments. In a communication to the commerce and shipping ministries, the EEPC India has stated that reduction in ocean freight is important to increase competitiveness of engineering exporters in the global market. "Shipping companies are compelling domestic exporters to pay higher rates of exchange value for payment of ocean freights that in turn are making Indian exported products uncompetitive in the international market as prices for the same are going up," EEPC India Executive Director Suranjan Gupta said. He said that the regulator can formulate guidelines with regard to exchange rate charged, and cap the prices so that exporting community is not at the mercy of shipping liners and freight forwarders. A "shipping regulator" be formed so that competitive freight charges can be established in India, Gupta added. The demand assumed significance as the sector contributes about 26 per cent in the country's total merchandise exports. Engineering exports were USD 76 billion in 2017-18 and is expected to touch USD 80 billion this fiscal on account of healthy growth in key markets, including the US and Europe. During April-October 2018-19, these exports stood at USD 48 billion as against USD 43.11 billion in the same period previous fiscal. Shipments to the US and Europe account for about 40 per cent of the total exports from the sector. Since 2011-12, India's overall exports have been hovering at around USD 300 billion. During 2017-18, the shipments grew by about 10 per cent to USD 303 billion. Promoting exports helps a country to create jobs, boost manufacturing and earn more foreign exchange. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Executive Engineer was arrested by anti-corruption vigilance sleuths in Odisha's Deogarh district for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 21,000 from a contractor for release of final payment for construction work done. Rabindra Kumar Mehto, executive engineer, Minor Irrigation Division, Deogarh had demanded a bribe of Rs 21,000 from the contractor for release of final payment of around Rs 10,50,000, a Vigilance release said. The contractor has completed construction of residential building at Minor Irrigation Colony, Deogarh. Acting on his complaint, vigilance sleuths laid a trap on Saturday and caught Mehto red-handed in his office room while accepting bribe of Rs 21,000 from complainant. The bribe money was recovered from the office table drawer of Mehto and seized in presence of witnesses. While the executive engineer was arrested, his government quarter at MI colony, Deogarh was searched, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Incidents of fake e-tickets usage to gain illegal entry into Indian airports were highest in 2018 in past four years, prompting security agencies to moot biometric or barcode-based access system for passengers. While security officials ruled out any terror-like or extreme sabotage threat in these recorded incidents, they expressed concern over the potential of this menace being misused in future to breach the airport security. As per a CISF data accessed by PTI, a total of 140 incidents (about 26 per cent more) of illegal entries of passengers using fake or cancelled e-tickets were intercepted till early December as compared to 111 such incidents registered last year. The comparative figures for 2016 were 74 while for 2015 it was 43. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is the mandated security unit to guard Indian civil airports and it has 61 such facilities under its umbrella at present. The force has caught both Indians and foreigners for these offences. It found that either ignorance of rules or sheer desire to see off a family member or friend has prompted the offenders to gain illegal entry into the airport terminal by showing a paper printout or mobile-based PDF attachment of an air ticket, that has been cancelled, to a CISF security personnel at the gate. "While none of these incidents were serious from the point of view of a serious security breach, the possibility of someone using a fake or cancelled e-ticket to cause a serious breach to airport security in the future cannot be ruled out," a senior official involved in airports security said. The multiple security agencies tasked for airports security like the CISF, Intelligence Bureau and Bureau of Civil Avaition Security (BCAS) want this menace to be checked by usage of biometric or barcode-based entry of passengers, the official said. Some government proposals in the offing like 'Digi Yatra' and barcode-based air tickets are being mulled as options. Work is in progress, the official added. Under 'Digi Yatra', it is proposed to have a centralised registration system for passengers and each of them would get a unique ID. The ID would be shared by passengers at the time of booking tickets. It can be created by sharing name, e-mail id, mobile number and details of any identity proof, including Aadhaar. Before travel, the airline would share the passenger data and the ID with the airport from where the passenger would be flying out. There would be one-time verification at the departure airport while travelling for the first time using the ID. After successful verification, facial recognition biometric would be captured and stored in the Digi Yatra ID. A registered passenger can go to the e-gate of the airport and scan the barcode/ QR code of the ticket. The system would also generate a token combining the face of passenger with PNR of the ticket, so that at subsequent check-points the ticket details would be available on face recognition. The usage of smart tools will not only help eradicate the menace of fake tickets but will ease passenger travel experience at the airports, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Foreign investors have infused more than Rs 54 billion in the Indian capital this month so far on persistent drop in global and strengthening rupee. This comes following a 10-month high net inflow of over Rs 122.66 billion in the capital (equity and debt) by Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in November. According to data available with the depositories, FPIs put in a net amount of Rs 19 billion in equities and Rs 35.77 billion in the debt markets, taking the total to Rs 54.77 billion during December 3-28. "The inflow in Indian capital are a result of persistent fall in crude oil price, which has dropped by almost 40 per cent in the last three months and strengthening rupee against the US dollar over the same period," said Harsh Jain COO at Groww, an online MF investment platform. However, till December 7, FPIs were net sellers in the equity market, pulling out funds to the tune of Rs 3.83 billion. However, they had put in Rs 27.44 billion in the debt markets during the period under review. "The sell-off was triggered on December 6, when FPIs sold net assets worth Rs 361 crore in a single day. This could be largely attributed to the weakness in the global markets due to the arrest of a high-profile Chinese executive which led to a sharp fall in the stock markets globally," said Himanshu Srivastava, senior analyst manager research, Morningstar Investment Adviser "Investors fear that the relationship between the world's two biggest economies -- the US and -- could deteriorate following the arrest and hurt economic growth. Consequently, they chose to adopt a cautious stance and shun risky assets, such as their investments in emerging markets like India, which are more susceptible to weak global cues," he added. The sell-off by FPIs was triggered after Chinese telecom giant Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou, who is also the company founder's daughter, was arrested in for extradition to the US for suspected sanctions violations. FPIs have pulled out over Rs 825 billion from the capital markets so far this year. This includes over Rs 333 billion from equities and Rs 492 billion from the debt market. The aircraft involved in the Ghatkopar crash that killed five people earlier this year was on an "illegal test flight" and the plane itself was once brought to Mumbai in pieces in trucks, according to a report. Besides, the aircraft was insured for Rs 7 crore in January last year in an illegal and non-transparent manner, a Parliamentary panel has said. On June 28, a King Air C-90 charter aircraft crashed during a test flight in Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Four people onboard -- two pilots and two aircraft maintenance engineers -- as well as a bystander were killed in the incident. The Aircrat Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is already probing the incident and its report is expected early next year. Describing the facts that have come out regarding the incident as "shocking", the panel chaired by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya said the test flight was illegal and done during bad weather. The plane belonged to U Y Aviation Pvt Ltd and the latter had a pact with Indamar Aviation Pvt Ltd for carrying out repairs and making the aircraft serviceable. The particular aircraft was bought from Silver Jubilee Traveler Pvt Ltd, which had purchased the same from the Uttar Pradesh government in early 2014 as a "scrap". In its report, the panel said the plane in question had belly landed in Uttar Pradesh in 2008. "It was kept in abeyance for five years. In early 2014, it was purchased by Silver Jubilee Traveler Pvt Ltd as scrap". It was brought to Mumbai in pieces in trucks, the report said. The committee has also flagged serious concerns, including that operating a test flight without approval of aviation regulator DGCA is criminal negligence. "The shocking information that came before the committee is that the aircraft was insured for Rs 7 crore in January 2017 in illegal and non-transparent manner by a PSU insurance company. "It seems that the deceased employees will not get any insurance due to non-transparent and illegal insurance policy," the report tabled in Parliament Friday said. The Standing Committee on Labour has also called for foolproof mechanism for the aviation industry to not only stop recurrence of Ghatkopar like air crash incidents but also for the safety and security of manpower engaged in the industry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman officer of Goa's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) department has alleged harassment by the state government after her tests confirmed the presence of formalin, a toxic chemical, in fish imported to the state. Iva Fernandes made the allegation in an application filed with the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) last week. She also alleged that senior FDA officials had links with fish traders and demanded that their phone records be checked to verify it. On July 12, Fernandes, who was part of the FDA team which tested fish at a wholesale fish market in Margao town of South Goa district, had confirmed the presence of formalin in fish. In her application submitted to the GHRC, Fernandes attached evidence duly signed by all FDA officials who were present at the site (in July) for carrying out the inspection which was "positive" for traces of formalin in fish, she said. "Instead of this being attended with seriousness, I have been sought to be targeted," she alleged. Fernandes said she was not allotted duty for a considerable period of time after the expose, which forced her to approach the human rights commission. The Goa government had in July banned the import of fish from outside the state, in view of the scare of formalin being found in it. The FDA had earlier confirmed the presence of the organic compound in fish imported from other states. However, the agency had later said the toxic chemical -- used to preserve bodies and prevent its decay in mortuaries -- was "on par" with its naturally-occurring levels in the sampled fish and there was no added amount of it. The FDA had last month asked whole-sellers to comply with its guidelines before resuming fish trade in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government has appointed four new Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission which was functioning with just three of them as against a sanctioned strength of 11, including the Chief Information Commissioner. President Ram Nath Kovind has approved the appointment of former IFS officer Yashwardhan Kumar Sinha, former IRS officer Vanaja N Sarna, former IAS Neeraj Kumar Gupta and former Law Secretary Suresh Chandra as Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission, a government order accessed by PTI said. Sinha is a 1981-batch Indian Foreign Service officer who was the High Commissioner of India in the United Kingdom. An alumnus of St Michael's High School in Patna and St Stephen's College in Delhi, Sinha had served a number of important postings in the Ministry of External Affairs including the crucial Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran Division, which he headed for four years as Additional Secretary. The only woman in the CIC will be Sarna, a 1980-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Excise) officer, who was the Chief of Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). Neeraj Kumar Gupta, a 1982-batch IAS officer, was Secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management. Chandra, an Indian Legal Service officer, retired as Union law secretary this year and was also private secretary to the then Law Minister Arun Jaitley between 2002 and 2004. All the bureaucrats appointed by the government have retired this year. After recent retirements of Chief Information Commissioner R K Mathur and Information Commissioners Yashovardhan Azad, Sridhar Acharyulu and Amitava Bhattacharyya, the Commission, the highest adjudicating authority in RTI matters, was left with three Information Commissioners, prompting activists to approach the Supreme Court on the issue of vacancies. The Supreme Court had asked the Centre and states to maintain transparency in appointments of Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioners and upload the details of search committees and applicants on website. Commenting on the appointment process, Commodore Lokesh Batra, one of the petitioners in the case, said the government has failed to comply with the Supreme Court directions of posting the details on website. "As my gut feeling said, the government did not comply with the Supreme Court directions viz transparency as it did not post details on its website," Batra told PTI. During the hearing, the Centre had told the top court that the search committee has shortlisted names for the post of CIC and a final decision will be taken soon. A bench of Justices A K Sikri, S Abdul Nazeer and R Subhash Reddy asked the Centre to put on the website details of search committee for CIC and ICs. Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the Centre, had informed the court that a total of 65 applications were recived for the CIC post and 280 applications for the post of four ICs in the Central Information Commission. She had said that after these posts are filled up, notification will be issued for inviting applications for remaining posts of ICs. The Centre seems to have ignored plea of former Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu who had called for adequate representation of non-bureaucrats in the Commission in accordance with the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Citing Section 12 (5) of the RTI Act, he had written to the President that the Act provides for selecting people of eminence, having experience in law, science and technology, social service, management, journalism, mass media or administration and governance. If the government selects more number of former bureaucrats for these posts, it will be a breach of the letter and spirit of the transparency law and more particularly that of Section 12(5) of the RTI Act, which may not stand the scrutiny by the judiciary, he argued. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre will spare no effort to push through some key labour reforms in the new year and is expected to get Parliament's nod on at least two codes on wages as well as industrial relations before going to general elections. The labour ministry is already in the process of seeking the Union Cabinet's approval on amended wage code bill after its vetting by the parliamentary standing committee, so that it could be pushed for passage in Parliament. The Code on Wages Bill 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 10, 2017 and thereafter referred to the standing committee. Similarly, the Ministry of Labour and Employment is keen to push the passage of Code on Industrial Relations, in the run-up to the 2019 polls. The ministry, however, has decided to remove certain provisions in the bill, drawing flak from trade unions. In line with the recommendations of the Second National Commission on Labour, the ministry has taken steps for formulating four labour codes on wages; industrial relations; social security and welfare; and occupational safety, health and by amalgamating, simplifying, and rationalising the relevant provisions of the existing central labour laws. "Keeping the social security and welfare aspects of workmen better and intact, we are working in the direction of bringing reforms in various labour laws with objective of ease of doing in new future," Labour Minister told The minister also said that the government has taken several new initiatives in the labour and employment sector this year. The ministry is also working on Code on Social Security & Welfare. A preliminary draft of the code was placed on the website of the ministry on March 16, 2017, inviting comments of the stakeholders/public. After considering the comments of various stakeholders, the ministry sought comments on a revised draft Code on Social Security and Welfare, 2018 on March 1, 2018. After tripartite consultations with unions and employers, the ministry has circulated draft labour code on Social Security & Welfare Bill, 2018 for inter-ministerial consultation recently. The ministry had also sought comments on the Code on Occupational Safety Health and on March 23, 2018. After tripartite consultations, the draft Occupational Safety, Health and Bill, 2018 has been circulated for inter-ministerial consultation recently. Apart from this, the ministry is also pushing for subsidising paid maternity leave under a new scheme to encourage employers to employ women. The ministry had noted that the employment of women affected after increase paid maternity leave benefit. Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 -- which came into force from April 1, 2017 -- increased paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks and benefited 18 lakh women employees. In one of the initiatives, the ministry has proposed to bear seven weeks of salary to motivate employers. This policy will be finalised after approval by the competent forum. The labour ministry also got the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2018 passed by Parliament this year which provides for hike in upper ceiling on tax free gratuity amount from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh. The government also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, South Africa, regarding Cooperation in the Social and Labour Sphere. The MoU was signed on August 3, 2018 during Labour and Employment Ministers (LEM) Meeting. The pact provides a mechanism for cooperation, collaboration and maximum synergy amongst member countries with the common objective of inclusive growth and shared prosperity in the new industrial revolution. This would facilitate member countries to share knowledge and also implement joint programmes on matter of labour and employment, social security and social dialogue. Another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between and for training and education in the fields of labour and employment. The ministry also included the category of 'Fixed Term Employment Workman' for all sectors in the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 and rules made there this year. The objective of fixed term employment on one hand is to provide flexibility to the employers in order to meet the challenges of globalisation, new practices and methods of doing businesses while on the other, this would be beneficial for workers as it gives the 'FTE Workman' the same statutory benefits as that of regular workers in a proportionate manner. This would also substantially decrease exploitation of contract workers as the employer would directly hire the worker without any in the form of contract for a fixed term. Considering the change in employment pattern and the current scenario of employment in which has transformed from a long-term employment to short-term engagement in form of contract and tempting, the ESI Corporation has approved a Scheme named "ATAL BIMIT VYAKTI KALYAN YOJANA" for insured persons covered under the ESI Act, 1948. This scheme is a relief payable in cash directly to insured persons' in case of unemployment and while they search for new engagement. A helicopter carrying Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar was forced to return to the helipad soon after take-off from Ahmednagar in Central Maharashtra around noon Sunday. The NCP said the chopper had to return as the pilot had forgotten to take some important papers, but local sources said it returned as a seatbelt had not been fastened properly. Sources in the local administration as well as district unit of the NCP said the chopper had to return within minutes of the take-off as a seatbelt was seen "dangling outside". "Having thought important papers left behind, the pilot landed in a minute after takeoff from Ahmednagar helipad today," NCP said in a tweet, adding that it was done at the "insistence of Saheb (Pawar)" and there was nothing alarming. Pawar was in Ahmednagar to attend a centenary function of the Ahmednagar Jilha Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the new year, the United Nations will continue to bring people together to build bridges and create space for solutions, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Saturday, setting the world body's agenda for 2019. Guterres in his new year message listed out some of the top challenges being faced by the world today including climate change, extremism and increasing intolerance. Last New Year, I issued a red alert, and the dangers I mentioned still persist. These are anxious times for many, and our world is undergoing a stress test. Climate change is running faster than we are, he said. Geo-political divisions are deepening, making conflicts more difficult to resolve, he said, adding record numbers of people are moving in search of safety and protection. Inequality is growing. And people are questioning a world in which a handful of people hold the same wealth as half of humanity, Guterres said. Noting that intolerance is on the rise, the UN secretary General said trust is on the decline. But there are also reasons for hope, he said, noting that the talks on Yemen have created a chance for peace. Similarly, the agreement signed in Riyadh in September between Ethiopia and Eritrea has eased long-running tensions and brought improved prospects to an entire region, he said. And the agreement between the parties to the conflict in South Sudan has revitalised chances for peace, bringing more progress in the past four months than in the previous four years. The United Nations was able to bring countries together in Katowice to approve the Work Programme for the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, he said. Now we need to increase ambition to beat this existential threat. It's time to seize our last best chance. It's time to stop uncontrolled and spiraling climate change, he said. In recent weeks, the United Nations also oversaw landmark global agreements on migration and refugees, that will help to save lives and overcome damaging myths. And everywhere, people are mobilizing behind the Sustainable Development Goals our global blueprint for peace, justice and prosperity on a healthy planet, he said. When international cooperation works, the world wins. In 2019, the United Nations will continue to bring people together to build bridges and create space for solutions, Guterres said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the Trump era of surging unilateralism and nationalism, world leaders at the United Nations this year expressed their support to multilateralism arguing that global institutions and platforms like the UN are more than relevant in the 21st century. "Multilateralism is under fire precisely when we need it most, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had asserted in his opening address to the 73rd session of the General Assembly in September. Over the next several months since September till the end of this year, several world leaders came out in support of Guterres cautioning that doing away with multilateralism is not in the best interest of the world. Laying the foundation of the debate of multilateralism vs unilateralism, Guterres urged world leaders to renew their commitment to a rules-based order, with the UN at its centre. "In the face of massive existential threats to people and planet but, equally, at a time of compelling opportunities for shared prosperity there is no way forward but collective, common-sense action for the common good. This is how we rebuild trust, he said, adding despite chaos and confusion in the world, there are winds of hope. But US President Donald Trump believes that multilateralism is no longer working for the US. As such he has been pushing for bilateral engagement with countries. Trump in his address to the UN Trump said that the United Nations can work better together when they respect their neighbours and defend their people's interests. "America's policy of principled realism means we will not be held hostage to old dogmas, discredited ideologies and so-called experts who have been proven wrong over the years, time and time again," Trump had said his speech to the UN General Assembly. But at least at the UN headquarters in New York, the US did not receive much support to its renewed emphasis on unilateralism. Multilateralism stands alone as the only viable response to the problems facing the international community, said UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces. "No one can be indifferent to human suffering. Wars, conflicts, economic crises and environmental degradation affect us all equally, she said. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani alleged that the Trump administration is determined to render all international institutions ineffectual. Unlawful unilateral sanctions in themselves constitute a form of economic terrorism', said the Iranian president. He expressed "objections to bullying" on the part of the United States. According to a UN analysis of the General Assembly debates and speeches, several African leaders in their remarks highlighted efforts towards greater democracy and sustainable development. They called for expanded multilateral cooperation as well as reform of the Security Council. The world leaders, it said, united under the theme of making the United Nations relevant to all people, and stressed that only through a multilateral rules-based order can the international community meet emerging challenges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... India's aluminium scrap import jumped 22 per cent to 7,73,000 tonne during April-October this fiscal, according to industry body AAI which has demanded higher import duty on the metal to protect domestic players. The import of aluminium scrap was 6,32,000 tonne during the same period of 2017-18, the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) said in its latest report. "During April-October of financial year 2018-19, the import of aluminium scrap was 22 per cent up at 7,73,000 tonne from 6,32,000 tonne in April-October of 2017-18. We had already requested the government to increase the duty on imports of aluminium scrap and apprised the government that Indian aluminium sector may become a victim of escalating trade war between the US and China," the AAI report said. On March 8 this year, US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium. Later, China also announced 25 per cent import duty on various US goods and commodities, including aluminium scrap. The report further said the local aluminium industry is facing immense threat in the wake of ongoing trade tiff between the two major economies -- the US and China. It said that India is a natural market and the affected countries are dumping aluminium into India and the US is diverting large volume of scrap to India since EU and other countries have stringent standards for scrap. In July, the AAI had apprised the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) of the situation which could arise in future. An AAI delegation had urged the government to increase the duty on imports of aluminium scrap, saying the domestic players may become a victim of escalating trade war between the US and China. Besides the AAI, various industry bodies and agencies like Assocham and S&P Global Ratings had also raised concerns that India may become the victim of escalating trade war between the two economies as the countries exporting to these nations may start dumping their products into India. The association said it request the government to safeguard the interest of the local aluminium players, the duty on both primary aluminium and aluminium increased to 10 per cent, in line with other non ferrous metals like copper, zinc, lead nickel, tin etc. On Wednesday, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu has said that the commerce ministry is in favour of hiking import duty on aluminium with a view to support domestic manufacturers. "That is a proposal to protect our domestic industry. The proposal is under examination and we support the proposal," Prabhu told PTI. The minister said there has been a complaint by aluminium industry about dumping of the commodity. Earlier, Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh had also said that the tariff imposed by the US can indirectly affect the domestic steel sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel's foreign ministry protested to Jordan on Sunday after a minister was pictured stepping on an image of the Israeli flag while entering a meeting. Jordanian minister of state for information Jumana Ghneimat was pictured last week stepping on the flag design when entering a meeting at a trade union complex. The image of the flag has been affixed to the floor just inside the entrance to the complex for several years to protest Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories and Jordan's normalised ties with the Jewish state, union officials say. Israel called Jordan's ambassador in for clarifications on Sunday, the foreign ministry said. "The foreign affairs ministry considers the incident in which a Jordanian minister insulted the Israeli flag in Amman as serious," a statement said. Jordan's foreign ministry later responded, reaffirming "the (Jordanian) government's respect for the peace treaty with Israel". Jordan had told Israeli officials "that the building was private property and that the minister entered via the main entrance to attend an official meeting", said spokesman Majed al-Qatarneh. Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz was reported to have entered the building through a side door. Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries to have diplomatic relations with Israel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Sunday said a nodal officer would be appointed to ensure security of Ladakhi students studying outside the state. A nodal officer will be appointed to ensure safety, security and welfare of Ladakhi students studying outside the state, Malik said attending a Losar celebrations at Abhinav Theatre here today. The function was organized by All Ladakh Students Association Jammu (ALSAJ) to celebrate the festival. Highlighting the significance of Losar, Governor Malik said Losar is the most significant socio-religious event of Ladakh region, marked by ancient rituals, music, folk dance, and other performing arts. He noted that Losar symbolises throwing away of the evils and marks bidding farewell to the bygone era and welcoming a new one. Extending Losar greetings on the occasion, Malik emphasized upon the Ladakhi students community to strive for achieving quality education and serve the society by working for peace, love, compassion which is fundamental to the celebration of Losar. Highlighting the rich heritage and diversity of the region, the governor said Ladakh is land of peace. Ladakh is the home to people of different religions and we should work to strengthen the diversity which helps in flourishing the region, he said. Lauding the efforts of ALSAJ for organizing the function to celebrate the festival away from the home, Malik also appreciated the participants of the cultural programmes on the occasion that featured folk dance and music of the Ladakh region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader GS Bali Sunday alleged the BJP government in Himachal Pradesh has "failed" to generate employment during its one year in office and its "misrule" has led to cement and electricity being sold at higher prices in the state. Addressing a press conference here, the former minister said he will tour the entire state soon to make people aware about the issues of unemployment, drugs and high prices of cement and electricity, the two commodities the state produces. The Jai Ram Thakur-led government recently completed one year in office and Prime Minister Modi visited the state to mark the occasion on December 27. "During his recent visit to Dharamshala, PM Modi gave the certificate to the BJP government in HP that it is working hard and with honesty. But the real certificate will be given by the voters of the state in the coming Lok Sabha elections," he said. In the first year of its rule, the Thakur government has failed in the employment sector, he said. "The unemployment number has now crossed 10-lakh mark. It has withdrawn unemployment allowance started by the Congress government in the state. Our government made Rs 150 cr provision for unemployment allowance in the budget," he said, adding the drug menace has "spread like a virus" in the state during the past one year. Himachal produces cement and electricity and both the commodities are being sold at much higher rates in the state compared to the neighbouring states, he said. "It is a result of the misrule of the BJP government in the state," he said. Bali said he will tour the entire state soon to raise the issues of unemployment, drugs and high prices of cement and electricity before the masses. "It is a social cause for me and I will take it to the logical conclusion," he added. He asked the BJP government as to how many new projects and industries it brought to the state in the past one year. Asked about the 2019 general elections, Bali said that there is a set procedure in Congress for the allotment of tickets. If the party asks, he will fight election from the Kangra seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Sunday urged Britain to "get your act together" on Brexit, as he rejected accusations that the EU had a hidden agenda of keeping Britain in the bloc. "I find it unreasonable that part of the British public seems to think that it's entirely up to the EU to present a solution for all future British problems," Juncker told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. "My call is: get your act together. And tell us what you want. Our proposals have been on the table for months." Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May postponed a vote in the House of Commons on the withdrawal deal she struck with the EU in November, fearing a huge defeat as many of her own MPs oppose it. She is seeking further clarifications from Brussels on arrangements relating to the Irish border, and has said the vote would take place the week of January 14. It also means the parliamentary decision would come just weeks before Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29. The main opposition Labour party has accused May of "running down the clock" to try to force MPs to back her deal rather than risk Britain leaving the EU with no arrangements in place. "I get the impression that the majority of the British lawmakers deeply distrust the EU and Madame May," said Juncker. The European Commission president also rejected claims that Brussels was stalling to stop Britain from leaving. "One insinuates that our aim is to keep Britain in the EU with all means possible. But that's not our intention," said Juncker. "We only want clarity about the future relationships. And we respect the result of the referendum. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Karnataka police officer Roopa Moudgil has filed a complaint with cybercrime police against an Instagram user for fraudulently collecting donations in her name. The unidentified Instagram user had created a fake account in Roopa's name that included her photos and a post seeking donations for destitute women, Roopa told PTI here. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, she said. Roopa said she has requested police to ask Instagram authorities to delete the profile. The IPS officer came to know of the fraud when she saw a tweet by Suresh Hosamani, accusing her for fraudulently collecting donations. "@D_Roopa_IPS mam if you any collecting a fund or donation is it legally you're account & what's the intention to collection of fund," Hosamani tweeted. In reply, Roopa said denied being on Instagram. "This is not my account. I'm not on Instagram. This is brought to my notice only now," she said. Roopa said the photos posted on Instagram were downloaded from her facebook account and posted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders L Ramana and Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy have condemned Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao's tirade against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Rao on Saturday termed Naidu, the TDP supremo, "dirtiest politician in the country". "KCR (as Rao is commonly known) is targeting Naidu for no reason. People of Telangana would teach a lesson to the TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) in the next year's Parliamentary elections," the TDP leaders said in a release Sunday. Calling his Andhra Pradesh counterpart "dirtiest politician in the country", Rao had said Saturday that Naidu lacked consistency as he was part of the NDA once but criticised it after pulling out of the BJP-led coalition. Ramana, who heads TDP's Telangana unit, also objected to the state government's ordinance which limits reservations in Panchayat body elections to 50 per cent following a Supreme Court direction. Ramana demanded withdrawal of the ordinance. "An all-party meeting should have been convened by the chief minister over the matter," he said. Telangana BJP chief K Laxman also accused chief minister Rao on Sunday of bringing down the stature of his post by his comments against leaders of opposition parties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Keira Knightley, who recently revealed that she has barred her daughter from watching Disney film "Cinderella" owing to its dodgy feminist message, said she was shocked with the way fans retaliated. The 33-year-old actor said she was simply "being perky" in the interview and did not expect the followers of the classic to go all guns blazing on her. "I thought I was just being perky in an interview. My God, people feel really strongly. Don't f**k with Cinderella. Her fans will end you," Knightley told The Guardian. In October, the actor she has "banned" her three-year-old daughter, Edie Knightley Righton, from watching 1950 classic "Cinderella" because "she waits around for a rich guy to rescue her". "Don't! Rescue yourself. Obviously!" she said. "And this is the one that I'm quite annoyed about because I really like the film, but "Little Mermaid" (is banned, too). I mean, the songs are great, but do not give your voice up for a man. Hello! But the problem with 'The Little Mermaid' is I love 'The Little Mermaid'! That one's a little tricky but I'm keeping to it," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dadasaheb Phalke award-winning film director Mrinal Sen, the last of the triumvirate of directing icons, Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, passed away on Sunday. He was 95. Sen took his last breath at 10.30 am after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments, family sources said. "Sen passed away today around 10.30 am due to age- related ailments," a family member said. He is survived by his son. His wife, actor Geeta Sen, passed away last year. The auteur, who has won multiple national awards, was known for his artistic depiction of social reality. The iconic director who started the "new wave of Indian cinema" with "Bhuvan Shome", was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers to bring recognition to country's film industry on international platforms. His 1982 Bengali film "Kharij" won the jury prize at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival. A career spanning for more than six decades, Sen was one of the greatest ambassadors of parallel cinema directing films in both Bengali and Hindi. His trilogy - "Interview", "Calcutta 71" and "Padatik" - is considered to be a masterpiece for depicting the social and political upheaval in Kolkata in the '70s. President Ram Nath Kovind remembered the director for his "penetrating and sensitive portrayal of social realities". "Sad to learn of the passing of acclaimed film-maker Mrinal Sen. From 'Bhuvan Shome' to the 'Calcutta' trilogy, his penetrating and sensitive portrayal of social realities made him a fine chronicler of our times. A loss to Bengal, to India and to the world of cinema," the post from his official Twitter handle read. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condoled the demise of Sen on Twitter. "Saddened at the passing away of Mrinal Sen. A great loss to the film industry. My condolences to his family," she tweeted. CPM Secretary General Sitaram Yechury also remembered the filmmaker for his humanistic narrative. "Mrinal Sen's passing away is a big loss not only to Cinema but to the world of Culture & India's civilisational values. Mrinal da radicalised cinematography by his people-centric humanistic narrative. Deepest condolences," he wrote. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted, "Mrinal Sen no more. A most amiable, distinguished creative cinematic mind , contemporary of Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak.. I did my first ever voice over in his film 'Bhuvan Shome'. Prayers and condolences." Renowned Bengali actor Parambrata Chatterjee tweeted, "End of an era... an epoch... legends never die... bhalo thakben (stay well)." Prosenjit Chatterjee said, "At the end of the year receiving like demise of the legend Mrinal Sen saddens and shocks us. Mrinal jethu gave a new perspective to Indian Cinema. It's a huge loss for all of us. May his soul rest in peace."Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who had worked with film director, said Sen's death was a "personal loss" to him and an irreparable loss to Indian cinema. Nandita Das tweeted, "I dreaded the day I would have to write about Mrinalda in past tense. But I knew it was coming. I met him last on Nov 11th. He was frail but he didn't leave my hand. Mrinalda, the world, and for sure my world won't be the same without you." Veteran actor and film director Aparna Sen said the came as a shock to her. "RIP Mrinal Sen. One of the finest filmmakers. His films were an inspiration.. Contemporary of Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak," Shoojit Sircar said. South superstar Mohanlal also mourned the Indian film industry's loss in Sen's death. "Mrinal Sen you will always be remembered. Rest in Peace," he wrote. Sen was born on May 14, 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh. He did his post graduation from the University of Calcutta. As a student, he was influenced by Marxist ideology and was associated with the cultural wing of the Communist Party of India. Although he never became a member of the party, but he was a part of the Indian Peoples Theatre Association. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1998 to 2003. Sen's last film as a director "Aamaar Bhuvan" ("This, My Land") released in 2002. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dadasaheb Phalke award-winning film director Mrinal Sen, the last of the triumvirate of directing icons, Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, passed away on Sunday. He was 95. Sen took his last breath at his residence at 10.30 am after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments, family source said. "Sen passed away today around 10.30 am due to age-related ailments," a family member said. At around 2:45pm Sen's mortal remains were taken from his residence at Padmapukur in Bhawanipore area to Peace World mortuary. According to a source close the family, the last rites of the filmmaker will be performed tomorrow after his son Kunal Sen, who lives in the US, arrives in India. The family wants to keep the cremation a low key affair, the source added. Sen, who has won multiple national awards, was known for his artistic depiction of social reality. The auteur, who started the "new wave of Indian cinema" with "Bhuvan Shome", was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers to bring recognition to country's film industry on international platforms. His 1982 Bengali film "Kharij" won the jury prize at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival. In a tribute to Sen, the Cannes Festival in 2010 screened his restored masterpiece "Kandahar" ("The Ruins") in their 'Cannes Classic' section, after it was restored frame by frame at the National Film Archives at Pune. In a career spanning for more than six decades, Sen was one of the greatest ambassadors of parallel cinema directing films in both Bengali and Hindi. His trilogy - "Interview", "Calcutta 71" and "Padatik" - is considered to be a masterpiece for depicting the social and political upheaval in Kolkata in the '70s. President Ram Nath Kovind remembered the director for his "penetrating and sensitive portrayal of social realities". "Sad to learn of the passing of acclaimed film-maker Mrinal Sen. From 'Bhuvan Shome' to the 'Calcutta' trilogy, his penetrating and sensitive portrayal of social realities made him a fine chronicler of our times. A loss to Bengal, to India and to the world of cinema," the post from his official Twitter handle read. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of the noted filmmaker, saying the country is grateful to him for giving some of the most memorable films. "Our country is grateful to Shri Mrinal Sen for giving us some of the most memorable films. The dexterity and sensitivity with which he made films is noteworthy. His rich work is admired across generations. Saddened by his demise. My thoughts are with his family and admirers," he said on Twitter. West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi expressed deep grief at the demise of the veteran filmmaker. Mrinal Sen, a Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke awardee, along with his contemporaries Ray and Ghatak paved the way for parallel cinema in the country with gems like 'Mrigayaa', 'Ek Din Achanak', 'Padatik' and 'Akaler Sandhane'. "His cinema is known for artistic depiction of social reality. His death is an irreparable loss to creative Indian cinema," Tripathi said in a statement. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condoled Sen's demise on Twitter. "Saddened at the passing away of Mrinal Sen. A great loss to the film industry. My condolences to his family," she tweeted. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said he was saddened by the demise of the noted filmmaker. "He was known for his stellar works in Bengali movies and awarded many national & international awards. May God render peace to the departed soul," he tweeted. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury also remembered the filmmaker for his humanistic narrative. "Mrinal Sen's passing away is a big loss not only to Cinema but to the world of Culture & India's civilisational values. Mrinal da radicalised cinematography by his people-centric humanistic narrative. Deepest condolences," he wrote. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted, "Mrinal Sen no more. A most amiable, distinguished creative cinematic mind, contemporary of Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak.. I did my first ever voice over in his film 'Bhuvan Shome'. Prayers and condolences." Renowned Bengali actor Parambrata Chatterjee tweeted, "End of an era... an epoch... legends never die... bhalo thakben (stay well)." Prosenjit Chatterjee said, "At the end of the year receiving like demise of the legend Mrinal Sen saddens and shocks us. Mrinal jethu gave a new perspective to Indian Cinema. It's a huge loss for all of us. May his soul rest in peace."Veteran actor Soumitra Chatterjee, who had worked with film director, said Sen's death was a "personal loss" to him and an irreparable loss to Indian cinema. South superstar Mohanlal also mourned the Indian film industry's loss in Sen's death. "Mrinal Sen you will always be remembered. Rest in Peace," he wrote. Sen was born on May 14, 1923, in the town of Faridpur, now in Bangladesh. He did his post graduation from the University of Calcutta. As a student, he was influenced by Marxist ideology and was associated with the cultural wing of the Communist Party of India. Although he never became a member of the party, but he was a part of the Indian Peoples Theatre Association. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1998 to 2003. Sen's last film as a director "Aamaar Bhuvan" ("This, My Land") released in 2002. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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 The new look M P Birla Planetarium, the first public planetarium in Asia, has been able to attract one million visitors after it reopened 17 months ago, director of the planetarium, Debiprosad Duari, has said. The planetarium was shut-down in March 2015 for renovation and had reopened on July 22, 2017. About one million people visited the revamped planetarium with the shows having generated tremendous interest among the viewers, especially students, Duari said. The students are offered a special discount when they visit the planetarium in a group of more than 25 students. They have to carry a letter from the head of the institution where they study, he said. The planetarium was now conducting shows with the help of the most modern version of an 'opto mechanical projector', Duari told PTI on Saturday. Nine ultra high resolution digital projectors, named 'Velvet', were also being used, he said. "We have installed the latest generation Hybrid Projection System, manufactured by he Carl Zeiss Company of Germany. "Installation of these projectors enable us to depict the night sky as it appears to the naked eye," Duari said. The planetarium was now planning to introduce new programmes in the New Year to meet the curiosity of the people about the "amazing world of astronomy and help in moulding a scientific outlook," he said. Built in 1962, the planetarium is the first public planetarium in Asia and the second largest in the world. A landmark in Kolkata, it used to attract close to seven lakh visitors annually before it was shutdown for renovation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fourteen persons without valid identity papers were arrested from two boats near Panju Island in Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said Sunday. Police said that a Coast Guard patrolling team Saturday spotted two boats off the Uttan coast and boarded them for a check. "A Coast Guard hovercraft deployed in the area on December 29 sighted two unnamed and unregistered sand-laden boats off Uttan. The crew on board had no valid permit, documents or ID proof. They claimed to hail from West Bengal," said Coast Guard PRO Abhinandan Maitra. He said the 14 were handed over to Vasai police for further probe. During the Coast Guard operation, four other boats in the vicinity came ashore and its crew members fled into the dense mangroves nearby, the official added. The Vasai police had been intimated about this incident as well and have been asked to trace these persons and ascertain their antecedents, he said. Police identified the 14 arrested persons as Abil Shaikh (25), Shafiful (27), Ahajith (33), Moiddin (45), Islam (35), B Shaikh (22), Shaiful (27), N Mulla (45), Rafiqul (19), Saiful (27), J MUlla (40), Mondal (28), Painal (38) and Ibrahim Shaikh (25). Police said investigations were underway to find out if the persons arrested are Bangladeshi nationals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A majority of museums and cultural repositories in India stand at risk of suffering "grave damage" in the event of a major fire, an international expert has cautioned and suggested that a disaster management plan should be properly implemented by these institutions. Vinod Daniel, an India-born Australian and a top museum specialist, said the fire at the National Museum of Brazil, in which a massive collection of it was destroyed, holds valuable lessons for developing countries, including India. "The fire in Brazil this year and the one which gutted the National Museum of Natural History in Delhi in 2016, should serve as grim reminders about the perils our invaluable treasures face, due to lack of or inadequacy of a disaster management plan, particularly against fire incidents," he said. The 56-year-old, who is also a board member of Paris-based International Council of Museums (ICOM), said, museums in India should immediately do a risk management exercise. "Once they conduct the exercise, I reckon, the biggest threat that will emerge for them would be fire. Also, at present, a majority of museums, old libraries and cultural repositories do not have proper disaster management plan in place, so that stand at risk of suffering grave damage in case of a major fire, as it happened in Brazil," Daniel told PTI in an interview. However, some of the museums, such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly named the Prince of Wales Museum of Western), do have a management policy and a roadmap to deal with such incidents, he said. Daniel, also chairman of AusHeritage, a non-profit cultural heritage network in Australia, suggested that besides having a good plan for safekeeping, museums should invest in documentation of artefacts and training of staff for proper handling of exhibits, in the wake of a disaster. "Biggest risks to collections in developing countries, like India are natural disasters such as earthquake and flood, and fire, which totally destroys. In case of a fire, a museum serious about these issues will have a proper fire alarm system, have a list of key contact people, and team of first responders, who know where are the rarest collections, and try rescuing those. "They would also know what kind of substance to use for extinguishing the flames, whether it is gas or something else, to put out fire on books, manuscripts and artefacts. Lack of knowledge ends up damaging more than a fire," he said. India currently has about 900 museums, from state-owned to private and local museums, said Daniel, an IIT-Delhi graduate and an IIT-Madras alumnus, who started his career with the J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles in the US as a conservation scientist and then moved to Australia from there. India also has some of the oldest and fascinating libraries with rare, rich collection of books, like the Connemara Library in Chennai, he said. "The collection is majestic, and so is the building, but when it comes to fire disaster management plan there, it leaves a lot to be desired," he lamented. The Sydney-based expert also claimed that not much fund is diverted towards creation of fire-safety mechanism as "it is not seen as an visible, attractive exercise by many politicians compared to say cutting a ribbon to inaugurate a new gallery". He also pitched for introduction of more courses in museology in various academic institutions to inculcate the value of history and heritage among the people, especially the youth. Asked, what will be the future of museums in the digital ages, Daniel, who has worked with museums in Mumbai, Chennai, Egypt and Myanmar, among other institutions, responded in a very optimistic tone. "Based on existing research, I can say that the fascination for seeing the original object has not changed, even in the age of virtual reality and internet. Virtual reality can never replace the experience of seeing the original artefacts or paintings. So, people still queue up outside Louvre Museum (home of the Mona Lisa) or the National Palace Museum in Taipei," he said. Daniel asserted that newer technologies should be used by museums to enhance the experience of visitors, and virtual experience is for those people, who either live far-off from the museum or do not have access to the place. So, one experience does not cut into another, he said. He also said that China and Singapore have invested big on museums, among other countries. "China already has some of the biggest museums, and now it is building 200-300 museums every year. Singapore, particularly stands out, since till 1990s, the country was in poor shape and after its economy picked up, it made heritage an important part of its policy-making, and set up a National Heritage Board," Daniel said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday paid her tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of Tricolour hoisting by the freedom fighter at Port Blair in 1943. Bose had hoisted the national flag for the first time at Cellular Jail, Port Blair, on December 30, 1943. The chief minister asserted that Netaji would continue to inspire his countrymen. "On December 30, 1943, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the Tricolour for the first time in #PortBlair. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of that historic event, I bow humbly to the great leader. #Netaji continues to inspire us," she tweeted. The Centre has announced that it will release Rs 75 commemorative coin to mark the historic event. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man in his early 30s has been arrested for allegedly impersonating top government officials for the last two years, police said Sunday. The accused has been identified as Nirmal Sah, the police said. He was arrested on Saturday from his in-laws house in Dumka district for duping several government officials, a police officer said. The accused is a resident of Karipahari under the jurisdiction of Pakuria police station in Pakur district, Superintendent of Police (SP) Y S Ramesh said. Ramesh said the accused, posing as a secretary of a government department, IG, DIG, vigilance officer and even as an influential person attached to the chief ministers residence, used to call up various government officials, demand money from them by assuring them a promotion. He used to tell them that he would also resolve their pending cases, the SP said. The matter came to light when Sah called up the Block Supply Officer of Masaliya, Rameshwar Jha, and demanded Rs 2.5 lakh from him Ramesh said, adding that following an investigation, the police found out that Sah have been accused of duping several officials across the state. Police has confiscated around Rs 13 lakh from his different bank accounts and recovered the mobile phone used for demanding money. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One person was killed and 10 vehicles were torched by Maoists in Bihar's Aurangabad district, a senior police officer said Sunday. Superintendent of Police, Satya Prakash said the Maoists attacked Sudi Bigaha village under the jurisdiction of Deo police station area late on Saturday night and shot dead a man identified as Narendra Singh (55). Singh is the uncle of Rajan Kumar Singh, who is a member of Bihar Legislative Council, he said. According to SP, the Maoists fired several rounds and set 10 vehicles on fire including three tractors parked at Narendra Singh's house. The Maoists also set a house belonging to one Dhananjay Singh, a dafadar with Deo police station, on fire located near Sudi Bigaha village, SP said. After getting information about Maoist attack, security forces reached the village and exchanged fire with the Naxals, who fled from the village, Prakash said. Senior police officers and CRPF Commandant Saurav Choudhary are camping in the village. The SP said police have launched a massive search operation after cordoning off the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela Sunday said Manmohan Singh was the "world's best prime minister" who worked hard for the country without seeking publicity. In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vaghela accused him of "wasting" public money on the Statue of Unity and for "self-advertisement", and sought Rs 10,000 crore aid for welfare of the OBC community. "This (Central) government allocated only Rs 1800 crore for welfare of the entire OBC community (in 2018-19). What does that mean? You waste more than Rs 5000 crore in advertisements. Why not give it to the community?" Vaghela asked while addressing an OBC Sammelan at Fagvel in Kheda district, around 38 kms from here. Questionning priorities of the Modi government, Vaghela said the ruling dispensation spent "Rs 10,000 crore" on the construction of the Statue of Unity and Mahatma Mandir (a convention hall in the state capital Gandhinagar) even as "people are dying of hunger, farmers committing suicide, and youths becoming jobless". "...The government should give Rs 10,000 crore for the welfare of the OBC community," he said. The Statue of Unity, which is the tallest monument in the world dedicated to first Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was unveiled by the prime minister in Gujarat's Narmada district in October this year. Referring to Bollywood film "The Accidental Prime Minister," Vaghela, who had quit Congress ahead of 2017 Gujarat assembly polls, said Manmohan Singh was "the best prime minister in the world. "Manmohan Singh saved the country from recession for ten years. He did not work to get his photos published, or deliver speeches. You are silent, not him. His work spoke for himself," he said in an apparent reference to Modi's criticism of Singh as "mauni baba" or a silent premier. "The Accidental Prime Minister" is a biographical film based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Sanjaya Baru, the then media adviser to Manmohan Singh. Singh, who headed the erstwhile UPA government, served as the 13th PM of the country who remained in office from May 22, 2004 to May 26, 2014. The Congress has said the film is the BJP's propaganda against the Grand Old Party. Without naming Modi, Vaghela asked him to give account of the works done by his government after coming to power in 2014. "They gave you power for five years to work. But you have made fun of people. The entire country is finished. The country has gone backward by 15 years (due to demonetisation and GST)," he said. There is nobody who understands the economy in the Central government. What has it got to do with us whether your plane lands in the Sabarmati (river) or in the ocean? We should not fall for such "dramabazi", he said. The prime minister had taken a seaplane flight from the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad to the Dharoi dam in Mehsana district on the last day of campaigning for Gujarat polls last year, triggering a row. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maoists shot dead the uncle of a BJP MLC, set a house and 10 vehicles on fire in Bihar's Aurangabad district, a senior police officer said Sunday. Superintendent of Police Satya Prakash said the Maoists attacked Sudi Bigaha village under the jurisdiction of Deo Police Station late on Saturday night, during which a man identified as Narendra Singh (55) was shot dead. Singh is the uncle of Rajan Kumar Singh, a BJP member of Bihar Legislative Council, he said. According to the SP, the Maoists fired several rounds and set 10 vehicles on fire, including three tractors parked at Narendra Singh's house. The Maoists also set a house belonging to one Dhananjay Singh, a dafadar with Deo police station, on fire located near Sudi Bigaha village, SP said. After getting information about the Maoist attack, security forces reached the village and exchanged fire with the Naxals, who then fled from the spot, Prakash said. Senior police officers, including the SP and CRPF Commandant Saurav Choudhary, are camping in the village. The SP said police have launched a massive search operation after cordoning off the area. Meanwhile, the BJP MLC held the police and the state government "responsible" for the attack. "Naxal attack in the village is the result of mistakes of both the administration and the state government. I had given an application to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the DGP for setting up a police station or at least a police outpost in the village but no action was taken. The administration and the state government are responsible for the incident," the BJP MLC said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Focused on further improving corporate governance practices, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs will strive to ensure a positive co-relation between high standards for governance and ease of doing business in 2019, according to a senior official. As the curtains come down on an event 2018 that witnessed the IL&FS crisis and the Punjab National Bank fraud rattling investor sentiments, the corporate affairs ministry will look forward to raise the governance standards as well as move ahead with various other reform measures. From strengthening the framework for independent directors to changing norms of governing companies and possible reworking of regulations for auditors, the ministry's plate is full. Besides, the clampdown on suspected shell companies and stepping up the vigil to curb financial misdoings and actions against perpetrators of fraudulent activities are continuing. Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said the objectives of raising corporate governance standards and ease of doing business go hand in hand. "But when corporate governance standards are coming down or are not high, then having very high standards of ease of doing business is a problem. So they go hand in hand and are positively co-related. "So, the effort is on corporate governance, raising the standards and along with it promoting ease of doing business," he told PTI in an interview. There is a need as well as room for lot of improvement in corporate governance in the country, Srinivas said. Another key initiative is de-criminalisation of corporate offences, which are essentially technical or procedural in nature, under the companies law. The move will help declog special courts as well as the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). In this regard, a bill to replace an ordinance as well as amend the Companies Act, 2013 was introduced in the Lok Sabha this month. "I think this is a big step and I think if it works well, we should be able to see more and more sections coming into penalty regime vis-a-vis the fine and imprisonment kind of regime. They become civil offences rather than criminal offences or a combination of both civil and criminal offences," the Corporate Affairs Secretary said. An e-adjudication platform, which would be "non-discretionary" will be put in place soon. "The idea is that you should have more and more interface with the system rather than having to interact with any regulator. The outcome should be predictable and time-bound. You should make it non-discretionary and transparent," he noted. In other significant developments, the ministry has set up the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), pushed ahead with electronic Know Your Customer (KYC) requirement for all directors, decided on dematerialisation of securities of unlisted public companies and rolled out various e-governance initiatives. In the IL&FS matter, the ministry invoked a rarely-used provision to supersede the group's board and a probe by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is progressing. This followed the ministry taking strict action, including ordering SFIO probe into the nearly Rs 14,000 crore scam at Punjab National Bank. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After meeting a suspected militant's sister, who was allegedly beaten up by Jammu and Kashmir police, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday warned of "dangerous consequences" if harassment of militants' families is not stopped. She met the woman, Rubina, at her residence in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. "Visited Patipora Pulwama where Rubina (whose brother happens to be a militant)was, along with her husband & brother, beaten mercilessly in police custody. The severe nature of her injuries has left her bedridden," Mufti wrote on Twitter. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik to take action against police officials involved in the incident. "Urge the jandkgovernor to initiate action and prevent such incidents in the future. If harassment of families of militants isn't stopped, it will have consequences leading to further alienation in the valley," Mufti said. Later, talking to reporters, she said such incidents would not be tolerated. "What is the fault of the sister of a militant? She has been stripped and beaten by the SHO of Trikuta Nagar and of Bhatindi (in Jammu). First, you (male police officials) cannot touch a woman and you should have women police for that. Then, her husband and brother have (also) been beaten," Mufti said. "I want to ask the governor that if you have a fight with a militant, why are his relatives, especially his sister, beaten? We will not allow this. I want to tell the governor and warn the police as well that if there is another such incident, then there will be dangerous consequences," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Welcome Guest! You Are Here: A militant carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head and wanted by security agencies in connection with the attack on Army personnel in 2015 in which 18 armymen were killed was arrested by police, a senior police officer said Sunday. Laishram Anand alias Sana (27), 'Valley Commander' of KCP (People's War Group) wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his role in Paraolon ambush in which 18 army personnel were killed was arrested by police in Manipur's Imphal West district on Saturday, the Superintendent of Police, H Jogeshchandra Singh said. The SP said the arrested militant was also carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head. Anand was produced before a local court which sent him to eight days police remand, the SP added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Most states have maintained silence on a draft bill which seeks life in jail for public servants convicted of torture. So far, only four states -- Meghalaya, Sikim, Jharkand and Himachal Pradesh -- have conveyed their agreements with the draft bill prepared by the Law Commission. According to a Law Ministry note which was prepared for use in Lok Sabha Question Hour, the Centre had in November reminded all states to send their views on the draft 'Prevention of torture bill, 2017'. It had also asked for their views on a law panel report submitted to the Law Ministry in October, 2017 on a proposal to amend sections 330 and 331 of the Indian Penal Code to include 'torture' as a crime. The proposal was sent to the Law Commission, then headed by Justice (retd) B S Chauhan for its views. The law panel submitted a report on implementation of the United Nations Convention against torture and also prepared the draft bill. The report, as well as the draft bill, were sent to states for their views earlier this year as criminal laws are in the concurrent list and stands of the states are required. Recommending life in jail for public servants convicted of torture, the Law Commission has said the government should ratify a UN convention to tide over difficulties in extraditing criminals from foreign countries due to the absence of a law preventing harsh treatment by authorities. It also said in case the government decided to ratify the UN convention on torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, a bill should be introduced in Parliament to amend various laws to prevent torture by government officials. The draft 'Prevention of torture bill, 2017' proposes "stringent punishment" to perpetrators to curb instances of torture and to have a deterrent effect. The punishment could extend up to life imprisonment and also include a fine. The report submitted to the law ministry said the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, require amendments to accommodate provisions regarding compensation and burden of proof. It recommended an amendment to section 357B of IPC to incorporate payment of compensation, in addition to the payment of fine provided in the Indian Penal Code. The report, now in the public domain, said the Indian Evidence Act required the insertion of a new section 114B. "This will ensure that in case a person in police custody sustains injuries, it is presumed that those injuries have been inflicted by the police, and the burden of proof shall lie on the authority concerned to explain such injury," it said. Referring to compensation to victims, it said the courts would decide upon a "justiciable compensation" after taking into account various facets of an individual case, such as nature, purpose, extent and manner of injury, including mental agony caused to the victim. "The courts will bear in mind the socioeconomic background of the victim" and ensure that the compensation will help the victim bear the expenses on medical treatment and rehabilitation, the panel recommended. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The IUML, a key ally of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, Sunday said it has received a "satisfactory" explanation from its MP - P K Kunhalikutty for abstaining from the crucial discussion and voting on the 'triple talaq' bill in the Lok Sabha and that it was not contemplating any action against him. In a statement, party supremo Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal said he was "satisfied" with Kunhalikutty's explanation on the matter. "Since the party is satisfied with his explanation, there is no need for any action against him. The controversy on the matter should end keeping in mind the party's interest," he said, adding at the same time, people's representatives need to exercise caution and function in a responsible manner and ensure such incidents are not repeated. Discontent was brewing in the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) over Kunhalikutty's absence from the discussions on the bill. Kunahalikutty, is the party general secretary and MP from Malappuram. Thangal also said party MPs have been directed to hold talks with other UPA allies and like-minded parties to ensure the defeat of the bill when it is taken up in the Rajya sabha on Monday. Talks in this regard are going on in Delhi, he said. Another party MP, E T Muhammed Basheer, had voted against the bill in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Kunhalikutty, considered a powerful IUML leader, had told media in Dubai Saturday that he had to skip the discussion and voting to attend an important meeting of the governing body of party organ "Chandrika" and it was not intentional. The MP also refuted media reports that he had abstained from the discussion to attend a marriage of a businessman. Meanwhile, activists of the PDP Sunday took out a march to Kunhalikutty's residence in Malapuram district, demanding his resignation from the Lok Sabha for hurting the sentiments of the community over the issue. Workers of the Indian National League (INL), part of the ruling LDF, had taken out a march to his house on Saturday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after the ED told a court that AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel had made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi", NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said the opposition parties will raise the issue of "misuse" of government agencies in Parliament. A Delhi court hearing the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case on Saturday imposed restrictions on alleged middleman Christian Michel meeting his lawyers in ED custody after the agency said that he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi'. In its application seeking extension of Michel's remand, the Enforcement Directorate also claimed that he has spoken during questioning about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he is going to become the next prime minister of the country. When asked about ED's claim, Pawar told reporters here that, "The session of Parliament will be resuming from tomorrow. I will discuss the issue with all the Opposition parties and take a strong stand against misuse of government agencies like the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Reserve Bank." In this regard, he also referred to the press conference held earlier this year by four senior judges of the Supreme Court. The Congress had Saturday claimed that the government was using the probe agencies to malign the Gandhi family, while the BJP said the "truth is coming out". Pawar said the recently-concluded elections in five states reflected the anger of people against the "bad governance" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "This trend will continue till the upcoming Lok Sabha polls," he claimed. The former Union minister also said that the NCP was strictly against the ideology and practices of the BJP. He said the NCP will take action against all its 18 corporators in the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation and the local party Leaders who supported the BJP in the mayoral election two days back. The issue will be discussed at the state-level meet of the party on January 5, 2019 and appropriate action will be taken against the corporators, he said. Despite lacking the numbers, the BJP, supported by NCP corporators, won the election for mayor in the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation, leaving the ally Shiv Sena licking its wounds. The Shiv Sena had won the highest number of seats in the recent civic election but did not have a majority. The BJP has only 14 members in the 68-member civic body against Shiv Sena's 24. But the BJP candidate polled 37 votes in the mayoral election. All the newly-elected 18 corporators of the NCP voted for the BJP by defying the party diktat. Pawar said the NCP state leadership had given clear instructions to its corporators not to support the BJP. He was here in Maharashtra to attend the centenary celebration of the Ahmednagar Jilha Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif will challenge his conviction in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case in the Islamabad High Court this week, his lawyer said on Sunday, after the PML-N supremo was sentenced to seven years in jail for corruption. 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 as prime minister in the high-profile Panama Papers case in July last year. Last Monday, an anti-corruption court in Islamabad sentenced 68-year-old Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case but acquitted him in the Flagship Investment case. The accountability court had also imposed a fine of USD 2.5 million and 1.5 million pounds on Sharif. "We have almost finalised the draft of the appeal against the verdict (against Sharif) and will file it in the Islamabad High Court this week," Sharif's lawyer Khwaja Haris told PTI. He said "We are hopeful to get relief from the high court as there are many loopholes in the judgment of the accountability court". Sharif's legal team also called on him at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore on Saturday and discussed with him legal matters related to the appeal challenging the accountability court's verdict. They also met his daughter Maryam Nawaz at the Sharif's Jati Umra residence in Raiwind and discussed the case. The accountability court had also barred Sharif from holding public office for 10 years after completing his sentence. It also ordered confiscation of his Hill Metal Establishment firm and issued perpetual warrants of arrest for his sons - Hussain and Hassan - who had been declared proclaimed offenders. This was the second conviction of three-time prime minister Sharif this year, as he had been convicted for 10 years, along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz (seven years) and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar (one year), in the Avenfield case in July. The Islamabad High Court had suspended their sentence and they were released on September 19 after spending 63 days in prison. The three corruption references were filed in the court against the Sharif family following revelations of their offshore holdings in the Panama Papers in 2016. Sharif spent a night in Adialia jail in Rawalpindi after his conviction on Monday and was shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail the next day. Sharif's younger brother and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif is also incarcerated at the Kot Lakhpat jail in the Rs 14 billion Ashiyana Housing scam. According to jail sources, both brothers meet each other as they are in the same barrack. Shahbaz, also the opposition leader in the National Assembly, will be shifted to Islamabad when the parliamentary session is underway. The PML-N has expressed hope that Sharif will get relief from the high court as no corruption has been proven against him. "According to our legal team the judgment of the accountability court is very weak and we have strong grounds to pin hopes to get relief from the high court," said PML-N senior leader and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal. He said in the Al-Azizia case "justice has not been served as there are many loopholes in the judgment". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday travelled to Qatar, where he is expected to discuss the Afghan reconciliation process and issues of mutual interests with the top officials of the Gulf country. Officials here said that Qureshi was received by top officials of the Qatari Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Pakistan Embassy at the Doha airport. During his day-long trip, Qureshi will hold meetings with top Qatari leadership, including the prime minister and vice prime minister, Radio Pakistan reported. Diplomatic sources said that the Afghan reconciliation process will be prominent during his talks with the Qatari leaders. Qatar has been hosting the Taliban's political office since 2012, which makes Doha a key player in any move to bring peace in war-torn Afghanistan. In a video shared by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party on Twitter, Qureshi spoke about the relationship between Pakistan and Qatar, where a large Pakistani community resides. The minister added that he had previously met Qatar's foreign minister, who wanted him to visit Doha. On the Afghan peace process, Qureshi said that Pakistan had decided on "regional outreach" and on taking important allies into confidence, as well as exchanging views with them about the regional situation and the Afghan issue, Dawn reported. He said that Doha had played a role in the peace and reconciliation process in the past and it was therefore important to get their opinion on the matter. Last week, the foreign minister travelled to Kabul, Tehran, Beijing and Moscow in connection with the Afghan peace process. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At a time when modernisation of the Army's armoured corp is moving at a "snail's pace", Pakistan has drawn up a mega plan to procure nearly 600 modern battle tanks, including the T-90s from Russia, primarily to bolster its combat prowess along the Line of Actual Control in Jammu and Kashmir, military and intelligence sources said Sunday. Most of the tanks Pakistan was procuring are likely to have features like state-of-the-art computerised fire control system for increased accuracy and they will be able to hit targets within a range of 3 to 4 kms, the sources told PTI. Some of the tanks are set to be deployed along the Line of Control and they will have wider features for battlefield effectiveness, they added. Apart from the battle tanks, the Pakistan Army is also procuring 245 150mm SP Mike-10 guns from Italy. It has already received 120 guns of those. The sources said Pakistan was eyeing to buy from Russia a batch of T-90 battle tanks -- the mainstay of the armoured regiments of the Indian Army -- and that the move reflects Islamabad's intent to forge a deeper defence engagement with Moscow which has been India's largest defence supplier for decades. Pakistan has been holding joint military drills with Russia in the last couple of years besides eyeing to purchase Russian platforms, triggering some concerns in New Delhi. The sources said as part of the ambitious plan to significantly revamp its armoured fleet by 2025, Pakistan has decided to procure at least 360 battle tanks from leading global manufacturers and produce 220 tanks indigenously with help from China. The Pakistan Army's move to enhance its armoured corps comes at a time the Line of Actual control in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed growing hostilities, especially over the last one year. The Indian Army has been strongly retaliating to every unprovoked firing by the Pakistani side. But, when the Indian Army is focused on counter-terror operations, the Pakistan Army was fast reducing its gap with Indian forces in fighting a conventional war, the intelligence sources said, adding Islamabad was also gradually increasing its missile regiments. Military sources said modernisation of the Indian Army's armoured regiments was moving at a "snail's pace" due to procedural delays and the issue is being examined at a very high level of the government. The Indian Army had drawn up a mega plan to modernise its infantry and armoured corps. However, almost all the procurement projects including the Rs 60,000-crore Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme are stuck due to a variety of reasons. At present, India's armoured regiments, comprising mainly the T-90, the T-72 and the Arjuna tanks, have much more superiority over Pakistan, but sources said Islamabad was seriously planning to bridge the gap at the earliest. As against around 67 armoured regiments of the Indian Army, the number of similar regiments in Pakistan Army is around 51, the sources said. At present, over 70 per cent of the tanks in Pakistan's armoury have the capability to operate during night which, they said, was a matter of concern. Besides eyeing to procure the T-90 tanks, the Pakistan Army is also in the process of inducting the Chinese VT-4 tanks as well as the Oplod-P tanks from Ukrain, the sources said. Trials for both Oplod and VT-4 tanks have already been conducted by the Pakistan Army. At present, Pakistan is learnt to have around 17 units of the Chinese-origin T-59 and T69 tanks, which comprise 30 per cent of its total tank strength, the sources said. It also has 12 regiments of Al-Zarar tanks, which makes 20 per cent of the tank fleet while the Ukrain-origin T-80-UD and T-85-UD as well as upgraded version of the T-59 tanks comprise the rest 50 per cent tank fleet, they said. "The Pakistan Army is carrying out modernisation of its armoured regiments in a calibrated and time-bound manner which is not the case in India," said an expert, who wished not to be named. He said it was a matter of concern the way Pakistan was modernising its tank fleet. The Indian Army has also raised an independent tank brigade which is stationed in Ladakh but it is not enough, the expert said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan has drawn up an ambitious plan to procure close to 600 battle tanks including T-90 tanks from Russia, primarily to bolster its military might along the border with India, intelligence sources said sunday. Most of the tanks Pakistan was procuring will be able to hit targets at a range of 3 to 4 km, the sources told PTI. Apart from battle tanks, Pakistan Army is also procuring 245 150mm SP Mike-10 guns from Italy out of which it has already received 120 guns, they said. The sources said Pakistan was eyeing to buy from Russia a batch of T-90 battle tanks- the mainstays of the armoured regiments of the Indian Army - and that the move reflects Islamabad's intent to forge a deeper defence engagement with Moscow. Russia has been India's largest and most trusted defence supplier post Independence. The sources said as part of the mega plan to significantly revamp its armoured fleet by 2025, Pakistan has decided to procure at least 360 battle tanks globally besides producing 220 tanksindigenouslywith help from its close ally China. Pakistan Army's move to enhance its armoured corps comes at a time when the Line of Actual control in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed growing hostilities in the last one year. The Indian Army has been strongly retaliating to every unprovoked firing by Pakistani side. But, when the Indian Army is focused on counter-terror operations, the Pakistan Army was fast reducing its gap with Indian forces in fighting a conventional war, sources said. The Indian Army had drawn up a mega plan to modernise its infantry and armoured corps. However almost all the procurement projects including the Rs 60,000 crore Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme are stuck due to a variety of reasons. At present, India's armoured regiments, comprising mainly T-90, T-72 and Arjuna tanks, have much more superiority over Pakistan, but sources said Islamabad was seriously planning to bridge the gap at the earliest. As against around 67 armoured regiments of Indian Army, the number of similar regiments in Pakistan Army is around 51, the sources said. They said, at present, over 70 per cent of the tanks in Pakistan's armory have the capability to operate during night which, they said, was a matter of concern. Besides eyeing to procure T-90 tanks, Pakistan Army is also in the process of inducting Chinese VT-4 tanks as well as Oplod-P tanks from Ukraine, the sources said. Trials for both Oplod and VT-4 tanks have already been conducted by the Pakistan Army. At present, Pakistan is learnt to have around 17 units pf Chinese origin T-59 and T69 tanks, which comprise 30 per cent of its total tank strength, the sources said. It also has 12 regiments of Al-Zarar tanks, which makes 20 per cent of the tank fleet while Ukrain origin T-80-UD and T-85 UD as well as upgraded version of T-59 tanks comprise the rest of the 50 per cent tank fleet, they said. "The Pakistan Army is carrying out modernisation of its armored regiments in a calibrated and time-bound manner which is not the case in India," said an expert, who wished not to be named. He said it was a matter of concern the way Pakistan was modernising its tank fleet. The Indian Army has also raised an independent tank brigade which is stationed in Ladakh but it is not enough, the expert added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With stray incidents of violence reported during the Punjab panchayat polls on Sunday, the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) blamed the Congress, alleging a "complete hijacking" of the election by the ruling party. "Congress party is now afraid to face people. They know they have done nothing. That's why party indulged in large scale violence and rigging in Panchayat elections today. Black day for democracy. Elections hijacked," SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said in a tweet. Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that Congress workers incited violence during the polling and indulged in booth-capturing at some places, but the administration remained a mute spectator. He alleged a "complete hijacking" of the polls by the Congress and said "this amounted to murder of democracy". The main opposition party in the state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), also alleged that booth capturing did happen at some places. Reacting to the alleged incidents of violence and booth-capturing, Leader of Opposition and senior AAP leader Harpal Cheema said it was a "black day" for democracy. As the counting of votes began in the evening, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh congratulated the winning candidates. "Congratulations to the winners of #PunjabPanchayatPolls. A strong assertion of democracy at the grassroots. I call upon the newly elected Sarpanches and Panchayat members to work out a long-term vision to usher in positive change in their villages," he said in a tweet. The polls were held to elect as many as 13,276 "sarpanch" (village headman) and 83,831 "panch" (village council members) for 13,276 villages, officials said. They added that before the polls, 4,363 "sarpanch" and 46,754 "panch" were already declared elected unopposed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stray incidents of violence were reported in Punjab during Panchayat polls Sunday even as an elderly voter was killed during an alleged booth capturing attempt at a Ferozepur polling station, officials said. Approximately 80 per cent voting was reported in the state, they said. At some places in Punjab, candidates and their supporters levelled allegations of booth capturing by some miscreants. Voters had started queuing up outside polling stations at 8 am, braving cold weather, before voting closed at 4 pm to elect sarpanches and panches for 13,276 villages. In Muktsar's Badal village, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal along with his son and SAD chief Sukhbir and daughter-in-law and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur cast their votes. Both Sukhbir and Harsimrat were seen seeking blessings from the former's estranged uncle Gurdas Singh Badal. Police said stray incidents of violence were reported from different places in the state. In Ferozepur district, an elderly voter was killed after being hit by the vehicle of some unidentified miscreants during their attempt to capture a booth. They also set the papers kept inside a ballot box on fire, they said. About 12-15 unidentified people reached a polling booth at the government primary school in Lakhmir ke Uthar village of Ferozepur's Mamdot block, they said. They arrived in an SUV bearing a Maharashtra registration number and allegedly snatched the ballot box from the polling staff. They burnt the ballot papers and when they were leaving, Mohinder Singh, 60, got hit by their vehicle, the police said. They left the vehicle behind and fled from the spot. The injured man was rushed to Mamdot civil hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, they said. Senior police and police administration officials from the administration and the police including Deputy Commissioner Gurmit Singh Multani, reached the spot and took stock of the situation. At Dina Sahib of Moga district's Nihal Singh Wala sub-division, some unidentified miscreants fired some shots outside a polling booth but no one was injured, the police said. In other areas of the district, minor incidents of scuffle between some villagers were reported, they said. In Jalalabad, a ballot box was damaged by some miscreants and in a village in Tarn Taran district, an argument broke out between Congress and SAD supporters and it was followed by a scuffle in which two people sustained head injuries. They were admitted to a hospital at Bhojia village, SSP Darshan Singh Mann said, adding the incident occurred away from the polling booth. In another incident in the district, camera equipment of an electronic media journalist was damaged by some miscreants when he was covering the polling process outside a booth at Tarn Taran-Patti Road. The SSP said that an FIR was lodged against the four accused, who were identified. He said entire incident was recorded by other journalists. The accused were yet to be arrested, he said. Stray incidents of violence were also reported in Tarn Taran district at Soul and Malian villages. In Amritsar district, at Naushera village's Ram Nagar polling booth, incidents of scuffle were reported. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said an incident of snatching of ballot papers was reported at Lidey village falling in the Harsa Chinna Block which was being probed. SAD workers led by senior leader Sucha Singh Langah blocked a road in a village in Gurdaspur district, alleging booth capturing by Congress workers. In Faridkot district, a candidate for sarpanch's post Raman Singh, owing allegiance to the Congress, alleged that some miscreants damaged his car in Hari Wala village but he escaped unhurt. A minor clash took place between SAD and Congress supporters in a village in Patiala district and a stray incident of violence took place in Rupnagar district as well. Post-poll violence was also reported from some places, including Bathinda and Patiala districts. In Jalal village of Bathinda, supporters of candidates clashed and there were reports of gunshots being fired in the air, they said. The officials said that before the polls, around 4,363 sarpanches (village headman) and 46,754 panches (village council members) had already been declared elected unopposed. Counting of votes will begin after the conclusion of polling. As many as 13,276 sarpanchs and 83,831 panchs will be elected for 13,276 villages. Around 1.27 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the polling. The State Election Commission has set up 17,268 polling booths and 86,340 personnel have been deputed on duty. The polls were held across the state's rural belt amid tight security arrangements, the officials said. In some places, the elderly could be seen being carried on cots to reach the polling booths. In Fatehgarh Sahib's Jabhal village, a bride cast vote in her wedding attire and at some other places, brides and grooms reached the booth to exercise their franchise before solemnising their marriage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg A person, suffering from mental disorder, tried to strip onboard an Air India Express flight from Dubai Saturday, according to an airline source. The incident happened when Air India Express flight IX 194 was on its way to Lucknow from Dubai, he said. On arrival, the passenger, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, was handed over to the airline's security staff. After investigation, it was found that he was having some "mental disorder" and was handed over to his relatives, the source said. "The passengers, who was sitting on seat 12 B of Air India Express light from Dubai got up and tried to strip himself. "A shocked cabin crew somehow controlled the passenger and informed the pilot, who immediately contacted the ATC and asked the security to be provided at the time of landing. At that time the aircraft was approaching Lucknow," the source said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cruised to victory for a third consecutive term in Bangladesh's general election on Sunday, following a tense vote that saw at least 17 people killed in poll-related violence and demands of a fresh election by the opposition, according to media reports. According to media reports, the ruling Awami League-led coalition won over 260 seats in the 300-member House. Private DBC TV aired results of 299 seats out of 300. The ruling Awami League-led grand alliance bagged 266 seats and its ally Jatiya Party secured 21, while the opposition National Unity Front (UNF) with BNP being its key partner got only seven seats, according to the channel. Independent candidates won in two seats, according to the local media. The election was postponed in one seat due to the natural death of a candidate. The Election Commission confirmed the complete result of the constituency in southwestern Gopalganj from where Hasina won bagging 2,29,539 votes, while her BNP opponent got only 123 votes. Bangladesh's opposition NUF alliance, with BNP as its key partner, rejected the outcome of the general election and demanded fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government. The National Unity Front (NUF) is a coalition of parties, including BNP, Gono Forum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League. "We reject the results and demand a new election under a neutral government," NUF convenor and veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who heads the Gono Forum party, told reporters after early results suggested a win for AL-led Grand Alliance. "We ask that you cancel this election right away," Hossain urged the Election Commission, claiming, "we have reports that fraudulence took place in almost all centres". BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who steered the party in Zia's absence and won from his northeastern constituency, described the polls as a "cruel farce". While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The voting started at 8 AM and ended at 4 PM. The results are expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, the EC said. EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 17 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed in eight districts, and several others were injured in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported. The build-up to the election has already been marred by violence. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists, while others were workers of opposition BNP or its allies. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the nation for the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda said. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In his second attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a week, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Sunday dubbed him a "blackmailer" who "threatens" everybody to make them fall in line. Last Sunday, Naidu had termed the prime minister a "hollow man" who had "done nothing" for the country. Addressing a press conference here, Naidu also launched a scathing attack on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for "conspiring" against Andhra Pradesh with the objective of stalling its growth. "Modi is a blackmailer. He gets cases foisted (against someone) and later bails him out. He then blackmails that person. That's what he's doing," the chief minister alleged. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director himself had said that Modi got a case filed against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, he claimed. Modi also bailed out Telangana chief minister in a corruption case related to ESI Corporation, Naidu alleged. "Both Modi and KCR do not want AP to develop. So they want to destabilise me. Here (YSR Congress president) Jagan wants to win (power), so he is taking their support. If it is not conspiracy, what's it," Naidu asked. KCR fears that his "hollowness" would be exposed if Andhra Pradesh gets developed, he said. "The prime minister also fears that he will get exposed because he didn't do anything in the last five years. So, he is getting me abused by KCR," the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief alleged. The chief minister asserted that Andhra Pradesh would definitely develop "if not today, tomorrow". "Definitely, we will create wealth. We have a vision and we will work hard. But Modi and KCR don't like wealth creation," he added. He also took a strong exception to the "language" used by KCR against him on Saturday. "Decency is important in Is it the language a person occupying the CM's position should be using (against his counterpart)? He is talking in an uncivilised tone," Naidu lamented. On KCR offer to write a letter to the prime minister seeking grant of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, Naidu said it was a strategy. "May be he is preparing ground along with Jagan to come and work here. All of them want to finish off Chandrababu Naidu. This is what is," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday visited the Cellular Jail here and paid homage to those who were exiled and hanged as political prisoners in colonial India. On reaching the jail premises, Modi laid a wreath at the Martyr's Column before proceeding towards a cell, where Hindutva idealogue Veer Savarkar spent his days in captivity. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a political leader and practitioner of Hindu philosophy, was imprisoned by the Britishers and moved to the Cellular Jail in 1911. The prime minister sat down on the floor of the cell, in front of Veer Savarkar's photograph, with his eyes closed and hands folded for some time. After stepping out of the cell, he went to the central tower of the prison, and stopped before a marble plaque, where names of jail inmates are inscribed. Modi also visited the gallows, where there were arrangements to hang three prisoners at one go. After taking a tour of the museum at the prison complex, he signed the visitor's book. The Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani, was constructed between 1896 and 1906. The prison is known to have housed many leaders, including Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, Yogendra Shukla, Batukeshwar Dutt and Sachindra Nath Sanyal, during freedom struggle. The jail had special provisions for solitary confinement of the prisoners. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister paid floral tributes to the victims of the 2004 tsunami at a memorial in Car Nicobar here on Sunday. The Prime Minister who reached the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Saturday evening is scheduled to meet tribal chiefs and attend a public function at BJR stadium in Car Nicobar. Later in the day, Modi will hold a review meeting with the local administration at Raj Bhawan, Port Blair, and hoist a high mast flag at South Point Sea Shore. He will visit the cellular jail at Port Blair and pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose to mark the 75th year of the freedom fighter's historic visit to the islands and the hoisting of the flag at Port Blair. At the Netaji Stadium, the prime minister will release a commemorative postal stamp and coin. He will also release the innovation and start-up policy for the islands. The prime minister will inaugurate a 7 MW solar power plant, and solar village. He will also lay the foundation stone for a number of development projects and address a gathering. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday announced renaming of three islands of Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep, Modi said during a speech amidst thunderous applause from the audience here. The three islands are major tourist spots. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated a slew of development projects and laid foundation stones of several others related to energy, connectivity, education, tourism and health sectors. Donning the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) cap, he addressed a public meeting at Netaji Stadium on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the hoisting of the Tricolour by Bose here. "When it comes to heroes of the freedom struggle, we take the name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose with pride. The first Prime Minister of the Azad Hind government Subhash Babu had made India's independence resolution on the soil of Andaman," he said. "The country draws inspiration from Andaman. That is why the government has issued a notification and I am proudly announcing that henceforth, Ross Island will be known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep. The Neil Island will be known as Shahid Dweep and Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep," he said. On this day in 1943, Bose had suggested that Andaman and Nicobar Islands be renamed as Shahid and Swaraj Dweep respectively. During the World War II, the Japanese had captured the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Netaji came here as the Azad Hind Fauz led by him was an ally of the Japanese force. "The historical event of 30th December 1943 has been completed today after 75 years," he said. Modi began his speech by asking the people in the ground to switch on the flashlights of their mobile phones to honour Bose. Thousands of mobile flash lights were then switched on providing a visual delight. At the stadium, the PM also released a commemorative stamp, its first-day cover and a Rs-75 coin on this special day. He also announced setting up of a deemed university named after Bose. The cells of the Cellular Jail where great freedom fighters such as Veer Savarkar, Baba Bhan Singh, Indu Bhushan Roy were tortured for years by the British are no less than temples, the prime minister said. Before this event, the prime minister visited the Cellular Jail and paid homage to those who were exiled and hanged as political prisoners in colonial India. On reaching the jail premises, Modi laid a wreath at the Martyr's Column before proceeding towards a cell, where Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar spent his days in captivity. The Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani, was constructed between 1896 and 1906. Modi also visited the Marina Park here and hoisted a national flag on a 150-feet high mast, besides paying floral tribute at Netaji's statue. The prime minister announced a number of development projects including a sub-marine optical fibre cable between Chennai and Port Blair, a 7-MW solar power plant and a model solar village, and a State Wide Area Network (SWAN) project connecting 12 major islands. A 50-bed AYUSH hospital, a 50-MW LNG power plant would also be set up, Modi said. "Often, people make a distinction between mainland and island. For me, the entire India is mainland. Port Blair is as much mainland for me as Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai," he said. He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not just a symbol of India's natural beauty, but are also like a place of pilgrimage for Indians. In the morning, Modi congratulated the people of Car Nicobar for overcoming the impact of the Tsunami, which struck the Island in 2004, and said the government is also working to provide better facilities to the people in the Andamans. "The people here have been demanding a solution to the problem of sea erosion for a long time. I am glad to announce that the government has decided to erect a sea wall to deal with the problem, the foundation of which will be laid today," he said. "Along with the security of people at Car Nicobar, the government is making efforts to ensure employment for youth, education for children, medical care for the aged and facilities for the farmers," he added. Earlier in the day, the PM paid tributes to Tsunami victims at a memorial in Car Nicobar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Police has sought the assistance of the Nepal Embassy and the NGOs of Nepalese origin in the case of disappearance of eight women and a minor from a Shahdara shelter home earlier this month. Eight women and a minor were reported missing from the shelter home in Shahdara in the first week of December. The Delhi Commission For Women had alleged foul play in the incident and the Delhi government suspended two senior officials in the case. The case was transferred from the district police to the Crime Branch, which has sought the assistance of the embassy and the NGOs in its search for clues to the whereabouts of the missing women, a senior police officer said. "Since they are all women, we need permission from their guardians to publish their photographs in newspapers," the officer said. "We have sought the assistance of the NGOs and the embassy to seek help in tracing their families and taking their consent for publishing public notices," he added. According to the officer who is privy to the probe, the eight women and the minor were rescued last year in November, along with four other women, by the Crime Branch from a brothel on GB Road. After being rescued, they underwent counselling but had expressed a desire to stay on GB Road since they were earning a living and were also able to send money back to their families in Nepal, he said. However, the Child Welfare Committee had sent them to a shelter home in Dwarka, from where four of the rescued women had fled earlier this year, sources said. The remaining women and the minor were then shifted to the shelter home in Shahdara, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind Sunday visited Gir National Park, the only abode of Asiatic lions, during his two-day Gujarat tour. On the second day of his visit to the state, Kovind was received in Junagadh by minister of state for forest Ganpat Vasava. Later, the President enjoyed a lion safari in the Gir National Park, officials said. During his visit, forest officials apprised him of lions' rising population and the government's efforts to protect them. The national park has 523 lions as per the 2015 census. Kovind had visited the Rann of Kutch Saturday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump was firing Twitter barbs at Democrats this weekend as talks to end a weeklong partial government shutdown remained at a stalemate. Trump was cooped up in the White House after cancelling a vacation to his private Florida club. As the disruption in federal services and public employees' pay appeared set to continue into the new year, there were no signs of any substantive negotiation between the blame-trading parties. Trump held out for billions in federal funds for a border wall between the US and Mexico, which Democrats have said they were intent on blocking. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump was firing Twitter barbs at Democrats this weekend as talks to end a weeklong partial government shutdown remained at a stalemate. Trump was cooped up in the White House after cancelling a vacation to his private Florida club. As the disruption in federal services and public employees' pay appeared set to continue into the new year, there were no signs of any substantive negotiation between the blame-trading parties. Trump held out for billions in federal funds for a border wall between the US and Mexico, which Democrats have said they were intent on blocking. Trump tweeted Saturday that he was "in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security." But there has been little direct contact between the sides during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington for another five days, to keep Congress in session. As he called for Democrats to negotiate on the wall, Trump brushed off criticism that his administration bore any responsibility for the recent deaths of two migrant children in Border Patrol custody. Trump claimed the deaths were "strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally." His comments on Twitter came as his Homeland Security secretary met with medical professionals and ordered policy changes meant to better protect children detained at the border. Trump earlier had upped the brinkmanship by threatening anew to close the border with Mexico to press Congress to cave to his demand for money to pay for a wall. Democrats are vowing to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that won't accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. Talks have been at a stalemate for more than a week, after Democrats said the White House offered to accept USD 2.5 billion for border security last Saturday. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told Vice President Mike Pence that it wasn't acceptable, nor was it guaranteed that Trump, under intense pressure from his conservative base to fulfill his signature campaign promise, would settle for that amount. Trump has remained out of the public eye since returning to the White House early Thursday from a 29-hour visit to US troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldn't deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. "For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us "NONE" for Border Security!," he tweeted. "Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown." Meanwhile, the effects to the public of the impasse grew as the Environmental Protection Agency, which had the money to function a week longer than some agencies, implemented its shutdown plan at midnight Friday night. EPA spokeswoman Molly Block said many of the agency's 14,000 employees were being furloughed, while disaster-response teams and certain other employees deemed essential would stay on the job. That includes workers needed for preventing immediate public health threats at more than 800 Superfund hazardous-waste sites. Also running short on money: the Smithsonian Institution, which said its museums, art galleries and zoo in the capital will close starting midweek if the partial shutdown drags on. But federal flood insurance policies will continue to be issued and renewed, in a reversal prompted by pressure from lawmakers, said Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Trump appeared no closer to securing money for his signature border wall, which he vowed during the campaign that he would make Mexico pay for. He's failed to do so. Now Democratic leaders are adamant that they will not authorise money for the project, calling it wasteful and ineffective. They show no signs of bending, either. The shutdown is forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. The White House has not directly engaged in weeks with the House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who has all but locked up the support she needs to win the speaker's gavel after the new Congress convenes on Thursday. Pelosi has vowed to pass legislation to reopen the nine shuttered departments and dozens of agencies now hit by the partial shutdown as soon as she takes the gavel. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill added that Democrats are united against the wall and won't seriously consider any White House offer unless Trump backs it publicly because he "has changed his position so many times. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) WARNING for European visitors European Union laws require you to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require you to obtain consent. As a courtesy, we have added a notice on your blog to explain Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies. Rahul Gandhi has all the right qualities to make an "excellent" prime minister, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said Sunday, even as he emphasised that the issue of PM candidate is likely to be decided after the 2019 polls "collectively" by the party and its allies. Tharoor also said the recent assembly elections have made it clear that the Congress remains the only alternative political party with a pan-India presence, and therefore, would be the "natural fulcrum" for any national alliance. "Rahul Gandhi is our leader, which means that if Congress gets a majority, he will be PM. If Congress is in a coalition government, obviously wider discussions will be held with other coalition partners to arrive at a consensus candidate," he told PTI in an interview. Tharoor said that any decision on the PM candidate put forward by the Congress and its allies will take place through established processes and conventions which will have to be representative of the interests of the larger coalition. It will be a "collective decision" and, as is usually the case, this is only likely to be discussed after the election results, he said. "At a personal level, having had several interactions and discussions in close quarters with the Congress president, to my mind it is evidently clear that Rahul ji has all the right qualities to make an excellent prime minister for the country," Tharoor said when asked about Gandhi seemingly emerging as the opposition's PM face despite them saying that a decision on it will be taken after polls. He said Gandhi's inclusive style of leadership, a willingness to reach across the political divide, the empathy extended towards aggrieved sections of the society, a commitment to the pluralist fabric of the country, paired with a distinctive charisma, humility and remarkable awareness, all suggest that he would be able to "fittingly live up to the expectations of the top job". "And at some level, one could argue that recent statements by non-Congress leaders reflect a growing confidence that Rahul is indeed the right man for the job," the 62-year-old leader said. His remarks assume significance as they come after DMK president M K Stalin had vowed to make Gandhi the country's next prime minister and lauded him for having the ability to defeat the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. Leader of National Conference, Farooq Abdullah, had also recently hailed Gandhi, saying he is no longer a "Pappu" after proving his mettle as a leader by winning elections in three Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. However, several prospective allies such as the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress have not endorsed Stalin's views and said that a decision on the PM candidate will be taken after the polls. On whether the dynamics of a possible grand alliance has changed with the Congress' win in the Hindi heartland states, Tharoor said he believes that it is still too early to tell, though the signs from the poll results certainly augur well for the fortunes of the Congress. "The voters have signalled that they are tired of being taken for a ride by the BJP and are open to climbing on the Congress bandwagon instead," the MP from Thiruvananthapuramsaid. In the next few months, the Congress will demonstrate anew that it has the vision and the capacity to restore, across the country, the voters' faith that the party can deliver the right results for them, the former Union minister asserted. He also said the Congress is likely to have pre and post-poll alliances, including an existing set of arrangement with partners that the Congress has in some states. The question of whether or not there will officially be a grand alliance among the Opposition parties remains to be seen, he said. To a question on the passage of the triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha last week, Tharoor said the Congress was strongly opposed to the version of the bill that was passed by the government because it was a fundamentally flawed legislation. "Triple talaq has already been rendered illegal by the Supreme Court: why was this law needed? It seems to have been designed with the intent to create a class-specific legislation on the basis of religion and therefore is a violation of Article 15 and 16 of our Constitution, he alleged. The senior Congress leader claimed that the bill doesn't protect Muslim women, but instead penalises Muslim men. "The legislation is manifestly arbitrary with no safeguards against misuse. All of this was made clear in Parliament and supplemented with a demand that the legislation be sent to a Parliamentary Committee for a more comprehensive review, but to no avail," he said. Asked about Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah's remarks on mob violence in India, Tharoor said the reactions and threats, and demonstrations against his public appearances, have been "unseemly and unwarranted". "I have always maintained that the answer to an opinion must be another opinion. There simply can be no place for violence or a total disregard for individual liberties that have been enshrined in our Constitution such as the fundamental right of expression, in the democratic India of the 21st century," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP's rebel MP from Kurukshetra Raj Kumar Saini on Sunday dared the saffron party to expel him. Saini, who had four months ago floated his own political outfit, hit out at the BJP saying it had allegedly betrayed the people who had voted for the party. "I have had nothing to do with the party for the past three years," Saini told reporters here. "A few months after I entered the Lok Sabha after defeating the then sitting MP Naveen Jindal (from Kurukshetra), I had informed the BJP that I was no longer its member as the party had betrayed the interests of the people, who had reposed faith in me," he said. Saini said that now it is for the BJP to take a call on his membership. Saini hit out at mainstream political parties, accusing them of using backward classes, the poor and the farmers as "vote banks", but "dumping" them after coming to power. He said backward classes had voted for the BJP in the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls, but the party had failed to address their grievances. The MP, who in September had floated the Loktantra Suraksha Party, reiterated that there was no improvement in the condition of the backward classes, the poor and the farmers in the country despite different parties promising to work for their welfare. He alleged that the sole aim of these parties was to grab power. "The (big) parties resort to unethical alliances to grab power, however our party will work for systematic changes to improve the conditions of all sections of society," said Saini, whose party is going to contest next year's Parliamentary and state assembly polls. Known for his strong anti-Jat stand, Saini said that he was not against reservation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bharatiya Janata Party won eight local body seats while the Congress bagged five in recently held bypolls in different districts of Rajasthan, results of which were announced Sunday. The BJP won one zila parishad seat in Alwar and seven out of 13 panchayat samiti seats. The Congress bagged five panchayat samiti seats while an Independent won unopposed on one seat in the bypolls held on December 28, the state election commission said. The BJP candidates were declared winner unopposed on three panchayat samiti seats while the Congress also won one in the similar manner. Bypolls for electing members of one zila parishad seat of Alwar and panchayat samiti of Bhilwara, Churu, Dausa, Dholpur, Kota, Nagaur, Pali and Sikar were notified by the commission earlier this month. Voting for panchayati raj institutions had to take place on October 27 but was postponed due to state assembly election, in which the Congress ousted the BJP from power in the state. EVMs were used for in the zila parishad and panchayat samiti bypolls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid heavy security, the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala, opened Sunday evening for the 21-day "Makaravilakku" festival. The temple, which had witnessed frenzied protests from devotees over the entry of women of menstruating age, had closed on December 27, marking the culmination of the 41-day annual Mandala puja festivities. There was a heavy rush of Ayyappa devotees when the shrine opened at 5 pm. Chief Priest V N Vasudevan Namboothiri opened the temple doors and performed the rituals inside the sanctum sanctorum as well as on the holy 18 steps after which the pilgrims were allowed to have darshan. Head priest Kandaru Rajeevaru was also present. The Makaravillaku will be held on Januaury 14 and the shrine will be closed at 7 am on Januaury 20. Chanting 'swamiye saranam Ayyappa', thousands of devotees thronged the temple, after waiting for hours in the long queues. However, no special pujas were held Sunday. The Ayyappa temple had witnessed massive protests by devotees against the state government's decision to implement the Supreme Court's September 28 verdict, opening its doors to women of all ages to offer prayers. Main opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backed the devotees in their protest against the entry of young women inside the shrine. Traditionally, girls and women in the menstruating age group of 10-50 years were barred from offering prayers at the temple, the presiding deity of which is "Naishtika Brahamachari" (perennial celebate). Over a dozen women have so far made unsuccessful bids to trek to the Sabarimala shrine to offer prayers during the Mandalam season. Meanwhile, the Pathnamthitta District collector, P B Nooh, has extended the prohibitory orders till Januaury 5 from Eluvankal to Sabarimala sannidhanam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur, who was among the four judges who held the controversial January-12 press conference against the then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, retired on Sunday. Justice Lokur was given a farewell on December 14, his last working day, by the lawyers of the apex court. Justice Lokur, who before retiring was the second senior-most judge, had participated in the presser led by Justice J Chelameswar (since retired). Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Kurian Joseph (since retired) had also taken part and levelled allegations against the then CJI Misra over the issue of allocation of sensitive cases. Speakers, including Justice Gogoi and Attorney General K K Venugopal, who were present at the farewell had praised Justice Lokur, who dealt with the cases on different aspects of law -- constitutional law, juvenile justice and Alternate Dispute Redressal mechanism. He also played an active role in the pursuit of judicial reforms -- computerisation of courts, judicial education, legal aid and legal services. Justice Lokur was a part of the bench which adjudicated a writ petition on privacy and identity of victims of sexual harassment wherein the court took the view that privacy and reputation of victims should be protected and issued special directives in this regard. He had taken a tough stand in the Delhi sealing matter and severely reprimanded city BJP president and MP Manoj Tiwari for breaking the civic agency's seal on a premises here in September. Justice Lokur has been a flag bearer in environment jurisprudence. In his role as a judge, he has passed significant judgements in cases like MC Mehta, Common Cause and Goa Foundation, the CJI had said. The CJI said at the farewell Justice Lokur was a pro-citizen and pro-victim judge. Justice Lokur has shown a liberal attitude in dispensing justice to the underprivileged and vulnerable groups in the society, he had said. Referring to another judgement delivered by Justice Lokur, the CJI had said that in Mallikarjun Kodagli case, he recognised the need of criminal justice system in the country to be more victim oriented. Justice Lokur had written that there needs to be more balancing in equalising the rights of accused and victim so that criminal proceedings are fair to both. In the matter relating to inhuman conditions in 1,382 prisons, he spoke on the importance of PIL and issued important guidelines for prison reforms. Justice Lokur was also a part of the Supreme Court bench which in August said that there will be no "second chance" to preserve the Taj Mahal, asking the authorities to take a larger perspective on issues of pollution and green cover to prepare a vision document on protecting the monument. Before the farewell function, Justice Lokur as the custom of the apex court, was part of the bench headed by the CJI and heard 47 matters. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Sunday said people would be "surprised" and "shocked" if no solution was found to the issue, despite Prime Minister and Yogi Adityanath being at the helm at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh respectively. Bharti is among the leaders who have been at the forefront of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) efforts to build a in Ayodhya. "When Modiji is the prime minister and Yogiji is the chief minister (of UP), and even then if no way is found for the construction of the Ram temple, then the masses will be surprised as to why were we unable to find a way for (building ) the It will be a shock to the people," she told reporters here. Bharti added that the temple had a "major role" in the BJP rising from just two Lok Sabha seats (in 1984) to 84 seats -- when the temple movement gained momentum in 1989 -- to 284 seats in the 2014 general polls. "Therefore, with Modi as the prime minister and Yogi (as the UP chief minister), people have high hopes that a way should be found for the construction of the Ram temple," the Union minister of drinking water and sanitation said. "Even today I will say this, whether it is an Act or an Ordinance, you have to find an amicable way for the Ram temple. You cannot just do it by bringing an Act for everything. Especially, when there is a lot of opposition in the society. "Therefore, earlier too I had suggested an amicable solution and everybody should support it. It should not be done like we will oppose you as we are from a particular party. It should begin like you start the talks and we will support you," she added. Bharti pointed out that talks on the issue were held during the times of then prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chandrashekhar as well. Queried on the "waning" Modi wave in the country, she said, "We (BJP) have won the local bodies polls in Tripura and also formed the government there, which was difficult earlier. Therefore, the Modi magic is still going on." "For example, in 2003, we had won all the Assembly polls, but lost in the Lok Sabha (2004). It is not necessary that whatever happened in Assembly elections will happen in the Lok Sabha polls as well," the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said. On the recent controversy over several leaders giving caste identities to Hanuman, she decried the move saying, "God has no caste and that is god." "Similarly, the disciples also have one caste and that is devotion. Therefore, I will say that neither a disciple nor god has any caste. Like the sun, air and water have no caste, similarly, god and the devotee have no caste," she added. Asked about former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan calling himself a tiger, Bharti said, "I know him since 1984 and he is a tiger. I will remain firebrand and he (Chouhan) will be a tiger." On the recent Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, in which the unseated the BJP government which was in power in the state since 2003, Bharti said it was a "beautiful discrepancy" of democracy that such a thing happened, despite the saffron party garnering more votes than the On the government in the state led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, she said, "We will not do anything to destabilise the new government as we respect the (people's) mandate. If it falls on its own, then it is a different thing." "We will ensure that it will not do injustice with the people's interest. I also appreciate Chouhan for accepting the verdict gracefully," the Union minister added. Asked about the state Congress's opposition to "The Accidental Prime Minister", an upcoming film on the tenure of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, she said the party feared that it would get exposed by the movie. "When no one demanded a ban on the book (written by Sanjaya Baru on which the film is based), how can they stop the film?," she asked. Baru was Singh's media adviser when the latter was the prime minister. Some leaders in Madhya Pradesh have demanded a ban on the Anupam Kher-starrer film, which the party has termed a BJP propaganda. "There is nothing new. Whatever is written in the book is there in the film. They (Congress leaders) are asking for a ban as they fear they will get exposed," Bharti said. Singh himself had not objected to the film, she pointed out. A commission examining the sub-categorisation of the Central list of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has decided to get a countrywide survey conducted by an agency to have an estimate of the caste-wise population figures and has sought funds from the Centre for the same. Justice G Rohini (retd), who is heading the five-member panel, set up to suggest parameters for an equitable distribution of OBC reservation, has written to Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot in this regard. The Union Cabinet on November 22 had approved the extension of the commission's term till May 31, 2019, the fourth one since its formation in October 2017. According to Justice Rohini (retd), the Central list of OBCs comprises more than 2,600 castes, many of which are small in number and occupy distinct place geographically, which is why it is necessary to have a large sample covering every sub-district of all states and UTs. "For the purpose of sub-categorisation of the central list of OBCs, our commission needs to have some estimate of the caste-wise population figures. "Since, there is no available official caste-wise population data post-Independence, the Commission has decided to get an all-India survey conducted by a competent survey agency to be engaged following the General Financial Rules of the Government of India," she said in her letter to the minister. Justice Rohini (retd) said the survey, apart from determining the relative population of different castes and communities included in the Central list of OBCs, shall also provide information about education level and status of employment in OBC households. "Tentatively, we have determined that for such a survey to provide statistically sound information, we would need a sample of size of more than 10 lakh households," the letter said. Seeking funds for the survey, Justice Rohini (retd) said the tentative budget required for the survey is around "Rs 200 crore plus taxes". She said such a survey usually costs about Rs 200 per household inclusive of all components and this figure is consistent with the costs incurred in the socio-economic caste census of 2011. "I suggest that the ministry may make an appropriate budget provisions for this purpose," the chairperson of the commission said. The panel has held extensive meetings with all stakeholders, including state governments, state backward classes commissions, community associations and general public, since its formation. It has also obtained records, caste-wise data of OBCs admitted in higher educational institution as well as similar caste-wise data of recruits in central government departments, central public sector undertakings, public sector banks and financial institutions. "Based on the emanating information from the data as processed and analysed, the commission has expressed that a round of discussion with the states and their backward classes commission was required before finalising the sub-categorised lists and the report," an official statement had said. The commission was formed with the approval of President Ram Nath Kovind in October last year and was mandated to examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities in the central list of OBCs. It was also tasked with working out a mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters for sub-categorisation within such OBCs and taking up the exercise of identifying castes, sub-castes and communities and classifying them into respective sub-categories. The panel was initially stipulated to submit its report within 10 weeks of the chairperson assuming charge. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana police will deal firmly against those assisting Maoists, state DGP M Mahendar Reddy said Sunday. He also expressed the need to curb "urban naxalism". "We strongly believe that in order to control underground cadre of Maoists it is needed to control urban naxalism. Telangana Police will firmly act against those found to be assisting Maoists," the top cop told reporters here at the annual press conference. Reacting to a query on the arrest ofpoet and writer Varavara Rao from Hyderabad by Pune police for his alleged Maoist links in the Elgar Parishad case, Reddy said that incident had happened in Maharashtra. "Had there been a similar incident here we would have acted against them", he said. Rao was one of the activists who was arrested in connection with the conclave held at historic Shaniwarwada in Pune on December 31 last year. Police suspect that provocative speeches made by some delegates at the event led to violent caste clashes the next day around Koregaon Bhima village in the district. Speaking on urban naxalism, Reddy said by "being within people and through democratic means" they assist Maoists by providing them logistics and in recruiting cadres behind the scene. "We will work effectively in dealing with them," he added. The police chief also said that 120 extremists were arrested in Telangana so far during 2018. "During the current year, nine extremists were arrested in the inter-state joint operations," he said, adding that there are 126 UG cadres hailing from Telangana. "Out of 17 central committee (CC) members in the CPI (Maoist), 10 members are from Telangana state," he said. The Telangana State Committee is operating with 82 UG cadres, out of which only 18 are from Telangana and rest are from Chhattisgarh, he said. "There were three incidents of exchange of fire with extremists of CPI (Maoist) and other groups in Telangana, resulting in the death of 19 extremists," he said. With the information shared by the state Intelligence teams, there were 16 incidents of exchange of fire during inter-state anti-Naxalites operations in which 21 extremists were neutralised, he said, adding that ten CPI (M) extremists holding different ranks also surrendered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said that people donning "saffron robes" are held in high esteem in the country while science has been ignored. Emphasising a greater role of science in agriculture, he said the children of farmers who have committed suicide need to be encouraged to study and make their lives better. He stressed the need to inculcate the knowledge of science in young minds. "Those wearing saffron clothes are held in high esteem in this country while science is being ignored," Pawar said without naming anybody. He was speaking after inaugurating a science exhibition at the Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil College, run by the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha, at Vashi in Navi Mumbai on Saturday. Pawar said leaders like Indira Gandhi, T Subramaniam and Jagjivan Ram had laid the foundation of green revolution in the country by taking the support of science. Also, the scientific outlook of social activist Jyotiba Phule was seen in his efforts to promote increased agricultural and milk production, he said. The former Union agriculture minister said he also faced lot of criticism for promoting the genetically-modified (GM) food technology but it helped in higher crop production with less use of water. "Due to this technology, sugarcane can be produced with less use of water," he said. Noting that there was a rise in farmer suicides, he said children of such cultivators needed to be brought to the mainstream of education and encouraged to innovate and experiment to prove their worth. This will help in bringing laurels to the country, he opined. Pawar said the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha would adopt around 60 children of farmers who have committed suicide in the state's Marathwada region and take the responsibility of their education, lodging and boarding expenses. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A tiger was found dead in the Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhandara district of Maharashtra on Sunday morning, a forest official said. A tourist visiting the sanctuary informed authorities around 8 am about a tiger lying motionless in the Pauni range of the sanctuary, Pench Tiger Reserve's field director Ravikiran Govekar said. Following the information, the range forest officer (wildlife) of Pauni visited the spot and confirmed the striped cat's death, he said. The cause of the tiger's death was yet to be ascertained, Govekar said. The Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary is spread across Nagpur and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra. The state has nearly half-a-dozen tiger reserves and prominent among them are Pench, Melghat, Tadoba-Andhari and Sahyadri. There are nearly 165 striped cats inhabiting these reserves. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The contentious bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant among Muslims is set to be tabled in the Monday, even as the has said it will not allow its passage in the present form. The ruling BJP has issued a whip in the Upper House asking its members to be present. Minister will table the bill in the Upper House. The bill was cleared by the -- 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition. Prasad had on Friday claimed the bill will find support in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks numbers. The bill is listed in the Rajya Sabha's legislative agenda for Monday. All India Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal told reporters in Kochi Saturday the party would join hands with others to prevent the bill from getting passed in the House. He said 10 opposition parties had openly come out against the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 when it was introduced in the Even the parties which support the government on various issues, including the AIADMK, have opposed the bill, said Venugopal, who is also a floor strategist. The opposition has questioned the stringent provisions like criminalisation of a civil wrong in the bill. The Opposition has been demanding that the bill be referred to a 'Joint Select Committee' of Parliament for further scrutiny. On Thursday, the government rejected the Opposition's contention the bill it was aimed at targeting a particular community. Piloting the bill, Prasad had said there should be no politics on the bill, stressing it was not against any particular community. Describing the passage of the bill in the as a historic step towards ensuring equality and dignity of Muslim women, BJP chief had demanded an apology from the Congress for "decades of injustice". The fresh Bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offence was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance issued in September. Under the proposed law, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void, and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband. The fresh bill will supersede an earlier bill passed in the Lok Sabha and pending in the The earlier bill was approved by the Lower House. But amid opposition by some parties in the upper house, the government had cleared some amendments, including introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more acceptable. However, as the bill continued to face resistance in the Rajya Sabha, the government issued an ordinance in September, incorporating the amendments. An ordinance has a life of six months. But from the day a session begins, it has to be replaced by a bill which should be passed by Parliament within 42 days (six weeks), else it lapses. The government is at liberty to re-promulgate the ordinance if the bill fails to get through Parliament. Introducing the bill, the Minister had said despite the striking down the practice of talaq-e-biddat (instant triple talaq), terming it unconstitutional, divorces in this form were taking place. Citing details of instant triple talaq cases, the government had last week informed Lok Sabha that till now 430 incidents of triple talaq have come to the notice of the government through the media. Of these, 229 were reported before the judgment, while another 201 came to the notice after it. These cases were reported between the period of January 2017 and September 13, 2018. The contentious triple talaq bill that seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha Monday, with the Congress and other opposition parties gearing up to send it to a select committee. The Congress and the BJP have issued whips to their members to be present in the House Monday and other parties have also asked their MPs to be present in full strength when the bill is taken up. The Congress has convened a meeting of its MPs. A number of opposition parties will also meet Monday morning in the chamber of Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to evolve their strategy in the house on the issue. The contentious triple talaq bill is likely to face stiff resistance from opposition parties, who are united in their demand for sending it to the select committee for further scrutiny. "Opposition parties will meet Monday morning and evolve their strategy. But, we all are determined to send the bill to the select committee as the same cannot be passed in its present form. The opposition parties are united in this stand on the issue," a senior opposition leader told PTI. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu is unlikely to be present tomorrow due to the demise of his mother-in-law and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh is likely to conduct the proceedings instead. The Congress has said it will not allow the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, in its present form and it along with other parties are keen that the proposed legislation be sent to a select committee for further scrutiny. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House. It has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, with 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it, Thursday amid a walkout by the opposition parties. It is listed in the Rajya Sabha's legislative agenda for Monday. Prasad had Friday claimed the bill will find support in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks numbers. Sources said the numbers are stacked slightly in favour of the opposition in the Upper House, with the UPA having 112 members and the NDA 93. One seat is vacant. The remaining 39 members of other parties are unattached to either NDA or UPA and are likely to play an important role in the passage of the contentious legislation. Though the NDA is way short of the half-way mark of 123 in the 245-member House, it had emerged victorious in the election of the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman, with its nominee Harivansh of the Janata Dal (United) bagging 125 votes against 101 polled by the opposition-backed Congress member B K Hariprasad. Congress leader T Subbarami Reddy has moved a statutory resolution that "this House disapproves the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2018 (No.7 of 2018) promulgated by the President of India on September 19, 2018". Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel also sought the support of all parties for the passage of the triple talaq bill a day before it is taken up in the Rajya Sabha. "It is high time we ensure justice for our Muslim sisters. They have gone through so much pain because of this inhuman practice of triple talaq," Goel said here. The bill seeks to protect the rights of married Muslim women and to prohibit divorce by their husbands by pronouncing talaq. It also seeks to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The opposition has questioned the stringent provisions like criminalisation of a civil wrong in the triple talaq bill. In the Lok Sabha, the opposition had demanded that the bill be referred to a 'Joint Select Committee' of Parliament for further scrutiny. On Thursday, the government rejected the opposition's contention that it was aimed at targeting a particular community. Piloting the bill, Prasad had said there should be no on the proposed legislation, stressing it was not against any particular community. Describing the passage of the triple talaq bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step towards ensuring equality and dignity of Muslim women, BJP chief Amit Shah had demanded an apology from the Congress for "decades of injustice". The fresh bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offence was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance issued in September. Under the proposed law, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void, and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband. The fresh bill will supersede an earlier bill passed in the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha. But amid opposition by some parties in the upper house, the government had cleared some amendments, including introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more acceptable. However, after it faced resistance in Rajya Sabha, the government issued an ordinance in September, incorporating the amendments. An ordinance has a life of six months. But from the day a session begins, it has to be replaced by a bill which should be passed by Parliament within 42 days (six weeks), else it lapses. In the Lok Sabha, the law minister had said despite the Supreme Court striking down the practice of talaq-e-biddat (instant triple talaq), terming it unconstitutional, divorces in this form were taking place. Citing details of instant triple talaq cases, the government had last week informed the Lok Sabha that till now 430 incidents of triple talaq have come to the notice of the government through the media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Heather Nauert, the Fox anchor and now the state department spokesperson, is expected to face tough questions during her confirmation hearing next month as she prepares to appear before the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the position of US Ambassador to the UN. Nauert, 48, would replace Indian American Nikki Haley as the Permanent Representatives of the United States to the UN if she is confirmed by the Senate. President Donald Trump nominated Nauert for the top diplomatic position in the UN last month, weeks after Haley announced her resignation. But unlike Haley, who was given a Cabinet ranking in which capacity she was a key member of the Trump's national security team and attended Cabinet meetings at the White House, Nauert has not been bestowed with the same ranks. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has not announced a date for Nauert's confirmation hearing. But it is expected sometime next month. The ruling Republican Party enjoys a majority in the Upper Chamber of the Congress, but Senators from the opposition Democratic party have already said that they have questions over her qualification as the top US diplomat to the United Nations. In the past, the position has been held by some of the top American political leaders and diplomats including former president George H W Bush. "I'll be happy to hear why she thinks she's qualified," said Senator Bob Menendez, Ranking Member at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "She has no foreign policy experience that I can deduce, and being a spokesperson is different than being the chief diplomat of the United States at a world body like the UN," Menendez said. Nauert is currently the state department spokesperson, a position which she has served successfully for more than year and half. As the spokesperson, she has been impressive with her diplomatic acumen, which probably was instrumental in Trump picking her for the UN. Many of her supporters argued she's more than qualified for the role, noting her practice in messaging the administration's foreign policy for nearly two years under Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and now his successor, Mike Pompeo. Republican Senator Marco Rubio said he looks forward to meeting her ahead of the confirmation hearing. "If you're the right person with the right level of intellect and understanding, then she can do the job. I just haven't met her, so I can't render a judgment. I have nothing against her, I just haven't met her, the Senator from Florida said. In a report, Politico said Nauert has no diplomatic experience aside from her year and a half as state department spokesperson, a job she got with little background in global affairs. But under the Trump administration, unusual pathways to top positions have become typical. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Energy Secretary Rick Perry both assumed posts overseeing agencies they admittedly knew little about. And there's a team of supporters both in and out of the government working to convince lawmakers and the public that Nauert will be up to the task once her nomination is officially submitted to the Senate next year. But according to Elliott Abrams, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, Nauert "is very well-informed about any issue senators are likely to ask about, but what she's not experienced in is the political give-and-take she'll need to negotiate compromises at the UN. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two army personnel apparently died of cardiac arrest on Sunday in two separate incidents in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Sunday. Naib-subedar Rajinder Singh was found unconscious by his colleagues inside his barrack at Narian camp in Chingus area of the district, a police official said. He said the soldier was rushed to hospital where he was declared brought dead. Police have started inquest proceedings in this connection, he said, adding that preliminary investigations suggest that Singh had suffered a massive heart attack resulting in his on-the-spot death. In another incident, he said, Subedar Harpal Singh who had come on leave to his home collapsed in Noushera market and died on way to hospital. The body of the deceased was handed over to his family for the last rites after completion of legal formalities, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day before introduction of the triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union minister Vijay Goel Sunday reached out to all parties seeking their support for its passage. Terming the bill a landmark legislation for gender justice, the minister of state for parliamentary affairs said Muslim women are looking towards the Rajya Sabha with hope. "It is high time we ensure justice to our Muslim sisters. They have went through so much pain because of this inhuman practice of triple talaq," Goel said here. Goel, who hails from Chandani Chowk in New Delhi, said he has personally witnessed how Muslim women suffered due to triple talaq. The minister said he has reached out to all parties, mainly those is the Opposition, and sought their support for passage of the bill. The contentious bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The Congress has said it will not allow its passage in the present form. The ruling BJP, which lacks majority in the upper house, has issued a whip asking its members to be present in the house. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House. The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha -- with 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voting in a tense election to choose a new government in ended on Sunday with at least 13 people being killed in poll-related violence amid allegations of manipulations by the ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex- and Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The voting started at 8 AM (local time) and ended at 4 PM. "The eight-hour long voting has ended as per schedule...preparedness are underway to start the counting," an (EC) spokesman said. The unofficial results were expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, he said. The EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports that violence killed 12 activists and a security personnel during the voting. Dozens were injured in the poll-related violence. The build-up to the elections has already been marred by violence. At least 13 people, including a member of law enforcement agency, have been killed in eight districts in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported. The media reports said that five of the dead were ruling party activists while others were mostly workers of BNP or its allies. Prime Minister appeared as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "I'm always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future," she said after casting her vote. Schools and colleges across were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. At least 10 candidates - mostly BNP nominees - announced to stay off the polls alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. "From the picture we have received, this is a violent election. We are seeing a one-sided election environment conducted at the whims of the government. This paints a clear picture that they want to ensure a favourable result through a one-sided contest," Rizvi told a media briefing at the party office. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media from his northwestern Thakurgaon constituency that some of their candidates stayed off the vote in their "personal decisions" but "we will announce our party stance at 4 PM when the voting will end". No announcement, however, came yet despite the voting hours ended. Veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who leads main opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) with BNP being its key partner, however, said "the overall environment is not bad" with huge turnout of voters. "But every minute I receive calls saying Kamal Bhai (brother), it has already happened overnight. It began in the evening. I have gotten so many reports. These reports are concerning. It's sad and shameful," he said. The Jatiya Oikya Front or NUF is a coalition of four parties - Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League - led by Hossain. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. According to the eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling party's "boat" symbol outnumbered those of the main opposition's "sheaf of paddy". BNP earlier said intimidation and police harassment kept their activists away from the campaign and polling process. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful...We could tell you at the end of the day if the election was participatory," Nurul Huda told reporters. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's private Jamuna TV has been taken off the air. Channel's chief news editor Fahim Ahmed said private stopped broadcasting their transmission without giving any reason and "so no one in Bangladesh now can see our channel due to the blackout." An online newspaper quoting cable operators, however, reported that they stopped Jamuna's broadcast due to technical glitches as "we are not getting their signal". The channel is owned by an independent candidate in the polls with an influential businessman from the ruling party being her rival. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first for the fourth terms. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while her son Tarique Rahman is living in in self exile. Voting in a tense election to choose a new government in Bangladesh ended on Sunday with at least 11 people being killed in poll-related violence amid allegations of manipulations by the ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The voting started at 8 AM (local time) and ended at 4 PM. The results would be announced within 24 hours. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "I'm always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future," she said after casting her vote. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex-premier and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. Schools and colleges across Bangladesh were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. Violence marred the polling in parts of the country with media reports putting the death toll at 11. Dozens of people were wounded in the poll-related violence. A Jubo League - the youth wing of the Awami League - leader was killed and 10 others injured in a clash between the ruling party and opposition BNP supporters in Rangamati's Kawkhali, Bdnews24 reported. One BNP activist was killed in Chattogram, while an Awami League supporter died in Rajshahi, the portal reported. An Awami League polling agent was killed in Narsingdi 3 constituency. According to the Daily Star newspaper, BNP men attacked and killed an Awami League supporter in Mohonpur, Rajshahi-3. One opposition supporter was killed in Chandina in police firing. A voter died during tension between supporters of the Awami League and the BNP in Dinajpur-2. An activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League was killed in clashes with the BNP activists in Cox's Bazar-1. One Awami League supporter was killed during a clash with the BNP workers at Baghail Government Primary Schoo, under Bogura-4. A member of law enforcement agency was killed by activists of Jamaat in Noakhali-3 constituency. At least seven candidates - six being BNP nominees - announced to stay off the polls with most of them alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. "From the picture we have received, this is a violent election. We are seeing a one-sided election environment conducted at the whims of the government. This paints a clear picture that they want to ensure a favourable result through a one-sided contest," Rizvi told a media briefing at the party office. Party's secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media from his northwestern Thakurgaon constituency that some of their candidates stayed off the vote in their "personal decisions" but "we will announce our party stance at 4 PM when the voting will end". Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) leader Kamal Hossain expressed concern over the poll-related violence and allegations of rigging. "Every minute I receive calls saying Kamal Bhai (brother), it has already happened overnight. It began in the evening. I have gotten so many reports. These reports are concerning. It's sad and shameful," he said. The Jatiya Oikya Front is a coalition of four parties - Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League - led by Hossain. Bangladesh police chief Mohammad Javed Patwary said the nationwide polls are "progressing peacefully" and vowed to investigate the "isolated" incidents of violence. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. Security agencies have been asked to keep an extra vigil on religious minority communities as media reports said at least three Hindu households were set on fire by miscreants between December 16 and 26. According to the eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling party's "boat" symbol outnumbered those of the main opposition's "sheaf of paddy". BNP earlier said intimidation and police harassment kept their activists away from the campaign and polling process. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful...We could tell you at the end of the day if the election was participatory," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda told reporters. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first premier for the fourth terms. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while Rahman is living in London. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu's mother-in-law passed away at a Chennai hospital on Sunday. Naidu has left for Nellore in Andhra Pradesh to pay his last respects to her. Naidu said his mother-in-law, A Kausalyamma (80), was admitted to the hospital after she complained of some pain. He added that she normally used to stay with him in Delhi but had recently shifted to Chennai due to cold weather in the national capital. "She was like mother to me having looked after me since I lost my mother when I was 1 year old and later my two children as well," Naidu wrote on Twitter. "My mother in law mostly stayed with me. She was recently shifted to my daughter's house in Chennai due to cold weather in Delhi. She developed some pains and was admitted in a Chennai hospital. "She left for heavenly abode today leaving me and my family shattered. May her soul rest in peace. I'm leaving Delhi now to pay my last respects to her in Nellore in Andhra Pradesh," the vice-president said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal BJP will be meeting Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora on Monday to complain against the Trinamool Congress in the state and the alleged malpractices pursued by the ruling party during elections, a senior leader said here. BJP state general secretary Sayantan Basu and senior leader Mukul Roy will meet the CEC in New Delhi. "We will meet Chief Election Commissioner tomorrow in New Delhi. We want to apprise the CEC of the methods used by the TMC to rig polls," Basu said. He said the party would present to the CEC the details of the panchayat polls in the state, which was marked by violence and "subversion of democratic rights". "We will also submit to him a list of government officers who are working as cadres of the TMC. We would urge the Election Commission to take action against them when the Model Code of conduct would be in force during the Lok Sabha polls," he said. The BJP Bengal unit, which is aiming to win at least 22 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, has time and again accused the TMC government of subverting democratic rights of the people in the state. The allegation has been denied by the TMC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 19-year-old youth, who had consumed rat poison on learning that a pregnant woman who had received his HIV positive blood had contracted the virus, died here on Sunday, hospital authorities said. He had been undergoing treatment at Government Rajaji Hospital here for three days and died of Gastro Intestinal (GI) bleeding, they said. Actually he was stable. But the poison he consumed has a propensity to cause bleeding anytime. There was GI (stomach) bleeding early today and he vomited blood, S Shanmugasundaram, dean of Madurai Medical College and Government Rajaji Hospital told reporters. After he vomited, though the patient was treated as per protocol, which includes transfusion of four units of blood, he succumbed to the poison, the dean said. A worker at a firecracker unit in nearby Sivakasi and a native of Ramanathapuram district's Kamuthi village, the youth had consumed the poison on Wednesday. He was admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital on Thursday after preliminary treatment in hospitals at Ramnad and Kamuthi. The youth, not knowing that he was HIV positive, had donated blood on November 30. He found out only after he underwent a medical check-up days later as a requirement for a foreign job, local authorities had said. Though he informed the blood bank at Sivakasi to not use his blood, it had already been transfused to a Sattur-based pregnant woman by the first week of December, they had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seguin, TX (78155) Today Mainly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mainly clear. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China is willing to work with the United States to implement the consensus reached during talks between the two countries' leaders in Argentina, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday.Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Sino-U.S. relations had gone through "storms" before, but that a healthy relationship served both countries as well as promoting global stability.The comments come after Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday he hoped to push forward a Sino-U.S. relationship that is coordinated, cooperative and stable. ... US President Donald Trump said on Twitter that he had a "long and very good call" with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that a possible trade deal between the United States and China was progressing well. As a partial shutdown of the US government entered its eighth day, with no quick end in sight, the Republican president was in Washington, sending out tweets attacking Democrats and talking up possibly improved relations with China. The two nations have been in a trade war for much of 2018, shaking world financial markets as the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars ... A man was arrested for allegedly impersonating an IAS officer to get work of his relatives and friends done, police said Saturday. Mani Tyagi, in his late 20s, had recently called up the Gautam Buddh Nagar (Rural) Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal and said that he is an IAS officer, pressuring him to get the work of an acquaintance done quickly, they said. Also Read: At 2.6 degrees Celsius, Delhi records coldest December day in five years The officer said that he felt something was fishy, so he put the phone number on surveillance and it was tracked down to Ghaziabad. After a probe, the accused was arrested by a team from the Badalpur Police Station in Greater Noida, Jaiswal told reporters. "At times he would say he is a district magistrate posted in Tripura and cite his batch and cadre to build pressure on police officials," he said. Tyagi, a resident of Sahibabad in Ghaziabad and a BA graduate, claims to be working as a supervisor in a private company, but this is yet to be verified, the officer said. Tyagi told reporters that he had used the name of an IAS officer, a distant relative of his, currently posted in Tripura. "I have only done it a few times to help some people with their work, I have never taken money from anyone," Tyagi said and added that he had called up Jaisawal, officials in a sales tax office and Hazratganj Police Station in Lucknow. Tyagi was booked for fraud and related offences and remanded in judicial custody, the police said. Also Read: Deloitte Haskins resigns as Fortis Healthcare's statutory auditor Also Read: Government to infuse over Rs 10,000 crore in Bank of India Jawa Motorcycles has already sold out its recently launched Jawa and Jawa 42 bikes till September 2019. Due to this, the Mahindra and Mahindra-owned company has reportedly closed online bookings for its motorcycles within a month of their launch. It is before even a single unit of the said motorcycles has been rolled out of the production facility. The Czech two-wheeler maker Jawa Motorcycles got a fresh lease of life after it was revived by the Anand Mahindra-owned Indian auto major. The company had launched three motorcycles - the old school Jawa and Jawa 42, and the factory custom bobber Perak - on November 15. The Jawa and Jawa 42 were made available for pre-booking, where the Perak was to be introduced later in 2019. ALSO READ: Suzuki Motorcycle launches 2019 edition of Hayabusa priced at Rs 13.74 lakh While Jawa Motorcycles has not divulged how many units were booked via online bookings so far, the company plans to start delivering the registered units from March 2019, Bloomberg reported. With its new portfolio, the company plans to take on Royal Enfield, the undisputed leader of the 300-cc segment. Jawa Motorcycles has also started opening its dealerships in various major cities of India, which are offering test rides and booking facilities to enthusiasts now that online bookings have been stopped. The Jawa has been priced at Rs 1.64 lakh, whereas the Jawa 42 will cost Rs 1.55 lakh. The Perak will be made available at Rs 1.89 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Delhi). ALSO READ: Year 2018 in review: Auto industry shows mixed trends The Jawa and Jawa 42 are powered by a 293cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled DOHC engine, capable of producing 27bhp of max power and 28Nm of max torque. The factory custom bobber Jawa Perak will be powered by a bigger 334cc single cylinder liquid-cooled engine, which can produce 30bhp of max power and 31Nm of max torque. Both engines have been developed in compliance to the Bharat Stage-VI emission norms to make them future proof. The Jawa motorcycles are being contract-manufactured at Mahindra's two-wheeler plant in Pithampura, Madhya Pradesh. Classic Legends, the maker of Jawa Motorcycles, has not declared the total production capacity of the plant. Edited by Vivek Punj news, latest-news A more than two-year community effort to build a bike track primarily for children in Hall looks set to fail after the ACT Heritage Council decided not to approve construction despite heritage consultants assessing the proposal's impact as being minimal. The Hall community raised $10,000 for the bike track project at the 2016 Hall Ball, while Hall Rotary pledged $12,000. Residents of the heritage village approached the ACT government with the idea and the Transport Canberra and City Services directorate began assisting with the proposal, offering to chip in the final $2000 needed to fund the project. A report prepared by Michael Pilbrow, the co-owner of Yass consulting firm Strategic Development Group, reveals 57 of the 63 people who participated in community consultation on the project in December 2017 supported a bike track, with three against the idea and the other three not stating a view. Despite support from the majority of the Hall community, the ACT Heritage Council decided on October 17 not to approve the proposed bike track because of the impact it would have on the 'Aboriginal Sites Zone' defined in the ACT Heritage Register entry for the Hall Village Heritage Precinct. ACT Heritage Council chairman David Flannery wrote to Transport Canberra and City Services to explain the decision on December 11. "The council considers the preference to locate the recreational bike track wholly in the 'Aboriginal Sites Zone' as a convenience based choice and does not consider that to be adequate justification to permanently damage a heritage place," Mr Flannery said in the letter, seen by the Sunday Canberra Times. Mr Flannery wrote to Transport Canberra and City Services after a directorate staff member, who was working with Hall residents on the proposal, emailed ACT Heritage on October 30 seeking a copy of the minutes from the council meeting where the decision not to approve the bike track was made. The staffer received a response the following day saying the council's decision was made "via out-of sessions assessments" and that meeting minutes detailing the council's deliberations were therefore not available. The council made its decision to reject the bike track proposal despite Navin Officer Heritage Consultants preparing a statement of heritage effect that found the route would have minimal heritage impact. The statement of heritage effect, commissioned by Transport Canberra and City Services, also proposed measures to mitigate the heritage impacts of the bike track, including redesigning the track so it would avoid three sites where Aboriginal artefacts had been found. The Navin Officer report shows the firm consulted with representative Aboriginal organisations, with King Brown Tribal Group expressing support for the findings of the statement of heritage effect and the recommendations for mitigating cultural harm. The heritage consultancy also had contact with the Buru Ngunawal Aboriginal Corporation, and used the corporation's feedback to develop the recommended protocol for relocating any Aboriginal artefacts found during the scraping back of surface vegetation, which would have preceded construction of the track. While Navin Officer's report found the only remaining alternative to the proposed bike track route was not to proceed with track construction, the ACT Heritage Council's decision recommended that Transport Canberra and City Services consider building the track at an alternative location in Hall, singling out a proposed site referred to as "Site D". Only one participant in the December 2017 community consultation nominated "Site D" as their preferred location for the bike track while 32 members of the community said "Site E" - the proposed location rejected by the Heritage Council - was the best option. Transport Canberra and City Services described "Site D" as unsuitable in a November 30 email to the ACT Heritage Council, given its historical use as a playing surface for polocrosse. But Mr Flannery reiterated in his December 11 letter that the council believed the track could be built in a location other than the one put forward in the rejected proposal, leaving the proposed bike track in limbo. Canberra Liberals Indigenous affairs spokesman James Milligan questioned why the ACT Heritage Council had made its decision out of session and expressed concern that the input of the representative Aboriginal organisations seemed to have been ignored. "We've got these [organisations] for a reason and if we don't take their advice, what's the point?" Mr Milligan said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/3c8ad36a-2e38-4aee-8120-762ec4563d3a/r38_0_1532_844_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Every Saturday scores of people flock to Canberra's parks to participate in a trend that has swept the capital and the nation. Parkrun is a free five-kilometre run or walk hosted by volunteers at numerous locations across Canberra. Participants can run or walk, and the each has their own barcode to time the journey. There is friendly competition against friends or strangers, but for many the event is about personal bests. Denise Clarke has become a fixture of parkrun in the ACT. On Saturday, January 5, she will become the first woman in the capital to achieve the milestone of participating in 250 events. Mrs Clarke has taken on various volunteer roles as a run director, event director and parkrun ambassador, racking up 41 officially recognised volunteer efforts. She also helped expand parkrun in and around the ACT by supporting new groups to begin their own events at Lake Burley Griffin, Queanbeyan, Goulburn, Mount Ainslie, Braidwood and more. Mrs Clarke said she went to her first parkrun at Tuggeranong in 2013 for the exercise, but it was the community that kept her going back. "Right from the start it just felt comfortable, somewhere we could have a laugh," Mrs Clarke said. "Before we start we catch up and discuss our week and you develop these ongoing friendships. "You cross paths with people you wouldn't have otherwise crossed paths with." After their first parkrun, Mrs Clarke and her husband Gary were hooked. After their second, Mrs Clarke decided she wanted to help bring the activity to more people. "I've had so many conversations with people that have said parkrun has just made them whole again," Mrs Clarke said. Her favourite part of the experience is seeing people who would not normally participate in something like parkrun giving it a go and having a great time. "You don't call Saturday, Saturday anymore," Mrs Clarke said. "It's parkrun day." The parkrun concept began in the United Kingdom and has since spread to 20 countries with 3 million registered runners globally. The ACT has six parkrun events: Burley Griffin, Coombs, Ginninderra, Gungahlin, Mount Ainslie and Tuggeranong. Since starting almost six years ago Mrs Clarke has only missed 15 parkruns. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/777d6b04-6570-40e5-a0a4-da03d9072811/r0_106_3462_2062_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Neil Armstrong's iconic moon walk would not have been as impressive to a captivated audience tuning in globally had he stepped out of the spacecraft and immediately fallen over. This is the fate NASA scientists fear could face the first person to step foot on Mars, so they've turned to researchers at the University of Canberra to help solve the problem. Professor in physiotherapy Gordon Waddington and PhD student Ashleigh Marchant are the only researchers outside the United States working on a project that will hopefully allow astronauts to maintain the ability to walk after months in zero gravity. A person's ability to stay upright and move around in any environment is controlled by information travelling from the body to the brain, like vision, balance and sensory information. The problem for astronauts, Professor Waddington said, is that as they spend time in zero or even micro gravity they experience degradation of muscle and skin senses, as they are no longer being activated. After travelling in a spacecraft for eight or nine months to Mars, Professor Waddington described the probable feeling as being like your legs going to sleep, and so stepping out of that spaceship would prove difficult. "You remember that real numbness feeling and the feeling as though you dont really know where your foot or ankle is." He said astronauts would experience similar levels of rapid sensory degredation in a week to a month in space if there were no interventions as humans on earth experience each year after the age of 65. "Weve spent tens of thousands of years living from sea level to a couple of thousand metres on this planet, and were pretty well set up to do that now," Professor Waddington said. "But once we step out of that weve got all sorts of other issues." So Professor Waddington and Ms Marchant have designed a series of tests to measure people's ability to recognise minimal movements in the ankle in lowered gravity - a difficult task to achieve in a Canberra lab. One piece of equipment, the sensory organisational test - which is essentially a large dome - is the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere. It tests a person's balance with visual stimulation. The second test, built primarily from bits and pieces from Bunnings and Supercheap Auto, is based on a NASA design and is affectionately named 'the Earth, Moon, Mars bed'. Participants are fitted with a harness which can increase and decrease the load on your legs to replicate the feeling of gravity on different planets. Their feet are then positioned on moving plates so the ankle control can be judged. The final test involves a machine designed and built by Professor Waddington. Called the AMEDA, it's essentially a box with a plate that moves small distances. Participants need to distinguish at which position their ankle is placed. The machine has also proven useful in different contexts, including identifying whether someone has a concussion. It has been sent all over the world to be used in a variety of academic studies. The greatest difficulty researchers in this field face is separating the three movement functions - vision, balance and sensory information - to determine which is affected. The combination of the tests is aimed at singling them out. The research conducted at the University of Canberra in this area is world-leading, which led NASA to establish the collaboration. At this stage Professor Waddington and Ms Marchant are gathering data to prove definitively that the different functions are affected as they suspect before developing interventions for astronauts to avoid degradation. One option being considered is a specially designed sock that could stimulate the foot. The research also has applications to falls prevention in older people as their balance and movement capabilities decline and for athletes to improve their training regimes. The study still requires more participants, so if you would like an opportunity to help humans one day walk on Mars you can email Ms Marchant at u3108258@uni.canberra.edu.au Participants must be between 18 and 60 years old, have had no ankle injuries in previous three months and have no medical condition that could affect balance. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/689d2ee9-c8a8-417a-b8f8-aa7ceeeabdc8/r0_328_6000_3718_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg comment I refer to Jack Waterford's column and his comments with respect to Scott Morrison's premature appointment of David Hurley as our next Governor-General (December 23, 2018). I'm sure David Hurley is an decent, honourable man; a man of integrity and intelligence. In the context of his nomination as our next Governor-General though, Mr Morrison should recognise what his choice represents. The opportunistic product of a dull, average, tainted imagination. Mr Hurley should do the honourable thing. Instead of stepping up, he should step aside. Leave the post to someone else. Professor Michael McDaniel, member of the Kalari clan, of the Wiradjuri nation, for example. Here's someone who would bring honour to ALL Australians, not just us whites. Time to move forward not stay stationary. Mark Henshaw, Braddon Eric Hunter's concerns (Letters, December 26) regarding the manner in which the Governor-General post was filled may very well be founded. But despite being undemocratic, unfortunately it also appears to be common practice, with both major parties indulging in such underhanded actions. Scott Morrison did what any other party leader would have done: make a decision to benefit his own party and/or to spite the opposition, as appears to be the case in this instance. It has absolutely nothing to do with the monarchists. To make a political appointment with an election in the offing also appears to be par for the course. If I remember correctly, our very own toytown government, led by Chief Minister Andrew Barr, rammed through contractual agreements for the light rail project just prior to the last ACT elections being held and I cannot recall the Chief Minister consulting the Leader of the Opposition before deciding, as Eric is suggesting, nor can I recall Eric vociferously complaining about the lack of democracy about that particular piece of underhandedness. Mario Stivala, Spence The epidemic of theft of property from new residential complexes in Canberra ("Burglars target new apartments", Sunday Canberra Times, December 23) suggests possible deficiencies in the design and quality of these buildings, this time in relation to storage and security infrastructure. If this is the case, then the developers and builders should be pursued for rectification assistance. However, new building owners, managers and apartment resident groups also have a responsibility to ensure access to their buildings is controlled and measures put in place to deter theft, without large calls on the public purse. The police can advise these communities on how to improve security awareness and set-ups, but already have work to do without focusing more patrols on the increasing number of apartment precincts. Sue Dyer, Downer The Morrison government's Department of Environment and Energy has reported that, on current trends, Australia will achieve a mere 7 per cent reduction in emissions, based on 2005 levels, by 2030 ("Australia to miss 2030 Paris target by huge margin", December 22, p15). This is in stark contrast to our "measly" (to quote the Greens' Adam Bandt) 26 per cent Paris agreement target. The government apparently also wants to use the fact that we are on track to exceed our 2020 Kyoto target by at least 240 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to discount our Paris target. This somewhat devious move would still leave us far short of the Paris target. A major reason for the Coalition's stubbornness on this issue is its obsession with coal and the strong influence allegedly in the form of political donations of the coal industry. The attitude of the Morrison government is even harder to understand, let alone to support, in the light of a recently released study by CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator. The study showed the cost of new wind and solar energy, even with hours of storage, is "unequivocally" lower than the cost of new coal-fired generation. In the light of these findings, government plans to underwrite new coal-fired power plants and to extend the lives of existing ones, announced in October by Energy Minister Angus Taylor, are both bizarre and irresponsible. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin The editorial of December 23, "Congratulations, police, on a job well done", heavily supported the war on drugs. It opened, "Hard drugs like methamphetamines ruin lives. They are a scourge on our society."It might help, to keep things in perspective, to look at the flipside. Control of, or rather prohibition of general access to, psychoactive drugs is more generally a function of war than a cause of any war as is indicated by research from the Defence Studies Department, King's College, London (defenceindepth.co). Emergency measures in the UK's Defence of the Realm Act in 1916 formed the basis for Britain's approach to drug control in the post-war period. Amphetamines were used by the British army from 1942-45. They were reputedly standard issue to pilots throughout WWII. Pharmaceuticals use, including steroids, by our own special forces has been reported in this newspaper in the past. Dr James Pugh wrote, "The armed forces of the United States are at the forefront of efforts to use a range of 'pharmacological countermeasures' to assist their personnel." Amphetamines are regarded as a weapon of war. Prohibition is actually an attempt to monopolise utilisation of these substances. The scourge is prohibition. It denies the public any quality control protection, informed education or uncompromising assistance for misuse. It also creates a massive criminal industry with huge influence which opposes legalisation. Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610. Keep your letter to 250 or fewer words. References to Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published). /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/8f799de9-969e-408d-8d8e-66916a6b869a/r0_120_2000_1250_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Learning how to swim at aquatic centres and community pools is a rite of passage for thousands of Canberra children. For some Tuggeranong residents, however, they've been learning how to swim in lessons run out of a Calwell backyard. Jacinta Hasler is the owner of Aqua Calwell, a backyard swim school that's been running since 2005. The Calwell home has a 10 metre by 4 metre indoor pool on the property, which sees more than 200 students a week. Ms Hasler said the backyard approach to swimming lessons allows for smaller class sizes compared to their community centre equivalent. "At the moment we only have a maximum of six kids in the pool at one time. The kids don't get sidetracked as much," Ms Hasler said. "My son also works there, and we run two classes at once and have three in each classes. Classes at other swim schools can run with up to eight students." The swim school was set up by Ms Hasler's mother and swim teacher Desley Bennett, who established the business after she didn't like the way larger swim schools operated. "She had the idea for the business and then went ahead and put the pool in the backyard," Ms Hasler said. "Lots of her other students came with her and it was lots of word of mouth as well. Even the grandchildren of the builders who built the pool enrolled and it grew from there." Ms Hasler has since taken over the business following her mother's recent death, and said it was critical to continue the work in teaching swim safety. "It's very important. It's amazing how many Canberra kids can't swim," she said. "It's alarming that there are some kids that can't even swim 25 metres." The latest figures from Royal Life Saving ACT found just 7 per cent of primary school students were able to meet the national water safety benchmark. Ms Hasler said swim safety skills were especially important at this time of the year. "Kids need to know how to swim. They can't go to a friend's birthday party or the local pool or the beach unless they know how to swim," she said. In the more than a decade since the swim school has been running, Ms Hasler said the business had gone from strength to strength. It's not known how many backyard swim schools are operating in Canberra, as the ACT Planning Directorate were unable to provide a figure. There is also no central register of backyard pools in the ACT, with each building file for Canberra properties needing to be looked at to determine if a home has a compliant pool. There have been multiple calls for the creation of such a registry to improve pool safety standards. A planning directorate spokeswoman said in some cases, businesses like backyard swim schools may not require development approval. "There may be other recommended certification or qualifications required to teach or operate a swim school for commercial purposes, however those requirements are not administered or determined by the ACT government," the spokeswoman said. Aqua Calwell is in the process of re-applying for a development application for the business, which it is required to do every few years. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/801195c6-2e4b-48a9-a857-7ebc80573459/r0_244_4743_2924_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news A Brisbane man is dead and two people fell ill after they took an "unknown substance" at a music festival on the NSW Central Coast, reigniting the debate over whether pill testing should be trialled at the events. Josh Tam, 22, was taken to Gosford Hospital from the Lost Paradise music festival at Glenworth Valley, near Gosford, about 8pm on Saturday. He died a short time later. Mr Tam was a QUT student, Marist College Ashgrove old boy and former GPS rugby player. Tributes flowed on social media on Sunday night, as friends of Mr Tam left heart emojis and wrote supportive messages on Facebook. "Stick together and stay strong," one person said. "Lost a good one. Love you brother," another person said. Investigations into Mr Tam's cause of death are continuing. Police said another man and a woman were treated in hospital after they took the substance. Brisbane Water Police District Commander Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said one of Mr Tam's friends had the "unfortunate experience" of having to identify his body at the hospital. "The best safety message is don't take drugs," he said. Acting Superintendent Peet said revellers' "methods of secretion are becoming sophisticated" amid a heavy police presence at the event and people were not "carrying drugs in their pockets". "We've found drugs in Vegemite jars, aerosol containers, and on one instance, someone had stuffed drugs into the stuffing of a barbecue chicken. "If [police] need to search more chickens to find drugs, they'll be doing that." The latest incident follows the deaths of three young people from suspected drug overdoses at music festivals since September, reigniting debate over drug policing and pill testing schemes. Greens MP David Shoebridge said the death again showed why the government should reconsider its position on pill testing, which he said was needed to "reduce the unknowns". Both the coalition and Labor are refusing to call off the dogs and support pill testing, it is so dreadfully sad to see politics failing young people like this.'' Young people want practical advice, real-time accurate information and a government that helps them keep safe, not one whos only plan is to lecture and punish them." The Berejiklian government remains stridently opposed to introducing a pill testing trial in NSW. "I am devastated to hear another life has been lost at a music festival, Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Sunday. "I extend my deepest sympathies to the young mans family and friends. There is no such thing as a safe illegal drug and I urge everyone who is attending a festival to stay safe and think carefully about the decisions they make around drugs." A Lost Paradise spokeswoman labelled the man's death at the "drug-free" event "very distressing" on Sunday morning. Our sincerest thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the deceased. The matter is the subject of a police investigation and we will continue to cooperate and provide whatever assistance we can." She said in a statement that a "great deal of planning and effort goes into ensuring the safety and welfare of our festival-goers and event staff". "We work closely with local police to try to ensure festival-goers respect our drug free policy and NSW Ambulance to provide extensive medical support across the festival site. Baulkham Hills teenager Callum Brosnan, 19, died at the Knockout Games of Destiny music festival on December 9. In September, 23-year-old Joseph Pham and 21-year-old Diana Nguyen died at the Defqon. 1 music festival at Penrith. About 11,000 people attended Lost Paradise, which started on Friday and finishes on Tuesday. Police handed 50 revellers court attendance notices for drug possession and charged three people with drug offences. They included a Drummoyne man, 21, allegedly caught with 105 MDMA pills. An Elanora Heights man, 23, was found with 80 MDMA pills and 65 bags of cocaine, police said. Police issued seven cautions for cannabis. Police drug dogs have searched 184 people and 97 vehicles at the festival. In October, Ms Berejiklian promised tougher penalties for drug dealers who caused a death at music festivals, in response to an expert panel into drug-related deaths at the events. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/f22bf45c-74b9-49d9-acd1-fc20fa1797cb/r0_348_708_748_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg 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. Calvinists more likely to believe domestic violence myths and oppose social justice, study finds Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christians who hold Calvinist beliefs are more likely to believe certain myths about domestic violence against women and oppose social justice advocacy, a new study has found. The study surveyed 238 seminary students and found that those who agreed with Calvinist beliefs were also more likely to agree with certain statements like, A lot of domestic violence occurs because women keep on arguing about things with their partners, and Many women have an unconscious wish to be dominated by their partners, according to a Dec. 20 article at PsyPost.org. The peer-reviewed study, "Religious beliefs and domestic violence myths," was published in the November 2018 edition of Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Its authors are Peter Jankowski, Steven Sandage, Miriam Whitney Cornell, Cheryl Bissonette, Andy Johnson, Sarah Crabtree, and Mary Jensen. All the students surveyed were attending Bethel Seminary, an evangelical institution in St. Paul, Minnesota. "Calvinist beliefs were also positively associated with endorsements of social hierarchy, and negatively related to social justice advocacy such as speaking out for equality for women. In addition, Calvinist beliefs were linked to higher levels of existential defensiveness, or a belief that God would protect them more than other people," PsyPost noted. Sandage, the Albert and Jessie Danielsen professor of psychology of religion and theology at Boston University and director of research at the Danielsen Institute, told PsyPost that the research questions partly arose out of concerns he encountered as a Christian couples therapist at New Calvinist churches. He encouraged fellow therapists to educate themselves on the theological views of their clients. "I would encourage therapists to become conversant with theology, not to try to change their clients perspectives but to be able to dialogue about issues that are central to their views of suffering and holiness. I found that, in many cases, a willingness to thoughtfully and respectfully engage clients theological perspectives served to deepen the therapy relationship and provided a pathway into deep core dilemmas about life and relationships," he said. Sandage also pointed out that the relationship is not true for all Calvinists, and "some Calvinists are very concerned about social and gender equality and other social justice issues." The connection between social justice and Calvinism was highlighted last summer when Pastor John MacArthur, a popular Calvinist theologian, spearheaded a statement opposing social justice. "Specifically, we are deeply concerned that values borrowed from secular culture are currently undermining Scripture in the areas of race and ethnicity, manhood and womanhood, and human sexuality," the statement read in part. Not all Calvinists agreed, however. For instance, Tim Keller, a popular Presbyterian theologian, opposed the statement, arguing, "It's trying to marginalize people talking about race and justice." Domestic violence was also a hot topic last summer when Paige Patterson was ousted as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary after, among other things, he allegedly counseled a woman to stay with an abusive husband. Patterson rejected the characterization and said he has personally helped women leave abusive husbands. Patterson is stridently anti-Calvinist. In a November 2017 column for The Christian Post, the Rev. Rob Schenck encouraged all pastors to address domestic violence. "I'm certain my pastoral experience isn't unique I've had victims, perpetrators, and witnesses come to me begging for help," he wrote. "Clergy are often considered the safest people to go to in frightening and shame-filled tragedies. Sometimes we hear the confessions of domestic violence at our altars, when souls are under conviction. In the early days of my ministry, I didn't know what to do, but, as time went on, I educated myself. When it comes to domestic violence, pastors and church leaders must have a plan in place and be ready to implement it it's matter of life and death." New Mexico bill would lead to assisted suicide tourism, activists warn Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment [Update: Jan. 7, 2019] Alex Schadenberg, chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, updated his remarks in a January 4 blog post, saying that he had misread the New Mexico legislation as it was awkwardly worded and that his previous analysis was wrong. It does not promote suicide tourism, he now says. "All assisted suicide bills include a list of requirements to approve a person for a lethal prescription. That list always includes ... a residency requirement," he said. "HB 90 has a list of requirements but it does not include a residency requirement. But HB 90 does define 'Adult' as a resident of the state who is eighteen years of age or older." A problem exists, he went on to say: "Section 3 in HB 90, describes the qualifications for assisted suicide, but it does not use the term 'Adult,' it uses the term 'individual.' The only time the word "adult" is used is in the form requesting medication to end life. [Original story below] A proposed bill in New Mexico would essentially make assisted suicide possible in all 50 states and make the southwestern state a tourist destination for those wanting to end their lives, some say. Recent reports indicate that Bill HB 90 in New Mexico, which will be taken up for consideration in 2019, permits assisted suicide for psychiatric conditions, allows it to be done to someone with an undefined terminal prognosis, and can be administered by nurses and physician assistants. The bill even allows the practice to be approved via telemedicine. Contained in the provisions of the proposed legislation is the loosened and subjective phrase foreseeable future as opposed to a fixed amount of time, like six months, when defining "terminal illness," grounds that could lead to state approval for an assisted suicide. The bill does not require the person seeking to end his or her life to self administer, thereby permitting euthanasia. People who are not doctors, such as nurses and physicians assistants, are among those allowed to prescribe lethal drugs. Pro-life advocates and observers of the movement to allow such practices are decrying the bill as among the worst they have seen. "Assisted suicide advocates pretend they just want a very limited death license, a safety valve, as they put it, for suffering in the terminally ill that cannot otherwise be alleviated (almost always, a false premise)," noted the Discovery Institutes Wesley Smith, in a National Review blog post Thursday. "The problem is, their laws and proposals never actually read that way. And now a legalization bill in New Mexico shows the true radical heart of the assisted suicide/euthanasia agenda." Writing at LifeNews, Alex Schadenberg, chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, said that the bill does not contain a residency requirement, allowing those who do not live in New Mexico to procure the services, and is the most dangerous assisted suicide legislation he has ever seen. "Therefore, if legalized, Bill HB 90 will allow suicide tourism and legalize assisted suicide in all 50 U.S. states," he explained. Opponents of assisted suicide and euthanasia have often argued that once extreme cases are allowed, it will only continue to grow, abuses will occur, and that a nefarious goal underpins the push to see the practice embraced in society. "Lets not be innocent, legalizing assisted suicide leads to the further degradation of people with disabilities and other people who are medically vulnerable while creating new paths for elder abuse and the perfect legal defense for deaths not considered by the assisted suicide debate," Schadenberg continued Wednesday. Likewise, Smith concluded: "The assisted suicide movement is akin to a death cult. The ultimate ideological point isnt to provide a last resort escape for the imminently dying, but to enable more people to get dead more quickly. That is why the protective guidelines constantly expand sometimes, as here, even before legalization. Everything else is subterfuge." Michelle Lujan Grisham, the governor-elect of New Mexico who will take office in January, said during the 2018 election cycle that she supports the legalization of assisted suicide. In 2017, the New Mexico Senate narrowly defeated a bill that would have legalized the practice in that state, legislation current governor Susana Martinez, a Republican, had promised to veto. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres. Resenting God author says people should share their true feelings with God Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Christians often struggle with feelings of resentment, particularly resentment toward God during times of immense struggle and grief. In his book, Resenting God: Escape the Downward Spiral of Blame,John I. Snyder, an ordained Presbyterian minister who preaches at Starnberg Fellowship International Church in Germany, applies his years of experience serving in missions worldwide and ministering in the U.S. and Europe, to help believers find healing and a better understanding of why God allows suffering and why its OK to be honest with God about our disappointments when life doesnt go as we planned. The following is an edited transcript of The Christian Post's interview with Snyder where he explains the dangers of resenting the only One who can truly bring healing and freedom during lifes toughest battles. CP: Why did you want to write a book about resentment? Is there a personal experience that inspired it? Snyder: People have often said to me, I tried the God thing. I prayed and prayed, but He didnt do a thing for me. I dont need Him. Its these words coming from the depths of pain and misunderstanding about God that I wanted to correct. Years ago, I had my own experience of disillusionment and resentment. It was after 10 straight years of academic study, in preparation for what I believed God had clearly called me to do, when He suddenly took away what I needed most, my ability to read. I didnt read again for seven years. I couldnt put this together. It seemed so random and out of character with anything I had ever experienced. I had no mentors or advisors to help me through this, but I did seem to have plenty of Jobs comforters who only intensified my confusion. This didnt help me any and I ended up blaming God, and it took me years to understand Gods sovereign power and His best for my life. So when someone else is going through the same feelings of abandonment and despair, I want to encourage them away from the downward spiral of blaming God into a healthy and loving relationship with Him. CP: We live at a time when society encourages indignation toward God, especially after mass shootings and natural disasters. In your book you address this. Can you tell us about it? Snyder: Youre right, God does get blamed for anything and everything, not only by hostile skeptics but also by believers. Have you noticed what a little child does when he trips on something and falls down? When you rush to help him up, he turns accusing eyes to you. You made him fall! It was your fault! We are no different when it comes to God and our problems. Who better to blame than the One who made us? If we understand that God is sovereign, and can arrange or rearrange what He chooses, then its inevitable that we ask the question, God, why didnt you stop it? Why did God permit it? This is probably the number one complaint that turns from a simple question into a smoldering rage against God and the Bible. God has never given us a tidy answer for why He permits suffering and disaster. But what we do know about God, not just from the Bible, is that He always has our ultimate best in mind. Also, from the testimonies of those who have gone through deep suffering and pain, we hear He permits these things in our life, for our good. In Philippians, the Apostle Paul states, For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him. Thats a hard pill to swallow suffering, a gift? Particularly when youve been praying for the life of a loved one or a rescue from some disastrous situation. But the Bible assures us that God exploits all human evil and natural disasters for His own eternal purposes. He restrains them to keep the world from becoming as bad as it could be, or wants to be, and He restores to His people what theyve lost because of them even a hundredfold. CP: You outline setups we give ourselves that lead to resenting God. What are some things we should avoid to keep bitterness from setting in and why? Snyder: We set ourselves up for resentment in several ways. It might be because our theology has been shaped by false teaching. Some pastors and believers are persuaded that even to admit a bit of disappointment or resentment toward God is an automatic fail as a Christian. This is a dangerous teaching and can easily lead people away from the faith. In counseling, I hear the following that cause people to turn resentful and bitter toward God: -I dont know who God really is. -I perceive some failure on Gods part (usually a seemingly unanswered prayer). -Lifes stresses are consuming me. -I struggle with Gods sovereignty (Hes in charge, and Im not). -My life situation is distressing. It isnt what I expected. -I am discouraged. -I have been mistreated and abused. We prescribe the way God should respond in certain situations and when He doesnt, our resentment and bitterness grows God was AWOL; God let me down; God didnt deliver on His promises; I prayed for patience, God sent me pain; Christians behaved abominably; the list is endless. Often only a good dose of reality leads us to a mature view of the God we worship. We need to avoid building on our own misperceptions of the character of God, and the way He works in the world. Its good to avoid the God didnt deliver complaint. We obeyed the rules, did the right things, but God didnt come through. Unless something happens to interrupt this line of reasoning, the believer ends up alienated and full of bitterness against the very One who is their most innocent and faithful friend. Its the testimony of Gods people for over four thousand years that God frequently gives us more than we ask for, or better than we expect. This truth is the oldest, longest-running witness. In Gods appointed time, His gifts are on the lavish, overly generous side. CP: A topic explored in the book is struggling with sin, particularly for those who identify as LGBT and resent God over that battle. What is something you can share with us concerning this? Snyder: The Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus came to save all struggling with sin and guilt, to rescue and to deliver. Nothing is beyond the grace of God. As believers we are called to love people and point them to God. Its often not the God of the Bible or Jesus that they have a problem with, but the God of judgmental Christians. Our responsibility is to try to point them to Jesus, then allow this new, transformative relationship to bring all of life into His realm, and according to His will. This is true of every person everywhere, regardless of what they face. From the Bibles point of view, guilt, real guilt, is first and foremost not a feeling. Its a state of being. It is the position of being out of line with our God by virtue of our sin. It can be fixed only by being placed into a right relationship with God, a solution thats brought about only by God Himself, not by us. The practical result of this in the spiritual dimension is this: the heavenly Judge removes our guilt and declares us free to go. Through confession of our sins, repentance (with Gods help, turning away from them) and forgiveness we are released to live a life without guilt or condemnation. The Apostle Paul said, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). However, we need to keep in mind that transformation and guilt-free living dont take place with the snap of our fingers. For some, a minority of believers, the confidence of Gods forgiveness and cleansing power seems instantaneous, like waking to the bright sunlight after a long, dark night. For others, it takes place slowly, a zigzag process with plenty of ups and downs, advances and retreats. But, like a business graph, it shows a general upward trend, despite many advances and retreats. Its part of a broader program of what we call sanctification, personal growth over time into the image of Jesus the Son. CP: What suggestions do you offer people to help them avoid resenting God when tragedy strikes or He is silent? Snyder: One main thing my own journey has taught me is that we need to wait until the final act of the play to see how the story turns out. My suggestion would be, even when were facing something very difficult: wait for God to show you His presence in the midst of your suffering. He will meet you there. God may seem to be silent for a while He often takes His time in answering prayer. We want an answer right now, but He uses time to bring about His own purposes, and sometimes lots of time! He may seem slow in bringing His answers, but Hes never late. If weve been praying for something for a long time, we know that Heaven can sometimes seem very silent. This is just a feeling it comes and goes, and isnt something we should base our theology on. But sometimes those silences become a straightforward no. What then? How do we understand a direct no from God? First, we need to remember were here for Gods purposes and pleasures. We also discover that God gets more accomplished with a no than a yes. If we had everything we asked for the minute we asked, we probably wouldnt learn very much! God uses trials and tribulations to teaches us to rely on Him, or we would never grow spiritually. Lets face it, when things are going well, how easy is it to put God in the backseat and veer off on our own? We learn from our weakness how strong God is. The Apostle Paul is a great example of this. God gave him a no to repeated prayers for healing, which kept him reliant on Gods strength. That no was one of the best answers to prayer Paul ever heard. This might seem harsh, but we also know from Scripture that God is our gracious Father who wants only the very best for us. He knows what that is, and Hell put you through whatever it takes to get you to that perfect place. Gods no can actually be a yes to a lifetime of blessing. CP: Many in the church have harbored resentment against God but smile through it. Talk to us about being transparent and finding freedom? Snyder: Unfortunately, in the church and our Christian walk, we are often warned against complaining about God or harboring any resentment toward Him. Were told we shouldnt even feel this way. We need to lie about how we really feel for Jesus sake. This is a lie whether we tell it to ourselves or hear it from someone else. Theres so much wrong with this thinking how is Jesus honored by such fake behavior? As Christians, we are called to be honest and trustworthy. No one outside looking in buys the false advertising because they know its not real. And we cant fool God! He who created us knows every single thing about us. The Psalmist cries out, Where can I flee from your presence? (Psalm 139:7). God wants us to have a truthful relationship with Him this means telling Him that we feel let down or discouraged, even bitter and angry. Theres nothing we can hide from Him. In every relationship at some time, one person is going to get mad. How can we expect our relationship with God to be any different? God is bigger than our anger and our grief. God is the only Being who doesnt take our tempers and rages personally and He is the only One who can actually do something positive about our situation. So whatever we throw at Him, however unpleasant it might be, He will not walk away from us hurt or offended. He will never abandon you. He can take it and He is the One who will walk with you and sustain you through any circumstance in life, whatever may come. CP: What are the dangers of holding things against God? Snyder: The biggest danger of holding things against God is that we will miss out on the biggest blessings and rescues in our life; instead, we will be filled with bitterness, resentment, and anger. Walking out on God might make us feel good temporarily, but in reality, its walking out on life and hope. We eventually discover that its much worse on the other side. Resentment and bitterness are like a cancer that destroys everything it touches. When it comes to Christian faith, it can eat up trust and confidence in God faster than a flesh-eating virus can dissolve the tissues of a human body. Most of us, at least in Western nations, have been raised directly or indirectly on the ideas of the Bible. We imagine a God who is loving and purposeful, a God who looks kindly upon His creatures God our Father is loving and merciful. But filled with resentment and in our limited understanding of His good purposes for us, well turn away from God and run toward what appears to be the Promised Land only to discover it's merely a mirage in the desert. CP: What further advice do you have for our Christian Post audience? Snyder: My family and I have discovered over the years that when facing any particularly difficult circumstances, a period of 100 days of prayer often makes all the difference. This is not a long, grinding, monastic-like vigil, but dedicating some time each day to a specific problem, usually with someone else. It may be any time of the day, and may be only five minutes, but it keeps the issue before us, and constantly before God. Its not magic, of course, but it often makes a major difference, and typically changes us as much as it changes the situation. To get a copy of Resenting God or for more information, visit johnisnyder.com 'This Is Us' star Chrissy Metz is unapologetic about her faith; doesn't care if it's uncool Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WINNIPEG Actress Chrissy Metz, popular for her work on the hit NBC show This Is Us and the star of the upcoming Christian film Breakthrough, shared that she is unashamed about her faith in God, although it may be considered uncool. "Breakthrough" tells the miraculous real-life account of Joyce and John Smith, a mother and son who rely on the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit during one of life's most tragic moments. Metz plays the role of Joyce. Marcel Ruiz (One Day at a Time) portrays her son, John, who fights for his life in a hospital bed before God answers the desperate mothers prayer. When I was given the gift of even reading the script, I was so moved by it, because we're all looking for something greater than ourselves, and we're all trying to figure it out, and do the best we can in the process, Metz told The Christian Post during a set visit in Winnipeg. I've had some hardships myself, obviously, not to this degree but things that were really trying. And the only thing that sort of kept me going was my faith. The actress acknowledged that faith goes hand and hand with surrender to God. Metz believes Joyce Smith's prayers were answered once she gave all her cares to God. Sometimes it's that complete surrender, where we see that miracles happen. Its so moving, she said. The Florida native recalled going to church as a little girl all on her own. During our sit down interview with her, she went on to share the importance of having someone greater to cling to in this day and age. "We all have to have a foundation, Metz maintained. "A house isn't built properly without a foundation, and whether that's your faith, or whatever you believe in, you have to believe in something. There's times where you really feel like, it's never going to get better, you're down and out and we get in our heads and we build this fear around something that the only person, or the only thing that can subside that, is our faith in God. I know that from a personal plight of my life, she added. The 38-year-old believes that that premise is true for everyone regardless of our differences. It is hard I think, now, to just be really vocal about your faith, or what you believe in because people want to think it's not cool, but I'm like, I don't care! I have to do what I have to do for me, and I know that the only person that shows up for me time and time again, is God, and is that higher power that's greater than myself. So I have to honor that. Not because I have to, because I want to, even though people might think it's the uncool thing to do. For me, there's no question about it, Metz testified. Before now, the actress has never really shared openly about her faith and as an emerging star in Hollywood, it certainly isnt the most popular thing to do. However, she did not hold back her views. I know it can be a challenge because the whole problem is that we all want to fit in, we want to be liked and validated, she explained. So when we're different, we feel it, but I think that when people are strong in their convictions, it can really persuade people to think differently just as the movies going to do. There's no question that something miraculous happened, nobody can explain how our why. And so what it's going to do, much like This Is Us, is open up people's hearts and their minds to something different, and a different perspective, Metz continued. The 20th Century Fox and Devon Franklin film, released its first trailer in December and garnered nearly 40 million views in just days, already influencing people just as Metz resolved it would. "When Joyce Smith's adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope looks lost. Even though John lies lifeless for more than an hour, his mother refuses to lose faith and prays for a miracle. To the astonishment of everyone present, her prayers are answered as John's heart suddenly begins to beat again, defying every expert, every case history, and every scientific prediction. Mere days after the accident, he walks out of the hospital under his own power, completely healed," the movie's synopsis reads. In her own book,This Is Me, Metz opens up about her difficult upbringing and how she defied the odds to be where she is today. When asked what parts of Breakthrough" really impacted her, she suggested there was so much to chose from. In the script Joyce and Brian (Father) aren't always on the same page because Brian can't quite deal with the really difficult situation at hand but with that Joyce's [faith] never faltered and she continues to believe, just as people believed in me when I didn't believe in myself, Metz stated. You have to have somebody to believe in something, somebody to hold on to that and I think it's so inspiring in the way that just when you think you can't, and everybody else's against you that God is for you and that's all that you need. Metz admires that Joyce was strong enough to still believe, which eventually brought the family together. I think it's just amazing because it's hard, it's hard to be that one person standing alone or you feeling that you're alone but there's so much to take away, she concluded. Obviously Marcel, who plays John, coming back and ministering to Tommy Shine, who's the MT. All of those things are just life-changing. Joining Metz in the cast is Topher Grace, who's best known for his role in the comedy series "That '70s Show." He plays Pastor Jason Noble who helps the grieving family through the ordeal. The cast also includes Josh Lucas as Brian Smith, Mike Colter as Tommy Shine, and hip-hop artist Lecrae. "Breakthrough" was directed by of veteran TV director Roxann Dawson ("House of Cards," "Scandal," "The Americans," and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). DeVon Franklin ("Miracles from Heaven") produced the film and was determined to retell the Smiths' story just as it happened. The 20th Century Fox movie is based on Joyce Smith's book The Impossible and was adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte ("Seven Pounds"). "Breakthrough" will be released April 17, 2019. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment We are all prone to judge others whether we understand it is right or wrong. Many are acclaiming judging as a virtue but is it really? Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. James 2:13 We all have been shown great mercy in our lives. God has shown great compassion and forgiveness towards us in not counting our sins against us. We were in a place were God was ready to punish us and cause us great harm in sending us to hell for eternity for our great sins. Yet he showed great mercy and love towards us, forgiving our sins in his Son. When we therefore show no mercy to others, especially believers, we sin greatly. Warren Weirsbe says, The most miserable prison in the world is the prison we make for ourselves when we refuse to show mercy. Such a prison many believers are in not being able to show mercy to others but being a great benefiter of mercy from God. God came down from above as the compassionate one to forgive your sins, yet we cannot show compassion to the sins of another believer. Judgmentalism is one of the great sins in the Church, as we are always faulty in the way we see others, never knowing someone's motives and heart (Jeremiah 17:9). When we learn to be full of mercy for others, we start to share the heart of Jesus Christ who did not judge but showed compassion to failing humanity. Look into the eyes of Jesus Christ now and see his wounds where he was pierced for you, can you say to him that you cannot forgive another? Have mercy to another? The Testimony Of The Desert Fathers The Desert Fathers were those who sought the Lord in a life of prayer in solitude, they sought God for God Himself. These were some of the godliest followers of the Lord in that era of Church history. A story of a Desert Father on not judging says, A brother in Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to him, saying, Come, for everyone is waiting for you. So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug and filled it with water and carried it with him. The others came out to meet him and said, what is this, father? The old man said to them, My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another. When they heard that, they said no more to the brother but forgave him. If we see our sins as this old godly brother did, we will not judge but show mercy to a fellow believer on this journey with the Lord. If we judged our own selves we would see our failings as great and have great mercy to others. We should find ourselves as the publican calling out to God for mercy constantly (Luke 18:13). Just like the pharisee in the temple praying we can judge our fellow brothers, looking down on the errors of others, but not seeing our own. Lord have mercy on me and help me to be merciful to others. The Example of Jonah, A Prophet Without Mercy We all know the story of the prophet who was swallowed by the fish. Children are amused and enough the thought of it! Yet as adults when we take time to read through the details we realize a much more serious and important message is being given to us. Jonah was a holy prophet and admired by the people of Israel. He heard the voice of God many times and obeyed in sharing the truth with the people of God. But when the voice of the Lord told him to go to a very wicked people who worshipped the fish god, Jonah said no. He went the opposite direction in a boat but the Lord had a way of getting his attention and encouraging him to obey and speak repentance to those people. Jonah had seen time and time again God show mercy to Israel when they did not deserve it and it turned his stomach to think he would show mercy to the very wicked people of Nineveh. Even after preaching and seeing the peoples repentance Jonah still felt that God should judge them in some way (Jonah 4:1). We Can All Be Like Jonah We all can be like Jonah at times, especially if we are the people who have been hurt by others. The people of Nineveh enslaved and caused great harm to Israel before so the thought of forgiving them and even God showing mercy to have them become believers was too much for Israel or their prophet Jonah to accept. Have we been hurt by others in the world who we have not forgiven? Maybe we have forgiven them but do we want them to be saved? St. Benedict of Nursia says, To hate no one. Not to be jealous or envious. To hate strife. To evidence no arrogance. Never despair of Gods mercy. Gods heart is full of grace, meaning he wants to extend his love and mercy to those who do not deserve it especially. God is compassionate and very slow to anger against those that we feel deserve it. We are never called to hate anyone, desire evil for anyone, if we shared the true Spirit of Christ we will seek the mercy of the love for all of humanity. This also extends to the body of Christ that we would seek the good of all those who call upon the Name of the Lord. Steps To Be Free Of Judgementalism The journey to freedom is one footstep after another. To get out of a pit one has to start the climb out. After years of habitual judging of others we can find ourselves in a deep chasm of rooted sinful behavior. Here are some small steps you can take daily to help: 1). Meditate on the Passion of Jesus Christ Spend time in silence thinking upon the wounds of Christ. Think of the Crown of Thorns, the Pierced Side, the wounds afflicted to Christ when the soldiers were mocking Him. See your sins there causing such hurt to the Saviour. See your judgemental words heaped on Him. Also see the hope that Christ died to free us all from our passions and sins. 2). Show Acts of Mercy No matter if you think a person deserves it or not, show mercy and kindness. Make deliberate acts to see the good in others and applaud them for these God given gifts. See where people do things better than yourself. Glory in God for anyway people serve God in a way you are not doing. Show deeds of mercy to others in gifts and kindness. Let no thought of judging to come into your mind. 3). Remind Yourself of Your Faults When you are tempted to judge someone, consider your own faults and sins. When did you fail greatly in the same area or similar area. Look to yourself, consider how much mercy God gave you and then show that mercy to others. 4). Learn to Hate Judging Learn to not hate others as St. Benedict counsels us but rather to hate the sins of jealousy, envying, strife, arrogance. Hate the sin of habitat judging as its a cancer of the soul. Put your focus on God, in worship and adoration, do not spend your time considering the faults of others even obvious false teachers or those departing from the faith. Look to your own soul find your lacks and where you are departing and pray for Gods mercy to finish well. May God give you complete victory as you daily put this sin under the blood of Christ and the victory of His holy Cross. The God who knows all thoughts of our mind and heart will cleanse and give you victory in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Coptic Christians plan protests demanding justice as targeted killings continue in Egypt Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Coptic Christians will be staging protests in multiple cities at the end of the month to bring attention to the ongoing persecution their communities suffer in Egypt. The Australian Coptic Movement Association said on Facebook Friday that protests on Dec. 30 are scheduled in at least three cities: Sydney, Melbourne, and Darwin. The Coptic community has faced several tragedies in 2018. It's still reeling from the murder of father and son Emad and David Kamal Sadiq who were killed on Dec. 12 by a police officer who had been tasked with guarding a Christian church. Al-Monitor reported on Thursday that Sgt. Rabie Mostafa Khalifa has officially been charged with premeditated murder in the shooting deaths of the believers after he opened fire while guarding Nahdet al-Qadasa Church in the Minya governorate. The shooting occurred after the officer got into an argument with the men, who were working at the time as contractors removing the ruins of a demolished house facing the church. Hundreds of mourners attended their funerals, Middle East Eye reported, demanding justice from the Egyptian government for the series of attacks they have suffered in the past couple of years. A similar outcry of grief and anger followed the killings of seven believers at the hands of Islamic militants near a monastery in Minya in November. Egyptian police said at the time that they pursued the militants and killed 19 of them in a shoot-out into a desert area west of Minya province. The victims included one Anglican and six Copts, with mourners chanting at the funerals: "With our souls, with our blood, we will defend the cross!" The Australian Coptic Movement Association said that Christians are being forced to accept reconciliation instead of justice over the violence against them, and are suffering from other forms of persecution as well. Egyptian authorities, particularly in Southern Egypt, continued to conduct customary reconciliation sessions between Muslims and Christians. In ALL cases, we have the Muslim majority attacking the local Christian minority and the local authorities and Muslim and Christian religious leaders at times have abused these sessions to compel victims to abandon their claims to any legal remedy, the association added. Dismayingly, in some cases, Christian families have been forced to leave their villages and sell their property. Ahead of the protests on Dec. 30, the group made several urgent requests of the Egyptian government. It called for the establishment of a special inquiry to examine and investigate all sectarian attacks that have occurred and bring those responsible to justice. It demanded an end to the forced reconciliation sessions, and separately urged protection for Egyptian Christian women and girls, which it said are at risk of being kidnapped and forcefully converted. As we approach a New Year, we also take time out to remember and pray for the hundreds of families who have been impacted by previous massacres that have occurred at this time, it said. From El-Kosheh to Alexandria, we have many hundreds of families celebrating New Year's and Coptic Orthodox Christmas without loved ones at their dinner table. In the majority of cases, the murderers are roaming the streets freely as no one is ever sentenced for these terrible crimes. Let asylum seekers work, says Archbishop of York The Archbishop of York has called for a change to regulations in order to allow UK asylum seekers to work while they wait for a decision. Dr John Sentamu said in the Guardian that the family of the infant Jesus had only escaped King Herod by fleeing to Egypt, where it was 'likely' that Joseph had put his carpentry skills to use to earn money. Writing on Holy Innocents Day on Friday, he said that modern-day asylum seekers should also be granted the right to work so that they can look after themselves. 'At this time of celebration and giving, people awaiting asylum claims can't even work to survive. That has to change,' he said. 'After fleeing their homes in search of safety, today's asylum seekers also find themselves in a new and unfamiliar country and many will have spent this holiday thousands of miles from their families, friends and support networks. 'Any hope for what the new year may bring is often tainted by the anxiety that comes with waiting for a decision on an asylum claim.' Under current rules, asylum seekers in the UK are not allowed to work while they wait for a decision on their application, even though this can take months or sometimes even years. If the asylum seekers have exhausted their own funds, their only other option is to turn to churches and charities or apply for government benefits, which include a place to live and a weekly cash allowance of 37.75. The benefits are intended for asylum seekers on the brink of destitution but the charity Refugee Action has previously complained that applicants have to wait months before receiving any help. Dr Sentamu said working was a 'common sense' solution to the problem of poverty that would also benefit the UK economy and reduce the burden on the state. 'It would help new refugees to integrate more effectively, as long periods outside of the labour market inevitably take a toll on self-confidence, skills and employability. Perhaps most importantly, it would give back dignity to people seeking asylum in what is otherwise a draining and degrading system.' he said. He added: 'Listening to asylum seekers' stories of persecution, displacement and loss, I hear the noble traits of bravery, determination and endurance. It is in no one's interest to have these individuals forced into inactivity. I have no doubt that their contributions to our society would be significant if we let them.' The Lift the Ban coalition, which is lobbying for a change to the rules, claims that asylum seekers would contribute 42m to the economy if they were allowed to work. Home Secretary Sajid Javid said earlier this month that there were no plans at present to lift the ban on working but that he would like to review it. Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte fires more shots at Catholic Church Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte continued his feud with the Catholic Church with fresh insults just days after wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. The president fired off at the Church on Saturday, saying it should 'correct itself' before it criticises others. 'To the priests, don't meddle too much,' he said, according to Bloomberg. 'If not, I will really be their enemy and I will continue to attack them.' He made the comments during a visit to the southern Philippine province of Cotabato to hand out land titles to farmers. The president and the Catholic Church have been at odds over the latter's criticism of his brutal campaign to eradicate drug trafficking in the Philippines. His comments have sometimes angered the Philippine's majority Catholic population. His ratings took a hit after he called God 'stupid' earlier this year. 'It was an unnecessary remark, it really affected his ratings,' said analyst Earl Parreno, of the Institute of Political and Electoral Reforms, at the time. 'The rising prices and unemployment also had an impact, but this is only temporary. He has to repair his relations with the bishops and rebuild his image,' Parreno said. At other times, Duterte has questioned why God would create hell and not intervene to stop wars. 'If you are God, you don't create hell. If you are God, you don't create wars. If there is a God, then there is no poverty. If there is God, then nobody dies of hunger. If there is God, you are not refused burial services on Sundays,' he said in a speech in Cebu City in August. Then last month, he told Filipinos they were better off not going to church. 'You don't have to go to church to pay for these idiots,' he said of the bishops and priests. Despite his frequent disparaging remarks about the church, he broadcast a Christmas message this year in which he told Filipinos to 'contemplate on the worth of the lessons that we can learn from the narrative of Christ's birth'. 'Together let us bring hope and peace in our nation this Yuletide season as we welcome the coming year with much hope and optimism,' he added as he wished everyone a 'happy and meaningful' Christmas. A man died in a crash on Saturday night on U.S. 290 that involved an 18-wheeler and two SUVs, authorities said. The 5:17 p.m. wreck shut down all inbound lanes on 290 from the Fairbanks to the Hollister exits, according to police. The University of St. Thomas (UST) is introducing a bachelor of fine arts in dance for the spring 2019 semester. The new degree was made possible due to a partnership with METdance, one of Houstons largest dance companies. According to Claire McDonald, professor and chair of fine arts and drama at University of St. Thomas, UST used to have dance, primarily as an extra curricular activity, back in the 70s and 80s, but it faded out. There were numerous attempts to reinvent a dance program, and in the early 2000s the university got as far as designing a dance minor, but the stars did not align at the time. We have had a partnership with MFAH Glassell School of Art and the partnership has worked very wellIf we can do this with the studio art [program], we can do this with dance and partner up with someone prominent in town and develop a similar program, McDonald said. According to www.metdance.org, METdance is a multi-functional dance organization that excels at entertaining and captivating audiences, instilling a passion and excitement for dance in its students, training the talented youth of Houston and preparing them for careers in dance performance, and inspiring children through the art of dance. METdance holds dance classes for children, teens and adults. METdance also has a repertoire company with 13 dancers that are contracted for a year. The company performs seven main performances each year in the Houston area. The company also tours nationally. Jennifer Mabus, a choreographer, dancer and dance educator helped design the program, which the UST faculty and Board of Directors approved this past June. Students will be able to take technique classes at the METdance center. They get to have experience of working for a professional dance company. They will get an inside look at what their profession will be, Mabus said. The students will take introduction classes in contemporary dance, ballet, and global and urban dance form, and then can choose a specific dance focus as they move further through the program. There will also be classes on choreography, dance history, and theory. There will also be an opportunity to assist teachers at METdance for younger students classes. We are looking for students to have some elementary dance training, and have a sense of dedication in pursuing the art form, Mabus said. McDonald hopes that students will find the new program appealing due to the University of St. Thomas being nestled among the various arts of Houston. McDonald also noted that there will be scholarship money available to incoming dance students. This is the best time to be joining the program as it grows by its nature, McDonald said. Both Mabus and McDonald noted that it was due time that Houston was able to offer another BFA in dance. Prior to the program being established at UST, the only other Houston area higher education institution to offer it was the University of Houston. Dance has been a stepchild in many academic situations. As an art form, it is probably more ancient than theater, McDonald said. For more information, visit www.metdance.org and www.stthom.edu. rebecca.hazen@chron.com With seven historic districts, the Heights is a neighborhood that still offers a glimpse into the city's history. Widely considered Houston's first planned community, it was founded in 1896 as its own city with an independent jail, hospital and city hall. Founders Oscar Martin Carter and Daniel Denton Cooley, principles of the Omaha and South Texas Land Company, purchased more than 1,700 acres in 1891. They were drawn to the area because it was elevated, which meant fewer mosquitoes in a time when yellow fever and cholera were rampant. It was also not far from downtown, so residents could access the streetcar system to commute to work. The former city was annexed to the City of Houston in 1918 because Heights schools needed more funding. Annexation allowed the municipality to access a wider tax base. RELATED: Houston historic Greater Heights homes built 1908-1922 Annexation was approved on the condition the area remains dry, an ordinance that was passed in 1912. Prohibition was passed just eight years later but was repealed in 1933, though the Heights remains dry to this day. Restaurants and bars implemented creative solutions to get around the ordinance, including starting private clubs. Appropriate age verification and a signature is enough for patrons to have a drink as long as the establishment also serves food, and as long as drinks are only served during food service hours. SEE ALSO: How Montrose became Montrose Now, many locals are saying the law is antiquated and should be overturned. This election, there's a referendum on the ballot that would lift the alcohol ban. This would not repeal the 1912 ordinance, but would allow stores in the area, including grocers, to sell beer and wine. A major proponent for the "dampening" of the area, in addition to the Houston Heights Beverage Coalition, is H-E-B, which has a wide selection of alcoholic beverages at its other locations. A location is set to open at 23rd Street and North Shepherd, where Fiesta once stood. H-E-B Houston president Scott McClelland is urging voters to support a lift on the ban. You can delve into the neighborhood's sentiments both for, and against the ballot at houstonchronicle.com. One characteristic of the area that most locals wish hadn't changed is the cost of homes in the area. Once known as a more affordable place to buy and still be close to the city center, homes in the area are now among the priciest in Houston. While the real estate market skyrocketed, the area's also seen the opening of several acclaimed restaurants. Despite the rise of sophisticated new establishments in the area, the Heights retains its vintage vibe with midcentury buildings on 19th street, quirky businesses and rows of Queen Anne and Craftsman-style homes. Scroll through the gallery above for a look at how the Heights neighborhood has changed over the years. Houston Methodist West Hospital received Magnet recognition for nursing excellence recently, becoming one of a select group of hospitals nationally to be awarded this distinction. There are only 482 Magnet hospitals in the world (including 43 in Texas, of which, four are other Houston Methodist facilities), and only 8 percent of hospitals in the United States have achieved Magnet designation. This designation is a tribute to each and every one of our team members who have dedicated themselves to our patients and their families, said Vicki Brownewell vice president and chief nursing officer at Houston Methodist West. The American Nurses Credentialing Center announced the award after Houston Methodist West demonstrated it met or exceeded standards in the areas of nursing administration, education, clinical practice, research and quality. This is the highest level of recognition a hospital can receive from the ANCC for excellence in nursing services. Magnet designation shows our patients they can count on our nurses to provide them with the very best care, said Wayne Voss, chief executive officer of Houston Methodist West. It is also important to our hospital because it helps us attract and retain top talent, improve safety, patient care and satisfaction, and foster a collaborative culture. Studies show that Magnet hospitals have lower mortality rates and higher patient satisfaction compared to hospitals without the designation. This is attributed to nursings sense of autonomy, and their professional relationships with physicians and other team members. According to the ANCC, the award recognizes the management philosophy and practices of nursing services; adherence to standards for improving the quality of patient care; leadership of the chief nurse executive in supporting professional practice and continued competence of nursing personnel; and attention to the cultural and ethnic diversity of patients and their families. Spring Branch Education Foundation / Spring Branch Education Foundation Spring Branch Education Foundation has announced a grant from the American Red Cross that will provide part-time mental health services to students at Frostwood Elementary, Memorial Middle and Rummel Creek Elementary Schools. Last school year, these same services proved to be invaluable to students who were displaced from their homes due to Hurricane Harvey. This $66,000 grant will enable Community in Schools Houston (CIS) trauma-informed counselors to provide mental health counseling to students who are still dealing with issues caused by the storm. Approximately 900 SBISD employees and 1,500 students were negatively impacted by flooding. Some are still displaced and are waiting to move back into their homes. The former Conroe Coffee shop in downtown Conroe has officially reopened as Beanpunk at Conroe Coffee across from the Montgomery County Courthouse. Now its gaining more steam with a new location in Montgomery and a plan to further expand as a franchise within the next couple of years. We are really trying to hash out the concept of growth, more than anything else, co-owner Jason Ohn said. Thats my big push this year. The popular coffee shop that has served downtown Conroe since 2013 closed its doors at 206 North Main Street on Dec. 24. Sticking to the plan and keeping its roots firm in the ground to continue serving its loyal customer base, the co-owners decided to remain in downtown Conroe where it reopened at 330 North Main Street. The coffee shop replaced the Red Onion Company on the Square in Downtown Conroe, which closed after owner and chef Joey Ashton returned to a career in law enforcement. Ohn said the coffee shop was already considering a change in location with lease options as a factor in the decision when they were approached by Ashton about the vacant space, which Ohn described as a win-win situation. The space will display a steampunk theme on one side for the coffee shop and a similar French Quarter theme on the other side for Verneles Bayou Bakery, which already has a New Orleans style and will share the space with the business and offer baked goods and wedding cakes. The former Conroe Coffee shop, which has steadily grown over the past five years, incorporated an English theme inspired by Ohns wife and co-owner Tracey Leo Harris who is English. The expansion was originally going to include the English theme; however the co-owners were not in love with the concept. A business partner suggested the steampunk theme during a brainstorming session that prompted the change. Steampunk is described as a science fiction subgenre that has evolved to a sub-culture marrying science fantasy with technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th century industrial steam-powered machinery and Victorian writers such as H.G. Wells of The Time Machine and Jules Verne of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I thought it would be an awesome idea because Im pretty familiar with the concept, Ohn said noting he welcomes advice. A lot of people just love the concept of steampunk even if they dont have familiarity with it. There is absolutely nothing in town where people actually have a full steampunk theme. If there is I havent heard of it. Beanpunk at Montgomery, which will further test the steampunk theme and include an outdoor patio area, is anticipated to open early in January next to Whitley Winery within the historic district at 401 College Street #170. While at growth trends, Ohn, who has a background in database and business intelligence management, shared he felt the steady growth in Conroe was fine but that the business needed to expand which led to opening in Montgomery. The co-owners are also considering opening in Huntsville and The Woodlands. Weve always liked downtown Montgomery, he said. Its a sleepy downtown but it feels like it is ready for an explosion in growth. The city council, the city management, they feel like they are poised to help the businesses grow in the downtown area and grow out the historic Montgomery. The leased building includes a Steambot mascot named Willie, Victorian-era furniture, a robotic parrot mascot named Wingnut created by Lawyer Douglas who owns Wilde Collection in The Heights, a stained glass window that will be made and installed by Lone Star Radios Rick Sellers, and a riveted black wall made by local carpenter and musician Conrad Craft. Ohn estimated the build out has cost between $20,000 to $30,000. Ohn shared he does not want the business to be seen as competition but instead hopes to work with the businesses to help each other grow. They are also in communications with city officials to host a steampunk themed festival in 2019. Serenity Salon owner Loni LeMaster was among a few visitors who stopped by to sneak a peek at the progress and inquire about the opening in Montgomery. Im so excited, LeMaster said. I feel like the coffee shop is going to be an extension of my beauty shop. Ohn said the new coffee shops will not include a boutique but will continue to strive to support local artists and vendors, as well as serve a variety of the same breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu items, including coffee, tea, ice cream, pastries and more. Ohn, an Army veteran, confirmed both locations will still offer a uniform discount for first responders and military veterans. The former Conroe Coffee shop annually sold 51,000 cups of various types of coffee with regular coffee, the standard latte, frosty bears, and mochas as the most popular items. The owners have partnered with Javalope Coffee for customers to be able to grind their gears on an entire line of Beanpunk coffee. Business hours will remain the same in Conroe with an interest in also being available seven days a week in Montgomery. It is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, email info@beanpunk.com, call 936-266-7632, or visit www.BeanPunkCoffee.com. Montgomerys new Marketing and Tourism director, Katrina Moore, 40 of Houston, is planning a robust 2019 that includes new events and collaborative strategies to promote the city, county, and the region. Among the events on her radar is the potential revival of the annual Texian festival that was canceled indefinitely in October, as well as the launch of a new family-friendly Lone Star Flag festival featuring Texas history activities to celebrate the birthplace of the Texas flag on April 16. We are trying to figure out how to bring back (the Texian Festival) and the best way to do that, Moore said noting she is in communication with key stakeholders. The Texian Festival and the Lone Star Fest covers some of the same things, so I am concentrated on growing some of those things into the Lone Star Flag Festival. I know it will definitely combine some elements. Moore, 40, began serving in the newly created position in November. She has a Bachelors in Political Science from the University of Houston and a Masters in International Studies from the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Her ultimate goal is to work with Montgomery mayor Sara Countryman and the Economic Development Corporation to attract businesses and visitors to Montgomery by increasing awareness through regional partnerships, promotional efforts, and events. As I go around town and meet people everybody says welcome to Montgomery and I just love that and in some kind of way I think might try to use that as a tag line for the city, Moore said. I want people to come into this town and feel what I feel, experience our city and fall in love with our city. Prior to her arrival, she worked for five years working for the Gulf Coast Work Force Board with the Houston-Galveston Area Council in Houston, director of Tourism and Community Development for the City of Port Lavaca, and Resource Development Specialist for Harris County Protective Services for children and adults. Her experience included contract management, a successful festival revival, hosting housing fairs that helped residents find resources such as for home repairs, working with community organizations and government officials, finding funding opportunities, increasing engagement, and ensuring that organizations and agencies were good stewards of public funds. She plans to work with different groups within Montgomery, other cities such as Conroe, and the county to develop a regional tourism plan and attract people to the area, which could result in an increase in tax revenue. Its economic development for the whole entire county and that is good for everybody, Moore said. According to travel statistics for the region, Moore said generally 60 percent of people travel to the region by car, 62 percent are married, half of those people travel 250 miles or less, 38 percent are visiting family and 22 percent are looking for a culinary experience. Part of my marketing strategy is to attract those people, Moore said. If they are visiting families, then we want to focus on family-friendly events. We also have three wineries in our city, so we are looking at ways to incorporate that in our marketing strategy as well. And since they are driving, we have a couple of bed and breakfasts but we do not have hotel assets. We are working on increasing our digital presence, we are rebranding our website, so a couple of things I plan to include on the websites is what to do in Montgomery in a day. As city officials continue working on a Streetscape project plan with anticipated Texas Department of Transportation work on FM 149, known locally as Liberty Street, which runs next to the Historic District in downtown Montgomery, she plans to host a good chunk of next years events downtown to give event-goers an opportunity to browse, shop, and dine. I think drawing more people into events that are downtown will be a good way to get people into town and looking into the shops we have there, Moore said. There are really some very cute shops and great restaurants. Focused on economic development, tourism and marketing, Moore said she wants potential businesses to see that Montgomery is a thriving city and not just a good place for business owners to relocate their business and for their employees to work as it has more to offer, but for employees to live, raise their families and play. She said part of tourism also includes entertaining residents to keep them exploring Montgomery too. However, Moore said she is not interested in turning Montgomery into another city such as her hometown of Houston. Instead she said she wants to always keep the charm and quaintness that keeps Montgomery, Montgomery. I think that when people travel to different places they want it to be different from where they come from, Moore said. we want to keep that attractiveness for why people come up to Montgomery. Whether it is to find out more of the historical aspect of it, to do shopping in our historic district downtown, or to eat at the fabulous restaurants that we have here. Financing for Small Businesses Tapping into her network, Moore said the Houston Galveston Area Local Development Corporation, a part of Houston Galveston Area Council, will host a brief presentation on financing for small businesses at 8 a.m. on Jan. 9 at the Community Building off of Liberty Street. She encouraged those interested growing, expanding or starting a business to attend. This is not only open to small businesses in our area but local banks because they partner with local banks to provide funding so they are looking for partnerships, Moore said. Local members of the bank may want to show up as well to get some information and find out how to partner as well. For more information, call 936-597-4291 or email kmoore@ci.montgomery.tx.us. mellsworth@hcnonline.com A Houston police officer will be in the hospital for the next few months after being severely burned in a drunken driving crash on Dec. 23. Officer John Daily, 25, had his fourth surgery on Friday, said Houston Police Officers' Union President Joe Gamaldi. It is a very long road ahead, he said. Daily was driving his police SUV to a scene when another car crashed into him, causing the SUV to hit a utility pole, flip several times and burst into flames. The officer, who started with the department about a year ago, has burns on 50 percent of his body, Chief Art Acevedo said at a press conference. DEADLY COLLISION: Motorcyclist dies in crash near Magnolia A second officer in the car, 25-year-old Alonzo Reid, sustained less severe burns than Daily. He and a civilian helped Daily out of the car, police said. Reid is now recovering at home, Gamaldi said. The man behind the wheel of the car that allegedly caused the wreck is in jail in lieu of $250,000 bond. Cesar Collazo, 23, has been charged with two counts each of intoxicated assault of a peace officer and failure to stop and render aid after causing serious bodily injury. Prosecutors said Collazo caused the wreck while intoxicated in 10100 block of Telephone Road, about a block from his apartment. He was picked up by police walking away from the crash, about 12 minutes after the collision. He apparently told police he drank eight beers. He had a blood alcohol level of .157, almost twice the legal limit of .08, prosecutors said. The police officers union is holding a blood drive at 1600 State St. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 3. Donors can schedule an appointment at www.giveblood.org by clicking on Donor Log In, creating an account and entering the code 3886PD06. Monetary donations can also be made at Assisttheofficer.com The term moonshine comes with a certain connotation: Prohibition-era bootleggers manufacturing illicit clear liquor under the cover of night in a makeshift distillery, a spirit so strong it led to apocryphal tales of turning heavy drinkers blind. Business partners Nick Droege and Greg Truex, connoisseurs and manufacturers of vodka and whiskey through their brand Texas Tail, are helping break the antiquated stigma of moonshine shorthand for unaged whiskey made with corn mash with a distillery that opened in Galveston in late November. Texas Tail Distillery took over a small storefront that once housed a glass shop in a strip mall on Seawall Boulevard, and the do-it-yourself operation has been met with a warm reception so far from locals who, on a good day, purchase anywhere from 30 to 50 bottles of the distillerys three labels Texas Tail Vodka, Coastline Whiskey, and Southern Marsh Moonshine. SUBURBAN BREWING: Katy couple makes their own distillery dream come true Even just before noon on a Saturday morning, a group of six grab seats at the bar, the waves of the Gulf of Mexico crashing beyond the seawall across the street through the storefronts big glass windows. Theres definitely a need for it, said Marie Kilbourn, a bartender and mixologist at Texas Tail who developed the distillerys unique menu of cocktails, which includes flavor-infused moonshine such as apple, black cherry and peach. Theres breweries already, quite a few already on the island. We all are looking for distilleries and wineries too. Everybody travels, and everybody goes to those places wherever they travel, right? For this to be a vacation destination place, and youre on the seawall in Galveston and to have the first spirits (distillery) here is definitely praised by the community. Droege and Truex, who met as college students in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and started the Texas Tail brand in 2013, a moonshine distillery was the natural next step in their evolution as liquor manufacturers. The two started out making homemade beer in college, eventually shifting to vodka after becoming hooked on the Discovery Channel docudrama Moonshiners that dramatized the life of people who produce illegal moonshine in the Appalachian Mountains. After three years of trial and error A lot of bad vodka, Truex said they sold their first bottle of Texas Tail in November 2013, a 50/50 blend of corn and wheat vodka, and established a small distillery in Dallas, where they also made one-year aged whiskey. But Droege and Truex, who grew up in Friendswood and Alvin, respectively, yearned to tap into the more familiar Houston-area market. I grew up fishing in West (Galveston) Bay two to three times a week, I knew whenever we started up there, I told Greg that our plan was that I always wanted to be down in the Houston area, and after we started talking with family and friends and everything, we really honed in on Galveston, Droege said. It fit our brand too, Texas Tail was named after hunting and fishing, it really fit us as a company to move to Galveston. The shift to moonshine was a result of a consistent stream of feedback from customers to make flavored vodka. Droege and Truex experimented with some flavored recipes to mixed results. We tried to use all natural products and when were mixing with vodka, everything tasted like candy, Truex said. Moonshines just a pretty easy to mix - pretty much anything you mix into it will taste like its supposed to. You just really cant take vodka out of something, its always gonna have that feel to it. It helped that the process to make moonshine was fairly simple by distilling standards, although hardly as crude as burning it over an open flame as the Prohibition bootleggers once did. In the back of the distillery, a 200-gallon pot still with a vertical copper pipe is the primary piece of equipment used for breaking down, mixing, and distilling the corn whiskey. The vertical pipe on the pot still collects the steam from the concoction, which is then cooled with cold water to turn it into liquid form. The liquid is collected in a transfer tank and then placed in a holding tank where it ferments and is later blended with purified water, then bottled and labeled by hand. The daily yield can range anywhere from 20 to 50 gallons. It is something that nobody can just walk in off the street and do, Truex said. Its just knowing how chemistry works and the whole process works and once you do it every day you just have a feel for it. Bartenders Kilbourn and Kayla Van De Flier are responsible for making magic out of Droege and Truexs product with creative cocktail blends. The owners gave Kilbourn free reign to shape the drink menu to her liking. Drinks like the Hot Summer Pie a mix of peach, apple, and black cherry moonshine, hot water, and honey garnished with cinnamon and whipped cream or the Gulf Coast Apple Margarita, which replaces Tequila with apple moonshine, topped with sprite, honey, and an apple slice garnish, are customer favorites. Kilbourn uses a farm-to-cocktail approach, incorporating fresh ingredients in the drink mixes to give the flavors more punch. I grow all my fresh herbs, the fresh herbs are all in your drinks, Kilbourn said. So the mojitos, Ill go and pick the mint right off the plant in front of you. I get all the fresh fruits early in the morning. These are all my oranges here, I go into the local markets and get all the fresh fruits, that way I make sure everything I get here is locally grown and you can taste that in your drinks. The first month of business at Texas Tail exceeded Droeges expectations, particularly bottle sales, which flew off the shelves during the holiday season. The liquor market has really boomed the last three months of the year, which is really fitting because Galveston goes through a slow period the last three months of the year, Droege said. The backs busy when the fronts not and the front will be busy in the summertime when the liquor industry kind of slows down because everyones on vacation. They play off of each other very well. The hope is that as the tourist season picks up in the spring, the distillery will be able to expand and acquire another space to handle production and add more staff for the bar. Truex joked that they have been benefiting from the free labor of friends and families to help with the bottling process. Eventually, they will advertise bottling parties as another element of the distillery business. We try to make it fun, we give them some drinks and put on some music. Nothing that we do is extremely hard, but the nature of it can be dangerous if you dont know what youre doing, Truex said. nick.powell@chron.com Police in Seguin arrested an armed man Sunday morning who was allegedly en route to "fulfill what he called a prophecy," according to the Seguin Police Department. Just before 7 a.m., officers responded to the 2400 block of W. Kingsbury St. in reference to a man carrying what was believed to be a handgun. An off-duty Seguin police officer was first at the scene and observed "an oddly dressed male wearing tactical style clothing, a surgical face shield" and carrying a loaded firearm with extra ammunition, according to police. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox Police say the man, identified as 33-year-old Tony Albert, was allegedly en route to an unidentified church to "fulfill what he called a prophecy." Albert was arrested and transported to Guadalupe County Jail, where he was booked on a $100,000 bond for possession of marijuana and possession of a firearm. Seguin authorities say a citizen initially called police. Albert has a lengthy criminal history, public records show. He's been arrested at least six times in Harris County on various charges dating back to 2009, when he was 24. Albert was convicted in four of those cases for: driving while intoxicated; possession of marijuana under two ounces; disarming a police officer and, most recently, assault of a family member causing bodily injury. In one court filing, Albert wrote that he is associated with Messianic Judaism, a modern religious movement that combines Christianity with elements of Judaism, and the First Church of Cannabis, a religious organization that maintains marijuana is a healing plant. "This affiliation is generally a very private and secretive one as the desire of we affiliates is to separate ourselves from recreational cannabis users who continue to pervert the usage of our sacrament (cannabis)," Albert wrote earlier this year in a court filing. Albert, who pleaded no contest to disarming a police officer, is currently on two years probation as part of a plea bargain agreed upon by the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Officer Tanya Brown, a spokeswoman for the Seguin Police Department, said the Texas Rangers, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting the investigation. A particular white Standardbred stole the spotlight back in 2013 when he attracted a hefty $240,000 bid at the annual Harrisburg yearling sale. Fast-forward five years and the same striking individual was garnering the attention once again, but this time it was with Jolly Old St. Nick. As an article by TapInto.net explains, Knutsson Trotting Inc.s White Bliss was front and centre at the Meadowlands Racetrack on December 22. The six-year-old son of Art Major wasnt knocking heads with any pari-mutuel rivals in the pre-Christmas visit, though he was doing what he could to help bring some holiday cheer to those in attendance at the East Rutherford, New Jersey raceway. Kris Kringle himself was up behind White Bliss multiple times during the card, as the duo led the post parades for the races. Santa Claus and White Bliss, pictured leading a post parade at the Meadowlands Racetrack on December 22, 2018 The TapInto.net article also explains how the Big M ran multiple marketing and promotional initiatives to help get its patrons into the holiday spirit. To read the article, click here. Santas presence at the Mecca of Harness Racing was not his only raceway visit this holiday season, though, as Pere Noel also made appearances at Standardbred tracks across Canada. (With files from TapInto.net headline photo of White Bliss courtesy @StallKenny and Instagram) Wisdom of the Crowd: 52% of the respondents said that it is fair to require the unvaccinated to pay for their covid treatment cost. https:... A man shot at suspects who tried to rob his wife in northwest Houston on Saturday afternoon, injuring one of them, deputies said. The shooting occurred around 2:30 p.m. in the 3099 block of North Fry Road near Morton Road, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. EDITORS NOTE: Whether theyre selling handmade crafts, doing consulting after hours, or operating a weekend catering business, side-hustles are meant to provide extra coin beyond what a regular day job pays. For many, its a way to turn their passions into profit. In 2017, according to CNN Money, 44 million Americans reported having a side-hustle to either pursue a passion or supplement their income, or both. Here is one in a series of stories from Northeast Ohio: BRECKSVILLE, Ohio By day, Marie McGlathery is a school psychologist, working with kindergarteners through fifth graders at Grant Elementary School in Willoughby. In the evenings and at weekend craft shows, shes the owner of and artistic mind behind Paper Planet Wearables, the jewelry business thats helping her pay down debt, save up to buy a house and fund her other extracurricular passion competitive figure skating. McGlathery, 37, makes colorful, one-of-a-kind necklaces, earrings and bracelets in her studio at the Brecksville house she rents with her wife, Kelly, and their rescue dog, Xena. Though she buys pendants and other accent pieces to weave into her bijoux, the pieces largely consist of handcrafted paper beads, rolled from junk mail, coffee-cup sleeves and cast-off paper coated with acrylic for longevity and water-resistance. No paper is safe around me, said McGlathery, who estimates that she has 5,000 to 6,000 paper beads stockpiled in her studio at any given time. Marie McGlathery holds colorful beads made from cast-off paper and coated with water-resistant acrylic. Any any given time, she has thousands of beads in her home studio.The Plain Dealer Paper Planet Wearables started as an artistic experiment in 2009 and has grown into a side-hustle not only for McGlathery but also for her parents. Her father, Toney, forms beads out of wedges of paper in off hours from his part-time job at Marcs discount-store chain. Her mother, Linda, has a full-time job in medical billing but strings beads and makes jewelry-hanging cards, tags, care sheets and bags on the side. If you went back in time and you told me that I would make what I make today with this jewelry company and that it would become what it has become, I would never have believed you, McGlathery said. I had absolutely no idea. I still dont believe it, really. Most of her pieces sell for $5 to $20, with a few priced up to $40. A stack of bracelets shows the multitude of colors that Marie McGlathery pulls from paper that otherwise would go to waste.The Plain Dealer McGlathery has tried maintaining a website and an online store, but she found that e-commerce required too much of her time. And shes not hurting for shoppers between the 30 art festivals she participates in each year, her loyal Facebook followers and her one-weekend online holiday sale, which took place in early December. She wont reveal precise numbers, but the jewelry business accounts for a quarter or so of her annual income. Its more than an artistic pursuit. Its a 25-to-30-hour-a-week profession. I wouldnt do it if it wasnt financially beneficial, to be honest, she said. If it was just a hobby, I probably wouldnt do it. Marie McGlathery sells her earrings, bracelets and necklaces at art fairs and craft shows. She maintains a Facebook page but doesn't have an e-commerce site.The Plain Dealer Its fair to say that McGlatherys path to entrepreneurship was a bit unconventional. A New Jersey native and teenage transplant to the Buckeye State, she moved to Alaska after high school to study marine biology. During a two-year stint there, she learned to paint on silk and tagged salmon hatchlings for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Then she hopped to Florida, where she obtained a bachelors degree in fine art and worked odd jobs, shepherding theme-park patrons onto rides at Universal Studios and Walt Disney World and dressing as a turtle mascot at a resort. At one point, she made the waitlist to dress up as Tigger, the rambunctious tiger from Winnie the Pooh. Eventually, she landed work as an inside sales representative for an electronics company and found her way back to Ohio. She studied counseling and art therapy at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, where she first tried her hand at making foil beads, before enrolling in a masters program for school psychology at Cleveland State University. Since graduating, shes worked for schools in Parma, Cleveland and now Willoughby, in what she describes as a stressful but rewarding job where I must get 15 hugs a day. Marie McGlathery inspects her inventory of earrings at her home studio.The Plain Dealer Her fledgling jewelry business enabled her to complete the last chapter of her 12-year-long college education. Now its helping her make payments on student loans, cover the cost of ice time and training for skating contests, budget for a house purchase thats likely two to three years away and consider longer-term goals, including her desire to get a doctorate by age 50. Paper Planet is the thing that, luckily, is going to get me there, she said. According to international standard, Sunday is the seventh day of the week. But countries like the U.S., Canada and Australia categorize Sunday as the first day of the week. Some argue that Saturday is the original "day of rest," or the Sabbath, making it the true last day of the week and Sunday the first day in a new one. Others say that Sunday is the last day of the "week-end," and should be treated as the final day of the week. Which one is it? PERSPECTIVES The days of the week and our perception of them have roots in astrology, mythology and religion, resulting in a fair amount of confusion as to which day actually kicks off the ensuing six days. TimeAndDate.com describes a few of the calendar discrepancies across the world: "And on the seventh day, He rested." Many have heard this line from the Book of Genesis's story of creation, even if just in passing. According to Jewish tradition, that seventh day is Saturday. This is the day of the week set aside for rest and worship, making Sunday the start of the new week. According to one blogger: Rest on Saturday and assemble to exhort one another on Sunday the first day of the week. Heb 10:25 https://t.co/Qa1bvWvTWL Mark Nichols (@Mark_Nichols5) November 27, 2018 Sunday has long been treated as the first day of the week across the world. According to Gizmodo: Many people feel that because Saturday and Sunday comprise the weekend, Sunday is the last day of the week and Monday is the first. Plus, the workweek begins on Monday, and the anticipation (anxiety, dread, whatever you feel) of going back to work often overshadows religious significance and history reflected in calendars. As one user writes on Reddit: monday is the first day of the week, I will single-handedly fight the US, Canada, and Australia because somehow they came to the conclusion that it's sunday. PlumSlices (@rengels) November 26, 2018 The truth is, the first and last days of the week vary from country to country based on culture and religion. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the last day of the week is Thursday. As one person points out for The Telegraph: You should be able to determine which day feels better to you to "start" your week. For many, Monday is the correct choice. Never trust people who try to tell you Sunday is the first day of the week they are actually just goblins hiding in human skin jacob (@atomicbeatboy) November 29, 2018 The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Local Media, LLC property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt, on Instagram @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The hens appeared to be enjoying unseasonably warm December weather. They were making full-throated clucks as they strutted around the Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Clevelands Collinwood neighborhood Friday morning. What a difference a year makes. Last December, the same inner-city hens were being described as unwitting accessories to attempted murder. Local and national media had a field day reporting that Father John Kumse, a 66-year-old Cleveland priest, was shot at multiple times when young thugs attempted to rob him of eggs he had just collected from his hens. Father Kumse still chafes at that poultry interpretation of the attack that occurred on parish grounds. He also chafes at the fact that he is often mentioned when crime in Collinwood is publicly discussed. The attempted robbery was never about freshly laid eggs. Five teenagers saw an opportunity to rob a solitary figure at dusk and went for it. They didnt want eggs. They wanted valuables. A lot of what happens in this neighborhood is misreported or sensationalized. That reality leads to additional problems. Im convinced the perception of crime and danger is far greater here than the actual reality of crime and danger, Father Kumse told me Friday. Kumse is a courageous religious leader and part of the necessary community glue that helps keep beleaguered communities intact. Analysis of the sort offered by the priest generally goes missing in the narrative of Cleveland, which is routinely and accurately described as crime-ridden. Its a lack of balance in the storytelling that troubles the veteran priest. Kumse, who has lived and pastored at Saint Mary for 31 years, doesnt easily tolerate misinformed or casual slights of his neighborhood. He understands that half-truths and rumors reflect poorly on both the neighborhood and his church as well as reinforce fears. Far more good than bad routinely happen in Collinwood and throughout the city, but you wouldnt know it from the headlines, he argues. Kumse recalls the recent robbery of a 75-year-old woman on her way to mass at Saint Mary. The story made local news. The woman, reportedly an employee of the church, lost her valuables when she had her purse snatched as she prepared to enter the church. The story was a half-truth. A man did approach and demand her purse. She wisely dropped it, and he left. Heres the rest of the story, said Kumse. The lady does not work for the church. She attends it. There was no money in the purse. She said the only thing of value in the purse was her Monthly (prayer) Reflection. And, she concluded that the purse snatcher likely needed the prayers far more than she does, said Kumse with a defiant chuckle. Some may consider the priest hopelessly naive and fecklessly committed to a neighborhood that struggles mightily with the challenges of urban decay and abandonment. Others may scoff at his contention that Collinwood remains vibrant and open for thriving residential, commercial, and spiritual communities. Kumse doesnt mind if you call him a believer. Cleveland desperately needs more such believers and neighborhood champions. The church parish stands out like an oasis and is part of what remains good about so many Cleveland communities. People havent given up, said Collinwood Councilman Mike Polensek, a longtime member of the parish. The community around Saint Mary remains a neighborhood of committed residents. But some people have grown fearful to come into that neighborhood or any parts of the city. Thats what were up against. A lot of the challenge we face is about perceptions that dont always jibe with reality, said Polensek. Early in January, Father Kumse said he plans to attend the sentencing of three of the males who pled guilty in connection with the 2017 attack. Its his way of helping to bring closure to the terrifying event that easily could have led to his death. Hes also sending a statement. Hes not backing down and he understands what his church, his neighborhood, and his adopted hometown are up against. This isnt an inner-city problem because crime knows no boundaries. This a human problem. Were fighting against a poverty of values, respect, and spirituality. Its a fight we cannot afford to run from or to lose, said the inner-city priest. His hens arent going anywhere. Neither is Father Kumse. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- My son hates saying goodbye. Whenever we have to leave a grandma's house, or bid farewell to our family in Hungary, he hems and haws. At best he'll give everyone a wave, maybe even blow a kiss if he's feeling very generous. Hugs and real kisses are pretty much out of the question, and I never force him to give affection when he isn't in the mood. So we just wave as we back out the door, tears in his big blue eyes. That's how I'm feeling today. I'm saying goodbye to this column. It breaks my heart, but I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to share the big and the small moments in my son's life until now. You've been there for me for the large and small anxieties of parenting life, from worries about splinters in bare feet to my experience with postpartum depression. You've heard about my holidays, you knew what gifts my kids were getting before they did, and you know all about our annual trip to visit family in Hungary. You were the first ones I told about the fact that while I love my new life as a mom, it's also given me an identity crisis. First, I want to say thank you. Thank you for letting me open up about our life at home. Thank you for all the emails and the cards you've sent me. Thank you for letting me know I'm not alone in all of this. Second, I want to share some final thoughts about what I've learned over the past few years, if you'll indulge me one last time. Parenthood will change you. It will change you in big ways, and it will change you in small ways. Because every child is different, I think everyone's experience of parenthood is a bit different too, aside from some universal truths (yes, we are all exhausted all the time). In some ways it will change you immediately and some changes will creep up on you, but you will be transformed by making little lives and caring for them. You may not be the parent you thought you'd be. I thought I would be much stricter about some things, and more fun about others. I do a lot of research about best-practices and I rely on the wisdom of researchers and psychologists quite a bit, but at the end of the day I've also learned to rely on myself, what I've learned from my own family, and what my heart is telling me. You will never be the perfect mom. Despite all the late night hours you may spend reading up about how to be the perfect parent, and despite the ample if deceptive evidence that Instagram and Facebook are full of perfect parents, you will not be one. That's because, in the real world, none of us are perfect. We all snap, we all get tired, we all forget what kind of parents we aspire to be and settle sometimes for being a parent that's just surviving. That's not a bad thing. Your children need to learn that you are flawed, just like they are, just like everyone is. One of the best lessons we can teach our kids is that no one is perfect, but that we acknowledge when we've done something wrong, we do our best to atone for it, and at the end of the day we have the power to forgive others and ourselves. Don't be afraid to ask for help. People will offer. If you need it, accept it. If they don't offer, ask. What you want out of life will change. Perhaps you think you will be glad to return to work but you find yourself dreading the thought. Maybe you think you'll relish every diaper change and you're surprised to find that you are yearning for some autonomy, some accomplishment that you can call your own, and some adult chit-chat at the water cooler. Perhaps you think you will go out just as much as you did before, and instead you'll love nothing more than watching a baby chew on his fists. Some days you may think you should stay home but all you want is a cocktail and some gossip. Sometimes you will feel all of those things in the same day, and that's okay too. People will judge you. Ignore them. Nothing opens a person to scrutiny like making another person. From the pregnancy and birthing related horror stories that people regaled me with while I was pregnant to the head-shaking as I breastfed my son to, later, the concern of perfect strangers that my son speaks another language, there is no end of the unconcealed judgement of strangers when you are a parent. You will be judged if you breastfeed and if you don't. You will be judged if you go back to work and if you decide to stay home. You will be judged if you are strict and if you are lenient. It may take a village to raise a child, but it doesn't take all of Trader Joe's. That's it! I'm done. I'm grateful you joined me for the greatest adventure of my life. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but then again I never did. I am grateful though, for today, for this moment together. A view of the waterfront of Long Island City in the Queens borough of New York, along the East River, on November 7, 2018. While many New Yorkers are dreading the day Amazon moves into its new "headquarters" in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens and crowds the subway with 25,000 new workers, there's one group of people welcoming the company with open arms: Executives at other tech firms. It may seem counter-intuitive that smaller tech companies are eager for a large potential rival to move onto their turf. But New York-based recruiters and tech leaders say they're using a different playbook from Amazon. They theorize Amazon's presence will bring in new tech talent that might not otherwise come to New York. That could mean those new workers will eventually move on to smaller tech companies or come up with ideas for startups on their own, spurring interest from venture capitalists in the area. According to interviews with 15 New York-based entrepreneurs, tech executives and venture capitalists, Amazon's move to NYC will lift up the local tech sector across the board, though some warn that it could also make it harder for smaller tech firms to compete for talent in the event of an economic downturn. "We play the long game when it comes to talent," said Melissa Enbar, VP of People and Culture at Birchbox, an online subscription service for beauty products. Enbar said people are attracted to smaller firms for different reasons than large ones, like the opportunity to have more exposure and responsibility early on. She said she expects Amazon's move will bring a wave of new talent to the city that a smaller company like Birchbox couldn't afford to relocate on its own. "Maybe their second job, like after they're done with Amazon, is Birchbox," Enbar said. Amazon's arrival in New York will certainly mark a significant moment for a city already considered to be the tech hub of the East Coast. Executives and investors said the move reinforces the city as an important place for tech and will help infuse it with venture capital and elite talent. But what's yet to be seen is how that talent and money will be distributed across the existing tech companies in the city in an already-tight labor market. While New York tech executives are hopeful that Amazon's presence will spread the prosperity around, it may only last as long as the economy remains stable, some warn. "In my experience in the past, when there's been recessions, there's always been a flight to safety from tech startups to larger companies that can provide more cash and more security," said Dan Finnigan, president and CEO of recruitment platform Jobvite. For Amazon, that means "they could be timing it perfectly." Still, Finnigan and other tech leaders said Amazon's move will be a net positive for the city's startups. At the very least, they said, it won't change much about the way they're already competing for tech talent. "To be honest, this is like the fifth time this has happened," said Dennis Crowley, co-founder and executive chairman of Foursquare. Facebook and Google both have major offices in New York, with Google planning to invest another $1 billion in its new Hudson Square campus, following a $2.4 billion purchase of shopping and office complex Chelsea Market earlier this year. Between the two investments, Google said it could double its New York workforce of 7,000 over the next 10 years. Amazon's impact in New York is largely dependent on the types of jobs it ends up bringing there. Warren Lee, an independent New York-based investor who most recently worked for Canaan Partners, said that Google and Facebook would likely remain the chief rivals for engineering and product talent if Amazon opts to establish less technical projects in New York. Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. On the other hand, Lee said, Amazon could pose a serious threat to AdTech companies in the city if it builds its advertising arm there, as many suspect was a key motivator to select the marketing mecca. In that case, AdTech companies would have to consider upping their pay and benefits to keep their niche talent, he said. Amazon said it will pay employees an average salary of $150,000 at its Long Island City office. People enjoy a quiet winter afternoon at Coney Island on December 22, 2018 in New York City. New York City and much of the nation is preparing for the Christmas holiday week where many Americans will enjoy time with family and friends. Brooklyn, which is considered ground zero of New York City's gentrification and luxury real estate boom, has a $2.9 million penthouse on the market. The price tag is fairly reasonable by Big Apple standards, and may come as a surprise until you consider the neighborhood where it's listed. Thanks to its location on Brighton Beach, along the Coney Island peninsula, the four-bedroom, 3-bath penthouse with a fireplace listed by Douglas Elliman boasts impressive oceanfront views, something most properties in Brooklyn's hot real estate market can't match. The area's demographics, which 2010 Census data shows as being at the lower end of the city's income range and skewed heavily toward Eastern European immigrants may make it an unlikely choice for a nearly $3 million home. Yet if the real estate trends of the past few years are any indication, the home to the legendary amusement park and boardwalk could be Brooklyn's next neighborhood to undergo a development boom. Take for instance the Ocean Dreams project, a 21-story, 425-unit apartment complex, which is set to open in the summer of 2019. If owner and real estate developer John Catsimatidis has his way, Ocean Dreams is just the beginning: He recently told The New York Times in an interview that he's "itching" to plant more properties on the beachfront land he owns. "Demand for projects like Ocean Dreams will be strong, from not only millennials but from nostalgic baby boomers that enjoyed Coney Island during its heyday in the '50s and '60s," said John Boyd, a management consultant and owner of the The Boyd Co., a corporate selection site. "Look for strong demand to also come from Russian investors and the Russian community that has gravitated to the Coney Island environs in recent years," he added. "Coney Island redevelopment could not come at a better time." Miljan Zivkovic | iStock | Getty Images When Kevin Zraly first started studying wines almost 50 years ago, it wasn't the most popular alcoholic beverage in the U.S. "People looked at me like I was nuts studying wines," Zraly said. "All my friends were drinking beer." At 21, Zraly hitchhiked to California to get exposure to the wines there. And after graduating from college, he took off for Europe. By the time Zraly was 25, he was hired by restaurateur Joe Baum. The role took him to Windows on the World restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center. Zraly worked there until the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. At the time, the restaurant reportedly had the largest wine sales of any restaurant in the world. The eatery served as the inspiration for Zraly's wine course and corresponding book, "Windows on the World Complete Wine Course." Today, Zraly still teaches beginning, intermediate and advanced wine students. And his book, which is updated every year, is one of the top-selling wine books in the world. Over Zraly's career, consumers' attitudes toward wine have changed. The U.S. is now the number one global consumer of wine. And millennials are now the number one consumers, followed by baby boomers. What's more, U.S. wine consumption has continually gone up in the past 25 years, Zraly said. Kevin Zraly, wine educator and author Source: Kevin Zraly That goes even for the financial crisis of 2008-2009, which only helped to change the pattern of wine consumption, Zraly observed. "People didn't have the same disposable income that they had, and then they realized, 'I don't have to spend $50 on a bottle of wine. Look at what I'm buying now, and it's just as good,'" Zraly said. Now, it is possible to get great wines for $30 a bottle, and the sweet spot for wine right now is $15 to $20 a bottle, according to Zraly. In fact, he lists 700 wines that are under $30 a bottle in the back of the latest edition of his "Windows on the World" book. "You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a good bottle of wine," he said. But you are more likely to get better quality for the value if you choose certain kinds of wine. Here are the wines that Zraly said have the most for your money. Prosecco Prosecco is a sparkling white wine from Italy that Zraly said has endeared itself to consumers partly for one reason: It's easily pronounceable. Another attractive feature: You can get most Proseccos for $15 or under. "What it's doing is cutting big time into the Champagne market," Zraly said. "Champagne is at least double the price." Pinot Grigio Another popular white wine is Pinot Grigio. It comes from a grape variety that can grow around the world, but Italy and France have really developed it, Zraly said. "You can get a good Pinot Grigio at $15 a bottle, between $15 to $20 a bottle," Zraly said. Rose Rose, a pink wine, has seen a surge in popularity. And while there have been surges in interest in rose in the past including for sparkling wine or Champagne this time, it looks like it's here to stay. "Rose was cyclical: 'It's summertime, let's have a rose,'" Zraly said. "But not anymore; it's not like it's just a trend right now." When it comes to price, color and taste, the best rose wines come from Provence, in France, Zraly said. Malbec Malbec, a full red wine, can be grown around the world. But Argentinians own this particular grape. That's because the Mendoza region of Argentina has the perfect land to grow these grapes. At the same time, the land there is dramatically cheaper than other wine-growing regions, such as Napa Valley. The result is a quality wine that's not too expensive, Zraly said. "No one grows as much Malbec as Argentina, not even close," Zraly said. "And there's so many of them that are under $20 a bottle." Rosso di Montalcino A great wine that comes from the Tuscany region of Italy is called Brunello di Montalcino. It's one of the best wines in the world, according to Zraly, and it's also one of the most expensive. But Rosso di Montalcino, another type of wine, is made from grapes from the same vineyards. And because they use younger vines or other variations, the wine is one-third the cost, Zraly said. Beaujolais Another area that produces quality red wines is the Beaujolais region in France. There are three levels of Beaujolais basic Beaujolais; Beaujolais Villages, which come from the villages surrounding the Beaujolais district in Burgundy; and Beaujolais Cru, which also comes from certain villages within the same area. Basic Beaujolais has the lowest cost, typically $20 or less, while Cru is the most expensive. Cotes du Rhone Cabernet Sauvignon There are concrete steps that lawmakers, elected officials and community leaders in Missouri should take to address the public health crisis, but the first is recognizing that this is a crisis. 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. Types of obituaries The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories. A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories. Bob Seely is a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, and is MP for the Isle of Wight. When it comes to cyber threats, our political debate is dangerously behind the curve. Im aware that some have criticised Gavin Williamsons tenure at the Ministry of Defence, but to his credit he is at least asking questions that more of us need to be thinking about. Last week, he asked whether we should be using Chinese telecoms giant Huaweis technology within the UKs critical infrastructure. The simple answer is: no, we shouldnt because it makes us vulnerable to the Chinese state. This issue of cyber security is not primarily about what would happen in case of war with China. In case of a dramatically worsening international situation, China could potentially use its cyber access to our infrastructure to damage our energy system, for example, or the ability of the NHS to operate. Russia could do the same and has been hacking into our systems too. In military terms, these operations prior to conventional conflict are known as shaping operations and are an important part of conflict preparation. However, this scenario is extremely unlikely. The greater threat is how nations are engaging in battles for influence and power using new forms of technology to shape our world, and specifically Artificial Intelligence and big data, aligned with some old forms of espionage, as well as information operations. Its important to note that China may soon become the worlds largest economy and has bought millions of its own people out of poverty. We should strive for good relations and to trade and understand each other, building alliances with China where we can. However, we should also have few illusions about the nature of Chinese state power and the subservient and supportive role of Chinese tech firms in it. China is a one-party state engaged in hoovering up information; on its people, on our people, and on our infrastructure to help shape the future, possibly at our expense. To provide some evidence, let me give you a few examples to add to the Defence Secretarys comments. First, China is introducing a social credit system which monitors its citizens. The best that can be said is that it may reward socially beneficial behavior. However, Chinas monitoring of its people probably has more to do with the Chinese Communist Partys desire to prevent threats to its power. This is a state in which people still disappear and where thousands are oppressed or sent to re-education camps. Big data will make an Orwellian world more likely. If behaviour control was the opium of twentieth century dictators, the twenty-first promises a breath-taking expansion based on levels of data points information the East Germany Stasi or the Soviet KGB could have only dreamed about. Second, earlier this year a Chinese company recently bought Grindr, the gay dating app. The Chinese state very likely now has access to highly sensitive sexual information relating to the 3.1 million peop;e who date on it daily. Only you, your sexual partner(s) and the Chinese security services will ever know who and what turns you on. Grindr assures its users (for the record, Im not one of them) that privacy is paramount, but is there privacy in a one-party state in which the rule of law is under the rule of the party? If you are gay restauranteur from Bristol, Brisbane or Boston, do you have much to fear? Almost certainly not however bad your creme brulee. But if you are a defence software engineer, or youre a diplomat about to be posted to a sensitive role, or an ambitious politician, political adviser or journalist, or you work in tech, your most sensitive and personal information is valuable. This isnt just about crude, old-school blackmail, but about recruitment and influence. Sexual profiles, via dating apps, personal messages and other content, will soon be used by adversarial security agencies and even corporate investigators if they are not already as tools to help understand, influence and manipulate their targets. This is the brave new world we live in and the Chinese and the Russians are diving into it. Third, in 2014 and 2015 Chinese hackers broke into the US Office of Personal Management (OPM) and stole the details of 21.5 million federal US employees. Why? Because the OPM stored 18 million copies of Standard Form 86, a 127-page federal security clearance form that includes questions on personal finance, substance abuse, sexual behavior and mental health. It is the US version of the Developed Vetting process that some members of the UK military and others in sensitive UK roles undergo. The hack obtained a treasure trove of highly personal information on those who help run the US. Huawei may not be involved in any of the above. But as a major Chinese technology corporation, it is involved in the Chinas broader agenda. Thats why Australia and New Zealand have blocked Huawei from supplying equipment for its 5G network; thats why the head of MI6, Alex Younger, says there are questions to be answered about how much Chinese-owned tech we want in the UK, and thats why the FBIs director, Christopher Wray, warned American citizens against using products and services from Huawei and another Chinese company, ZTE. Our own agencies are getting smarter, but their capabilities are modest compared to the 100,000 plus employees of Chinas cyber-espionage division. However, this is more than just a question of resources or technical understanding. This is a political issue, because so many of us are ignorant of how quickly the world is changing. As part of our response, Id suggest two initiatives. First, we need a small, permanent multi-agency group whose role, working with Government agencies, would be to identify foreign subversive activities against the UK. The detailed work would be done by other Government agencies, but the group would be a public-facing body helping to explain threats to our democratic system which do not fall under the umbrella of conventional conflict. The UK is doing this on an ad hoc basis (i.e. the excellent National Cyber Security Centre) ,but better a single organisation and a structured programme to undertake multi-faceted work stretching from cyber, to finance, to espionage and PR campaigns. Second, we have seen how divisive disputed elections are. We need to understand the potential threats and influences to our electoral and political system created by algorithms designed both by firms like Facebook, which actively helps to create division, and by cyber infiltration from states such as China and Russia. We need to debate the ethics of algorithms and our vulnerability to cyberattack. I would suggest either a Royal Commission or a cross-party investigation into strengthening our electoral system whilst preserving free speech. Perhaps this work could be done with US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand partners? One of the threats facing open societies is how authoritarian states use our freedoms to damage our freedoms. A national and international debate in the UK and through Europe and the English-speaking world would help us understand not only why some foreign states are taking an unhealthy interest in our national and personal information, but also what we should do about it. So Williamson and Younger were right: we need to talk about Huawei and China. We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. Another year is behind us and once again, Cornwall Seaway News was honoured to tell the stories of Cornwall and the surrounding community. Here is a selection of some of the top stories of 2018. Sears to be torn down The highest traffic story of 2018 was the announcement that then owners of the Cornwall Square, Partners REIT, intended to tear down the old Sears location in the mall. With new owners, these plans are now in question. Canadian Forces conduct night training exercise in Cornwall Cornwall residents were kept up late one April night this year with the sound of helicopters flying up and down the St. Lawrence River. After a little investigation, Seaway News confirmed that the Canadian Forces were conducting exercises around the dam and Lamoureux Park, something that the general public was not informed of in advance. Teen arrested for towing friends on sofa down Second St. Seaway News shares many stories about the work the Cornwall Community Police Service does to keep our community safe. This story from a February police blotter stood out to us as being particularly memorable. It was also one of the most viewed stories of the year. Cornwall region honours Humboldt on Jersey Day Last April Canada mourned with Humboldt, Sask. after many young men from their community were killed in a tragic bus crash, and the City of Cornwall joined the nation and stood with Humboldt in solidarity. Renovations to old BMO could cost $4-6 million The City of Cornwall purchased the old Bank of Montreal building in the downtown to serve as the new arts centre. The building will require some renovations, but will ultimately cost roughly half of what the originally planned art centre would cost. City worker strike begins in Cornwall In May, a three week strike began in Cornwall. Indoor workers, outdoor workers, librarians and paramedics went on strike. These employees had been working without a contract for at least two years, and tensions resulting from Council decisions ultimately made a strike inevitable. Whats next for Poirier Furniture Late July saw what was called the worst fire Cornwall had seen in 30 years. The fire destroyed three buildings including Poirier Furnitures site on Montreal Rd. The heat was so strong that siding on buildings on the other side of the street melted. Thankfully for Poiriers, with some strong community support, Poiriers had their grand re-opening in December. Hazardous waste found in St. Lawrence River Another top viewed story of 2018 was the news that hazardous waste was found in the St. Lawrence River. The waste was contained in old buoy batteries, but luckily it does not seem that the waste posed any threat to the community. Leclerc Group production plant coming to Cornwall It was a good year for the Cornwall economy and as evidence for this, the Leclerc Group chose Cornwall as the new home of their new production facility. Clement wins in landslide This municipal election was a historic one for the City of Cornwall and the province of Ontario. In a landslide, Bernadette Clement was elected as the first black female Mayor in the history of Cornwall and in the history of the province. CORNWALL, Ontario The Change for Change initiative was started during the 2017 United Way/Centraide of S.D.& G campaign. The Goal of this initiative is to heighten brand awareness for the United Way/Centraide of S.D.& G with a unique way to generate donations. We wanted to engage donors by treating them to a bottle of H20, asking that they fill the bottle with loose change, or donate a minimum of $25.00 to the 2018 Unitedway/Centraide Community Campaign. If individuals donated $25.00 or more they were entered into a draw for their chance to win the grand prize of $2,000 cash, courtesy of Cornwall Tire. said Meagan Bingley Director of Operations United Way/Centraide of S.D.&G . We are so grateful that we have community minded individuals like Luc Quesnel from Cornwall Tire that support initiatives like Change for Change. It is because of Lucs generosity that we can continue to offer this generous incentive for years to come! The United Way/Centraide of S.D. & G Change for Change draw took place on Friday December 14th and Mr. Trevor Wotherspoon, an employee from Mobern Inc. was the lucky winner! Trevor has been a United Way/Centraide donor for years; he has been donating by monthly payroll contributions through Morbern Inc. He was ecstatic to receive the call that he won the $2,000 grand prize just before the Holiday Season! The Change for Change program has the ability to expand; creating more awareness, increasing the potential for more donations, and ultimately creating good change for individuals and families in our community that need our help. said Bingley. We would like to thank everyone who participated in the Change for Change initiative, our individual donors, and all of the workplaces that participate in payroll deductions. You are all United Way Heroes! CORNWALL, Ontario About 200 excited students filled their plates with a buffet of food during the first ever Christmas Luncheon held at St. Peter Catholic School on Wednesday, Dec. 20. Prior to this year, Christmas festivities were typically held at Immaculate Conception Catholic School, which has since merged into St. Peter. It is going very well and it is all due to the parent council, said Ken MacDonald, Principal of St. Peter. The parent council are the ones who organized the entire thing with the help of the Knights of Columbus, who did a lot of the cooking. It has been going fantastic. We do have a head table of guests who could come to visit. Santa did come to visit too. MacDonald said that approximately 200 students and 50 staff would be in attendance for the feast. Council thought it would be really nice, with the schools merging, to have a community turkey luncheon because it was a tradition that we used to do there (at Immaculate Conception), said Janice Flood, a member of parent council and an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) at the school. So we brought them together and we thought its a good way too to get our local parish and other community members involved. Many students were evidently excited about the holidays, wearing Christmas colours and costumes. One student even sported a bedazzled hairdo, emulating that of Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch. Lining the hallway to the gymnasium where the holiday feast was underway were festive decorations, including a life-size version of The Grinch with the question: how will you help The Grinch grow his heart three sizes? My favourite part of the holidays is definitely spending time with my family, said Katie Gardiner, a grade 3 student. Her brother Reid who is in grad 6 agreed, adding that it is also nice to spend time with friends. I enjoy going to get the food! said Teann Wickramarachchi, a grade 3 student, as she did a brief happy dance. Sahara Fuller, a grade 2 student, also enjoyed the food especially the bread. It just shows that even though with the school closures, with the obstacles, we have come together as a full communityworking together for the sake of the children, said Flood. CORNWALL, Ontario On Sunday, Dec. 16, Emeritus Bishop Eugene Philippe LaRocque of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall passed away in Windsor, ON. Bishop LaRocque, 91, was born in 1927 in Windsor, ON. With strong roots in the community, he retired to the area following 27 years of local devotion; he was the longest-serving Bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall. After he was ordained into priesthood in 1952, Bishop LaRocque pursued graduate studies at Torontos St. Michaels College and Laval University. He obtained a Masters Degree in French and served as registrar for the Kings College of the University of Western On., where he taught French and religion. In 1974, Bishop LaRocque was ordained a Bishop for the Diocese of Alexandria, serving as the Dioceses sixth Bishop. In 1976, Cornwall was added to the name of the Diocese under Bishop LaRocque and the Vatican approved the raising rank of La Nativite to Co-Cathedral. Bishop LaRocque was adamant on encouraging young people to consider priesthood and religious life. He ordained seven priests during his tenure. He also instituted the Dioceses program for permanent diaconate and ordained 12 mean as permanent deacons for the Diocese. Passionate about education, Bishop LaRocque was a keen supporter of full funding for the provinces Catholic schools, which was achieved in 1984. Among several other achievements, Bishop LaRocque became the State Champlain of the Knights of Columbus of Ontario in 1977 and served as the president of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario from 1992 to 1994. During is last 10 years of services, the Diocese became involved in the Cornwall Public Inquiry, with several individuals coming forward alleging sexual abuse by priests of the Diocese. Under Bishop LaRocque, the Diocese began implementing first committee and first protocol to deal with the tragic reality. According to a statement from the Diocese, Bishop Larocque once stated, To be aware that one has been chosen to serve the Lord by being at the service of his brothers and sisters, especially those most in need, gives great purpose and fulfillment to my life as a priest and bishop. Some of Bishop LaRocques favourite past times included gardening, especially roses, as well as cooking and hosting for his priests and parishioners. Every year he would open his home for his annual New Years levy. The Diocese has announced that visitation will be offered between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 21 at Nativity Co-Cathedral. Visitation will also be offered at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 22 preceding the Funeral at 11 a.m. DANBURY State Police are investigating after a man was killed and a woman wounded Saturday night by an officer. Police shot at a man who charged at a Danbury officer with a knife at the Glen Apartments, a senior housing complex, according to State Police. Police officers were sent to the apartment complex on Memorial Drive around 9:30 p.m. for a report of suspicious man, police said. After what State Police described as a brief confrontation, the Danbury officer tried to tase the man, but the Taser was ineffective. The officer then fired multiple rounds from his duty pistol, hitting the man at least once, according to police. A female tenant, who is related to the man, was also hit. Mayor Mark Boughton said it is unclear whether she was hit by a fragment of a bullet or the bullet itself. That person should be O.K, Boughton said. She and the man were transported to Danbury Hospital. He was pronounced dead, while she is in critical, but stable, condition, State Police said. All other residents were safe, Boughton said. The Connecticut State Police Western District Major Crime is investigating at the request of the states attorneys office. Boughton said it appears the officer acted appropriately. State Polices investigation will confirm this, he said. Our officers are using their training, he said. Its tragic, but we want officers to protect themselves. Boughton said the officer is still working. The police department has a protocol for this kind of incident, in terms of making sure the officer gets the appropriate care, he said. They certainly can request leave if they feel they need time to work through things, but right now the person is still on the job. Neighbors stunned The Housing Authority manages the Glen Apartments, a 100-unit complex primarily for elderly residents. Neighbors were shocked and horrified Sunday morning. While the complex has had problems with theft or drug activity, they said they never expected this kind of violence. Since I came here, I havent seen (any) tragedies, said Luis Perez Delgado, who has lived for 10 years in his apartment, five units down from where the shooting took place. Delgado said he was listening to music Saturday night when he heard three gunshots. I was terrified, he said. Delgado thought they were coming from behind his apartment, but then realized the rounds were coming from his neighbors. He ran outside and said he saw officials giving chest compressions to a man with tattoos who was on the ground. Another neighbor, Brian Iverson, who lives a couple buildings away, also heard several gunshots, too many to count, he said. It was so quick, he said. Neighbors said the woman who lived in that unit was in her 60s and had been there at least 14 years. They said she lived alone and suspected the man involved in the shooting was a visitor. A source had said Saturday night that the man was an unwanted person. Iverson said he often saw the woman walking around the complex. She was a nice lady, he said. I hope shes O.K. Delgado described her as kind and said he often saw her planting flowers outside. Every time I walk by here, she says, Hey Luis. How are you doing? Delgado said. Outside the unit where neighbors said she lives were chimes, an American flag, several pots filled with dirt and a wooden Radio Flyer scooter. One neighbor, who declined to give his name, said the woman sent him a Christmas card this year and they spoke in passing. He said he wasnt home during the shooting, but that police cars were everywhere when he returned to the apartments later that night. He had to park on the other end of the complex and someone from the Housing Authority walked him home, he said. The man lives a building over from the woman. Its scary that its this close, he said. He said the Housing Authority and police need to do a better job cracking down on crime in the complex and preventing bad apples from moving in. He moved into his apartment 14 years ago. After six months, his home was broken into and his television was stolen. He said he has had items taken off his porch, so he set up a security camera to catch intruders. The camera only records his porch, so it wouldnt be much help to State Police, he said. Delgado added the complex could use a security guard to patrol. Boughton said the complex has security cameras, but not a guard. There are cameras that are well positioned throughout the complex, he said. Boughton said the officer was alone at the unit when shots were fired. Back-up officers had arrived at the complex, but had not yet reached that apartment. They arrived soon afterward. State Police then came to investigate, as is normal in these shootings, he said. All of the training our officers take really kicked in there, Boughton said. By the time I got there, it was incredibly well managed. It was a tragedy, but everyone really worked together. Boughton said staff from the citys Housing Authority was at the apartments answering questions from residents. There are a lot of seniors there and we want to make sure theyre comfortable and that theyre safe, he said. Boughton said next of kin would need to be notified before the names of the victims could be released. He said he was unsure of the protocol on when the officers name would be released. Danbury Chief Patrick Ridenhour, declined to comment, citing State Polices investigation. Certainly it is a tragic incident but isolated, he said in an email. Contributed / Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital's Support Group for Mothers will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday and at the same time Jan. 16, at Park Avenue Medical Center, 5520 Park Ave., Trumbull. The group provides a safe and non-judgmental place for expectant mothers and those with children under one year old to express their concerns, ask questions and resolve some of their anxieties related to motherhood. Facilitated by a certified lactation consultant, group participants will have an opportunity to share their thoughts and concerns. JERUSALEM - Israeli airstrikes near the Syrian capital overnight endangered two civilian flights attempting to land at the Damascus and Beirut airports, Russia's Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The strikes, which Israel has not confirmed, targeted an arms depot west of Damascus late Tuesday and injured three soldiers, Syrian state media reported. A Britain-based war monitor said that strikes also hit a weapons storage facility controlled by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which has backed the Syria's government in its efforts to retake territory from Syrian rebels. The Syrian military "did not fully employ" its air defense system "in order to guide [the] civilian aircraft" out of danger, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement carried by the Interfax news agency. It said Syria's air defense batteries intercepted 14 of 16Israeli guided missiles. The statement is Russia's latest rebuke of Israel over its repeated air raids in Syria, after a Russian military plane was accidentally downed by Syrian antiaircraft fire targeting Israeli fighter jets in September. At least 11 Russian military personnel were killed in the crash. Israel rarely acknowledges its military strikes in Syria, which have targeted Iranian military installations and arms shipments to the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah. Israel's military said Tuesday that one of its aerial defense systems was activated "in response to an antiaircraft missile launched from Syria." It did not elaborate. But officials have said that Israel will act in Syria to protect its national security. "We are not prepared to accept the Iranian military entrenchment in Syria, which is directed against us," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday at a graduation ceremony for Israeli air force pilots. "We will act against it vigorously and continuously." He did not specifically mention the strikes. The air raids come at a particularly tense time following President Donald Trump's surprise decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, where they are currently supporting Kurdish-led fighters battling the Islamic State militant group. Israel worries that a U.S. pullout would remove an important check on growing Iranian influence in Syria, where Tehran now commands thousands of proxy forces, including Hezbollah. Its presence secures an important strategic foothold stretching from Iran to Lebanon, where Hezbollah, which fought a war with Israel in 2006, has beefed up its own arsenal in anticipation of an Israeli attack. "I have said that we will not be deterred from doing what is necessary," Netanyahu said. "President Trump's decision to withdraw the American soldiers from Syria will not change our policy. We stand firmly on our red lines in Syria and everywhere else." According to Ofer Zalzberg, a Jerusalem-based analyst for the International Crisis group, Israel feels that it is "essentially alone in the task of back-walling the Iranian military presence in Syria." The U.S. decision "feeds the notion that is prevalent in the region, even if it's not entirely correct, that the U.S. is withdrawing," Zalzberg said. "Many people draw delight from this, specifically in Tehran and Moscow." In recent weeks, Israel has embarked on an operation dubbed "Northern Shield" to detect and destroy cross-border tunnels it says Hezbollah has dug on the Israel-Lebanon frontier. Israel says it has discovered four tunnels snaking from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory. Israel has used seismic sensors and ground-penetrating radar to uncover the tunnels,said Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman. Israel and the United States last week called for an emergency session at the United Nations Security Council to highlight the tunnels. Ahead of the meeting, Netanyahu said it was time for the international community to hold Lebanon, Iran and Hezbollah accountable. "Lebanon is doing nothing at best, colluding at worst," Netanyahu said in a rare briefing for international reporters in Jerusalem. Hezbollah and its allies won a majority of seats in the Lebanese parliament in May, but a government has not yet been formed. "My message is, Hezbollah is putting you in great jeopardy," Netanyahu said in remarks directed at Lebanese officials. - - - Cunningham reported from Istanbul. Todays self-driving cars are likely the equivalent of Corvairs of yesteryear, according to Winsted native and consumer advocate Ralph Nader . The self-driving vehicles are totally vulnerable to hacking. Auto dealers and manufacturers are nefarious, for making their databases private, he said. They dont share information on safety issues. The alleged lack of oversight that Nader notes harkens back to the book he wrote in 1965, called Unsafe at Any Speed, which focused on the safety and design Chevrolet Corvair. In it, he wrote that manufacturers of the time put style ahead of safety in the design of their cars. Naders consumer advocacy for drivers safety led the way for the adoption of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act in 1966. Now, There is a measure of arrogance of algorithms, Nader said, in believing that software systems will safely drive cars. Hacking is a driverless car industrys nightmare and American motorists can see why. They like to remain in control and not have their engine stop, accelerate or be turned in disastrous directions by remote interventions, Nader wrote on his website, nader.org. Nader is not alone in his concern: Ars Technica, an online publisher, recently wrote that Waymo, a spinoff from a Google project, is poised to launch driverless service with minimal federal oversight. Waymo has chosen to put safety drivers behind the wheel of its cars for the commercial rollout, Ars Technica wrote. That suggests Waymo still has doubts about whether its technology is ready for fully driverless operation Remaining a raider Naders continuing outspoken stance on consumer safety issues has earned the 84-year-old the title of the nation's nag. Whether nagging or cajoling, supporters note that his tireless advocacy continues to shift awareness and mobilize generations of citizen action groups. The Harvard Law School graduate and one-time presidential candidate was named one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in American History, by The Atlantic in 2006. The public advocates organized by Nader came to be known as Naders Raiders. He continues to encourage activism and remains outspoken about regulatory, consumer, environmental, constitutional and political issues. The blasphemy of today is the triumph of tomorrow, Nader said during a fall book tour for one of his two books published this year. His book tour for the August release of To the Ramparts included a stop at the Politics and Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C. In his presentation, Nader said that many of the health and safety laws that were changed through citizen initiatives, such as banning cigarette smoking in public places, were successful with less than 1,000 people... who were public health advocates. During the talk he expressed concerns about the power of corporations over society, social media, use of military force, manipulation of consent in contractual situations, among many others. After expressing his concern about the results of U.S. military interventions and delegation of soveriegn power, that, in fact, the constitution starts with we the people it doesnt start with we the Congress, it doesnt start with we the the corporations, it doesnt start with we the Pentagon. He encouraged audience members to get involved. If we dont have time for democracy we dont have time for ourselves..., he said. He said he continues to hear from people about their grievances and loss of loved ones due to preventale problems. They are not just statistics, he said. He noted there is nothing special about him and others like him, other than the thirst for justice. Members of the original Raiders were interviewed in the 2006 film An Uneasonable Man, which aired on PBS. Robert Fellmeth, now the Price Professor of Public Interest Law at the University of San Diego, was one of the original members who volunteered to champion Naders advocacy. In 1968, Fellmeth was assigned by Nader to research workings of the Federal Trade Commission. Felmeth said in the PBS interview that we tried to figure out what it (the FTC) was doing... and looked at it kind of from the outside, at these deceptive ads going on. That summer, Fellmeth and two other graduate students, recruited by Nader, wrote what became known as The Nader Report on the Federal Trade Commission. In a 1969 review of the report in the New York Times it was noted that in less than a year, the information in the report had substantial impact for stimulating proposals for reform. Another original Raider was David Zwick, who went on to found the Clean Water Action organization. In Zwicks February obituary in the Washington Post , Nader said If you drink water today, you are feeling the effects of David Zwick. Naders second book of the year, How the Rats Re-Formed the Congress, was published in October. It contains detailed instructions on how to become a professional ratwatcher. Topics include Coalition Building, Interest, Enthusiasm, Novelty, Consistency and Online Advocacy. Part of his instructions include using email and social media in a number of ways to mobilize potential activists, Interestingly, his advice to others is one Nader declines to utilize. He said he doesnt use the internet, have an email account, or store credit files online, to protect his privacy. Naders staff, however, does maintain a website and sends to subscribers links to his blogs and weekly columns, which are published in the Register Citizen and other Hearst Connecticut Media newspapers. On his website, he maintsains, I still type on an Underwood typewriter, not a computer. Moreover, I still read print newspapers and keep files of clippings from them to glance through when Im thinking of past events. Supporters, or detractors, who would like to hear Nader voice his opinion, can listen online to his Ralph Naders Radio Hour. The weekly program is also broadcast on WPKN in Bridgeport at 89.5 FM at 6 p.m. on Sundays or on WESU in Middletown at 88.1 FM on Fridays at 9 a.m. In a promotional message about his radio show on WPKN, Nader notes that the station is in Connecticut, my home state. He still visits his home state, specifically Winsted, where Nader is so well known, Town Manager Robert Geiger said The town is so used to seeing Ralph, he isnt stared at by the locals. Despite spending quite a bit of time in Washington, D.C., the native sons fondness for the town is clear. Nader chose to build his American Museum of Tort Law in Winsted in 2015. Housed in the former Northwest Community Bank (also formerly Winsted Savings Bank) at 654 Main St., the classical facade reflects the quiet fortitude of a lasting landmark. The museum is the only one of its kind in the United States. It was founded, according to its website, to educate, inform and inspire Americans... Tort law is the law of wrongful injuries.. and environmental disasters, such as the famous lawsuit that was depicted in the Erin Brockovich film. Asked why he built the museum in Winsted, rather in the nations capital, Nader simply said, its my hometown. He added, I would also have had to add a number of zeroes to the cost. When they visit, Geiger usually heads over to meet with Nader at the Office of the Community Lawyer, at 97 Main St. The organization, supported by Nader, provides resources for residents for a number of legal issues. Naders personal attorney, Charlene LaVoie, directs the organization. One of his biggest concerns is to maintain newspapers, Geiger said. He believes small newspapers are vital. The closing of of the Winsted Journal, disturbed him, Geiger said. Hes very tuned in intellectually, Geiger added. Richard L. Newman, executive director of the American Museum of Tort Law, said of Nader, Im a great admirer of the work hes done as a consumer advocate. He is high energy and creative and brilliant, Newman said. He has never given up the fight to protect peoples rights. That important voice Being tuned in leads Nader to take on some of the countrys most vexing issues. One is the breakdown of cybersecurity, which Nader calls a huge problem. No one would have predicted... that consumers would be so willing to give their personal information to corporations, he said. Companies sell lists of names for profit. That mode of exploitation cant be done without consumers being complicit, in the process, Nader said. In an example of how companies are using consumers private data, a recent New York Times article that looked at the issue found At least 75 companies receive anonymous, precise location data from apps whose users enable location services... Several of those businesses claim to track up to 200 million mobile devices in the United States about half those in use last year. In his blog, Nader wrote that a recent meeting of the Federal Trade Commission about privacy did not include the publics voice. No one asked consumer representative to describe the current challenges American consumers face in the online marketplace, he wrote. Companies now know so much about the person, its more than (the person) can recollect, Nader said. They know your credit score, where youre located, where you go. Further, hacking of systems isnt just done by international companies, Nader said. Everyone is doing it to everybody. The U.S. does it. Its nothing new. Hackers are using our own tools, made by the NSA (National Security Administration) and Silicone Valley, he said. The solution to the privacy breaches is an international treaty, Nader said. Its like cyber warfare. The White House has faltered, if the U.N. did it, youd have to get 195 countries to agree, he said. All of our electrical grids are embedded with other countries. We need collaboration to stop, the hacking, he said. The only way to hold parties responsible is a treaty. If a treaty were signed it would create a If you do this, well do that, scenario, Nader said. In that case, It would be like the nuclear (Non-Proliferation) treaty of mutually assured destruction, he said. Just miles from Naders hometown, the recent corporate merger of CVS Health and Aetna has caught his attention. CVS completed the $70 billion purchase of AETNA last month. A story by CTmirror.org reported that CVS Health President Larry J. Merlo said in a November statement announcing the completion of the deal, that By delivering the combined capabilities of our two leading organizations, we will transform the consumer health experience and build healthier communities through a new innovative health care model that is local, easier to use, less expensive and puts consumers at the center of their care. But Nader said, It will raise prices and restrict choices. There are now just four major insurance companies, in the country, Nader said. He pointed to a bill proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., which calls for the federal government to launch a pharmaceutical manufacturing system to produce affordable generic drugs. Nader suggested that consumers learn more about health care choices from Health Research Inc. which was founded more than 50 years ago to support public health goals. If Connecticut really needs to raise a billion each year dont use traditional tolling. The easy way is low mileage-based use fees on all roads. This is tracked using satellite and/or cell-phone technology. On-board devices already in all cars built since 1998 can be programmed to record miles driven on Connecticuts roads. ($30 transponders under the hood are a less-intrusive alternative). Out-of-state drivers are asked to pull over to a welcome station the first time they enter the state to buy a transponder. For drivers crossing our border on local roads, licensed roadside stores or gas stations can sell the transponders, the way lottery dealers do now. Mileage-based use fees are in use now in Oregon. At least three firms already have good technology and can compete for a contract with Connecticut to program the devices, record the miles traveled, and ensure payment from banks, credit cards, or pre-deposited diminishing travel accounts. Our authorities can institute rush hour pricing to encourage off-hours travel. They can also be programmed to charge a steeper rate for out-of-state cars that dont bulk-purchase. The proposed highway tolls use gantries. Installation will cost at least $500 million. For under $5 million, Connecticut can have the mileage-based system up and running. The gantry system instantly puts commuters who use highways at war with those who rarely drive on highways. The commuter is likely to be socked with $800 a year, while the driver who travels just as far with hardly any highway travel, will pay one tenth of that. The proposed tolls also impel some highway drivers to put themselves onto local roads for the last mile or two, to avoid a fee. This puts needless congestion on those local roads. Indeed, some towns may need to spend money to build extra lanes on their roads to keep the by-passing traffic from clogging their streets. Towns that choose not to spend this money will push congestion on their townspeople, and make pedestrian and bike travel more dangerous. Tracking mileage instead lets people use the highways as they were intended, as speedy, pass-through conduits. Tracking mileage does not incentivize side-street travel. It puts us all on the same system. Its far fairer. On a per-mile basis, its cheaper too. To raise a billion dollars a year, Connecticut need only to charge 2.5 cents per mile per car and 3 to 9 cents per mile per truck. These figures are based on the fairly constant 36 billion road miles traveled in Connecticut each year. At 2.5 cents, that 216-mile round trip across I-95 costs all of $5.40. At 2.5 cents, the New Haven to Hartford commute costs $2 round trip, less than one iced coffee. Let me say, again, that the state should not have to resort to travel fees at all. We do not have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem. And remember that if we do tax travel with the eye toward gaining revenue from out-of-staters, we are still taxing primarily ourselves. The proposals thus far (at a cost of over $2 million), have been INcautious, and seemingly unconcerned about local traffic. Mileage-based fees have the merit of quick installation (about five weeks) and 1 percent of the cost. These on-board diagnostics can easily help consumers save money over time. They let us know when parts are highly worn and on the verge of breakdown; they let insurance companies charge less for drivers whom they know have good braking patterns and thus statistically less likely to get into a costly accident. They even let the insurers determine, after an accident, whether their driver was at fault, due to speed, lane changing, or weaving. Good drivers get discounts based on the likelihood of an insurer not paying claims on them. So this proposal deserves caution. But if legislators can truly find no palatable way to pay our debts, these mileage-based fees on all Connecticut roads are far better than the costly, slow process of setting up gantries on four-lane highways. If Connecticut really needs a method to financial stability other than cutting its state spending, this move has us covered. Connecticut, for once, could be at the forefront of revenue collection in the northeast, not the laggards. Mark Stewart Greenstein is an educator based in Newington. He was a 2018 governor candidate and the founder of an academy for middle school enrichment: www.AmigoAcademy.us. This op-ed was first published in https//:ctmirror.org. That was the year that was, and lets hope we never see its like again. So far as political discourse was concerned, 2018 plumbed poisonous new depths of anger and abuse. It was more than a year to forget. To borrow from a now familiar Brexit warning, politics seemed to crash over a cliff and into the waves of intolerance below. How else to describe the 12 months in which our Prime Minister, Theresa May, was told to bring her own noose by one Tory MP and warned by another that the moment is coming when the knife gets heated, stuck in her front and twisted shell be dead soon? As she put it in her Christmas broadcast just a few days ago: 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 was a year when Boris Johnson mocked Muslim women who wore burkas for looking like letter boxes or bank robbers. And there was the sight of Labour MP Luciana Berger arriving at her partys conference with a police escort for her own protection after being targeted by the sort of vile anti-Semitic abuse we thought had been consigned to history. The atmosphere inside the Commons Chamber was fetid. MPs were accused of misogynistic insults, with even the saintly Jeremy Corbyn said to have muttered stupid woman at Theresa May. And Jacob Rees-Mogg departed from his habitual politesse to aim a cheap jingoistic jibe at Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, branding him a second-tier Canadian politician. How else to describe the 12 months in which our Prime Minister, Theresa May, was told to bring her own noose by one Tory MP Yet what we heard and saw in public is mild compared with what went on behind the scenes the private abuse our politicians reserved for each other over the past few months and the sort of thing Ive encountered all-too frequently as a political pundit and broadcaster on television and radio. Take the time I sat with a Remain-supporting Minister in a TV studio, ahead of broadcast. As we chatted, he was spitting blood about the f****** lunatic Brexiteers, saying how he would personally ensure a special place in hell for them. Minutes later he was serenely explaining to the interviewer that the country must come together, while he and his colleagues were working in tandem to provide a united government. I recall Lord Chris Patten muttering darkly about fanatical Brexiteers, who he regarded as Maoists and rodents. Charming. In a recent profile of Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, I reported him telling a fellow Cabinet Minister that: I think youre a c***. Everyone thinks youre a c***. This was apparently his way of persuading the Minister in question to fall in behind the Prime Ministers plan on Brexit. Was it ever thus? To a degree, perhaps. But I cant help feeling that things are getting worse, that the coarsening of public life has taken on a frightening new momentum and that people can no longer exchange opposing views without questioning their opponents parentage. In replying to a tweet of mine calling for better manners, Tory Deputy Chairman James Cleverly had the temerity to declare that he was genuinely saddened by how rare please and thank you have become in shops, pubs and restaurants. A torrent of abuse then followed from Left-wing tweeters, as if hed been calling for Jeremy Corbyn to be lynched. Yes, for all its undoubted benefits, social media is a big part of the problem. A minor disagreement can spiral out of control into a vituperative slanging match within seconds, and frequently does so. The anonymity, spontaneity and instant nature of social media especially Twitter encourages people to say things and behave in a way they wouldnt dream of doing in normal life. I know. Ive been guilty of it myself on too many occasions. As one of my followers put it: On the radio, Iain Dale is nice, nice, nice. On Twitter he can be an absolute beast. And I can do nothing except admit that hes right. Twitter has become a hateful place, an absolute sewer, and if I didnt work as a pundit and commentator, Id happily remove myself from its clutches. Upset the Cybernats, the Corbynistas or the pro-Europe #FBPE cult and you enter a living Twitter-hell for days on end. Just look at the response from Corbynites to anyone who was just a tad concerned that anti-Semitism was being tolerated in the Labour Party. Or imagine the reaction youll get from the so-called Cybernats if you dare to criticise Queen Nicola Sturgeon. As the columnist Suzanne Moore tweeted just before Christmas: One thing Twitter has ruined for ever is the fantasy that Left-wing people are nice. What a bunch of b*******, spewing out nastiness Thats not to say things are any better on the Right. Theyre not. Yet social media is not the sole cause of the problem far from it. The problems are both wider and deeper. Political conversation itself is now, to be frank, debased. Political debate has become a binary world, with everything in black and white. Shades of grey have been driven out. What, for example, should we make of those such as Labours Laura Pidcock, who proudly declares that she couldnt possibly be friends with a Conservative? She, like a growing number of us, appears to live in an echo chamber, determined to reinforce existing views. God forbid that we should question our own side. If youre on the Left, you think Channel 4 News is the most balanced news programme on TV. If youre on the Right, you probably believe the BBC to be a hotbed of liberal Lefties. Whatever happened to research, to careful questioning, to open-minded debate. If were not willing to engage with people who hold different views, how on earth can we challenge ourselves or those in power? I was appalled by an exchange between politicians on Kay Burleys Sky News show a few days ago. It seemed to sum things up a perfect illustration of the state were in. Labour MP Anna Turley and Welsh Conservative MP David Davies had been debating the merits of a second Brexit referendum, when Turley decided shed launch into a finger-jabbing monologue with a sub-theme about how evil Tories are. This change of direction had nothing to do with the matter in hand. Davies stood there and took it for a while, until he cracked and took out his mobile phone to check his emails. Burley did nothing to control the situation, of course, no doubt revelling in the great television playing out an insulting rant met with ostentatious indifference. Yet it wasnt great television, it was buttock-clenchingly awful, a spectacle which brought no credit at all on any of the participants. Its one of my New Years resolutions to play my own small part and aim at a little more civility in political exchanges, whether on Twitter or elsewhere. Last week I told my 125,000 followers that I would mute or block anyone who insulted me using four-letter words. Its not that Im a snowflake, but that sort of abuse is plain wrong. Most people wouldnt dream of calling me something obscene to my face, so why should I let them do so on Twitter? I hope that my own contributions, too, will be a little more measured in the coming weeks and months but I know my resolve will be tested, especially in this atmosphere. Even children are now bought up to hate. Hate him, hate her, hate Manchester United, hate the Tories, hate the EU. How much is the B word responsible for this change in climate, for making foul-mouthed rants seem somehow normal? Has Brexit helped unleash and legitimise argument by insult? Its clear that the referendum and ongoing argument have opened a Pandoras Box of anger and rage. Yet that cannot be an excuse for descending into common abuse. For example, as a Brexiteer, I believe Britain will be better off outside the EU. At the same time I cannot prove it and must acknowledge the fact. Its important that people on both sides of the debate have the humility to accept that we might be wrong. So lets pray for a little more dignity in the months to come. After all, 2018 has been the most toxic year ever known in terms of public dialogue. We need a sort of collective New Years resolution on the part of those in power and from the nation in general to grow up. Yet, somehow, I doubt well get it. For as savage as the Brexit debate has been so far, I fear it has yet to climax. The rampant hard Brexiteers and the Remainiac referendum result deniers will, between them, see to that. Many of us are so hopelessly entrenched in our positions that almost any possible outcome, including a No Deal Brexit or a second referendum, would force open the painful divisions once again. It surely comes to something when it is left to Her Majesty the Queen to ask the nation, politely, to behave with more civility. As she put it in her Christmas broadcast just a few days ago: 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. We can but hope. Jeremy Hunt: When Singapore became an independent country in 1965, its leaders described it as the moment it plugged into the international economic grid When Singapore became an independent country in 1965, its leaders described it as the moment it plugged into the international economic grid. While the circumstances of Britains departure from the EU are different, there could be few better instructions for us as we make our post-Brexit future. So this year I will skip the last of the turkey sandwiches to fly east and strengthen Britains links with some of the most dynamic economies of the world. The remarkable transformation of Singapore, from a tiny territory devoid of natural resources into the worlds eighth-richest country, is a reminder of the tidal shifts that can exist within the ebb and flow of the changing world order. Almost exactly 200 years ago a British adventurer, Sir Stamford Raffles, stepped ashore to found what would become a free port and a modern city. Our connection with the people of this part of the world has never wavered, even as our role in the world has changed. We may no longer be a superpower but we are still very much a global power. In my short time as Foreign Secretary, I have been constantly struck by how much more other countries respect us than we seem to respect ourselves. I travel to Asia as the Foreign Minister of the fifth-largest economy in the world, with the third-biggest overseas aid budget, the second-biggest military budget in Nato, and one of the globes two big financial centres. Even more importantly, in a world where it is rarely possible for one country to achieve its ambitions alone, we have some of the best global connections whether through the large numbers of international students and tourists we benefit from, our ownership of the worlds language, membership of the Commonwealth, a strong alliance with the United States or our friendship with neighbours in Europe. Even within their own families British people share unique links which combine with centuries of trade routes, military campaigns and missionary work that make us one of the best-connected countries on the planet. All these strengths and relationships are underpinned by a set of core values: decency, stability, fairness and democracy. Our role post-Brexit is to build links with other countries who share those values so we build an invisible chain of democracies, countries that are strong and confident in what we believe in up against those who would seek to undermine us. And as we promote our values abroad, so we must apply them as we tackle challenges at home. The priority for the first few weeks of the New Year will, of course, be Brexit. Ive watched first-hand as the Prime Minister has battled with Brussels to deliver a good deal for the country. It is testament to her tenacity that we have a deal on the table that many said would be impossible to strike. All that remains is the need for reassurance that the Northern Irish backstop cannot be used to keep us tied to the customs union against our will. The priority for the first few weeks of the New Year will, of course, be Brexit, writes Mr Hunt SO those of us who wish to complete Britains orderly departure from the EU have a simple task: to stand behind the PM as she finalises the details of the backstop and back her to get the deal through Parliament. Yes, its true that no negotiation ever produced an outcome that was perfect for all sides, and this deal is no different. So it is always alluring to reach for alternatives. But in this case other options are fraught with danger. A quick fix like a second referendum? A simple solution like no deal? An easy option like Parliament taking control? The truth is all these ideas create more problems than they solve. Politicians like Tony Blair might like the idea of a second referendum. Its the equivalent of saying to the public: you created the problem by voting to leave, now over to you to fix it. But at the last Election the overwhelming majority of people voted for parties that said they would leave the EU so a second vote would mean ducking the consequences of that promise made not just by the Conservatives but by Labour as well. Jeremy Corbyn might be comfortable with such a dereliction of duty, but not Theresa May. Even if you could work out what the question on the ballot paper would be (no mean feat), a second vote would divide the country again right at the moment when people need to come together. And who could blame the losing side in a second referendum for asking for a third? If a second referendum fails the most basic test of delivering what the people voted for, the other extreme walking away without a deal would present risks to business and jobs even if you believe in the end we would find a way through it to survive and prosper. No one should be encouraging a move that could leave us poorer at the same time as gladdening the hearts of those who wish for a fractured Europe. This deal delivers what the people voted for control of our borders, our money and our laws and will allow the country to move on to the next challenge, namely negotiating a trade deal that gives us an independent ability to plough our furrow in the world. In Asia this week I will sit down with those most eager to strengthen their links with Britain once we have left the European Union. Lets not let them down. Advertisement In addition to choosing a timeless dress, picking a stunning reception area and whittling down the guest list, couples preparing to tie the knot also have to factor in a photographer they trust. On the day you want your day to be captured from all angles, immortalising what is likely to be one of the most important and memorable days of your life. Thankfully, thousands of Australian couples were lucky enough to have their wedding days captured by some of the best in the business this year. Here FEMAIL looks back at the past 12 months and brings you some of the most exquisite and heart-rending wedding photos of 2018 - and the stories from behind the lens. The moment you've all been waiting for: This soon-to-be-wife greets her father just before stepping outside to marry the love of her life. Her proud father catches a tear falling down her face. Leah and Tom walk hand-in-hand out of the ceremony surrounded by their bridesmaids and groomsman. Despite it raining on their big day, they still 'partied on' 'Taken at Marsden Point, New Zealand, this beautiful couple were fishing mad and married on a boat and had bridal party photos on a boat! Loved every moment,' their photographer Kristy said Different couples, same loving embraces: Jessica and Lester (right) drove a vintage car around for their photos while Justin and Matho enjoy a quiet moment together (left) Hannah Polites (pictured) married in Bali and used giant signage to declare her love for Garth Small 'They grew up as childhood sweethearts (well I think he more liked her) than they reconnected later online. She was such a sweet bride... took off her shoes and went barefoot and was adventuring on crazy mountain tops,' their photographer said This was the year of marriage equality in Australia, so Annabelle and Freddie (left) and Kat and Kirsten (right) were all able to marry their loves ones this year Army rifleman Joel Sardi, who became a quadriplegic after returning from his service in Afghanistan, wed his bride Elisa in Melbourne's Sea Life Aquarium this year This couple showed off their daring acrobatic skills by playing in the sand (and made sure they performed these tricks AFTER the ceremony was finished) Nathan Antunes' ceremony included a rooftop dance in Bali with his new wife Samantha - and the bridal party loved it Kat and Kirsten (left) embrace on their wedding day while a couple walk through the streets with their daughter (right) Talk about making an entrance! Makeup artist Melissa Sassine's dress was something out of a royal wedding You may now kiss the bride! Couple embrace with sparklers flying above them - and a cheeky dip to go with it A groom from Melbourne touched hearts around the world after a photo by James Day capturing the moment he saw his bride-to-be for the first time was shared online Pia and Kane (left) recently got married in Byron, meanwhile another couple embraced on a clifftop in New Zealand Instead of watching the ceremony in Maleny, Queensland, the 54 guests at this wedding were asked to wear blindfolds so they could experience each moment just like the bride - without sight The perfect shot: This pair went for a rustic feel on the lake - with a perfectly timed wind filled with confetti The boys are back: Nathan Antunes (centre) gathers his groomsmen together for a motorbike photo A moment in time: This groom couldn't keep his emotions in check when he married his sweetheart The first dance: 'A complete 'non wedding' wedding, where all guests were asked to wear whatever makes them sparkle, where treated to mulled wine upon arriving to the ceremony, and the bride even wore a beautiful feather cape! It was epic,' the photographer commented When Im adapting the classics, I always ask myself the same question: why this, and why now? With Les Miserables, there are more answers than one to those questions. Its a huge elemental story, almost of Biblical proportions, exploring the nature of love, hatred, revenge, lust, duty and redemption. Is there a God? What is goodness? How should we live? How should we face death? What would a just society be like? Big, big, universal themes. And of course all these themes are timeless, they never go away. But Les Mis has a lot of specific resonance now. France in the years after Napoleons defeat was bitterly divided between rich and poor, and today there are rioters on the streets protesting against what they see as a brutally unfair society. Andrew Davies revealed the inspiration behind his adaption of Les Miserables for TV audiences which doesn't feature the songs from the musical, Pictured: Lily Collins as Fantine with Johnny Flynn as her lover, Felix Davies is not a fan of the musical we all know and love. Pictured: Anne Hathaway as Fantine in the 2012 film And when there was a recent Les Miserables launch in the West End with a screening for press and opinion formers, outside the rain was pouring down on the beggars and rough sleepers. People take that for granted now, while guiltily feeling that there must be a better way to organise society. All right, you might say, its relevant, but weve had Les Mis before the musical, and the film of the musical. Surely were all Mizzed out by now? Well, no. Theres so much more in Victor Hugos great novel that never made it into the musical. The relationships never get explored in depth, and there is so much more to the characters that a six-hour series can bring out. Take Fantine, for example, played by Lily Collins. When we first meet her shes a carefree seamstress in Paris, the youngest and the cherished pet of her little gang. They work hard but play hard too, going dancing and boating on the Seine with their rich student boyfriends their life is like a series of Renoir paintings. So much hope, optimism, youthful love, before the blow falls. Or take Thenardier (Adeel Akhtar). A comic character, yes if you dont fall into his power. We meet him first on the field of Waterloo the day after the battle, a human rat preying on the corpses. Its there that he gets the money to set himself up as an innkeeper with his equally loathsome wife (Olivia Colman). We see how the Thenardiers gain Fantines confidence so that she leaves her toddler Cosette with them while she journeys to seek work in Montreuil-sur-Mer, in a factory owned by amazingly Jean Valjean! Andrew says the story is filled with hope, love and optimism - including young Marius (Raphael Bishop pictured with Emma Fielding who plays Nicolette) who is spoilt, lied to and then kicked out the house At the heart of the story is Jean Valjeans journey from enemy of society to something like a saint, and Javerts relentless pursuit. My feeling about Javert is that his obsession with Valjean is like a twisted love he cant think about anyone or anything else. (Both men, incidentally, appear to be virgins. Odd that, especially as Hugo, who created them, was something of a philanderer.) Javert is a deep and complex character, not a simple baddie but more like one of Shakespeares tragic heroes, played very powerfully and subtly by David Oyelowo. Les Miserables is full of coincidences and improbabilities. In the book we are expected to believe that Javert just turns up in Montreuil as the new chief of police, and that he and Valjean dont recognise each other. Its much more powerful if we assume that they know each other instantly, and that a game of cat and mouse is being played. Two powerful adversaries: who will break cover first? Who will reveal his hand? But I guess my favourite parts of the book, and the adaptation, deal with Valjeans relationship with Cosette. He has never loved or been loved before, but he learns to be a loving father to the little girl, who loves him back with fierce devotion. And then when Cosette grows up she struggles to break away from his possessive love, which she feels is imprisoning her. Andrew says Cosette (pictured as a baby with Fantine) who is beaten, starved then sold to a stranger turns out rather well This will ring a bell with every sentient father of a daughter, and is played so tenderly by Dominic West and Ellie Bamber. (Its always nice to discover a star of the future. Keira Knightley in Doctor Zhivago, Carey Mulligan in Bleak House, Claire Foy in Little Dorrit Im sure Ellie will be joining their ranks very soon.) Perhaps people who love the musical will miss the songs. I hated the musical myself, especially looking down their throats in that awful movie, but I realise that not everyone will agree with me. I just hope that fans of the musical will enjoy learning so much more about their favourite characters, and they can always hum the songs to themselves. People ask me: isnt it all too miserable especially for the Christmas season? Well, you can have too much Christmas pudding, and a sharper flavour can be just what fits the bill. Andrew (pictured centre with Les Miserables cast) revealed that although the story is French, the characters speak in English And anyway, there is so much hope, love and optimism in the story. Take all the children: little Marius, spoilt, lied to, then kicked out of the house. Eponine and her sister Azelma, first indulged as little girls, later brutalised and pimped out by their father. Cosette, beaten and starved, then sold to a stranger. Delightfully, they all turn out rather well: brave, kind, optimistic, and a pleasure to be with. I promise you wont want to cut your throat at the end of each episode youll be dying to find out what happens next. Im a great believer in ending an episode on a cliffhanger. One tricky element with Les Mis is that its a French novel, but Im adapting it as a British show for an English-speaking audience. Andrew (pictured) is starring in a BBC4 documentary which airs on BBC4/BBC2 Wales to share his background in writing So the characters speak in English. But we do still need to feel that were in France. Thats done partly through the locations, but we also hear a fair bit of French spoken when its not important to understand it; thus the guards barking orders, mothers singing lullabies, etc, will be in French. Letters and public notices, when we see them, will be in French. Its not ideal, but it works. The alternative would be to have all French dialogue with subtitles. Ive been talking as though I do all this on my own. On the contrary: developing a script is a collaborative enterprise, which is partly why I enjoy it so much. I work with a group of very bright producers and script editors I call them my script gang. They are all many decades younger than me, in their twenties and thirties. Weve been working together since we started on War And Peace four years ago. We meet at my house in Kenilworth, Warwickshire; they enjoy a day away from London, and their offices are not as cosy as my place. We talk about structure and make a plan, and that gets emailed back and forth a few times, then we talk about the key scenes, and then I write a first draft. It normally takes me four weeks to write a one-hour episode. As soon as its finished I email it off and in a few days the gang come back with notes and suggestions and we have another jolly meeting and a lunch up the road from my house. Then I sit down and write another draft. The gang are my first audience and I always try to surprise them and myself with something extra to what weve discussed. Then the whole process begins again with the next episode, and so on. Ill take a bit more than six months for a six-hour series. Then after the director has joined we go through it again, and thats it. No more changes except those dictated by external circumstances like budget and weather. Some writers, and most screenwriting gurus, swear by multiple drafts, even ten or 12. But three is enough if you know what youre doing. I write on a computer, as almost everyone does now. I have the book by my side, and its heavy and unwieldy. With War And Peace, I cut it in half down the middle, feeling like an assassin. I managed not to ruin my edition of Les Mis, which is a beautifully made paperback of 1,500 pages. Crucially, you can open it at any page and it will lie flat. Most paperbacks wont do that they close up on you, which may seem a minor thing, but when it happens 50 times a day it can drive a person crazy. Anyone whos curious to know more about me, my background and my writing, can tune into the documentary Andrew Davies: Rewriting The Classics, which airs on BBC4/BBC2 Wales on 30 December, right after Les Miserables has aired on BBC1. I feel very lucky to be doing this work that I enjoy so much that it feels like playing a lot of the time; and then having the joy of seeing it brought to life by a brilliant cast like the one we have. And I hope that people enjoy the show, even though NOBODY SINGS. Andrew Davies: Rewriting The Classics, tomorrow, 10.05pm, BBC4 (10pm, BBC2 Wales). Cleaning the toilet and doing the laundry are some of the most unpleasant household chores. Choosing the wrong product can make a time-consuming task even more tedious. Consumer group CHOICE has rated the worst cleaning products on supermarket shelves in 2018. From toilet gel and laundry liquids that are as useless as water to glass cleaner that is less effective than vinegar, Daily Mail Australia looks at the products to avoid. Scroll down for video The Supreme Heavy Duty Laundry Liquid (pictured) scored a miserable 45 per cent and was rated only marginally better than water Worst laundry detergent When it comes to cleaning dirt from clothes under test conditions, there's a huge difference between the best and worst products on the market. The Supreme Heavy Duty Laundry Liquid scored a miserable 45 per cent. In fact, it performed only slightly better than water which was given a 42 per cent grading. A generic supermarket brand was found to be the best performer in the laundry, with Coles Ultra Front concentrate cleaning up with an impressive score of 81 per cent. Coles failed in the bathroom with its Toilet Cleaner and Ultra Toilet Gel (pictured) scoring just 40 per cent in CHOICE tests, which found they were worse than water Worst toilet cleaner While Coles triumphed in the laundry, it failed in the bathroom with two of its products among the worst toilet cleaners. Coles Toilet Cleaner and the supermarket brand's Ultra Toilet Gel scored just 40 per cent. It shared the dubious honour with another generic product, Woolworths Essentials Toilet Cleaner and Harpic Fresh Power. They were all rated as being worse than water. 'Buying any one of these is definitely money down the gurgler,' CHOICE said. German supermarket brand Aldi's Power Force Bright and Clean Oxy Thick Toilet Gel were regarded as the best in the market with scores of 75 per cent. It shared that distinction with Janola Power Clean Toilet Bleach Gel and White King Premium Bleach. One window cleaner is so bad it is rated as being less effective than vinegar with Windex Mr Muscle (pictured) barely passing with a score of just 50 per cent Worst window cleaner One window cleaner is so bad it is rated as being less effective than vinegar. Windex Mr Muscle barely passed, with a score of just 50 per cent. Homemade vinegar, by comparison, scored 64 per cent. The best-rated products on the market scored 78 per cent, with the top honours going to Coles's Ultra Glass and Window Cleaner and Glitz Glass Cleaner. After testing 23 stain removers, CHOICE concluded that Orange Power Pre-Wash Stain Remover (pictured) to be the worst with a score of 62 per cent Worst stain remover After testing 23 stain removers, CHOICE concluded that Orange Power Pre-Wash Stain Remover to be the worst with a score of 62 per cent. In this category, Coles triumphed again with its Ultra Pre-Wash Stain Remover receiving a score of 79 per cent. Worst paper towels While supermarket brands are good value in some areas, that was not the case with paper towels with Woolworths Homebrand Paper Towels scoring just 42 per cent. That was half the score of market leader Viva, whose Multi-Use Cleaning Towel Double Length with Bamboo Fibre scoring 84 per cent. While supermarket brands are good value in some areas, that is not the case with paper towels with Woolworths Homebrand Paper Towels (pictured) scoring just 42 per cent Earthwise Dishwasher Tablets (pictured), that retail for $20, scored just 40 per cent Worst dishwashing detergent The best and worst dishwashing detergents are both marketed as being environmentally-friendly. Earthwise Dishwasher Tablets, that retail for $20 for a packet of 30, scored just 40 per cent. That was less than half the score of the best-rated Earth Choice All In One Dish Tablets, which were given an 81 per cent rating. It was a particularly hot day in November when Ashlee Shier decided to cut up some fruit for her son Landon, six, and daughter Aria, three. Living in Beeliar, Western Australia, the family were settling down for an afternoon snack when, still holding the cutting knife, the 29-year-old mother slipped on her pet dog's bowl and fell to the floor, accidentally plunging the utensil into her throat. Ashlee, who was seven months pregnant at the time, said her first instinct was to protect her stomach. It was a particularly hot day in November when Ashlee Shier decided to cut up some fruit for her son Landon, six, and daughter Aria, three (pictured with partner Troy) 'So I've brought my hands up as I've fallen to the ground, forgetting I still had the knife in my hand,' she told FEMAIL. 'At that point I didn't realise that it had stabbed itself straight into my neck. I thought I may have just cut it or something small but I felt wetness on my neck.' Her partner Troy, 32, walked into the kitchen to find his heavily pregnant girlfriend making a 'horrible gurgling noise' every time she tried to talk. He sprang into action, creating a tourniquet with a nearby tea towel, and called the ambulance. 'So I've brought my hands up as I've fallen to the ground, forgetting I still had the knife in my hand,' she told FEMAIL (the injury pictured) 'Troy went so pale. I started to freak out at that stage and then my chest started feeling tight,' she explained. 'Troy's quick thinking is what I believe saved mine and our unborn daughter's life.' En route to the hospital Ashlee's blood pressure began to drop and she started to 'cough up blood'. The paramedics weren't sure how much of the expectant mother's windpipe was damaged at this stage. 'I remember when we were getting to the hospital it was like everything was in slow motion. I was taken into a trauma bay and then the room filled with people,' she said. 'My clothes were quickly cut off and then I was surrounded by doctors, midwives, nurses and any other specialist they believed needed to help. What is a tracheotomy? A tracheotomy is an incision in the windpipe made to relieve an obstruction to breathing. Advertisement 'They took me in into surgery for a tracheotomy and said they might need to deliver the baby if her or I were at any risk. 'My heart sank. I was 31 weeks and after having two previous preterm babies I just wanted the best for my daughter. When Ashlee woke up her hand flew to her stomach 'straight away' to check if her daughter was still there '"Do whatever is needed to keep her safe," I said.' When Ashlee woke up her hand flew to her stomach 'straight away' to check if her daughter was still there. 'I felt my belly still full and pregnant,' she said. The nurses informed Ashlee that Troy and her children where allowed to visit, which immediately 'lifted her'. 'When they walked in I couldn't control the emotions. I broke down and the tears wouldn't stop. I was thankful I was alive and that my daughter was still alive and inside growing,' she said. 'I just wanted to thank my partner and tell my kids and him I loved them. All I could manage was to squeeze their hands.' And most of all that she hadn't lost her little Lilly Mae (pictured), who was born four weeks after the fall - healthy and happy Not being able to speak, Ashlee could only communicate with handwritten notes. After a week the breathing tube was removed and she could manage a low and raspy murmur. 'The first words I remember speaking were "I love you" to my partner. It was faint but I spoke,' she explained. 'Doctors said that if the knife had sliced any deeper I would have died.' After the horrifying ordeal Ashlee was left with a scar, but was thankful her voice returned. And most of all that she hadn't lost her little Lilly Mae, who was born four weeks after the fall - healthy and happy. In recent weeks rumours of a rift between the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex have been rife, but it seems that Kate and Meghan managed to put any differences aside in the spirit of Christmas. The sister-in-laws are said to have enjoyed a game of Scrabble together on the big day according to new reports. The wives of Windsor, whose 'differing personalities' were said to be at the centre of the rift, celebrated Christmas with the Queen and the rest of the royal family in Sandringham earlier this week where they are reported to have got on famously. An insider told The Sun: 'After watching the Queen's speech, the board games were brought out and both women got stuck in. Scroll down for video Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are said to have enjoyed a game of Scrabble at Christmas in Sandringham as they put rumours of a rift behind them 'Pregnant Meghan wasn't drinking but Kate had a glass of wine or two, and everyone was in great spirits. 'They were chuckling along together. You wouldn't know there was any tension between the two. It was a wonderful day and night.' MailOnline has contacted Kensington Palace for comment. New reports claim the royal family watched the Queen's speech (seen above) before getting the board games out, with everyone being in 'great spirits' on the day Rumours of a royal rift between the women began swirling after news emerged that Meghan and Harry will move away from Kensington Palace to make their home 25 miles away from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Windsor. There were claims that Kate broke down in tears following Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid's dress fitting, ahead of Meghan and Harry's wedding in May, as well as suggestions the pair had clashed over staff. Then just weeks ago sources claimed Meghan, 37, was 'fed-up' of not being able to 'stand up for herself' as the demands of royal protocol dictate she keeps a dignified silence amid rumours of tension between the sisters-in-law. An insider told Us Weekly the pregnant duchess is finding it 'frustrating and stressful' having 'no voice' - and finds the constraints of royal life 'debilitating'. Once an outspoken feminist who gave speeches at United Nations forums, Meghan has since shut down her social media accounts as part of her transition from actress to duchess. Rumours were rife that the pair had clashed over palace staff, with one source even claiming that Kate had 'cried' after Charlotte's dress fitting ahead of Meghan's wedding in May However, royal insiders have insisted that there has been no falling out between the Cambridges and the Sussexes, but admitted the pair are 'very different people'. A source previously told the Daily Mail's Rebecca English: 'While there are some tensions behind the scenes, Kate is pretty unflappable and nothing has become bad enough to make Harry and Meghan want to move out. 'People are genuinely pleased to see them so happy. The truth is that there simply isn't enough room at Kensington Palace for them and I know they have been looking at Windsor as a possibility since before the wedding.' Advertisement Much of the country will still be enjoying their festive break and it appears that the Queen is no exception. The monarch was pictured arriving at church in Sandringham on Sunday, five days after she attended the Christmas Day service alongside members of the royal family. While usually accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh on such occasions it seems that the Queen's husband had remained home today and she was instead accompanied by a female companion. Prince Philip, 97, had also been absent from the Christmas Day service. MailOnline has contacted Buckingham Palace for a comment. The Queen cheered up a gloomy December morning in a magenta coat and hat as she attended Sunday church service in Sandringham However, other family members were on hand to attend the service today including her son Prince Edward who walked alongside his daughter Lady Louise Windsor. Sophie, the Countess of Wessex was also in attendance and looked typically chic in a cream coat and navy blue fedora this morning. Following behind was Princess Anne who looked resplendent in purple and was accompanied by husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence. The Queen brightened up the foggy December morning in a magenta coat and matching hat which was adorned with an ornate floral display. The 92-year-old royal arrived at the St Mary Magdalene Church, a short walk from Sandringham House, to hoards of well-wishers who had assembled in hope of catching a glimpse of the royals. While both the Sussex and Cambridge families had attended the Christmas Day service earlier this week neither appeared to be present for church today. Her son Prince Edward was also in attendance joined by his daughter Lady Louise Windsor Sophie, the Countess of Wessex (seen right alongside Lady Louise) was also in attendance and looked typically chic in a cream coat and navy blue fedora this morning Arriving behind was Princess Anne who looked respeldent in a purple ensemble as she spoke with the crowds outside the chapel this morning Following behind was Princess Anne's husband Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence who appeared to be in good spirits today The Queen is normally joined by the Duke of Edinburgh on such occasions though he appears to be absent today NEW ANTI-TERROR BARRIERS FOR THE QUEEN New anti-terror measures have been put in place around the Queen's Sandringham estate for the first time as several high-profile royals stay there for the festive season. Special anti-truck-ram barriers have now been built at the four roads which lead to the Royal residence in Norfolk. The three-foot-high modular barriers can erected in seconds by police officers in the event of a terror attack involving a heavy goods vehicle. They have been designed by Belgium company Pitagone and can stop trucks weighing up to 7.5 tons travelling at up to 30mph. The barriers were all on stand-by today as the Queen and other members of the Royal family attended the weekly Sunday service at Mary Magdalene Church. By Alex Robertson New anti-terror barriers have been installed on the Sandringham estate while the Queen spends the festive season there Advertisement The Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex were all smiles today as they joined the Queen at church in Sandringham for the Christmas Day service. Kate, 36, and Meghan, 37, were greeted by adoring crowds as they made their way to St Mary Magdalene Church, a short walk from Sandringham House on the Royal Family's Norfolk estate. Prince William, 36, and Harry, 34, joined their wives as they put on a united front amid rumours of a 'rift' and mounting tensions between the two couples. It was confirmed earlier this month that the 'Fab Four' were going to spend Christmas Day together despite claims of a falling out. The monarch was instead joined by a female companion as she arrived at St Mary Magdalene Church The monarch seemed delighted at the turn out from locals who stayed to watch her leave the church as well as arrive Following the church service the Queen is expected to travel back to her Norfolk home of Sandringham house Even at 92 it seems that the monarch didn't need a hand when it came to getting into her car following the service She could be seen covering her knees with a blue blanket to keep out the chill, as she often does on car journeys The 92-year-old monarch arrived to hoards of well-wishers who had assembled in hope of catching a glimpse of the royals Hundreds of well-wishers turned out to see the royal family, but the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Cornwall were missing. Philip and Camilla did not join the rest of the royals as they made the short walk. It is understood the duke is in good health and will spend the day relaxing privately with his family. Camilla missed an appearance at the Olympia Horse Show the week before due to a heavy cold and was believed to be still recovering from the bug. Behind the lead group strode Peter Phillips holding the hands of his daughters Savannah and Isla, and they were followed by Princess Beatrice and Peter's wife Autumn Phillips. Her appearance comes just five days after she was at the same church for the Christmas Day service Joining her were the Dukes and Duchesses of both Cambridge and Sussex, also known as the 'fab four' A few metres behind were Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, who smiled at the crowds as they walked towards the church. Towards the back of the group were the Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children, Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and Zara and Mike Tindall. The Queen arrived in her state limousine with the Duke of York. During the service the congregation sang traditional carols O Little Town Of Bethlehem, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and O Come All Ye Faithful. Having suffered a sudden, unexpected heart attack at the age of 43, Mark Collins was out of hospital in a matter of days. As the architect, now 50, explains: It actually took the doctors a while to work out what had happened. Id been having a particularly difficult time with a client at work, which had culminated in an argument. The next thing I knew I was on the pavement outside, with a huge pain in my body, and being bundled into a taxi. British Heart Foundation-backed research has found that heart attack patients all suffer major emotional whiplash that reverberates long after their bodies have healed At hospital, tests came back clear I didnt have high cholesterol, or heart disease, and they put me on a treadmill with one of those monitor machines which showed, in terms of cardiovascular health, I was fit as a fiddle. In the end, they told me it was a heart attack triggered by stress. For Collins, a company director who oversees multi-million pound private home renovations, alongside billion pound commercial building projects, the physical recovery time was short. The emotional toll of the event, however, was more profound. It was so unexpected, he recalls. Id never really been to a doctor before that. I dont drink, or smoke. I take spin class and do some yoga. I work hard, I suppose Im married to my job. But I like to socialise. For the first time ever, really, I had to accept my mortality. My fallibility. Although I look after myself, this happened anyway. It was out of my control. I was afraid to exercise, in case it happened again. I was scared to even go into a sauna. When I told friends, I felt embarrassed, as if they were judging me, almost laughing at me. Many tried to make light of it, I suppose because it scared them. According to the study, 15 per cent of heart attack patients develop serious depression in the first few weeks after surviving a heart attack and another quarter experience milder levels of depression or anxiety symptoms Did he feel depressed? I felt incredibly... limited. It was at least a year before I felt able to have a glass of wine. Maybe thats depression. I dont know. Ive had no ill health since, but I still dislike talking about it. If would be fair to say that most people struck by a serious illness will suffer some emotional impact. Yet new British Heart Foundation-backed research has found that heart attack patients all suffer major emotional whiplash that reverberates long after their bodies have healed. According to the study, 15 per cent of heart attack patients develop serious depression in the first few weeks after surviving a heart attack and another quarter experience milder levels of depression or anxiety symptoms. Four in ten of them will experience such a severe emotional response that they have around a two-fold risk of having another heart attack as a result. Even more intriguingly, researchers found that it was the type of men seen as alpha dominant, strong and successful who were most vulnerable. Psychologist Dr Chris Wagstaff, part of the University of Portsmouth research team, said: We found that after a cardiac event there is a real masculinity adjustment issue, an inability to accept and adjust to a body that was previously very superior physically. Quite often when people are ill they are told: you are going to get better, you are tough, you will get stronger, you will be back to normal soon. All this feeds into the masculine narrative but is undermining that person accepting they may never get back to how they were. Maureen Talbot, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, agreed: For a lot of people, the first time they are seriously ill is when they suffer a heart attack. There can be the perception that your body has let you down which causes a psychological and emotional upheaval. When I worked in cardiac rehabilitation where patients would do low-level exercise, the men would compare themselves to each other. They wanted to know they were keeping up with the others. For the study, over the course of a year researchers sat in on cardiac rehabilitation sessions, recorded what patients said during them, and interviewed healthcare professionals involved in the service. Some patients described suddenly feeling like the runt of the litter, and worried that they were weak and likely to be picked off by life and other people. Others talked of their heart as useless. Samantha Meredith, the study author, said: Some patients bury their emotions for fear of judgment and to avoid being labelled sick. This is particularly true of men, who seemed to see expressing emotion as not masculine. We saw substantial emotional trauma following a cardiac event, including cardiophobia, the fear of elevated heart rate or doing anything strenuous. The findings back previous research that shows that being an alpha male can be bad for health. A 2007 study from the University of Leeds, published in the Journal Of Health Services Research & Policy, found mens fears of being seen to be weak contributed to delays in them seeking medical treatment and led to reluctance to disclose symptoms to others. Displaying a high threshold for pain and discomfort was also seen as a masculine attribute. Other research suggested alpha males tended to experience high levels of stress when trying to maintain their status in the eyes of others with stress being a key factor in triggering cardiac problems. Alpha females could be similarly affected, they say. About 120,000 men, and 70,000 women suffer a heart attack in Britain each year. Thousands more suffer other kinds of cardiac event, due to heart rhythm problems. In the light of her teams findings, Meredith said: Cardiac patients need more help in terms of counselling, identity and social support and emotionally intelligent care to help them find their feet again, following a traumatic experience. They also need to talk about their feelings. Some patients appear to bury their emotions for fear of judgment and to avoid being labelled sick. This is particularly true of men, who seemed to see expressing emotion as not masculine. Talbot added: All patients need to accept they are on a journey to get as better as they can. They need to focus on the present, not the past and not the distant future. They need to take ownership of shaping that next chapter of their life. For Mark Collins, life has gradually returned to normal. I didnt seek any counselling, or help. But it did make me re-evaluate my life. I make sure I only take on work I want to do. I try not to worry so much now, about work or my heart, but its there in the back of your mind. Maybe it always will be. 'Ive never stopped campaigning, says Esther Rantzen, the broadcasting legend who has been trying to make the world a better place since the Sixties. I have an overdeveloped rescue instinct. Im the kind of person who helps an old lady across the road even if she doesnt want to go! Now, the founder of Childline and former host of the long-running consumer show Thats Life!, with its anarchic mix of jokes, songs and oddly shaped vegetables alongside genuinely hard-hitting campaigns on the likes of seat-belt safety and organ donation, is returning to our screens at the age of 78. Shes joining the Channel 5 show Do The Right Thing, launching new campaigns alongside husband-and-wife team Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford. But when we meet to talk, Rantzen surprisingly reveals that the tables have just been turned on her for the first time, as her own children have been forced to intervene in her life in a dramatic and very touching way. Esther Rantzen is joining the Channel 5 show Do The Right Thing, launching new campaigns alongside husband-and-wife team Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford So Im sitting in my office downstairs and I turn around and my two daughters are there sitting just behind my shoulder and my son is on the phone. My son, the junior doctor, whos never on the phone! One of my daughters says: Mother! Stop doing what youre doing. We are staging an intervention. I turned round and they said: Youve got grandchildren. You love spending time with them. Why arent you doing that? Look at your diary. How much of this is more important than we are? Ouch. How did she feel? Taken aback. You blunder into a lifestyle where youre not prioritising the things you really want to do, the people you want to be with. What am I doing thats more important than being with the people I value and love? Working too hard was the answer, to chase away the chronic loneliness that had struck after the death of her husband, the television producer Desmond Wilcox, in 2000. Widows do this a lot. They are some of the most productive members of society, particularly in the charity sector. Quite often theyve been very busy creating a social life as part of a couple, being mum and working as well. Then they retire. The kids leave home. They lose their partner. Theres all that creative energy left over. They throw everything into the work. There is a fantastic definition of this kind of loneliness: having plenty of people to do something with but nobody to do nothing with. After her beloved husbands death, Rantzen threw herself into becoming even more of a public figure, with a great deal of charity work but also appearances on both Strictly Come Dancing and Im A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, saying: How many more adventures will life throw at me? She lasted an impressive 16 days in the jungle, despite a fireside chat with camp-mates that left her weeping for Wilcox. But Rantzen says that a decade after his death, loneliness really hit her in a vicious way. There was a delayed reaction because initially its like a tsunami or a volcanic eruption: you have to rush around making sure that things are shored up, keeping the wind and rain out or in this case that the kids are all right. I felt I was in his wake. Hed set a path for us and I was continuing down that path. Then eventually I became aware that I was in uncharted waters. I was having to make decision after decision that he hadnt predicted. Moving here, to this flat, was not on his agenda. She sold the family home in Hampstead and moved into a smart flat with a spectacular view stretching from the London Eye to the Wembley arch, but that was no consolation. I was living alone for the first time, aged 71. It was tough at the beginning. Definitely. She sips tea from a bone china cup, looking elegant in a blouse decorated with blue and white poppies. Was there no question of trying to find another partner? When I first lost Desi, I was very accustomed to being one of a couple and very used to the companionship, the love, the intimacy, all those things. If somebody had come along then, then something might have happened. But nobody did. I read somewhere that her daughter Rebecca wanted her mother to be happy but she didnt want her to start dating again. Rantzen laughs. I have fantastically generous kids. If I fell deeply in love with somebody, they would forgive me dating someone other than their father. And frankly it would take falling deeply in love for me to do that too. Rantzen smiles ruefully. I have friends who do not feel the way that I do in this. For them theres a gap that needs filling. I do not date. So why did she go on Celebrity First Dates in 2016? I date on television, never in real life! Her blind date with an Irish lawyer called John began promisingly but ended badly. I was really nice about him because he was nice. Then they asked him about me and he said: Well Esther, for a lady of your advancing years, you were splendid company. I said: What did you say? She makes a face like thunder, as she did on camera. I was thinking: This is TV gold. John made things worse. He said: Didnt you hear me, dear? She was disgusted. Never make a joke about a ladys age or weight. Never call a woman dear, even if youre married to her. So John blew it. God, it was funny though. Rantzen with her late husband Desmond Wilcox and their children Miriam, Joshua and Rebecca, 1986 Wilcox remains the love of her life. He was her boss and a married man when they first met, but they married in 1977 and had three children: Miriam, who is now 40, Rebecca, 38, and Joshua, 37. So when her grown-up children confronted her about working too hard, were they also saying that they had missed out on seeing her in their own childhoods too? Neglected? Im going to report myself to the NSPCC! I would think so. My older daughter told me a terrible story that when she was little, aged two or three, Id go off to work and she would go up to her bedroom window and wait for me to come back. She is horrified by that thought now. I had nannies who used to bring the children in to work to see me. Every minute I could spend with them, I did. They knew Desi and I adored our holidays, our times off, our weekends. But thats not the same. My middle daughter has two sons and is a full-time mum. What did she learn from me? That it was a mistake to do it the way I did, possibly. She did talk about all this with at least one of them. I once said to my older daughter when she was 12 or 13: Do you think I should give up Childline because its taking me away from you a lot? She said: No, the children need you, Mum. For a moment, Rantzen appears to be on the edge of tears. She had thought it through, and she recognised what I was doing. I asked my daughter if I should give up Childline and she said, No, the children need you' Childline was created in 1986 as a response to the tragic story of a toddler who starved to death while locked in a bedroom. The lines were jammed for 48 hours. So I knew there was this invisible, enormous cohort of children who were out of reach of any other kind of help and were suffering this terrible crime. With social media, bullying and so on, children seem to be in a worse place than theyve ever been. What has got worse is this profound unhappiness, leading to self-harm, eating disorders, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts. We are getting more high-risk contacts from young people than ever. I think we really do have to ask ourselves in Britain why this is, because its not true of every nation. Whats her answer? When my kids were young, we always had family supper, to talk about our day. Nowadays its a ready meal on a tray, go up to your room and communicate with a screen. I remember a police officer saying to me: You wouldnt allow a stranger to come in through the front door, go up the stairs, into your daughters bedroom, shut the door and be alone with her. But, thats what the internet is doing. So I think we have to pretend were Italians or French and go back to eating together, around a table as a family. Because there is a loneliness among our children and among our older people that is causing a lot of suffering. Esther Rantzen is taking more time out these days to be a granny, at the insistence of her own children, but shell also soon be back on telly trying to change the world again, with Do The Right Thing. She cant help herself, even after all these years. Thats her life. I just love feeling useful! Live: Do The Right Thing starts on Sunday at 9pm on Channel 5 Homeowners whose properties are at greatest risk of flooding should benefit from lower insurance premiums in the New Year. The welcome move, which should see a reduction in annual home insurance bills of between 44 and 112 for 200,000 homeowners, is a result of a decrease in the levy imposed on insurers by the Flood Re scheme. This was set up by the insurance industry and the Government in April 2016 to help those living in flood-risk areas obtain affordable home insurance and to have greater choice over who provides cover. Homeowners at risk of flooding should benefit from lower insurance bills in the New Year In the past homeowners paid over the odds because insurers factored in the high probability of future flooding into premiums. Many refused to provide cover, limiting choice. Some 46 insurers provide cover under Flood Re, including Aviva, Halifax and NFU Mutual. They pay 180 million a year into the scheme. Then, when there is a flood-related claim, the insurer can turn to Flood Re to draw upon the scheme to meet it. From January, the amount insurers pay into the scheme will fall, resulting in lower premiums for homeowners who have Flood Re backed cover. Andy Bord, Flood Re chief executive, said: I am delighted to start the New Year by making home insurance more affordable for those most at risk of flooding. There is no obligation for insurers to pass on the benefit of the lower Flood Re costs to policyholders. Early indications suggest insurers will not try to profit from the move. NFU Mutual said it had amended its prices for home insurance to its 3,500 policyholders living in flood risk areas from the start of the year. But customers, it confirmed, will not benefit until their policy comes up for renewal. Homeowners who want to know whether their property is eligible for support should visit website floodre.co.uk. As we look ahead to 2019, prospects seem pretty unsettled. In the UK, business confidence is waning, consumers are worrying and the economy is suffering. In America, the outlook is hard to gauge and trade wars with China are a growing concern. Continental Europe is faring better but populism is on the rise, fuelling fears about the future. For investors, however, there are pockets of hope. UK shares are widely acknowledged to be undervalued, presenting clear opportunities across the market. Cooking up a storm: Overcooked is a best-selling computer game for the developer Team17 Our three tips for 2019 all demonstrate certain defensive qualities, that should allow them to deliver growth, even under difficult circumstances. Team 17 Mention video games and most people think of teenage boys and violence. Team17 is run by a woman, Debbie Bestwick, and its best-selling products include Overcooked, where chefs have to prepare meals in kitchens filled with obstacles, and My Time With Portia, a fantasy game set in the town of Portia. Founded in 1990, the company floated on Aim in May at 1.65, soared to more than 2.80 by September and has now drifted back to 1.83. At this level, the stock is a buy. Bestwick, 48, has been a games enthusiast since the age of seven, when she started playing Space Invaders. A co-founder of Team17, she became chief executive in 2009, since when the company has amassed a portfolio of more than 90 games, played all over the world. These range from family products to more conventional games, such as the hugely popular Worms series, featuring warring worms, and The Escapist, where players try to break out of jail. Team17 creates games itself and helps small, independent developers turn initial concepts into commercial reality. Based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, rather than the west coast of America means that Team17s costs are much lower than many peers. Bestwick invests no more than 1million on each project, so risks are widely spread and game sales do not need to run into hundreds of thousands for the group to recoup its costs. Team17 is also known within the gaming industry for providing genuine support to developers so many of the most talented minds in the sector come to Bestwick with their ideas. Brokers expect sales of 37million and profits of 11.6million, rising to 44million and 13.7million respectively in 2019. Once, gamers could only buy physical copies of their favourite products. Today, enthusiasts prefer digital versions, which can be upgraded and updated, providing Team 17 with an ongoing opportunity to make money. MIDAS VERDICT: Gaming has become a multi-billion pound industry and gamers are likely to carry on playing regardless of economic conditions. Team17 is at the forefront of its field and the shares should rise. At 183p, they are a buy. 3i Group 3i Group is a publicly listed, private equity business so it buys private businesses, helps them to improve and sells them on to new owners. The shares are 7.95 and should rise materially in 2019 and beyond. Ten years ago, 3i owned hundreds of firms and had borrowed heavily to buy them. Today, the company has just 35 businesses in its portfolio so it can keep a close eye on all of them and actively support them when they need help. These firms are spread across the UK, Northern Europe and the US and they have all been selected for their growth potential with 3i aiming to double their value over three to five years. Businesses include Action, the leading non-food discount retailer in Europe; Dynatect, a US engineer; Christ, an upmarket German jeweller, and OneMed, a leading medical supplies group. 3i also has a 34 per cent stake in 3i Infrastructure, which invests in businesses expected to deliver consistent, long-term growth, such as Infinis, which generates electricity from landfill gas, and Wireless Infrastructure, Group, which owns thousands of mobile phone towers. The combination of 3is private equity operation and its involvement in 3i Infrastructure has proved a winner in recent years. Chief executive Simon Borrows also recognises the importance of rewarding shareholders with decent dividends. In the year to March 2018, 3i paid a 30p dividend and analysts expect it to be higher this year, putting the stock on a yield of just over 4 per cent. Importantly too, 3i is financially robust so the dividend is one of the safest in the FTSE 100 index. MIDAS VERDICT: 3i shares have suffered this year, in line with the wider market. At 7.95, they should prove a rewarding investment and the dividends add an extra bit of spice. Motif Bio Resistance to antibiotics is a big problem, so much so that the World Health Organisation recently described it as one of the greatest threats to human life today. Motif Bio has developed a new antibiotic, iclaprim, which is safer and more effective than existing drugs and saves hospitals money. The shares are 28p and brokers believe they could more than triple in the coming months. For most small biotech companies, the biggest challenge is whether they can receive regulatory approval for new products before running out of cash. Motif Bio is already well down the track. Trials have been completed and the US regulator, the FDA, is expected to approve iclaprim in February. At the same time, Motif Bio chief executive Graham Lumsden, is looking for a deep-pocketed partner to help bring the drug to market. Discussions are under way and further news should emerge in the next few months. Iclaprim will initially be used to treat elderly or otherwise high-risk patients with acute skin infections around a million people in the US alone. In time, the drug is likely to be prescribed for other conditions, including pneumonia. MIDAS VERDICT: Motif Bio shares have fallen this year but the company is doing everything right. At 28p, the stock has serious potential. Buy. What would you do if you received an unexpected 10,000 windfall? Buy shares or put the money in a pension, pay down the mortgage or give it to children or grandchildren? Personal Finance Editor Jeff Prestridge asks a mix of financial experts and readers for their opinion. Brian Dennehy, Financial Expert at Fundexpert: It is an uncomfortable time for investors. Stock market cracks, the ones I anticipated a year ago, are now there for everyone to see. Ditto the global economy. So with my 10,000, I am looking for one of two things. Assets that are either cheap or driven by baked-in longer term trends, providing solace through short-term stock market gyrations. Experts give their advice: What would you do if you received an unexpected 10,000 windfall? Im not sure about the former. I can see value in some areas, but not enough to excite me. In contrast, I am buoyed by the prospects from the health care sector and an ageing population. Even more exciting, particularly for me as a late-to-the-party baby boomer, are the rapid advances in biotechnology. Cures, let alone treatments, are coming through thick and fast, and there is more to come over the next five to ten years in the key areas which afflict those who are older, and often not so old. Maybe, even, age-reversal. So my slightly self-obsessed home for 10,000 is 5,000 each into investment funds Axa Framlington Health and Axa Framlington Biotech. Fingers crossed, they will not give me more grey hair and wrinkles. Jason Hollands, Funds Expert at Tilney: If Santa had left 10,000 in my stocking, all my Christmas dreams would have come true. I would be tempted to replace my 2005 Nissan X-Trail station wagon that cost me a small fortune to get through its recent MOT, but cars other than classics and collectables are not investments. They are just a guaranteed way to lose money. So, on second thoughts, I would take the cash, plonk it in a tax-friendly Individual Savings Account and invest in a couple of stock market funds. The good news is that in the world of investments, the sales have come nice and early. Stock markets across the globe have taken a tumble in recent months as worries about how much longer the US economy which has been firing on all cylinders can keep on growing at pace. Experts advise investing money in trusts, putting it in a savings account or in Premium Bonds Thanks to these worries, shares have got a lot cheaper across the globe, creating opportunities for bargain hunters. This is especially the case for emerging market shares, hurt by the trade spat between the United States and China, and UK equities which are out of fashion because of relentless Brexit doom and gloom. I dont believe the sky is about to fall in, but with a lot of anxieties priced in, I think current share valuations look a decent entry point for long-term investors. So I would split my 10,000 windfall between investment funds Fidelity Emerging Markets and Jupiter Income which invests in dividend-paying, UK-listed companies. I would then sit back and tuck into another mince pie. Anna Bowes, Director at Savings Champion: I thought a 10,000 investment in fine wines might be right up my street but I do not know enough and I would not trust myself to store the wine without drinking the profits. Jeff Prestridge suggests using the money to pay off the mortgage on the family home So I would probably use the windfall to top up my holding in National Savings & Investments Premium Bonds. Every month I would then imagine what I could do with the 1million tax-free prize. Retire? Take partner Tim on a world cruise? Move into a luxury house in the outskirts of Bath and drink fine wine? One last wild thought. A friend of mine has recently arranged an amazing music festival in Kildare, Ireland for next summer The Forever Young Festival. A load of my favourite bands from my youth are performing Human League, Level 42, Kim Wilde and it looks like it will be a brilliant event. So if I were a braveheart rather than a savings expert, I would invest the windfall in this event. It is bound to be a success, even if the rain comes. David Hollingworth, Mortgage Expert at London & County: I would allocate a third of the windfall to reducing my mortgage balance. My offset mortgage has served me well where savings are offset against the mortgage, reducing interest payments. By placing the cash in the savings account I would cut my interest bills even more while still having access to it in the case of a financial emergency. I would then invest another third into pensions on behalf of my two children the contributions benefiting from basic rate tax relief. They may not thank me for such prudence but hopefully it will help set them on the right financial track. Finally, I would put the remainder into my own pension to make the most of the tax relief on contributions. And finally what would I do? If I received a windfall of 10,000, first of all I would jump for joy, writes Jeff Prestridge. I would then split it three ways. First, I would use a third to pay down the mortgage on the family home. At my time of life I do not like debt. Secondly, I would give a third to my youngest son James so he could develop his arts website Closeup Culture. He works hard for peanuts, interviewing rising stars in the arts world. With a little bit of investment, Closeup Culture could come good. Finally, I would invest the rest in three investment trusts The City of London, Foreign & Colonial and Alliance. All are globally invested so offer diversification across stock markets. All have longstanding records of dividend growth going back at least 47 years, which is a great comfort blanket when markets are see-sawing. And they have all delivered long-term investment returns through the good and bad times. Maybe you could accuse me of being boring. But when it comes to investing, boring can be best. Id buy Premium Bonds and dream of Lanzarote... Alan Brett, DIY investor and proprietor of a newspaper stand on Kensington High Street, West London: Having not written 200 words since I was 15 I am now 75 and fit as a fiddle putting pen to paper is quite difficult. But I would have no hesitation in putting 5,000 into National Savings & Investments Premium Bonds. Alan Brett has said that he would put 5,000 in Premium Bonds and split the remaining 5,000 You never know, I might strike gold and win a tax-free prize of 1million. I could then spend a bit more time staying warm in Lanzarote although I could never give up the newspaper stall that I have run for 22 years and before that, my father-in-law, who ran it for 28 years. As for the remaining 5,000, I would split it five ways. I would put 1,000 into each of the following UK companies: Aviva, Legal & General, Crest Nicholson, Pennon Group and Marks and Spencer. All are paying excellent dividends with respective income yields of 7.3 per cent, 6.7 per cent, 10.3 per cent, 5.5 per cent and 7.6 per cent. Their share prices are also all sitting at bargain prices. Maybe the UK economy is heading for rack and ruin, but I dont think so. At some stage, the UK stock market will bounce back probably when we least expect it to. My view on investing is simple: keep your nerve and keep reeling in the dividends. Income is king. First a gift then some advice to MPs John Benson is a pension campaigner who would use the money to give advice to MP's John Benson, pension campaigner and former employee of ASW Steel (who fought successfully for greater pension protection in the early 2000s): A sum of 10,000 is a lot of money. Both Linda, my wife, and I have our own home and everything we need. In our 70s, we are fairly comfortable and think the world of our family two sons, two daughters-in-law and three granddaughters. So I would share 9,000 of the 10,000 between the granddaughters to help them get on the housing ladder. They are all currently at university and it would be great to eventually see them able to put down a deposit towards buying a home. With the remaining 1,000, I would get a booklet printed spelling out in black and white how thousands of pensioners like myself were cruelly robbed of a big chunk of their company pension by flawed Government legislation. I would then send it to the 650 MPs at Westminster to teach them the meaning of pension fairness. Any money left over would go to charity. Political chaos: Crispin Odey believes that there will be more financial turmoil in 2019 Crispin Odey, who is poised to be the best performing hedge fund manager of the year, has predicted more financial turmoil in 2019 as political chaos grips stock markets. The financier told The Mail on Sunday his fund will end the year up between 55 per cent and 62 per cent, placing it top of HSBCs European hedge fund annual rankings. The Brexit supporter who often makes sizeable bets that markets will decline said the rise of populism would continue to send jitters through the City after a rout that has seen the FTSE slump more than 10 per cent since October. Asked whether the decline which has seen even sharper falls in the US and Europe might be what some experts have referred to as an overdue but limited correction, he said: For most investors the beginning of all downturns feel like a correction. For them, it never feels like the beginning of the end. He said too much consumer debt, reactionary politics and lack of economic growth were also to blame. Odey, who once spent 150,000 on a Palladian-style coop for his pet chickens, made millions shorting bank shares in the run-up to the financial crisis. However, he later endured a torrid couple of years after his prediction of a downturn after 2015 failed to materialise. Recently Odey, who celebrates his 60th birthday next month, has made money from shares in Sky, sold for 30billion this year, and on contracts betting shares in department store chain Debenhams would fall. Two of Britains largest independent insurance brokers are poised to change hands for a combined value of 600million. City sources said the private equity owners of Stackhouse Poland, which sells insurance to wealthy individuals, have hired bankers from Evercore to find a buyer. It is believed that Stackhouse Poland has already attracted interest from larger rivals, such as Arthur J Gallagher, which sponsors Premiership Rugby. Private equity owners of Stackhouse Poland have hired bankers from Evercore to find a buyer Investment banking sources said potential buyers of Stackhouse Poland, which has 22 offices in the UK, could pay up to 250million for the firm. Meanwhile, another insurance broker is being prepared for sale by its private equity owners. Bowmark Capital is close to appointing a corporate finance adviser to work on the sale of Aston Lark next year, according to City sources. The company was formed through a series of acquisitions, including the merger of two large insurance brokers, Aston Scott and Lark. It is believed the business could be sold for between 300million to 350million. Sources suggest American buyout giants such as KKR and Warburg Pincus may be interested in buying both firms to merge them. It follows a frenzied round of mergers in the insurance sector this year. Bowmark Capital declined to comment, as did Stackhouse Polands owner Synova Capital. Stackhouse Poland itself was unavailable for comment. Parts of the United States were digging out Saturday from winter storms that media reports said led to at least seven deaths, while warmer regions braced for potential flooding during the New Year's travel period. Hardest hit were parts of the northern Plains, the upper Midwest, and a southwestern region from Arizona to western Texas. As storm clouds moved east, they were set to bring heavy rain and probably flooding to the Gulf Coast, and both rain and freezing rain to New England. One of the weather systems headed to the east comes from the Pacific Northwest and southern Canada, according to the Weather Channel. That system is comprised of bursts of snow and cold air. The other is forming in a pool of abundant moisture, over the course of the New Year holiday, in the Ohio Valley and Northeast. Scroll down for video Headed into New Year's celebrations, the South can expect heavy rains while the Northeast and upper Midwest can expect snow and bursts of cold air Temperatures going into the New Year are expected to be around 20 to 30 degrees in parts of the Midwest and Rockies. In the east, Philadelphia is expected to remain in the upper 50s and low 60s. New York, breaking from the freezing temperatures the last time the ball dropped in Times Square, can expect to stay in the upper 40s and lower 50s In the Dakotas and southern Minnesota, temperatures in the 30s and 40s into Sunday are expected to make most of the precipitation a rain-and-snow-mix until later that night. Colder air is expected to move in. The bad weather started on Wednesday and doused North Dakota (pictured) in snow by Thursday By Sunday afternoon or evening, the rain filled system will bring about heavy showers in the South. Snow is expected to move from the Great Basin into the Rockies, before hitting the upper Midwest on Sunday night. On News Year's Eve, rain will move into the mid-South, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic area while snow and cold air stay in the upper Midwest and Four Corners. The lower Mississippi Valley could also expect severe thunderstorms. By the end of the year, rain that could turn into light snow should be expected in parts of the Northeast. Temperatures going into the New Year are expected to be around 20 to 30 degrees in parts of the Midwest and Rockies. In the east, Philadelphia is expected to remain in the upper 50s and low 60s. New York, breaking from the freezing temperatures the last time the ball dropped in Times Square, can expect to stay in the upper 40s and lower 50s. Flight tracker FlightAware reported more than 129 flight cancellations and 1,006 delays Saturday -- down from more than 500 cancelations and 5,700 delays on Friday -- as the winter storm hit north-central and Midwestern states with up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of snow. This December 28, 2018 satellite image obtained courtesy of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows severe weather -- heavy snow and high winds -- in the US Midwest In the southwestern state of New Mexico, forecasters called for up to 18 inches, with temperatures far below normal, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. Southeastern states braced for a deluge of rain, and millions in the South were warned of potential flooding. Biloxi, Mississippi was soaked with five inches of rain. Tallahassee, Florida braced for three inches or more of rain just a week after being hit by eight inches, adding to fears of flooding, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. Hardest hit so far were parts of the northern Plains, the upper Midwest, and a southwestern region from Arizona to western Texas (pictured) The weather contributed to several deaths during the week. A 58-year-old woman in Louisiana was killed Wednesday when a tree struck by lightning fell on her home, according to TV station WDSU. In Kansas, police said icy roads caused a fatal car crash Thursday on an interstate highway. A crash Thursday involving a snowplow and a pickup truck in Dunn County, North Dakota, claimed the life of the 37-year-old truck driver, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press newspaper reported. A man tries to remove snow from his sidewalk on Saturday in Thunder Bay A 17-year-old boy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was killed in a two-car collision that police blamed on icy roads, the Des Moines Register reported. A woman on a camping trip in Tennessee died when she was swept away by flood waters while trying to cross a creek, CNN reported. It said two people died in weather-related collisions in Minnesota, one when a pedestrian was struck by a snowplow blade in Crow Wing County amid poor visibility. On News Year's Eve, rain will move into the mid-South, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic area while snow and cold air stay in the upper Midwest and Four Corners The rain that will hit is expected to stay rain but could turn into light snow Numerous roads were closed Thursday in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Kansas and Iowa, but by Saturday crews were making progress clearing affected areas. TV channel KWCH in Wichita, Kansas said on Saturday that safe travel conditions had finally been restored across that state. But the South Dakota Department of Transportation said warnings against travel remained in effect there. 'Roads are icy, blowing snow is still limiting visibility,' the agency said. 'Crews are working but Mother Nature is making safe travel tough.' NWS officials in Minnesota cautioned that roads were cloaked in snow, with some areas receiving as much as 16.5 inches North Dakota on Friday lifted a no-travel advisory that had been issued for the entire east side of the state, even as drifting snow continued to frustrate drivers North Dakota on Friday lifted a no-travel advisory that had been issued for the entire east side of the state, even as drifting snow continued to frustrate drivers. NWS officials in Minnesota cautioned that roads were cloaked in snow, with some areas receiving as much as 16.5 inches. The weather service predicted the treacherous weather would continue through the weekend in many parts of the country. Winter weather advisories were in effect Saturday for northern Indiana and southern Michigan. To the south, heavy rains were forecast in the central Gulf Coast, in the Florida Panhandle, and stretching east to the mid-Atlantic. Not all of the country suffered, though. The capital Washington enjoyed blue skies and a temperature around 57F (14C) on Saturday. The widow of a Philadelphia cop gunned down on duty 37 years ago says she is outraged that her husband's killer has been granted the chance to appeal his life sentence. A court ruling Thursday puts the 1981 murder of case former officer Daniel Faulkner back in the spotlight as Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal has been given another opportunity to appeal his conviction. Faulkner's wife, Maureen told Fox and Friends Sunday she is 'absolutely outraged' with Judge Leon Tucker for granting the appeal. 'This is going to open the door for so many murderers to be able to do this and appeal this,' she said. Abu-Jamal, a one-time taxi driver and radio reporter, emerged over four decades in prison as a vocal critic of the American justice system, as his case drew the attention of Amnesty International, Hollywood celebrities and death penalty opponents worldwide. The widow of slain police officer Daniel Faulkner says she enraged that her husband's killer is being granted the chance to appeal his life sentence Watch the latest video at foxnews.com Fox Rews Privacy Policy Philadelphia Officer Daniel Faulkner was gunned down in 1981 by Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal 'Mumia Abu-Jamal shot my husband between the eyes, he executed my husband,' Maureen said. 'I'm never going to let this go. All over the country, they're reducing sentences on murderers, they're allowing them out of prison, and it's wrong. It's so wrong.' Abu-Jamal's case has drawn attention over the years from Amnesty International, Hollywood celebrities and death penalty opponents worldwide (pictured in 2015) Abu Jamal's writings and commentaries from prison, including the 1996 book 'Live from Death Row,' have earned him acclaim from progressive scholars and activists - along with the disdain of police unions, conservative politicians and the Faulkner's widow. 'Thirty-eight years!' Maureen cried out in court this fall during the latest post-trial arguments, leading city Judge Leon Tucker to have her escorted out. 'This is wrong!' Tucker's ruling Thursday may prolong her agony, but follows a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court finding that former Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald Castille had been wrong to hear a death-penalty appeal that had come through his office when he was Philadelphia's district attorney from 1986-1991. Castille had done the same in Abu-Jamal's case. The jury convicted Abu-Jamal of killing Faulkner, 25, after he pulled over Abu-Jamal's brother in an overnight traffic stop. Prosecutors called the evidence against him overwhelming, and said he was shot by Faulkner during the exchange of gunfire. He spent nearly three decades on death row before a U.S. appeals court threw out the death sentence over flawed jury instructions in 2008, after a hearing that attracted hundreds of chanting supporters. Prosecutors dropped their bid to restore the death sentence, leaving Abu-Jamal to serve a sentence of life without parole. The buzz around his case largely died down, and his appeals hit a dead end in 2012. But his closest supporters remained energized. 'We had hope that something would come along, and lo and behold it was the Williams case,' said Pam Africa, 73, a leading organizer for Abu-Jamal supporters, referring to the 2016 Supreme Court case involving Castille. Maureen Faulkner, widow of slain office Daniel Faulkner speaks to the press ahead of a procedural hearing in the appeal revisitation case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, at the Criminal Justice Center, in August 2018 Protestors walk on Broad Street, Philadelphia, to demonstrate for Mumia Abu-Jamal outside the offices of District Attorney Friday, December 28, 2018 A protester holds up a poster depicting Mumia Abu-Jamal during a demonstration Friday Officials with the city's Fraternal Order of Police did not immediately return a message seeking comment Friday, but they have been steadfast in their support of Maureen Faulkner and the verdict over the years. Civil rights lawyer David Rudovsky, who worked on an early Abu-Jamal appeal, said the case has raised many of the fairness questions that still plague the nation's courts, including the racial makeup of juries and the racial breakdown of people on death row. 'The race bias, the judicial bias, the questions of identification and prosecutorial commentary or misconduct - we're still struggling with them,' said Rudovsky, a University of Pennsylvania law professor. 'And, of course, with the killing of an officer, and a black activist (charged), it was a recipe for all of the conflicts that we see, then and now,' he said. Tucker, in a 37-page opinion, said the appearance of bias was clear and that Abu-Jamal's appeal should be reargued by the current state Supreme Court based on the briefs his lawyers filed at the time. 'The slightest appearance of bias or lack of impartiality undermines the entire judiciary,' Tucker wrote. District Attorney Larry Krasner, a civil rights lawyer intent on criminal justice reform who took office this year, has not decided whether to challenge the ruling. LaShelle Rollins' rental house in West Baltimore is wedged between a line of derelict properties valued only by street gangs, drug addicts and firefighters conducting arson drills. And even though her family's $700-a-month address sits across from a public school, they are among the only occupants of this desolate block. Life in an emptied-out, rundown cityscape is a slog and Rollins is worn out by all of it: The sounds of late-night interlopers stomping down the stairs of a musty wreck next door; a constant fear of fire set by vandals; the social isolation; the rats. With no faith in a prompt police response, they keep a bat at the ready. 'It's like we're a forgotten population,' said Rollins, a Baltimore native who's studying for a community college degree that she hopes will get her family out of this gloomy neighborhood - maybe even out of the city that part of her still loves. Aman walks past vacant rowhomes in the Harlem Park neighborhood of Baltimore. 'There are whole sections of our city that look like 1980's Beirut,' said Carol Ott, an advocate for tenants' rights in Baltimore The African-American woman with a bright-eyed 6-year-old daughter and a husband on disability isn't the only one with leaving on her mind. At a time when rival cities are gaining population, Baltimore's decades-long disappearing act is only continuing. In 1950, Baltimore was America's sixth most populous city, with nearly a million residents, many employed by Bethlehem Steel. Over decades, with factories closed and 'white flight' in the 1960s and '70s followed by waves of 'black flight,' it's shrunk to the country's 30th largest, a loss of nearly 350,000 people. According to U.S. Census estimates, Baltimore led all American cities in population loss for the last two years running. Census figures indicate the city saw more people leave its boundaries than Chicago, which also reported significant losses, even though Baltimore is only a quarter of its size. At a time when rival cities that have grappled with issues of urban decay are gaining residents, Baltimore's decades-long disappearing act is only continuing Even with job gains, stately historic districts, and gleaming waterfront areas, Baltimore overall has about the same population today as it did 100 years ago. Only 17 of Baltimore's 55 communities gained households between 2010 and 2016, according to the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance. Many are in the city's prosperous and mostly white areas. Maryland's biggest city is hardly alone in dealing with issues of urban decay. Nationwide, places like Detroit and Newark have struggled with similar problems. Out of 33 U.S. cities with a population larger than 500,000, only Baltimore and Detroit have seen overall declines since 2010. Nayeka Scott stands outside her front door, across the street from vacant row homes in the Harlem Park neighborhood of Baltimore But Baltimore's sea of vacant lots and roughly 16,000 uninhabitable row homes with weeds growing out of boarded-up windows have proven especially intractable in racially segregated, deeply poor areas. Housing researchers say some 20,000 other city properties are unoccupied and pose a risk of becoming crumbling shells. They largely sit in downtrodden swaths of West and East Baltimore. Those predominantly African-American neighborhoods with a concentration of derelict buildings offer ghostly scenes: A silenced piano coated in chipped paint, bowed floors with stacks of pulpy notebooks, an entire row house given way to a tree bursting through its roof. Scavengers can easily get inside boarded up properties to wrench pipes from walls. Criminals stash contraband there. 'There are whole sections of our city that look like 1980's Beirut,' said Carol Ott, a Baltimore tenants' rights advocate who has helped bring the punishing scope of the decades-old problem to light. Housing researchers say some 20,000 other city properties are unoccupied and pose a latent risk of becoming crumbling shells in the future Despite political rhetoric to the contrary, policymakers have often ignored the deterioration as fewer households meant a smaller tax base. Meanwhile, speculators bought cut-rate row homes and sat on them, waiting for a payday. But Michael Braverman, the energetic director of Baltimore's Department of Housing and Community Development since 2017, is confident the city is turning a corner. Braverman says city government is focused on stabilizing and revitalizing neighborhoods that can grow, and on building from areas of strength. Disenfranchised areas are expected to see new investment via federal 'opportunity zones' and a public-private Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund, created by Mayor Catherine Pugh earlier this year in part with $55 million from city-owned garages. Other grants and funds aim to boost affordable housing and foster what Pugh touts as an inclusive 'new era of neighborhood investment.' Ramped-up demolition aims to increase odds of redevelopment. Entire blighted blocks are slated for demolition through Project CORE, a $75 million initiative to raze a chunk of the city's 16,000 uninhabitable buildings - a total that's stayed constant for years. Gov. Larry Hogan unveiled Project CORE in 2016, eight months after a young black man's death in police custody thrust the city into chaos. LaShelle Rollins and her daughter Arrianna, 6, play on a school playground in view of vacant rowhomes in the Harlem Park neighborhood of Baltimore LaShelle Rollins and her daughter Arrianna, 6, pose for a photo in front of boarded-up rowhomes on their block in the Harlem Park neighborhood of Baltimore 'Whether Baltimore is on the right track to inclusive economic growth, I am not sure. I know the city's leadership is focused on these issues. They're battling a decades-long legacy of racial and economic segregation, industrial change, and transformed consumer preferences,' said Alan Berube, an expert on metro U.S. economies at the Brookings Institution. Seema Iyer, associate director of the University of Baltimore's Jacob France Institute, believes real momentum is building. 'The mayor's put together a really strong team. All the pieces are there. Whether they can connect the dots remains to be seen,' said Iyer, whose research suggests that commute times of more than 45 minutes to get to work are the strongest factor in population loss. Many citizens living in neighborhoods crushed by decades of neglect remain skeptical. They've seen numerous government plans to combat blight come and go. Some fear success could breed gentrification, which could push them out. But in West Baltimore's Harlem Park, Rollins is among those watching the urban deterioration all around them with indignation, exasperated that her child is growing up in a harsh environment with no easy escape hatch. She wants to see some genuine transformation, not cosmetic brushstrokes. She's concerned about the psychological impact of living amid ruins. 'People around here want real changes, real opportunities,' she said, watching her little girl play in the yard of her public school. 'I say a prayer every day we walk out the door and face those empty houses: God, please keep us safe.' Brazil's far-right President-elect says that on taking office he will allow citizens without a criminal record to own guns. Jair Bolsonaro, who takes office in January, made the statement on Twitter as part of his election campaign to loosen gun laws. The ex-army captain's message appealed to many Brazilians who want to use guns for self-defense amid sky-high levels of violent crime. Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro says that on taking office he will allow citizens without a criminal records to own guns Currently possession of firearms is tightly restricted in Brazil. Civilians must pass through a long process, and the sale of weapons is limited to small calibers. However gun violence is a problem in Brazil and in 2017, the country set a record for murders with more than 63,000 people killed. A 2005 referendum asked Brazilians if the sale of firearms should be banned and almost 64 percent of the population voted against the measure. Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter on Saturday: 'By decree, we plan to guarantee the ownership of firearms by citizens without criminal records'. The far-right President-elect did not provide additional details and it was not immediately clear what mechanisms he would have at his disposal to carry out such a decree, or what specific measures the decree would contain. Brazil's Congress is already discussing measures to loosen gun control laws. Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter on Saturday: 'By decree, we plan to guarantee the ownership of firearms by citizens without criminal records' Gun manufacturers are among those that are set to benefit. Shares in Brazilian gun maker Taurus Armas SA have climbed some 88 per cent amid expectations that Bolsonaro would win the election. Bolsonaro won the election crusading against corruption and crime. But the incoming president also faced scrutiny for his comments about women, homosexuals, and minorities, as well as statements praising the former Brazilian dictatorship. Among Bolsinaro's controversial comments that grew scrutiny during the campaign are times he said he would prefer a dead son to a homosexual one. Of torture, he said: 'I am in favor of torture you know that. And the people are in favor of it, too.' At a rally in October he threatened to jail political opponents. 'This time, the cleanup will be even greater. This group, if they want to stay, they will have to abide by our laws. Either they stay out or they will go to jail,' he said, The New York Times reported in a catalogue of his controversial comments. Cooped up in the White House after canceling a vacation to his private Florida club, President Donald Trump fired Twitter barbs at Democrats on Saturday as talks to end a weeklong partial government shutdown remained at a stalemate. Trump took to his Twitter on Saturday night to blast the Russia probe, boldly claiming that the only collusion has occurred with Hillary and the Democrats. 'Absolutely nothing (on Russian Collusion). Kimberley Strassel, The Wall Street Journal,' he said in the first of the tweets. 'The Russian Collusion fabrication is the greatest Hoax in the history of American politics. The only Russian Collusion was with Hillary and the Democrats!' He later added: 'It turns out to be true now, that the Department of Justice and the FBI, under President Obama, rigged the investigation for Hillary and really turned the screws on Trump, and now it looks like in a corrupt & illegal way. The facts are out now. Whole Hoax exposed. @JesseBWatters.' Scroll down for videos Trump took to his Twitter on Saturday night to blast the Russia probe, boldly claiming that the only collusion has occurred with Hillary and the Democrats 'Absolutely nothing (on Russian Collusion). Kimberley Strassel, The Wall Street Journal,' he said in the first of the tweets. 'The Russian Collusion fabrication is the greatest Hoax in the history of American politics. The only Russian Collusion was with Hillary and the Democrats!' He later added: 'It turns out to be true now, that the Department of Justice and the FBI, under President Obama, rigged the investigation for Hillary and really turned the screws on Trump, and now it looks like in a corrupt & illegal way. The facts are out now. Whole Hoax exposed. @JesseBWatters' As the disruption in federal services and public employees' pay appeared set to continue into the new year, there were no signs of any substantive negotiation between the blame-trading parties. Trump held out for billions in federal funds for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, which Democrats have said they were intent on blocking. Trump tweeted Saturday that he was 'in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security.' But there has been little direct contact between the sides during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington for another five days, to keep Congress in session. As he called for Democrats to negotiate on the wall, Trump brushed off criticism that his administration bore any responsibility for the recent deaths of two migrant children in Border Patrol custody. Trump claimed the deaths were 'strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally.' His comments on Twitter came as his Homeland Security secretary met with medical professionals and ordered policy changes meant to better protect children detained at the border. As the disruption in federal services and public employees' pay appeared set to continue into the new year, there were no signs of any substantive negotiation between the blame-trading parties As he called for Democrats to negotiate on the wall, Trump brushed off criticism that his administration bore any responsibility for the recent deaths of two migrant children in Border Patrol custody Trump claimed the deaths were 'strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally.' His comments on Twitter came as his Homeland Security secretary met with medical professionals and ordered policy changes meant to better protect children detained at the border Trump earlier had upped the brinkmanship by threatening anew to close the border with Mexico to press Congress to cave to his demand for money to pay for a wall. Democrats are vowing to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that won't accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. Talks have been at a stalemate for more than a week, after Democrats said the White House offered to accept $2.5 billion for border security last Saturday. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told Vice President Mike Pence that it wasn't acceptable, nor was it guaranteed that Trump, under intense pressure from his conservative base to fulfill his signature campaign promise, would settle for that amount. Trump has remained out of the public eye since returning to the White House early Thursday from a 29-hour visit to U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldn't deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. Trump has remained out of the public eye since returning to the White House early Thursday from a 29-hour visit to U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldn't deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate 'For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us 'NONE' for Border Security!,' he tweeted. 'Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown.' Meanwhile, the effects to the public of the impasse grew as the Environmental Protection Agency, which had the money to function a week longer than some agencies, implemented its shutdown plan at midnight Friday night. EPA spokeswoman Molly Block said many of the agency's 14,000 employees were being furloughed, while disaster-response teams and certain other employees deemed essential would stay on the job. That includes workers needed for preventing immediate public health threats at more than 800 Superfund hazardous-waste sites. Also running short on money: the Smithsonian Institution, which said its museums, art galleries and zoo in the capital will close starting midweek if the partial shutdown drags on. The shutdown is forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay But federal flood insurance policies will continue to be issued and renewed, in a reversal prompted by pressure from lawmakers, said Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Trump appeared no closer to securing money for his signature border wall, which he vowed during the campaign that he would make Mexico pay for. He's failed to do so. Now Democratic leaders are adamant that they will not authorize money for the project, calling it wasteful and ineffective. They show no signs of bending, either. The shutdown is forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. The White House has not directly engaged in weeks with the House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who has all but locked up the support she needs to win the speaker's gavel after the new Congress convenes on Thursday. Pelosi has vowed to pass legislation to reopen the nine shuttered departments and dozens of agencies now hit by the partial shutdown as soon as she takes the gavel. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill added that Democrats are united against the wall and won't seriously consider any White House offer unless Trump backs it publicly because he 'has changed his position so many times.' An Oregon hotel said it fired two of its employees for mistreatment of a black guest who was talking on his phone in the lobby when he was asked to leave a week ago. DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Portland tweeted Saturday they have 'terminated the employment of the two men involved.' They said the men's actions 'were inconsistent with our standards & values.' The hotel didn't identify the employees. Jermaine Massey accused the hotel of racially profiling him after a security guard called police to remove him from the lobby Dec. 22. He was staying at the hotel, and his attorneys say they want a public explanation and intend to pursue legal action, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported . Jermaine Massey, 34, posted footage of himself on Instagram shortly after the incident in Portland, Oregon, on Sunday On Friday, the hotel apologized to Massey on Twitter, saying the employees involved had been placed on leave and an investigation would be done. A day later, it said two workers were fired. The security guard told Massey that if he could not provide a room number, he would be asked to leave. The Washington state resident left with an officer, according to a police report. Massey posted a video on social media that shows part of the interaction with the guard. Other videos posted by Massey show him talking to hotel staff at the Hilton DoubleTree as he was kicked out of the hotel General manager Paul Peralta said in a statement earlier this week that the hotel reached out to Massey to try to reach a resolution. Massey's lawyers said the hotel should publicly answer why security approached and questioned Massey and explain how, as the guard said, Massey was a threat to security. It's the latest high-profile incident in which black people have been removed from businesses. Last month, police in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland helped the owner of a frozen yogurt shop kick out a black man because employees said they felt uncomfortable. Police in Philadelphia in April arrested two black men at a Starbucks coffee shop after a manager called police to say they refused to make a purchase or leave. Police, other city officials and business owners in those incidents later apologized. A Florida city commissioner says he shot a man twice in self-defense after the suspect trespassed on his property Thursday night. Avelino Misreal Vasquez-Perez, 22, is said to have climbed a fence into the backyard of Commissioner Brian Williams - a Vietnam war veteran - and then broke into his garage when he was confronted. The incident occurred after the suspect - who is a resident in the neighborhood - fled a traffic stop around 10pm when police caught him driving recklessly. Scroll down for video Florida city commissioner Brian Williams shot Avelino Misreal Vasquez-Perez, 22, who broke into his Palmetto home on Thursday night Believed to be under the influence at the time officers pursued him and tried to get him to pull over, he sped off and then crashed his car into the side of the commissioner's neighbor's house. Meanwhile the neighbors whose Fourth Street West home was affected had no idea what was going on. 'The house started rumbling and then we heard a crash,' Teri Debaylo - whose husband was sleeping in their bedroom at the time - told The Miami Herald. 'I thought the house was coming down.' Law enforcement quickly caught Vasquez-Perez's passenger as the pair fled the scene but the driver tried to hide by breaking into a property. Williams' daughter lives next door and alerted her father - who served in the United States Air Force for four-and-a-half years - to the intruder with a phone call. The neighbors whose Fourth Street West home (pictured right) was affected by the car crash, had no idea what was going on. Teri Debaylo said: 'I thought the house was coming down' Williams (pictured in 2015 right) said he was relieved no one in his family was hurt Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler said the suspect was trying to enter the house when he was injured. 'We think he was trying to merely hide from the police but the fact of the matter is he forced his way into this mans house. Literally into the living area,' Fox 13 Tyler said. Tyler said Williams - who was elected in 1992 and served five years as Vice Mayor of the Commission - shot the man twice in self-defense after he ignored demands to put his hands up and get on the ground. Instead he allegedly tried to punch him attempted to push past. 'The man tried to get past him and tried to punch him at that point the commissioner fired,' Tyler continued. 'We have to do what we have to do to defend our home and our family. If you dont have a firearm you pick up a heavy object and fight and thats what he did.' Police said the suspect was hospitalized at Blake Medical Center and was in stable condition Friday after undergoing surgery. He is expected to survive. He faces charges of resisting arrest without violence, burglary, battery and traffic citations. Vasquez-Perez's bonds were set at $7500 for burglary and dwelling and $500. According to police records, the suspect was also arrested December 14 for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license. His bond was $120 for the charge and an addition $500 was for resisting. Williams - who will not face charges - said he was relieved no one in his family was hurt. 'I am glad that everything turned out the way it did. I guess he is doing OK and we are happy and glad that no one in my family was hurt,' the commissioner commented. A man will face a Sydney court after he allegedly assaulted three people, kicked a dog in the ribs and damaged three vehicles in an inner-city crime spree lasting less than an hour. Between 5.05pm and 6pm on Saturday, police were called to a Waterloo fast food restaurant after a 37-year-old man allegedly threw two drinks at a customer, stole food and fled on foot. A short while later, police allege, he threw a bicycle at a car on nearby Wyndham Street before moving onto a pet store on the same road. A man will face a Sydney court after he allegedly assaulted three people, kicked a dog in the ribs and damaged three vehicles in an inner-city crime spree lasting less than an hour (stock image) He allegedly entered the store and threw a bag of dog food at an employee - before threatening two customers, kicking one of their dogs in the ribs and running away again. The man allegedly moved on to Brennan Street, Alexandria where he damaged a car and assaulted another man with a tree branch. It is alleged he then pushed a motorbike over and set it alight on Henderson Road. The fire spread to a nearby parked car - destroying both vehicles. Police finally arrested him just before 6pm at Eveleigh using information given to them by witnesses. Part of his alleged crime spree included entering a pet store and throwing a bag of dog food at an employee - before threatening two customers, kicking one of their dogs in the ribs and running away again (Botany Road in Waterloo pictured, near to where the spree allegedly started) The man was charged with three counts of assault, cruelty to an animal, intimidation, two counts of affray, two counts of destroying property by fire and two of damaging property. The Cammaray man has been refused bail to appear in Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday. Police are trying to find more witnesses and possible victims of the alleged crime spree, and are focusing their efforts on the Alexandria Park area. Australia's most sought after homes are no longer in the most exclusive neighbourhoods as buyers look to secure more bang for their buck. Aussie homebuyers are expanding their online searches to include suburbs that previously had been largely ignored, new data suggests. In the past quarter alone, a number of suburbs have seen a surge in demand based on online views, realestate.com.au analysts found. Warranwood (pictured) in particular has seen a surge in public interest - something Ms Conisbee puts down to the 'bridesmaid effect' In NSW, affluent suburbs Hunters Hill (pictured) and Willoughby made the list for the first time - most likely due to the steady decrease in home prices within Sydney Previously homebuyers would look in more traditional neighbourhoods in Sydney but have branched out in their search, according to new data Chief economist Nerida Conisbee told news.com.au almost every state in Australia had seen interesting spikes and plateaus. In NSW, affluent suburbs Hunters Hill and Willoughby made the list for the first time - most likely due to the steady decrease in home prices within Sydney. But it was some of the more rural NSW suburbs that saw the most dramatic spikes. Mount Annan in Sydney's south-west, and Glossodia in Sydney's north-west both topped the list, despite being more than 60km out of the Sydney CBD. Kariong (pictured) in New South Wales, saw a surge in online popularity this quarter Bellerive in Tasmania continued to do well in ratings and online interest despite its steeper price tag Chief economist Nerida Conisbee said the results proved how fast the housing market in Hobart was growing and expanding Homes in North Gosford on the Central Coast also enjoyed an increase in online traffic. 'What's happening in Melbourne is very different to Sydney because most of the suburbs on the list are far more affordable. Keilor, for example, has a media price of $860,000, so it's a very different dynamic,' Ms Conisbee said. 'Most of the suburbs on the list are in the northwest, which isn't particularly the most desirable part of Melbourne but for whatever reason probably a combination of affordability and people realising that area still has good access to the city with nice homes interest is pushing into the area.' Warranwood in particular has seen a surge in public interest - something Ms Conisbee calls the 'bridesmaid effect' due to the neighbourhood being next to more desirable areas. Neighbouring suburb Park Orchards has enjoyed immense popularity recently and prices have surged - driving some buyers out of the price range and into nearby areas. Belmont, The Basin, Ascot Vale and Tullamarine (pictured) were also areas that did well in the most recent quarter 'What's happening in Melbourne is very different to Sydney because most of the suburbs on the list are far more affordable,' chief economist Nerida Conisbee said Other savvy investors often flock to suburbs near the areas that are currently peaking in the hopes of scoring a bargain. Belmont, The Basin, Ascot Vale and Tullamarine were also areas that did well in the most recent quarter. The suburb which received the most increased interest was in Margate in Tasmania. But Risdon Vales - home of a maximum security prison in the region - also enjoyed a significant increase in buyer interest. Ms Conisbee said the results proved how fast the housing market in Hobart was growing and expanding. Seventeen Mile Rocks, near the Brisbane river, Geebung, Mackenzie, Ocean View in the Morton Bay region and Gailes saw the best results in Queensland. A senior food scientist and top NHS doctor are urging MPs to take action and help warn the public about the cancer risk from processed meats like bacon and ham. In a joint statement, they called for Government action to raise awareness in a similar way to campaigns on the health dangers from sugar and fatty foods. They cited 'a growing consensus of scientific opinion' that nitrites in processed meats result in the production of carcinogenic nitrosamines which are believed to be responsible for bowel cancer. Experts are demanding action on the cancer risk from processed meats like bacon ARE THERE HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES? Northern Irish food manufacturer Finnebrogue claims its Naked Bacon product is completely free of nitrites, preservatives, E numbers and all allergens. Processed using natural fruit and spice extracts, it is sold in Waitrose, Morrisons, Sainsburys and also in Booker in Northern Ireland. Ocado also sells Nitrite Free Bacon. Advertisement A 2015 report by the World Health Organisation classed processed meats as a group one carcinogen which could cause an additional 34,000 worldwide cancer deaths a year. New analysis suggests that this could equate to 6,600 bowel cancer cases in the UK annually. Director of the Queen's University Belfast Institute for Global Food Safety Professor Chris Elliott, senior cardiologist Aseem Malhotra and leading nutritionist Chris Gill of the University of Ulster were joined by politicians including Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson in making a call for action. 'There is a consensus of scientific opinion that nitrites in processed meats result in the production of carcinogenic nitrosamines and therefore increase cancer risk for those who regularly consume traditional bacon and ham,' they said. 'For these reasons, we are concerned that not enough is being done to raise awareness of nitrites in our processed meat and their health risks, in stark contrast to warnings regularly issued regarding sugar and fattening foods. 'A united and active front is needed from policy-makers, the food industry and the cancer-care community.' Former shadow environment secretary Kerry McCarthy lent her support to calls for action. Right, Food safety expert Professor Chris Elliott is among those raising concerns about processed meat What are nitrites and nitrates? The salts of nitrite and nitrate are commonly used for curing meat and other perishable produce. They are also added to meat to keep it red and give flavour, while nitrates are used to prevent certain cheeses from bloating during fermentation. Nitrate is found naturally in vegetables, with the highest concentrations occurring in leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce. It can also enter the food chain as an environmental contaminant in water, due to its use in intensive farming methods, livestock production and sewage discharge. Nitrite in food (and nitrate converted to nitrite in the body) may contribute to the formation of a group of compounds known as nitrosamines, some of which are carcinogenic - ie, have the potential to cause cancer. In 2015 the World Health Organisation warned there were significant increases in the risk of bowel cancer from eating processed meats such as bacon that traditionally have nitrites added as they are cured. The current acceptable daily intake for nitrates, according to the EFSA, is 3.7 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. Source: EFSA Advertisement Dr Malhotra added: 'Nitrites are used to cure bacon and ham, but when the meat is cooked and ingested by humans they create nitrosamines. 'When it comes to nitrosamines, there are no ifs, nor buts; they are carcinogenic. Yet, despite these facts, the vast majority of bacon on sale today still contains these dangerous carcinogens. 'Not only this, reminiscent of the tobacco industry's stance in the 1990s, some of those in the business of making and regulating food continue to claim that health risks from nitrite-cured meat are negligible. The evidence says otherwise. 'Government action to remove nitrites from processed meats should not be far away. Nor can a day of reckoning for those who continue to dispute the incontrovertible facts. 'The meat industry must act fast, act now or be condemned to a similar reputational blow to that dealt to tobacco.' Dr Malhotra rejected industry claims that nitrites are essential to the preservation of processed meats, pointing to the elimination of the chemicals from Parma ham production and the use of alternative natural processes by producers including Nestle in France and Finnebrogue in the UK. Another signatory to the statement, former Labour environment spokeswoman Kerry McCarthy, urged the Government to 'look closely at what it can be doing to raise awareness of the risks from these chemicals and persuade the food industry to make its bacon and ham safer'. She added: 'These chemicals do not have to be in our food and in years to come I am sure we will look back in disbelief that we allowed their use for so long.' British families should take grandparents on holiday with them like their Mediterranean counterparts, the Government's 'minister for loneliness' has urged. Conservative MP Mims Davies said Britons could learn from the example of southern Europeans, where families involve the older generations more in their daily lives. The new sport and civil society minister said communities had a 'moral duty' to stop the elderly feeling abandoned and has also urged employers to give staff more time off to care for parents. British families are being urged to take grandparents on holiday with them like their Mediterranean counterparts, the Government's 'minister for loneliness' has suggested. Stock pic Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Ms Davies said: 'Very often you will be out on holiday a few of you in a small British family and you will find this huge, wonderful plethora of people on the beach. 'I think when we are a little bit more bold about how we do things, we find so much more joy in it.' She added: 'We are in a weird place when we are very willing to drag our children around into our lives and enjoy our lives with them together but being that sort of extended family is seen as being a bit more difficult.' This comes as loneliness is set to soar among the over-50s in the coming seven years. Age UK said that the proportion of people in this age bracket who report being lonely 'often' has remained relatively constant. Based on current levels of people who report often feeling lonely and population projections, the charity has estimated that the number of people aged 50 and over living in England who will often feel lonely will increase by half a million people by 2020/21. A Southern California house where police say a couple tortured or abused most of their 13 children by feeding them moldy pie, whipping them with a belt, and choking them for watching a Justin Bieber video, is for sale. The house in Perris, located about 70 miles east of Los Angeles, where authorities say David and Louise Turpin shackled their children to furniture, went on the market Saturday, The Press-Enterprise reported. The auction for the four-bedroom house with an appraised value of more than $350,000 ends on Wednesday. The house in Perris, located about 70 miles east of Los Angeles, where authorities say David and Louise Turpin shackled their children to furniture, went on the market Saturday The house is located on 160 Muir Woods Road in Perris, California The home, which foreclosed in November, has been appraised as having a value that exceeds $350,000 So far, the bidding has reached in excess of $198,000 as of late Saturday. It must reach an undisclosed minimum for the seller to agree to sell In January, police arrested David and Louise Turpin after one of their 13 children escaped from the family's home and called 911 It is being conducted on behalf of an unnamed lender through the web site Hudson and Marshall. According to the site, the property measures 2,386 square feet. It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. The property is listed in fair condition, but there is no mention of what allegedly took place inside the home. Everything inside the property was working and there is no other unusual sign - even though at the time of the couple's arrest, detectives described a home that was filthy and smelly. Hudson and Marshall said it plans to add details in the description so that the buyer knows what is alleged to have happened inside. While California law does require real estate agents reveal any deaths that took place within three years of the home being listed, there is no such requirement for lesser crimes. Scott Beloian, a local realtor, nonetheless believes that agents have an ethical obligation to disclose such information to prospective buyers. 'Weve always been, if you have to ask the question, should I disclose, you should err on the side of probably so,' Beloian said. Beloian said that real estate agents could be sued if a home buyer later discovers that something untoward took place inside a recently purchased property. The Turpin couple has pleaded not guilty to torture, child abuse, and perjury charges that could carry a life sentence 'I would like to think that the seller is going to disclose to the buyer what happened in the [Turpin] house,' he said. As of late Saturday, the bidding has reached more than $198,000. If the bidding does not reach an undisclosed reserve price - the minimum that a seller would accept - it won't be sold. The house has been appraised as having a value of $353,138. The Turpin couple has pleaded not guilty to torture, child abuse, and perjury charges that could carry a life sentence. They were arrested in January when a daughter escaped from the family's home and called 911. The couple remains in custody, and the house was foreclosed in November. Investigators say some of the children had stunted growth and wasted muscles and described being beaten, starved and put in cages. In June, those present inside a Riverside, California courtroom gasped when prosecutors showed photos of two of Louise and David Turpin's daughters that their 17-year-old sister had snapped with an old cellphone before fleeing in January. Investigators say some of the children had stunted growth and wasted muscles and described being beaten, starved and put in cages The images featured two pale, malnourished girls, ages 11 and 14, shackled to bunk beds inside their family's filthy home. Each is being held on $12million bail and could face up to life in prison if convicted. The couple was arrested in January after their 17-year-old daughter, who had spent two years planning an escape, climbed out a window and then called 911 to report abuse. By the time police arrived at the house, the two shackled sisters had been hastily released from their chains when police showed up, but a 22-year-old son remained restrained. The young man said he and his siblings had been suspected of stealing food and being disrespectful, Riverside County sheriff's Det. Thomas Salisbury said during a court hearing in June. The man said he had been tied up with ropes at first but later, after learning to wriggle free, restrained with increasingly larger chains on and off over six years. Sheriff's deputy Daniel Brown said one daughter told him that she knew her sister had contacted police when she heard a knock at the door and saw flashing lights outside the window. The Turpin couple has pleaded not guilty to torture, child abuse, and perjury charges that could carry a life sentence 'She said she was finally going to become free,' Brown said. Senior investigators with the county district attorney's office testified that doctors and medical records showed some of the children were severely malnourished and had muscle wasting, with some adult children being 32lbs underweight. The 11-year-old girl who had been shackled to her bed had stunted growth from malnourishment and her arms were the size of an infant's, investigator Patrick Morris said. In her 20-minute 911 call, the 17-year-old who escaped told the dispatcher: 'We don't really do school. I haven't finished first grade.' The girl told sheriff's Deputy Manuel Campos that she hadn't bathed in a year and that she didn't know the date or the month, he testified. About two years ago, the mother found out the girl had been watching a Justin Bieber video on a cellphone borrowed from her sister, and started choking her and asked, 'do you want to die?' Campos said. The girl said she didn't want to die, but she feared she was about to as the choking continued. 'Yes you do, yes you do, you do, you want to die,' the mother said, according to Campos. 'You want to die and go to hell.' There was no breakfast, and recently lunch and dinner had been combined into one meal that included peanut butter and bologna sandwiches, a frozen burrito and chips. The girl said she recently had started refusing the peanut butter sandwiches 'because she starts to gag and starts to throw up,' Campos testified. The teen, who said she hadnt finished first grade, had difficulty pronouncing some words and spoke like a much younger child. The girl planned her escape for two years and was terrified as she climbed out a window to freedom, according to Campos' testimony. 'She couldnt even dial 911 because she was so scared that she was shaking,' he said. The couple has been accused of administering beatings and neglecting their children, who had at most just a few years of schooling. David and Louise Turpin are seen above in a California courtroom in June She didnt know the neighborhood and had to read her address to the dispatcher off a piece of paper. The kids were rarely allowed outside, though they went out on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas, they said. 'Sometimes I wake up and I cant breathe because of how dirty the house is,' the girl told the woman dispatcher. She said she hadnt bathed in a year and Campos observed dirt caked on her skin and a stink from being unbathed. The girl referred to her parents as 'mother' and 'father' because she said it was 'more like the Bible days,' he said. She reported that her father pulled down her pants and put her on his clothed lap in a recliner chair in the TV room when she was 12. She said she didnt like it and pulled up her pants, and that he told her not tell anyone, Campos said. The children spent most of their time locked in their rooms except for limited meals or using the bathroom. If they didnt obey strict rules, they were slapped in the face or had their hair pulled, the girl told Campos The eldest son in the family told authorities discipline in the home included beatings with the leather or buckle end of a belt, said Wade Walsvick, senior investigator for the Riverside County district attorneys office. Years earlier, when the family lived in Texas, he said the beatings involved 'a switch, the paddle and the oar' and the siblings were sometimes placed in cages. California authorities have captured an inmate who escaped from San Quentin and went on the run for four days. Shalom Mendoza, 21, was taken into custody at a Taco Bell in Paso Robles, more than 200 miles southeast of the prison, on Saturday after receiving a tip from a member of the public. Mendoza had ditched his prison outfit and was wearing dark clothing at the time he was apprehended. He's suspected of carjacking a vehicle after fleeing a minimum-security work assignment outside the prison walls. Scroll down for videos Corrections officials say they took 21-year-old Shalom Mendoza into custody at a fast food restaurant Saturday without incident A resident alerted authorities after seeing Mendoza at a Taco Bell in Paso Robles, more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of the prison The car, a Toyota Rav4 that was taken from a San Rafael Home Depot, was found abandoned and off the 101 Freeway north of Paso Robles on Friday, according to a release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The corrections department says prosecutors will determine whether to charge Mendoza with escape and carjacking. Mendoza was first reported missing on Wednesday at approximately 9.35pm during a routine headcount. He had been working outside the secured perimeter of the prison. The car, a Toyota Rav4 that was taken from a San Rafael Home Depot, was found abandoned and off the 101 Freeway north of Paso Robles on Friday Lt. Samuel Robinson, with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said that the prison activated its emergency operations and escape plan to try to find Mendoza. He was first reported missing from the San Quentin State Prison on Wednesday at approximately 9.35pm during a routine headcount It was during that time that investigators learned that a nearby motorist had been carjacked at the time of the escape. A motorist who was driving a Toyota Rav4 with a California license plate 6STZ502 may have been carjacked by the man. A positive identification is still being confirmed for the suspect involved in the carjacking, said California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations Press Secretary Vicky Waters. Mendoza arrived at the state prison on December 20, 2017, to serve a five-year sentence for use of a deadly weapon during a carjacking or attempted carjacking and evading or attempting to evade a peace officer while driving recklessly, reports Patch.com. Mendoza arrived at the state prison on December 20, 2017, to serve a five-year sentence He was convicted in Los Angeles County. The last time someone attempted to break out of the infamous prison was in 2000 when Paul Tuilaepa, Tiequon Cox and Noel Jackson rushed guards in an effort to break free. They were ultimately detained, according to SF Gate. Saturday's $30million Lotto Megadraw didn't disappoint, with 17 division one winners across Australia. Each successful division one entry snared a juicy personal windfall of $1,764,705.89. Eight major winners were from Victoria, four out of Western Australia, two from Queensland, one each from New South Wales and the ACT as well as one online player. Saturday's $30 million lotto Megadraw produced 17 major division one winners (stock image) The $30million lotto on Saturday produced 17 winners in division one, who all won just over $1.7million (stock image) Among the division one winning entries linked to the Lott's jurisdictions, there were 12 instant millionaires. There was also a triumphant entry by a very happy 99-share central syndicate. With several of the winning entries unregistered, lotto players who purchased an entry the $30 Million Megadraw are urged to double check their numbers as soon as possible. Matthew Hart, The Lott spokesperson, encouraged entrants to keep their tickets in a safe place. An unexpected lotto win can be life changing - Saturday's Megadraw was worth $30million (stock image) The six successful numbers in Saturday's Megadraw were 9, 33, 39, 30, 2 and 17, with the supplementary numbers 22 and 41 (stock image) 'We have created 193 millionaires across Australia this year,' he said. 'Our newest millionaires will certainly have a memorable 2019 to come after they discover their winning news.' The six successful numbers in the $30million Megadraw were 9, 33, 39, 30, 2 and 17, with the supplementary numbers 22 and 41. The Sydney Harbour Bridge's New Years Eve fireworks may not be the only light show to illuminate the city as thunderstorms could hit the Harbour City by the end of 2018. Both Melbourne and the New South Wales capital may see an end to their balmy post-Christmas period on Sunday and Monday as a low pressure trough moves across the southern states. The deluge in northern Queensland, meanwhile, is still lashing the area and experts predict a cyclone could form in the neighbouring Gulf of Carpenteria by Monday. The Sydney Harbour Bridge's New Years Eve fireworks may not be the only light show to illuminate the city as thunderstorms could hit the Harbour City by the end of 2018 (stock image) The Bureau of Meteorology told Daily Mail Australia they were currently tracking a low pressure system moving across the southern states. 'We're looking for the system to pick up moisture as it moves into western parts of the state tomorrow,' duty forecaster Jordan Notara said. The forecaster said it was difficult to predict the storm's exact movements given the size of the area it would cover. The post-Christmas heatwave could draw to an abrupt close on Monday evening after forecasters warned of possible thunder storms 'It's quite slow moving and so far we're forecasting its movements to the south coast and the Illawara region.' Should the system move any further north, though, those looking to catch a glimpse of the Sydney Harbour Bridge display may need to have an umbrella at hand. Melbourne is due to experience the worst of that system on Sunday, with the low pressure trough set to bring thunder and showers to the city until later afternoon. There are no weather warnings in place by the BOM as the storm moves north-east of the Victorian capital, but forecasters said that could change later in the day. In Queensland, police are urging residents in the north to work with emergency services as a tropical low looks set to start organising into a more potent cyclone. A severe weather warning was issued at 4am on Sunday for people in the peninsula and parts of north tropical coast and tablelands forecast districts. The tropical low was at the time about 80km east-southeast of Lockhart River and expected to deepen as it moves slowly west onto the Cape York Peninsula. Regardless of its movement, it will dump more heavy rain in the already sodden area of Queensland, which may lead to flash flooding and some damaging winds (pictured fallen tree on road this week near Cairns) Regardless of its movement, it will dump more heavy rain in the already sodden area of Queensland, which may lead to flash flooding and some damaging winds. BOM duty forecaster Lachlan Stoney said the system would likely build in the Gulf of Carpenteria to the peninsula's west - before potentially reversing track and coming back over the stretch of land. Ebony King, 34, is missing after walking into rapid flood waters in Rossville 300km north of Cairns on Thursday and a land and water search will continue on Sunday. Police and swift water searchers looked for her on Saturday to no avail, after friends reported her missing on Friday. A man is also believed to be missing in floodwaters close to Cairns. Parts of the region have received more than 400mm of rainfall in the past week, with warnings for the next few days most severe for areas north of Tully in the south of the peninsula. Queensland Emergency Services has advised north Queenslanders that with rain and severe weather around, it was a good time to make sure their preparations were in order, such as emergency kits. A glamorous Italian party girl caught unlawfully sub-letting on Airbnb was allowed to continue advertising properties on the site. Natali Rossi, 37, was arrested and cautioned for fraud after she failed to tell the owner of a 1.5 million Soho flat that she was earning thousands of pounds a month by letting it out to guests through Airbnb some of whom are alleged to have held drug-fuelled parties. The owner informed the website but Rossi was allowed to continue letting out 12 properties through the site. An undercover Mail on Sunday reporter was able to rent a room in a three-bedroom apartment she advertised in Maida Vale, London. It later transpired she was not the owner. Earned thousands: Natalie Rossi in an Instagram pose. During a meeting to hand over keys, Rossi bragged she was earning three times as much money from wealthy Saudi guests at her properties in Knightsbridge During a meeting to hand over keys, Rossi bragged she was earning three times as much money from wealthy Saudi guests at her properties in Knightsbridge. She said: I get very good deals. The flats are super expensive you ask triple the price. Its a very, very high demand. Clients are Arabs. They are the richest, they pay as much as they can. They all use Airbnb. Its a good platform for sure. Its the only one they [Airbnb] killed all the others. Rossi, from Sassuolo in Modena, went on to make racist comments, claiming she would refuse bookings from black and Asian people. She said: I decline. You dont have to provide reasons. Decline. Finished. Of course you cant tell Airbnb you declined because of blacks, they will ban me for life. I just say the flat is busy or anything. Ms Rossi, who had 142 reviews on the site, said she had owned the 625,000 Maida Vale flat for five years but we tracked down the real owner, branding expert Marcel Knobil. He had been on holiday in Argentina and, through a property management company, said: I thought the property was being rented by an Italian doctor called Natali Rossi. Im obviously concerned about this and have asked the letting agent to deal with it. Natali Rossi at the Maida Vale flat, above. Ms Rossi, who had 142 reviews on the site, said she had owned the 625,000 Maida Vale flat for five years The flat Rossi had previously rented in Soho in May had been obtained through a letting agency. She falsified her references, claiming she was an NHS doctor earning 120,000 a year working at the Cancer Institute at University College London Hospitals. The owner began to receive complaints from neighbours about three-day parties and drug taking. He discovered his 800-a-week home was being advertised on Airbnb by Rossi for up to 600 a night. In October, Rossi was arrested at the flat and cautioned after admitting fraud by false representation falsifying documents to obtain the property. The owner said that there was around 15,000 worth of damage and that he had written more than 30 emails to Airbnb but they had refused to help. Since being questioned by The Mail on Sunday, Rossi has removed all of her Airbnb listings. A housing association tenant illegally sub-let her home on Airbnb more than 100 times in an area with a chronic housing shortage. One guest who stayed in the home of Fatoumata Dao in Shepherds Bush, West London, even left a review stating he had been awoken by a council investigator and warning that the home was on the website illegally. Ms Dao, who called herself Shelia Quest and Shelia Drame on the site, rented out two bedrooms in her 550,000 flat for 30 a night each. An undercover reporter for The Mail on Sunday booked the room and established it was owned by Notting Hill Genesis housing association. Fatoumata Dao, who called herself Shelia Quest and Shelia Drame on the site, rented out two bedrooms in her 550,000 flat for 30 a night each Under investigation: Shelias advert. An undercover reporter for The Mail on Sunday booked the room and established it was owned by Notting Hill Genesis housing association The listing for the home, which had been reviewed 119 times, said: This will feel like home as you step through the front door. In the borough Hammersmith and Fulham there are about 3,000 people on the councils housing register and it can take up to ten years to be offered a place. When questioned by the MoS, Ms Dao said: Its not something I do quite often. I cant really talk now. Afterwards she took her listing off Airbnb. A Notting Hill Genesis spokesman said: We are aware of the situation. This case is being investigated. We take illegal sub-letting very seriously. When incidents come to light we investigate and take action where necessary. We would invite anyone who suspects our property is being sub-let through Airbnb or similar services to contact us. She has been credited with transforming the Duchess of Cambridges wardrobe. Now Natasha Archer will have to pick out her own outfit for a special Buckingham Palace event after being made a member of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO). Miss Archer has worked with the Duchess for more than a decade and has reportedly encouraged her to take an edgier approach when it comes to fashion. In April, she masterminded the impeccable appearance of Kate, 36, on the steps of St Marys Hospital in West London, shortly after she gave birth to her third child, Prince Louis. Natasha Archer (pictured right), known as Tash, standing next to her royal photographer husband Chris Jackson (left) The 31 year-old known as Tash joined the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a personal assistant in 2007 after graduating from Kings College London. She previously attended Uppingham School in Rutland. Four years ago, she was promoted to become the Duchesss stylist and was a key figure in the Cambridges successful tour of Australia, where she was spotted watching a rugby match with the Royal couple. The RVO was established in 1896 by Queen Victoria and recognises distinguished personal service to members of the Royal Family. The honour caps a remarkable month for Miss Archer. A few days before Christmas, she gave birth to her first child, Theo. Her husband, Chris Jackson, took the official photographs for Prince Charless 70th birthday. Sharing a photograph of his wife and new son on Twitter, Mr Jackson wrote: Could not be more proud of these two!! Absolute legends I think this may be the best photo Ive ever taken! Other honours for Royal staff include a Royal Victoria Medal (RVM) for Austin David Clarke, the former head groom for Princes William and Harry. Capt Winterbourne, who lives in Wiltshire with her actor husband Jake Graf said: Honestly such an honour Completely overwhelmed' The British Armys highest-ranking transgender officer has been made a Member of the British Empire in the New Year Honours List. Captain Hannah Winterbourne, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, transitioned in 2015 after serving on the front line in 2011 Afghanistan as a man. The trailblazing officer is considered a role model to increasing numbers of troops who are applying to change gender. Confirming her MBE on Twitter, Capt Winterbourne, who lives in Wiltshire with her actor husband Jake Graf, who is also transgender, said: Honestly such an honour Completely overwhelmed. She has described the Army as the perfect environment to transition. About 40 Army personnel are understood to be receiving gender reassignment treatment. Gavin and Stacey actor Mathew Horne narrowly avoided death after he was struck by a train on a pedestrian crossing while walking home from a night at the pub. Horne, 40, managed to walk away from the incident with nothing more than a scratch after being hit by the train at Burton Joyce station in Nottinghamshire. The star, who did not require hospital treatment, was walking back to his parent's home during the festive period after drinking at his local on December 20. Gavin and Stacey actor Mathew Horne narrowly avoided death after he was struck by a train on a pedestrian crossing while walking home from a night at the pub Following the collision a friend of Horne's told the Sun it was a 'miracle' that he had not been more severely injured. A manager at the The Nelson pub where he had been boozing before the event, said: 'It was a really, really unfortunate accident and it could have been a lot worse. 'We are all glad that it wasn't. He was obviously very shaken up but he's all right now. He's got a bit of a scratch on him but no underlying issue there whatsoever.' Horne, 40, managed to walk away from the incident with nothing more than a scratch after being hit by the train at Burton Joyce station in Nottinghamshire The star, who did not require hospital treatment, was walking back to his parent's home during the festive period after drinking at his local on December 20 The train which hurled Horne back off the tracks was an East Midlands Trains passenger service, which was running through Burton Joyce. Employees at the pub, who said that they know Horne well and wanted to make sure he was okay, rang for emergency services and rushed to his aid. The manager confirmed that Horne didn't need medical assistance after his brush with death, and the police were only called as a precaution, adding that they are just glad he is safe. A manager at the The Nelson pub (pictured) where he had been boozing before the event, said: 'It was a really, really unfortunate accident and it could have been a lot worse' An insider reported that he was knocked by the train and sent backwards off the tracks, miraculously escaping a more serious incident. The crossing where Horne was struck has warning signs at both ends is typically used by dog walkers trying to access fields behind the pub. It was confirmed that a person was treated at the scene but not taken to hospital by East Midlands Ambulance Service. Horne has been spotted a local bars and pubs since the event. A British Transport Police spokesperson said the incident was reported at 22.37pm and was being treated as non-suspicious. Another BTP spokesman said 'a male was clipped by the train'. A web developer suffered thousands of pounds worth of damage to his two-bedroom flat when 80 people squeezed in for a raucous party. Michael Blom, 40, had spent 80,000 refurbishing the flat in Hackney, East London, and rented it to a young man who had been 'verified' by Airbnb which means a simple ID check. While Michael was away on holiday he started getting text messages from his terrified neighbour who said the block was being flooded with young people. 'The place had been trashed,' said Michael Blom, 'with vomit on the floor, a broken table, smashed glass and evidence of drug taking' Michael said: 'We were terrified, the messages got worse and worse. My neighbour told us how more and more young people kept arriving at the flat, how the music was thumping and the noise was getting louder. 'My girlfriend and I felt awful about what our neighbours were going through. But there was nothing we could do. We asked our neighbour to call the police and at about 1.30am they turned up. 'The police later told us that there had been around 80 people in the flat. They ordered everyone out.' When the couple returned they were aghast at the state of the flat. Bottles and glasses were strewn all over, above, and it got worse. 'The place had been trashed,' Michael said, 'with vomit on the floor, a broken table, smashed glass and evidence of drug taking. 'My girlfriend spoke to a police officer who cleared the place. He told her he deals with this all the time. He said it is the 'modern equivalent of a field rave.' ' Nick Burns Cumming lives in a studio flat in Edinburgh's Grassmarket and says Airbnb has become a 'plague' in the area Nick Burns Cumming lives in a studio flat in Edinburgh's Grassmarket and says Airbnb has become a 'plague' in the area. Nick, right, said: 'There are 20 flats in this building, eight on Airbnb. It's a plague, and it changes the city centre. People just come and go for a weekend. 'It's just constant noise, especially with short lets. 'When I moved in, everybody knew each other, it was great. I had a heart attack earlier this year and could have done with a neighbour around, but I didn't know anybody.' He said the worst period of the week was between Thursday and Tuesday. Nick, 60, said: 'At the weekend, a party ended at 7.30am. There were three girls from Liverpool in a one-bedroom flat. They were just up for a party. They don't care. 'Last year there were about eight or ten people in their 20s having a party in the stairwell, shooting up heroin, smoking dope. 'There were needles on the staircase, it was a nightmare. I could hear them having sex on the stairs at 3am. 'When it's 6am and the music is still banging it's hellish. I've been told to b***** off well, that's a polite way of putting it. 'And it's not just late-night music. It's the clatter of these wheeled suitcases up and down the stairs. It just goes through you. 'Our front door has been repaired six or seven times in the last year because of people constantly clattering it.' eading food writer William Sitwell recently described the vitriol he faced after making a flippant comment about vegans Counter-terrorism police have been called in to help protect people working in the meat industry from increasingly extreme protests by militant vegans. Farms, abattoirs and factories have been subjected to vandalism, and owners and staff sent death threats during an alarming increase in incidents. In one case, protesters accused Jewish workers at a kosher abattoir of being Nazis. Farms, abattoirs and factories have been subjected to vandalism, and owners and staff sent death threats during an alarming increase in incidents [File photo] Police already have a long history of dealing with animal-rights activists who target those involved in the meat industry. But now officers are concentrating on vegans. The vegan food industry has seen a rapid growth in popularity, with leading supermarkets now stocking vegan ranges. The market is estimated to be worth 443 million in Britain alone. But a minority of vegan campaigners want the UK to become a meat-free society and are going to extreme lengths to achieve their goal. The National Pig Association and the British Poultry Council are among the organisations being advised by specialist police. Leading food writer William Sitwell recently described the vitriol he faced after making a flippant comment about vegans. There were threats to rape my wife, tie her up and cut off her genitals, he told this newspaper. According to an investigation by Channel 4 Dispatches, Jewish workers were branded Nazis when members of vegan group SAVE began protesting outside kosher Kedassia abattoir in East London two years ago. Some broke in and daubed the walls of the abattoir with anti-Semitic slogans, according to the programme, and one protester yelled: Its a holocaust. You Nazis! SAVE admitted on Facebook it was responsible for daubing Holocaust images, initially suggesting the use of the term was justified, but it later apologised. Leading food writer William Sitwell recently described the vitriol he faced after making a flippant comment about vegans. There were threats to rape my wife, tie her up and cut off her genitals, he told this newspaper Vegan charity Viva!, which boasts 1 million in donations and counts Sir Paul McCartney and Joanna Lumley among its high-profile supporters, has also attracted controversy. Last year, its expose of squalid conditions at Somersets Lambrook Pig Farm caused its closure. Now a Warwickshire farmer claims he has been forced to turn his farm into Fort Knox after the group held protests outside. Brian Hobill says a pigs skull was left outside his family home at Hogwood Pig Farm in Oxhill. Theres been harassment, intimidation, hate mail, said Mr Hobill, who has spent about 50,000 on heavy-duty security fencing. They want every livestock producer put out of business pigs, dairy sheep. I think we have better conditions than most nursing homes. Officials who investigated the farm found no breaches of animal welfare. Dispatches: The Truth About Vegans will be screened on Channel 4 at 10pm on Wednesday. Campaigners say testing pregnant women for killer bacteria would pay for itself Campaigners say testing pregnant women for a bacteria that kills dozens of babies a year would easily pay for itself by saving the NHS a fortune in compensation. About 35 infants die every year after becoming infected with Group B Streptococcus (GBS), a common bacteria that can be passed from mother to child in labour. A further 25 are left with serious disabilities including brain damage, sometimes resulting in compensation payouts of over 10 million. The NHS gives antibiotics to pregnant women deemed at high risk of having GBS, but critics say many are missed. The Health Department said it was investigating trialling universal screening for GBS [File photo] The Governments UK National Screening Committee last year rejected a programme to swab all pregnant women for GBS and give antibiotics to those who tested positive on the grounds it was not cost-effective. But the charity Group B Strep Support and lawyers say the committee failed to assess the cost to the NHS of legal fees and compensation. The lawyers believe that avoiding just one or two tragedies each year would save more than the cost of the tests. Alison Eddy, head of medical negligence at law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: Its hard to imagine GBS cases are costing the NHS less than 10 million in compensation and legal fees a year. A GBS swab would cost about 11, resulting in a total cost of about 8 million a year. Around a fifth of those tested would require antibiotics, something about which the screening committee is concerned. Martha Rudd, ten, was left severely brain-damaged after doctors at Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford failed to detect GBS infection at birth. In 2016, the High Court awarded her parents a seven-figure sum to pay for her care. About 35 infants die every year after becoming infected with Group B Streptococcus (GBS), a common bacteria that can be passed from mother to child in labour [File photo] GBS has had a huge effect on Martha and our family, which could have been prevented if there had been routine screening in place, said her father, Adam, 40. The NHS gives antibiotics to pregnant women deemed at high risk of having GBS, but critics say many are missed. The Health Department said it was investigating trialling universal screening for GBS. Millions of pounds of British taxpayers money is being handed over to some of the worlds wealthiest countries, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. In yet another example of foreign aid madness, more than 4 million has been given to the US since 2016 to help bankroll cyber security, financial services, and projects in smart cities such as Boston. Staggering figures unearthed by this newspaper using Freedom of Information laws show that a total of 11 million of public money went to rich nations, including several that are wealthier than Britain. One of the countries to receive aid from the UK was the city of Boston in the United States They include Japan, where the gross domestic product (GDP) is nearly twice that of the UK. The country received almost 500,000 which has helped fund projects that support Tokyos development as a global financial centre. Other wealthy nations that have benefited include South Korea, where hundreds of thousands of pounds has been used to fund cyber security; Portugal, where cash was sent to assist rule of law projects; and New Zealand, where business infrastructure work was supported. The money comes from the Prosperity Fund, a Whitehall initiative set up in 2016 to hand out 1.3 billion around the world. It has been criticised by MPs for squandering cash on wealthier countries, with money even used to fund the Chinese film industry. The Foreign Office said last night the 11 million was part of the non-Official Development Assistance portion of the fund and was not included in the 0.7 per cent of gross national income or 14 billion a year that the Government is committed to spending on foreign aid. Instead, it said the money formed part of a 33 million pot of cash, distributed by the Prosperity Fund, to improve the trade and investment environment in these countries and promote UK and global prosperity. However, critics accused the Government of wasting money that could be put to better use at home and questioned why such huge sums were needed to grease the wheels for British businesses abroad. Tory MP Nigel Evans, who sits on the International Development Committee, said: This sounds hugely dubious. This is money that could be easily spent on projects in Britain and it seems to me incredibly questionable that so much money is being used for this purpose. Essentially, this money is used for soft diplomacy but why we need to spend any money in America on soft diplomacy is frankly beyond me. We have already got the best diplomatic relationship with the USA that any country could hope for, so this seems needless. Simply put, there are a lot of people around the United Kingdom who could benefit much more from that money. China's film industry also received support from British aid. Pictured: X-MEN star and Chinese actress Fan Bingbing The Prosperity Fund faced heavy criticism last year when an independent watchdog rounded on its overseas development aid arm. The Independent Commission for Aid Impact complained of serious risks about the effectiveness of the 1.3 billion to help developing countries, adding that the fund had become fragmented and lacked transparency. The scathing report concluded there were conflict of interest concerns and significant risks about value for money and delivery. A separate report by the Commons International Development Committee contained similar criticisms, including that cash had been used to boost Chinas movie industry, improve its museums and reduce tobacco consumption. MPs said: Given the level of spending involved, we are concerned that departments are not publishing fuller details of their spending as this lack of clarity clouds the publics ability to see good and bad spending. A Foreign Office spokesman said last night: The Prosperity Fund has a non-aid component to help generate opportunities for UK businesses in both mature and emerging markets. An example of this includes a showcase event in Brazil that helped UK energy companies secure contracts worth over 50 million, and promotional activities in the US that contributed to a 56 million export win. He added that the FCO did not know whether Britain received funds from other countries under similar reciprocal arrangements. They are Britains elite diplomats, trained to deal with anything from a lost passport to a full-scale international crisis at the drop of a Ferrero Rocher. But if 2018 is anything to go by, our men and women based overseas should also start mugging up on Strictly, vampires and marriage guidance tips. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office yesterday released a list of some of the stranger questions its staff had to field this year and few of them will ever have cropped up at a diplomats boot camp. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office yesterday released a list of some of the stranger questions its staff had to field this year They included: A man enquiring if there were vampires in Poland because a woman he met online had asked what blood type he was before they met for their first date. A caller in the US asking which contestant had been voted off Strictly Come Dancing the previous night. A man asking if the FCO could provide a list of women in Argentina whom he might be able to marry. In other offbeat requests, embassy staff in Rome took a call from someone asking them to help arrange a wedding, recommend a florist and get tickets to see the Pope. And further afield, one holidaymaker beseeched mandarins to speak to a massage parlour in Bangkok on his behalf as he had fallen asleep during a massage and felt that he shouldnt have to pay for it. One man enquired if there were vampires in Poland because a woman he met online had asked what blood type he was More innocently, a man in New Delhi politely asked what time the British High Commission opened because hed heard it sold vegetarian sausages. And in the Canary Islands, a caller demanded diplomatic staff organise another hotel room after a stray cat found its way in and wet the bed. Other head-scratchers included a caller in the Netherlands who had just watched Braveheart and wanted to raise questions about the films plot, while a man in Kuwait wanted to know if any of the staff cared to adopt his puppies. Last night, a Foreign Office spokesman said: I can regretfully confirm that we arent able to offer advice on vampires, rogue stray cats or Strictly contestants. And our capacity to deploy veggie sausages remains sadly lacking. But in all seriousness, getting into trouble abroad can be daunting and upsetting. If you find yourself in an emergency in another country, contact the nearest British Embassy, high commission or consulate and our staff will do everything they can to help. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt today burnishes his born again Brexiteer credentials by calling for the UK to emulate the ultra-low tax example of Singapore in our post-EU future. Mr Hunt who is understood to be Theresa Mays preferred choice as successor when she leaves Downing Street uses an article in todays Mail on Sunday to pay tribute to the dynamic Asian country beloved by pro-Brexit MPs, while dismissing the option of a second referendum and rowing back on remarks which suggested he was relaxed about a No Deal Brexit. His confident vision of the UKs future comes as his main Cabinet rival for No 10, Home Secretary Sajid Javid, is perceived to have been damaged by his handling of the Channel migrant crisis. Eastern focus: Jeremy Hunt married his Chinese wife Lucia Guo in 2009 And it comes as allies of the Prime Minister say that they are increasingly confident that Brussels can be persuaded to shift position sufficiently on the controversial Northern Ireland backstop to win the delayed Commons vote on her Brexit deal. Mr Hunt, who is being increasingly eyed by Brexiteer Tory MPs as a compromise leadership candidate, hails Singapore which has slashed burdensome taxes and red tape for plugging into the international economic grid after becoming independent in 1965. Mr Hunt writes: There could be few better instructions for us as we make our post-Brexit future. Singapore is frequently cited by Brexiteers as an example of how the UK could flourish once free of the constraints of Brussels. But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn argues that following the Singapore example would turn Britain into a bargain basement tax haven. Mr Hunt also uses the article to set out his opposition to a second referendum on Brexit which, as a Remain voter, he had briefly supported in the wake of the 2016 vote and to clarify recent remarks in which he had appeared to be relaxed about the prospect of No Deal. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt today burnishes his born again Brexiteer credentials by calling for the UK to emulate the ultra-low tax example of Singapore (pictured) in our post-EU future He says: Its true that no negotiation ever produced an outcome that was perfect for all sides and this deal is no different. So it is always alluring to reach for alternatives. But in this case other options are fraught with danger. Hunt's love affair with the far east After studying at Oxford, spent two years in Japan learning the language to impress his first girlfriend, who was Japanese. Became fluent, only for her to say she didnt want to see me. But he understands the 3,000 characters necessary to read a Japanese newspaper like the one reporting the Brexit result below. Tried in vain to start a business exporting marmalade to Japan. Then launched guides for Japanese students in England, leading to the Hotcourses business which went on to make him millions. In 2009 married Lucia Guo. On a trip to China this year, mistakenly referred to his Chinese wife as being Japanese. Mr Hunt understands the 3,000 characters necessary to read a Japanese newspaper like this one reporting the Brexit result Advertisement A quick fix like a second referendum? A simple solution like No Deal? An easy option like Parliament taking control? The truth is all these ideas create more problems than they solve. Politicians like Tony Blair might like the idea of a second referendum. Its the equivalent of saying to the public: you created the problem by voting to leave, now over to you to fix it. Mr Hunt adds: Walking away without a deal would present risks to business and jobs even if you believe in the end we would find a way through it to survive and prosper. No one should be encouraging a move that could leave us poorer at the same time as gladdening the hearts of those who wish for a fractured Europe. Mr Hunts intervention comes as allies of the Prime Minister are increasingly confident that Mrs May will win round her rebels to push her deal through the House of Commons. Downing Street insiders believe the EU is on the brink of agreeing a new side treaty which would include a so-called Stormont Lock, allowing a resurrected Northern Irish assembly to block EU rules in the province. If Mrs Mays Ulster allies agree, No 10 assumes Tory Brexiteer hard-liners would then fall in line. The additional document would also include a legally binding declaration, making the backstop time limited and setting out how it could be collapsed under international treaty law. No 10 also hopes Michael Gove will lead attempts to sell the deal in the run-up to the crucial vote, which will take place in the week starting January 14. Mr Gove is said to believe much of the criticism of Mrs Mays deal has been over conflating it with her loathed Chequers plan which was rejected by the EU and that the differences must be set out clearly. MPs suspect Mrs May is also planning to pull a rabbit from her hat by pivoting towards a loose Canada-style free trade deal for the UKs future relationship with Brussels. Professor Catherine Barnard of the UK In A Changing Europe group told the Commons two weeks ago that she had been reliably told that there was a much longer version of the political declaration being circulated in Brussels that stretched to about 100 pages. Giving evidence to MPs she added: My sense is that a sort of Canada-type document is what we are heading towards. There will also be a concerted effort to target wavering Labour MPs. One strategist said: The message will be very simple: the only way to avoid No Deal is to back the deal. Mr Hunts backing for the Singapore model echoes calls made by Boris Johnson and Mr Gove last year in their leaked letter to Mrs May setting out their demands for Brexit. In the letter, revealed in The Mail on Sunday, Mr Johnson and Mr Gove said: We may choose to remain identical to the EU or we may embrace a vision more aligned with pro-competitive regulation. Other countries must know this choice is in our hands and they must know it on day one, adding: Our tax system is hugely complex after the long years of Labour government. There will be huge savings from reducing the burden of compliance. From the Carry On films to starring in Terry And June and Absolutely Fabulous, she was the comedy darling of Middle England. Last night the world of showbiz was in mourning for Dame June Whitfield, who has died aged 93. Her agent confirmed she passed away peacefully on Friday evening. Tributes to the star poured in from the world of British comedy. Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Saunders and June Whitfield in Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley told The Mail on Sunday: I am heartbroken to lose such a darling friend and shall never forget her sensational talent, humour and her generosity to us all who had the joy of working with her on Ab Fab. She will always have a most special place in my heart. Television producer Jon Plowman, who worked on Absolutely Fabulous, tweeted: There was no one with more warmth or a better ability to just place a line, always an act of utter precision. A great loss. Comedienne Miranda Hart tweeted: So very sad. She added: I once sent a letter to many actors, as a budding (I mean desperate) comedy actor, to ask for sponsorship for the Edinburgh Festival. Dame June replied. Fifteen years later when I met her she had all my letters and the notes of the show she sponsored. I cried then too. June Whitfield with her daughter, Suzy Aitchison, after being made a CBE in 1998 Queen Elizabeth II with Lionel Blair and June Whitfield in 2006 at a 'Living Legends' event From her early radio appearances in the 1940s, through to her scatty antics on Absolutely Fabulous, Whitfield featured in more than 1,300 radio and television shows. Stars such as Tony Hancock, Frankie Howerd, Ronnie Barker, Benny Hill, Bob Monkhouse and Tommy Cooper all clamoured to work with her. She began her career on radio in 1946 and her big break came in 1953 in the successful radio comedy Take It From Here, in which she played long-suffering Eth whose lamenting catchphrase Ooh, Ron addressed to her hapless fiance won her legions of fans. In 1959 she made her first appearance in a Carry On film, in Carry On Nurse, and she went on to appear in three more movies in the franchise. In 1971 she recorded a version of Serge Gainsbourgs Je tAime with Frankie Howerd, but the spoof was considered too risque and was banned by the BBC. Actress Dame June Whitfield, pictured after receiving her damehood in November 2017, has died at the age of 93 She was later cast alongside Terry Scott in the hit BBC comedy Terry And June. The chemistry between the unflappable June and her hare-brained husband was so real that many viewers believed they were married in real life and the show attracted audiences of 15million. Whitfield described herself as living in the suburban corner, in real life and in the parts Ive played. Very English, and nothing wrong with that. In 1992 she became an unlikely icon to a new generation of fans with her portrayal of Edinas unworldly mother in the international hit Absolutely Fabulous. June Whitfield in Carry on Abroad with Kenneth Connor. The actress died peacefully in her sleep last night, her agent said Originally scheduled to appear in just one episode, she went on to become one of the shows most popular characters. Julia Sawalha, who played her strait-laced granddaughter Saffy, said: Thank you Dame June Whitfield for teaching me my craft with such grace and dignity. Dame June was awarded an OBE in 1985, a CBE in 2000 and, in 2017 she became a dame. Shane Allen, controller of BBC Comedy, said: June Whitfield was the North Star of British comedy. Dishevelled, potbellied and his face all but hidden by a woolly hat and scarf, this is disgraced Hollywood superstar Kevin Spacey breaking cover in his first public appearance in more than a year. The double Oscar winners attempt to pass incognito came just days after he was charged with indecent assault and battery. The 59-year-old is alleged to have groped an 18-year-old man in a restaurant in Massachusetts in 2016. Spacey denies the claims. Disgraced Hollywood superstar Kevin Spacey, 59, broke his cover in his first public appearance in more than a year after stepping out of a warehouse into an SUV The actor acclaimed for performances in American Beauty, The Usual Suspects and House Of Cards was seen on Friday stepping out of a warehouse building into a black SUV. His lawyers are pleading for him to be excused from attending a hearing at Nantucket District Court on January 7, but prosecutors are demanding the judge rejects the motion. Last week, the star responded to the allegations with a bizarre clip online in which he appeared as his House Of Cards character, the scheming US President Frank Underwood, and urged the public not to prejudge the case. He is alleged to have groped an 18-year-old man in a restaurant in Massachusetts in 2016. Spacey denies the claims In the video, entitled Let Me Be Frank, he says: You wouldnt rush to judgments without facts would you? Did you? No, not you, you are smarter than that. By last night it had been viewed more than eight million times. Since last year, dozens of men are understood to have alleged that Spacey made unwanted sexual advances towards them. He is the most high-profile name to be mired in scandal since the allegations of sexual assault against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein first emerged in October last year. Weinstein denies the claims. Cannabis paraphernalia is on open sale in high street shops across Britain, a shocking Mail on Sunday investigation has found. Our reporters bought items used to consume the illegal drug such as pipes and bongs, along with grinders that break down herbal cannabis to make it easier to smoke. The accessories were often on display next to crisps and sweets. Major retailers such as Londis and Esso were among those selling cannabis paraphernalia at some of their outlets. Anti-drugs campaigners say the findings are evidence of the worrying normalisation of cannabis as a tide that cant be stopped, with the police increasingly taking a softly-softly approach and growing pressure for the class B drug to be legalised. Cannabis paraphernalia is on open sale in high street shops across Britain, a shocking Mail on Sunday investigation has found From November, a change in the law has meant that specialist doctors can prescribe cannabis-based medicines. The drug remains illegal for recreational use but devices such as grinders and pipes are legal to buy and sell, even if it is obvious they will usually be used to prepare or smoke cannabis. In Birmingham, several shops within a few minutes walk of the famous Bullring shopping centre were well stocked with drug kit. At the Nisa convenience store on Digbeth Street, we asked: Do you sell any grinders? Unprompted, the assistant replied For cannabis? and sold us a small grinder for 1.99. At the Best One Convenience Store in the citys Bath Row, we bought a grinder on open display for 1.99 and another at the same price at an Esso station on the same road. Our reporters bought items used to consume the illegal drug such as pipes and bongs, along with grinders that break down herbal cannabis to make it easier to smoke. The accessories were often on display next to crisps and sweets At a Londis store in Birminghams Suffolk Street Queensway, grinders adorned with the sign of a cannabis leaf and the word Amsterdam were being sold. Pipes in packaging decorated with cannabis leaves were also on display. In Stockport, Greater Manchester, a news kiosk yards from a McDonalds packed with children openly sold bongs tall pipes that are filled with water to smoke cannabis on a shelf next to crisps and sweets. The kit was visible from the street and the shopkeeper said the bongs had sold well in the run-up to Christmas. In London, we found a general store on the concourse of Victoria railway station offering grinders. At Portobello Market in West London, the London Amazing Gifts stall sold us a Haze White Widow lollipop with real cannabis inside and a packet of Gorilla Hemp. Major retailers such as Londis and Esso were among those selling cannabis paraphernalia at some of their outlets Both items are legal because they contain less than 0.2 per cent of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the drugs main psychoactive compound. Mary Brett, of campaign group Cannabis Skunk Sense, said the open sale of drug accessories pointed to a normalisation of cannabis and warned it was a tide that cant be stopped. Critics say the drug especially stronger strains known as skunk can increase the risk of psychosis. Last night an Esso spokesman said that its stations were independent branded wholesalers and the company had no control over what was sold apart from fuel. A Londis spokesman said independent retailers traded under the brand, adding: Londis does not supply cannabis-related products but individual retailers can source products from specialist suppliers.All Londis retailers are bound to comply with the law. Spar, Nisa and Best One did not respond to requests for comment. ISIS launched a devastating attack in Libya within days of US President Donald Trump declaring victory over the terrorist group. Details of the Christmas Day atrocity emerged only last night. It began when a car bomb was driven into the foreign ministry in the capital, Tripoli. Three armed jihadis ran inside, where two detonated suicide vests and the third was killed in a gunfight with ministry guards. Responsibility for the attack, which left three ministry workers dead and ten injured, was claimed by Isis through Amaq, its propaganda website, which boasted of striking at the heart of the Libyan government. Atrocity: Emergency services at Libyas foreign ministry after the attack. Details of the Christmas Day atrocity emerged only last night After the atrocity, Libyan foreign minister Mohamed Sayalah pleaded with the international community to lift an arms embargo imposed on the country by the United Nations since 2011. We need weapons to combat terrorism, he said. The Libyan people are fighting terrorism on behalf of the world. President Trump sparked controversy earlier this month when he announced that US troops were being withdrawn from Syria because Isis had been defeated. Britain was among several countries to criticise the move, and US Defence Secretary James Mattis resigned, saying Mr Trump should appoint someone whose views are better aligned with yours. Critics will cite the renewed violence in Libya as evidence that the threat posed by Isis has not been extinguished. The terror group was driven from Sirte, the stronghold of former Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi, in 2016 and later routed in Raqqa, their de facto headquarters in Syria. But experts have warned that the Islamic extremists could retreat to a lawless Libya riven by civil war and regroup. Experts have warned that the Islamic extremists could retreat to a lawless Libya riven by civil war and regroup Efforts to establish a viable Libyan leadership have failed, with the UN-recognised Government of National Unity in Tripoli vying for power against forces loyal to ex-Gaddafi enforcer Khalifa Haftar in Tobruk in the east of the country. A planned presidential election was abandoned earlier this year because of security concerns. A vote is scheduled for 2019, with Haftar likely to gain support from Russia, whose defence minister he met in Moscow last month. However, Gaddafis second son, Saif al-Islam, has also said that he might stand, despite facing International Criminal Court charges of crimes against humanity. The announcement prompted Russias Middle East envoy to claim that the 46-year-old, who gained a PhD from the London School of Economics, could become a unifying figure. The chances of Brexit will be no more than 50-50 if MPs vote down Theresa May's withdrawal deal, pro-Leave minister Liam Fox has said. The Commons will vote on the deal in the week beginning on January 14 after Mrs May, expecting to lose, delayed the 'meaningful vote' earlier this month. A defeat for Mrs May could lead to a no-deal Brexit, a confidence vote in the Commons or a possible general election. The International Trade Secretary told The Sunday Times it was a 'matter of honour' for MPs to back the PM's deal. The chances of Brexit will be no more than 50-50 if MPs vote down Theresa May's withdrawal deal, pro-Leave minister Liam Fox (pictured in Downing Street earlier this month) has said Dr Fox, who backed Leave in 2016, warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be 'incendiary. Having given the public the right to decide on EU membership in a referendum, 'Parliament cannot now, with any honour, renege on that result', the Cabinet minister said. 'Were they to do so, I think you would shatter the bond of trust between the electorate and Parliament. And I think that would put us into unprecedented territory with unknowable consequences.' He said he 'would not give it much more than 50-50' for Britain to leave the EU if the deal is voted down. Mrs May's 585-page withdrawal deal sparked fury on the Tory backbenches when it was unveiled last month. Conservative rebels were fiercely critical of the Irish backstop, voicing fears it would leave Britain tied to EU trading rules indefinitely. They failed to oust Mrs May in a confidence vote earlier this month, meaning she cannot face another challenge from her party for a year. A defeat for Theresa May (pictured at church on Christmas Day) could lead to a no-deal Brexit, a confidence vote in the House of Commons or a possible general election However her government could still be toppled by a confidence vote in the House of Commons, although Jeremy Corbyn has so far declined to call one. Mr Corbyn has said Labour will oppose the deal, calling it a 'miserable failure of negotiation' and the 'worst of all worlds'. Campaigners for a second EU referendum seized on Dr Fox's comments, pointing to polls suggesting that fewer than 50 per cent of Britons now want to leave the EU. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a leading supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a referendum, said: 'Brexit not happening isn't 50-50 as Liam Fox says. It's actually 56-44. 'That's the way the public now feels about us stopping this badly-led disaster and strengthening ourselves within the EU. 'The only thing that is shattering the bond of trust between electorate and Parliament is the refusal of ministers like Liam Fox to trust people with the final say on Brexit.' The Gatwick drone fiasco took another farcical turn yesterday as police confessed that some of the reported sightings may have been of their own aircraft. Giles York, Chief Constable of Sussex Police, revealed his force had launched drones in the search for those responsible for bringing Britains second-busiest airport to its knees before Christmas. But he admitted that some of the 115 people who reported seeing drones above the runway leading to its closure for almost 36 hours may have been looking at aircraft operated by his officers. We will have launched our own Sussex Police drones at the time with a view to investigate, with a view to engage, with a view to survey the area, looking for the drone, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. So there could be some level of confusion there as well. Asked whether the drone threat had been real, he insisted: I am absolutely certain the drone was there. We have been able to corroborate 115 reports. Ninety-two of them are from credible people that weve been able to confirm. MoD still waiting for drone-buster Britain has not received a 7.6 million anti-drone system that could have ended the Gatwick Airport chaos five months after it was bought. The Ministry of Defence announced in August that it had agreed to purchase the Counter Unmanned Air System from the Israeli firm Rafael. It boasted that the device, known as Drone Dome, could detect, track, identify and defeat drones flying up to 500 metres away. But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that it is yet to arrive and was therefore not available to be sent to Gatwick earlier this month. The system uses radar, electro-optical and infra-red sensors to find drones and can be fitted with a powerful laser, a radio-frequency jammer or a high-pressure water gun to bring them down. Rafael, which demonstrated the Drone Domes capabilities to MoD officials earlier this year, describes it as an end-to- end system designed to provide effective airspace defence against hostile drones. Last night, an MoD spokesman said: We are awaiting delivery in line with contractual timescales. Advertisement As criticism of the inquiry grew, Mr York admitted that detectives had not identified the type of drone involved, much less recovered it or caught its owner. We are getting closer to being able to identify the model, he said. I think we live in an age where everybody now expects us to be able to produce a high-quality image or video footage of what was going on and that just hasnt been available. He also apologised to Paul Gait, 47, and his wife Elaine Kirk, 54, who were wrongly arrested over the drone flights, despite having watertight alibis. Im really sorry for what he [Mr Gait] has experienced and the feeling of violation around it, he said. I am really sorry for what he went through, but the reason why we held him was so that we could dispel everything in the first instance. Mr York argued that it would have been worse to release Mr Gait under investigation while officers continued inquiries for weeks or months than it was to keep him in custody until he had been ruled out. Thats why we took the time, in order to allow him the best opportunity to put his life back on the rails, he said. The chaos caused by the illegal drone activity led to the cancellation of 1,000 flights and disruption to the travel plans of 140,000 passengers over three days before Christmas. Children are being brought into the UK for a fee of 2,500 each by armed traffickers on small boats across the English Channel. Iraqi Kurdish gangs offer 'half price deals' to parents, who are charged 5,000 for the same trip, wanting to escape to Britain with their children. The families are brought over to Dover on small vessels from Calais after being targeted by gangsters trying to sell them a better life. However if they do make it across the Channel, which is unlikely due to UK Border Force and French patrols, they are hunted by gangs and forced into slavery. Children are being brought into the UK for a fee of 2,500 each by armed traffickers on small boats across the English Channel A refugee told the Mirror that you have to pay the mafia in order to gain access to a boat and make it across to England. Echoing a warning issued by French police, Save the Children slammed the findings and said that it is 'sickening' that children are being put in danger. Home Secretary Sajid Javid was last night forced to cut short a safari in South Africa amid a growing outcry over his Dads Army handling of the Channel migrant crisis. But speaking today during a visit to Dover, immigration minister Caroline Nokes revealed that Home Secretary was on his way back. Iraqi Kurdish gangs offer 'half price deals' to parents, who are charged 5,000 for the same trip, wanting to escape to Britain with their children She said: 'I can't comment on his whereabouts for security reasons, but he is on his way back and he will be at his desk on Monday. 'He is taking control of the situation and I am in regular contact with him, and we had a conference call just yesterday.' Reports suggest that the number of migrants attempting to cross the Channel to England has hit more than 220 since the start of November. Many of those trying to get across the to Britain from Iran have middle-class backgrounds and paid for the trip after selling their homes or borrowing money. Many spend months living in Calais waiting for the go ahead to be told that they are going to make the trip across the channel, sometimes with children too. Iranian Ahmad Lorpur, 36, spent four months living in a tent in Calais and said that the traffickers call themselves 'agents', adding that he had met one of them an Iraqi Kurd in his twenties. Ahmad, who has two children Mariam, seven and Benyamin, two, said that he has no money left now but if he had 15,000 he would pay to make the trip. Local officials say at least six people have been injured on Saturday after a jet way collasped at the Baltimore Washington International Airport. The collapse occurred just before 8pm, according to authorities, and the six people are said to have non life-threatening injuries. 'Partial equipment failure involving jet bridge at #BWI Gate E-10,' said the BWI Marshall Airport Twitter page. Southwest flight 822 was said to have had a medical emergency and during the assist was when the jet way suffered its issues. The collapse occurred just before 8pm, according to authorities, and the six people are said to have non life-threatening injuries Southwest flight 822 was said to have had a medical emergency and during the assist was when the jet way suffered its issues 'Partial equipment failure involving jet bridge at #BWI Gate E-10,' said the BWI Marshall Airport Twitter page Those included in the fall were four medics, two Southwest employees and the sick passenger, Federal Aviation Administration told the Baltimore Sun. 'BWI Fire & Rescue Dept responded, along w/ mutual aid. Preliminary info indicates 6 individuals transported to local hospitals w/ non-life-threatening injuries.' The Anne Arundel County Fire Department also shared that they were assisting with the incident. Lynn Krugman shared a photo from inside the airport showing the emergency vehicles responding to the scene. The Anne Arundel County Fire Department also shared that they were assisting with the incident A user shared a video from the plane that was connected to the jetway. In the clip, a fireman can be seen bringing a ladder to let the medic off the plane She said: 'Emergency vehicles in the international arrivals area at BWI.' Krugman would later share with the DailyMail.com that her flight wasn't allowed to park at the gate due to the emergency vehicles. 'We were moved to a different gate and I took the photo from terminal,' she added. 'I believe the flight affected was from Dominican Republic.' At the airport, the jet way is the walkway where passengers take to get to their aircrafts after entering the gate. A user shared a video from the plane that was connected to the jetway. In the clip, a fireman can be seen bringing a ladder to let the medic off the plane. described as Caucasian, with dark blonde hair and brown eyes Fears are growing over the safety of a woman not seen for two days after she went missing from a music festival. Honor Cumming, 36, was last sighted leaving her tent around 9.30am on December 28 at the Woodford Folk Festival, north of Brisbane. Honor Cumming (pictured) was last seen two days ago at the Woodford Folk Festival, north of Brisbane The Woodford Folk Festival is a cultural event popular with many who attend (stock image) More than 48 hours later, the whereabouts of Ms Cumming remains unknown. Police and her family are encouraging people who may have spotted Ms Cumming to contact police, as she has a pre-existing medical condition, according to the Courier Mail. Ms Cumming is described as Caucasian, approximately 170cm tall with a solid build. She has a fair complexion, dark blonde hair and brown eyes. Ms Cumming was wearing a mustard coloured singlet with a sun print on the front at the time of her disappearance. She also had distinctive maroon fisherman pants, purple croc shoes as well as an eye-catching necklace. Anyone with information can contact police on 131 444. A rare flesh-eating ulcer is infecting hundreds of Australians and experts are still baffled as to what is causing it. The Buruli ulcer, a tissue-destroying infection which has spread in Australia by more than 400% since 2010, was thrust into the public eye following an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) in April. Starting off as a small sore or lump, the bacterial growth slowly grows and can even consume skin and flesh down to the bone. A rare flesh-eating ulcer (stock image pictured) is infecting hundreds of Australians and scientists are still baffled as to what is causing it One recent victim of the ulcer has admitted she thought she would lose her leg as a result of contracting the debilitating infection. Victorian Jacinta Mazzarella, 18, told ABC News she thinks she contracted the infection at her family's holiday home. The sore then grew to a width of more than three centimeters. The Buruli ulcer, a tissue-destroying infection which has spread in Australia by more than 400% since 2010, was thrust into the public eye following an article published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) in April (graph showing increase pictured) The ulcers are believed to be spread by mosquitoes who have bitten possums (stock image) 'It was really scary - I was really worried I might lose my limb,' she said. The young woman said she was unable to work or stand on her left leg for a long time and was unable to dance, one of her favourite pastimes. Victoria's state government's data shows there was already 131 confirmed cases in the Mornington Peninsula district in 2018 up to November. The infection is believed to come from mosquitoes, but while the CSIRO are carrying out tests on the insect, a consensus is still to be reached. Data shows there was already 131 confirmed cases in the Mornington Peninsula district in 2018 up to November Victoria chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton has previously suggested mosquitoes may be biting possums and humans and acting as a carrier. The MJA report called for increased funding for researching the ulcer's causes in their April report. In the same month, state minister for health Jill Hennessy announced a contribution of $250,000 to help bolster research in the transmission of the tropical skin condition. A former Russian spy on the December 19 US sanctions list claims he acted on behalf of oligarch Oleg Deripaska during the 2016 presidential campaign to chase up Paul Manafort's alleged debts with his former business partner. Victor Boyarkin said he acted as a middle man in claiming millions of dollars owed by Manafort, who helped Donald Trump in his bid for the presidency. It cements the idea that the Russians had big leverage over Manafort 10 years after he reportedly signed a contract obtained by the Associated Press, for $10million annually, stating 'he would influence politics, business dealings and news coverage inside the United Statesto benefit President Vladimir Putin's government'. Victor Boyarkin said he acted on behalf of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska (right) in claiming millions of dollars from Paul Manafort while he worked on Donald Trump's campaign 'He owed us a lot of money,' Boyarkin told Time this past fall in a report published Saturday. 'And he was offering ways to pay it back.' Time said Deripaska filed a 2014 lawsuit from the Cayman Islands claiming Manafort vanished with $19million. This year in New York the oligarch said investment consultant Manafort was part of a group who disappeared with $26million a decade ago. Former GRU officer, Boyarkin, claimed he 'came down on him hard' on behalf of Deripaska. They were both sanctioned this year by the US Treasury Department. Boyarkin kept mum when approached by Robert Mueller's investigation team and told them 'to go dig a ditch' as they probed into Russian collusion during the the 2016 presidential campaign Time's report claims that Boyarkin was the 'friend' referred to in emails that 2017 reports from The Washington Post and The Atlantic claim were between Manafort and former business associate Konstantin Kilimnik. The publications reported the communications about 'our friend V' took place just two weeks before Trump accepted his Republican party nomination, putting a definite time stamp of Manafort's alleged dealings with the Russians between May and August two years ago. Boyarkin is said to be the 'friend' mentioned in Manafort's (pictured) emails with former business associate Konstantin Kilimnik. He allegedly offered briefings on the presidential campaign to 'get whole' with Deripaska Emails between Manfort and Kilimnik referring to 'V' or Victor Boyarkin, allegedly offered briefings on the presidential campaign in order for Manafort to 'get whole', Time reported. Still, Boyarkin kept mum when approached by Robert Mueller's investigation team and told them 'to go dig a ditch'. Spokesperson Peter Carr declined to comment to the publication regarding Boyarkin's comment on their investigation into possible collusion with the Russians. Earlier this month Mueller accused Manafort of lying about contact with administration officials since he agreed to cooperate with prosecutors in his cases. He was found guilty in August of financial crimes, including tax fraud, bank fraud, and hiding foreign bank accounts, bringing the total so far to eight counts. He will be sentenced in Virginia in February. But in September he also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy against the US and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. He's expected to be sentenced for breaching his plea agreement in March. Police have warned members of the Blood Drill Killers, the African gang of youths terrorising Melbourne, that they know who they are. Members of the Blood Drill Killers (BDK) appear to be imitating the actions of other dangerous African gangs including Menace to Society and Apex. Although members range in age from just 14 to 17 they have been engaging in robberies and other illegal activities, The Herald Sun reported. They are also known to be using social media to communicate with each other as well as share their exploits with followers. But police now say they are not only aware of the gang itself, but have identified nearly - if not all - of the group's young members. Fears of escalating violence have been raised as a new gang filled with teenagers cause chaos across Melbourne 'Victoria Police is aware of an emerging group called Blood Drill Killers. It is believed some of their offending has also been committed with Menace to Society members,' a Victoria Police spokeswoman said. 'Police have been monitoring the group for several months now and Wayward Taskforce are confident they know the identity of the majority, if not all, BDK members. 'BDK is comprised of African-Australian males, aged 14 to 17 years old. Police have arrested a number of teenagers linked to BDK in the past few weeks.' While police could not give accurate numbers in relation to the arrests of the gang members, they could confirm that arrests have been primarily related to robbery and affray. BDK is considered less dangerous than its older counterparts as they focus more on lower-level crimes such as phone robberies. BDK is considered less dangerous than its older counterparts as they focus more on lower-level crimes such as phone robberies. However, police have raised concerns that BDK is becoming increasingly violent However, police have raised concerns that BDK is becoming increasingly violent. A number of members have been linked to the brutal fight in St Albans last week, which left a man in hospital, according to police. Wooden bats and chairs were used in the violent clash on Christmas Eve. The youths are also believed to be involved in a spate of robberies and assaults along the St Kilda foreshore over the past few months. The gang has its own Snapchat account, which detectives have been keeping a close eye on. BDK is now the focus for a group of detectives trying to stamp out thuggery. Most of the members are the younger siblings of members of dangerous African gangs Menace to Society and Apex (pictured) A 17-year-old, who is an alleged associate of BDK, appeared in a children's court on Friday facing a robbery charge relating to an incident in St Albans this month. In court, police raised concerns over the teenager's reoffending if he were released, they requested strict bail conditions. 'I'm concerned that if he is released he will join up with those other members of BDK and engage in (another) affray at (Alfrieda St),' a detective said. The teen was granted bail but has been banned from entering St Albans under his bail conditions. A charity warned of a mystery 'yellow drug' being falsely sold as MDMA two days before a man tragically died at a music festival. Lost Paradise is a boutique festival located in the pristine Glenworth Valley, equipped with luxury glamping, yoga and spa treatments. On Saturday, a man, 22, was taken to hospital after taking an 'unknown substance' where he died. Two others, a man and a woman, remain in Gosford hospital in a stable condition, after also ingesting the unknown substance and falling ill. DanceWize NSW is a charity harm reduction organisation that teamed up with the boutique Lost Paradise festival, alongside NSW Police, in an attempt to tackle drug abuse at the event. Two days ago the charity issued a warning about a dangerous yellow crystal which had resulted in users being admitted to hospital with 'psychotic symptoms'. A man has died and two people are being treated after taking an unknown substance at a music festival west of Gosford on Saturday Simultaneously, Falls Festival warned of a 'dangerous orange pill' doing the rounds in Australia 'We have received anecdotal reports of a mystery substance being sold as MDMA in NSW. 'The substance, which reportedly takes the form of a yellow crystal, has been linked to the hospitalisation of users experiencing psychotic symptoms. 'If you are planning to use drugs over the festive/new year period, please exercise particular caution.' A fellow volunteer responded to the post, saying he had a similar experience weeks prior. 'During rubbish clean up at Subsonic a few weeks ago we found a large bag of what looked like MDMA. Upon testing it however, the substance returned positive for Mephedrone,' he claimed. The 22-year-old Queensland man was rushed to Gosford Hospital about 8pm but died soon after Organisers from Falls Festival shared the warning on social media on Sunday, warning attendees of a 'serious drug alert' Mephedrone, also referred to as 'meow meow' causes psychosis in users, but oftentimes shares similar side effects to that of MDMA. It came as revellers at Falls Festival, an event held at multiple locations across Australia this weekend, were also warned about a 'dangerous orange pill'. Organisers allegedly sent out a text message to festival-goers warning of an 'extremely dangerous orange pill in circulation.' On their Facebook group they also wrote: 'Our medical teams have alerted us to a dangerous orange pill that is currently in circulation across Australia. A sign along the quiet road into the festival read: 'all vehicles will be searched' Police have conducted searches using drug dogs on 184 people and 97 cars Brisbane Water Police District Commander Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said the planning in the months leading up to Lost Paradise was meticulous. 'Unfortunately some of those drugs have got through,' he said. 'The methods of secretion are becoming sophisticated. People aren't carrying drugs in their pockets. We've found drugs in Vegemite jars, aerosol containers, and on one instance, someone had stuffed drugs into the stuffing of a barbecue chicken.' A Lost Paradise festival spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the festival implemented multiple policies and procedures to educate the youth in attendance on drug safety. A man has died and two people are being treated after taking an unknown substance at a music festival west of Gosford on Saturday The death at Lost Pardise comes only weeks after Callum Brosnan, 19, died of a drug overdose at a train station near the Knockout Games of Destiny festival at Sydney Olympic Park in the city's west. About 130 people sought medical treatment at that festival while 16 people were rushed to hospital. Three had to be placed in induced comas with suspected drug overdoses. Only months prior to that, a 21-year-old woman and 23-year-old man died of drug overdoses at the Deqfon 1. festival in western Sydney. Joseph Pham, from Edensor Park, was one of four revellers who collapsed at the music festival in Penrith, in Sydney's west. He died shortly after. Diana Nguyen, from Melbourne, also died. The recent deaths have once again sparked a debate over whether pill testing at festivals should be introduced to give revelers a better understanding of what they could be ingesting. A heartbroken wife has described her husband as 'completely irreplaceable' after he stopped breathing in his sleep while holidaying in Bali. Perth resident Chris Taylor, 34, died suddenly on Thursday, leaving behind his wife Ebony Taylor, 36, two-year-old son Reef and eight-month-old son Drift. 'He was the most amazing father to his boys the love of my life,' Mrs Taylor told Perth Now. 'He is completely irreplaceable. The best man I've ever met. Perth man Chris Taylor (pictured middle) with his two boys - Reef and Drift - the 34-year-old died suddenly in Bali last week Chris Taylor (pictured right) with his wife Ebony - the father of two passed away suddenly in Bali last Thursday 'I just don't see what the future is going to be like without him in it.' Mrs Taylor has since told numerous media outlets her husband stopped breathing in his sleep. The former flight attendant frantically administered CPR for almost an hour in their hotel room while waiting for an ambulance. Tragically, it never arrived. Mrs Taylor then continued CPR on the way to a nearby hospital in a hotel vehicle. Mrs Taylor and her two boys now face an uncertain future, with Mr Taylor, a carpenter, the sole family financial provider. A Go Fund Me campaign to return Mr Taylor's body back to Australia has already raised over $25,000. Mr Taylor (pictured left) was described by his wife Ebony as 'completely irreplaceable' Chris Taylor (pictured left) with his family in Perth - the devoted family died suddenly in Bali last week The cause of Mr Taylor's death remains unknown, with no autopsy performed in Bali. Another Perth man, Ashok Joshi, 69, also passed away on the holiday island on Thursday. He was swimming at a beach in Seminyak where he drowned after he was dragged out to sea. A volcano on Indonesia's tourist island of Bali shot a new burst of hot ash into the air on Sunday in the latest of a week full of eruptions. Mount Agung erupted for about three minutes, spewing white clouds of smoke and ash more than 700 metres into the air, the Volcanology and Geological Mitigation Agency said in a statement. The eruption of the 3,031-meter volcano didn't prompt evacuations, and its alert status remains at the second-highest level. A volcano on Indonesia's tourist island of Bali shot a new burst of hot ash into the air on Sunday in the latest of a week full of eruptions Mount Agung erupted for about three minutes, spewing white clouds of smoke and ash more than 700 metres into the air The agency warned tourists to stay away from the danger zone, a 4-kilometer radius around the crater. Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that white dust from the eruption blanketed several villages close to the mountain slope in Karangasem district. Ngurah Rai International Airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said that flights were operating normally. Authorities said the air around Denpasar, the Bali provincial capital, is clear from ash. More than 140,000 people had fled the area around the mountain in late September after its alert status was raised to the highest level, indicating an eruption may be imminent. The eruption of the 3,031-meter volcano didn't prompt evacuations, and its alert status remains at the second-highest level Ngurah Rai International Airport spokesman Arie Ahsanurrohim said that flights were operating normally. Authorities said the air around Denpasar, the Bali provincial capital, is clear from ash The alert status was lowered two weeks later, allowing for the return of those displaced from government shelters The alert status was lowered two weeks later, allowing for the return of those displaced from government shelters. An eruption in 1963 killed about 1,100 people. Agung lies about 70 kilometers (45 miles) northeast of Bali's tourist hotspot of Kuta. It is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location on the so-called 'Ring of Fire'. The 'ring of Fire' is a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere through Japan and Southeast Asia. Last week, Anak Krakatau in Indonesia's Sunda Straits erupted and collapsed into the sea, causing a tsunami that killed 431 people on Java and Sumatra. More than 46,600 were displaced. David Gerald McNabb, 43, was pronounced dead at a California hospital early Saturday morning A former California sheriff's deputy with a history of domestic violence was shot dead by authorities after he allegedly stabbed to death his mother, sister, and another man on Friday night. David Gerald McNabb, 43, is alleged to have killed his sister, Nicole McNabb, 34; his mother, Melania McNabb, 64; and Carlos Echavarria, 63. Echavarria lived inside the home in Orcutt, California where the killings took place, according to the Ventura County Star. The alleged triple murder took place Friday night at a home in the gate community of Oakhill Estates in Orcutt, an unincorporated village of Santa Barbara County. Sheriff's deputies were dispatched at around 8pm to the 5900 block of Oakhill Drive, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Dispatchers were notified by a person who walked into the home and 'found a bloody scene inside.' McNabb, 43, is alleged to have killed his sister, Nicole McNabb, 34; his mother, Melania McNabb, 64; and Carlos Echavarria, 63 The four were living in the same home in the gated community of Oakhill Estates in Orcutt, California 'She discovered a victim covered in blood in a bathtub, fled the residence and called for help,' sheriff's spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said. When deputies arrived at the home, they concluded that there was a man inside armed with a rifle. The deputies believed there were multiple wounded inside the home. 'It became a situation where they needed to go in and rescue the people who were inside the home,' Hoover said. Hoover said that deputies made contact with the armed man inside the home. It reached a point where the deputies 'were in a position where they had to shoot the subject in order to subdue him.' Deputies assigned to the Sheriff's Special Enforcement Team stormed the home and 'confronted' the suspect. Nicole McNabb is pictured in the undated file photo above Nicole McNabb was living in the same home as her brother, mother, and another man, Echavarria, whose connection to the family is unclear Hoover said that the suspect was 'initially shot with less-lethal munitions, followed by the use of deadly force.' The Sheriff's Office is conducting a review of the case since this was an officer-involved shooting. The man was then rushed to a local hospital and pronounced dead early Saturday morning. The suspect, David McNabb, worked as a custody deputy for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office from July 2001 to March 2012. He voluntarily resigned from that job, according to the Sheriff's Office. Melania McNabb, 64, is seen in the above undated file photo Police have yet to uncover a motive for the alleged killings. Melania McNabb is seen in the photos above In September 2012, he was arrested by police in Oxnard and booked at Ventura County Jail. In May 2014, he was convicted of felony domestic violence. The three victims were found beaten and stabbed to death by the suspect, who also lived inside the home. So far investigators have yet to establish a motive for the killings. The person who reported the incident to 911 dispatchers escaped the home and was not harmed, according to investigators. Authorities say this was an isolated incident and not indicative of any crime wave affecting the area. 'This appears to be a situation where it was isolated to this residence,' Hoover said. Echavarria, 63, is seen in the above photo. Echavarria lived inside the home in Orcutt, California where the killings took place 'It's still very early, but at this time and this point it appears to be a very tragic situation.' While deputies were initially responding to the scene, authorities sent out an emergency text message to residents of the Oakhill Estates neighborhood to 'shelter in place until further notice.' Paris, TX (75460) Today Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low near 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms this evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low near 60F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Jean-Claude Juncker has called on the UK to 'get your act together' over Brexit, branding some Britons 'entirely unreasonable' for expecting Brussels to put forward a solution. The European Commission president also rejected claims of a plot to keep the UK in the EU 'by all possible means' and revealed he fears the majority of MPs 'deeply distrust' both the EU and Theresa May. The top Eurocrat's comments to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag were published as Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox said the chances of Britain leaving the European Union will be little more than '50-50' if the Prime Minister's deal is rejected by Parliament. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be 'incendiary' and said it was 'a matter of honour' for them to support the PM. Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured with Theresa May) has called on the UK to 'get your act together' over Brexit It comes amid reports that senior MPs from both Conservative and Labour are plotting to delay Brexit by months in a bid to avoid a no-deal Brexit. Cross-party plans are underway to push the March 28 date back as far as July following secret talks over the past several weeks, the Observer claims. MPs are due to vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the week of January 7 after Mrs May, facing the prospect of a significant defeat, pulled the original date of December 11. However the bid to buy more time to secure key concessions on the Irish backstop, the key flashpoint for DUP and Brexiteer detractors of the deal, appeared to falter when her fellow leaders refused to change the legal text of the agreement. The PM said talks would continue, although the EU has repeatedly warned negotiations over the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. Should MPs reject it when they vote in the coming weeks it could raise the prospect of no-deal and with it the risk of heavy economic consequences for the UK and EU, or a second referendum on Brexit. Mr Juncker said: 'It is not us who are leaving the United Kingdom it is the United Kingdom that is leaving the European Union. 'I find it entirely unreasonable for parts of the British public to believe that it is for the EU alone to propose a solution for all future British problems. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said Government cannot renege on Brexit (Victoria Jones/PA) 'My appeal is this: get your act together and then tell us what it is you want. Our proposed solutions have been on the table for months.' Mr Juncker said it was up to the British to decide if the final decision is put back to the people in a second referendum or so-called People's Vote. However he said he was 'working on the assumption that (the UK) will leave, because that is what the people of the United Kingdom have decided'. 'I have the impression that the majority of British MPs deeply distrust both the EU and Mrs May,' Mr Juncker added. 'It is being insinuated that our aim is to keep the United Kingdom in the EU by all possible means. That is not our intention.' Dr Fox told the Sunday Times that Brexit will only be '100% certain' if the House of Commons backs the Prime Minister's deal in a crunch vote next month. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be 'incendiary' and said it was 'a matter of honour' for them to support the PM. A defeat for Theresa May (pictured at church on Christmas Day) could lead to a no-deal Brexit, a confidence vote in the House of Commons or a possible general election Having given the public the right to decide on EU membership in a referendum, 'Parliament cannot now, with any honour, renege on that result', said Dr Fox. 'Were they to do so, I think you would shatter the bond of trust between the electorate and Parliament. And I think that would put us into unprecedented territory with unknowable consequences.' Campaigners for a second EU referendum seized on the International Trade Secretary's comments, saying that polls suggested that fewer than 50% of Britons now want to leave the EU. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a leading supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a referendum, said: 'Brexit not happening isn't 50-50 as Liam Fox says. It's actually 56-44.' Defeat for May could stop Brexit: Britain's departure from the EU will be '50-50' if MPs vote down PM's deal with Brussels, warns Liam Fox The chances of Brexit will be no more than 50-50 if MPs vote down Theresa May's withdrawal deal, pro-Leave minister Liam Fox has said. The Commons will vote on the deal in the week beginning on January 14 after Mrs May, expecting to lose, delayed the 'meaningful vote' earlier this month. A defeat for Mrs May could lead to a no-deal Brexit, a confidence vote in the Commons or a possible general election. The International Trade Secretary told The Sunday Times it was a 'matter of honour' for MPs to back the PM's deal. The chances of Brexit will be no more than 50-50 if MPs vote down Theresa May's withdrawal deal, pro-Leave minister Liam Fox (pictured in Downing Street earlier this month) has said Dr Fox, who backed Leave in 2016, warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be 'incendiary. Having given the public the right to decide on EU membership in a referendum, 'Parliament cannot now, with any honour, renege on that result', the Cabinet minister said. 'Were they to do so, I think you would shatter the bond of trust between the electorate and Parliament. And I think that would put us into unprecedented territory with unknowable consequences.' He said he 'would not give it much more than 50-50' for Britain to leave the EU if the deal is voted down. Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour will oppose the deal, calling it a 'miserable failure of negotiation' and the 'worst of all worlds' Mrs May's 585-page withdrawal deal sparked fury on the Tory backbenches when it was unveiled last month. Conservative rebels were fiercely critical of the Irish backstop, voicing fears it would leave Britain tied to EU trading rules indefinitely. They failed to oust Mrs May in a confidence vote earlier this month, meaning she cannot face another challenge from her party for a year. However her government could still be toppled by a confidence vote in the House of Commons, although Jeremy Corbyn has so far declined to call one. Mr Corbyn has said Labour will oppose the deal, calling it a 'miserable failure of negotiation' and the 'worst of all worlds'. Campaigners for a second EU referendum seized on Dr Fox's comments, pointing to polls suggesting that fewer than 50 per cent of Britons now want to leave the EU. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a leading supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a referendum, said: 'Brexit not happening isn't 50-50 as Liam Fox says. It's actually 56-44. 'That's the way the public now feels about us stopping this badly-led disaster and strengthening ourselves within the EU. 'The only thing that is shattering the bond of trust between electorate and Parliament is the refusal of ministers like Liam Fox to trust people with the final say on Brexit.' A young man who died from a suspected drug overdose at a popular music festival has been revealed in an image taken just hours before his death. Josh Tam, 22, has been identified as the young man who died from a suspected overdose on Sunday at the Lost Paradise music festival near Gosford on NSW's Central Coast. Mr Tam, from Toowong in Brisbane, was rushed to Gosford hospital at 8pm on Saturday after he ingested an unknown substance. He died soon after he arrived. Josh Tam, 22, (pictured) has been identified as the young man who died from a suspected overdose on the second day of the Lost Paradise music festival in Gosford NSW One of the images was taken just hours before his death and shows Mr Tam (highlighted left) alongside a group of friends enjoying the final days of 2018 One of the images was taken just hours before his death and shows Mr Tam alongside a group of friends enjoying the final days of 2018. However just hours after the picture was taken those same friends were forced to identify his body, police said on Sunday. Festival organisers took to their social media account to share a safety message in the wake of the tragic incidents. 'Our medical teams have alerted us to a dangerous orange pill that is currently in circulation across Australia,' the post reads. 'We want to remind everyone of the potentially fatal risks that come with illicit substances. You do not know what is in them, how your body will react, there is no safe level of consumption.' 'One pill can kill.' Two others, a man and a woman, remain in hospital in a stable condition, after ingesting an unknown substance. The young man attended the festival with up to 20 mates, and made the almost 10 hour drive from his hometown to be there for the four-day event. While over 40 officers were stationed at the festival, which is hidden in the pristine Glenworth Valley, monitoring attendees and checking cars before entrance, illicit substances still made their way inside. Brisbane Water Police District Commander Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said festival-goers were becoming more creative when it came to sneaking drugs into the event. Mr Tam (pictured), from Toowong in Brisbane, was rushed to Gosford hospital about 8pm on Saturday after he ingested an unknown substance but died soon after Safety messages were plastered behind the stage during the Lost Paradise Festival encouraging people to look after their mates (pictured) 'People aren't carrying it in their pockets. They aren't that careless,' he said. 'We have found drugs in aerosol containers and other items. In one instance, the drugs were in a stuffed barbeque chicken.' 'We tried to insulate the festival as best we could and I think we've done a good job at that. Unfortunately some of those drugs got through, and unfortunately some of those drugs have had fatal consequences,' Supt Peet said. At 12:15pm, another two ambulances rushed through the security check points and into the festival. One of the messages at the Lost Paradise festival was specific to the use of MDMA while at the festival which saw the death of one young 22-year-old man Mr Tam died and two people are being treated after taking an unknown substance at a music festival west of Gosford on Saturday At 12:15pm, another two ambulances rushed through the security check points and into the festival Security guards were tight lipped on Sunday, as festival goers continued into the festival. A sign along the quiet road into the festival read: 'all vehicles will be searched'. Outside the first security checkpoint were two young men waiting to pick up a female friend, and two entrepreneurs who had been selling hats and t-shirts. Dominique Falco said she thought the festival was a safe environment, and appeared disappointed to hear of Saturday night's tragedy. She said she went for the live music and because she liked yoga. 'It's a pretty chilled out vibe,' she said. While over 40 officers are stationed at the festival monitoring attendees and checking cars before entrance, illicit substances still made their way inside The 22-year-old Queensland man was rushed to Gosford Hospital about 8pm but died soon after A Lost Paradise festival spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the festival implemented multiple policies and procedures to educate the youth in attendance on drug safety. 'This is a very distressing incident and our sincerest thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the deceased. 'Lost Paradise is a strictly drug-free event that is about celebrating life, love and nature in a fun, safe and welcoming environment. 'A great deal of planning and effort goes into ensuring the safety and welfare of our festival-goers and event staff. 'We work closely with local police to try to ensure festival-goers respect our drug free policy and NSW Ambulance to provide extensive medical support across the festival site. A sign along the quiet road into the festival read: 'all vehicles will be searched' 'This year, we have also engaged DanceWize NSW, a NUAA program that is funded by the NSW Ministry of Health to educate people on the implications of drug use, and offer peer support and health resources. 'The matter is the subject of a police investigation and we will continue to cooperate and provide whatever assistance we can.' Police have conducted searches using drug dogs on 184 people and 97 cars. Of these, 50 people have been issued court attendance notices for drug possession, and seven given cannabis cautions. Three people have been charged with drug supply offences, including a 23-year-old man from Elanora Heights who was allegedly caught with 80 MDMA pills and 65 bags of cocaine. He has been charged with supplying a prohibited drug and possessing a prescribed prohibited substance. Police have conducted searches using drug dogs on 184 people and 97 cars A 21-year-old man from Drummoyne was allegedly caught with 105 MDMA pills and charged with supplying a prohibited drug and possessing a prescribed prohibited substance. Both men will appear in Gosford Local Court on Friday January 18. A 23-year-old man from Glendale was allegedly found with 26 MDMA pills and was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for supplying a prohibited drug. He is due to appear in Gosford Local Court on Tuesday 5 February 2019. About 11,000 people have turned out for the Lost Paradise music festival in the Glenworth Valley, 20km west of Gosford. The festival runs from Friday December 28 to Tuesday January 1. A man has died and two people are being treated after taking an unknown substance at a music festival west of Gosford on Saturday The death comes only weeks after Callum Brosnan, 19, died of a drug overdose at a train station near the Knockout Games of Destiny festival at Sydney Olympic Park in the city's west. About 130 people sought medical treatment at that festival while 16 people were rushed to hospital. Three had to be placed in induced comas with suspected drug overdoses. Only months prior to that, a 21-year-old woman and 23-year-old man died of drug overdoses at the Deqfon 1. festival in western Sydney. Joseph Pham, from Edensor Park, was one of four revellers who collapsed at the music festival in Penrith, in Sydney's west. He died shortly after. Diana Nguyen, from Melbourne, also died. The police operation continues on-site, and inquiries into the death of the man are ongoing. A number has been advertised for festival goers who are in need of assistance can call the patron safety line on 1300 940 928 and on 1300 322 441. British combat troops should be given enhanced scans to detect unseen brain injuries which doctors say can cause dementia and post-traumatic stress disorder, an influential MP has demanded. Soldiers often suffer minor brain haemorrhages as a result of explosions on the front line which go undetected. If untreated, this damage to the brain can lead to serious mental health problems and even suicide. Now, Julian Lewis, chairman of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, has suggested the failure to scan UK soldiers for brain injuries could be one of the reasons behind the surge in suicides among British veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. British combat troops should be given enhanced scans to detect unseen brain injuries which doctors say can cause dementia and post-traumatic stress disorder, an influential MP has demanded. Stock pic He is calling for the Ministry of Defence to provide specialist scans for combat troops, in particular those soldiers who were struck by enemy improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during these campaigns. Remarkably, while US combat troops are routinely tested, there is no referral system for British squaddies. There are understood to be only two scanners in the UK capable of detecting mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). As The Mail on Sunday has revealed, British troops who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq are killing themselves at a faster rate than their comrades died on the battlefield one every 13 days in 2018 compared to one death every 14 days in these war zones. Last night, Mr Lewis said: A failure to diagnose TBIs at an early stage puts blast survivors at significant risk of long-term suffering and even suicide. We should be diagnosing this much sooner. As The Mail on Sunday has revealed, British troops who fought in Afghanistan and Iraq are killing themselves at a faster rate than their comrades died on the battlefield one every 13 days in 2018 compared to one death every 14 days in these war zones. Stock pic It should be a matter of the highest priority that, if people have been subjected to IEDs in the service of their country, a screening programme should be in place to assess them properly and promptly. High-powered scanners called Tesla 7s are required to identify these changes in mental behaviour which, if untreated, can cause dementia and PTSD. The UKs only Tesla 7 scanners are based at Aston and Nottingham universities where the first medical tests for brain damage among UK veterans are due to take place next year. Last night, psychotherapist Mandy Bostwick, who is involved in the research, suggested there may be thousands of cases of undiagnosed brain damage among British veterans. She said: Roadside bombs were the signature weapon of the enemies of British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. Those responsible at the MoD for failing to develop a referral pathway to brain scans need to be held to account. Last night, the MoD said: The health of those who serve our country is of the utmost importance, which is why we strive to give them the very best care. Former junior Health Minister Nicola Blackwood, pictured during the General Election last year, is now being lined up by Downing Street for a shock comeback at the Health Department as a Minister in the Lords Theresa May is set to elevate a one-time Tory rising star to the House of Lords just 18 months after she lost her seat in the Commons, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Former junior Health Minister Nicola Blackwood once tipped as a future PM was one of the highest-profile casualties of the Conservatives 2017 General Election disaster. She is now being lined up by Downing Street for a shock comeback at the Health Department as a Minister in the Lords but the appointment risks sparking a fresh row about lobbying. Since losing her marginal seat of Oxford West and Abingdon to the Liberal Democrats in June last year, she has been working on health projects for Peter Mandelsons lobbying company Global Counsel. The companys website boasts about her experience from the health sector and notes that she works in policy areas related to technology and healthcare. When she took up the paid role as a senior adviser, Ms Blackwood was banned from contacting Government officials for two years due to fears of the Whitehall revolving door that sees former Ministers cash in on their contacts in the private sector. In a letter in April, the anti-corruption watchdog the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments warned her: There are risks attached given you are seeking to advise on matters related to your ministerial responsibilities. And officials insisted any use of your contacts, gained from your time in ministerial office, in order to influence Government policy or seek to do business with Government, would be inappropriate. They handed her a cooling-off period of 24 months where she was ordered not to contact Ministers, advisers or civil servants in a professional capacity. Number 10 is said to want Ms Blackwood to replace James OShaughnessy as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care. Pictured is Theresa May Despite her work for Labour grandee Lord Mandelson, No 10 wants Ms Blackwood to replace James OShaughnessy as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care when Parliament returns from its Christmas break next week. Lord OShaughnessy resigned unexpectedly from his role two weeks ago for family reasons. The Mail on Sunday understands that Ms Blackwoods seat in the upper chamber is subject to approval by the Lords Appointments Commission, which will convene next week and is likely to scrutinise her lobbying work before passing any judgment. Last night Labours Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jon Trickett criticised the planned appointment, saying: If the Tories do plan to put Nicola Blackwood in the House of Lords and make her a Health Minister, it is yet another shocking example of the revolving door between highly paid advisory roles and lobbying, and the Government. 'She was rejected by voters in 2017, so the Conservatives should listen to the public and back down on appointing her to the House of Lords and then placing her straight into the Department of Health. Ms Blackwood did not respond to requests for comment last night. A gong for Tash, the stylist behind Kates edgier fashion sense By Robbie Griffiths, Deputy Diary Editor Natasha Archer, pictured with Chris Jackson at Guards Polo Club, has been made a member of the Royal Victorian Order She has been credited with transforming the Duchess of Cambridges wardrobe. Now Natasha Archer will have to pick out her own outfit for a special Buckingham Palace event after being made a member of the Royal Victorian Order (RVO). Miss Archer has worked with the Duchess for more than a decade and has reportedly encouraged her to take an edgier approach when it comes to fashion. In April, she masterminded the impeccable appearance of Kate, 36, on the steps of St Marys Hospital in West London, shortly after she gave birth to her third child, Prince Louis. The 31 year-old known as Tash joined the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a personal assistant in 2007 after graduating from Kings College London. She previously attended Uppingham School in Rutland. Four years ago, she was promoted to become the Duchesss stylist and was a key figure in the Cambridges successful tour of Australia, where she was spotted watching a rugby match with the Royal couple. The RVO was established in 1896 by Queen Victoria and recognises distinguished personal service to members of the Royal Family. The honour caps a remarkable month for Miss Archer. A few days before Christmas, she gave birth to her first child, Theo. Four years ago, she was promoted to become the Duchesss stylist and was a key figure in the Cambridges successful tour of Australia, where she was spotted watching a rugby match (pictured) with the Royal couple Her husband, Chris Jackson, took the official photographs for Prince Charless 70th birthday. Sharing a photograph of his wife and new son on Twitter, Mr Jackson wrote: Could not be more proud of these two!! Absolute legends I think this may be the best photo Ive ever taken! Other honours for Royal staff include a Royal Victoria Medal (RVM) for Austin David Clarke, the former head groom for Princes William and Harry. Captain Hannah Winterbourne, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, pictured, has been made a Member of the British Empire ...and MBE for the Armys top transgender officer The British Armys highest-ranking transgender officer has been made a Member of the British Empire in the New Year Honours List. Captain Hannah Winterbourne, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, transitioned in 2015 after serving on the front line in 2011 Afghanistan as a man. The trailblazing officer is considered a role model to increasing numbers of troops who are applying to change gender. Confirming her MBE on Twitter, Capt Winterbourne, who lives in Wiltshire with her actor husband Jake Graf, who is also transgender, said: Honestly such an honour Completely overwhelmed. She has described the Army as the perfect environment to transition. About 40 Army personnel are understood to be receiving gender reassignment treatment. This is the horrifying moment a helicopter exploded into a fireball and killed all four people on board. Shocking footage captures the chopper spinning out of control after reportedly clipping the world's longest zip line, the Ras al-Khaimah wire, near Dubai. The clip shows the helicopter as it wildly rotates through the air before going up in flames at the side of UAE's tallest mountain Jebel Jais on Saturday. Shocking footage captures the chopper spinning out of control after reportedly clipping the world's longest zip line, the Ras al-Khaimah wire, near Dubai Terrified witnesses claim the choppers rotors got tangled in the steel wire, Gulf News reports. Onlooker Salam Naif told Khaleej Times: "The chopper went into a spin all of a sudden and then crashed into the mountain. It burst into a ball of fire." Authorities said the Agusta 139 rescue helicopter was heading towards an emergency before the horrific crash. The video captures the helicopter as it wildly rotates through the air on Saturday The National Search and Rescue Centre confirmed that four crew members were on board at the time. The victims were named as pilots Humaid Al Zaabi, Saqr Al Yamahi and Jassim Al Tunaiji, along with South African paramedic Mark T. Al Zaabi. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, leader of Ras al-Khaimah, last night ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. A senior aviation official told Gulf News: The accident happened at 5:50pm on Saturday and the helicopter was on a mission to airlift an injured man from Jebel Jais. The helicopter crashed before reaching the man. The Duchess of Sussex's half-sister Samantha Markle has reportedly been placed on a 'fixated persons' list over the risks she poses of embarrassing the Royal family. Samantha, 53, who lives in Florida, has made a string of public snipes at Meghan since she was not invited to the Royal Wedding earlier this year. The Duchess's protection officers are understood to have briefed Scotland Yard detectives over the the damage Samantha could cause to the Royal family's reputation. The Duchess of Sussex's (left) half-sister Samantha Markle (right) has reportedly been placed on a 'fixated persons' list over the risks she poses of embarrassing the Royal family Earlier this month, Samantha sent a Christmas card to Meghan telling her the 'time was now' to 'end the rift' with her estranged father Thomas. In a picture of the card published by the Sunday Mirror, Samantha wrote: 'Dad has been trying to contact you and is very hurt because you are avoiding him.' And Samantha, who has multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair, was said to have been turned away at Kensington Palace gates in October after she flew unannounced to confront her sister over the ongoing family feud. She is also understood to be writing a book about her sister called In the Shadows of The Duchess, which was previously named The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister. Samantha Markle was reportedly turned away at Kensington Palace gates in October after she flew unannounced to confront her sister over the ongoing family feud Samantha sent a Christmas card to Meghan telling her the 'time was now' to 'end the rift' with her estranged father Thomas Scotland Yard's Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC) is a police unit which works with the NHS to identify risks posed by 'lone individuals' who stalk or harass public figures. On FTAC's website, it states that it 'helps such people get the care they need and, by doing so, decreases any risk they might pose, not just to prominent people, but to the individuals families and to those around them.' A Scotland Yard source told The Sunday Times: 'Someone like Samantha presents a risk rather than a threat. She is not committing criminal offences, but she is causing concerns for the royal family. 'There is big potential for some major embarrassment for the royals. Samantha could make a scene and create headlines with her actions and let's face it she's kind of already done that.' Speaking from San Diego during an interview with Good Morning Britain, Thomas Markle made a public appeal to his daughter to get in touch A source told The Sunday Times that FTAC would have been informed by the Duchess about Samantha's 'pattern of unwanted and persistent behaviour'. Taking to Twitter, Samantha responded: 'This is ridiculous as Im in an electric wheelchair and I live on a different continent LOL and advocating for doing the right thing by our dad is hardly fixation'. This comes after Samantha took a swipe at Meghan and Prince Harry over their official Christmas card, hinting that the Royal had 'turned her back on her family'. The Christmas card is a black and white photograph of the couple with their backs to the camera watching fireworks from their wedding day. She said: 'Interesting that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have their backs turned. The Christmas card is black and white photograph of the couple with their backs to the camera watching fireworks from their wedding day 'Is this towards the world or just the Ragland and Markle family? It's a bit sad. Face the Christmas spirit.' Thomas Markle also made an appearance on Good Morning Britain where he begged for his daughter to get in touch. The 74-year-old said: 'I love my daughter very much and she has to know that. I would really appreciate if she would just call me, reach out to me somehow, send me a text, just say you're there and you're hearing me.' A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'We do not confirm the identity of any person who may or may not be of interest to police unless that person has been charged with an offence.' Kayla Lynton, 23, pictured, is facing jail after her six-month-old daughter drowned in the bath in Tel Aviv, Israel A mother-of-two is reportedly facing jail if a police probe into what happened in the time leading up to her baby's death finds that she may have been checking Facebook. Kayla Lynton, 23, was arrested in Tel Aviv and police are said to be looking at her phone and a 'ten minute window' in which Naomi is thought to have drowned. Baby Naomi was rushed to hospital in July but died after a week in a coma, reports the Mirror. Mrs Lynton, who is married to British recruitment worker Ilan Lynton, is now on a 2,000-shekel (420) surety bond while she waits to hear if she'll be indicted and is said to be 'devastated.' A source reportedly said: 'Police are looking at whether she was on social media when she should have been caring for her daughter. 'Shes obviously devastated and now shes having to deal with a potential criminal case as well.' The mother-of-two (pictured) is married to British recruitment worker Ilan Lynton, who moved to Israel more than five years ago and they have two daughters Elizabeth and baby Naomi Mrs Lynton is believed to have said she'd left the baby to go to the toilet, however reports have also said that as part of the police probe into the time leading up to her child's death officers are also looking at any possible mobile phone use. Her husband confirmed to the Mirror that police have taken her phone and are looking at whether she was on social media apps at the time. Her lawyer, Ofer Bartal, reportedly said she tried to resuscitate her six-month-old daughter and they are now waiting to hear whether Tel Aviv police will indict her. He explained that the most severe potential offence that she could be charged with could come with a nine-year prison sentence. He said: 'Kayla was interrogated on the day it happened but released the same day. Now she has been questioned one more time.' It is believed that Mrs Lynton (pictured) first said she'd left the baby to go to the toilet but her husband has confirmed police have taken her phone and are looking into whether she was on social media at the time The conditions of Mrs Lynton's surety bond reportedly reveal police are looking at several possible charges, including neglect of a minor and negligent supervision of a child. Mr Lynton moved to Israel from Shoreditch, East London, more than five years ago and the couple also have a two-year-old daughter called Elizabeth. Mr and Mrs Lynton are thought to have separated since their youngest daughter's death and he was described as 'heartbroken.' A source said: 'He finds comfort in looking after his daughter, Elizabeth, but hes obviously heartbroken.' The world's most wanted woman, a British mother responsible for the deaths of as many as 400 people, is in hiding in Yemen, British security services believe. Spies have made a crucial breakthrough in the search for 'White Widow' Samantha Lewthwaite, 35, having received new intelligence she is hiding out in the Middle Eastern country. A source close to the seven-year hunt for Lewthwaite, the widow of one of the 7/7 suicide bombers, told the Mirror: 'She remains our number one target and we believe the net is finally closing in. We will get her.' The killer, who is the daughter of a British soldier, is believed to be under the protection of fighters from the militant network Al-Shabaab. 'White Widow' Samantha Lewthwaite, having received new intelligence she is hiding out in the Middle Eastern country. She is understood to have relocated to war-torn Yemen after being linked to atrocities in Kenya and Somalia in Africa. Intelligence operatives believe she recent visited Dubai and they fear she may be plotting further terror attacks, including strikes on London. The latest intelligence is said to have been gathered after an MI6 officer in Kenyan capital Nairobi recruited a source with close links to the 35-year-old. The information, described as 'credible', is understood tips that she already has a range of contacts in Yemen, particularly in the former British colony of Aden and the major seaport of Mukalla. This selfie of Samantha Lewthwaite was found on a laptop by police Selfie of Lewthwaite found on her laptop. Spies believe she has since dramatically altered her weight and appearance A photo from a fake South African passport alleged to be Samantha Lewthwaite, under an assumed name A source said: 'Yemen is a hotbed for Al-Shabaab recruitment and its chaotic political situation gives an advantage to on-the-run terrorists like her.' Lewthwaite, of Aylesbury, Bucks, was the wife of 7/7 bomber Germaine Lindsay, who killed 26 on the Tube in 2005.. FACT BOX TITLE Lewthwaite is thought to be behind scores of suicide attacks across Africa and the Middle East. Her father was a British Army soldier who served in the 9th/12th Royal Lancers. She converted to Islam as a teenager and went on to marry Jamaica-born extremist Germaine Lindsay. Her 'The White Widow' nickname came after Lindsay blew himself up on July 7, 2005 during a series of bombings across London which killed 52 people. He killed 26 civilians in his suicide attack. Lewthwaite was eight months pregnant with their second child, a daughter, at the time of his death, and their first child, a son, was 14 months old. Now the mother-of-four, - whose third and fourth children are believed to have been born to al-Shabaab-linked fathers - is reported to be in Yemen. Advertisement Interpol issued a Red Notice arrest warrant for her after she was linked to the 2013 Westgate Mall attack in Kenya, which left five Brits and 66 other people dead, and around 200 injured. Security services believe her other atrocities include the slaughter of 148 people by gunmen at a university in 2015. In Yemen, she is understood to have recruited female suicide bombers with bribes of 300 a huge amount locally for desperate families. She is also thought to have sent male suicide bombers as young as 15, high on heroin, to their deaths. London University graduate Lewthwaite is said to have altered her appearance through plastic surgery and piled on weight in a bid to remain unrecognised. She has pledged to raise all of her four children, who have three different fathers, as jihadis. This summer is was reported that she was recruiting suicide bombers to target holidaymakers. Intelligence obtained by UK agents suggested she was trying to gather a team of fanatics to attack popular resorts across the globe, and said shows she had already recruited dozens of women for terrorist missions, including white Islam converts like her. It is feared Lewthwaite has taught up to 30 terrorists how to make suicide vests and choose locations to detonate them, the Daily Star Sunday reported. Potential targets included the UK, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, the Spanish Costas and the Canary Islands, according to encrypted emails, phone calls and foreign intelligence. Advertisement Thousands of colourful revellers have flocked to the Tropical Fruits Festival - which promises attendees a psychedelic entry into the New Year. The eclectic event lauds itself as one of Australia's premier events for the LGBTIQ community and sees party goers pile into the Lismore Showgrounds on New South Wales' lush north coast. Donning eccentric outfits ranging from fantastic to unforgettable, Tropical Fruits will welcome 3,000 party goers across the four-day camping event. Thousands of colourful revellers have flocked to the Tropical Fruits Festival - which promises attendees a psychedelic entry into the New Year The eclectic event lauds itself as one of Australia's premier events for the LGBTIQ community and sees party goers pile into the Lismore Showgrounds on New South Wales' lush north coast One enthusiastic party goer got in the mood with a barely-there gold sarong and bra set which they matched with a platinum wig and material which had its own wingspan Donning eccentric outfits ranging from fantastic to unforgettable, Tropical Fruits will welcome 3,000 party goers across the four-day camping event Others chose to stay true to the festival's rainbow roots and opted for a range of multi-coloured outfits On the more revealing end of the spectrum, were those who chose various forms of undergarments in lieu of traditional costumes One enthusiastic party goer got in the mood with a barely-there gold sarong and bra set which they matched with a platinum wig and material which had its own wingspan. Others however chose to stay true to the festival's rainbow roots and opted for a range of multi-coloured outfits. On the more revealing end of the spectrum, were those who chose various forms of undergarments in lieu of traditional costumes. Another man showed off his trim physique in a pair of briefs which cheekily read 'gang bang' to hoards of onlookers. Established in 1988, Tropical Fruits prides itself on being the is the premier LGBTIQ festival serving New South Wales' relatively secluded north coast In the two weeks which straddle the festival's start and end dates, over $10 million is expected to be poured into the local economy In its first year three decades ago, the festival attracted just 200 people and was held at the Repentance Creek Hall 30 kilometres from the current site Tropical Fruits attracts party goers from all over Australia and is estimated to help pour millions of dollars into the regional New South Wales area Locals have also embraced the event's colourful and eccentric nature - and the economic surge it brings to the town Established in 1988, Tropical Fruits prides itself on being the is the premier LGBTIQ festival serving New South Wales' relatively secluded north coast. In the two weeks which straddle the festival's start and end dates, over $10 million is expected to be poured into the local economy. But despite its now-lucrative status Tropical Fruits comes from firmly humble beginnings. In its first year three decades ago, the festival attracted just 200 people and was held at the Repentance Creek Hall 30 kilometres from the current site. But despite its now-lucrative status Tropical Fruits comes from firmly humble beginnings in a village hall 30 years ago On the more revealing end of the spectrum, were those who chose various forms of undergarments in lieu of traditional costumes Locals have also embraced the event's colourful and eccentric nature - and the economic surge it brings to the town. Beauty therapist Tracy Newton told the ABC ahead of last year's fest that the attendees made this period her busiest week of the year. 'I get a lot of the gay boys coming in for spray-tans, waxing and other bits and pieces,' she said. Tropical Fruits is this year celebrating its 30th annual event and will be capped off with an aptly named 'Recovery Party' on New Year's Day Some party goers chose to stay true to the festival's rainbow roots and opted for a range of multi-coloured outfits 'Over the last few years I've actually missed the parade because I've had my head down and my waxing arms swinging. 'Once you do a good job for them, they spread the word throughout their community and you look after one and you're looking after a whole family.' Tropical Fruits is this year celebrating its 30th annual event and will be capped off with an aptly named 'Recovery Party' on New Year's Day. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a New Year letter to his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, said on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a 'wide-ranging agenda', the Kremlin said in a statement. 'Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia - United States) relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security,' a Kremlin statement said. 'He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda.' Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a New Year letter to his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, said on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a 'wide-ranging agenda' (pictured at the G20 in November with Trump) In a separate letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Putin pledged continuation of aid to the Syrian government and people in the 'fight against terrorism'. Putin also sent New Year greetings to world leaders including prime ministers Theresa May of Britain and Shinzo Abe of Japan, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping. Putin wished 'well-being and prosperity to the British people', the Kremlin said. Russia's embassy in London said on Friday Moscow and London had agreed to return some staff to their respective embassies after they expelled dozens of diplomats early this year. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats over accusations the Kremlin was behind a nerve toxin attack in March on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury. Russia, which denies any involvement in the poisoning, sent home the same number of British embassy workers in retaliation. A police force has been slammed for posting a 'ludicrous' Twitter poll asking people to cast their votes on which village officers should patrol. Wiltshire Police were immediately deluged with complaints from irate residents who claimed it tipped off criminals as to where officers would be. John Miller, 71, from Ramsbury, near Marlborough, said: 'What a stupid idea - you can almost imagine the criminals voting en masse, hoping to place enough votes to send the police to patrol one area so they can clean up somewhere else.' A police force has been slammed for posting a 'ludicrous' Twitter poll asking people to cast their votes on which village officers should patrol The village of Great Bedwyn was picked as the winner, with the force posting: 'Great Bedwyn got the vote! Quick pit stop to refuel and we'll head there!' Though much of Wiltshire is rural, it does have the major urban areas like Salisbury, scene of the Russian poison 'hit' earlier this year, and Swindon, where 'county' lines' drug runners operate. Yet Wiltshire Police used Twitter to reach out to residents asking them: 'Now where would you like us to patrol today?' The village of Great Bedwyn was picked as the winner, with the force posting: 'Great Bedwyn got the vote! Quick pit stop to refuel and we'll head there!' An angry backlash ensued as residents took to social media telling officers to 'stop playing silly games'. One user wrote: 'Wow, a poll to see where to patrol ? What next - a lucky dip to see who to arrest!' Another user said: 'So the criminals will be hitting Worton and Aldbourne later then.' One Twitter user said: 'What next, a poll on what crimes to investigate or suspects to charge? They could patrol by drone. What could possibly go wrong?' And another user said: 'Is this a joke? If it is it's not very funny @wiltshirepolice If it's serious you need to think about the message it sends out.' Later Wiltshire Police posted pictures updates from patrols around the villages where they posed next to dogs, ducks and flowerpots. A tweet from Marlborough showed a photo of a large flower pot with the caption 'Spotted a lovely display by Kennet Place!' A final tweet showed a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits with the caption 'Final scores on the doors - 18,000 steps walked. 100 miles driven. 'Foot patrol areas included Lavington, Urchfont, Avebury, Clatford, Marlborough, Great Bedwyn, Aldbourne, Worton. Time for a good old cuppa!' Wiltshire Police posted a a string of other tweets with photos from neighbouring villages while out on patrols A tweet from Marlborough showed a photo of a large flower pot with the caption 'Spotted a lovely display by Kennet Place!' (right) Mr Miller said: 'Who came up with this idea - it's ludicrous and crass. Talk about dumbing down' 'It's like they're kids at play instead of serious police officers. This is reducing our police to the level of a Eurovision Song Contest or the final of Strictly Come Dancing.' The force posted back: 'Not meant as a joke. We continually patrol rural areas. We are promoting our work and engaging with the communities.' Mr Lawrence said in response 'It's commendable but how do people who don't use social media get a say? Who decides which areas go on the poll? What happens in the places that don't win the vote?' A final tweet showed a cup of tea and a plate of biscuits with the caption 'Final scores on the doors - 18,000 steps walked. 100 miles driven' One Wiltshire shopkeeper, who asked not to be named, said: 'Surely there has to be a better way than asking the people to vote where officers should go on patrol on any given day. 'My shop was burgled last year and I had a lot of stock taken, but it took ages for the police to send anyone, and a few days later I was robbed again. 'We need police out on the streets, that's for sure, but it doesn't seem very inteillgent or smart to tell the criminals where you will be sending your patrols. 'They're hardly going to pick those places to rob, are they? So the patrols will have a nice, cosy stroll around the village, enjoying the sights and taking photographs to put on Twitter, painting a picture of it all being nice and peaceful. 'What's to say the burglars and rowdies aren't watching and waiting for them to get back in their patrol cars and drive off?' Tory and Labour MPs have reportedly been holding cross-party talks in a bid to push back Brexit. Senior ministers have warned it is vital to delay the Brexit date - March 29 - until at least July to avoid a no-deal. This comes as Jean-Claude Juncker called on the UK to 'get its act together' over Brexit, branding some Britons 'entirely unreasonable' for expecting Brussels to put forward a solution. Tory and Labour MPs have reportedly been holding cross-party talks in a bid to push back Brexit if the Prime Minister fails to get her withdrawal plan through parliament Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured) has called on the UK to 'get your act together' over Brexit, branding some Britons 'entirely unreasonable' for expecting Brussels to put forward a solution The European Commission president also rejected claims of a plot to keep the UK in the EU 'by all possible means' and revealed he fears the majority of MPs 'deeply distrust' both the EU and Theresa May. Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox, meanwhile, today said the chances of Britain leaving the European Union will be little more than '50-50' if the Prime Minister's deal is rejected by Parliament. According to The Observer, cabinet ministers are understood to have discussed the option of a delay with senior backbench MPs in both the main parties. Calling for a second referendum, Tory Remainer Dominic Grieve, said a decision 'needs to be taken'. The former attorney general added: 'Parliament is, however, deadlocked and appears incapable of passing any form of deal whatsoever. 'It is our responsibility as parliamentarians, therefore, to recognise the nature of the impasse and give the choice back to the people in order to avoid a cliff-edge Brexit' - Calling for a second referendum, Tory Remainer Dominic Grieve, said a decision 'needs to be taken' The chances of Brexit will be no more than 50-50 if MPs vote down Theresa May's withdrawal deal, pro-Leave minister Liam Fox (pictured in Downing Street earlier this month) has said International Trade Secretary Liam Fox warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be 'incendiary' and said it was 'a matter of honour' for them to support the PM. MPs are due to vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the week of January 7 after Mrs May, facing the prospect of a significant defeat, pulled the original date of December 11. However the bid to buy more time to secure key concessions on the Irish backstop, the key flashpoint for DUP and Brexiteer detractors of the deal, appeared to falter when her fellow leaders refused to change the legal text of the agreement. The PM said talks would continue, although the EU has repeatedly warned negotiations over the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. Should MPs reject it when they vote in the coming weeks it could raise the prospect of no-deal and with it the risk of heavy economic consequences for the UK and EU, or a second referendum on Brexit. A defeat for Theresa May (pictured at church on Christmas Day) could lead to a no-deal Brexit, a confidence vote in the House of Commons or a possible general election Dr Fox told the Sunday Times that Brexit will only be '100% certain' if the House of Commons backs the Prime Minister's deal in a crunch vote next month. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be 'incendiary' and said it was 'a matter of honour' for them to support the PM. Earlier this month, Sir Keir Starmer used an emergency Commons debate to appeal to ministers to take a no-deal Brexit 'off the table'. The shadow Brexit secretary insisted Labour MPs would not be forced into accepting Theresa May's deal in order to prevent a no-deal scenario as he accused the Government of 'running down the clock' on Brexit. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said Government cannot renege on Brexit Sir Keir Starmer insisted Labour MPs would not be forced into accepting Theresa Mays deal in order to prevent a no-deal scenario Sir Keir went on to pay tribute to Tory MPs such as Nick Boles and Anna Soubry, who said they would resign the whip if the Government did pursue a no deal, adding: 'I suspect they're not alone.' Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd insisted she did not want a so-called People's Vote and did not think the country wanted to be asked again for its views on Brexit. But she backed the idea of an indicative vote to find which Brexit options MPs would be prepared to back if Theresa May's deal is rejected when it returns to Parliament for a crunch vote in January. Levi Bellfield is serving a life term but six men with whom he groomed and raped underage girls may be free to re-offend, says a new report The monster who abused and killed 13-year-old Miller Dowler and three other young women was part of a child sex gang that has not been brought to justice, according to a report which may spark a fresh Scotland Yard investigation. The council report, by a social worker specialising in child sexual exploitation, links Levi Bellfield with a group of paedophiles accused of grooming at least 17 vulnerable girls under the age of 16 for sex. It says Bellfield and other members of the gang abused children as young as 12 in a 'raping room' in his Hanwell home, at one point violating a 14-year-old girl they had dressed up in a school uniform which belonged to the daughter of one of the men present. Today the Sunday Times reports Bellfield is among seven men identified by Debbie Weissang, who was then child sexual exploitation manager at Hillingdon council in west London. After being convicted of Milly Dowler's murder in 2011 Bellfield became the first British inmate to be sentenced to two whole-life tariffs. He will never be released to reoffend, but Ms Weissang said: 'there are six other men in my report who are not serving full-life tariffs in prison and in my opinion pose a serious threat to children. 'I am deeply concerned there remains a risk to children both in the community and online from Bellfield's associates.' Milly Dowler was 13 when she was killed by Bellfield in 2002. upon his conviction for her murder in 2011 the serial killer received his fourth life sentence Today Scotland Yard could not confirm whether it had opened an investigation into the gang named in the report, which was written in December 2017. Bellfield, who owned a wheel-clamping business in west London, had a string of convictions for minor crimes prior to being arrested on suspicion of the murder of French student Amelie Delagrange, 22, in August 2004. He was given three life sentences in 2008: one for the murder of Miss Delagrange, one for killing 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell, in Hampton in 2003; and one for the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18, in May 2004. Despite having been a suspect in the 2002 killing of Milly Dowler it was not until 2011 he was brought to justice, receiving a fourth life sentence and second whole-life tariff. Scotland Yard has feared for more than a decade that Bellfield's past might contain further horrors. In February 2008 after Bellfield's conviction for the murders of Marsha Mcdonnell and Amelie Delagrange, the detective chief inspector in charge of the investigation, Colin Sutton said: 'We looked at a dozen crimes in west London and we have not been able to eliminate Levi from any of them. 'I fear we may have only scratched the surface.' Marsha McDonnell, 18 (L), and Amelie Delagrange, 22, (C) were murdered by Bellfield. of Hampton, was killed by Bellfield. Kate Sheedy, then 18, (R), narrowly survived his attempt to kill her. Bellfield owned the flat in the west London suburb of Hanwell that contained 'the raping room', where the date rape drug GHB was slipped into the drinks of young victims during parties, the Sunday Times reports. Three witness statements obtained during the inquiry into Miss Delagrange's murder make reference to a video in which Bellfield and other men rape a 14-year-old girl dressed in a school uniform belonging to the daughter of a middle-aged Asian man also participating. The video was never found, but some of the girls interviewed by police referred to the men as their 'dad ring'. Dt Chf Insp Sutton, said last week: 'Bellfield was a serial sex predator when it came to young girls and we had evidence that linked him to a number of convicted paedophiles.' He added he had little doubt that the incriminating video of Bellfield existed, 'but where it is now, I have no idea'. The alleged abuse gang has similarities to a series of cases in northern town over the last five years, notably Rochdale in which gang leader Sahbir Ahmed, 59, was alleged to have ordered underage girls to call him 'Daddy' as he abused them. In 2012 a gang of nine men convicted of grooming young white girls between 13 and 15 for sex were jailed for between four and 19 years for offences committed against five girls in and around Rochdale between 2008 and 2010. The 'bus stop killer': A timeline of Levi Bellfield's attacks French student Amelie Delagrange March 21 2002: Milly, 13, is walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, when she disappears. Her remains are found six months later 25 miles away. February 2003: Marsha McDonnell, 19, gets off a bus near her home in Hampton after a night out with friends, and is struck three times on the back of the head with a blunt object by Bellfield. May 2004: Kate Sheedy, 18, is left for dead after Bellfield runs her down in his car after she gets off a bus in Isleworth after spending the evening with friends. August 2004: Amelie Delagrange, 22, is battered to death by Bellfield after she gets off at the wrong bus stop and is attacked walking across Twickenham Green. She dies of head injuries. Marsha McDonnell was attacked after getting off the bus February 2008: Bellfield is convicted of the murders of Marsha and Amelie, and the attempted murder of Kate. March 2010: Bellfield is charged with killing Milly. May 2011: Bellfield goes on trial at the Old Bailey after he denies abducting and murdering Milly. June 2011: Bellfield yawns as he is found guilty of Milly's murder. The following day he refuses to attend court where he is jailed for life. Bellfield becomes the first person to receive two whole-life terms. February 2012: Bellfield loses a Court of Appeal bid to challenge his conviction for Milly's kidnap and murder. January 2016: Bellfield admits abducting, raping and killing schoolgirl Milly Dowler for the first time, Surrey Police say. Advertisement The report by Debbie Weissang appears to support evidence, originally gathered by police that he was part of a paedophile gang. She found 17 alleged victims of Bellfield's gang - mostly white, British, vulnerable and in care, as in the Rochdale cases - with allegations of abuse going back to 2000. One 14-year-old girl claims to have been assaulted in the Hanwell 'raping room' only days after the murder of Delagrange in 2004. Accused: Convicted paedophile Victor Kelly, 62, is named in the report as having been a member of Bellfield's abuse gang Among the alleged offenders identified by Weissang is Victor Kelly, who was 62 when he was convicted in 2005 of offering a 12-year-old girl cocaine to have sex with him. Kelly liked to be called 'Uncle Joe' and would invite girls to his flat in Hayes, west London, to play computer games. He is now on the sex offenders' register for life and banned from being alone with children. Also named in the report is Suraj Gharu, who at 25 was jailed for five years for sex offences and for removing a child from the care of social services. Former Det Chf Insp Sutton said some of the links made in the report were new. 'There is new information in there that my investigation was not aware of,' he said. 'I think the police and council should be taking it very seriously indeed.' Ms Weissang said: 'The men of interest have conditioned themselves to believe they have done nothing wrong and are untouchable.' She said the council and the police should 'carry out a full review of the findings because [the report] shows evidence of a child sex ring and its members have not been brought to justice'. A Hillingdon council spokesman told MailOnline: 'Following completion of the report the information was carefully reviewed by Hillingdon Council's Head of Safeguarding in partnership with the Metropolitan Police to ensure a timely and proportionate response. 'A dedicated police resource was also assigned to review the information. 'Hillingdon Council's Children's Social Care team conducted numerous safeguarding checks including liaison with all relevant agencies.' A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'A safeguarding report was received from Hillingdon Council. Any allegations of Child Sexual Exploitation contained in the report will be assessed and be investigated where appropriate'. Ross Jones Barker (pictured), of East Lothian, died following a horror crash Tributes have been paid to a cancer survivor killed in a minibus crash. Grandfather Ross Barker was heading for a Christmas trip to the races with friends when their privately hired coach flipped over on a straight stretch of rural trunk road. Photographs of the crash scene show the crushed wreckage of the minibus, which is on its roof, lying in a field beside the villages of Carfraemill and Gordon, in Berwickshire. Police declared a major emergency and local residents who had been alerted to the unfolding tragedy which happened just before 11am on Saturday rushed to help the injured. Mr Barker, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The 22 remaining passengers and the bus driver were taken to hospital, with an air ambulance sent to the scene. One of those hurt was flown to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow, while another 14 were taken to Borders General Hospital in Melrose. Eight men were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. The youngest casualty was 24 and the oldest 75. Six men were kept in hospital overnight for treatment for serious injuries. The minibus had set off for Kelso Racecourse, Roxburghshire, from the Dean Tavern, in Newtongrange, Midlothian, packed with friends who drank at the pub. Last night, as tributes poured in for Mr Barker, from Port Seton, East Lothian, it emerged he had battled prostate cancer. Scroll down for video Photographs of the crash scene show the crushed wreckage of the minibus, which is on its roof, lying in a field beside the villages of Carfraemill and Gordon, in Berwickshire The single-vehicle crash happened at 10.50am on Saturday on the A6089 between Carfraemill and Gordon, near Lauder, 23 miles from Edinburgh In a newspaper interview in 2009, he and his wife Pauline spoke about the challenges they faced while he was being treated for the potentially deadly condition, which had been diagnosed two years earlier. The couple had enjoyed visiting beauty spots, including Orkney, in a campervan. Mr Barker's niece, Ashleigh Tiffney, was among those to share tributes, writing: 'Rest in peace uncle Ross, love you always.' Shona Smith posted: 'RIP Ross you were a wonderful man. Absolutely devastated, you will never be forgotten.' Kelly Trotter added: 'Couldn't have met a nicer guy, absolute heartbreaking. Speedy recovery for all involved, can't believe it.' Chief Inspector Steven Duncan said: 'This has been an outing among friends and associates which has turned into tragedy. 'Our sympathies are with Ross's family, who have requested privacy during this terrible ordeal. Our thoughts also remain with all those injured and their families.' Police Scotland said the private minibus was carrying 23 adult passengers plus the driver on a journey from Newtongrange to Kelso Mr Ross, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was one of the passengers on the minibus, with men on board aged between 24 and 75 Flowers were left at the doors of the Newtongrange Church Hall last night and a special prayer service was held. Local minister the Rev Malcolm Muir wrote on social media: 'We send our love and prayers to the family of the man who has lost his life and to those injured for a speedy recovery.' Gary O'Connor, 44, chairman of the Dean Tavern Trust, which runs the community-owned pub, said: 'This is a close-knit community and we will rally round to support those affected.' Lothian MSP Neil Findlay tweeted: 'Horrendous news about the Midlothian men whose minibus crashed on the way to the races at Kelso my thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.' According to reports, the group are believed to have been on their way from a pub in the village to Kelso Races when the tragedy occurred Around 40 miles drive from Newtongrange, the track was hosting its final fixture of the year on Saturday, with races scheduled to begin at 11.45am He added: 'Two of my pals were among the first on the scene and helped people out of wreckage they said it was absolutely terrible to witness but they and other passers-by helped many people God bless them all.' Kelso Racecourse posted: 'Our sadness deepens as more facts emerge regarding the fatal vehicle accident. 'Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those involved and we wish those involved a speedy recovery.' Discussing his cancer diagnosis in 2009, Mr Barker said: 'They told me I had prostate cancer. It was like running into a brick wall. 'I took the option to have the prostate cut out through keyhole surgery. I thought, if it's not in me it can't do any more harm.' The injured were taken to Borders General Hospital, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow The Santa hat that was placed on the Angel of the North sculpture over Christmas has been stolen after the pranksters responsible climbed up overnight to remove it. One of the group, dressed as the Grinch, scaled the 65ft structure outside Gateshead and pulled the hat down with the help of three others dressed as Santa. The pranksters claim they wanted to 'give the public something else to laugh and smile about' before the festive period ends. The hat had been placed on top of the famous Anthony Gormley artwork on Christmas Eve, prompting delight from onlookers. One of the group, dressed as the Grinch, scaled the 65ft structure outside Gateshead and was photographed pulling the hat down with the help of three others dressed as Santa The pranksters posed at the top of the giant steel sculpture during their mission to steal the festive hat Even Gateshead Council had welcomed the stunt, describing the public response as 'staggering' after the pictures made national news. After taking it down, the group, which has asked to remain anonymous, said: 'We never in a million years expected it to hit the headlines the way it did. 'Because it's such good publicity, we thought we'd give the public something else to laugh and smile about before the end of the festive season and came up with the Grinch and a few Santas to take it down.' The group of pranksters claim it was their seventh attempt to pull off the stunt and prepared meticulously for the occasion for several years. 'We really wanted to do something people might find uniformly enjoyable, something that might bring people together,' one of them said. The pranksters climbed up overnight to remove the Santa from the giant steel structure The festive addition appeared overnight on top of Anthony Gormley's famous Angel Of The North Previous efforts have been held back by a string of problems including windy weather and a broken-down car. Their first attempt saw them scale the structure only to discover their hat was too small to fit. The 10-person operation began in the early hours of Christmas Eve and featured a sophisticated effort involving ropes and fishing lines. 'Ten of us, five different vans, everyone had a bit of something in the back of their vehicle,' one of the group's leaders said. 'We all filed out like paratroopers, everybody knew what their role was. 'We have gone to significant efforts to make sure it doesn't fly off.' One member said he spent 90 on fabric to create the hat, sewing it all together with the help of his girlfriend and his grandmother's sewing machine. 'Someone on Twitter said it's just a couple of drunk kids,' he said. 'Drunk folk don't usually carry around 25ft hats in their pocket.' One member of the public, who asked not to be named, said: 'It's brilliant!' 'Me and my wife were driving past so we pulled in to take pics. There were about five people there and a police car,' he added. 'Not sure how long it will last, will probably be taken down. Humbug!' The Sir Antony Gormley sculpture was installed in 1998, with celebrations marking its 20th birthday this year. The 200-tonne steel figure took two days to erect, and despite receiving a mixed reception ahead of its installation it has since been embraced as a symbol of the north of England. Gateshead Council has yet to speak out on the stunt, while Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and Northumbria Police have declined to comment. 'We will take it down if it's still there after a certain time, and we are eminently qualified to do it,' one of the group said. 'That has always been my biggest worry about the whole thing. That someone goes up to take it down and gets themselves hurt.' Migrants in Calais yesterday swore to keep trying to make the perilous sea crossing to Britain, saying they are fearful of religious persecution in Iran and worried that claiming asylum in the UK will become harder after Brexit. One young Iranian who said he was on a boat stopped in the water over Christmas insisted he would try '200 times' to reach the UK despite having been terrified of drowning during the journey. Another said he would 'keep trying to get to England' despite having been in France since 2017. One Iranian said the Afghan people-smuggling gangs who control access to the coast are becoming bolder, coming into the camp armed with with 'guns and swords'. Around 200 Iranian men, along with half that number of Africans mainly from Sudan and Nigeria, are currently living in a makeshift camp on a patch of unused industrial scrubland less than a mile from the Calais docks. Yesterday morning when MailOnline visited the camp - one of several close to the French shoreline - the men huddled around small fires for warmth. A young man who gave his name as Mehdi said he made the crossing to England 'two or three days ago'. He said: 'The boat got very close to England. We called 999 but the French police came. We were only two hundred metres from Dover. 'I will try again. I will try 200 times. Because England people is not so much racist. People in England is very good, here is not good.' He said he had made the trip to Calais from the Tehran suburb of Mina a month ago because: 'People want to kill me. I converted from Islam to Christianity.' He said traffickers had come into the camp last week and asked which men wanted to make the crossing. He volunteered, paying E4000 to the traffickers for his seat in the dinghy - money he said had been sent to him from family in Iran. He and ten others were taken down to the shoreline at around 9pm one night, avoiding police checkpoints. The migrants in the makeshift camp on scrubland outside Calais claimed to have been persistently harassed by French police and said England was their 'last chance' to avoid persceution On Saturday morning Iranian migrants stood by campfires for warmth. One said armed Afghan trafficking gangs were on-site but that it would be too dangerous to point them out One man who gave his name as Sam, but asked MailOnline not to reveal his face, said he had been tortured in Iran for political activities and because he was a Christian. The religious regime in Tehran has enacted a crackdown on Muslims converts in recent months He thought he was going to drown during the crossing, when the small dinghy's outboard motor stopped working in the midst of the world's busiest shipping lane. 'It was so so dangerous,' he said. 'I was so scared, I cried.' He said at one point he was so frightened of drowning that he wet himself. 'When I thought I was going to die I called 999'. He said French authorities brought him back to the camp after his boat was rescued. In this camp close to the Calais docks there are around 200 Iranian men and half that number of Africans mainly from Sudan and Nigeria. It is one of a number of small temporary encampments along the coast which have sprung up since the Jungle was bulldozed. At midday a queue formed when French charity workers appeared briefly and distributed food including bananas and jam sandwiches Several of the men said French police regularly raided the camp, taking tents and sleeping bags and leaving migrants to sleep in the open on freezing nights The French Patrolman of Gendarmerie boat, the Athos, rescued 11 migrants 15 miles off Calais at 1.45am yesterday on December 27. Ninety-five migrants in 12 boats have been detained trying to cross from France since Christmas morning A 31-year-old who called himself Sam said he had been tortured in an Iranian prison for his political and religious beliefs, before proudly displaying a crucifix pendant worn around his neck. He added: 'I will keep trying to get to England. Here there is much problems, everyone wants to go. He said he had been ordered to leave France within 48 hours of being arrested earlier this year, but was not deported. He said: 'They just gave me the letter and told me to go'. Lucy Moreton, a spokesman for the Immigration Services Union, said this week it was 'very difficult to know' how much the French authorities were doing to resolve the problems in Calais. She said: 'We are being told that those touting for these crossings are absolutely open about it. They are around and about in the camps, they are in the cafes in Calais. 'If it's that obvious to journalists and staff in those areas, then presumably it is obvious to the French authorities too.' An Iranian who gave his name as Sia said the criminal gangs were getting bolder and more dangerous. He said: 'There are Afghan smugglers in the camps today. They are dangerous for us. They make fear in the camps. They have swords. Guns and swords.' He said it would be too dangerous, both for him and MailOnilne, to point the traffickers out. French authorities have come under fire for not doing more either to help migrants or stop traffickers. One Iranian told MailOnline he had been arrested and instructed to leave France within 48 hours - but not deported Elsewhere in the city, close to the Calais Hospital, food is distributed after dark by aid workers Some of the men at the camp said they had been in Calais for as long as two years There has been speculation that the rise in attempted crossings over the Christmas period is a result of a lack of Border Patrol vessels in the Channel. If that is a reason for the traffickers' recent boldness, the rumour had not reached the 50 or 60 people MailOnline asked through the handful of English speaking Iranians in the camp yesterday - but some said they were conscious of a different time pressure. A 30-year-old Iranian who also gave his name as Mehdi, who said he had been in the camp for a year, said: 'People think after 2019 people make the process harder, because Brexit, we see on the news. 'People are under so much pressure and stress, they try to cross and they can't. It's like people go mad with the pressure. 'The sea is very very dangerous. We don't want to go to sea, but we have to. In France, in the camps, the behaviour no good, the food no good, the asylum process no good. We want to go to England.' MailOnline has approached the Home Office for comment. Seventeen lottery players have hit the jackpot in Satuday night's $30 million megadraw, making them instant millionaires just in time for the new year. But three lucky Victorian ticket-holders are yet to come forward and lay claim to their newly won fortunes. TattsLotto draw 3907 saw 17 division one winning entries nationally, with each entry taking home a division one prize of $1,764,705.89. Three lottery players have lucked out in Satuday night's $30 million megadraw, making them millionaires in time for 2019 - but there's just one catch TattsLotto draw 3907 saw 17 division one winning entries nationally, with each entry taking home a division one prize of $1,764,705.89 The winning numbers in TattsLotto draw 3907 on Saturday 29 were 9, 33, 39, 30, 2 and 17, while the supplementary numbers were 22 and 41. One of the winning tickets yet to be claimed was purchased from Ocean Grove Tatts and Cards. Another unclaimed division one ticket was bought from Stud Park Lotto in Rowville, in Melbournes southeast. In Vicorias northeast, a ticket purchased from Elmore Newsagency has also been left unclaimed. Tatts Lotto is also urging a winner from the ACT to come forward and collect their money. Out of the 17 division one winners in TattsLotto draw 3907, eight were from Victoria, four from Western Australia, two from Queensland, two from New South Wales and the ACT and one online. One of the winners from Saturday's megadraw learned she had become an overnight millionaire after receiving a call from Tatts Lotto officials. The Glen Iris local who wishes to remain anonymous became an overnight millionaire, taking home a total of $1,764,705.89. As well as winning the coveted division one prize, the over-the-moon Melbourne resident also won division six, bolstering her total prize $1,764,720.79. Tatts officials had made several attempts to call the winner on Sunday morning with no success until she finally answered the phone on Sunday afternoon. 'Oh my god! Thank you so much! Amazing!' she declared. Tatts officials had made several attempts to call the winner on Sunday morning with no success until she finally answered the phone on Sunday afternoon 'My Dad suggested I get an entry so I bought one a couple of days ago. Everything was already closed and I was in bed so I bought one online. 'I saw that I had a few missed calls this morning and then remembered the draw was last night, so logged online to check my entry. 'I saw that I had won something, but because I've never won online before I didn't realise it was that much! 'I had to send a screenshot of the ticket to my Dad to double check. I always joke with him about things like this so he didn't believe me!' When asked how she planned to use her life-changing windfall, the exuberant winner revealed she had a few ideas on how to enjoy it. 'I'm going to give some to my parents to help them out!' she explained. 'I'll definitely buy a new car and invest some for the future and for a house, but I'll most likely be heading to Europe this coming year. 'My girlfriends and I had been talking about going this year but now I can go in style maybe with a bit of luxury instead of scrimping and saving!' Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore has revealed his New Year's wish for President Donald Trump's family members to be locked up. Appearing on MSNBC's All In With Chris Hayes on Friday night, Moore said his top hope for 2019 is to see 'as many members of the Trump family in orange jumpsuits as possible.' 'It's really the wrong way to end such a festive time of the year with such animosity toward those who would do wrong to this country, but yes,' Moore confessed. Hayes and Moore went on to speculate that Trump's eldest son Don Trump Jr and son-in-law Jared Kushner could be targets for indictment. Appearing on MSNBC's All In With Chris Hayes on Friday night, Moore (above) said his top hope for 2019 is to see 'as many members of the Trump family in orange jumpsuits as possible' Trump Jr has reportedly confided to friends that he fears being indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller. Some have speculated that Trump Jr could be in legal jeopardy over his statement under oath that he never informed his father about an infamous meeting with with Russians in Trump Tower in 2016. Though no evidence has emerged indicating that the meeting itself was illegal, Trump Jr could be charged with lying under oath if investigators find evidence that he did communicate with his father about the meeting. Trump's critics have also insisted that Kushner could be in legal jeopardy from Mueller's probe. Kushner was also present for the Trump Tower meeting, and his contacts with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Israel are reportedly under scrutiny by Mueller, though it is unclear what potential crimes the special counsel may be investigating. Moore speculated that Trump's eldest son Don Trump Jr (left with girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle) and son-in-law Jared Kushner (right) could be targets for indictment Moore, whose latest film Fahrenheit 11/9 criticizes Trump's election, went on to say that he didn't believe the President himself would be indicted. 'Here's probably what won't happen, especially New Yorkers know this because Trump got away with everything for like 40 years, that streak shouldn't end this year, more than likely, because I think Trump has always been careful to not be in the room when the crime is being committed,' Moore said. 'I think he's very canny.' Moore continued: 'If something's going to happen in a room with Russians or others that could find him indicted, I think more than likelybecause remember he doesn't drink, he doesn't do drugs, he is of his own facultieshe made sure that he was not in the room.' Dubbed Britains Roswell, the Rendlesham Forest incident in Suffolk, has intrigued UFO enthusiasts since taking place in December 1980. On three separate nights just before the New Year, military personnel said they saw lights flying in the sky and descending into the woodland - the group was convinced they had seen an alien spacecraft. Yet it has now been claimed that the extraterrestrial sighting was a hoax, played on the US air force by the SAS in revenge for capturing a squad and subjecting them to a brutal interrogation. Since the incident in 1980, Rendlesham Forest has become a site of endless speculation for UFO chasers The SAS were said to have regularly tested US security by probing the perimeters of RAF Woodbridge in the English county, which allegedly stored Nuclear warheads and was believed to be a key target for Soviet agents. But when an SAS troop parachuted into the complex one night in August 1980 they were unaware the guards had upgraded their radar system. Their black parachutes were immediately detected and the British were hauled off for questioning. They claimed they were beaten up by their captors who refused to believe who they were and repeatedly referred to as unidentified aliens, before being released 18 hours later after the British authorities intervened. On three separate nights just before the New Year, military personnel said they saw lights flying in the sky and descending into the woodland (pictured) Staff Sergeant Jim Penniston sketched the craft he says he saw at the time of the incident Seething from the interrogation, SAS soldiers were keen to take revenge. British X-Files expert Dr David Clarke, who has been researching the story for three years, revealed: After their release, the troopers made no complaint at their rough treatment but were determined to get their own back on the USAF for the beating that they had received. In particular, their repeated characterisation as aliens sowed the seeds of a plan. They said: They called us aliens. Right, we'll show them what aliens really look like. As December approached, lights and coloured flares were rigged in Rendlesham Forest. Black helium balloons were also coupled to remote-controlled kites to carry suspended materials into the sky, activated by radio-controls. Taking place over three nights between 26 and 28 December in 1980, military personnel from nearby RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge witnessed strange lights in the woods and hovering above the airbases which were on high alert as the Cold War was at its peak. Pictured is the east gate at RAF Woodbridge, near where the incident is alleged to have occurred A great deal of nocturnal Christmas fun was had at the expense of the USAF - and the matter should have ended there, according to a letter written to Dr Clarke by an alleged SAS source. Unfortunately, a senior US officer (Lt Col Halt) led the US contingent out into the forest on the second night and took along his tape recorder. The hovering and whizzing lights were sufficiently impressive for him to send a report to the MoD. Someone in London recalled the events of the previous August and questions were asked. A few red faces - but also some satisfaction and amusement - followed. Military personnel from nearby RAF Bentwaters (pictured) and RAF Woodbridge witnessed strange lights in the woods and hovering above the airbases The USAF was 'reassured' at a very senior level and no UK investigation was undertaken - for obvious reasons. Dr Clarke said he was first contacted three years ago by Frank who claimed to be a SAS insider. He had seen Dr Clarke talking about Rendlesham on a TV documentary and felt it was about time that the truth was revealed about the incident. Dr Clarke, of the Centre for Contemporary Legend at Sheffield Hallam University, said: I investigated his incredible story by talking to trusted and open sources in the British military, including some high profile former SAS troopers. What happened in the forest, according to Frank, would be bread and butter for special operation soldiers trained to deceive and misinform whilst remaining invisible. Moroccan authorities have arrested a Swiss-Spanish national in connection with the killing of two Scandinavian women, the counter-terrorism agency have said. Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, were found dead on December 17, near the village of Imlil in the Atlas Mountains. The pair had set up camp at an isolated mountain site around two hours from the tourist village of Imlil when they were attacked. Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, was found beheaded at a campsite in western Morocco last week. Moroccan authorities have arrested a Swiss national in connection with the killing Maren Ueland, 28, was found dead alongside her. A video purporting to show the women being killed has been circulated by extremists online Video purporting to show the attack has been circulated on ISIS forums, and shows one man brandishing a large knife saying in Arabic 'it is Allah's will'. The man arrested on Saturday is also suspected of 'involvement in recruiting Moroccan and sub-Saharan nationals to carry out terrorist plots in Morocco against foreign targets and security forces in order to take hold of their service weapons', the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said. Nineteen other men have been arrested in connection with the case, including four main suspects who had pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video made three days before the tourists' bodies were found. Nineteen other men have been arrested in connection with the case, including four main suspects who had pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video made three days before the tourists' bodies were found Police and domestic intelligence spokesman Boubker Sabik this week described the four men as 'lone wolves', and said 'the crime was not coordinated with Islamic State'. Ms Ueland and Ms Vesterager Jespersen, who were studying to be outdoor guides at a Norwegian university, were spotted with three men in Marrakesh before heading to the Atlas mountains to hike. They had been travelling around the country as part of a month-long trekking holiday. Last week hundreds of people from Malen's hometown of Bryne turned out to hold a candlelit vigil, including her friends and family members. A portrait of Louisa and Maren are seen at a supportive event, among flowers and candles, in Town Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark It was emphasised that the event was not a memorial, but a way to show support and compassion to Malen's loved ones. 'It's important to stand together and be important for people to show solidarity,' Thor Inge Sveinsvoll, manager of the Rogaland county Red Cross, told Norway's Aftenposten. 'We want to show that we care about each other, and that we are together for a kinder world,' said Odd Ivar Nese, one of the organisers. It has also emerged that the two women were 'happy and sociable' in their final days, according to Rachid Imerhade, a mountain guide who had met the two friends a few days before their deaths. People gather to pay tribute to the victims in front the St. Peter's Cathedral in Rabat, Morocco He said: 'They were smiling, chatty and sociable. They talked a lot with the other people around.' Jespersen's mother, Helle Petersen, told the Danish newspaper B.T. that her daughter was 'always happy and positive. Everyone loved her and she saw the best in everyone'. Compared with other countries in North Africa, Morocco has been largely insulated from militant attacks. The most recent took place in April 2011, when 17 people were killed in the bombing of a restaurant in Marrakech. In 2017 and 2018, Morocco said it dismantled 20 militant cells planning attacks in the country. Rugby league legend Andrew Johns' brain seizures have been kept under wraps in 'a family secret' after being 'a problem for a while,' according to his father. The one-time premiership-winning captain collapsed in a packed coffee shop on Friday, before admitting he had suffered from the debilitating seizures 'for years'. Now, his father Gary has revealed the extent of the condition and admitted the 44-year-old has long sought medical help for the mystery symptoms. 'It has been a bit of a family secret. He has had this problem for a while,' he told The Sunday Telegraph. Johns was holidaying at Yamba, in northern New South Wales with partner Kate Kendall and their baby daughter Alice when he suffered the latest medical episode. Rugby legend Andrew Johns' brain seizures have 'been a problem for a while', and have been kept under wraps in 'a bit of a family secret', according to his father Rugby league legend Andrew 'Joey' Johns suffered a series of seizures while on holiday with his family over the Christmas break (Andrew Johns pictured with partner Kate Kendall and daughter Alice) While waiting to be served in the popular surfing town, he collapsed and bumped his head on the floor. Onlookers reported the NRL star lay in a semi-conscious state on the floor for several minutes before someone called an ambulance. Paramedics rushed to the scene where they treated Johns, but he refused to go to hospital. 'They're seizures that have been going on a while. I'm seeing the right doctors and they are doing all the tests and have got me on medication,' Johns told the Daily Telegraph. The former Newcastle Knights star believes the seizures occur when he's really tired. It is believed that Johns is receiving ongoing neurology treatment for the mystery disorder. Onlookers reported the NRL star lay in a semi-conscious state on the floor for several minutes before someone called an ambulance In September, Johns welcomed his third child with yoga instructor partner Kate Kendall. He already has two children from previous marriages, 18-year-old Samuel with first wife Renae Chapman, and eight-year-old son Louis with second wife Catherine Mahoney. Johns represented Australia in 24 tests and led the Newcastle Knights to a premiership cup in 2000. In 2012 he was made the eighth Immortal and is considered one of the greatest Australian rugby league players of all time. A long-brewing feud between two brothers over one of New York's most beloved French restaurants has finally come to a boiling point - in the courtroom. The fight between Charles Masson, 63, and his younger brother Philippe, 56, over their family's restaurant La Grenouille has long been known in Manhattan's dining scene. But their rift has become far more public as accusations of racism and bullying became revealed in new court papers. Charles is fighting to regain control of La Grenouille - a Midtown French eatery once beloved by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Madonna - after he left in 2014. The fight between Charles Masson, 63, (right) and his younger brother Philippe, 56, (pictured with their mother Gisele left) over their family's restaurant La Grenouille is turning ugly in court The bitter feud between the brothers over the famed Manhattan French eatery (pictured) has been simmering for decades He claims that Philippe, who was given control of the restaurant by their late mother, is using the famed establishment as his 'personal ATM'. Court papers reveal that Charles is now fighting to become the executor of their mother's estate so he can take back the restaurant he managed for 40 years. 'Philippe Masson has shown himself to be entirely incompetent,' Charles alleged in a filing obtained by the New York Post. He claims that his younger brother upped his salary to an 'outrageous' sum of $439,000 and uses the restaurant's funds to pay more than $600,000 in his personal bills, including a pricey New York Athletic Club membership. Charles also alleges that his brother has 'grossly mismanaged' their mother's estate, racking up $8,000 shopping bills at Saks Fifth Avenue and nearly $1,000 each at Barneys and Bergdorf's. The elder Masson claims that La Grenouille has since suffered under his brother's direction, generating only $100,000 to $250,000 in profits from its $8.4million annual revenue, losing customers, and leaving staff unhappy. But Philippe isn't going down without a fight, filing papers that claim Charles is 'unstable, incompetent, and a racist', according to the New York Post. Philippe alleges that Charles would torment the restaurant's 60 employees, screaming at them over 'any perceived slight or mistake'. He claims Charles once kicked a waiter in the leg, threw eggs at a delivery truck, and even drew racist and sexist caricatures of his employees to embarrass them. Charles (pictured L-R with his son Charlie, Ana Carmen Longobardi, and Cristina Masson) claims that Philippe, who was given control of the restaurant by their late mother, is using the famed establishment as his 'personal ATM' Charles is fighting to regain control of La Grenoille (pictured) - a Midtown French eatery once beloved by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Madonna - after he was ousted in 2004 'Many customers of La Grenouille refused to come back because of one of Charles' eruptions,' one employee of the restaurant alleged in an affidavit. Philippe also alleges that Charles shut down Saturday dinner service for several months 15 years ago to 'keep away Jewish diners', claiming his older brother would say they were 'always complaining and cheap'. He claims that Charles tried to buy the restaurant from their mother for $3.46million before she died, and then cut off health insurance payments and wouldn't let her see his daughter when she refused to sell. Philippe charges that his brother wants to regain control of Le Grenouille so he can sell it and the $40million building in which the restaurant is found. It is a claim that would shock many in New York's fine dining scene, where Charles was beloved during his time as manager of the legendary eatery. Gisele and her husband Charles Masson Sr first opened Le Grenouille in 1962, quickly attracting acclaim for its haute French cuisine and lavish floral arrangements. Along with Sinatra and Madonna, the eatery was popular among the likes of Laurence Olivier, Paul Newman, Elizabeth Taylor as well as many in New York's fashion elite, including Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar de la Renta, and Carolina Herrera. Gisele and her husband Charles Masson Sr (pictured with Philippe) first opened Le Grenouille in 1962, quickly attracting acclaim for its haute French cuisine and lavish floral arrangements Charles ran La Grenoille from 1975 to 1993 and 2000 to 2014. During the latter period, his brother Philippe moved to Brittany, France to take care of their mother (pictured together) Charles abandoned his studies at Carnegie Melon to run the restaurant after his father died of cancer in 1975. 'My mother said "We have to stick together" and I agreed. I dropped everything,' the elder Masson told Grub Street in 2014 as he recalled the beginning of his career. Through the years Charles became known for making La Grenouille more accessible, printing the menu in English, relaxing the dress code, and opening a room upstairs for less formal dining. 'The restaurant has a unique spirit,' he said. 'It's something that a lot of people on the outside don't realize, that it's not a haughty French restaurant.' 'And that's one of the reasons why I made the changes I did over the years.' Meanwhile, he and Philippe tried to divide the running and ownership of the restaurant but repeatedly failed as their mother continued to set new conditions. Charles left La Grenouille for seven years following a fight over control with Philippe in 1993, an argument during which sources claim knives were even drawn. He would return to the restaurant in 2000 as his younger brother moved to Brittany, France to help care for their mother. While Charles had managed La Grenouille for four decades, he never owned a single share of the restaurant (pictured) Through the years Charles became known for making La Grenouille more accessible, printing the menu in English, relaxing the dress code, and opening a less formal dining room upstairs But the restaurant also attracted a number of celebrities. Donald and Melania Trump are pictured at a launch party for Andre Leon Talley at La Grenouille in 2005 But Charles would later claim the distance didn't matter, alleging that Philippe and their mother tried to manage the restaurant from afar. 'I was put into a position where I had to resign because for several months and years it became increasingly impossible for me as a manager to run the restaurant,' Charles told Grub Street. 'There were things that were happening that I just didn't have the power to do anything about without my brother and my mother consenting from afar. Even the slightest thing, like a kitchen light fixture.' While Charles had managed La Grenouille for four decades, he never owned a single share of the restaurant. Shortly before his resignation, Philippe was named majority owner. Charles said that the new position brought even more emails from his younger brother as he questioned the 'details of every little move that we made'. 'It was micromanagement to an obsession,' he added. 'We were being scolded and told, "Why didn't you tell us about this before?"' 'I was told by my brother - he told me, my wife, and others - "Remember Charles, you're just an employee.'" Philippe downplayed the family rift after news broke of Charles' departure, claiming his older brother just 'needed a break' and that 'these things happen'. La Grenouille's longtime customers were outraged after Charles (pictured with his daughter) left, so much so that he spoke out publicly to dissuade them from boycotting the restaurant But La Grenouille's longtime customers were outraged, so much so that Charles spoke out publicly to dissuade them from boycotting the restaurant. 'I worked with the staff there for so many years, they are like a family to me,' he told Page Six in 2014. 'If people stop going to La Grenouille, they could lose their livelihoods.' Charles also revealed that the restaurant's entire staff came to wish him goodbye on his final night at the restaurant. 'It was a very moving farewell,' he told Grub Street. 'I urged all of them to stick together. My message was: "You are La Grenouille. We built this great team - front and back of house - together."' Since Charles' departure from the restaurant, La Grenouille has become one of the most expensive Prix Fixe courses in New York. The menu, which includes chilled foie gras, smoked salmon with caviar blini, and poached quail eggs, runs for $57 per course during dinner for a whopping total of $172 - without drinks. A private autopsy has been scheduled for the body of a National Guard veteran who mysteriously died on a China Eastern flight to Shanghai. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Norman Easy was found dead at the age of 57 in business class on the December 7 flight from John F Kennedy Airport in New York to Shanghai. For weeks, the family of the Long Island businessman were unable to get straight answers from Chinese officials about his death, and Easy's body was only released after they signed a wavier agreeing not to challenge the official account of Chinese police about Easy's death. But after Easy's body was finally returned to the U.S. on Saturday along with a Chinese death certificate that merely states that he suffered 'sudden death', the family have scheduled a private autopsy for Monday, according to the New York Post. Norman Easy (above in an undated photo) died mysteriously on December 7 on board a China Eastern flight to Shanghai. He served two tours in Iraq in the Army National Guard Easy's work as a procurement executive at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics took him to China regularly. He is seen above in an undated photo On December 8, Easy's wife Nitxia (with him above) became concerned when he didn't call her upon landing in China for his business trip as he normally did Easy, a procurement executive at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, was apparently in good health, and had a physical just weeks earlier, his family said. The decorated Army National Guardsman had served two tours in Iraq and as deputy commander of the Harlem-based 369th Sustainment Brigade. On December 8, Easy's wife Nitxia became concerned when he didn't call her upon landing in China for his business trip as he normally did. Eventually, after contacting his colleagues in China, she learned of his death from the US Consulate there. The family was given conflicting stories about when on the flight Easy died, however, and became increasingly frustrated at Chinese officials for the delay in releasing his body. Easy was apparently in good health and had a physical just weeks earlier, his family said Easy was a proud veteran and will be given a military burial at Calverton National Cemetery This week, officials finally provided a few more details to the family, including that Easy hadn't had anything to eat or drink on the 15-hour flight. Easy declined his first business class meal, his 28-year-old son Marcus Easy told the Post, and was asleep for the second meal. When flight attendants went to wake him up for the third, his body was cold to the touch. In a statement, the airline said Norman Easy 'was found unconscious in his seat before the flight arrived in Shanghai. The crew and doctors worked hard to rescue him but failed in the end.' Easy is seen above with an Army buddy in an undated photo. He served as deputy commander of the Harlem-based 369th Sustainment Brigade Only after the family hired a private security firm and sent agents to China seeking answers were Easy's remains released, returning to the U.S. on Saturday aboard a China Eastern cargo flight. Easy would have turned 58 on Christmas Eve, according to Newsweek. Hoping to comfort his family, former members of Easy's favorite team, the New York Jets, got together to buy a Christmas tree, presents and a holiday meal for the family The family will pay $5,000 for a private autopsy, which is scheduled for Monday, and desperately hope the examination will provide further answers. Easy will be honored with a military burial at Calverton National Cemetery, following a private funeral on January 4. A driver has miraculously escaped with only minor injuries after veering off a road and smashing his car into a tree. The man had allegedly dozed off behind the wheel at around 11am on Saturday morning, causing him to lose control of his vehicle while driving along the Western Highway near Green Lake in Victoria. The tree cut straight through the middle of the car and ended up on the side of the passenger seat. A driver miraculously escaped with only minor injuries after veering off a road and smashing his car into a tree While the car was a complete write-off, the 67-year-old from South Australia was taken to hospital with just minor injuries. Horsham Highway Patrol Acting Senior Sergeant Leigh Creasey said drivers needed to be aware of the dangers of driving while tired. 'I was amazed that the driver walked away with only minor injuries from this crash,' he said. 'If there was a passenger in that car, they would be dead. 'This driver had been travelling for hundreds of kilometres without taking a break and just fell asleep. 'He's a very lucky man who has learnt a hard lesson about driving while fatigued.' The man is expected to be charged with careless driving. While the car was a complete write-off, the 67-year-old from South Australia was taken to hospital with just minor injuries Police are out in force as part of the state-wide Operation Roadwise to target drink and drug driving, speed, distraction, fatigue and failure to wear restraints. Operation Roadwise will run from 14 December to 6 January, and will focus on enforcement and improving driver behaviour. Police will be out in force to target the five leading causes of death and serious injury on our roads speed, impairment, distraction, not wearing seatbelts and fatigue. The Duchess of Sussex's half-sister Samantha Markle is bashing reports that she's been place on a 'fixated persons' list over the risks she poses of embarrassing the Royal family. Samantha, 53, who lives in Florida, has made a string of public snipes at Meghan since she not being invited to the Royal Wedding earlier this year. It's been reported that The Duchess's protection officers have briefed Scotland Yard detectives over the the damage Samantha could cause to the Royal family's reputation. Samantha has shot down those reports as 'fake news', tweeting Saturday that labeling her as 'fixated' is 'ridiculous' as she's only 'advocating for doing the right thing by our dad', Thomas Markle. The Duchess of Sussex's (left) half-sister Samantha Markle (right) has been placed on a 'fixated persons' list over the risks she poses of embarrassing the Royal family Samantha hit back on Twitter, calling the reports 'fake news' as she insists she is not 'fixated' and is instead advocating for their father, Thomas Markle Samantha Markle was turned away at Kensington Palace gates in October after she flew unannounced to confront her sister over the ongoing family feud Samantha's Twitter tirade began in response to an article by The Australian which reported that police were guarding The Duchess from her sister. 'More retarded ''fake news'' by #Australia,' she said. 'This is ridiculous as I'm in an electric wheelchair and i live ona different continent LOL and afdvocating for doing the right this by our dad is hardly fixations. 'Stop your lying nonsense or be sued.' She goes on to say the media is the one fixated on the ongoing drama between the Markles, not her. Scotland Yard's Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (FTAC) is a police unit which works with the NHS to identify risks posed by 'lone individuals' who stalk or harass public figures. A Scotland Yard source told The Sunday Times: 'Someone like Samantha presents a risk rather than a threat. She is not committing criminal offences, but she is causing concerns for the royal family. 'There is big potential for some major embarrassment for the royals. Samantha could make a scene and create headlines with her actions and let's face it she's kind of already done that.' Earlier this month, Samantha sent a Christmas card to Meghan telling her the 'time was now' to 'end the rift' with her estranged father Thomas. She wrote: 'Dad has been trying to contact you and is very hurt because you are avoiding him.' And Samantha, who has multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair, was turned away at Kensington Palace gates in October after she flew unannounced to confront her sister over the ongoing family feud. She is also understood to be writing a book about her sister called In the Shadows of The Duchess, which was previously named The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister. The estranged sister called out specific media publications for their reporting on her tumultuous relationship with Meghan Samantha claimed that she is not fixated on her sister Meghan, but said it's the media who has a fixation Samantha sent a Christmas card to Meghan telling her the 'time was now' to 'end the rift' with her estranged father Thomas Speaking from San Diego during an interview with Good Morning Britain, Thomas Markle made a public appeal to his daughter to get in touch A source told The Sunday Times that FTAC would have been informed by the Duchess about Samantha's 'pattern of unwanted and persistent behavior'. Samantha's Saturday Twitter rant comes after she took a swipe at Meghan and Prince Harry over their official Christmas card, hinting that the Royal had 'turned her back on her family'. The Christmas card is a black and white photograph of the couple with their backs to the camera watching fireworks from their wedding day. She said: 'Interesting that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have their backs turned. Following her rant, by Sunday Samantha set her Twitter account to private. The Christmas card is black and white photograph of the couple with their backs to the camera watching fireworks from their wedding day 'Is this towards the world or just the Ragland and Markle family? It's a bit sad. Face the Christmas spirit.' Thomas Markle also made an appearance on Good Morning Britain where he begged for his daughter to get in touch. The 74-year-old said: 'I love my daughter very much and she has to know that. I would really appreciate if she would just call me, reach out to me somehow, send me a text, just say you're there and you're hearing me.' A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'We do not confirm the identity of any person who may or may not be of interest to police unless that person has been charged with an offence.' Outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly admitted the White House gave up on building a concrete border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border 'early on' in President Donald Trump's administration but said some 'fencing' was necessary. 'To be honest, it's not a wall,' he told the Los Angeles Times in a long interview defending his rocky tenure atop Trump's White House. 'The president still says 'wall' - oftentimes frankly he'll say 'barrier' or 'fencing,' now he's tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it,' he said. Outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly defended his tenure atop the White House in a two-hour long interview with the Los Angeles Times Kelly talked about managing President Donald Trump and said Trump never told him to do anything illegal Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, originally joined Trump's administration as Homeland Security Secretary, where he oversaw immigration policy and worked with border agents. He said he heard from Customs and Border Protection agents that they needed a barrier at certain spots on the almost 2,000 mile border. 'They said, 'Well we need a physical barrier in certain places, we need technology across the board, and we need more people,' Kelly noted in the interview. The government is entering day nine of a partial government shut down with negotiations at a stand still. Trump has refused to accept a bill that does not include at least $2.5 billion for the border wall - down from his original demand of $5 billion - but Democrats have said they will not go above $1.3 billion they have already offered. The president has pushed blame on the Democrats. 'I am in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security. From what I hear, they are spending so much time on Presidential Harassment that they have little time left for things like stopping crime and our military!,' he tweeted on Saturday. And he's touted the support he claims he has for his position. 'Veterans on President Trumps handling of Border Security - 62% Approval Rating. On being a strong leader - 59%. AP Poll. Thank you!,' he tweeted on Sunday. An AP poll on Saturday found strong approval for the president. Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left) could pass a measure funding the government when she takes power on Thursday which could put pressure on Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (right) to follow President Trump has sought to blame Democrats for the shut down He has also touted the support for his position Trump canceled his plans to go to Mar-a-Lago for the holiday season after the government shut down. But it appears as if things are a stand still until the New Year and possibly until Democrats take control of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3. The House and Senate gaveled in and out of session in under five minutes on Thursday. No votes are scheduled for either chamber. They will be back in session on Monday for a pro forma - in which no business is conducted - but will not formally gavel in until Wednesday. Democrats are looking at several options to get the government funded once they take power on Thursday, however they are showing no signs of backing down from the $1.3 billion they offered. Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi could get something passed in her chamber that day, which could put pressure on Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell follow suit. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told CNN the president could veto any of Democratic offerings. 'Depends what's in it. The president likes the $5.6 billion in the house package,' she said Sunday on 'State of the Union.' Lawmakers have been promised 24 hours notice for votes so they have time to get back to Washington D.C. Kelly, meanwhile, spoke to the Los Angeles Times by phone for more than two hours on Friday as he prepares to leave the West Wing at the end of the year with the interview publishing on Sunday. Kelly gave the interview to defend his tenure but the interview itself hints at chaos in the West Wing a notion White House aides have tried to dispel but constantly bubbles up again when talking about the Trump White House. In the interview, the outgoing chief of staff talked about how Trump relies on his gut when making decisions, admits he didn't get time to review policies, notes his surprise at some pronouncement by Cabinet members, and recounts the 17-hour days he spent managing the president. In July 2017, Trump named Kelly his chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus, whose tenure at the White House was marked by constant chatter at how long he would last in the position. The president wanted Kelly to bring his military lens to the job - imposing order on a West Wing that had been marked by high staff turnover, a lack in a reporting structure, and inter-agency rivalry. His 18 months on the job had its tough moments: Trump appeared to defend white nationalists after a rally in Charlottesville, Va., to protest the removal of Civil War statutes; staff secretary Rob Porter was revealed by DailyMail.com to have been accused of domestic abuse by two ex-wives; and the firings of aides Omarose Manigault Newman and Anthony Scaramucci. Kelly pushed back on the notion that the president doesn't like to read briefing papers or spends most of his time watching cable news in what's called 'executive time' - where Trump is not in the Oval Office but usually tweeting or talking on the phone. 'It's never been: The president just wants to make a decision based on no knowledge and ignorance,' Kelly said. 'You may not like his decision, but at least he was fully informed on the impact.' John Kelly (right) is leaving the White House at the end of the year after 18 months as President Trump's chief of staff John Kelly replaced Reince Priebus (right), who tweeted a photo of them at a White House holiday reception this year John Kelly said the administration gave up on a concrete border wall 'early on' A migrant jumps the border fence to get into the U.S. side to San Diego He said he made sure the president had access to multiple streams of information before he made a decision but, he added, Trump often relies on his gut rather than U.S. intelligence. He also told the newspaper that being chief of staff was a 'bone-crushing hard job, but you do it.' His typical day began at 4 a.m. and often didn't end until 9 p.m. 'I'm guarded by the Secret Service. I can't even go get a beer,' he joked. But, he said, Trump never ordered him to do anything illegal, Kelly said, 'because we wouldn't have.' 'If he had said to me, 'Do it, or you're fired,' Kelly said he would have resigned. Kelly told The Los Angeles Times he tried to leave politics out of his job. 'I told the president the last thing in my view that you need in the chief of staff is someone that looks at every issue through a political lens,' Kelly said. And Kelly, who has a military background, kept himself out of politics in his interview with the Times. Asked if there was a security crisis at the border or whether Trump ginned up fears of migrant 'invasion' for political reasons, Kelly didn't directly answer. 'We do have an immigration problem,' was his response. He also expressed compassion for those trying to come to the United States. 'Illegal immigrants, overwhelmingly, are not bad people,' Kelly said. 'I have nothing but compassion for them, the young kids.' Immigration and border security have been some of the most controversial issues in the two years of Trump's presidency. One policy in particular bounced back on hard on the White House: the implementation of a zero-tolerance policy that resulted in hundreds of migrant children being separated from their families. Kelly put the blame on then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who announced the move in May. He said Session's pronouncement caught the White House by surprise. 'What happened was Jeff Sessions, he was the one that instituted the zero-tolerance process on the border that resulted in both people being detained and the family separation,' Kelly said. 'He surprised us.' John Kelly (center) in the Oval Office with deputy chief of staff Bill Shine (left) and adviser Jared Kushner (right) John Kelly said his day began at 4 a.m. and often ended at 9 p.m A man passes a Mexican migrant baby to her mother after they jump the border fence to get into the U.S. side to San Diego on Saturday It was a bit of reversal for Kelly, who originally took the heat for the policy after an interview he gave CNN in March 2017 - when he led the Department of Homeland Security - revealed he suggested the separation policy could deter illegals. 'Yes, I am considering in order to deter more movement along this terribly dangerous network,' he told the network at the time. He added: 'I would do almost anything to deter the people from Central America to getting on this very, very dangerous network that brings them up through Mexico into the United States.' But Kelly put the blame in Sessions' corner although he admitted it was the administration's fault for not anticipating public outrage to that policy and Trump's travel ban. Shortly after taking office, Trump issued an executive order barring travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries. 'I had very little opportunity to look at them,' before the orders were announced, Kelly said. 'Obviously, it brought down a greater deal of thunder on the president.' Asked why he stayed 18 months on the job despite the constant reports of tension between him and the president, he said simply: duty. 'Military people,' he said, 'don't walk away.' Organizers canceled the Women's March event in Northern California slated for next month over concerns that the rally-goers would be 'overwhelmingly white.' The Women's March planners say the rally that was to be held in Eureka on January 19, would not represent the diversity of the area, according to KRCR-TV. 'Up to this point, the participants have been overwhelmingly white, lacking representation from several perspectives in our community,' a press release from the organizers stated. 'Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organizing team will take time for more outreach. The organizers say they will continue to discuss how to broaden representation of Humboldt County in a future event, and is considering holding a celebration of International Women's Day in March. A demonstrator holds a sign while gathering on the National Mall during the Women's March on Washington in January 2017. The Eureka rally in 2019 was canceled due to a lack of diversity 'I was appalled to be honest,' said Amy Sawyer Long to the Washington Times. 'I understand wanting a diverse group. However, we live in a predominantly white area not to mention how is it beneficial to cancel? No matter the race people still want their voices heard.' Census bureau data as of July shows Humboldt County, California, being 74 percent identifying as white. The cancellation in Eureka follows on the heals of an announced cancellation of the Women's March in Chicago where organizers blamed cost and lack of volunteers for preventing them going forward. After the first Women's March on January 21, 2017. the day after President Trump's inauguration, the national organization has taken a number of public relations hits from accusations of anti-Semitism. Demonstrations like this one also took place in cities around the globe, but since 2017, the national leadership of the Women's March has been dealing with controversy and attrition Tamika Mallory, a Women's March leader, has been under pressure to condemn the anti-Semitic rhetoric of inflammatory Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan, has been linked to leadership of the Women's March In February, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan praised Women's March co-President Tamika Mallory and declared 'the powerful Jews are my enemy,' according to Fox News. The organizing leadership have been condemned for not condemning the remarks quickly enough. Actress Alyssa Milano even pulled out of speaking at the Women's March in 2019 over the alleged ties to Farrakhan and his history of making anti-Semitic remarks. Vanessa Wruble, a former organizer in Brooklyn, claims she was removed from the organization because she was Jewish, an allegation that Tamika Mallory denies. In November, a statement on behalf of the organization was released by Linda Sarsour, one of the Women's March leaders. 'We should have been faster and clearer in helping people understand our values and our commitment to fighting anti-semitism. We regret that,' the statement read. 'Every member of our movement matters to us including our incredible Jewish and LGBTQ members. We are deeply sorry for the harm we have caused, but we see you, we love you, and we are fighting with you.' A criminal profiler who told police the murderer they were seeking would be a loner with an obsession with the occult led detectives to conduct a bizarre 'honey-trap' sting operation against an innocent man. In July 1992, 23-year-old Rachel Nickell was brutally murdered on Wimbledon Common in the presence of her two-year-old son. She was dragged into the undergrowth by a man who sexually assaulted her before stabbing her 49 times and slashing her throat. In September of 1994, Colin Stagg, then 30, was acquitted of the ghastly crime after a judge threw out evidence gathered by an undercover female detective who spent months trading dark sexual fantasies with Mr Clegg. In a new book, Mr Stagg's defence counsel has shone fresh light on the strange case which left an innocent man in jail for a year, a murderer free to kill again, and a police officer with such extreme PTSD she successfully sued the Met for 125,000. In July 1992, 23-year-old Rachel Nickell was brutally murdered on Wimbledon Common in the presence of her two-year-old son In a new book William Clegg QC pours scorn on criminal profiling techniques used by a psychologist relied upon by detectives William Clegg QC has also poured scorn on the practice of criminal profiling, which he described as 'rubbish based on guesswork'. In his autobiography Under the Wig, the barrister writes: 'Under the relentless gaze of the media, the investigators turned to a new development in police inquiries: criminal profiling. 'A psychologist, Paul Britton, was asked to create a character portrait of the kind of individual who would have committed the crime. 'Britton gave the police a description of the man they should be seeking. 'He would be a sexually repressed loner who lived on his own close to the scene of the crime. He would be in his twenties or thirties, with an interest in the occult and in knives.' Det Insp Keith Pedder, one of the original lead officers in the inquiry, said: 'To me, the idea of using a psychologist to help solve a crime was the stuff of movies like Silence of the Lambs, not your meat and two veg of criminal investigation.' But detectives worked closely with Dr Britton, who had also worked on the Fred West murders and was the inspiration for the television series Cracker. Detectives knocked on doors around Wimbledon Common and questioned 32 men. They produced a photofit which four callers identified as Mr Stagg, who often walked his beloved dog Brandy on the Common. Colin Stagg was 29, unemployed, a virgin, and a pagan. A woman with whom he had corresponded via a lonely heart ad contacted police to say he had shared graphic sexual fantasies. And a witness picked him out of an identity parade. He had no previous convictions but told police he sometimes sunbathed naked on the heathland. The police became convinced they had found their man. Mr Clegg wrote: 'I think the police had convinced themselves that Stagg murdered Rachel. They became so desperate to solve the murder that they couldn't imagine it being anyone else.' Lacking a shred of physical evidence linking him to the murder they turned back to their profiler to design a covert operation to prove or disprove their suspect's guilt. Mr Clegg wrote: 'Britton suggested that if a woman were to befriend the suspect and feign interest in violent sexual fantasies, he might end up admitting to her that he was the murderer. 'Operation Ezdell was duly launched. (Britton has since denied that the sting operation was his idea.)' A female detective who used the alias Lizzie James was brought in from Scotland Yard's covert operations unit SO10. Over five months of letters, phonecalls and four in-person meetings, she feigned sexual interest in him and he admitted to sexual fantasies involving violence. According to reports he told the officer he had fantasised about Miss Nickell's killing - but he never admitted responsibility. In fact, when she wrote: 'If only you had done the Wimbledon Common murder. If only you had killed her, it would be all right', he replied: 'I'm terribly sorry, but I haven't.' Rachel Nickell pictured with her partner Andre Hanscombe and their infant son Alex At that point, wrote Mr Clegg, profiler Paul Britton nonetheless claimed the conversations had satisfied him Mr Stagg was guilty of murder. He was arrested shortly afterwards. At a lengthy legal hearing over whether the 'honey-trap' exchanges would be presented to the jury at the Old Bailey, according to Mr Clegg: 'I disputed the expertise of Britton, arguing that his opinion was not properly to be admitted as expert evidence. When one analysed what he had done, I argued, one realised he was relying on guesswork and supposition.' He argued that, had Colin Stagg volunteered incriminating information to an undercover officer that would have been perfectly well and good, but what had in fact happened was that Stagg had been tricked by police into saying things the criminal profiler merely claimed were incriminating. The judge threw out the honeytrap evidence and the case was dismissed. Colin Stagg, after spending a year on remand in Brixton prison, was free to return to his pet Brandy. Colin Stagg in 1994 (L) and last year (R). The innocent man spent a year in prison on remand The Old Bailey judge said the use of the honey-trap tactic was 'not merely an excess of zeal, but a blatant attempt to incriminate a suspect by positive and deceptive conduct of the grossest kind'. The detective from the Covert Operations Group, who was not criticised for her role, found the experience so stressful that she was off work for 18 months and later took early retirement. She said the pressure of working on the case caused her to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and accused Scotland Yard of failing to give her the necessary support. She issued a writ against her employers in March 1999 and was reportedly awarded 125,000 compensation. It was not until 2008 that Rachel Nickell's son Alex, then 18, was granted some small measure of closure in the case, when Rachel's true killer, serial rapist and murderer Robert Napper confessed to the crime. Police missed a series of chances to arrest Napper before a four-year spree of sex and rape attacks, which included Rachel's murder, was ended. Robert Napper was arrested for the murder of Samantha Bisset and her daughter Jazmine, four, (pictured) in their one-bedroom flat in Plumstead, southeast London, in May of 1994. Eighteen years later he admitted killing Rachel Nickell in front of her infant son Criminal profiling: fact and fiction Criminal profiling - the art of second-guessing - is often the stuff of Hollywood and television dramas. In the Silence Of the Lambs, profiler Clarice Starling turns to psychopath Hannibal Lecter for help working out how to catch serial killer Buffalo Bill before he strikes again. And before he was Hagrid in the Harry Potter movie franchise, Robbie Coltrane's Cracker was an ascerbic chain-smoking, Scottish criminal psychologist whose theories about killers' behaviours helped Greater Manchester Police catch murderers. In real life, offender profiling or criminal profiling is an investigative tool used to identify likely suspects especially in the case of a serial offender. Multiple crimes may be linked to a specific offender and the profile may be used to predict the identified offender's future actions Psychological profiling seeks to identify a person's mental, emotional, and personality characteristics based on things done or left at the crime scene. Its use has grown steadily since the 1970s, but it has its detractors: ten years ago in The New Yorker journalist Malcolm Gladwell compared it to cold-reading and astrology for its lack of scientific rigour. Advertisement They failed to identify him as a suspect in the Wimbledon Common murder despite obvious similarities with other crimes of which he was accused. But Mr Clegg has said he made the connection immediately, writing that when Napper was arrested for the murder of Samantha Bisset and her daughter Jazmine, four, in their one-bedroom flat in Plumstead, southeast London, in May of 1994, 'the growing realisation that whoever had carried out the murders was almost certainly the person who had killed Rachel Nickell. 'For a start, it is statistically very unusual for a stranger to murder a mother in the presence of a young child. Second, both killings took place on or next to common land. Third, both women were stabbed many more times than was necessary to kill. Fourth, there was a sexual element to the killings. Finally, Napper bore a striking resemblance to Stagg.' After Napper's confession the Met made a 706,000 payout and apology to Colin Stagg - against whom they had continued to brief after his acquittal. Earlier this year he said he had blown it all within ten years on a livish lifestyle and bad investment. In early 2015, Alex Hanscombe returned to the site of his mother's murder for the first time since he was found, one month shy of his third birthday, clinging to her blood-stained body, begging her to get up. He said afterward: 'I was on the Common for about an hour and when I got to the spot, where she was murdered, I knelt down and said a prayer for my mother, saying how grateful I was for everything she had given me.' Under The Wig by William Clegg QC is published by Canbury Press at 16.99. Jeremy Vine came under fire in a debate over the Welsh language Jeremy Vine has been accused of 'insulting' the Welsh after a listener suggested people in Wales should speak English instead of their mother tongue. Earlier this year the BBC star interviewed a man from Pontypridd in South Wales who said: 'I don't want to speak [Welsh], it's a horrible language. 'If you go into any pub in west Wales, or North Wales, they're all there speaking English. As soon as they hear my accent, they start changing into Welsh, so we can't understand them.' But Vine came under fire when the comment resurfaced during his 'review of the year' show on Radio 2. A Twitter user criticised the review for giving air time 'to the tired old trope about walking into a pub and people switching to English', branding it 'nonsense.' When some people compared speaking the Welsh language in Wales to using French in France, Vine responded on Twitter: 'Is France in the UK?' The tweet has since been deleted. Replying to a Twitter user who suggested he apologised or explained, Vine said: 'My tweet was misconstrued! Vine came under fire when the comment resurfaced during his 'review of the year' show on Radio 2 'I was pointing out that the listener on my show who complained about people not speaking English to him in Wales was not quite the same as a Brit in Paris who complains no-one speaks English there. 'Didn't mean to offend.' But Plaid Cymru Welsh Assembly member Sian Gwenllian, whose Arfon constituency is in the Welsh-speaking heartland of north west Wales, invited Vine to visit the area 'so [he] can understand what it means to live in a community where Welsh is the day-to-day medium of communication.' Replying to a Twitter user who suggested he apologised or explained, Vine said: 'My tweet was misconstrued!' and said he did not mean to offend She wrote: 'Perhaps then you will see why your recent remark about the Welsh language is profoundly insulting to our identity, culture and way of life.' The politician claimed the 'obvious and dangerous' implication was that 'English is the language that should be spoken in the UK. Other languages don't belong here.' Vine responded: 'There is nothing better than diversity of language and of everything. I was arguing against an analogy and not doing it very well.' Today a fan of Vine's radio show from Conwy said: 'The Welsh mustn't be seen to lack a sense of humour. 'There are always language zealots who seem to be easily offended.' Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, pictured, has said the UK could establish new military bases in the Caribbean and Far East The UK could establish new military bases in the Caribbean and Far East as part of a bid to become a 'true global player' following Brexit. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said that the 1960s policy of withdrawal from regions 'east of Suez' had been ripped up as the UK takes the opportunity to 'recast' its role on the global stage. Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Williamson said Britons should be 'much more optimistic about our future as we exit the European Union'. He said: 'This is our biggest moment as a nation since the end of the Second World War, when we can recast ourselves in a different way, we can actually play the role on the world stage that the world expects us to play. 'For so long - literally for decades - so much of our national view point has actually been coloured by a discussion about the European Union. 'This is our moment to be that true global player once more - and I think the armed forces play a really important role as part of that.' Mr Williamson said he was looking at opportunities to establish a UK presence 'not just in the Far East but also in the Caribbean as well'. He declined to identify possible locations, but the Telegraph quoted a source close to the Defence Secretary as saying that new bases, housing service and maintenance staff, supply ships and equipment, could be sited in Singapore or Brunei in the South China Sea, or Montserrat or Guyana in the Caribbean 'within the next couple of years'. Mr Williamson, pictured speaking to Royal Wessex Yeomanry Tank Gunner reservist Lance Corporal Kat Dixon, also said that the 'armed forces play a really important role' in becoming a 'true global player' once more Mr Williamson said: 'I am ... very much looking at how can we get as much of our resources forward based, actually creating a deterrent but also taking a British presence. 'We are looking at those opportunities not just in the Far East but also in the Caribbean as well.' However he played down the significance of his announcement that troops were being put on standby to assist civil authorities on Brexit day, describing it as 'good sensible planning to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible'. He said he expected a dramatic shift in political focus after Brexit - with the UK building deeper relationships with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Caribbean states and nations across Africa. The Defence Secretary predicted these countries would look to the UK for 'the moral leadership, the military leadership and the global leadership'. He said that recent research showed that Britons under-estimated the potential for UK global influence. The research showed that while 'the rest of the world saw Britain standing 10 feet tall - when actually we stood six feet tall - Britons saw us standing five feet tall, not the six, and certainly not the 10', he said. New anti-terror measures have been put in place around the Queen's Sandringham estate for the first time as several high-profile royals stay there for the festive season. Special anti-truck-ram barriers have now been built at the four roads which lead to the Royal residence in Norfolk. The three-foot-high modular barriers can erected in seconds by police officers in the event of a terror attack involving a heavy goods vehicle. They have been designed by Belgium company Pitagone and can stop trucks weighing up to 7.5 tons travelling at up to 30mph. New anti-terror measures have been put in place around the Queen's Sandringham estate for the first time as several high-profile royals stay there for the festive season Special anti-truck-ram barriers have now been built at the four roads which lead to the Royal residence in Norfolk The Queen cheered up a gloomy December morning in a magenta coat and hat as she attended Sunday church service in Sandringham The special barriers are fully adjustable and can be used on all types of terrain and, because of their modular design, they can be built very quickly. The barriers were all on stand-by today as the Queen and other members of the Royal family attended the weekly Sunday service at Mary Magdalene Church. Similar precautions have also been installed at the Queen's other residencies, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Police were waiting at each of the four roads, with the barriers blocking half the road, ready to be moved if needed. The barriers were all on stand-by today as the Queen and other members of the Royal family attended the weekly Sunday service at Mary Magdalene Church The barriers have been designed by Belgium company Pitagone and can stop trucks weighing up to 7.5 tons travelling at up to 30mph It is believed that officers were equipped with stinger devices to lay across the road and puncture the tyres of any vehicles which did not stop. The extra precautions which have not been seem at Sandringham in previous years are thought to have been brought in over fears of a potential terrorist attack on the 20,000 acre estate in Norfolk. It is believed that the barriers were set up in the morning on four roads approaching 16th century St Mary Magdalene church at Sandringham. An estimated 3,000 people watched the Queen arrive for the morning service, accompanied by a lady in waiting in her maroon-coloured Bentley. The crowd was one of the biggest ever seen at a Sunday church service with many people admitting that they had hoped to see The Duchess of Sussex or the Duchess of Cambridge. Facebook has apologized to evangelist Franklin Graham after banning the pastor for 24 hours over a 2016 post he made arguing in favor of a state law restricting transgender individuals to the bathroom of the sex listed on their birth certificate. The social network issued the apology to the North Carolina-based pastor on Sunday, saying it had 'made a mistake' by banning him and removing the two-year-old post. Graham thanked Facebook for the apology but went on to blast the social network and founder Mark Zuckerberg in a statement. 'Facebook is trying to define truth. There was a character in a movie a few years back who said, 'The truth is what I say it is!' That's what Facebook is trying to do,' Graham wrote in a statement. Facebook has apologized to evangelist Franklin Graham (above) after banning the pastor for 24 hours over a 2016 post he made arguing in favor of North Carolina's 'bathroom bill' 'They're making the rules and changing the rules. Truth is truth. God made the rules and His Word is truth,' Graham's statement continued. 'Actually, Facebook is censoring free speech. The free exchange of ideas is part of our country's DNA,' he added. Graham also included the full text of his banned 2016 post, asking his followers: 'Do you see any hate speech here?' The post spoke out in favor of HB2, a North Carolina bill that was signed into law in March 2016. The law banned transgender individuals from using bathrooms that did not align with the sex listed on their birth certificates in government buildings. The bathroom part of the bill was later repealed. Full post that got Franklin Graham temporarily banned from Facebook April 9, 2016 'Bruce Springsteen, a long-time gay rights activist, has cancelled his North Carolina concert. He says the NC law to prevent men from being able to use women's restrooms and locker rooms is going 'backwards instead of forwards.' 'Well, to be honest, we need to go back! Back to God. Back to respecting and honoring His commands. Back to common sense. Mr. Springsteen, a nation embracing sin and bowing at the feet of godless secularism and political correctness is not progress. 'I'm thankful North Carolina has a governor, Pat McCrory, and a lieutenant governor, Dan Forest, and legislators who put the safety of our women and children first! HB2 protects the safety and privacy of women and children and preserves the human rights of millions of faith-based citizens of this state.' A news link to a Washington Post article was also shared with the post. Advertisement Franklin Graham is the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham, who died in February. They are seen together above in 2003 In his statement, Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham who died in February, accused Facebook of having a 'secret rulebook for policing speech'. Last week, Facebook's secret rules governing which posts are censored across the globe were revealed in a New York Times investigative report. A committee of young company lawyers and engineers drew up the thousands of rules outlining what words and phrases constitute 'hate speech' and should be removed from the social media platform. On Franklin Graham's Facebook page, thousands weighed in with comments, which for the most part expressed outrage over his temporary ban. 'Facebook has some major problems they need to correct! Apparently FB is NOT a platform for all. True they should remove violence but God's word is not hate speech,' wrote Barb Thompson Meyer. 'Thank you for pointing out the policing of free speech by Facebook!' commented Sarah Mannion. Susan Grumbles Durell chimed in: 'I hardly get on anymore because of this. Facebook is trying to be the New Gestapo.' The mother of the eight-year-old boy who died in US custody says her son was healthy when he left Guatemala with his father on their journey to the US, despite President Trump's claim that the boy was 'very sick' when he arrived. Catarina Alonzo, 32, said Saturday from her remote Guatemalan village that her son Felipe Gomez Alonzo was doing well each time each time he and his father called home to during their trek to seek asylum in the US. US authorities say the boy was suffering from the flu when he died Christmas Eve in New Mexico, making him the second migrant child to die in US custody. Alonzo's claims contradict Trump's statement Saturday that 'the two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol.' Catarina Alonzo said her son Felipe Gomez Alonzo was healthy each time each time he and his father called home to during their trek to the US Felipe Gomez Alonzo, eight, from Guatemala, lost his life on Christmas Eve after being held at a detention center by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection President Trump tweeted Saturday that both children who died in US custody were 'very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol' Alonzo said the last time she spoke with her Felipe, he was in Mexico at the U.S. border and said he was eating chicken. Catarina's son's death came just six days after he and his father crossed into the United States without legal documentation The father and son were detained 3.29 miles from the port of entry in El Paso, Texas, on December 18. On the morning of the 24th, Felipe was transported to a local hospital after showing possible signs of influenza. He was given Tylenol and developed a 103 degree fever. The boy was released at 2.50pm and removed from the detention facility at 10pm to be taken back to the hospital after he appeared weak and nauseous. He got to the medical center at 11pm and was declared dead 48 minutes later. His death came just six days after he and his father crossed into the United States without legal documentation. On Saturday Trump took a defiant stance on the deaths of Felipe and seven-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin, tweeting: 'Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! 'The two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadnt given her water in days. Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit!' His shocking tweets come amid pressure to end the partial government shutdown - which is rolling into its second weekend - due to a battle over his border wall funding. President Trump tweeted Saturday blaming the deaths of two Guatemalan children in US custody on 'Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies' Felipe , eight, (left) lost his life on Christmas Eve after being held at a detention center by the US Customs and Border Protection. The same day, Jakelin Caal Maquin, seven, was being buried in Guatemala after dying of dehydration in US custody Catarina Alonzo (pictured with three of her other children) hoped to have her son flown back home to Guatemala Felipe's mother shared a photograph of her son and revealed she had allowed him to join his father Agustin Gomez, 47, on the journey through Mexico with the hopes of being granted asylum at the US border. The distraught mother-of-five spoke last week of how she wanted her son's remains to be repatriated to the indigenous Mayan family's village as soon as possible. 'I want my son to be brought home soon,' she told Prensa Libre on Wednesday. 'I need to see him soon and I'm very sad.' 'I need help to bring my son so that I can be at peace and so that this sadness in my heart can pass,' she added. Alonzo revealed she thought Felipe would have helped her husband's chances of being allowed into the US, according to Guatemalan news outlet Prensa Libre. She recalled previous stories of children accompanied by their parents who received favorable treatment from immigration officials. Felipe's death came the same day Jakelin was being laid to rest in an open casket ceremony in her native Guatemala on Christmas Eve. Jakelin Caal died on December 8 in a hospital in El Paso, Texas, in the early hours of the morning. She was detained along with her father Nery at 9.15pm on December 6th as they crossed into the US in New Mexico illegally. The child died of dehydration two days after being arrested at the border. She stopped breathing on a US government bus and was not taken to hospital for more than an hour later. The Border Patrol agency previously said she 'had not eaten or drank any water' for days but they did not indicate how they knew that. The body of Jakelin Caal, 7, is seen in a casket as friends and family attend her funeral in the Guatemalan village of San Antonio Secortez on Christmas Day, Tuesday Locals gather around the gravesite as the casket is lowered into the ground on Tuesday President Trump's tweet comes amid his incessant blaming of Democrats for government shutdown in response to not funding his border wall. Cooped up in the White House after cancelling his planned vacation to his private Florida club, Trump previously tweeted that he's 'waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security.' But there has been little direct contact between either side during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington for another five days, to keep Congress in session. On Tuesday, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that it would be focusing its medical examinations on children under the age of 10. The agency 'is considering options for surge medical assistance' from the Coast Guard and may request help from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The most famous newspaper in France has been forced to apologise after publishing a dramatic image of President Emmanuel Macron looking like Adolf Hitler. Le Monde is running the picture of the 41-year-old head of state in its latest weekend magazine 'M', causing shock and outrage. It shows a stern-looking Macron looking just like the Nazi dictator, as images of crowds on the Champs Elysee in Paris are beamed on to his jacket. On Sunday, Le Monde's editorial director Luc Bronner said: 'The cover of Le Monde's M magazine dated Saturday December 29 has provoked critical reactions from some of our readers. We apologise to those who were shocked.' Le Monde's editorial director has apologised for any 'shock' after their weekend magazine M published a picture of President Emmanuel Macron (left) on their front page looking like Adolf Hitler (poster right) Mr Bronner claimed the image was in fact inspired by 'Russian constructivists' who liked 'black and red' the favoured Nazi colours and the Canadian illustrator Lincoln Agnew. But others accused Le Monde of likening Mr Macron to a ruthless German dictator, as the Frenchman dealt with security threats including the Yellow Vests protest movement. The Yellow Vests have been protesting on the Champs Elysee for the past seven Saturdays, sparking riots and the desecration of national monuments including the Arc de Triomphe, which is depicted in the Le Monde cover. In turn, Mr Macron has flooded his capital city with thousands of police, water canons, and armoured cars equipped with chemical weapons such as tear gas. Officers have been accused of being too heavy handed, beating demonstrators with truncheons and throwing flash balls at their heads. Demonstrators wearing yellow vests hold photos of people they say are victims of police violence in recent weeks as they walk through Biarritz, southwestern France, today French riot police officers stand on the Trocadero plaza in Paris (left) last night as people also protest in Bordeaux (right) on the seventh weekend of demonstrations A gilets jaunes anti-government demonstrator holds up the French flag as he stands infront of a fire during protests in the western French city of Bordeaux yesterday Condemning Le Monde's cover, National Assembly president Richard Ferrand, a close Macron lieutenant, said the 'graphic and iconographic referencescannot be there by chance.' The Nazis occupied Paris between 1940 and 1944, and marched up and down the Champs Elysee most days with a military band. Hitler himself loved the French capital, visiting all the major tourist attractions in 1940, and paying tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte at his tomb in Les Invalides. Many French welcomed the Nazis, assisting them in the Second World War Holocaust in which some 70,000 Jews were murdered. The independent Mr Macron, leader of the Republic On The Move party, won the French presidential election by a landslide in May 2017, but he is now dubbed the 'President of the Rich' by many. People also call him 'Jupiter' because of his allegedly arrogant style of government one which has seen close ministerial allies resigning. Hitler (pictured in front of the Eiffel Tower in 1940) loved the French capital and visited all the major tourist attractions The Nazis occupied Paris between 1940 and 1944. Pictured are German troops riding on horseback with the Arc De Triomphe visible behind them Recent polls have showed his popularity rating down to as low as 18 per cent, while he has been struggling to cope with the Yellow Vests crisis. Despite concessions including abandoning green surcharges on the price of diesel and petrol, protestors are still calling on Macron to resign, and have threatened to stage a mass protest on the Champs Elysee on New Year's Eve. The movement began on November 17 as a protest over fuel taxes and is named after the fluorescent protective gear French motorists must keep in their cars. The official turnout numbers have plunged with the passing weeks however the government still recorded 38,600 demonstrators on December 22 compared to 282,000 for the first major demonstrations on November 17. The focus of the protests has morphed from anger over fuel taxes to a broad rebuke of Macron, accused by critics of neglecting the rising costs of living for many in rural and small-town France. Yesterday Yellow Vests set cars alight and left them to burn in Paris and the Eiffel Tower was shrouded in thick black smoke, after riot police fired tear gas at crowds. The Canadian manufacturer of a popular condom brand is issuing a recall of specific batches returned over durability concerns. RB Health (Canada) Inc., Durex's parent company, issued the recall of their 'Real Feel' brand on Thursday, stating that the condoms in question did not pass its 'stringent shelf-life durability tests.' 'There is no immediate safety concern for consumers and only specific batches are affected,' the company wrote on their website. 'We are working closely with the Health Canada and have decided to recall affected batches.' The condoms are 'not expected to meet the registered burst pressure specification at end of shelf-life' according to the alert issued by Health Canada, the Canadian public health department. Durex claims that the condoms are currently safe, but purchasers should still return unused products for a refund or exchange On July 30, Durex recalled 10 batches of condoms in the UK over burst pressure concerns as well. Those condoms had also failed to pass 'rigorous' quality tests. 'There is no reason to be worried,' Durex insists in addressing concerns by consumers who may have already used the condoms under recall. The company maintains that the products are safe to use as directed, but customers should stop using them and avail themselves of the recall. If one of its condoms were to burst, however unlikely, it would increase the risk of sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy. Customers will be given a choice of a full refund or an 'alternative products of at least the same value.' Batches of Durex 'Real Feel' 20 count (left) and 10 count (right) are subject to the recall The specific batch numbers can be found on the bottom of the box packaging of Durex condoms Batch numbers can also be find on the foil packaging of the condoms themselves The condoms being recalled are: Durex Real Feel(R) Extra Lubricated 10ct, batch number 1000443254 Durex Real Feel(R) 20ct, batch number 1000356816. Full information about the consumer level recall is available on Durex's website. RB Health claims that no other Durex brands beyond the ones listed have been affected, and the current recall is limited to condoms sold in Canada. A brave student has shared photos of her bloodied face after a stranger at a bus stop allegedly beat and raped her on her way home from a night out. Andrea Sicignano, from Long Island, New York, who was studying a year abroad in Spain, says she was violently attacked just days before Christmas. Ms Sicignano, 27, was approached by a man when she appeared 'lost and upset' after getting the wrong bus and ending up in an unfamiliar part of Madrid. He offered to help her, but when the student tried to leave after she became uncomfortable, he began to violently attack her until she couldn't see through the blood in her eyes. Andrea Sicignano, from the US, who was studying a year abroad in Spain, says she was violently attacked just days before Christmas At first Ms Sicignano - a State University of New York at Buffalo graduate who is from Lindenhurst, Long Island, New York - claims she screamed and tried to and fight her attacker. She reached for her phone but the man reportedly shouted in Spanish: 'I have your phone, you can't call anyone'. Certain she would die, Ms Sicignano closed her eyes and played dead as he continued to beat and raped her. When she finally opened her eyes, her attacker had disappeared. Ms Sicignano has shared a harrowing post that detailed the alleged horrific attack, including images of bruises and deep cuts on her face. In the post, uploaded to Facebook on December 19, she wrote: 'I have been living in Madrid for the last 6 months and I had a friend visiting me this past weekend. We went out for the night to see a Flamenco show. Ms Sicignano's horrific facial injuries. Certain she would die, she had closed her eyes and played dead as her attacker beat and raped her 'We were both drunk, and when we left the final bar we got separated. Trying to get home, I got on the wrong bus, which took me to the end of the line in an unfamiliar area. 'I was the last to get off the bus; all other riders had left the stop. I sat down on the bench at the bus stop to figure out my next move. 'A man who had been on the bus, seeing that I was lost and upset, sat down next to me and offered me help. 'I was lost at 4am, and all public transport had stopped running. I needed help and this man assured me he could help me get home. A social media photo of Ms Sicignano. Her alleged attacker began to hit her in the face before being left in a 'puddle of her own blood', she claims The man began to hit her in the face before being left in a 'puddle of her own blood', she claims. She said: 'I pretended to be dead. I prayed that when I opened my eyes he would be gone. I dont know how much time passed before I finally opened my eyes, but when I did, he had disappeared. 'He raped me. 'I ran barefoot into the street, screaming at the top of my lungs for help. I was waving frantically, and yet three or four cars drove past me. A social media photo of Ms Sicignano. After the attack she was rushed to hospital, where she was given an MRI scan and a rape test kit and treatment for her swollen eye 'Finally, one stopped. I ran to it, screaming. Blood covered my face, hair, and jacket. A kind strangerwhom Ill never have the chance to thankcalled the ambulance and tried to soothe me while we waited for them to arrive.' She was then rushed to hospital, where Ms Sicignano was given an MRI scan and a rape test kit and treatment for her swollen eye. She added: 'My nose fractured in 4 places. I had bruises and scratches covering my body.' Madrid Police has since been investigating the alleged incident, Ms Sicignano claims. She said: 'These last few days have been a blur of medical appointments, legal meetings, and a police investigation. The Madrid police have been unbelievably helpful throughout this entire process, they made my case a top priority. A social media photo of Ms Sicignano. Madrid Police has since been investigating the alleged incident, she claims 'Watching video footage from the bus ride, I watched the man watch me throughout the journey. 'He could have killed me. In a puddle of my own blood, he left me in the darkbarely 20 paces from a main road. For all he knew I was dead. But I survived. Im still here. 'The only emotion Ive been able to come up with throughout this entire week has been relief. Relief that Im still alive.' A man has since been arrested over the incident, Yahoo.com reports. The suspect was arrested in Carabanchel three days after Andrea reported the alleged attack to police, according to local media. Ms Sicignano and her loved ones have set up a GoFundMe page to cover some of the costs of her medical bills and to raise money for sexual assault victims. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway backed away from President Donald Trump's pledge to build border wall calling it a 'silly semantic argument' and arguing patrol agents need 'enhancements' to do their jobs. 'It is a silly semantic argument because people who just want to say wall, wall, wall, wanted to be a four-letter word,' she said on 'Fox News Sunday.' She went on to say Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents say they need ' enhancements of the border. There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements. But always saying wall or no wall is being very disingenuous and turning the complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border when it comes to the drugs pouring in.' Her argument appears to be a step back from Trump's vow on the 2016 campaign trail to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border but it falls in lock step with recent statements out of the administration. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway backed away from promising to build a border wall - a move that follows other administration officials President Donald Trump has taken to talking about steel slats In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly noted: 'To be honest, it's not a wall' The president himself has touted steel slats on twitter, posting pictures of those types of barriers as he argues for the funds to build the project as the federal government enters day nine of a partial shutdown. And, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly noted: 'To be honest, it's not a wall.' 'The president still says 'wall' - oftentimes frankly he'll say 'barrier' or 'fencing,' now he's tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it,' he said. The White House and Democrats are locked between the $5.6 billion Trump is demanding and the $1.3 billion Democrats have offered. Negotiations are at a stand still over the holiday season. Conway sought to put the blame on Democrats, calling the president's demand a 'modest investment' in border security. 'Nancy Pelosi needs to comeback from Hawaii, less hula more moola,' she said. Pelosi was spotted at a luxury hotel in Hawaii over the holidays. Her office says the White House hasn't contacted them since December 11, when Trump said at a tense meeting he would claim the 'mantle' of a shutdown. But Conway pushed back, saying the Democrats need to be reaching out to the president. 'He's ready to receive a counter offer from the Democrats. It's been many, many days since the House passed its $5.6 billion for border security. If it's not restricted to just a wall. They need technological enhancements, physical barriers, the steel slats the president has tweeted about and talked about,' she said. 'The Democrats have simply shut down the discussions. They did not even counter us. We went back to them after the second 1.3 billion and picked a number less than five. We actually came off of our $5 billion slightly. Instead of coming up from the $1.3 billion, they left town,' Conway added. The government is entering day nine of a partial government shut down with negotiations at a stand still. It appears as if things are a stand still until the New Year and possibly until Democrats take control of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3. The House and Senate gaveled in and out of session in under five minutes on Thursday. No votes are scheduled for either chamber. They will be back in session on Monday for a pro forma - in which no business is conducted - but will not formally gavel in until Wednesday. Lawmakers have been promised 24 hours notice for votes so they have time to get back to Washington D.C. A man holds a Mexican migrant child as he jumps the border fence to get into the U.S. side to San Diego, Calif., from Tijuana, Mexico Mexican migrant child Kevin Andres, from Guerrero state, crosses the U.S.-Mexico border fence from Tijuana to San Diego County Trump has refused to accept a bill that does not include at least $2.5 billion for the border wall - down from his original demand of $5 billion - but Democrats have said they will not go above $1.3 billion they have already offered. Democrats are looking at several options to get the government funded when they retake control of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3 but they do not seem to be backing down from the $1.3 billion they've offered. But Conway told CNN the president could veto any of their options. 'Depends what's in it. The president likes the $5.6 billion in the house package,' she said on 'State of the Union.' A mother and her children had to be evacuated from their home after she created a deadly chemical reaction while trying to unblock the toilet. Dominique Heath used two common household cleaning fluids in her toilet after one of her children clogged it up by putting too much paper and a toy down it. But when the mother-of-three phoned the emergency services and reported a burning sensation in her nose and throat, she was warned to leave the house immediately. Dominique Heath used two common household cleaning fluids in her toilet, creating a chemical reaction Ms Heath used two bottles of One Shot toilet unblocker, which reacted with bleach Ms Heath used two bottles of One Shot toilet unblocker, which reacted with bleach. After trying and failing to clear the fumes Ms Heath dialled 999 and emergency services told her to leave her house. Firefighters, who cordoned part of her street of in Nailsea, Somerset, had to wear gas masks to enter her property because of the deadly fumes. They found it was full of chlorine gas - which is so poisonous that its use as a weapon in chemical warfare is banned by the Geneva Convention. Ms Heath shared her story online as a warning to others, writing: 'I have never experienced fumes like it. 'My throat and eyes feel burned.' After trying and failing to clear the fumes Ms Heath dialled 999 and emergency services told her to leave her house Ms Heath shared her story online as a warning to others She and her family didn't get back to bed and sleep until 5am the following morning. Posting her story on Facebook, Ms Heath admitted feeling embarrassed at having to call the emergency services. 'Never seen so many firemen in my life. Was so embarrassing. Street got cordoned off with red tape. I am hiding in my house today,' she wrote. 'It was really serious. We are all OK, but it was the dumbest thing I have ever done - please don't do this!' Kevin Spacey emerged from his $6million hiding place on Sunday sporting a baseball cap that read 'Retired since 2017'. Spacey congratulated DailyMail.com on finding him and rewarded our photographer with a free pizza. The star headed to Domino's to pick up a medium cheese and tomato pie before pulling up beside photojournalist Jae Donnelly and handing it over. 'I know you're just doing your job,' he said with a smirk. 'Keep warm and have a happy New Year.' The cap was a clear reference to the year his career all but disappeared amid a number of sexual assault and harassment claims. Brazen Kevin Spacey emerged from his hiding place Sunday afternoon to congratulate DailyMail.com on finding him - and rewarded our photographer with a free pizza The star headed to Domino's to pick up a medium cheese and tomato pie before pulling up beside photojournalist Jae Donnelly and handing it over. Spacey sported what looked to be a hat of his own design that read 'Retired since 2017', when sexual allegations against the House of Cards star came to light The House of Cards star found himself killed off his hit Netflix show after he was accused of a decades-old sexual assault on a then-underage Anthony Rapp at his Manhattan apartment. Rapp was 14 at the time while Spacey was 26. Spacey responded by coming out as gay and entering a rehab facility in Arizona, where he remained for weeks. Spacey was also completely removed from the film All the Money in the World, with director Ridley Scott reshooting all of his scenes with Christopher Plummer - who went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for the role. Following his pizza delivery on Sunday, Spacey drove back inside his glitzy gated apartment complex without responding to questions put to him by a reporter. The impromptu gift comes the same day Spacey's secret hiding place was finally revealed by DailyMail.com - a sprawling $6million waterfront mansion where the outcast actor spends his days plotting a comeback and watching himself on TV. Despite his impending sexual assault trial, Spacey appeared to be in high spirits on Sunday as he delivered the pizza Spacey was seen leaving in his home in his Audi Q7 car to go and pick up the pizza order The swank pad in Baltimore's upscale Inner Harbor neighborhood was purchased last February through a private trust to keep the buyer's identity a secret. But DailyMail.com can reveal the disgraced double Oscar winner is lying low at the five-story, six-bed townhouse while he waits to go on trial for sexual assault. Spacey, 59, has avoided detection by rarely venturing outside, ordering takeout, and locking himself away to watch reruns of his movies - and news reports on his upcoming court case. But the attention-starved star finally gave the game away last week when he released his now infamous 'Let Me Be Frank' video - filmed inside the lavish property's marble topped kitchen. 'There was a constant swirl of rumors and alleged sightings but nobody knew for sure it was him living there,' said a source at the 87-home gated Pier Homes at Harborview development. 'But when the video was posted online the kitchen, the worktops, the decor was instantly recognizable.' Spacey sported a bright blue Under Armour puffer jacket as he ventured into the cold air Spacey also sported a pair of black track pants, a black T-shirt, and black sneakers to complete his look on Sunday 'He's certainly had to curtail his usual habits but it can't have been too difficult being cooped up inside there - it's a fabulous property.' Spacey was seen for the first time in a year when he broke for cover last Friday, looking disheveled and portly in a series of images revealed exclusively by DailyMail.com. He wore a balaclava and wrapped a scarf around his face but was clearly recognizable as he ducked out of the back door of a rehearsal space and hopped into a black SUV. A man who looked to be his manager and constant companion Evan Lowenstein was also sat inside the vehicle. Spacey seemed pleased with himself after he delivered the pizza to the DailyMail.com photographer on Sunday While Spacey shielded his face with tinted sunglasses, his cap was a proud proclamation of his new reputation Lowenstein was at Spacey's side on the previous occasion he was photographed, when the pair were seen going for a run at a sex addiction rehab center in Arizona. When rumors first spread back in March that his pariah client had moved to Baltimore, Lowenstein came forward to claim he had purchased the 9,000 square foot Merritt Mansion. 'If people keep saying it's [Spacey's] house, I'm going to start asking him to pay the bills,' Lowenstein, 44, told the Baltimore Sun newspaper. Property records show that the 622 Ponte Villas North condo was brought for $5.65million through a private trust named Clear Toaster LLC. Clear Toast obtained a loan for the entire amount from The 12472 Trust, a California revocable trust. Spacey was spotted for the the second time in a year on the balcony of his Baltimore waterfront mansion with his dog Spacey appears to be watching news coverage about himself on television inside the luxurious home This sightings comes days after he was seen leaving a rehearsal studio, looking more plump than he did in 2017 Spacey appears as comfortable as he was in his first public sighting, wearing track pants and a hoodie The deed was signed by David Bolno, a wealth manager who boasts of representing a string of internationally known entertainers, musicians, artists and athletes. Lowenstein was also forced to deny being Spacey's date when the pair arrived together at the 2016 Emmys. The former pop star, who prior to joining Spacey's team managed to find brief fame with his brother as the pop duo Evan & Jaron, denied that their relationship was romantic. Spacey's brief outing last week fueled rumors he was plotting a brazen comeback - despite being charged with felony sexual assault for allegedly groping a teenager in a Massachusetts bar. There are currently no projects lined up in his immediate future, however, save a scheduled appearance in Nantucket District Court next month to be arraigned on a charge of Indecent Assault and Battery. Dailymail.com can reveal Spacey is living on a $6million waterfront property in Baltimore Maryland A TV was on in the property and shows the actors watching a CNN report about himself Spacey is waiting to be arraigned on a charge of Indecent Assault and Battery next month The swank pad in Baltimore's upscale Inner Harbor neighborhood was purchased last February through a private trust to keep the buyer's ID a secret His lawyer filed a motion on Friday asking the judge in that case to excuse Spacey from his own arraignment, but prosecutors are demanding the suddenly-shy actor appear in person. The case stems from an incident that allegedly occurred in the early hours of July 8, 2016 at The Club Car in Nantucket. The then-18-year-old man accused Spacey of trying to 'jack him off' after the Oscar winner allegedly unzipped his fly, stuck his hand in his pants and began to rub his penis. Spacey released a bizarre video at that start of the week, soon after it was revealed he had been criminally charged for a 2016 incident in Massachusetts Spacey looked far different than the last time he was seen in public back in December of 2017 during a jog in Arizona (above with Lowenstein) , but he was wearing the same pants Spacey attempted to reprise his celebrated role of Frank Underwood for his bizarre 'Let Me Be Frank' video, released last week in a Tweet to his 4.52 million followers. The three-minute video opened on a defiant Spacey washing his hands in a kitchen sink while wearing a Santa Claus-themed apron. And just as he had done in the show while playing the ruthless and conniving President Underwood, Spacey stared down the camera to address viewers directly. 'I know what you want. Oh, sure, they may have tried to separate us, but what we have is too strong, is too powerful,' he said, adopting Underwood's distinct Southern drawl. 'Some believed everything and they've just been waiting with bated breath for him to confess it all,' he went on. '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?' The creepy video ended with Spacey saying: '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?' North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear missiles, despite pledging to ditch the weapons programme earlier this year - it has been revealed. The hermit kingdom is said to have conducted a missile-linked radio wave experiment earlier this month after signals were picked up which are known to have been emitted from warhead equipment - according to the Japan News. Leader Kim Jong-un declared an end to missile launches earlier this year after a crunch summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June. The U.S. military, Japan Self-Defense Forces and South Korean military are constantly monitoring North Korea for radio waves. Scroll down for video Electronic signals from an ICBM were picked up earlier this month, according to reports Pictured: An ICBM being launched by the North back in May 2017 In June this year Kim Jong-un (left) declared his country would not be carrying out any more nuclear tests at a summit in Singapore with Donald Trump The news comes as Kim Jong-un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday calling for more peace talks between the leaders in the new year following their active engagement in 2018, South Korea's presidential office said. Moon's office said Kim also expressed regret that he couldn't make a planned visit to Seoul, South Korea's capital, by the end of December as pledged by the leaders during their last summit in September in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. The Blue House didn't fully disclose Kim's letter. Moon later thanked Kim for his 'warm' letter in a tweeted message and said without elaborating that Kim expressed strong willingness to carry out the agreements he made this year during a series of inter-Korean summits and a historic June meeting with President Donald Trump. 'There will still be a lot of difficulties ahead,' Moon said in his message. 'However, our hearts will become more open if we put in that much effort. There's no change in our heart about welcoming Chairman Kim (to the South).' The tweet also included a photo that showed a ruby-colored folder emblazoned with the seal of Pyongyang's powerful State Affairs Commission and the top part of Kim's letter, which started with: 'Dear your excellency President Moon Jae-in. Our meeting in Pyongyang feels like yesterday but about 100 days have already passed and now we are at the close of an unforgettable 2018.' It comes as Kim wrote a letter to South Korean leader Moon Jae-in (pictured) asking for more talks between the two nations The U.S. military, Japan Self-Defense Forces and South Korean military are constantly monitoring North Korea for radio waves from their missiles. Pictured: Kim inspecting an ICBM Through three summits between Moon and Kim this year, the Koreas agreed to a variety of goodwill gestures and vowed to resume economic cooperation when possible, voicing optimism that international sanctions could end to allow such activity. The rivals have also taken steps to reduce their conventional military threat, such as removing mines and firearms from the border village of Panmunjom, destroying some front-line guard posts and creating buffer zones along their land and sea boundaries and a no-fly zone above the border. 'Chairman Kim said that the leaders by meeting three times in a single year and implementing bold measures to overcome the long period of conflict lifted our (Korean) nation from military tension and war fears,' Kim Eui-kyeom, Moon's spokesman, said in a televised briefing. 'Chairman Kim said he will keep a close eye on the situation and expressed strong will to visit Seoul. ... Chairman Kim also expressed his intentions to meet President Moon frequently again in 2019 to advance discussions on the Korean Peninsula's peace and prosperity and discuss issues on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,' the spokesman said. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim pose for photographs during a signing ceremony after peace talks in September Kim, second from right, inspects the preparation of the launch of a Hwasong-14 ICBM Moon's office did not reveal how Kim Jong Un's letter was delivered or whether he made any comments about his planned second summit with Trump in 2019. The letter comes days before Kim is expected to address North Koreans in a New Year's speech that North Korean leaders traditionally use to announce major policy decisions and goals. Kim used his New Year's speech a year ago to initiate diplomacy with Seoul and Washington, which led to his meetings with Moon and a historic June summit with Trump. In his meetings with Moon and Trump, Kim signed on to vague statements calling for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing when or how it would occur. Post-summit nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang quickly settled into a stalemate as the countries struggled between the sequencing of the North's disarmament and the removal of U.S.-led international sanctions against the North. There continue to be doubts about whether Kim will ever voluntarily relinquish his nukes, which he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. Kim and Trump are trying to arrange a second summit in early 2019. Win McNamee/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump blamed Democrats on Saturday for the recent deaths of two children in U.S. Border Patrol custody as his Homeland Security secretary called on Congress and the courts to solve the immigration crisis. Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally, Trump tweeted. "They can't. If we had a Wall, they wouldn't even try!" Trumps tweets came during Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsens weekend trip to the border following the deaths of two children in U.S. custody. Border officials say they are experiencing an unprecedented spike in the number of families traveling with young children to claim asylum. The 7-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy -- Jakelin Caal Maquin and Felipe Gomez Alonzo -- Trump referenced died within weeks of each other. Both were in U.S. custody at the time. In a follow-up tweet, the president also said the children were "very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol." "The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadnt given her water in days," he tweeted. Contrary to Trump's allegation that the children were already ill when they were detained, Jakelin's father said the girl had eaten and was hydrated during the trek to the border. It took 90 minutes for her to get medical attention after agents first learned she was sick, according to a DHS account of the incident. The boy's mother told reporters that "he wasn't sick when the young boy left home, and he was under the care of agents for several days before he died. His official cause of death remains unknown, and an investigation is ongoing. The deaths of the children raised questions about whether the administration adequately prepared for an expected influx of migrants. The government has been partially shut down over funding for Trump's proposed wall for more than a week now. The president has repeatedly threatened to close the border entirely if Democrats dont agree to his financing demands. But Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who is expected to become speaker of the House again next week, have been warring with Trump ever since an Oval Office visit erupted over funding for the wall. Schumer has said the president owns the shutdown, derisively calling it the "Trump Shutdown." "The President wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it," Schumer tweeted on Monday. "As long as the President is guided by the House Freedom Caucus, its hard to see how he can come up with a solution that can pass both the House and Senate and end his #TrumpShutdown." Pelosi, meanwhile, said the death of the children is "unconscionable." We all have a moral responsibility to ensure all children of God are treated with compassion and decency," Pelosi said in a statement. But Nielsen called on Congress Saturday to put politics aside and fix what she called a growing security and humanitarian crisis at the border. The secretary further highlighted her belief that U.S. courts shoulder partial blame for the crisis at the border, suggesting past rulings have been incorrectly decided. We know that if Congress were to act, or the courts were to enforce the law as written, we could address this crisis tomorrow; instead, we continue to do more with less, she said in a statement. Nielsen traveled to El Paso, Texas, on Friday to meet with the citys mayor and planned to meet with border authorities in Yuma, Arizona, on Saturday. As I have said before, I ask Congress to please put politics aside and recognize this for the growing security and humanitarian crisis it is. DHS continues to stand ready to work with Congress on commonsense legislative fixes to secure our borders, protect communities, protect vulnerable populations, and ensure both a safe and orderly migrant flow as well as facilitate legitimate trade and travel, she added. Nielsens insistence that Congress and the courts are to blame is only part of the equation. The Trump administration knew weeks in advance that large groups of migrant families were headed to the U.S. border. But it was a 1997 court settlement, known as the Flores agreement, that determined the federal government couldnt hold children longer than 20 days. Congress also is in a position to respond to the crisis by approving resources for U.S. border and immigration programs. Democrats have said they support additional money for overall border security, but do not support directing money toward building a massive security wall, as Trump has suggested. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Neighbours of the man who fought off and killed a burglar in south-east London have slammed police for failing to charge the thief's accomplice. Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, killed intruder and career criminal Henry Vincent during the attempted burglary in April this year. The house in Hither Green remains derelict and has been boarded up, while the pensioner has not been seen since. Billy Jeeves, 28, was arrested on suspicion of being Vincent's accomplice but released without charge. The house in Hither Green where Richard Osborn-Brooks lived, pictured in April, remains derelict and has been boarded up while the pensioner has not been seen since One neighbour, Sharif Ghadari, told The Sun it was 'sad to see' the house boarded up, saying it was 'wrong' that Mr Osborn-Brooks and his wife could not return. 'House prices are also bound to come down. Everybody will know what happened at the house... it was deeply shocking,' he said. Another local resident said: 'It's a real shame they are unable to return. He was protecting his property and was trying to save his wife and protect himself. 'If he ever returned he would be welcomed back home. He should be able to come back.' Another neighbour said there 'should have been a punishment' for the burglars who attacked the pensioner's home. Henry Vincent 37 (left) was stabbed to death by pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks (right) as he burgled the pensioner's home in Hither Green on April 4 Billy Jeeves (pictured), 28, was arrested on suspicion of being Vincent's accomplice but released without charge It was reported at the time that Mr Osborn-Brooks would not return to the house for fear of being attacked by Vincent's friends. Police announced in October that Jeeves had been released and would not face charges. Scotland Yard said: 'The man was released under investigation while detectives from the Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command investigated the burglary. 'Following an extensive investigation including forensic examination of the scene there was insufficient evidence to support a charge of burglary.' Mr Osborn-Brooks was initially arrested on suspicion of murdering 37-year-old Vincent while defending his home, before being released without charge. Vincents friends and family sparked outrage among locals by laying flowers and cards opposite the home of Mr Osborn-Brooks and his wife Maureen. The tributes were repeatedly been torn down by neighbours and well-wishers angry that the career criminal was being remembered in such a way. There were also unpleasant scenes at Vincent's lavish funeral as mourners ran at journalists, throwing punches and hurling rocks. Karen Duncan, 28, was jailed for seven years over her role in the 2007 murder of Scott Burgess at his flat in Paisley, near Glasgow Police are on the hunt for a killer after she dodged court over a dispute in the same town where she took her victim's life. Karen Duncan, 28, was jailed for seven years over her role in the 2007 murder of Scott Burgess at his flat in Paisley, near Glasgow. Duncan, then just 17, stabbed Mr Burgess, 24, twice with a screwdriver in an attack which saw him killed after being stabbed around 80 times. Stephen Price, who pleaded guilty to murder over the killing, posed next to Scott Burgess' body with the knife he used to kill him, while Karen's sister Irene, 29, took photographs. Irene also photographed Price and Karen on a mobile phone camera as they splashed about in blood red water in a bath after killing Mr Burgess. Karen pleaded guilty to culpable homicide. She was jailed for seven years and one month at the High Court in Glasgow in March 2008. Once back on the streets of Paisley, she went on to have a scuffle with a woman at a property in the town's Bank Street - the street where she now lives. On October 3 last year Karen behaved in a threatening or abusive way towards a woman named Stacey Murdoch by shouting, swearing, threatening violence and placing Miss Murdoch in a state of fear or alarm. Stephen Price (left), who pleaded guilty to murder, posed next to Scott Burgess' body with the knife he used to kill him, while Karen's sister Irene (right), 29, took photographs Duncan previously pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking Section 38(1) of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 and was due to return to the dock on Friday to learn her fate. But when she did not appear for sentencing, Sheriff Frances McCartney granted a warrant for her arrest for failing to appear at court - meaning police officers are now on the hunt for Karen, who could be jailed over the offence when she is caught and brought back to court for sentencing. She was sentenced to a total of 85 months behind bars and told she would be supervised for three years once released from custody over Mr Burgess' killing. There was no motive for the crime other than Price believing Mr Burgess had made derogatory remarks about his friends. Scott Burgess (pictured) was stabbed roughly 80 times in an attack which claimed his life in 2007 The High Court in Glasgow heard that Price and the Duncan sisters hatched a drink-fuelled plot to force their way into Mr Burgess's flat. Once inside, Price locked the front door and launched what was described as 'a frenzied and sustained knife assault' involving at least 80 separate blows. They all fled but the Duncans returned to Mr Burgess' flat and moved his body so nobody could see it from the living room. They hauled his corpse to an upstairs bathroom and dumped it face-down in the bath they filled with water and bleach, then closed the door. Irene was released after serving the sentence and went on to clock up a number of offences, including a knife attack and police assault They cut out bloodstained carpet, shoved it into a rubbish chute and burned it in the bins below, then smashed up the phone used to take the morbid pictures and buried it. But it was recovered by police - and forensic experts found the shocking photographs. Irene, who was 18 at the time, was caged for 27 months after admitting attempting to defeat the ends of justice, by trying to conceal evidence, while Price, who was then 20 and pleaded guilty to murder, was jailed for 15 years. Irene was released after serving the sentence and went on to clock up a number of offences, including a knife attack and police assault. And earlier this month it emerged she would spend Christmas behind bars and have to give birth while in prison after she was jailed for a Paisley knife rampage. She was spotted 'holding two large kitchen knives at around waist height' and running along Bank Street with the weapons. Police officers called to investigate later found the knives and a screwdriver, the same type of weapons used to kill Mr Burgess, on the ground near to where she was. Sheriff David Pender jailed Irene for 22 months and placed her on a nine-month-long Supervised Release Order, which will see her supervised in the community for nine months for that offence. President Donald Trump sought to rebrand the government shutdown the fault of Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer on Sunday as the standoff entered day nine with negotiations at a standstill. 'Great work by my Administration over the holidays to save Coast Guard pay during this #SchumerShutdown. No thanks to the Democrats who left town and are not concerned about the safety and security of Americans!,' he tweeted. Trump has tried to push blame on the Democrats since the crisis began more than a week ago. He has stayed in the White House over Christmas instead of traveling to Mar-a-Lago and repeatedly taken to Twitter to try and shift the narrative. President Donald Trump sought to rebrand the government shutdown the fault of Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer Trump has taken to Twitter to try to shift blame to Democrats Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer told Trump in the Oval Office earlier this month that any shutdown would be his fault 'I am in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security. From what I hear, they are spending so much time on Presidential Harassment that they have little time left for things like stopping crime and our military!,' he tweeted on Saturday. Democrats have dismissed the president's efforts. 'For the White House to try and blame anyone but the president for this shutdown doesn't pass the laugh test,' said Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer, told the Associated Press last week. In an extraordinary Oval Office shouting match earlier this month, Trump told Schumer and incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi he would take responsibility for any shut down. 'You want to put that on [me], I'll take it,' Trump said. 'You know what I'll say: Yes, if we don't get what we want, one way or the other - whether it's through you, through a military, through anything you want to call - I will shut down the government. Absolutely.' And he doubled down on the issue. 'I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don't want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country. So I will take the mantle,' he said. 'I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn't work. I will take the mantle of shutting down.' In his tweet on Sunday the president did tout his work to ensure the Coast Guard will be paid during the partial government shut down. The Coast Guard falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security, whose funding was affected by the closure. The Defense Department was fully funded earlier this year for fiscal year 2019. In a message to all Coast Guard members on Friday, Vice Commandant Admiral Charles Ray said that service and Department of Homeland Security officials 'identified a way to pay our military workforce on 31 December.' January 11 marks the first pay day that will cover the full pay period of the government shut down, which began on Dec. 21. Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Trump and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer had an extraordinary shouting match in the Oval Office earlier this month Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi (left) could pass a measure funding the government when she takes power on Thursday which could put pressure on Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (right) to follow Trump has remained in the White House during the shutdown Negotiations to reopen it are at a stand still. Trump has refused to accept a bill that does not include at least $2.5 billion for the border wall - down from his original demand of $5 billion - but Democrats have said they will not go above $1.3 billion they have already offered. The stand off will last through the New Year and possibly until Democrats take control of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3. The House and Senate gaveled in and out of session in under five minutes on Thursday. No votes are scheduled for either chamber. And Trump has not pushed for the Republican-controlled Congress to stay in session and negotiate with him during the holiday. Congress will be back in session on Monday for a pro forma - in which no business is conducted - but will not formally gavel in until Wednesday. Democrats are looking at several options to reopen the nine shuttered departments and dozens of agencies once they take power on Thursday, however they are showing no signs of backing down from the $1.3 billion on border security they offered. Trump told Schumer during their Oval Office showdown he would take responsibility for the shutdown Pelosi could get something passed in her chamber that day, which could put pressure on Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell follow suit. But Trump could refuse to accept any Democratic-led offer. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told CNN the president could use his veto option. 'Depends what's in it. The president likes the $5.6 billion in the house package,' she said Sunday on 'State of the Union.' Lawmakers have been promised 24 hours notice for votes so they have time to get back to Washington D.C. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi may have been killed in a botched attempt to kidnap him and bring him back to Saudi Arabia, it has been suggested. The columnist went missing on October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where Turkey believes he was killed and then dismembered with a bone saw. Top Saudi officials are suspected of ordering an assassination, but writing in The Atlantic Graeme Wood has posed new questions about the case. Jamal Khashoggi, pictured in 2014, went missing in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, and is believed by Turkish investigators to have been killed and dismembered there A deliberate killing in the Saudi consulate would have been unusual, as it was sure to attract attention when Khashoggi could have been eliminated in a more 'deniable' way, he said. He also suggested that a 'kill mission' would not have needed so many Saudi operatives. Staging the ambush in the consulate would make more sense if the operation was meant to be a 'rendition', he said. 'You cant render someone from a cafe; you need a setting over which you have total control. Sedatives are an odd way to kill someone, but they are the only way to bring him home alive against his will,' he wrote. He also suggested that Riyadh's 'pathetically clumsy' response to the killing suggested they had not been prepared for what happened in the consulate. The killing has severely strained Saudi Arabia's relationship with its Western allies, some of whom have imposed sanctions. Khashoggi is seen alive for the last time when he enters the Saudi consulate in Turkey on October 2. Many have pointed the finger at the Gulf kingdom's Crown Prince over his death Suspects: Members of the alleged Saudi hit squad are seen at an Istanbul airport on October 2 Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and de facto leader Mohammed bin Salman has come under suspicion over his possible role in the killing. Findings from the CIA suggested that the prince's subordinates could not have carried out the operation without his knowledge. But U.S. President Donald Trump has equivocated over who is to blame for the killing. His outgoing defense secretary James Mattis has said there was 'no smoking gun' making the connection to the prince. The journalist, who had lived for a time in the U.S., wrote for The Washington Post and had been critical of the Saudi regime. Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of his disappearance before saying Khashoggi was killed after 'negotiations' to convince him to return to Saudi Arabia failed. The kingdom later said the death penalty was being sought against five suspects, in an effort to distance the prince from the murder. An estimated 10,000 shops will be forced to close as online stores and rising business rates continue to put pressure on High Street retailers, experts have said. It comes a month after the Local Data Company revealed the number of empty shops had risen by more than 4,400 in the first six months of 2018. Tens of thousands of jobs are at risk, and High Street mainstays such as House of Fraser, Evans Cycles, Maplin and Poundworld have fallen into administration in the past 12 months. The Local Data Company revealed the number of empty shops had risen by more than 4,400 in the first six months of 2018 HMV has become the first high-profile Christmas casualty as the retailer has fallen into administration again, with more than 2,000 jobs at risk. Professor Joshua Bamfield, of the Centre for Retail Research, said more jobs are expected to be lost from the 366billion-a-year retail industry next year. He told the Mirror: 'We are expecting about 10,000 shops to close in the next year. 'A few years ago you could say there were certain retailers that would never go bust but you cannot say that any more. 'Business rates are too high for stores to compete with online competitors.' Retail analyst Richard Hyman said shops were fighting over ever-decreasing numbers of shoppers as more go online. Helen Dickinson, of the British Retail Consortium, said: 'It'll continue to be a challenging retail environment over the next six months with another business rates rise.' HMV has become the first high-profile Christmas casualty as the retailer has fallen into administration again, with more than 2,000 jobs at risk Huge discounts of up to 90 per cent have decimated retailers' profit margins, even though shoppers spent a record 55 billion since Black Friday. Analysts say mega discounts have obliterated any profit for retailers from some of the cash going through the tills. SportsDirect reduced a men's Team Long Sleeve Polo Shirt from 29.99 to 2.99. ASOS cut a Brave Soul Tara Frill Shouder Vest from 15 to 2. Debenhams cut the price of a ladies' Tog 24 ergo diamond crew neck top from 30 to 5. The Entertainer cut some prices by 80 per cent. There is 60 per cent off at Gap and Topshop and 50 per cent off at Next, Oasis, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge, MoneySavingExpert.com said. Julie Palmer, partner at Begbies Traynor, insolvency experts, said: 'Retailers are relying on discounting tactics, either heavily cutting prices or giving vouchers to customers that buy their products, in the hope of increasing sales. But this is to the detriment of profit. Richard Perks, the Mintel director of retail research, said: 'Retailers training shoppers to wait for discounts before spending is crazy. They are undermining their own businesses.' China's foreign ministry said on Sunday that Beijing was willing to work with Washington through the storms of their relationship in the name of global security. Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Chinese-U.S. ties now 'stand at a historic new starting point' and that the two sides should respect each other's sovereignty, security and development interest and appropriately manage differences, according to Reuters. 'Both sides should stick to rationally and objectively viewing the other side's strategic intentions, strengthen strategic communication and promote strategic mutual trust to prevent strategic misjudgments,' he said in a statement. Donald Trump says 'big progress' is being made in talks between the U.S. and China Trump says Saturday that he had a 'long and very good call' with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the talks, which stemmed from their sit-down early this month in Argentina (file photo) Beijing's offering comes after President Donald Trump said on Saturday that 'big progress' was being made in talks between the U.S. and China to head off further escalation in a yearlong trade war. Trump said he had a 'long and very good call' with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the talks, which stemmed from their sit-down early this month in Argentina. Trump tweeted: 'Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute.' Chinese state media also said Xi and Trump spoke on Saturday, and quoted Xi as saying that teams from both countries have been working to implement a consensus reached with Trump. Chinese media also quoted Xi as saying that he hopes both sides can meet each other half way and reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial as soon as possible. The two nations have been in a trade war for much of 2018 that has seen the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods between the world's two largest economies disrupted by tariffs. The U.S. wants China to address intellectual property theft and other aggressive measures that have driven Beijing's efforts to supplant U.S. technological dominance. Trump and Xi agreed to a ceasefire in the trade war, agreeing to hold off on imposing more tariffs for 90 days on December 1 while they negotiate a deal to end the dispute following months of escalating tensions. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on a ceasefire during a dinner in Argentina for G20 The dinner between President Trump and President Xi went 'very well' a White House adviser said The agreement was the culmination of a two and half hour dinner with Trump and Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina, temporarily heading off further escalation of the trade war. As part of the truce, Trump revoked a plan to raise tariffs on certain Chinese goods to 25 per cent on January 1, the White House noted in a statement. U.S. officials touted the meeting between the two delegations as 'highly successful.' The White House also said that China has agreed to label the deadly opioid fentanyl, which is behind tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the U.S., as a controlled substance. The White House also touted Beijing's agreement to buy U.S. agricultural products as a win for farmers - a group that heavily supported Trump in the presidential election. Farmers - and the lawmakers who represented them - worried they would suffer the most under the trade war, which saw China tax products like soybeans and oranges. The two leaders also agreed to work together to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula - although no further details were released on that matter. The dinner meeting between Trump and Xi went 'very well,' said White economic adviser Larry Kudlow to reporters before Air Force One left Argentina to return to Washington. Xi said the meeting - the first face-to-face between the two since the show down started - was a 'manifestation of a personal friendship.' A Louisiana police department is ready to lend a helping hand to secure methamphetamine from the ravages of a mosquito-borne disease. Harahan Police Department issued a tongue-in-cheek warning on its Facebook page directing Louisiana meth users to bring in their supply for authorities to test for the Zika virus. 'If you have recently purchased meth in any area of Louisiana it may be contaminated with the Zika Virus,' the Facebook post by Officer Keith Moody cautions. 'Please bring all of it to your local Police Department and they will test it for free If you're not comfortable coming to us, an officer will be glad to come to you and test your Meth in the privacy of your home.' 'Please spread the word! Were available 24/7/365. Be Safe!' the faux warning on Facebook posted by Officer Keith Moody reads Headquarters of Harahan Police Department in Louisiana. The joking Facebook post offered to come to people's homes to check their meth if individuals couldn't make it to the department Zika usually causes mild symptoms of fevers, headaches, rash and joint pain, but it can also cause significant birth defects if contracted during a pregnancy. The disease can be transmitted by mosquitoes, through sex and in blood transfusions according to the CDC with no word of meth being a carrier. That has not stopped the Harahan police from attempting to get an advantage in the war on drugs in their city. 'Although the post was originally a lighthearted attempt at humor, a lot of great (and incredibly raw) intelligence can be cultivated from the comments,' Officer Keith Moody who made the post told ABC News. Officer Keith Moody believes a lot of intelligence can be found in the comments on his Facebook post Blatant ruses have been used by law enforcement before. A Texas police department joke similarly warned about meth being contaminated with Ebola in 2016. A woman allegedly on meth at the time named Chastity Hopson asked that her drugs be tested. The Granite Shoals Police Department in Texas received a wave of negative comments for exposing Hopson publicly after the incident, but the comments seem to be what the Harahan police want to see. 'There is a lot of great information obtained by reading threads,' Moody said. 'Criminals have a tendency to say/do some pretty incriminating behavior when given the opportunity to "blow off."' Officer Moody also noted that the epidemic of methamphetamine and opioid abuse in Louisiana was not slowing down and that the issue was alarming. The Cambridge Dictionary has revealed its word of the year for 2018 to be 'nomophobia', which it defines as 'fear or worry at the idea of being without your mobile phone or unable to use it.' 'Nomophobia' beat out other editor-selected finalists 'gender gap', 'ecocide' and 'no-platforming' in a public poll conducted by the dictionary. 'Your choice, nomophobia, tells us that people around the world probably experience this type of anxiety enough that you recognized it needed a name!' the Cambridge editors wrote in a statement. The dictionary's editors explained that 'nomophobia' is not a scientific word, and indicates anxiety rather than the extreme fear characteristic of a clinical phobia. Cambridge Dictionary's word of the year is 'nomophobia', which means the fear of being without your mobile phone, or unable to use it (stock photo) 'Like many modern coinages, nomophobia is whats called a blend: a new word made up of syllables from two or more words, in this case no mobile phone phobia, the editors wrote. The earliest written usage of the word appears to be a 2008 report commissioned by the UK Post Office. The word has spread in popularity and was added to Cambridge's online dictionary earlier this year. The shortlist choices were selected from the year's new additions to the online dictionary and were chosen based on their popularity and relevance. The dictionary defined the runner-up words thusly: gender gap: a difference between the way men and women are treated in society, or between what men and women do and achieve a difference between the way men and women are treated in society, or between what men and women do and achieve ecocide: destruction of the natural environment of an area, or very great damage to it destruction of the natural environment of an area, or very great damage to it no-platforming: the practice of refusing someone an opportunity to make their ideas or beliefs known publicly, because you think these beliefs are dangerous or unacceptable Other major dictionaries have also announced their words of the year for 2018. For Collins Dictionary, it was 'single-use', referring to products such as plastic bottles, straws and bags that are designed to be used only once before disposal. At the Oxford Dictionary, the word of the year was 'toxic', an adjective people increasingly use describe to describe views, relationships, cultures and even politicians. Dictionary.com announced that its word of the year was 'misinformation,' defining the term as 'false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead.' Merriam-Webster, which chooses its word of the year based on big increases in online look-ups, selected 'justice'. The dictionary said the concept of justice 'was at the center of many of our national debates in the past year: racial justice, social justice, criminal justice, economic justice'. The Australian National Dictionary Centre took a more colloquial approach, dubbing 'Canberra bubble' its word of the year. The term is a coinage of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who uses it to describe parliamentary gossip. 'I think it also reflects the notion that across Australia there is some disenchantment with politics, and that politicians are more preoccupied with the goings-on in Canberra than the everyday concerns of Australians,' ANDC director Amanda Laugesen said. Retired General Stanley McChrystal on Sunday slammed President Donald Trump as immoral, shady, and a liar, adding he wouldn't join the president's administration. McChrystal, who was the U.S. commander in Afghanistan for a year during the Obama administration, didn't hold back in his criticism of the president in an interview with ABC News. 'I think it's important for me to work for people who I think are basically honest, who tell the truth as best they know it,' he said of why he would not join Trump's administration. Retired General Stanley McChrystal slammed President Donald Trump as immoral, shady, and a liar McChrystal said he would not serve in President Donald Trump's administration 'You think he's a liar?,' asked ABC's Martha Raddatz. 'I don't think he tells the truth,' McChrystal replied. 'Is Trump immoral, in your view?,' she asked. 'I think he is,' he responded. McChrystal was the U.S. commander in Afghanistan under then-President Barack Obama and did not mince words then either. He gave an interview to Rolling Stone in June 2010 where he mocked several administration officials, including then-Vice President Joe Biden. Obama called him onto the carpet, dragging him from Afghanistan to the Oval Office for an explanation of the interview. McChrystal apologized and resigned from his post amid the fallout. On Sunday, he praised another military commander for his resignation. McChrystal told ABC News that the resignation letter from Defense Secretary James Mattis was 'valuable' and should cause all Americans to think about their commander-in-chief. 'I would guess that Secretary Mattis took a long time agonizing over writing a letter that was as direct about his feelings as that particular letter was. He knew it would be very public and it would make a very strong statement that was much broader than the Syria issue. It was about America's role in the world,' he said. He added: 'I personally think it was valuable. I think maybe it causes the American people to take pause and say, wait a minute, if we have someone who is as selfless and as committed as Jim Mattis resigns his position, walking away from all the responsibility he feels for every service member in our forces, and he does so in a public way like that, we ought to stop and say, OK, why did he do it? We ought to ask what kind of commander in chief he had that Jim Mattis that, you know, the good Marine, felt he had to walk away.' Mattis' resignation came in protest after Trump announced he was pulling out U.S. troops from Syria, which the two men disagreed about. Stanley McChrystal was U.S. Commander in Afghanistan under then-President Barack Obama until his resignation in June 2010 after he criticized Obama officials to Rolling Stone magazine McChrystal praised Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' (right) resignation letter from Trump's Cabinet He slammed Trump in his resignation letter - a move that earned him an early exit from the administration. '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 letter, '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.' Mattis also declared that America 'must be resolute and unambiguous in our approach to those countries whose strategic interests are increasingly in tension with ours.' 'We ought to ask what kind of commander in chief he had that Jim Mattis that, you know, the good Marine, felt he had to walk away,' McChrystal told ABC News Trump later announced Mattis would leave the Pentagon at the end of the year instead of February as his resignation originally said. Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will be acting secretary. McChrystal cautioned anyone who would join the president's administration to think carefully if they could be fully loyal to Trump. 'I would ask them to look in the mirror and ask them if they can get comfortable enough with President Trump's approach to governance, how he conducts himself, with his values and with his world view, to be truly loyal to him as a commander in chief and going forward,' he said. 'And we're all instinctively loyal. But the reality is, if there's too much of a disconnect, then I would tell him, I think it's - it would be a bad foundation upon which to try to build a successful partnership with that job,' he added. He said of Trump supporters: ' I would ask every American to do is, again, stand in front of that mirror and say, what are we about? Am I really willing to throw away or ignore some of the things that people do that are pretty unacceptable, normally, just because they accomplish certain other things that we might like?' He added: 'If we want to be governed by someone we wouldn't do a business deal with because their background is so shady, if we're willing to do that, then that's in conflict with who I think we are. And so I think it's necessary at those times to take a stand.' Advertisement A total of 69 migrants arrived in Europe after they were saved by Malta's armed forces today. A government statement said a wooden boat in distress roughly 117 nautical miles south west of Malta had been rescued by an army patrol boat. The group arrived at Hay Wharf in the south east of the country shortly after 7pm, the Times of Malta reported. Malta has stopped letting rescue ships operated by voluntary organizations disembark unless other EU states agree to take some of the migrants aboard. In a similar incident in October this year, a group of 120 migrants arrived on the island after they were rescued from a small inflatable boat by the armed forces. The boat was spotted during a routine patrol. It was the largest group to arrive in Malta via a small boat since 61 docked in April. A group of 69 migrants arrived in Europe after their vessel was rescued from the Mediterranean Sea The group arrived at Hay Wharf in the south east of the country shortly after 7pm, the Times of Malta reported In a similar incident in October this year, a group of 120 migrants arrived on the island (picture from December 30, 2018) Migrants disembark from an Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat after it arrived at its base in Valletta's Marsamxett Harbour A government statement said a wooden boat in distress roughly 117 nautical miles south west of Malta had been rescued An army patrol boat rescued the group of 69 after their vessel was found in distress in the Mediterranean Sea The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. Therefore, there are many people who are sexually restricted. But what happens when you continue to be sexually restricted? Frustration may build up and you may end up taking your sexual stress out on your partner. If you are able to adopt sextoy in a timely manner, you can get rid of those problems. I want to have more exciting sex than Im having now. I want more variation in masturbation I want to get even stronger pleasure than I do on my own. If you have any of these problems, please stay with me until the end. What is sex toys for Indian? Sextoy, as the name implies, is a toy used during sex and masturbation. It is a generic term for vibrators, Egg-vibrators, Electric massagers, dildo, handcuffs and condoms. They are used to make regular sex more exciting or to make masturbation more pleasurable. Because sextoy is very stimulating, it can help you to get rid of the problems and frustrations of being in a rut of sex with your partner for a long time, or if you are unhappy with the lack of pleasure in sex with your partner. The ability to satisfy your desires with movement, texture, and size, which cannot be done by a normal human being, can help you to be satisfied with sex and, as a result, improve your relationship with your partner. It is also said to help improve sexual dysfunction (inability to get an erection or ejaculate) and difficulty in feeling during sex (insensitivity), which is attracting more attention than in the past. In recent years, the demand for sextoy has increased due to the spread of smartphones and the Internet and the increasing number of people using online shopping. Even those who are concerned about the appearance of sextoy (and find it difficult to purchase) can now easily obtain it by using mail order. In the case of online shopping, most of the stores have taken steps to ensure that the contents of the products delivered to you are not revealed, so you can purchase them without your family members knowing. Until a while ago, you had to go to the store where the adult goods were sold to buy them, so it was quite a hurdle to overcome. Also, many people may have an image that sextoy is somehow embarrassing to own. But nowadays, some of them are so stylish and cute that you cant believe they are sextoy at a glance. More and more people are using them for travel and outdoor use because they are not too bulky and are suitable for carrying around. Sextoy situation in India Before introducing the recommended sextoy for Indians, lets talk about one of the sextoy situations in India in recent years. In India, due to the high concentration of population, the following six cities have particularly high sales of sextoy in India. Mumbai Kolkata Bangalore Delhi Chennai Hyderabad These cities account for roughly 70 percent of sextoy sales in India. In the future, the percentage of sextoy use will gradually increase in other cities in India as well. If you never talk about sextoy publicly, that girl in your neighborhood might be a sextoy user too. If you are interested in sextoy, you dont have to suppress your desire for it. What are Sextoys for beginner? Among all sextoys, sextoy for beginners are vibrators, dildo, masturbators, Sex Lubricants, and condoms. Sex Lubricants and condoms, which are familiar to people who have had sex, are also a great beginners sextoy. I will explain the details of each toy later, but there are many sextoy products that are painful to use and can only be used after some anal expansion. I assume that the Indian readers of this article are people who have not had much experience with sextoy. If such people use professional sextoy suddenly, they are at risk of injury or trauma. Therefore, to introduce sextoy, you need to start with a beginners version and gradually become familiar with it. Advantages of using sextoy for Indians There are three advantages of using sextoy for Indians You can masturbate in a wide variety of ways. Can have stimulating sex Can develop new sexual zones If you try to masturbate with your own fingers or hands, it tends to be a pattern. However, with sextoy, you can easily masturbate in a variety of ways. You will definitely be fascinated by the attraction of new stimulation. Also, your daily sex life will be more exciting than ever. There are many things in sextoy that are visually stimulating and give you a strong and intense feeling of pleasure. This allows you to see your partners promiscuity in a way that you wouldnt normally see it. When you are in a relationship, sex with your partner may become a pattern, but it can also eliminate these problems. It can also lead to the development of new sexual zones (which is the training of sexual stimulation to allow you to feel orgasms). For more information on the development of new sexual zones, see the following articles [Women's Erogenous Zone]How to find and develop, 7 hidden sexual zones !![In India] In this issue, we will dissect the female erogenous zone! ..." Many of you may be like that. Men, in particular, shou... Thus, the use of sextoy can only be a good thing for the men and women of India. Sextoy for beginner men in India So, lets continue with the recommended goods for Indian sextoy beginners. For ease of understanding, we will introduce them by gender. Lets start with the men! The following five goods are recommended for novice Indian sextoy men Masturbator Cock rings Love Doll Sex Lubricants Toys for the prostate Lets check each one in detail. Masturbator The masturbator is a sextoy for men that elaborately reproduces a womans vagina, mouth, and anus, and is one of the most popular sextoy products. It is used by men to masturbate, and it is popular because it provides stronger stimulation and pleasure more easily than using hands. Most are made of good quality silicone, and their softness is something that cannot be achieved with ones own hands. They can provide stronger pleasure than a real womans vagina, so be careful not to overuse them. (You wont be able to have an orgasm in a womans vagina anymore.) Again Male masturbators are a wonderful toy. I do not need any favourite timing, bothersome bargaining. You do not have to worry too much. Revolutionize your masturbation time! ! ! Made in Japan is a wonderful kinky toy.#sextoysindia #SexToyIndia #Japanhttps://t.co/4k70QGzoTP pic.twitter.com/tRVdxTKPpa SEXToys India PR (@SextoysIndia) November 12, 2018 Some of them are disposable, while others can be washed and used over and over again, so its fun to buy a few to use depending on your mood. If you want to know more about masturbator, please click here Really pleasant male masturbation and how to do it Are you in a rut with your daily masturbation routine? I'm going to show you five ways men masturbate that you might ... [For Beginners] How to choose and use a male masturbator without fail Gentlemen.Have you ever used a masturbator? The person who sees this article is probably the one who has not experien... Cock Ring A cock ring is literally a ring-shaped sextoy that is worn on a mans penis. It maintains an erection by binding the penis with a ring of rubber and blocking blood flow. It is sometimes used as an accessory to be worn on the penis, and may be made of metal or plastic as well as rubber. In some cases, cock rings have parts or vibrators attached to them that stimulate the vagina, so they kill two birds with one stone, giving a woman pleasure while maintaining an erection. Cock rings are also sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction. It can help with erectile dysfunction, where the penis doesnt get hard when you get an erection or doesnt last long when you try to insert it. Men who are prone to breakage or who are unsure of the hardness and size of their erections can use a cock ring to increase the size of their penis and maintain an erection for a longer period of time. Cock rings vary in price from around RS700 to over RS2000 with a vibrator function. Some of them do not fit your penis, so you should check the size of the cock ring before you buy. You should know the size of your partners or your own penis when it is erect. [Penis enlargement] What is a cock ring? Types and usage Cock rings can make your penis bigger and harder. It also makes sex with women more fulfilling and increases your sat... Love Doll Love dolls, also known as Dutchwives, are dolls with the appearance of a woman who can experience simulated sex. There are dolls that look like a woman, but they have no face and only have their breasts and lower torso cut off, and some dolls are so realistic that they can actually be mistaken for real women. Some expensive dolls can cost more than 1 million yen, and the quality of the doll is easily influenced by the price. The higher the price, the higher the quality of the doll will be, the closer it will be to the real woman, and the cheaper the doll will be, the less elaborate it will be, making it look like a real doll! Something is wrong! That is also true. You cant go wrong if you choose a balance between price and taste. There are stores that allow you to make custom-made love dolls, so you can create a girl of your choice. You can make a girl of your choice. You can start with inexpensive love dolls at first, and once you get used to it, you can try custom-made love dolls. If you want to know more about Love doll, please click here Thorough explanation of the charm of sex dolls! Have you ever heard of sex dolls that are used primarily for pseudo-sex purposes? It is a doll that is quite close to... Sex lubricants Sex lubricants are used as a substitute for lubricating fluid during sex or as a lubricant for men to use masturbator rules. It is not uncommon for women to have difficulty getting wet, depending on their physical condition, or to have difficulty getting wet due to their constitution. Forcing the penis into the vagina at such times can cause painful intercourse. There are various types of Sex Lubricants, some with a warming effect, some with a cooling effect, and some with a scent. Changing the Sex Lubricant used during play is recommended as a good sex accent. If you want to learn more about Sex Lubricants, click here. What is sex lubricant?Explain the difference and usage of each ingredient The word "sex toy" may seem like a hurdle to overcome, but lotion is actually one of the most familiar sex toys. Many... Toys for the Prostate Another sextoy for men is prostate toys. The most famous prostate toys include Enemagra, which was originally a prostate massager developed by an American urologist to treat an enlarged prostate line. Modern prostate toys are imitations of Enemagra that have spread as sextoy for men. Many people think of prostate toys as being used by gay men, but in fact they are often used by straight men. What is the prostate? The prostate is an organ found only in men. It is a walnut-sized organ located deep in the pelvis, just below the bladder, and its primary role is to protect and nourish sperm. You cannot touch the prostate gland from outside the body, but you can touch it by inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus. By inserting a finger or sextoy through the anus and touching the prostate and developing it, you can feel intense orgasms. Orgasms felt in the prostate are mainly dry orgasms, which are orgasms that do not involve ejaculation. (You can also feel orgasms with ejaculation through prostate stimulation.) The prostate is called the male G-spot, and dry orgasms can be much more intense than ejaculation. Therefore, men who are able to develop a prostate can become addicted to the pleasure. sextoy for beinner women in India The following are the recommended goods for Indian women who are new to sextoy. The following three are recommended for use by women who are new to sextoy. Vibrator. Dildo Electric Masserger Lets check out what each one is in detail. If you want to check out womens toys, click here. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Houston police have launched a massive manhunt after a seven-year-old girl was fatally shot in a Walmart parking lot. Jazmine Barnes was killed around 7am on Sunday in a car alongside her mother and three sisters as the car exited the Walmart on Wallisville Road in northeast Houston. Police said that some kind of altercation in the parking lot may have led to the shooting, and the gunman fired into the vehicle holding the five females, killing the girl and injuring the woman in her arm. The shooter is described as a white male with a beard in his 40s, driving a red pickup truck. The shooter pulled alongside the mother's car (pictured) and fired into it, killing the girl. The mother managed to flee the scene in her car and came to rest on a highway median Image courtesy ABC13 Police said the shooter pulled his truck up alongside the woman's car and fired into it, killing the girl. The woman driving the car was struck by gunfire in the arm and wounded. Another girl aged about ten was non-seriously injured by flying glass. Two teenage girls who were riding in the car were not injured. The woman driver, possibly in a panic, was able to flee the scene in her car, racing onto the nearby Belt Parkway before coming to rest on the median. Harris County Sheriff's Office Major Jesse Razo (above) urged the gunman to surrender At a media briefing, Harris County Sheriff's Office Major Jesse Razo advised the public that the killer may confide in someone about the crime, and urged anyone with information to come forward. He also made a direct appeal to the gunman to surrender. 'We're going to use all resources available to bring this killer to justice, and I urge you, whoever did this, you know who are, please turn yourself in now,' Razo said. 'Because we will be looking for you. We will locate you, we will find you,' he added. Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to call Houston CrimeStoppers anonymously at 713-222-8477 for a potential cash reward. A young boy had to have part of his colon removed after he was seriously injured when he swallowed magnets from one of his toys. Jennifer White, a mother from Wisconsin, posted on Facebook that her son Beck, 4, had swallowed '13 tiny magnets' after breaking open what appears to be a Magformers tile toy. 'He has finished with surgery they had to remove part of his colon, intestines and appendix,' Jennifer updated after taking her son to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. 'The magnets created holes and infection in his intestines.' When Jennifer White first noticed her son was ill, she had thought her son had caught the flu, according to WTMJ, but that changed drastically. Scroll down for video Beck White, 4, became seriously ill after swallowing 13 tiny magnets after he broke apart a Christmas gift Very small magnets that can be swallowed by children and dogs can be broken out of toys such as the Magformers tiles 'He started to vomit a very dark color. It looked like coffee grounds,' White said. 'At that point I knew something was very wrong.' After she and her husband, Jeremy, transported Beck to the hospital, X-rays showed the boy had ingested the magnets inside his toy, and they had started tearing holes in his intestinal walls. The holes led to an infection in his intestines according to his mother. Beck continues to be monitored for infection and considered still at high-risk of infection. There was no word on any long-term issues that he may face after he recovers from this episode. Jennifer White, Beck's mother, posted about her son's illness warning other parents about the dangers of magnetic toys for young children Beck White is still at risk for infection after surgery to remove portions of his colon, intestine and appendix was completed After Beck was taken to Children's Hospital in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jennifer White posted the warning about the swallowing hazard of magnets in toys that would go viral Jennifer White (right) describes herself on Facebook as 'Mommy to 3 boys and a wife to an amazing bearded father' 'The mom guilt is huge because you feel that you failed your child,' White told WHNT. Her son is autistic, and typically White says she takes great precaution with his toys. 'I don't want another mother or father to go through this. It was such a simple toy,' White said. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also has been warning the public about the dangers of magnetic children's toys. 'High-powered magnets have caused unnecessary surgeries, debilitating injuries, irreversible gastrointestinal damage and other lifelong health impacts in infants, children and adolescents,' said former AAP President Fernando Stein in a statement last year. 'Pediatricians have been ringing an alarm bell about these dangerous magnets since we first recognized the damage they cause, and we urge parents to avoid purchasing them as gifts for children during the holiday season.' Jennifer White, spreading awareness about the dangers of magnets, posted on Facebook that the specific gifted item her son received has been removed from Amazon's website Jennifer White, left, next to her son Beck, said she even chewed the toys herself to make sure they were safe, but to no avail 'We had made sure that he was old enough, the age on the box, I chewed it myself. It sounds crazy but I have special needs children and sometimes you need to go a little extra and I did those things to make sure,' White added. 'If you have them in your home make sure+ you know when they're being played with, don't let the kids have them by themselves.' In a Facebook update today, White stated that Amazon took down the magnetic toy product from their site after her story has gone viral. 'Amazon has removed the products that were gifted to us,' she wrote. 'This is a huge win in my book because as you can see it in the original product purchasing it says it age appropriate for baby's SMDH.' Preparations for a no-deal Brexit have come under fresh scrutiny after it emerged a 13.8million ferry contract was awarded to a firm with no ships. Seaborne Freight was handed the cross-Channel contract last week despite the fact it has never operated a service. The firm is aiming to operate freight ferries from Ramsgate to the Belgian port of Ostend, to reduce the pressure on Dover in case of a cliff-edge exit. The contracts were not put out to tender, in what the Department for Transport called a 'situation of extreme urgency' brought about by 'unforeseeable events'. Preparations for a no-deal Brexit have come under fresh scrutiny after a ferry contract was awarded to a company with no ships. Pictured: lorries queuing at Dover in March this year A Conservative councillor for Ramsgate said he did not believe it would be possible to set up a new service by the scheduled date of Brexit on March 29. Paul Messenger questioned whether the Government had carried out sufficient checks on the firm, telling the BBC: 'It has no ships and no trading history so how can due diligence be done? 'Why choose a company that never moved a single truck in their entire history and give them 14 million? I don't understand the logic of that.' French firm Brittany Ferries and Danish company DFDS will also receive public money to run ferry services across the Channel. Ramsgate has not had a cross-Channel service since 2013, when operators TransEuropa collapsed. The Government's contingency plans are intended to allow an extra 4,000 lorries per week to cross the Channel from other ports if there is congestion at Dover. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Sir Ed Davey said: 'That the Government has reportedly signed a contract with a ferry company with no ferries pretty much sums up their farcical approach to the entire Brexit fiasco. 'The Government could, and should, take the threat of a no-deal Brexit off the table. It is being used only to try and scaremonger people into backing their deal. It is now costing the country millions - it is inexcusable and people won't be fooled. 'People must be given the final say on the Brexit deal with a people's vote where they have the right to choose to remain.' Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi said: 'Never has it been clearer that our Government is selling us down the river over Brexit. Seaborne Freight is aiming to operate freight ferries from Ramsgate to the Belgian port of Ostend, to reduce the pressure on Dover (pictured in March) in case of a cliff-edge exit 'A firm that has never run a ferry service before has been awarded a multi-million pound contract and they don't even have any ships. 'We know our ports aren't ready for a no-deal disaster, but is hiring a firm that's never dealt with this kind of thing before really going to help? This idea should have been sunk before it saw the light of day.' In a statement, the company said it had been working since 2017 on plans to reintroduce ferry sailings from Ramsgate from early 2019. The business has been 'financed by the shareholders' during a development phase involving 'locating suitable vessels, making arrangements with the ports of Ostend and Ramsgate, building the infrastructure - such as bunkering - as well as crewing the ferries once they start operating'. It added: 'It was intended to start the service in mid-February but this has now been delayed until late March for operational reasons. 'This coincides with the Department for Transport's Freight Capacity Purchase Agreement with Seaborne which is part of their preparations to increase ferry capacity in the unlikely event of a no-deal Brexit.' Narrow berths in the port mean there are few suitable commercial vessels available. A Department for Transport spokesman said: 'This contract was awarded in the full knowledge that Seaborne Freight is a new shipping provider, and that the extra capacity and vessels would be provided as part of its first services. 'As with all contracts, we carefully vetted the company's commercial, technical and financial position in detail before making the award.' Thirty boys and girls whose parents were killed or jailed fighting for ISIS have returned from Iraq to Russia. Maksim Maksimov, the Russian ambassador to Iraq, said the children were Russian and was a minor breakthrough to the deadlock over what to do with foreign families to ISIS militants. Mr Maksimov said their mothers were incarcerated at a Baghdad prison, according to the office of Russia's ombudsman for children's rights, Anna Kuznetsova. Children of suspected Islamic State fighters (IS) arrive to board a Russian plane at the runway of Baghdad International Airport in Baghdad Some of the children photographed appeared to be as young as three and were led through Baghdad's international airport to a Russian state plane to take them to Moscow. Many of the girls were headscarves and conservative garb. A few appeared anxious and afraid, while others looked with wonder around the airport and appeared excited to fly. None of the children appeared to have reached their teenage years. Kuznetsova wore rubber gloves and a disposable surgical gown as she chaperoned the children to the plane. She arrived earlier Monday to meet with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi. An official at Iraq's Justice Ministry said the children's fathers were ISIS members and were killed fighting for the terror group. Children of suspected ISIS fighters get ready to board a Russian plane from Baghdad airport A Russian medical team checks the children of suspected Islamic State fighters Children are checked over by a medical team before being allowed to board a plane back to Russia Reporters were not allowed to speak to the children and did not provide any specifics about their cases. It is unclear who will take care of the children when they arrive back in Russia, or where they will be resettled. There could be thousands of children in Iraq and Syria born to foreign fighters who have had nowhere to go since the caliphate began to crumble in 2016. Foreign governments have been reluctant to repatriate ISIS suspects and their families, leaving authorities in Iraq and Syria to put them in camps or jails instead. Children of suspected Islamic State fighters (IS) are checked by medical teams British authorities say approximately 850 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq. Pictured: Children boarding a plane back to Russia British authorities say approximately 850 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq. Moscow has been proactive in trying to identify children of Russian origin as they said it would be dangerous to allow them to grow up in a radicalised environment. Kuznetsova's office said it had identified 123 Russian children in Iraq who required resettlement, and 699 Russian children across the region who had been 'brought to the Middle East by their parents' and could also return to Russia. Approximately 5,000 Russians were believed to have flocked to the Islamic State group during its heyday earlier this decade. At its peak it held territory spanning most of northern Syria and Iraq, and claimed responsibility for terror attacks across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It's going to be a very wet night for the one million people who plan to stand for hours in Times Square to watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve. Forecasters predict a major storm system will move through the East Coast on Monday night and into Tuesday, bringing in rain right around midnight. 'Consistent with the theme of 2018, the final hours of 2018 will be wet across the Northeast,' AccuWeather Meteorologist Geoff Cornish told Fox News. 'We will, unfortunately, be dealing with some widespread rain at Times Square.' But it isn't all bad news for New Year's partygoers in New York, as temperatures are predicted to be far higher than last year's record-breaking chill. Forecasters predict a major storm system will move through the East Coast on Monday night and into Tuesday, bringing in rain right around midnight The rain is expected to hit by the time the ball drops before one million spectators in Times Square in New York on Tuesday morning Temperatures in New York City dropped to 9 degrees - with a wind chill of -4 degrees - in the first minutes of 2018, making it the second coldest New Year's midnight temperature on record in the city. But this year the temperature could reach as high as 50 by 12am, making it one of the top five warmest midnight temperatures on record in New York City. 'This could spell a rather wet, though mild, New Year's Eve by midnight for partygoers in the Northeast,' the National Weather Service said. A storm system moving out of the Gulf of Mexico is expected to bring heavy rain through Alabama and Georgia, with the potential for flash floods. The storm system will push east on Monday, bringing 1 to 2 inches of the expected rain into the Northeast. But it isn't all bad news for New Year's revelers in New York as temperatures are predicted to be far higher than last year's record-breaking chill The storm system will push east on Monday, bringing 1 to 2 inches of rain into the Northeast Forecasters predicted that rain throughout the East Coast will clear out by early Tuesday Arkansas to Tennessee, as well as Kentucky, could receive around 3 inches of rain as the storm moves into the Tennessee Valley, according to ABC News. Rain throughout the East Coast is expected to clear by early Tuesday. Meanwhile, 'substantial snow' appears to be in the cards for New Mexico this week. The NWS Albuquerque has already warned that a 'significant winter storm' is expected to hit the state over the New Year's holiday. 'Widespread snow, wind, blowing snow, freezing fog, low visibility, and major travel impacts expected. Extreme cold will move into the area with this storm,' it tweeted. It could be the coldest temperatures in five years for parts of the state, with the potential for dangerous wind chills on Tuesday morning from New Mexico to the Dakotas and Minnesota. Snow is expected to hit the southwest, already blanketing the likes of Sierra Vista, Arizona (pictured) on Sunday 'Substantial snow' is also expected to be in the cards for New Mexico this week, the NWS Albuquerque warned NWS officials in Minnesota cautioned that roads were cloaked in snow, with some areas receiving as much as 16.5 inches Forecasts predict that some wind chills could drop as low as 35 degrees below zero. The central Cascade Mountains in Washington could see a foot of snow, with 2 to 4 inches expected in the Dakotas and Minnesota. Meanwhile, it will remain warm in Florida - where the Trump family is currently vacationing at Mar-a-Lago - with temperatures expected to rise to the low to mid 80s range. The bad weather started on Wednesday and had doused North Dakota (pictured) in snow by Thursday Parts of the United States were digging out Saturday from winter storms that officials said led to at least seven deaths. Hardest hit were parts of the northern Plains, the upper Midwest, and the southwestern region from Arizona to western Texas. A 58-year-old woman in Louisiana was killed Wednesday when a tree struck by lightning fell on her home. In Kansas, police said icy roads caused a fatal car crash Thursday on an interstate highway. A crash Thursday involving a snowplow and a pickup truck in Dunn County, North Dakota claimed the life of a 37-year-old truck driver. A 17-year-old boy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was killed in a two-car collision that police blamed on icy roads. A woman on a camping trip in Tennessee died when she was swept away by flood waters while trying to cross a creek. Two people died in weather-related collisions in Minnesota, one when a pedestrian was struck by a snowplow blade in Crow Wing County amid poor visibility. Heartbroken family and friends have shared emotional tributes to a woman who was killed in an apparent random, home-invasion attack. Cara Hales, 30, was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Munster in southern Perth on Friday. Jessie De Beaux, 23, was located by police near the scene naked and disorientated, and he was later charged with her murder. Cara Hales, 30, was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Munster in southern Perth on Friday Jessie De Beaux, 23, was located by police near the scene naked and disorientated, and he was later charged with her murder Ms Hales's devastated friend Cameron Douglas said he was feeling 'shocked' and 'angry' after learning of her death Neighbours reportedly found the woman inside a home in Munster, Perth, about midday on Friday Ms Hales's devastated friend Cameron Douglas said he was feeling 'shocked' and 'angry' after learning of her death. 'Shocked, angry but most of all just sad to know you were taken from this earth. You were truly one of a kind. Much (love),' he posted to Facebook. Ms Hales (pictured) is understood to have recently returned to live in Perth after residing in a different part of Australia Ms Hales's cousin Kym Smith said 'words can't describe how I'm feeling at the moment' while sharing her own tribute. De Beaux appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Sunday charged with murder and appeared dishevelled, Nine News reported. Detective Senior Sergeant Sean Wright denied reports that Ms Hales had been killed with an axe, and said there was no evidence that she knew De Beaux. 'At this point in time we have not identified any link between the victim and the man,' he said. An autopsy is expected to be carried out this week, and forensic police will be at her semi-rural home investigating the scene for the next few days. Neighbours reportedly found Ms Hales inside her home and were confronted by a 'gruesome' scene after hearing a commotion. Ms Hales is understood to have recently returned to live in Perth after residing in a different part of Australia. De Beaux will next face court in January 2019. Ms Hales's cousin Kym Smith said 'words can't describe how I'm feeling at the moment' while sharing her own tribute You may not realise it, but its been a good year for nudibranch. The curled octopus, the undulate ray and the short-snouted seahorse have also done well. The strangely-named creatures are among a host of sealife that have been making a comeback around Britains coast with the aid of conservationists. Thousands of volunteers helped gather information and monitor marine protected areas for the Wildlife Trusts, which look after some 2,300 nature reserves. The rare short-snouted seahouse is making a comeback around Britain's coast with the aid of conservationists This picture shows a nudibranch, a solar powered sea slug, whose numbers are also on the rise Successes include Dorset fishermen reporting finding the extremely rare short-snouted seahorse off the Purbeck coast. Seahorses face threats from trawlers which scour the seabed and from yacht anchors, so good management is essential to their survival, the Trust said. It has been a bumper year for nudibranch also known as solar-powered sea slugs for their ability to convert the suns energy into sugars and other nutrients and a good autumn for sightings of curled octopus by divers. In Cornwall the spiny lobster or crawfish is making a comeback from overfishing, while undulate rays seem to be thriving along the south coast, though they are still considered endangered. A curled octopus (pictured) is among the creatures making a comeback with the help of conservation action around the UK's coasts The little tern, one of Britains rarest breeding seabirds, successfully bred at the South Walney reserve in Cumbria for the first time in 33 years, while targeted management of habitat saw them nest on Tollesbury Wick, Essex, for the first time in ten years. And basking sharks were seen in Cardigan Bay, west Wales, for the first time in three years. But there was bad news too, with millions of creatures washed up on beaches along the North Sea coast after a storm in March. Plastic pollution continues to be a major problem, as the Daily Mail has highlighted in its acclaimed Turn The Tide On Plastic campaign. Dr Lissa Batey of the Wildlife Trusts said next years extension of marine conservation zones had the potential to further reverse declines in marine wildlife. Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani challenged special counsel Robert Mueller to show what he's found in his Russia investigation, telling him it was time to put up or shut up. 'My ultimatum is put up or shut up, Bob,' Giuliani said on 'Fox and Friends' Sunday morning. 'I mean, you know, what do you have? There are those of us who believe you don't have anything on collusion. And by the way, if you did, it's not a crime so what the heck are you doing?' He added that President Donald Trump's legal team was ready to refute any findings. 'Put out a report. We're ready to rebut it,' he said. Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani challenged special counsel Robert Mueller to show what he's found in his Russia investigation Special counsel Robert Mueller is believed to be in the final stages of his report although there's been no indication of when he'll submit it to the Justice Department Mueller is believed to be in the final stages of his investigation of whether Trump campaign officials colluded with Moscow to affect the 2016 presidential election. But it's unknown when he will submit his report to the Justice Department. Giuliani did not know a time frame either. The former New York City mayor also slammed former FBI agent Peter Strzok and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page for their role in the investigation and the missing text messages between them. He hinted the text messages may have been deliberately deleted. 'All those texts of Strzok and Page, deleted after they find out that Strzok is texting that he hates Trump, that he's going to get him, that he's going to stop him, and if he can't stop him he has an insurance policy to get him out of office. I believe Mueller is the insurance policy to get him out of office,' Giuliani said. He added: 'Strzok was his first investigator. How is it that the ones eliminated are all the ones that he did when he was working for Mueller?' Page and Strzok exchanged text messages critical of Trump during the2016 campaign, including during the time when they were part of the team investigating Hillary Clinton's use of a private email service while she was secretary of state. The two were early members of Mueller's team but were removed once the texts came to light. Both have since left the FBI. Trump has also - without evidence - accused the agency of deliberately deleting text messages between the two. The Justice Department's inspector general, in a report released earlier this month, found no evidence the FBI intentionally destroyed the texts. The IG could not recover any texts from the phones assigned to the two agents because, by the time investigators requested the devices, they had been reset for others to use them. The inspector general faulted an FBI-wide software failure that resulted in large portions of FBI text messages not being archived, the Associated Press fact checker found. President Trump's team said they are ready to rebut the special counsel's report Trump and his team have railed against the text messages between former FBI agent Peter Strzok (left) and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page (right) The report examined a gap in messages from December 2016 through May 2017 from Strzok and Page's phones. The IG's investigation of the matter resulted in around 9,311 complete text messages sent or received on Strzok's phone being recovered and around 10,760 from the same period from Page's phone, the vast majority of which were exchanged between the two. Giuliani pushed the idea that the messages were deliberately erased. 'All of a sudden they wipe out his phone and the ones missing are the ones when he was working for Mueller? Why? Because just maybe it would be very embarrassing if he was saying the same things while working for the holier than thou special counsel, and he was saying I hate Trump, we're going to get Trump, we're going to get him any way we have,' he said. He added he hopes there is a way to recover the message.s 'I'm hoping there's a way to reproduce them,' he said. He added: 'I mean, texts only last for a little - they're not like e-mails. I do this work - cybersecurity work and texts are hard to get, I mean, that's legitimate, even the FBI.' Giuliani touted his cyber security work on this matter. Earlier this month, Giuliani blamed Twitter for a mistake he made on his personal account. He charged that the social network had 'allowed someone to invade my text with a disgusting anti-President message.' But Giuliani had inadvertently created a hyperlink when he failed to put a space after a period in a Nov. 30 tweet that criticized Mueller for releasing the news of Michael Cohen's latest guilty plea before Trump headed off to the G-20 summit. Web firm designer Jason Velazquez told The Washington Post he noticed the missing space in the text turned it into a bright blue hyperlink. He promptly purchased the link made and turned it into an anti-Trump website. A Twitter spokesman says the company can't edit users' tweets and 'the accusation that we're artificially injecting something into a tweet is completely false.' The internet also mocked Giuliani for blaming Twitter instead of realizing he created the link. Several people noted the former mayor of New York City was, a one time, a top cybersecurity advisor to Trump. The RNLI should receive compensation from the Home Office for its rescues of migrants, an MP demanded yesterday. The lifeboat charity has been called on to save many of the people crossing the Channel at a cost of at least 1,500 every time it launches vessel, Charlie Elphicke said. More than 220 migrants have attempted to reach the UK from France in boats since November. Even though the Government has declared a 'major incident', the RNLI is still relied upon for many of the rescues. Its crews and staff are volunteers and it has been struggling to cope, sources said. The lifeboat charity has been called on to save many of the people crossing the Channel at a cost of at least 1,500 every time it launches vessel, Charlie Elphicke said Mr Elphicke, the Tory MP for Dover, said: 'The volunteers of the RNLI always do their bit to save people at sea, but they have got to spend 1,500, at least, each time a lifeboat is launched, so it's very important they have greater support and be compensated for the incredible work they have done over the Christmas period,' he said. 'It would be the right thing for the Home Office to make a generous donation.' The RNLI has more than 4,950 volunteer lifeboat crew members and its 23,000 fundraisers helped generate 197million for the charity last year. It now has 238 lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland. The South Coast, where most migrants have been landing, is served by stations at Dover and Deal in Kent. The active lifeboat at Dover's RNLI station is a 2million Severn class, the largest in the fleet at 57ft. The vessels at Walmer lifeboat station in Deal are a 214,000 B-Class boat and a 52,000 D-Class dinghy. Lifeboat crews are typically made up of locals living within five miles of a station who are notified of an emergency by mobile or pager. Mr Elphicke said: 'Everybody knows that most of these migrants are being rescued by the RNLI volunteer lifeboats, it is their duty to rescue anyone in distress in the high seas, wherever they may be from. The South Coast, where most migrants have been landing, is served by stations at Dover and Deal in Kent (pictured: Kingsdown beach near Deal, Kent) 'And that's what they have been doing as their duty. They deserve great praise.' Mr Elphicke said he demanded the cash be made available to the RNLI during a meeting with immigration minister Caroline Nokes in Dover on Saturday. Of the RNLI's income last year, 49.1million came from donations, 135.1million from legacies and 5.5million from trading activities including the charity's 165 RNLI shops, which are run by volunteers. The remainder came from investment and charity income, according to its accounts. Its running costs in 2017 were 176million, and the RNLI spent 39.3million on capital expenditure, including lifeboats and launching equipment. A combined 114.6million was spent on the lifeboat service and equipment. The RNLI, which was formed in 1824, is reckoned to have saved 140,000 lives in its history. Mr Elphicke also called for the Government to return its two Border Force cutters from the Mediterranean to secure Britain's coastline, and provide relief to the RNLI. 'The first thing that needs to happen is to bring back our two boats from the Mediterranean to secure our coastlines and invest more in our border security to track down these trafficking networks,' Mr Elphicke said. Mr Elphicke said: 'Everybody knows that most of these migrants are being rescued by the RNLI volunteer lifeboats, it is their duty to rescue anyone in distress in the high seas, wherever they may be from' 'The Border Force cutters have a real role to play in acting as a strong deterrent and taking the pressure off the RNLI. I did make the case to Caroline Nokes that the RNLI have done incredible work, and that we should do the right thing by them. She listened.' The RNLI and the Home Office did not respond to requests for comment. Ten alleged people smugglers have been arrested in France in just three weeks as part of a crackdown. Three men arrested last week and set to face trial next year are believed to be Afghan nationals who have masterminded a string of Channel crossings. Seven were arrested in the previous three weeks, according to the UK's National Crime Agency. Armed people smugglers mainly Iraqi-Kurds are regularly basing themselves in the makeshift camps dotted around Calais, making migrants fearful of speaking out. The rise in attempted Channel crossings has coincided with a spike in boats stolen from Calais and the nearby port of Boulogne-sur-Mer. 'We have lived with this problem for five or six months.' said Etienne Caron, the harbourmaster of Calais marina. 'It is my belief that the thefts and damage are the work of organised criminals not big-time smugglers, just foot soldiers working to orders,' he added. Facebook and WhatsApp are letting smugglers lure migrants 'to their deaths' with promises of safe passage to Europe, the UN's migration agency has warned. The social media firms have been accused of 'enabling criminal activity'. Leonard Doyle, of the UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM), said migrants were 'lured to Calais' with little oversight from tech giants. Social media firms have introduced a measures to curb child pornography and terrorist activities. But Mr Doyle said efforts to prevent people-smuggling had been 'microscopic' by comparison. Leonard Doyle, of the UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM), said migrants were 'lured to Calais' with little oversight from tech giants (pictured: Calais) 'The guy in the village with nothing but a cracked smartphone can meet a smuggler in a heartbeat,' he said. 'This person will often have no sense that this is a trap, no sense that this is going to end up in their prostitution, their slavery, their murder, their drowning.' The IOM says people-smuggling now represents the third largest business for international criminals. Mr Doyle told The Independent: 'If someone does a search for child pornography, a flag that this is illegal will come up, saying... you're committing an illegal act. But they won't do that for migration. They're enabling this criminal activity to happen.' A spokesman for Facebook, which also owns WhatsApp, said: 'People-smuggling is illegal and any ads, posts, pages or groups that coordinate this activity are not allowed on Facebook. 'We're always improving the methods we use to identify content that breaks our policies.' A quarter of revellers searched at a popular music festival where a young man died from a suspected drug overdose were found with drugs on them - despite the event being labelled as 'strictly drug free'. The alarming figures come after Joshua Tam, 22, died on Saturday night at the Lost Paradise festival in Gosford, New South Wales, from what police believe to be a mix of alcohol and ecstasy tablets. His death follows three young people losing their lives to suspected overdoses at Sydney festivals in recent months. Other partygoers were reportedly not deterred from taking drugs on Sunday though. Almost a quarter of revellers at a popular music festival where Joshua Tam, 22, (left and right on right) died from a suspected drug overdose over the weekend were found with drugs on them - despite the event being labelled as 'strictly drug free' 'I've just dropped some caps,' a 20-year-old reveller said according to The Daily Telegraph. NSW Police acting superintendent Rod Peet told reporters drugs were found in aerosol containers, Vegemite jars and inside the stuffing of a barbecue chicken. A teenage girl from Sydney's north shore also said she was able to get drugs into the festival by hiding them in a jar of Vicks VapoRub. 'I've just dropped some caps,' a 20-year-old reveller said on Sunday and police said drugs were found in aerosol containers, Vegemite jars and inside the stuffing of a barbecue chicken (event pictured) On Saturday morning, police said they had already conducted searches using drug dogs on 184 people and 97 cars. Of these, 50 people have been issued court attendance notices for drug possession, and seven given cannabis cautions. Three people have been charged with drug supply offences, including a 23-year-old man from Elanora Heights who was allegedly caught with 80 MDMA pills and 65 bags of cocaine. Mr Tam, from Toowong in Brisbane, was rushed to Gosford hospital at 8pm on Saturday after he ingested an unknown substance. He died soon after he arrived. One image taken just hours before his death shows Mr Tam alongside a group of friends enjoying the final days of 2018. However, hours after the picture was taken those same friends were forced to identify his body, police said on Sunday. Festival organisers took to their social media account to share a safety message in the wake of the tragic incidents. An image taken just hours before his death shows Mr Tam (highlighted left) alongside a group of friends enjoying the final days of 2018 One of the messages at the Lost Paradise festival was specific to the use of MDMA - the drug which is believed to have caused the death of one young 22-year-old man 'Our medical teams have alerted us to a dangerous orange pill that is currently in circulation across Australia,' the post reads. 'We want to remind everyone of the potentially fatal risks that come with illicit substances. You do not know what is in them, how your body will react, there is no safe level of consumption. 'One pill can kill.' The young man attended the festival with up to 20 mates, and made the almost 10 hour drive from his hometown to be there for the four-day event. While over 40 officers were stationed at the festival, which is hidden in the pristine Glenworth Valley, monitoring attendees and checking cars before entrance, illicit substances still made their way inside. Two other revellers, a man and a woman, remain in hospital in a stable condition, after ingesting an unknown substance. Brisbane Water Police District Commander Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said festival-goers were becoming more creative when it came to sneaking drugs into the event. Mr Tam (pictured right), from Toowong in Brisbane, was rushed to Gosford hospital about 8pm on Saturday after he ingested an unknown substance but died soon after Safety messages were plastered behind the stage during the Lost Paradise Festival encouraging people to look after their mates (pictured) 'People aren't carrying it in their pockets. They aren't that careless,' he said. 'We have found drugs in aerosol containers and other items. In one instance, the drugs were in a stuffed barbeque chicken.' 'We tried to insulate the festival as best we could and I think we've done a good job at that. Unfortunately some of those drugs got through, and unfortunately some of those drugs have had fatal consequences,' Supt Peet said. At 12:15pm, another two ambulances rushed through the security check points and into the festival At 12:15pm, another two ambulances rushed through the security check points and into the festival. Security guards were tight lipped on Sunday, as festival goers continued into the festival. A sign along the quiet road into the festival read: 'All vehicles will be searched'. Outside the first security checkpoint were two young men waiting to pick up a female friend, and two entrepreneurs who had been selling hats and t-shirts. While over 40 officers are stationed at the festival monitoring attendees and checking cars before entrance, illicit substances still made their way inside Dominique Falco said she thought the festival was a safe environment, and appeared disappointed to hear of Saturday night's tragedy. She said she went for the live music and because she liked yoga. 'It's a pretty chilled out vibe,' she said. The 22-year-old Queensland man was rushed to Gosford Hospital about 8pm but died soon after A Lost Paradise festival spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia the festival implemented multiple policies and procedures to educate the youth in attendance on drug safety. 'This is a very distressing incident and our sincerest thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the deceased. 'Lost Paradise is a strictly drug-free event that is about celebrating life, love and nature in a fun, safe and welcoming environment. A sign along the quiet road into the festival read: 'all vehicles will be searched' 'A great deal of planning and effort goes into ensuring the safety and welfare of our festival-goers and event staff. 'We work closely with local police to try to ensure festival-goers respect our drug free policy and NSW Ambulance to provide extensive medical support across the festival site. 'This year, we have also engaged DanceWize NSW, a NUAA program that is funded by the NSW Ministry of Health to educate people on the implications of drug use, and offer peer support and health resources. 'The matter is the subject of a police investigation and we will continue to cooperate and provide whatever assistance we can.' Police have conducted searches using drug dogs on 184 people and 97 cars A 21-year-old man from Drummoyne was allegedly caught with 105 MDMA pills and charged with supplying a prohibited drug and possessing a prescribed prohibited substance. Both men will appear in Gosford Local Court on Friday January 18. A 23-year-old man from Glendale was allegedly found with 26 MDMA pills and was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for supplying a prohibited drug. He is due to appear in Gosford Local Court on Tuesday 5 February 2019. About 11,000 people have turned out for the Lost Paradise music festival in the Glenworth Valley, 20km west of Gosford. The festival runs from Friday December 28 to Tuesday January 1. A man has died and two people are being treated after taking an unknown substance at a music festival west of Gosford on Saturday The death comes only weeks after Callum Brosnan, 19, died of a drug overdose at a train station near the Knockout Games of Destiny festival at Sydney Olympic Park in the city's west. About 130 people sought medical treatment at that festival while 16 people were rushed to hospital. Three had to be placed in induced comas with suspected drug overdoses. Only months prior to that, a 21-year-old woman and 23-year-old man died of drug overdoses at the Deqfon 1. festival in western Sydney. Joseph Pham, from Edensor Park, was one of four revellers who collapsed at the music festival in Penrith, in Sydney's west. He died shortly after. Diana Nguyen, from Melbourne, also died. The police operation continues on-site, and inquiries into the death of the man are ongoing. A number has been advertised for festival goers who are in need of assistance can call the patron safety line on 1300 940 928 and on 1300 322 441. The online medical records of Australians have been breached only weeks after the My Health website crashed as thousands tried to opt out for privacy reasons. The Australian Digital Health Agency has revealed in its annual report 42 suspected cases of unauthorised viewing of e-health records. The revelation has been made only six weeks after the federal government extended until January 31 the deadline to opt out of the My Health regime, where doctors can access a patient's medical records with a login and password. Scroll down for video The online medical records of Australians have been breached only weeks after the My Health website crashed as thousands tried to opt out for privacy reasons (stock image) Health Minister Greg Hunt in November caved in to public pressure as the website struggled to cope with thousands of Australians trying to opt out of a system covering 17 million people. The health agency's annual report, released on Monday, revealed 42 possible cases of data being breached. One case included a child wrongly being given incorrect authorised parental access. Another two cases involved suspected Medicare fraud. The Australian Digital Health Agency has revealed in its annual report 42 suspected cases of unauthorised viewing of e-health records (stock image) In November, the federal government extended until January 31 the deadline to opt out of the My Health regime, where doctors can access a patient's medical records with a password The chief executive of Medicare also identified 17 cases involving the Department of Human Services accessing e-health records to cross-check Medicare records. How to opt out of My Health The Australian Digital Health Agency's website has forms to opt out of My Health. Australians can follow the prompts or call the helpline on 1800 723 471. The website will ask for your Medicare, driver's licence, passport or proof-of-identity ImmiCard, issued by the Department of Home Affairs. The deadline to opt out is January 31. Visit - https://optout.myhealthrecord.gov.au Advertisement Another 22 breaches involved unauthorised Medicare claims appearing in My Health records. All up, 42 data breaches were reported to the Australian Information Commissioner. The Australian Digital Health Agency, however, said the affected people whose My Health records were potentially breached had been contacted by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. 'In each case, the affected individuals have been contacted and the OAIC has examined the circumstances of the breach and no unauthorised breach has been determined,' it said in a statement on Monday. More than 17 million Australians now have all their private medical records uploaded online as part of the My Health revolution. Earlier this year, domestic violence groups pleaded with the government to suspend the system until serious privacy issues were addressed. Domestic violence groups pleaded with the government to suspend the My Health system until privacy issues were addressed (stock image) They were concerned that abusive husbands and boyfriends, with knowledge of passwords, would be able to access confidential records to track down women. Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia feared a domineering man could illegally access sensitive details about a woman's sexual history, pregnancy status, mental health, where she lived and any reports about violence. 'The proposed My Health system presents an unacceptable safety risk for women and children experiencing violence,' it said in a submission to a Senate inquiry. 'We urge that the government suspend the system until these privacy concerns are addressed.' Health Minister Greg Hunt (pictured) in November announced maximum five-year jail terms to illegally accessing My Health records The Sydney-based crisis counselling group said a doctor could also illegally access the data on behalf of a violent husband or boyfriend. 'The perpetrator may have access to his partner or children's log in details,' it said. In November, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced maximum five-year jail terms and fines up to $315,000 for illegally accessing My Health data. Employers and health insurers would also be banned from accessing the information. The minister also responded to concerns raised by domestic violence support groups by restricting the information held by the Australian Digital Health Agency in circumstances where 'there may be a risk to a person's life, health or safety'. Texas police have arrested an armed man dressed in tactical-style clothing who was on his way to a church where he claimed he would 'fulfill a prophecy'. Tony Dwayne Albert II, 33, has been arrested in Seguin, a suburb outside San Antonio, after a passerby saw the man carrying a handgun outside just before 7am on Sunday and called police. An off-duty Seguin officer responded to the call and found Albert armed. Tony Dwayne Albert II, 33, was arrested in Seguin, Texas on Sunday after a passerby reported seeing him walk towards a church with a loaded handgun and wearing tactical-style gear. Pictured above in old mugshots, left in 2017 and right in 2010 Seguin Police shared this post on Sunday thanking the citizen who called the cops on Albert saying: 'If this subject was not stopped and apprehended the results could have ended differently' Officers found 'an oddly dressed male wearing tactical style clothing, a surgical face shield, carrying a loaded firearm and extra ammunition', according Officer Tanya Brown. He reportedly told cops he was on his way to the church to 'fulfill...a prophecy'. He was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of a firearm. Albert was taken to Guadalupe County Jail. As of Sunday afternoon he remained in prison on $100,000 bond, according to the Huffington Post. Seguin Police say that the citizen who reported Albert helped stop a potentially devastating massacre. 'This morning, the Seguin Police Department is extremely grateful to the citizen who called police. If this subject was not stopped and apprehended the results could have ended differently,' Officer Brown added. Cops are not sure what he meant by fulfilling a prophecy. The church he was targeting has not been identified. However he was arrested near where The Door Christian Church is located. 'We dont know what he meant. What ties he has to Seguin, I have no idea yet,' Brown added. Albert is from Houston, about a two and a half hour and 161-mile drive from Seguin. Albert has a lengthy rap sheet. He was arrested at least six times in Harris County on various charges that date back to when he was 24 in 2009, according to MySanAntonio.com. He was convicted four times for driving while intoxication, possession of marijuana under two ounces, assaulting a family member causing bodily injuring and disarming a police officer. He's currently on two years probation after pleading no contest to disarming the cop. The Seguin Police Department arrested him around the 2400 W. Kingsbury St. in Seguin According to past court filings he was associated with Messianic Judaism and the First Church of Cannabis. The Texas Rangers, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are all assisting the investigation of Albert. Over the past couple of years there have been several devastating mass murders in places of worship at the hands of lone wolf gunmen. In October the Pittsburgh synagogue Tree of Life was ambushed by suspect Robert Gregory Bowers and 11 people were killed and seven injured. In November 2017 there was the Sutherland Springs church shooting in Texas where gunman 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelley shot dead 25 people. Two years prior in June 2015, white supremacist Dylann Roof entered a predominantly black church in Charleston, South Carolina and killed nine people. The Office of Personnel Management said it 'inadvertently' posted a document from the 2013 shutdown that contained advice to furloughed government workers on how to negotiate with landlords, which advised them to barter services like carpentry for rent. 'OPM - itself acting with limited resources during the furlough period - inadvertently posted a legacy document from the 2013 shutdown. Although most federal employees have yet to miss a paycheck, OPM recognizes that many employees are concerned about the financial implications of a continued lapse. As such, OPM sought to provide a set of templates and information that could be used proactively by employees to address potential financial challenges, in the event that Congress does not resolve the lapse in appropriations before the end of the next pay cycle. Since discovering the out-of-date documents, OPM updated the website to reflect current information, and regrets any unintended concern caused by legacy documentation,' the agency said in a statement to The Washington Post. The sample letters posted last week suggested workers who have been sidelined by the shutdown reveal their situation and offer to pay banks partial mortgage payments while offering to repaint and do other tasks to fend off landlords. OPM sent out the guidance as the partial government shutdown entered its seventh day. As many as 800,000 workers are affected. With predictions the shutdown could easily run until the new Congress convenes Jan. 3 if not longer, many federal employees are facing the prospect of having to meet their obligations without benefit of a paycheck. The federal Office of Personnel Management provided guidance for federal workers who have trouble paying bills thanks to the shutdown 'Feds, here are sample letters you may use as a guide when working with your creditors during this furlough. If you need legal advice please consult with your personal attorney,' OPM noted. According to one sample letter, a federal employee might write: 'As we had agreed in our conversation, I will be able to make regular payments in the amount of $_______. I realize that I will be responsible to pay the remainder of the payments and, when I return to work, I will contact you immediately to work out a plan to take care of the reduced payments.' 'I will keep in touch with you to keep you informed about my income status and I would like to discuss with you the possibility of trading my services to perform maintenance (e.g. painting, carpentry work) in exchange for partial rent payments,' according to the sample. A sign announcing the closure of the National Archives due to a partial government shutdown is displayed in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. The partial U.S. government shutdown will continue at least into this weekend, after House Republicans said they didn't plan to schedule any votes for Friday and President Donald Trump said most federal employees losing pay because of the closure were Democrats. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers check and watch airline passengers at Reagan National Airport in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. TSA employees are working through the partial government shutdown without pay. There is no end in sight to the partial government shutdown OPM sent out the guidance on Thursday Workers are advised to reference the furlough 'due to a lack of funding' Call before you write, the workers are counseled Workers can try to negotiate reduced payments One idea is to offer to perform maintenance services such as painting and carpentry to a landlord Workers who lack savings will soon be unable to make rent or mortgage payments Workers are advised to call first rather than just sending out the letter. A sample letter to a creditor stresses: 'As we discussed, I am a Federal employee who has recently been furloughed due to a lack of funding of my agency. Because of this, my income has been severely cut and I am unable to pay the entire cost of my monthly payments, along with my other expenses.' The samples also point to a soft sell. 'I appreciate your willingness to work with me and your understanding during this difficult time,' is one recommended sign-off. The government also points out other 'things to consider' in the approach. 'Just sending a letter may not be very effective as it will take a fair amount of time to get to the individual who needs to see it, if at all. Speaking with your creditors will enable you to work out the details of any payment plan that you can later confirm with your letter,' according to the guidance. 'Be sure to send the letter directly to the person to whom you have spoken to confirm your request for a reduced payment plan,' is another pointer. 'Be sure to keep a copy of the letter. In some situations, you may want to send the letter by certified mail. You may also want to fax the letter to the company,' the government counsels. 'This will help both with the human side of this situation but also to better protect our borders,' said Javid Two Border Force cutters are being redeployed from overseas to patrol the English Channel in response to the migrant crisis, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has announced. Speaking after a meeting with senior officials from the National Crime Agency and Border Force, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: 'This incident around the Channel remains a very serious concern to me, that's why I declared it as a major incident a few days ago. 'It's both about protecting human life but also about protecting our borders. 'When it comes to human life, clearly I want to make sure that we are doing all we can to protect people. 'We must remember that this is one of the most treacherous stretches of water that there is, 21 miles with people taking grave risk, really putting their lives into their own hands by taking this journey.' He added: 'I have made a decision today to redeploy two of the Border Force's largest vessels, known as cutters, from abroad back to the UK, to south-east England, and they will be joining a cutter that is already there and two other coastal patrol vessels. 'This will help both with the human side of this situation but also to better protect our borders.' Home Secretary Sajid Javid (pictured outside his home in London this morning) has battled through a chastening fortnight including Gatwick drone fiasco and a migrant crisis UK Border Force cutter arriving at Dover Harbour with eight migrants and their inflatable tied alongside after being rescued from crossing the English Channel Mr Javid said about 230 migrants had sought to cross the Channel in December but 'just under half have actually been disrupted by the French and never actually made it in terms of leaving the French coast'. The Home Secretary said that as well as deploying the cutters, efforts were being stepped up to tackle people traffickers and to return migrants who reach England back to France. 'I wish there was one single answer but it does require action on many fronts,' he said. Border Force officers attended to another migrant crossing in an inflatable dinghy Mr Javid arrives home from his holiday to South Africa this morning (left), before leaving shortly after (right) to deal with the migrant crisis Co-operation with the French authorities was improving, around 40% of attempted crossings had been disrupted overall, with both countries working together 'both directly but also in more covert ways'. In a message to would-be migrants, he said: 'We will do everything we can to make sure it is not a success, in the sense that I don't want people to think that if they leave a safe country like France they can get to Britain and then just get to stay. 'That's why I am working out ways with the French to increase the number of returns that we can make to also send a very strong message that we will do all we can not just to protect human lives - of course that's the right and responsible thing to do at all times - but also to protect our borders.' Our eyes on the seas: UK Border Force's fleet of cutters Border Force is a law enforcement command within the Home Office that secures the UK border by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the UK using a fleet of five vessels. The fleet, known as cutters, operate 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Although they operate mainly in UK waters, they have responded to deployments as from the Baltic to the Mediterranean. The fleet currently consists of: HM Cutter Seeker - Damen Stan Patrol 4207, commissioned 2001 HM Cutter Searcher - Damen Stan Patrol 4207, commissioned 2002 HM Cutter Vigilant - Damen Stan Patrol 4207, commissioned 2003 HM Cutter Valiant - Damen Stan Patrol 4207, commissioned 2004 HM Cutter Sentinel - Vosper Thorneycroft 'Island Class', commissioned 1993 Forming the bulk of the fleet, the Stan Patrol 4207 patrol vessel is built by Damen Shipyards, Holland. It is 42 metres long, is powered by two Caterpillar diesel engines through controllable pitch propellers, and is capable of reaching speeds above 26 knots. It can accommodate up to 16 people, and can remain at sea for extended periods and in heavy weather conditions. Each cutter carries a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB), which can carry 5 crew and a coxswain for boarding duties. The 7.4-metre Delta-built craft is driven by an inboard diesel engine powering a water jet. The RHIB is launched down a slipway in the stern of the cutter, allowing for safe and speedy deployment and recovery in most sea conditions. The crews The UK has got 10 cutter crews consisting of 120 seagoing staff. Each crew is led by a cutter commander. Crews work 2 weeks on duty and 2 weeks off duty, so there are 5 fully operational cutters all year round. Our crews are all trained to full international and national maritime accreditation standards, under the Standards for the Training and Certification of Watchkeepers 1995 regulations. Every crew member must pass a medical examination every 2 years. Crew training is regulated by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA). Training and accreditation commitments are high, and it can take up to 10 years to qualify as a cutter commander. Crew members are all highly trained for their maritime enforcement role. Additionally, they share responsibility for catering, cleaning, cooking and other domestic routines. Source Advertisement A Border Force off Kingsdown Beach. This morning a boat carrying another 16 migrants landed near Lydd-on-Sea in Kent The news comes after Sajid Javid cut short his family holiday to deal with the migrant crisis - as boats continued to cross the Channel and arrive in Britain. The Home Secretary headed for Whitehall to chair a high-level meeting after a quick stop at his London home to freshen up. Mr Javid returned from South Africa overnight after being accused by fellow MPs of failing to act over the surge in people landing on the South Coast. But he has warned against expecting 'easy answers' to the problem, saying the causes are 'complicated' and often 'outside of our control'. This morning a boat carrying another 16 migrants landed near Lydd-on-Sea in Kent, bringing the total to over 100 in a week and more than 220 since November. The National Crime Agency said the French authorities prevented another attempt to cross the Channel on Saturday night. Most of the migrants risking the dangerous winter crossing are Iranian men who have paid thousands to people traffickers for 'guaranteed' passage to the UK. With pressure mounting, Mr Javid - widely regarded as the frontrunner to become Tory leader after Theresa May - chose to break off his family safari holiday in South Africa in response to the crisis. He was bolstered by support from Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who said the whole world was grappling with similar issues. This morning saw six migrants come ashore at Kingsdown in Kent at about 7.30am (pictured) 'Sajid is doing, I think, a great job in gripping this situation and making sure we have the relationships and the resources in place to deal with it,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Downing Street also denied that the PM had ordered Mr Javid to cut his holiday short. 'He returned to ensure he is leading the Government's response to this issue,' the PM's spokeswoman said. 'She certainly supports the work he is doing to tackle this deeply concerning rise.' The spokeswoman added: 'Ministers make decisions about the time they spend with their family. What's important is that the Home Secretary is here dealing with this issue now.' How visa-free route through Serbia is why so many Iranians are crossing the Channel The proliferation of Iranian migrants crossing the English Channel to Britain is partly thanks to a new migration route to Europe opened in August 2017 when Serbia started offering visa-free travel to people from Iran. By the time the scheme was abolished in October following pressure from the European Union, more than 15,000 Iranians had visited Serbia. Many of these migrants then moved towards western Europe instead of returning home and many are said to have reached Calais before attempting to cross the English Channel to Britain. Advertisement Mr Javid wrote in the Telegraph: 'The reasons behind the increased crossings are complicated, and in many cases outside of our control. 'Unfortunately, this means that there are no easy answers. So our response is focused both here in the UK and abroad. 'These events are not something that I, as Home Secretary, will accept. Protecting the UK border and safeguarding lives is one of the Home Office's most important priorities. 'While we have obligations to genuine asylum seekers which we will uphold, we will not standby and allow reckless criminals to take advantage of some of the most vulnerable people in our global society.' Mr Javid has refused an offer of military assistance from Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, and rejected calls for more Border Force boats to be deployed between Dover and Calais. There is currently one British cutter in the Channel. Last night a former Cabinet minister said Mr Javid had 'totally lost his grip on this and is floundering', adding: 'They are praying it goes away and they don't have to do anything.' Meanwhile, Dover Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said 'more needs to be done as a matter of urgency'. But allies of Mr Javid, seen as the frontrunner to succeed Theresa May as Conservative leader, defended his handling of the crisis. And in a major escalation of hostilities, one of his supporters accused No 10 of releasing the location of his hotel in South Africa to Sunday newspapers to damage him something Downing Street denied. On Friday it was announced that Mr Javid had told the Home Office to treat the migrant crossings as a 'major incident' and that he had 'taken control' of the response. Aides refused to say where he was, citing security reasons, but the Daily Mail revealed he was 6,000 miles away in South Africa with his wife and children. Yesterday it emerged he was booked into an 800-a-night safari hideaway in the Kruger National Park. He has abandoned the trip and aides said he would be at his desk in the Home Office today. He spoke on the phone to French interior minister Christophe Castaner yesterday and officials later announced that the pair had agreed a joint action plan. A dog walker revealed how the six men, who were 'in their 30s' and 'sodden', made their way up the beach before they were intercepted by border officials Yesterday Xavier Bertrand, president of the region which covers Calais, said there were 'no organised surveillance patrols' to deal with illegal immigration on the French side. Today Mr Javid will hold a meeting with the Border Force, the National Crime Agency and other Whitehall departments. But one senior minister said the Home Office should deploy all six Border Force cutters and destroy boats used by traffickers. 'They don't seem to have the capacity or the plan of what to do,' the minister said. 'They should be sending the people back straight away, not dumping them in Dover.' Mr Elphicke also repeated his call for all six Border Force cutters to be deployed 'to take back control of our borders immediately'. The six men were spotted disembarking from a dinghy (shown) at Kingsdown in Kent, seven miles north of Dover, at about 7.30am He called for 'the immediate return to France of people found making illegal crossings'. In a sign the issue has become a proxy war for the Tory leadership campaign, the MP who accused Mr Javid of 'floundering' added: 'If you can't run a department, you can't run a country.' One senior Tory source said Mr Javid had 'not really been tested' in the Home Office and had been 'found out' by the crisis. Tim Loughton, the longest-serving Conservative MP on the home affairs select committee, told the Times: 'It's good that the home secretary is taking personal control of this but frankly he needs to show a much greater sense of urgency. Eight migrants brought ashore at Dover Harbour by the UK Border Force officials 'These journeys are being made now and clearly we do not have enough assets in the Channel to head them off. 'If the Navy can provide that additional resource now, it needs to be brought in. 'We need to see much more evidence of what the French authorities are doing to disrupt the people traffickers.' But an ally of the Home Secretary said: 'Like most people, he has been on a family holiday over Christmas. He has come back as soon as the problem arose. He has four young children and he is trying to give them his attention.' The MP added: 'I'm concerned about how the details of his hotel got into the public domain. On Thursday it emerged that one one navy cutter was patrolling the Channel during the Christmas period, aided by two smaller boats 'A very small group of people will know that. I wonder whether No 10 are using it against him because he has managed to come up with a fair and decent evolution of our immigration policy.' A Downing Street source denied the leak claim, which would be a major breach of security. Smugglers have been charging migrants up to 13,000 each to help them cross the world's busiest shipping lane, but they are often entirely unprepared. Boats have regularly been fitted with fuel tanks that cannot hold enough petrol for the 21-mile journey and in recent days migrants have been rescued from rubber dinghies. Labour's Jeremy Corbyn said the UK has a 'duty to reach out the hand of humanity, support and friendship to people who are in danger'. Advertisement Donald Trump on Sunday argued former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama have a wall around their Washington D.C. home and the U.S. 'needs a slightly larger version'. 'President and Mrs. Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their D.C. mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The U.S. needs the same thing, slightly larger version!,' he tweeted. It's the latest missive from the president who's fighting his way out of a partial government shutdown over a battle with Democrats over funding his wall. Negotiations are at a standstill on day nine. And three confidantes of Trump, including his departing chief of staff, are indicating that the president's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would not be fulfilled as advertised. White House chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of 'a solid concrete wall early on in the administration.' 'To be honest, it's not a wall,' Kelly said, adding that the mix of technological enhancements and 'steel slat' barriers the president now wants along the border resulted from conversations with law enforcement professionals. Along the same lines, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway called discussion of the apparent contradiction 'a silly semantic argument'. 'There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements,' Conway told 'Fox News Sunday.' ''But only saying 'wall or no wall' is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border.' Scroll down for video President Donald Trump on Sunday argued since the Obamas have a wall around their D.C. home the country should have a border wall The wall was added to the home before the former first couple moved in as part of a security upgrade The wall is a combination of brick pillars and steel posts; it's height is unknown Security upgrades were made to the home before the Obamas moved in Trump has been using every argument he can to try and get funding for his wall Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is close to the president, emerged from a Sunday lunch at the White House to tell reporters that 'the wall has become a metaphor for border security' and referred to 'a physical barrier along the border.' Graham said Trump was 'open-minded' about a broader immigration agreement, saying the budget impasse presented an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. But a previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of 'Dreamers' - young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children- broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Graham said he hoped to end the shutdown by offering Democrats incentives to get them to vote for wall funding and told CNN before his lunch with Trump that 'there will never be a deal without wall funding'. Trump has been throwing every argument he can on Twitter since the government shut down on December 21 to try and get the $5 billion it will take to build it. The Obama home in the posh D.C. neighborhood of Kalorama had a wall built around it before they moved in as part of security upgrades put in by the Secret Service. Trump is in a fight with Democrats amid a partial government shutdown, which is on day nine It's unclear how tall the wall is around the Obama home and it's not all brick - it's a combination of brick columns and steel pillars. The 8,200-square-foot home is blocked off to the public by concrete barriers, which are manned 24-7 by Secret Service officers. Trump would be familiar with the home as his daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner near live the Obamas - although their home has no wall. The Obamas originally rented the 9 bedroom home but last June paid $8.1million for it. They moved in after they left the White House in January 2017. The Obamas said they would stay in Washington while their youngest daughter, Sasha, completes high school at Sidwell Friends School, where she is in her junior year. Other high-profile residents live in the neighborhood, including former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos. Trump has been pushing for his border wall amid an argument with Democrats over funding for it. Negotiations to reopen it are at a stand still with no resolution likely before the new year begins. Trump has refused to accept a bill that does not include at least $2.5 billion for the border wall - down from his original demand of $5 billion - but Democrats have said they will not go above $1.3 billion they have already offered. A guard house was also added to the home, which the Obamas purchased last year Graham proposed to help two groups of immigrants get approval to continue living in the U.S: about 700,000 young 'Dreamers' brought into the U.S. illegally as children and about 400,000 people receiving temporary protected status because they are from countries struggling with natural disasters or armed conflicts. He also said the compromise should include changes in federal law to discourage people from trying to enter the U.S. illegally. 'Democrats have a chance here to work with me and others, including the president, to bring legal status to people who have very uncertain lives,' Graham said. The partial government shutdown began December 22 after Trump bowed to conservative demands that he fight to make good on his vow and secure funding for the wall before Republicans lose control of the House on Wednesday. Democrats have remained committed to blocking the president's priority, and with neither side engaging in substantive negotiation, the effect of the partial shutdown was set to spread and to extend into the new year. In August 2015 during his presidential campaign, Trump made his expectations for the border explicitly clear, as he parried criticism from rival Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor. 'Jeb Bush just talked about my border proposal to build a 'fence,'' he tweeted. 'It's not a fence, Jeb, it's a WALL, and there's a BIG difference!' Conway claimed Sunday that 'the president has already compromised' by dropping his request for the wall from $25 billion, and she called on Democrats to return to the negotiating table. 'It is with them,' she said, explaining why Trump was not reaching out to Democrats. 'It is a silly semantic argument because people who just want to say 'wall, wall, wall' want that to be a four-letter word,' Conway told Fox News Sunday. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham at the White House after lunch with Trump on Sunday Kellyanne Conway, Counselor to the President, told Fox News on Sunday: 'It is a silly semantic argument because people who just want to say 'wall, wall, wall' want that to be a four-letter word.' Outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly defended his tenure atop the White House in a two-hour long interview with the Los Angeles Times. He also said the Trump administration long ago gave up on the notion that there would be a concrete wall along the border with Mexico What the President means by a 'wall' is a combination of 'steel slats' along certain segments of the border in addition to technological equipment that will help border agents stem the flow of illegal aliens and contraband, according to Conway. Asked on Sunday if Trump will sign or veto a bill that Democrats pass, Conway said that 'it depends what's in it,' but added that Trump is 'ready to negotiate.' 'He wants to make a deal on border security. Where are they now? Nancy Pelosi is in Hawaii,' Conway said on CNN's 'State of the Union.' 'And negotiation by definition has to include both sides. He's in the White House. He's in Washington ready to negotiate. Graham also appeared to backtrack a bit, saying that the wall was merely a 'metaphor' for border security. 'The wall has become a metaphor for border security,' Graham told reporters outside the White House on Sunday. 'What we're talking about is a physical barrier where it makes sense. There's nothing wrong with a physical barrier along the border where it makes sense.' Graham said the President is open to a compromise with Democrats that includes $5 billion for border security in exchange for legislative changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. '(The) President didn't commit but I think he's very open minded,' Graham said after he had lunch with Trump. He said Trump's first response to the plan was describing it as 'interesting.' The Trumps and the Obamas at late President George H.W. Bush's funeral earlier this month The Obamas moved into their D.C. home after Trump became president so Sasha could finish out her time at her Washington D.C. high school Democrats maintain that they have already presented the White House with three options to end the shutdown, none of which fund the wall, and insist that it's Trump's move. 'At this point, it's clear the White House doesn't know what they want when it comes to border security,' said Justin Goodman, Schumer's spokesman. 'While one White House official says they're willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5 billion for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times.' After canceling a vacation to his private Florida club, Trump spent the weekend at the White House. He has remained out of the public eye since returning early Thursday from a 29-hour trip to visit U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldn't deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. Trump has taken to Twitter to try to shift blame to Democrats 'For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us 'NONE' for Border Security!,' he tweeted. 'Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown.' Democrats have vowed to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that won't accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. The shutdown has forced hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. The stand off will likely last until Democrats take control of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3. Reece Hawkins couldn't keep his hands off his new girlfriend London Goheen when she returned to Australia on Friday. The 23-year-old packed on the PDA with the Texas-born model, 20, shortly after she touched down in Brisbane Airport following a brief trip to visit her family in the U.S. Their romantic reunion followed several months of back-and-forth swipes between London and Reece's ex-fiancee, Tammy Hembrow, 24. It's getting serious! Tammy Hembrow's ex-fiance Reece Hawkins couldn't keep his hands off new girlfriend London Goheen after she flew into Brisbane Airport on Friday Reece placed an affectionate arm around London while pulling her in for a kiss as they stepped out of the airport. He looked every inch the gentleman by wheeling London's luggage through the terminal, with her Louis Vuitton carry-on taking pride of place atop a suitcase. London travelled in style, wearing a peach-coloured tracksuit with a cropped jumper which offered a glimpse of her impeccably toned stomach. Welcome back, honey! Reece looked every inch the gentleman by wheeling London's luggage through the terminal, with her Louis Vuitton carry-on taking pride of place atop a suitcase What's wrong? Despite the warm welcome, it seemed London was preoccupied by a phone call Despite the warm welcome, it appeared London was preoccupied by a phone call. After switching her phone on after the long-haul flight from America, she was seen engaging in a rather serious conversation in the arrivals lounge. The couple had spent just two weeks apart, after London flew back home to the States to spend Christmas with her family. Sharing an excited selfie on the plane, she wrote: 'Running on no sleep. It was nice stopping by LA but somewhere else is calling my name. Goodnight guys.' Coming soon, honey! London had shared this excited selfie after boarding a flight from LAX Reunited! The couple had spent just two weeks apart, after London flew back home to America to spend Christmas with her family Reece was previously in a high-profile relationship with Instagram model Tammy Hembrow, but they broke up in June after four years together. The former couple share two children together: three-year-old son Wolf and daughter Saskia, two. Reece debuted his new girlfriend in early October, just months after announcing his split with Tammy. Love Island's Elias Chigros is officially off the market. The buff hunk took to Instagram on Friday to share a snap of himself with new model girlfriend Effy Harvard, gushing over her. The 27-year-old posted a picture of himself flexing his muscles as Effy, also 27, poses in front of him in cut-off denim shorts and a black bodysuit. Scroll down for video Their romance is going strong! Love Island's Elias Chigros shows off his muscular physique and goes shirtless in a loved up photo with new model girlfriend Effy Harvard (pictured) Pictured in Austin, Texas, Elias recalled their trip there together in the caption. 'This was my first trip to Texas,' Elias wrote. 'Crazy to think of all the places we've been since. Can't wait to show you my favourite parts of Australia,' the caption read. The pair have been posting a number of loved-up snaps online, confirming their romance. Happy: The pair have been posting a number of loved-up snaps online, confirming their romance Back where it all began? In August, Elias shared to his Instagram followers he had found love with his mystery girl, sharing a racy snap of the pair in a steamy lip locking session (pictured) In August, Elias shared to his Instagram followers he had found love with his mystery girl, sharing a racy snap of the pair in a steamy lip locking session. The lovebirds were captured putting on quite a cheeky display, with Elias wrapping his arms around the beauty's waist as he put his hands lightly on her behind. The surprise shot immediately set tongues-wagging, with a number of fans hitting out at the long-haired surfer. 'Poor Francoise,' one fan wrote. Backlash? The surprise shot immediately set tongues-wagging, with a number of fans hitting out at the long-haired surfer Another asked if the girl was the one he said he was going to 'hit up' from Instagram when he appeared on the raunchy dating show. Elias rose to fame after starring on Channel Nine's first season of Love Island Australia. He was romantically linked to Love Island Australia co-star Francoise Draschler. Elsa Pataky says her mother has made her the woman she is today. In an interview with Marie Claire Australia this month, the 42-year-old actress heaped praise on her mother, Cristina Medianu, naming her as one of three women who have had the greatest impact on her life. Elsa said her Romanian-born mother married young, before relocating to Spain to be with her husband. Scroll down for video 'Mum always supported me to be whoever I wanted to be': Elsa Pataky (R) talks about her close bond with her 'strong' mother Cristina Medianu (L) She said the marriage didn't last though and her mother soon had to pick up the pieces of her life. Elsa went on to describer her mother as a 'strong woman,' and revealed the best advice she ever gave her. 'Mum always supported me to be whoever I wanted to be,' Elsa said, saying her mother told her to do whatever makes her 'happy' in life. 'The best advice she gave me was to fight for everything you want and to never give up,' Elsa said. Leaving an impact: In an interview with Marie Claire Australia this month, the 42-year-old actress heaped praise on her mother Fighting words: 'The best advice she gave me was to fight for everything you want and to never give up,' she told Marie Claire Australia The Spanish-born star said she sees her mum as her 'best friend', and hopes to form the same kind of relationship with her own daughter, India Rose, six, who she shares with her husband of eight years, Chris Hemsworth, 35. 'She was more like a best friend than a mum,' Elsa added. In addition to her mother, Elsa also named late actress Katharine Hepburn and filmmaker Tracey Robertson as the two other women who have inspired her the most. Sweet: 'She was more like a best friend than a mum,' Elsa added (Elsa is pictured with her mother in a flashback photo) Close: The Spanish-born star said she sees her mum as her 'best friend', and hopes to form the same kind of relationship with her own daughter, India Rose, six, (pictured) who she shares with her husband of eight years, Chris Hemsworth Elsa paid tribute to her beloved mother on Instagram earlier this month, revealing she had accompanied her to the Sydney premiere of her new Netflix series, Tidelands. 'So happy to have this amazing woman close to me in every special moment in my life since I was born. Love you mama!' she captioned a photo of them in front of the Sydney Opera House. She also gave her mum a sweet shout out for Mother's Day last year. 'Because of you I am what I am today! Thank you! I love you!' she captioned a throwback photo of herself with her mum when she was a young girl. She was rushed to hospital last weekend following a pregnancy scare, having gone into early labour. And after having the labour stopped by doctors, heavily pregnant personality Em Rusciano revealed on Friday how she's been struggling with the heatwave. The 39-year-old took to Instagram to showcase her burgeoning baby bump, saying that she's walking around her Melbourne home near-naked to try and beat the heat. Scroll down for video 'I've taken to walking around basically nude because all clothing is hot and uncomfortable': Em Rusciano flaunts her burgeoning baby bump as she swelters in the heatwave... after her early labour pregnancy scare In the candid black and white image, she appeared to be wearing only her bra and underwear. 'Update: I'm - taken to walking around basically nude because all clothing is hot and uncomfortable - weeks pregnant,' Em wrote in the caption. She also added the hashtags: '#HeatWaveChic #ThirdTrimesterRealness #SkinTagSummer.' Not long now: Em is in her third trimester Last week, Em revealed she was rushed to hospital after going into early labour. Taking to her Instagram story last Saturday, Em said that she and her unborn son were fine, with doctors managing to stop the birth as 'he needs a few more weeks to cook.' 'I overdid it this week and went into early labour yesterday,' Em wrote online at the time. 'I'm OK, the baby is OK and the good news is they managed to stop it for now. He needs a few more weeks to cook,' she said. The media personality explained she had to stay in hospital on 'forced' bed rest, which she was 'not coping with.' Scary! Last week, Em revealed she was rushed to hospital after going into early labour Em went on, urging her fans to 'listen' their bodies and not to push themselves while pregnant. 'The lesson here is: listen to your body and don't be a hero, or renovate your house when you're eight months up the duff!' 'I'm in incredible hands with the midwives and Scotty and Mum,' she said. Em is expecting her third child, a son, with husband Scott Barrow. The couple are already parents to two daughters, Marchella, 16, and Odette, 11. By Trend: Colombia can use Alat Free Economic Zone (FEZ) in Baku, Azerbaijan as a hub for exporting its goods to Central Asia, Hamid Zeynalov, charge d'affaires of the Azerbaijani embassy in Colombia, told Trend. "Colombia considers Azerbaijan as a hub. The country is interested in delivering its products to Azerbaijan and to Central Asia, as well as to Iran through Azerbaijan, thats to say, through the Alat FEZ. Colombia, for its part, can also serve as a hub for exporting Azerbaijani goods to Latin American countries," he said. Zeynalov pointed out that there are a lot of goods that can be exported from Azerbaijan to Colombia and vice-versa. "Colombia can export coffee, flowers, meat, gold, emerald, leather goods, fruits and etc. to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, for its part, can export tea, textile, carpet, cognac, wine, silk products and dried fruits to Colombia," he said. The diplomat noted that if the two countries manage to increase the volume of trade turnover, they can launch cargo transportation in the future. ""In general, Colombia shows great interest in the development of economic relations with Azerbaijan. The new government of Colombia is interested in cooperating in the region namely with Azerbaijan," said Zeynalov. The Free Economic Zone (FEZ) is being created in the Alat township on the basis of the presidential decree signed in March 2016. The territory of the new Baku International Sea Trade Port is also included in this zone. She is happy and in love with her new boyfriend, Mick Russell. And Love Island Australia star Erin Barnett has sparked speculation that she is engaged after she shared a photo of herself wearing a stunning ring, on Friday. The 23-year-old, who is currently on a European holiday with friend Shayle Kelly, took to Instagram to share a snap of herself inside The Butterfly House in Vienna, Austria. Is Erin Barnett engaged to her new boyfriend Mick? Love Island Australia star sparks speculation as she flaunts a stunning sparkling ring in Europe In the picture, the blonde beauty flaunts the sparkling accessory on her ring finger as a butterfly rests on her hand. 'The Butterfly house in Vienna was gorgeous,' the Love Island Australia star wrote in the caption. A few of her eagle-eyed fans asked her if it was an engagement ring from her boyfriend Mick Russell, including one who bluntly commented: 'Ring!?!??!!' Meanwhile another added: 'Is that a wedding ring hun?' Smitten! She is happy and in love with her new boyfriend, Mick Russell (pictured) Stunning sparkler! However the beautiful ring appears to be a keepsake from her visit to Austria, purchased from Swarovski Girls trip: She is currently on a European holiday with friend Shayle Kelly (pictured right) However the beautiful ring appears to be a keepsake from her visit to Austria, purchased from Swarovski. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Erin Barnett for comment. This comes after she recently gushed over her new man. She told Daily Mail Australia: 'I am very happy!' She's in love! This comes after she recently gushed over her new man, Mick Russell. She told Daily Mail Australia: 'I am very happy!' Loved up: She first announced their relationship by sharing a photo of the couple posing at the beach in Port Douglas on their first holiday together, back on December 3 She first announced their relationship by sharing a photo of the couple posing at the beach in Port Douglas on their first holiday together, back on December 3. The muscle-clad hunk has children from a former relationship, which ended a long time before he started romancing the reality star. 'He was single for two years before I met him,' she added. Prior to her relationship with Mick, Erin was dating her Love Island co-star Eden, 26, until their bitter break up back in September. It is one of the most memorable songs from the 1980s and continues to inspire cover versions by artists and fans around the world. But according to members of the band Toto, their number one hit single Africa almost did not make it on their album Toto IV when it was released in 1982. As reported in The Daily Telegraph on Saturday, Toto co-founder and band member Steve Porcaro said: 'We didn't think it [Africa] should be on the album.' Scroll down for video 'We didn't think it should be on the album': Legendary rock band Toto revealed their biggest hit Africa almost never was on Saturday... as fans are left enraged by Pitbull's sampling of the classic song for the Aquaman soundtrack. Pictured: Toto onstage 'Me and [band member] Steve Lukather worked very hard on that song when we were making the album and it was the last one we finished.' Lucky they did include the track on the record - it went to number one in the US and Canada and has since become a singalong classic. Indeed, on streaming platforms Africa has now accrued more than a billion hits. Fate! According to members of the band Toto (pictured), their number one hit single Africa almost did not make it on their album Toto IV when it was released in 1982. Toto co-founder Steve Porcaro told the Daily Telegraph: 'We didn't think it [Africa] it should be on the album' Not surprisingly, there has been a plethora of covers of Africa, including renditions by US rock band Weezer and recently, rapper Pitbull. The latter's cover of the song, however, for the hit movie Aquaman, has been slammed by fans. Sampling the track on Ocean to Ocean, where Pitbull performs alongside Rhea, the 37-year-old appeared to offend fans of the original classic - which many claimed should never have been touched due to its legendary status. No happy: Rapper Pitbull (pictured) has left music fans furious following the release of his track Ocean To Ocean which samples Toto's 1982 hit Africa for the Aquaman soundtrack Controversy: Aquaman fans were distracted by the end credits when Pitbull's new track Ocean to Ocean - which samples Africa - the backdrop to the conclusion of the movie. (Pictured: Aquaman star Jason Momoa) Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa, hit screens earlier this month, with a lukewarm response from critics, yet fans were distracted by the end credits when Pitbull's new hit was the backdrop to the conclusion of the movie. Taking to YouTube, fans wrote: 'Toto didn't deserve this. Aquaman didn't deserve this. We didn't deserve this. Is this the World War 3 siren? Every day we stray further from God. Stan Lee didn't die for this.' 'This has not been a pleasant experience. Did I get transported to some wacky parallel universe? Where am I? I have heard drunken karaoke that sounds better than this. Well, here it is, the worst thing in music.' 'According to my notes, though, Pitbull is breaking his own record. What the hell leave Toto alone. It's hard to ruin Toto's Africa. Yet, here we are. Am I the only one experiencing intense ear pain after listening to this?' The band however claims they love seeing the track transform with each cover, and despite the recent backlash are hopeful it will boost sales during their upcoming Australian tour. She recently shared throwback snaps from a romantic getaway to the Maldives to celebrate her anniversary with beau Danny Flasher. And now Chloe Lewis, 27, has shared another picture from her island break, showing her enviable curves in a tiny swimsuit. The TOWIE star showed off her incredible legs as she posed atop a swing in front of an idyllic blue seafront in the gorgeous snap. 'Dreaming': Chloe Lewis, 27, has shared picture from a romantic getaway to the Maldives, showing her enviable curves in a tiny swimsuit The brunette stunner tied her raven tresses back into a sleek bun and opted for a no-make up look as she dipped her feet into the stunning sea. Clearly pining for some sunshine, the reality TV personality captioned the picture: 'Dreaming... summer where you at?' It comes just a week after the star shared another picture from the Maldives to celebrate her anniversary. 'The happiest two years to us': Chloe paid tribute to her boyfriend Danny Flasher in a sweet Instagram post as they celebrated their two-year anniversary last week Alongside the photo, Chloe wrote: 'The happiest 2 years to us. I dont know what Id do without you. I LOVE YOU.' The TV personality seems to have been craving another winter sun break in recent days, and has treated her 1 million followers to a series of sizzling swimwear snaps after returning home to Essex. The brunette beauty showed off her toned and tanned form in a white bikini in one shot, before slipping on a leopard print bardot crop top while cosying up to her shirtless boyfriend in another snap. Cute couple: The TOWIE star wrapped her arms around her banker beau as he placed a kiss on her cheek in another shot posted to her Instagram account Chloe captioned the photograph: 'We just have the best times. I Love you.' The couple spent a week soaking up the sunshine at the envy-inducing Kandima Maldives resort on a pre-Christmas break earlier this month. Before heading to the Maldives for their relaxing break, Chloe and Danny enjoyed a few days in Dubai. Fun in the sun: The TV personality seems to have been pining for her winter sun break, and has treated her 1 million followers to a series of sizzling swimwear snaps after returning home Life's a beach: The TOWIE star, 27, posed in a skimpy white bikini as she shared throwback snaps from the couple's recent holiday to the Maldives The brunette posted more holiday snaps from Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort and Spa as the couple unwound on the first leg of their winter trip. Chloe and Danny met in December 2016, went public with their romance in early 2017, and moved in together in April. The reality star has previously admitted her boyfriend has turned down a role on the ITVBe show that propelled her to fame. Speaking on This Morning in August, she said: 'The show have asked me about him coming on, it's his choice. He's got a good job.' Chloe told Fabulous Magazine in April: 'I'm gonna keep him separate! I'm going to keep him all to myself! I couldn't do a relationship on the show again. 'I would never say never, because I don't know what the future holds - but no, for now, definitely not. Wow! The TV personality and her banker boyfriend were staying in an envy-inducing water villa during their Maldives break 'But, Danny is all for TOWIE for me, he's like "I want you to do well, I want you to stay on it". 'He loves all the goss and everything, but for him he's got a good job up the city and he does really well so it's not something I think is for him!' Chloe dated former TOWIE co-star Jake Hall, 25, for seven years, but their relationship endured a very public breakdown on the show in 2016. Jake is now a father to daughter River, 13 months, with fiancee, Swedish Real Housewives Of Cheshire star Misse Beqiri, 32, who he has been dating since shortly after his split from Chloe. Winter sun: Before heading to the Maldives for their relaxing break, Chloe and Danny enjoyed a few days in Dubai at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort It appears that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's honeymoon may be as family orientated as their intimate nuptials. After tying the knot at their Tennessee mansion on December 23, Liam, 28, has joined his famous clan, including brother Chris, 35, at a ski resort. 'Found the fly @liamhemsworth,' Liam's oldest brother Luke, 38, wrote alongside a picture of Liam in a ski mask on Saturday. Are newlyweds Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth (left) on a family honeymoon in Montana? Thor star Chris, Elsa Pataky and more share photos at the snow after surprise wedding. Luke Hemsworth shared an Instagram photo of brother Liam at the snow (right) It is believed the Hemsworth family headed straight to the slopes to spend Christmas in the snow after the wedding. Recent social media posts have revealed Chris, wife Elsa Pataky, 42, and their three children enjoying the winter wonderland alongside Luke. Craig Hemsworth, father of the famous actors, has also been spotted and it is believed the group are currently in Montana. Winter wonderland! It is believed Chris, wife Elsa (pictured) and their family headed straight to the slopes in Montana for Christmas after the wedding in Tennessee on December 23 Long way from home! Luke Hemsworth, 38, (pictured) has been documenting the family trip on Instagram, and revealed Liam had joined them on Saturday Although Miley is yet to be pictured on the slopes, her friend and hair stylist Aleksey Bishop shared a picture at the ski resort on Saturday. Other friends of Miley's have also been posting Instagram pictures from a Montana ski resort, suggesting she may also there. Chris and Elsa's children appear to be enjoying the different climate, after swapping their home of Byron Bay for the snowy mountains. 'Do you want to build a snowman?' Elsa captioned a picture of the famous parents with their six-year-old daughter India Rose and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four. 'Do you want to build a snowman?' Chris, 35, and Elsa, 42, get creative with six-year-old daughter India Rose and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four, in the snow Feeling shy? Although Miley (left, with parents Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus) hasn't been pictured since the wedding, friends of hers have shared pics at the resort (right) suggesting she is there Australia-based Luke also seems to be reveling in their trip, frequently sharing pictures online. Luke, an actor just like his younger brothers, revealed the family's picturesque lodgings in one upload. The hunk panned across a staggering glass front cabin, with twinkling Christmas trees lighting up the snowy foreground. Another equally as lavish wooden cabin is nestled in the snow to the side, with even more Christmas trees adding to the winter wonderland. What a place to stay! In one upload, Luke panned across a staggering glass front cabin, with twinkling Christmas trees lighting up the snowy foreground Heavy snow! Another equally as lavish wooden cabin was nestled in the snow to the side, with even more Christmas trees adding to the winter wonderland Miley and Liam married on December 23 in their Tennessee home. Although the couple each shared a couple of candid photographs from the intimate affair, it has been mostly the Cyrus family sharing content. It was reported the couple were initially planning to say 'I do' in their Malibu mansion, but the home was recently destroyed by a bush-fire in California. Just married! Miley and Liam married on December 23 in their Tennessee home She's no stranger to Hollywood glamour. So Emma Roberts was happy to indulge in a spa day in Los Angeles on Saturday. The 27-year-old American Horror Story star was spotted heading to her pampering appointment at Le Jolie Medi Spa in a fur-lined tweed coat. Later, she posted an Instagram story showing her getting a skin treatment. Skincare time: Emma Roberts, 27 was spotted heading to her skincare appointment in a fur-lined tweed coat Saturday in LA The 5foot 2inch actress was bundled up in her brown tweed jacket with a checkered plaid pattern and a fur-lined collar. She wore a pair of dark jeans and sensible black Freda Salvador heels. The Little Italy star completed her outfit with a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses and a beige handbag that matched her jacket. Casual stroll: She completed her outfit with a pair of dark jeans and sensible black heels Later in the day, Emma posted an Instagram story of her at the spa getting cream applied to her cheek. 'A little post-holiday skin love,' she's heard saying in a chipmunk-pitched voice. The video filter plastered a wintry scene over the skincare routine. The Scream Queens star wore a graphic T-shirt under her bib and had her blonde hair wrapped up in a gray covering. She tagged Le Jolie Medi Spa in the pictures. Major moisturizing: Emma posted an Instagram story of her at the spa getting cream applied to her cheek Helium voice: 'A little post-holiday skin love,' she's heard saying in a chipmunk-pitched voice Winter wonderland: The video filter plasters a wintry scene over the skincare routine The young star is the niece of Hollywood royalty Julia Roberts, and the daughter of tough guy actor Eric Roberts. She first came to public attention in the wildly popular Nickelodeon show Unfabulous. Emma starred in the teenage romantic comedy as an aspiring songwriter navigating the twists and turns of middle school. The actress is currently attached to her American Horror Story co-star Evan Peters, 31. The two met while filming the 2012 comedy Adult World. They announced their engagement in 2014. A female member of Cardi B's entourage has been captured on video blasting a woman inside Sydney Airport. The unidentified woman was guiding the rapper, 26, through airport terminals on Saturday when the incident occurred. Video obtained by Daily Mail Australia shows a member of Cardi B's entourage threatening to 'smack' a woman, who allegedly made a reference to the rapper's troubled marriage with Migos star Offset. EXCLUSIVE: 'That's why your husband left you!' The shocking moment Cardi B's entourage threaten to 'smack' a woman inside Sydney Airport where the rapper covered her head with a blanket and snapped at photographers. Pictured at Sydney Airport Cardi B and her entourage are seen walking towards the arrivals exit when a blonde woman in a blue and white polka dot blouse hurls an insult. 'The lady said 'that's why your husband left you', then that lady in red went crazy!' an onlooker told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday. Within seconds, a woman with red hair in a black T-shirt and matching hat leaves Cardi B's side to confront the woman in blue. Drama: The unidentified woman was guiding the rapper, 26, through airport terminals on Saturday when the incident occurred '...Smack the s***... out your mouth ... about her motherf***ing husband!' the enraged woman is heard yelling in an american accent. A stunned airport worker is seen attempting to diffuse the situation from afar to no avail. As Cardi and her entourage then continued into the airport's arrivals area, they were mobbed by waiting fans and photographers. Welcome to Australia: Although the clip is mostly inaudible, the woman in Cardi B's entourage (not pictured) can be heard shouting: 'Smack the s*** ... out your mouth ... her mother f***ing husband'. Pictured: Cardi B at Sydney Airport Rude: An onlooker told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, 'The lady said 'that's why your husband left you', then that lady in red went crazy!'. Pictured Cardi B and Offset in Las Vegas, NV on April 26, 2018 'Can you guys please leave me alone?' Cardi B said at one point while covering her head with a blanket. The Money hit-maker appeared to refuse to take selfies with waiting fans. 'She doesn't want to give you a picture, can't you tell?' the woman involved in the confrontation said. Superstar coming through: The female member of Cardi's entourage (2-L) had repeatedly ushered excited fans away as they tried to approach the rapper 'Can you guys please leave me alone?' Cardi said at one point while hiding under the blanket, as the group entered the arrivals area where many fans and photographers were waiting Cardi is set to perform Origins Fields Festival on Sunday in Western Australia, before performing at Sydney's Field Day on Tuesday. She will then head to New Zealand for two more shows. Daily Mail Australia has approached Cardi B's management for comment. Idris Elba revealed that Luther's fifth season features 'f****** horrible' scenes, which will even rival the third season's killer under the bed scare. Speaking to Digital Spy, the actor, 46, admitted 'There are some really incredible moments. And I think there will definitely be things we havent seen in Luther before.' While Dermot Crowley, who plays Luther's boss DSU Schenk, told the publication that the new outing is 'the scariest yet'. Luther season five: Idris Elba revealed on Saturday that there's 'f****** horrible' scenes in new series... as Ruth Wilson confirmed Alice Morgan 'isn't actually dead' In this fifth series, Luther, accompanied by his new, extremely keen but wet-behind-the-ears sidekick DS Catherine Halliday (played by Wunmi Mosaku), are beset by a number of problems. First theres the hunt for a serial killer whos murdered three people, with suspects coming in many forms including psychiatrist Dr Vivien Lake, London gangster George Cornelius, and, of course, Luthers old friend Alice Morgan. In another interview with Digital Spy, Ruth Wilson confirmed her character 'isn't actually dead' as she said: 'She's funnier than ever; she's more lethal than ever and she and Luther get up to some dastardly things.' She's back! Speaking about her character, Ruth admitted: She's funnier than ever; she's more lethal than ever and she and Luther get up to some dastardly things' Alice was one of the shows most popular and enigmatic characters, who first appeared in series one after she killed her own parents, but Luther couldnt prove her guilt and became entranced by her fierce intellect. She didnt appear in the last series, but with Interpol after her, Luther contemplated running away with her until he was told she was dead. In a press release, BBC recently confirmed that the three year wait for new episodes is finally over, with the show making a comeback within the next few weeks. Plans for a fifth instalment were announced 18 months ago, and filming began earlier this year. What's to come: In this fifth series, Luther, accompanied by his new sidekick DS Catherine Halliday (played by Wunmi Mosaku, pictured), is beset by a number of problems Idris' portrayal of the rough and ready, emotionally impulsive cop who breaks all the rules to get his man, has seen him scoop a Golden Globe and SAG award for the role. Created by British crime writer Neil Cross, the series has impressed viewers time and again with its gritty storylines. There has even been talk of a film in the works, with Idris admitting to Radio Times that making a film could help the character do so much more. He explained: 'With Luther as a film, the scale is bigger the crime is bigger, the bad guys are bigger, Luther is bigger and theres a more international lens put on it.' She's one of the most successful acts to ever emerge from the 'Got Talent' franchise. But Susan Boyle, 57, believes she still has 'something to prove' as she has signed up for America's Got Talent: The Champions. The series will see former winners and several other successful contestants from international versions of 'Got Talent' compete. Back in business: Susan Boyle, 57, believes she still has 'something to prove' as she has signed up for America's Got Talent: The Champions (pictured in 2009) Susan told USA Today: 'I couldn't possibly walk away from a second chance to prove myself. 'I'm really looking forward to singing - this time, with something to prove.' Paul Potts, 48, who won the first series of Britain's Got Talent, will also be returning for the upcoming show. Speaking to The Sun about their upcoming return to the franchise, Simon Cowell, 59, said: 'I think her and Paul in particular, they defined the show which is giving the underdog a shot and then they had a career, and I don't think another show could have done that.' Return: The series will see former winners and several other successful contestants from international versions of 'Got Talent' compete (pictured November 2018) Showstopper: Susan said: 'I couldn't possibly walk away from a second chance to prove myself' (pictured May 2009) The Champions series will consist of seven episodes with the judging panel made up of Simon, Mel B, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum and will air in January. Before the show hits screens, Simon is currently living it up in Barbados where he is on holiday with partner Lauren Silverman, 41, and their son Eric, four. 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.' Simon Cowell has admitted he blames being snubbed from the New Year's Honours on his name appearing in the 2016 Panama Papers leak. Speaking to The Sun On Sunday the mogul said he 'wouldn't care' if he was never recognised for his TV and charity work, but is now far more in touch with HMRC after his name was linked to numerous offshore tax accounts - which are legal. Despite this Simon insisted he 'doesn't care' if he is never recognised by Her Majest for his work, as he said he knows he's doing it for the right reasons. Missed out: Simon Cowell has admitted he blames being snubbed from the New Year's Honours on his name appearing in the 2016 Panama Papers leak He said: 'The first thing you have to ask is, ''Are you doing it [charity work] to get something out of it?'' No, of course I'm not. 'I love what I do and am very fortunate to be able to help when I can. The Panama thing was the one and only time the tax thing was raised, the only time that I have ever had a problem. 'If this is the case why I haven't been honoured then I wouldn't really care, to be honest.' Shocking: Speaking to The Sun On Sunday the mogul said he 'wouldn't care' if he was never recognised for his TV and charity work Simon's words came as he enjoys a sun-soaked Christmas break in Barbados with girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their four-year-old son Eric, after wrapping up The X Factor earlier this month. The stars' name appeared among many others when papers belonging to the secretive Panama law firm were leaked. In the documents Simon was named as the sole shareholder of two British Virgin Islands companies set up in 2007 - though the procedure is completely legal. Loving it: Simon's words came as he enjoys a sun-soaked Christmas break in Barbados with girlfriend Lauren Silverman and their four-year-old son Eric The producer has also been lauded throughout his career for his generosity and charity work, and in 2014 was named as one of the UKs top 165 charity donors after giving more than 1.6million to good causes. Simon will return to TV in the New Year when filming commences for the Britain's Got Talent auditions, reuniting with judges David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Amanda Holden. The producing legend will also reach the huge milestone of turning 60, and he has already teased plans for an lavish birthday bash in October. Keanu Reeves is spending his holiday season in Rome. The John Wick lead, 54, was spotted on the Italian streets while visiting his sister Kim, who lives in the Eternal City, on Saturday. The actor bundled up with a chic grey and red scarf as he fetched food at the famous eatery Pierluigi with his thespian sister. When in Rome: Keanu Reeves was spotted in Rome, having lunch with his sister Kim Reeves The Matrix star was spotted wearing a black v-neck shirt under a thin back coat. Keanu also wore blue jeans and brown shoes, while carrying a beverage as he walked through the winding city streets. The actor and his sister were both seen leaving in a black sedan after their upscale lunch. Reeves starred in two indie movies this in 2018, and he's poised to have a very big year in 2019. Keanu and Kim: Keanu and his sister were later spotted getting into a black car after their lunch date Keanu pose: Reeves starred in two indie movies this in 2018, and he's poised to have a very big year in 2019 He starred in the indies Destination Wedding with Winona Ryder, and Siberia, which were both released earlier this year. The beloved actor will kick off 2019 with his new sci-fi thriller Replicas, hitting theaters January 11, 2019. He also has two major summer movies coming out in the new year, starting with John Wick Chapter 3, arriving on May 17, 2019. He also voices a mysterious character in the highly-anticipated Disney Pixar sequel Toy Story 4, which is slated for release on June 21, 2019. Busy Keanu: He also has two major summer movies coming out in the new year, starting with John Wick Chapter 3, arriving on May 17, 2019 Reeves also has the long-awaited Bill & Ted Face the Music, along with Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey co-star Alex Winter. The actor also made headlines in December when he teased in an interview that he, 'would love' to take over Hugh Jackman's iconic Wolverine role. When he's not acting, Reeves is often riding one of his many motorcycles, a passion that lead him to start the Arch Motorcycle Company The actor co-founded the company in 2011 with Gard Hollinger. By Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev congratulated Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, President of the Republic of the Sudan. "On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and the people of your country on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of the Sudan. On this remarkable day, I extend my best wishes to you, and wish the friendly people of Sudan peace and prosperity," President Aliyev said. She's reportedly in talks to return for another season of Modern Family. But Sofia Vergara didn't look like she was thinking about work in a pair of sassy new swimsuit photos shared on Saturday. The Colombian beauty, 46, was in fine form as she posed in front of a beautiful beach while wearing a fresh Camilla one piece with a flirty keyhole beneath the bust. Beach beauty: Sofia Vergara looked stunning while wearing a fruity Camilla swimsuit during her coastal Christmas vacation Her Camilla suit featured a combination of fruits, veggies and flowers upon it. As she knelt on a beach chair, Sofia showcased her tan, toned legs. In the background you could see one of the actress' dearest friends, who looked lovely in her own strapless number. 'Sirenitas', Spanish for 'mermaids', she captioned the snapshots. Later on the mother-of-one shared a stylish shot of the duo looking ready for a night on the town. By the sea: 'Sirenitas', Spanish for 'mermaids', she captioned the snapshots Ready for nightlife: Later on the mother-of-one shared a stylish shot of the duo looking ready for a night on the town Sofia wowed in a fringy gold skirt and flounced green top while her pal looked great in a coral halter dress. Just the day earlier Sofia wished her husband Joe Manganiello a happy 42nd birthday on Friday. The 46-year-old Modern Family gushed about her hunky husband on Instagram, sharing a shirtless photo of the actor along with the caption: 'You r amazing!, Your passion for life and for everything u do is inspiring!! To many more with u!! Happy bday!!!' Happy Birthday!: Sofia Vergara shares a new snap of husband Joe Manganiello for his 42nd birthday Vergara and pooch: Vergara and Manganiello have spent the last week at a private island getaway location she only refers to as 'Casa Chipi Chipi Vergara and Manganiello have spent the last week at a private island getaway location she only refers to as 'Casa Chipi Chipi.' She shared a photo on Instagram on December 17 stating she was 'finally back' at Casa Chipi Chipi, and she's been there ever since. Before her husband's birthday and the Christmas holiday, Vergara also celebrated her mother's birthday on December 21. Vergara also shared some snaps of her son Manolo's dog Baguette Gonzalez, wearing doggy dress that matches the actress' top. Sofia and Rafi: She also posted another shot with the actress wearing a flowing black top and black and white pants while posing with her nephew Rafi She also posted another shot with the actress wearing a flowing black top and black and white pants while posing with her nephew Rafi. The Modern Family star also posted a solo shot at the secret location, along with a full family shot. Vergara also shared two new snaps from her husband's nighttime celebration, one with a cake featuring his streetwear brand Death Saves logo, and her son Manolo. The second shot featured Joe, wearing a unique black shirt with numerous tigers and black shorts, and Sofia wearing a blue skirt and a white billowing top. Vergara is on a holiday hiatus from her hit ABC sitcom Modern Family, with its current 10th season originally thought to be its last, but that may not be the case. The Hollywood Reporter revealed a few weeks ago that the six adult leads of Modern Family, Vergara, Ed O'Neill, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, are in talks for an 11th season. Joe, Sofia and Manolo: Vergara also shared two new snaps from her husband's nighttime celebration, one with a cake featuring his streetwear brand Death Saves logo, and her son Manolo Birthday style: The second shot featured Joe, wearing a unique black shirt with numerous tigers and black shorts, and Sofia wearing a blue skirt and a white billowing top. The younger stars, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Rico Rodriguez and Nolan Gould, will reportedly have their contracts negotiated when the main stars' deals are closed. Manganiello starred in Drunk Parents earlier this year, along with Rampage with Dwayne Johnson. He will next portray Sonny Stano in the biopic Stano, which his wife Vergara will also star in. He is also slated to reprise his role as Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke, in The Batman and a Deathstroke spin-off movie. Nepotistically-privileged gal pals Sofia Richie and Paris Hilton bundled up and bonded while hitting the slopes together at a luxurious mountain resort in Aspen, Colorado on Saturday. At 37, the Hilton Hotel heiress is 17 years older than the youngest daughter of Lionel Richie, but the skier and snowboarder have no trouble bridging their generational gap. 'It is ice cold here, people,' the 5ft6in Select Model - who boasts 4.1M followers - said over Insta-story. 'We're on a ski lift. She seems to act like we're in California.' Nepotistically-privileged gal pals: Sofia Richie (L) and Paris Hilton (R) bonded while hitting the slopes together at a luxurious mountain resort in Aspen, Colorado on Saturday Close: At 37, the Hilton Hotel heiress (R) is 17 years older than the youngest daughter of Lionel Richie (L), but the skier and snowboarder have no trouble bridging their generational gap At that, the American Meme star quipped: 'I'm LA, b****!' Sofia frequently refers to Paris as her 'closest friend' with whom she's spent 'some of my best memories.' 'It's really nice to have her kind of, as like a sister, because she's been through it all!' Richie gushed to Wonderland Magazine in 2016. 'She gives the best advice and she wants the best for me and she sees how my path is going. She's really rooting for me and giving me the best tips, how to avoid certain things and how to be the best version of myself that I can be.' The 5ft6in Select Model (R) said over Insta-story: 'It is ice cold here, people. We're on a ski lift. She seems to act like we're in California' At that, the American Meme star quipped: 'I'm LA, b****!' 'It's really nice to have her kind of, as like a sister': Sofia frequently refers to Paris as her 'closest friend' with whom she's spent 'some of my best memories' 'Love you sis!' Earlier this year, Hilton revealed she's known the goddaughter of Michael Jackson since she was 'born' Earlier this year, Hilton revealed she's known the goddaughter of Michael Jackson since she was 'born.' 'I'm so proud of the woman you have become!' the perfume mogul gushed on Instagram on August 24. 'So many amazing memories together! You are so beautiful both inside & out. Love you sis!' Ironically, Sofia has little to no contact with her 37-year-old sister Nicole, whom Paris famously co-starred with on the Fox/E! reality series The Simple Life from 2003-2007. Sanasa! Ironically, Sofia has little to no contact with her 37-year-old sister Nicole (R), whom Paris co-starred with on the Fox/E! reality series The Simple Life from 2003-2007 Richie said of her sibling to Wonderland Magazine in 2016: 'She used to take me to fairs and all sorts of things. It was bizarre! It was definitely a weird life, going out and seeing her with a million paparazzi' (pictured in 2014) Family portrait: The 69-year-old R&B legend (L) had Sofia and her big brother Miles (R) with his alleged 'mistress'-turned-second wife Diane Alexander (2-R), whom he divorced in 2003 'She used to take me to fairs and all sorts of things,' Richie said of her sibling to Wonderland. 'It was bizarre! It was definitely a weird life, going out and seeing her with a million paparazzi.' The 69-year-old R&B legend had Sofia and her 24-year-old brother Miles with his alleged 'mistress'-turned-second wife Diane Alexander, whom he divorced in 2003. Lionel and his ex-wife #1 Brenda Harvey adopted the House of Harlow 1960 creative director when she was 9 from Michael Escovedo and Karen Moss. 'Everyone seemed happy and relaxed': Richie is staying in Aspen with her 35-year-old boyfriend Scott Disick (pictured Friday), his babymama Kourtney Kardashian, their three children, and several other Kardashian-Jenners Newly single: Paris is scheduled to perform her DJ residency at Melody Maker in Cancun on January 17, February 28, March 28, and April 25 (pictured September 15) Richie is staying in Aspen with her 35-year-old boyfriend Scott Disick, his babymama Kourtney Kardashian, their three children, and several other Kardashian-Jenners. 'Scott, Sofia, and Kourtney hung out together and were talking a lot. Everyone seemed happy and relaxed,' a source told E! News. 'Kendall Jenner was with Kourtney, Sofia, and Scott. Kourtney and Kendall checked out some bags at Prada and Kendall carried around a red coat. Scott and Sofia were looking at clothes.' Meanwhile, Paris - who split with fiance Chris Zylka in November - is scheduled to perform her DJ residency at Melody Maker in Cancun on January 17, February 28, March 28, and April 25. Newlyweds Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are reportedly celebrating their honeymoon with family and friends at a Montana ski resort. And enjoying the wintery pursuits, brother Chris and wife Elsa Pataky put on a loved-up display in a snowy selfie posted to Instagram on Sunday. Going make-up free, the Tideslands star, 42, showcased her stunning natural beauty while keeping warm in a pink parka. Snow in love! Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky share sweet selfie during newlyweds Miley and Liam's rumoured family honeymoon in Montana And a smiling Chris, 35, looked typically rugged in green military ensemble and dark beanie. Captioning the shot, Elsa used simple emojis, including a loveheart and snowman. Meanwhile, in another Instagram image, Chris and Elsa's children appear to be enjoying the different climate, after swapping their home of Byron Bay for the snowy mountains. 'Do you want to build a snowman?' Chris, 35, and Elsa, 42, get creative with six-year-old daughter India Rose and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four, in the snow 'Do you want to build a snowman?' Elsa captioned a picture of the famous parents with their six-year-old daughter India Rose and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four. After tying the knot at their Tennessee mansion on December 23, it's believed Miley, 26, and Liam, 28, headed straight to the slopes to spend Christmas in the snow with their loved ones. On Saturday, Liam's older brother Luke, posted a shot of the Isn't It Romantic actor in a ski mask. Family ties: After tying the knot at their Tennessee mansion on December 23, it's believed Miley, 26, and Liam, 28, headed straight to the slopes to spend Christmas in the snow with their loved ones. On Saturday, Liam's older brother Luke, posted a shot of the Isn't It Romantic actor in a ski mask Captioning the shot he wrote, 'Found the fly @liamhemsworth.' Australia-based Luke also seems to be revelling in their trip, frequently sharing pictures online. An actor just like his younger brothers, he revealed the family's picturesque lodgings in one upload. Long way from home! Luke Hemsworth, 38, (pictured) has been documenting the family trip on Instagram, and revealed Liam had joined them on Saturday The hunk panned across a staggering glass front cabin, with twinkling Christmas trees lighting up the snowy foreground. Although Miley is yet to be pictured on the slopes, her friend and hair stylist Aleksey Bishop shared a picture at the ski resort on Saturday. What a place to stay! In one upload, Luke panned across a staggering glass front cabin, with twinkling Christmas trees lighting up the snowy foreground Other friends of Miley's have also been posting Instagram pictures from a Montana ski resort, suggesting she may also there. Miley and Liam married on December 23 in their Tennessee home. It was reported the couple were initially planning to say 'I do' in their Malibu mansion, but the home was recently destroyed by a bush-fire in California. She left hit CW series Dynasty earlier this year. And actress Nathalie Kelley, 33, proved she's certainly enjoying her downtime on Sunday. The TV star was spotted flaunting her sensational curves in a tiny blue bikini, as she soaked up the sun in Bondi, Sydney. Busting out! Dynasty actress Nathalie Kelley, 33, has flaunted her sensational curves in a skimpy blue bikini while enjoying a sun-soaked afternoon in Bondi on Sunday Currently visiting family, the part-Peruvian star looked every inch the holidaymaker as she paraded around her golden tan at Iceberg's pool. The starlet's trim pins were on full display in the swimsuit as she strolled around the picturesque ocean pool. It appeared the brunette beauty was able to squeeze in some exercise while in Sydney, as Nathalie donned goggles and a swimming cap to swim laps. All eyes on her: The stunning actress put on a leggy display as she hit the pool at Icebergs, in Sydney's fashionable Bondi At other times, Nathalie basked in Sydney's blazing sun as she laid on a blue-and-white stripe beach beach towel around other pool users. The starlet has been spending time in Australia for the festive period. Nathalie grew up in Sydney before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a Hollywood career. Meanwhile, Nathalie stripped off completely earlier this month when she visited Diamond Head beach. Toned and tanned: Nathalie basked in the sun while relaxing at the picturesque ocean pool Taking to Instagram, the starlet risked a ban from the social media network when she posed completely naked in the raunchy snap. She covered her chest with her arm while she chose to obscure her nipple with a small blue cross. Nathalie joked in the caption that she was forced to share the image as she took a snap of her new husband, Jordan Burrows, but he wouldn't let her post it. Stripping off: The starlet is no stranger to flaunting her lithe frame, when she posed in her birthday suit earlier this month Nathalie and Australian-born Jordan married in Sydney in April, with the couple holding a ceremony in Sydney Harbour's The Island. Nathalie and Jordan met late last year, and she soon proposed to him in their hotel room in Atlanta, USA. She told Harper's Bazaar magazine that they had watched a band called Rhye play a gig, after she starred in one of their music videos. 'Watching them perform the song, Jordan and I felt so connected, in part because I'd helped write the treatment for that music video based on my experience of falling in love with him,' Nathalie said. 'So, later that night, we had been sitting up talking and laughing, and I said to him, 'You know, I had never understood what the point of marrying someone waswhy would you choose not to be with other people and to be with just one person for the rest of your life? But I actually understand it now.' AJ Pritchard is said to be 'beside himself with worry and anxiety' after eight thugs set upon him and his brother at a nightclub in Cheshire on Friday evening. A source told the Sunday Mirror: 'AJ is so traumatised by what happened he doesnt want to leave the house. 'He has told friends he doesnt understand why this has happened to him. AJ has never been targeted before and this has come out of the blue. Low profile: AJ Pritchard is said to be 'beside himself with worry and anxiety' after eight thugs set upon him and his brother at a nightclub in Cheshire on Friday evening 'He is beside himself with worry and anxiety.' The pro dancer, 24 - usually often on social media - has not emerged publicly since the incident, which saw him and his brother Curtis, 23, attacked in a nightclub in Nantwich, close to their family home, where both men were staying for the Christmas break. On Saturday morning messages of support flooded in from AJ's Strictly Come Dancing co-stars, who took to social media to share their shock at the awful news and to send their best wishes to the pair. Katya Jones, 29, led the troops, tweeting: 'I cant believe what happen to @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard. Sending lots of love your way. Its Christmas people! Where is humanity going? #disappointed.' Strictly supportive: On Saturday morning, AJ Pritchard, 24, saw messages of support for him and his brother Curtis, 23, flood in after they were attacked in a club on Friday night Dianne Buswell, 29, who made it to the final in the latest season of Strictly, tweeted: 'So sad to hear about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard hope you boys are ok xxxxxx.' Dianne's celebrity dance partner-turned boyfriend Joe Sugg, 27, sent his best wishes to the brothers on Twitter. He wrote: Saddened to hear about what happened to @Aj11Ace and his brother @CurtisPritchard the other night. [Fingers crossed] for a speedy recovery boys.' Gorka Marquez was in disbelief over the horrific attack, tweeting: So disgusted at the sad news about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard sending you all my love and support. Supportive: Strictly's Dianne Buswell and Katya Jones led the stars rallying around the brothers after their horrific attack Disbelief: Dianne Buswell, 29, who made it to the final in the latest season of Strictly, tweeted: 'So sad to hear about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard hope you boys are ok xxxxxx' Sad: Dianne Buswell, 29, who made it to the final in the latest season of Strictly, tweeted: 'So sad to hear about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard hope you boys are ok xxxxxx' Supportive: Head judge Shirley Ballas also shared her support, posting a tweet on Saturday Lovely: Stacey Dooley - who won the most recent series of Strictly - also posted a tweet, noting that she would see him on the tour in the New Year 'EIGHT lads on two! Wtf? I hope justice is served properly. Stay strong AJ & Curtis!' In November 2016, Gorka allegedly had two teeth broken when he was 'battered by thugs' following a show in Blackpool, Lancashire. Strictly's Head Judge Shirley Ballas, 58, was also quick to pledge her support, writing: 'My thoughts and prayers are with @Aj11Ace @CurtisPritchard the world has become a dangerous place, my heart is heavy for this family @bbcstrictly send strength and love.' Series champion Stacey Dooley, 31, also wrote: '@Aj11Ace Big love darlin... see you in Jan.' Aljaz Skorjanec, 28, was clearly emotional, furiously tweeting: 'So upset by the news about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard!! 'Two lovely guys that mean no harm to anyone ever!! I can not believe it. To the thugs that did that.. shall we dance???? #fuming.' Giovanni Pernice, 28, raged: 'Wtf is wrong with this people ????? Guys Im so sorry @CurtisPritchard Im with you all the way !! Disgusting !!!!' followed by a string of angry face emojis. Saddened: Dianne's celebrity dance partner-turned boyfriend Joe Sugg, 27, sent his best wishes to the brothers on Twitter Sending love: Gorka Marquez was in disbelief over the horrific attack, tweeting: 'So disgusted at the sad news about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard sending you all my love and support' Katya's husband Neil Jones, 35 tweeted: 'Disgusting what happened to @Aj11Ace and his brother @CurtisPritchard and I hope they catch everyone involved.' Former Strictly pro James Jordan, 40 detailed his thoughts on Twitter, angrily poking fun at AJ and Curtis' attackers. He said: 'My thoughts are with @Aj11Ace and his brother @CurtisPritchard after 8 guys decided to attack them in a night club over the Christmas period. 'So it takes 8 of you to beat up 2 of the nicest people in our business. Real tough guys! I hope Karma comes back to get you! Idiots!' Upset: Aljaz Skorjanec, 28, was clearly emotional, furiously tweeting: 'So upset by the news about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard!! Two lovely guys that mean no harm to anyone ever!!' Angry! Giovanni Pernice, 28, raged: 'Wtf is wrong with this people ????? Guys Im so sorry @CurtisPritchard Im with you all the way !! Disgusting !!!!' followed by angry face emojis AJ's celebrity partner on Strictly's 2016 season, gymnast Claudia Fragapane, 21, shared a photograph of herself with the professional dancer, along with her best wishes. Former Strictly champion Ore Oduba, 33, tweeted: 'Just heard the dreadful news about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard absolutely disgusting!!! 'Hope they find the low lifes and put them away, what is wrong with some people!!! Sending love to the Pritchards, get well soon boys.' Danny Mac, 30, who came second to Ore in Strictly in 2016, sent a heartwarming message to AJ and Curtis after the attack. He wrote: 'Sending big love and a speedy recovery out to & his bro after what happened. AJ is a top lad. Disgusted to hear about the attack. Thinking of you guys and the family.' Disgusted! Katya's husband Neil Jones, 35 tweeted: 'Disgusting what happened to @Aj11Ace and his brother @CurtisPritchard and I hope they catch everyone involved' Hoping for karma: Former Strictly pro James Jordan, 40 detailed his thoughts on Twitter, angrily poking fun at AJ and Curtis' attackers Strictly's It Takes Two presenter Zoe Ball, 48, sent an emotional message to the brothers, tweeting: Sending all the love to @Aj11Ace & his brother @CurtisPritchard wishing him a speedy recovery. 'Horrified to hear about the brutal attack upon them & their friends. Heartbreaking.' Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips tweeted: 'Totally wrong on every level to attack such kind gentle boys. So sorry that @CurtisPritchard will be unable to start work on @DWTSIRL and wishing him and @Aj11Ace speedy recovery. Supportive: New Strictly dancer Luba Mushtuk, 28, also sent her best wishes to the pair Shocked: Strictly's Oti Mabuse, 28, sent love to the brothers after the incident AJ's celebrity partner on Strictly's 2016 season, gymnast Claudia Fragapane, 21, shared a photograph of herself with the professional dancer, along with her best wishes. As a result of the attack, professional dancer Curtis has reportedly been forced to quit Ireland's version of Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing With The Stars Ireland. A spokesperson for the brothers revealed that Curtis is to undergo an emergency operation to correct damage to his knee sustained during the Nantwich nightclub attack. Following the news of Curtis' impending surgery, RTE told The Mirror that Curtis will not have recovered from his injuries in time for the new series of the show, which is set to begin in January. An RTE spokesperson told the publication: 'Dancing with the Stars pro-dancer Curtis Pritchard was involved in an incident on 26 December 2018. Fuming: Former Strictly champion Ore Oduba, 33, tweeted: 'Just heard the dreadful news about @Aj11Ace and @CurtisPritchard absolutely disgusting!!!' Sending love: Danny Mac, 30, who came second to Ore in Strictly in 2016, sent a heartwarming message to AJ and Curtis after the attack 'As a result of the injuries sustained, he will not have recovered in time for the launch of the new series, which will air 6 January 2019. 'A replacement for Curtis on the show is currently being arranged by ShinAwiL and we look forward to welcoming Curtis back when he recovers.' AJ and his brother Curtis had been socialising and posing for selfies with fans before they were then set upon by eight yobs, who started to circle them. An eyewitness said that the attackers began to throw punches at the pair 'like they were possessed'. Horrified: Strictly's It Takes Two presenter Zoe Ball, 48, sent an emotional message to the brothers via Twitter Sad: Former Strictly judge Arlene Phillips tweeted: 'Totally wrong on every level to attack such kind gentle boys. So sorry that @CurtisPritchard will be unable to start work on @DWTSIRL' According to the witness: 'Curtis had fallen to his knees and was being punched in the face and body. They were also punching AJ in his face, in his ribs and legs. 'AJ dragged Curtis out of the circle and pulled him to another part of the club.' The witness said that AJ was left carrying the marks on his face from the rings the thugs wore as they struck him. Curtis is said to have appeared to have passed out in the attack. Curtis will need surgery in the next few days because his knee was badly injured, according to The Sun. Appealing for justice: British astrologer Russell Grant, 67, who participated in the ninth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2011, sent his support Saddened: Strictly newcomer Graziano Di Prima, 24, tweeted his disbelief A spokesman for the Pritchard brothers, who come from nearby Stoke and were visiting their parents over Christmas, said: 'AJ and Curtis were assaulted in an unprovoked attack. 'Curtis is to undergo an emergency operation to correct damage to his knee. AJ received bruising to his face, arms, body and legs.' Police said four people were taken to hospital for treatment but had all since been discharged. A spokesman said: 'Officers arrested a 20-year-old man from Crewe on suspicion of assault. He has been released under investigation pending further inquiries.' Strictly pro: AJ narrowly missed out on a place in the Strictly Come Dancing 2018 finale when he and his partner Lauren Steadman were knocked out of the competition at the last hurdle AJ made it to the semi-finals in this year's BBC series of Strictly, with his celebrity partner, paralympian Lauren Steadman, 25. His brother Curtis appears in the Irish version of Strictly Come Dancing. AJ is currently preparing his first ever solo tour, Titled Get On The Floor!, set for an eight-date run in 2019. He rose to fame in 2013 as a contestant on Britain's Got Talent, alongside partner Chloe Hewitt. He later joined Strictly, again working each year with a dance partner. The trio are clearly determined to get along, after their recent holiday in Mexico. And Sofia Richie is spending even more time with her boyfriend Scott Disick and his ex Kourtney Kardashian this holiday season, as they were all spotted together in Aspen, Colorado on Friday. The model, 20, who is said to have been 'accepted' by the extended Kardashian-Jenner family, has joined in on their latest vacation to the snowy ski resort town in the Rocky Mountains, to bring in the New Year in style. And again: Sofia Richie, 20, is spending more time with her boyfriend Scott Disick, 35, and his ex Kourtney Kardashian, 39, as they were spotted together in Aspen, Colorado on Friday The daughter of Lionel Richie donned skintight black leggings and a black sweater, which she teamed with a long black trench coat and white snow boots. Sofia scraped her brunette locks into a sleek ponytail and sported a dewy make-up look complete with lashings of mascara. Kourtney, 39, rocked a striking similar ensemble for their outing, but accessorised with a burgundy handbag, a large black and white patterned scarf and dazzling diamante earrings. The mother-of-three also chose to wear a ponytail atop her head and opted for a natural make-up look. Stylish: Kourtney rocked a striking similar ensemble to Sofia, but accessorised with a burgundy handbag, a large black and white patterned scarf and dazzling diamante earrings Accepted: 'Everyone has accepted Sofia at this point and she has been able to tag along and be a part of the family activities,' a source told E! News on Saturday Meanwhile, Scott, 35, mixed things up with causal navy trousers, a body-warmer and a large padded jacket, which featured an eye-catching pillar-box-red lining. Kourtney seems to have buried the hatchet with Sofia, who she was non-accepting of when Scott first started the relationship. 'Everyone has accepted Sofia at this point and she has been able to tag along and be a part of the family activities,' a source told E! News on Saturday. Sharing is caring: Scott shared their last complex family vacation to Mexico to his Instagram, writing, 'What more can a guy ask for' Sofia is staying in Aspen with her boyfriend Scott, his babymama Kourtney Kardashian, their three children, and several other Kardashian-Jenners. 'Scott, Sofia, and Kourtney hung out together and were talking a lot. Everyone seemed happy and relaxed,' a source told E! News. Sofia was also a welcome guest at Kris Jenner's annual Christmas Eve bash last week. Sofia and Scott have been Instagram-official as a couple since September 2017, after Scott split from Kourtney in 2015 following allegations of him cheating. He shares Mason, nine, Penelope, six, and Reign, four with the eldest daughter of Kris Jenner. The Kardashians have recently welcomed Sofia in to their inner circle, inviting her to the Christmas party and liking her Instagram pictures. Right before Christmas, Sofia joined her boyfriend Scott Disick with his ex Kourtney and their children for a beach vacation in Cancun. Former Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill and wife Sara announced their shock split on Friday, after 13 years together and seven years of marriage. And on Sunday, Sara looked solemn and strained as she walked her tiny dog on the Gold Coast. The 35-year-old appeared downcast as she led a small Chihuahua along in a blue dog harness. A strained Sara Huegill (pictured) cuts a very slender figure as she takes her dog for a walk on the Gold Coast following shock marriage split with husband Geoff after 13 years together Her hair pulled off her face and appearing makeup free, the publicist was unsmiling as she strolled. Wearing a black racer-back singlet and frayed denim shorts, Sara's very slender frame and slim, tanned legs were on display. She donned a pair of simple black slides, which matched her black toenail polish, and she wore a dark polish on her fingernails, too. The appearance comes after she and former Olympic swimmer Geoff, 39, announced they had 'amicably' ended their marriage. Difficult days: The 35-year-old appeared downcast as she led a small Chihuahua along in a blue dog harness Slim: Wearing a black racer-back singlet and frayed denim shorts, Sara's very slender frame and slim, tanned legs were on display On Friday, Geoff announced the news in a statement released via his Instagram page, with the post since being deleted. Geoff said in the statement: 'It's with a heavy heart that after 13 years together, Sara and I have made the decision to amicably separate.' 'We continue to remain friends as our focus will always be on providing a positive, loving and beautiful future for our girls.' Over: It comes after she and former Olympic swimmer Geoff, 39, (pictured) announced they had 'amicably' ended their marriage Moving on: On Friday, Geoff announced the news in a statement released via his Instagram page, with the post since being deleted (pictured is the statement) The retired athlete thanked his fans, friends and family for their ongoing support as he and his ex-wife enter 'the next chapter' of their lives. Geoff and Sara married in Bali, Indonesia in 2011 and share two daughters Gigi, six, and Mila, four. The separation follows a difficult year for the Huegills, after Sara was arrested for shoplifting in May, before the charge was dropped three months later. She's enjoyed a busy year starring in two films and a music video for Drake's song Nice For What. And Olivia Wilde took some much needed time out to relax as she headed to lunch in New York on Friday with her fiance Jason Sudeikis and their two children Otis, four, and two-year-old daughter Daisy. The Cowboys & Aliens actress, 34, opted for the natural look in a velvet blackcoat over a black jumper and matching jeans. Chilled: Olivia Wilde took some much needed time out to relax as she headed to lunch in New York on Friday with her fiance and their two children She added a pop of colour to her look in the form of a red and black checked jumper to match her Nike Jordan trainers. The blonde beauty swept her hair up into a loose ponytail and went makeup free for the family outing. Meanwhile her actor beau Jason wrapped up in a denim jacket and jeans while protecting his shoulder-length locks with a blue cap. Style: The Cowboys & Aliens actress, 34, opted for the natural look in a velvet blackcoat over a black jumper and matching jeans The couple began dating in 2011 and are parents to Otis, four, and two-year-old daughter Daisy. During an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in April 2017, Jason opened up about the fateful night he first met Olivia. He said: 'I actually came off looking a little cooler than I really am because I had heard through the grapevine, through mutual friends who werent exactly her best girlfriends, who would report back, "Oh you know, I think shes dating someone." Happy family: The couple began dating in 2011 and are parents to Otis, four, and two-year-old daughter Daisy So I didnt make any moves. I was just very, very busy with other things. And next thing you know, I stopped being busy, she stopped dating someone, and then it was off to the races.' The comedian added: 'We sort of reintroduced ourselves. The universe had more in store for us in the fall.' Before embarking on his romance with Olivia, Jason was married to Pitch Perfect writer Kay Cannon between 2004 and 2010. Olivia was previously married to filmmaker and aristocrat Tao Ruspoli, with whom she tied the knot in 2003 and divorced in 2011. Advertisement She recently released her own fitness DVD, Fit As Ferne, after overhauling her workout regime after giving birth to her first child last year, a daughter called Sunday. And Ferne McCann showed off the results of her gruelling exercise sessions as she showcased her toned physique during her Dubai getaway on Saturday. The former TOWIE star, 28, looked sensational as she showed off her washboard abs in a tiny yellow bikini with diamond and ruby detailing on it. Yummy mummy!: Ferne McCann showed off the results of her gruelling exercise sessions as she showcased her toned physique during her Dubai getaway on Saturday Showing off her sun-kissed complexion, Ferne styled her blonde highlighted brunette locks into a sleek high ponytail. The This Morning presenter looked every inch the beach babe as she added a slick of make-up to complete her swimwear look. Adding a glamorous twist, Ferne added to the diamond-theme of her bikini, Ferne accessorised her look with a gold lobster necklace and an expensive-looking red leather wrist watch. Work it: The former TOWIE star, 28, looked sensational as she showed off her washboard abs in a tiny yellow bikini with diamond and ruby detailing on it Sporty spice!: Showing off her sun-kissed complexion, Ferne styled her blonde highlighted brunette locks into a sleek high ponytail Stunner: The This Morning presenter looked every inch the beach babe as she added a slick of make-up to complete her swimwear look The reality star appeared in good spirits as she put her best foot forward and posed up a storm at the idyllic holiday destination. Ferne has been soaking up the sun in Dubai for a post-Christmas break with her one-year-old daughter Sunday, as she celebrates the release of her upcoming fitness DVD. The ITV star has been regularly documenting her getaway on social media as she shows off her toned figure in a slew of bikinis. Glamorous: Adding a glamorous twist, Ferne added to the diamond-theme of her bikini, Ferne accessorised her look with a gold lobster necklace and an expensive-looking red leather wrist watch Strike a pose: The reality star appeared in good spirits as she put her best foot forward and posed up a storm at the idyllic holiday destination Impressive: Ferne has been soaking up the sun in Dubai for a post-Christmas break with her one-year-old daughter Sunday, as she celebrates the release of her upcoming fitness DVD Ferne has credited her post-baby weight loss with workouts that feature on her DVD, following her pregnancy with daughter Sunday. She said: 'Ellie and I have been working together since I had my daughter Sunday last year and it's this workout that has got me into the best shape that I've ever been in.' The DVD, titled Fit As Ferne, is broken down into seven sections, with each workout designed to 'get your heart pumping and your body sweating'. Gruelling workouts: The ITV star has been regularly documenting her getaway on social media as she shows off her toned figure in a slew of bikinis Workout overhaul: Ferne has credited her post-baby weight loss with workouts that feature on her DVD, following her pregnancy with daughter Sunday Best shape of her life!: She said: 'Ellie and I have been working together since I had my daughter Sunday last year and it's this workout that has got me into the best shape that I've ever been in.' Kick start January: The DVD, titled Fit As Ferne, is broken down into seven sections, with each workout designed to 'get your heart pumping and your body sweating' Ferne welcomed daughter Sunday in November 2017 and has been adjusting to life as a single parent - Sunday's father, Ferne's ex Arthur Collins, is currently serving time in prison for his involvement in an acid attack. The star has often spoken of the struggles she has faced being a single mother, telling Closer magazine earlier this year: 'While I was pregnant, I knew I was going to be a single mum, but it didn't hit me until I actually had Sunday. 'That was tough to deal with - realising I really was totally on my own. I don't have another person to confer with. Motherhood: Ferne welcomed daughter Sunday in November 2017 and has been adjusting to life as a single parent - Sunday's father, Ferne's ex Arthur Collins, is currently serving time in prison for his involvement in an acid attack Single mum: The star has often spoken of the struggles she has faced being a single mother, telling Closer magazine earlier this year: 'While I was pregnant, I knew I was going to be a single mum, but it didn't hit me until I actually had Sunday 'I don't have another person to discuss my day-to-day decisions with - like choosing what food she has. It's tough.' Ferne has been filming for the follow-up series to her documentary series First Time Mum. The ITVBe show which captures her adapting to her life as a mother and gives fans an insight into her home life with Sunday. The reality star has also made several appearances on Sam and Billie Faiers: The Mummy Diaries, most recently starring in the episode filmed during Billie's hen do in Ibiza. Doting mother: 'That was tough to deal with - realising I really was totally on my own. I don't have another person to confer with. I don't have another person to discuss my day-to-day decisions with - like choosing what food she has. It's tough.' (pictured with daughter Sunday during her Dubai getaway) Rob Delaney has revealed that his wife gave birth to their 'magical' fourth son back in August - seven months after their son Henry, two passed away. The Catastrophe actor, 41, told The Sunday Times Magazine, that his wife became pregnant again before Henry's death, and revealed with a warm heart that Henry was the first person they told. Speaking about the decision to have another baby, Rob explained: 'We likely wouldve had a fourth anyway. But I mean, theres mixed feelings. Magical: On Sunday, Rob Delaney revealed that his wife gave birth to their 'magical' fourth son back in August - just seven months after Henry passed away 'Its sort of like they touch each other a little bit, but they almost exist in separate lanes. Having another child in no way, shape or form eases the grief of Henry dying. 'But also having Henry dying doesnt make our new son any less magical. I want to gobble him up and he deserves our full attention and love, and he grew in the same womb as Henry.' The actor admitted he is now 'terrified' of any sickness in the family, comparing his paranoia to PTSD. Heartbreaking: The Catastrophe actor, 41, told The Sunday Times Magazine that his wife became pregnant again before Henry's death First to know: Rob revealed with a warm heart that Henry was the first person they told (pictured with Henry in May 2015) He explained that he is 'terrified of anyone vomiting. Its like PTSD. If anyone vomits, I think, "Oh, that must be a brain tumour," and I have to calm down.' Rob admits he has to consciously work to not let fears about his children's health infiltrate family life, as it 'wouldnt be fair on our kids.' The television star recently spoke candidly about his heartache after spending his first Christmas without his two-year-old son Henry, who died in January. The American actor took to Twitter on Wednesday to reveal how he and his family were coping with their grief, admitting he was 'sad, angry and heartbroken'. He also shared a picture of his 'sweet boy' Henry - who tragically passed away 11 months ago from a brain tumour. Distressing: Rob took to Twitter on Wednesday to speak about his heartache after spending his first Christmas without his two-year-old son Henry, who died in January Rob penned: 'Our first Christmas without Henry came & went. The day itself was okay, maybe because there were so many horrible, painful days leading up to it; we must have hit our quota or something. We talked about him a lot & included his memory throughout the day. 'I speak publicly about Henry in an effort to destigmatize grief. My family is sad & in pain because our beautiful 2 yr old boy died after a long illness. 'Why wouldnt we be sad? Why wouldnt we be angry and confused? 'Tweets like this arent therapeutic to me, nor are they updates. I just want other bereaved parents & siblings to feel seen/heard/respected/loved. Tragic: Rob's young son Henry was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016 and had surgery to remove it, but the cancer returned in the Autumn of 2017 'And maybe they might help someone not schooled in grief support a friend better. I dont know.' In September, Rob - who announced in June he was expecting another child with his wife - shared a heartbreaking extract of a book he started writing about his son's brain tumour battle but was unable to finish when Henry died. Henry's cancer returned in the autumn of 2017, and his devastated father stopped writing because the family 'just wanted to be with Henry around the clock and make sure his final months were happy. And they were.' Revealing why now he decided to share extracts of the book now, Rob explained that he 'didn't want to sit on it, in case it could make anyone else feel less insane.' Good news: Rob announced in June that he was expecting another child with his wife In an essay for Medium the star - who lives in London - explained how his initial aim had been to let other parents of seriously ill children that 'someone understood and cared'. 'But I can't write that book anymore because our family's story has a different ending than I'd hoped for,' he explained. He described crying as he listened to recordings of his son babbling before a tracheotomy rendered him unable to speak for a whole year, and his 'golden' smile lighting up his face, which was paralysed on one side. 'I'm always, always happy to enter the hospital every morning and see him. It's exciting to walk into his room and see him and see him see me,' he explained. An extract from Rob Delaney's unpublished book about his son My biggest fear had always been that I wind up somehow being conscious for eternity. Like that I die, wind up in heaven or hell or wherever and I remain 'me' and just never shut off and have to endure being conscious and aware and nothing is wonderful enough or horrible enough to engage me for that long, i.e. eternity. That might be a factor in the heavy drinking I quit fifteen years ago; the idea that I could really effectively hit my own consciousness' kill switch as needed. Might also be why I've always enjoyed naps more than food or money. That fear went away when my wife and I had kids. Or boys, specifically. My sperm only makes boys for some reason. The fear went away because I realized I could now do eternity and be okay. I could just call to mind the image of one of my sons, or the smell of their heads, or the feel of one of their little feet in my hand and I'd be happy. Give me a Polaroid of one of them to hold on to and I could do two eternities. Advertisement 'The surgery to remove his tumor left him with Bell's palsy on the left side of his face, so it's slack and droops. His left eye is turned inward too, due to nerve damage. 'But the right side of his face is incredibly expressive, and that side brightens right up when I walk into the room. There's no doubt about what kind of mood he's in, ever. 'It's particularly precious when he's angry because seeing the contrast between a toddler's naked rage in one half of his face and an utterly placid chubby chipmunk cheek and wandering eye in the other is shocking in a way that makes me and my wife and whatever combination of nurses and/or doctors are in the room laugh every time. 'And when he smiles, forget about it. A regular baby's smile is wonderful enough. When a sick baby with partial facial paralysis smiles, it's golden. Especially if it's my baby.' 'He was smart and mischievous': Catastrophe's Rob Delaney revealed his youngest son died aged two from a brain tumor (pictured in April 2016) The actor tragically lost his two-year-old son to cancer in January this year and confirmed his death in a Facebook post in February, telling fans he would 'endeavour to not go mad with grief'. He also paid tribute to his 'smart, funny and mischievous' child in an emotional Facebook post. 'Henry was a joy,' wrote Delaney. 'He was smart, funny, and mischievous and we had so many wonderful adventures together, particularly after he'd moved home following fifteen months living in hospitals.' In his message, Rob explained that Henry was diagnosed after suffering persistent vomiting and weight loss, shortly after he turned one. The toddler underwent surgery to remove a tumour in addition to further treatment, spending a gruelling 15 months in hospital. But his family were told his cancer had returned in the autumn of 2017. Devastating news: The actor announced the death of his youngest child in a heartfelt and moving tribute, in which he asked for donations to the charities which helped his family While brain surgery had left his son with 'significant physical disabilities', the toddler found his own ways to overcome his challenges. 'He quickly learned sign language and developed his own method of getting from A to B shuffling on his beautiful little bum,' Delaney wrote at the time. 'His drive to live and to love and to connect was profound.' Delaney also paid tribute to the NHS staff who cared for his son, saying Henry's doctors and nurses would be 'my heroes until the day I die'. He also praised the support the family had received from the charities Rainbow Trust, and Noah's Ark Children's Hospice. By Trend: The high-level talks between Russia and Turkey on Syria were useful, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday, Trend reported citing TASS. "We held a very useful meeting of our interdepartmental team: the foreign and defense ministers and the intelligence services chiefs," he said. "Following the agreements, which were reached by our presidents, we discussed further steps to implement those tasks, which were outlined in the Astana format, primarily in the context of fighting terrorism, resolving humanitarian issues and creating conditions for refugees return," Lavrov added. The high-level talks between Russia and Turkey on the situation in Syria were held in Moscow on Saturday. Russia was represented, in addition to Lavrov, by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Head Sergei Naryshkin and Chief of Russias General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The Turkish delegation included Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Head of the National Intelligence Organization Hakan Fidan. They welcomed a baby boy together less than a year ago. And Rachel McAdams enjoyed a snuggle session with her boyfriend Jamie Linden after a dinner date in Los Angeles on Saturday. The actress, 40, looked smitten as she wrapped her arms around her other half as they awaited their ride home. It takes two! Rachel McAdams enjoyed a snuggle session with her boyfriend Jamie Linden after a dinner date in Los Angeles on Saturday Smile on her face, the Mean Girls star couldn't have looked happier as she enjoyed some quality time with her beau. Jamie looked happy as well as he held the actress close. Rachel wore a lightweight grey sweater, jeans, and snazzy burgundy shoes from Rogue Matilda for the occasion with a red purse slung over her shoulder. Jamie looked smart in jeans, sneakers, and a sweater. Laid-back: Rachel wore a lightweight grey sweater, jeans, and snazzy burgundy shoes from Rogue Matilda for the occasion with a red purse slung over her shoulder On November 25, the Canadian beauty revealed that she and her writer-producer-director beau had welcomed their son some seven months ago ending a myriad of rumors. 'Its the greatest thing thats ever happened to me, hands down,' the actress gushed to the UK's Sunday Times. '[People say] your life is not your own any more, but I had 39 years of me, I was sick of me, I was so happy to put the focus on some other person,' she continued. While the star has been committed to keeping her new baby mostly out of the public eye, for instance, she hasn't divulged his name, she seems to be enjoying every bit of motherhood. 'But Im having more fun being a mum than Ive ever had. Everything about it is interesting and exciting and inspiring to me. 'Even the tough days theres something delightful about them,' she explained. She's been soaking up the sun with her close friend during their idyllic break in the Caribbean. And Lizzie Cundy, 50, turned up the heat as she enjoyed another beach day with Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli, 63, in Barbados on Sunday afternoon. The TV personality put her youthful-looking appearance on full display as she slipped into a perilously plunging swimsuit, embellished with trendy tassels on its bodice. Soaking it up: Lizzie Cundy (L), 50, turned up the heat as she enjoyed another beach day with Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli (R), 63, in Barbados on Sunday afternoon Showcasing her enviably lean pins, the presenter's ensemble featured a daringly high-leg cut while its neckline displayed her perky cleavage. Lizzie added touches of glamour to her look with dainty gold and silver jewellery, while protecting her eyes from the sun in kooky green-tinted frames. Boasting her glowing complexion, the FUBAR radio host sported minimal make-up and wore her tresses in effortlessly loose waves to keep in theme with the relaxed beachy environment. Wow-factor! The TV personality put her youthful-looking appearance on full display as she slipped into a perilously plunging swimsuit, embellished with trendy tassels on its bodice Sizzling: Showcasing her enviably lean pins, the presenter's ensemble featured a daringly high-leg cut while its neckline displayed her perky cleavage Showing off: Lizzie added touches of glamour to her look with dainty gold and silver jewellery, while protecting her eyes from the sun in kooky green-tinted frames Meanwhile, dance pro Bruno exhibited his toned physique in a pair of budgie smugglers as he enjoyed a scenic stroll along the island. The Italian choreographer kept it sleek in the accessory department as he rocked a pair of all-black sunglasses for his outing. The pair are regulars on the island at this time of year to make an appearance at Simon Cowell's annual New Year's Eve star-studded extravaganza. Look at her glow: Boasting her glowing complexion, the FUBAR radio host sported minimal make-up Striking: Lizzie wore her tresses in effortlessly loose waves to keep in theme with the relaxed beachy environment Lizzie, who always insisted she was 47, revealed she is actually 50 when she came clean earlier this year on ITV's My Shirley Valentine Summer. Speaking on Channel 5's Jeremy Vine Show, Lizzie revealed she'd been told she was too old to be a TV presenter and so started to say she was younger to find more work. However, since coming clean she claims she's landed more TV gigs than ever. The former WAG, who was previously married to retired Chelsea star Jason Cundy, said she 'hated' lying about her age. Off he goes: Meanwhile, dance pro Bruno exhibited his toned physique in a pair of budgie smugglers as he enjoyed a scenic stroll along the island In good company: Lizzie appeared in high spirits as she engaged in conversation with two hunky men Relaxation: The pair are regulars on the island at this time of year to make an appearance at Simon Cowell 's annual New Year's Eve star-studded extravaganza However, she was previously told by an unnamed media mogul that she was 'too old' to find work which prompted her decision to have three years from her real age. Lizzie revealed: 'The reason why I did it was to work. When I was presenting I was doing a big red carpet show. 'A big media mogul said to me, "You're too old, unless you say you're a lot younger, the younger generation and celebrities won't relate with you." Confession: Lizzie, who always insisted she was 47, revealed she is actually 50 when she came clean earlier this year on ITV's My Shirley Valentine Summer Looking good: The beauty complemented her look with a sheer lace sarong around her waist 'Since I've revealed my age, I haven't stopped working, every day I have so much work. I wish I had done it earlier, to be honest.' Meanwhile, Bruno made a rare appearance with American model Matt Law, 30, at the London film premiere for Mary Poppins Returns earlier this month. Last year, Bruno was forced to miss his first ever episode of Strictly Come Dancing in thirteen years due to a pre-booked trip to Los Angeles - where he was seen partying with TV personality Lizzie and Matt. Refreshing: Bruno enjoyed a swim in the clear blue ocean with a friend during his outing Stepping out: The Italian choreographer kept it sleek in the accessory department as he rocked a pair of all-black sunglasses for his outing Romance? Meanwhile, Bruno made a rare appearance with American model Matt Law, 30, at the London film premiere for Mary Poppins Returns earlier this month The pair enjoyed a night on the town at Hollywood's Sunset Marquis - with an onlooker telling MailOnline there was 'chemistry' between the pair. An onlooker said: 'Bruno kept giving Matt hugs. There was definitely chemistry between them but obviously an age gap. Bruno was very touchy-feely! They sat close and everyone were looking over as the table was all laughing.' Sources later told The Sun: 'Bruno has really been getting on well with Matt, they enjoy each others company. They have spent the last few days together in the States and he has been introduced to a few of his friends. 'Bruno is growing increasingly fond of Matt and it isnt hard to see why. Hes noticed everywhere they go. They were very touchy-feely over dinner and laughing so loudly that everyone took notice.' He has his sights set on stardom and is determined to make a career in the music industry in 2019. And Human Ken Doll Rodrigo Alves has said he plans to start the year with more plastic surgery - by getting his 11th nose job before releasing music he's determined to be a 'big summer hit'. The Instagram star, 35, who has spent more than 500k on surgery in the past, told MailOnline: 'I will be having some plastic surgery done to my face again. Big plans: Human Ken Doll Rodrigo Alves has said he plans to start the year with more plastic surgery - by getting his 11th nose job before releasing music he's determined to be a 'big summer hit' 'I think that my chin silicone implants are too big therefore I will replace it for a smaller size. 'Also as Iage my eyes they drop so I will be having another eye lift. The CBB star, who splits his time between Milan and London added: 'During my time in Italy I have gained few pounds and I will be having a lipo in my jaw line and a silicone implant put in on my mandibular to have me more of a square dashing look. Global sensation: The CBB star, who splits his time between Milan and London, said he hopes to sing in Eurovision this year 'I am also considering a 11th nose job to help with my breathing and shape of my nose. The reality TV personality added he was working on a song that he hopes will be 'a big summer hit' and since August has been taking singing lessons in Milan and 'working with a team of music producers to make it happen. 'I am a show man and a performer and my dream is to be on Eurovision in 2019 and according to sources I have got what it takes to be there' he added. Greatest showman? 'I am a show man and a performer and my dream is to be on Eurovision in 2019 and according to sources I have got what it takes to be there' he added. Uncanny: The star, who also appeared on Italy's version of Celebrity Big Brother, also revealed a gift shop in Italy are selling 30cm ceramic dolls of him Rodrigo added that he's very pleased with himself and how is year as gone, and said he has 'inspired people around the world to follow their dreams and to do what it is right for them. 'I never followed a stereotype or rules I do what is right for me and makes me happy, I'm the fruit of my imagination. I'm everything that I have always wanted to be in my life and I hope that with my music I can also inspire people around the world that we all can do it.' The star, who also appeared on Italy's version of Celebrity Big Brother, revealed a gift shop in Italy are selling 30cm ceramic dolls of him. Before: Rodrigo pictured back in 2015 before embarking on his extensive list of cosmetic surgery Discussing going to the shop to test them out for himself, he said: 'I got mobbed by fans! 'The first shop that I walked it said that it was sold out for Christmas so I carried on further and the second shop still had it. They sell it for 60 (54) and that people have been buying lots of them. 'It was very flattering to know that someone had the idea to make a doll out of me, it does look really similar with high cheek bones and the same sort of outfits that I wear. Cardi B has broken her silence after her assistant confronted a woman at Sydney Airport on Saturday shortly after the rapper arrived in Australia with her entourage. The musician, 26, praised publicist, Patientce Foster, on Instagram on Sunday night, adding that she was 'mad' her employee did not 'spit in that f**king lady's face'. Footage obtained by Daily Mail Australia showed the unidentified woman making a reference to Cardi's troubled marriage to Offset, prompting Patientce to hit out. 'She should have spit in her face!' Cardi B has broken her silence after THAT Sydney Airport incident over the weekend, praising her publicist Patientce Foster (centre) for screaming at a woman (right) who said 'that's why your husband left you' In a since-deleted Instagram video, Cardi ranted: 'That's my b***h, that's my home girl. As a matter of fact, I am mad at Patientce. You wanna know why I'm mad at her? 'Because she should have spit in that f**king lady's face, that's why!' Cardi then discussed her relationship with Patientce, revealing they are close friends and have worked together since her music career took off. 'My publicist is for me. My publicist is a publicist that do things my way and fits my personality,' she added. Speaking out: In a since-deleted Instagram video, Cardi (pictured) ranted: 'That's my b***h, that's my home girl. As a matter of fact, I am mad at Patientce. You wanna know why I'm mad at her? Because she should have spit in that f**king lady's face, that's why!' Patientce also took to Instagram to address the incident, writing: 'Understand me. Won't no job title ever change me or who I am. 'I will always defend myself and the people around me. What may be professional to you don't mean s**t to me. Period.' In the footage, Patientce was seen guiding the Money hitmaker through Sydney Airport on Saturday when the incident occurred. Cardi was hiding under a blanket at the time, trying to avoid unwanted attention from fans and photographers. Dramatic: In the footage, Patientce (left) was seen guiding Cardi (centre, with a blanket over her head) through Sydney Airport on Saturday when the incident occurred Cardi B and her entourage were walking towards the arrivals terminal exit when a blonde woman in a blue and white blouse hurled an insult. 'The lady said, "That's why your husband left you!", then that lady in red [Patientce] went crazy!' an onlooker told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday. Within seconds, Patientce left Cardi B's side to confront the woman who made the comment about Offset. How rude! An onlooker told Daily Mail Australia on Sunday that Patientce went 'crazy' after the woman referenced Cardi's marriage to Offset. The former couple are pictured on April 26 'B***h, I'll smack the s**t out of you! Don't ever come out your mouth about her motherf**kin' husband. Watch your mouth,' Patientce screamed. A stunned airport worker could then be seen attempting to diffuse the situation. As Cardi B and her entourage continued walking through the airport, they were mobbed by fans and paparazzi. 'Can you guys please leave me alone?' she said at one point, while covering her head with a blanket. 'Won't no job title ever change me': Publicist Patientce, who threatened to 'smack' the woman at the airport, also spoke out about the incident on Instagram 'I will always defend myself, and the people around me!': Away from work, Patientce and Cardi have been friends for years. They are pictured together in New York City in January 2017 Following her arrival in Australia, Cardi took to Instagram to discuss the pressures of fame on Sunday. 'I remember when I was a regular girl and I used to see the celebrities going on heavy drugs, heavy depression, suicidal,' she said. 'And I used to think to myself, "Why do you want to die? I don't get it. You got money, you got fame, bitch I'm broke I want to die."' She then revealed that she understands now why some stars resort to self-destructive behaviour, as people 'drive us mother f**kers crazy'. Cardi added: 'You all drive people crazy, you judge people, you make rumours about people, you feel like you can say anything to people when they react. 'So I'm going to tell you mother fuckers this s**t. I'm going to express myself. I ain't gonna keep all of this bottled inside.' G'day: Cardi performed her first Australian show at Origins Fields Festival on Sunday in WA (pictured), and will take to the stage at Sydney's Field Day on Tuesday Cardi performed her first Australian show at Origins Fields Festival on Sunday in WA, and will take to the stage at Sydney's Field Day on Tuesday. She will then head to New Zealand for two more shows. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cardi B's management for comment. AJ Pritchard has told how his brother Curtis stepped in to try and save him when they were recently attacked by a gang of thugs in a nightclub in an incident which he believes could have been fatal. The Strictly Come Dancing star, 24, and his brother, 22, who is also a professional dancer, were set upon by a group of eight men in Nakatcha, a nightclub in Cheshire last Thursday. AJ told The Sun: 'Curtis risked his own dancing career to save mine as he threw himself in front of the attackers so they couldnt get to me. Unprovoked: AJ and Curtis told the publication that they believe the attention the Strictly star was receiving from female fans sent the thugs into a jealous rage 'He was thinking of both my dancing career with my legs and my TV career with my face. He tried to protect me and in doing so saved my life and my legs from danger. 'I soon realised there were no winners in this scenario. I just wanted us both to come out alive. I care more about Curtis than I do about selfies and looking good.' The brothers had been enjoying a night out with friends over the Christmas break when the unprovoked attack took place. AJ and Curtis told the publication that they believe the attention the Strictly star was receiving from female fans sent the thugs into a jealous rage. Attack: The brothers had been enjoying a night out with friends over the Christmas break when the unprovoked attack took place The TV star described the horrific attack, saying the men first targeted Curtis. The brothers quickly moved to the dancefloor where they were then surrounded by all eight men who repeatedly punched and kicked them. Curtis was hit several times in his eye and was kicked repeatedly after falling to the floor. He also suffered a knee injury and the brothers were both taken to the hospital. Curtis, who is a professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars Ireland, admitted to the publication he is worried the injuries he sustained will prevent him from dancing again. A spokesperson for the Pritchard brothers said: 'Curtis is to undergo an emergency operation to correct damage to his knee. AJ received bruising to his face, arms, body and legs.' Confirming his absence from Dancing With The Stars Ireland, a spokesperson for the show said: 'Dancing with the Stars wish Curtis a speedy recovery. 'A replacement for Curtis on the show is currently being arranged by [production company] ShinAwiL and we look forward to welcoming Curtis back when he recovers.' Nightmare: The brothers were then surrounded by all eight men who repeatedly punched and kicked them Frightening: Curtis was hit several times in his eye and was kicked repeatedly after falling to the floor. He also suffered a knee injury and the brothers were both taken to the hospital A statement was given to police over the attack and Cheshire police confirmed a 20-year-old man was arrested and released under investigation. AJ made it to the semi-finals in this year's BBC series of Strictly, with his celebrity partner, paralympian Lauren Steadman, 25. He is currently preparing his first ever solo tour titled, 'Get On The Floor!' which is set for an eight-date run in 2019. He rose to fame in 2013 as a contestant on Britain's Got Talent, alongside partner Chloe Hewitt. He later joined Strictly, again working each year with a dance partner. A Sydney man who allegedly ran from police, leaving a sawn-off shotgun behind in his car, has been arrested and charged for possessing an arsenal of illegal firearms and ammunition. Police tried to stop the 29-year-old man in Willmot on Wednesday, before he ran off holding two bags. Police searched his car and found the gun and ammunition. On Thursday police searched a storage shed in St Mary's, seizing four unregistered shotguns, a rifle, scopes and a high powered electronic control device. Police then on Friday raided a Willmot property when the same 29-year-old ran into a shed and refused to leave for more than four hours. A woman and child left the home on the property uninjured during that time. Police eventually arrested the man without incident, and charged him with a host of weapons offences. The man was also charged with intimidation and use of a carriage service to menace, relating to a previous incident. He is expected to appear before Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. Islamic State jihadist and recruiter Neil Prakash has been stripped of his Australian citizenship as he faces years behind bars in Turkey, it's been reported. The 27-year-old was told of the Australian government's decision on December 21, becoming the 12th dual national to have their citizenship annulled over associations with offshore terror groups, The Weekend Australian reports. It's understood Prakash holds Fijian citizenship through his father. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said earlier this year he hoped Prakash rotted in a Turkish jail after a Turkish court rejected the Melbourne-born terrorist's extradition to Australia to face justice. Prakash has been in custody near the border with Syria since 2016 after he attempted to enter Turkey with false documents. He is facing charges of committing crimes against Turkey by being a member of Islamic State - which could result in him spending 25 years in a Turkish jail. Prakash has previously admitted being a member of Islamic State but said he had nothing to do with the group in Australia. The former rapper from Melbourne had featured in IS videos and has been linked to a failed Melbourne plot to behead a police officer and another attack in which two officers were stabbed outside a Melbourne police station. A seven-year-old Queensland boy has died after the truck his father was driving crashed into another truck and burst into flames leaving him trapped in the cabin. The accident happened 65km west of Toowoomba when one of the vehicles attempted to turn off the Gore Highway about 5pm on Thursday, Queensland police say. Inspector Graeme Paine said the truck the boy had been in appeared to have hit the back of the vehicle in front - then it overturned and caught fire. The boy was trapped in the cabin and died at the scene. The boy's father, 31 from Helidon, was flown to Toowoomba Hospital with serious head injuries. The 61-year-old man from Millmerran, driving the other truck was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition. Queensland Trucking Association chief executive Gary Mahon said it was a tragic incident. "That little fella would have been out there enjoying the day with his dad and sadly it has ended in tragedy," Mr Mahon said on Friday. "These people are obviously working over the break and we don't know the circumstances yet as to what may have caused this, but to hear this news, particularly this time of year, is just devastating for everyone involved. The search for a woman missing in far north Queensland floodwaters is set to resume. The 34-year-old has not been seen since walking into fast-flowing Wallaby Creek at Rossville, north of Cairns, as she travelled home around 6pm on Thursday. Authorities started searching for her on Friday after friends reported her missing. They will resume on Saturday morning. Parts of the far north region have received more than 400mm of rainfall in the past week, with flood warnings in place for the Daintree and Mossman rivers. It comes as northern Queensland braces for a potential cyclone in coming days if a monsoon trough moving south towards Australia gets stronger. The Bureau of Meterology says a cyclone watch could begin for the Cape York Peninsula as early as Saturday morning if the unstable trough develops into a tropical low over water. Parts of far north Queensland have endured their wettest December on record following a week of heavy rain on the tropical north coast and peninsula districts. A flood watch has been issued for areas north of Cardwell, which has had its wettest December on record with 1031mm. Cairns and Cooktown have recorded their wettest December since 1975. The region could be again inundated with rain if the tropical low develops as the bureau expects it to. "It's all about to ramp again with the monsoon trough coming down over the peninsula and tropical lows developing over the next couple of days," BOM forecaster Gordon Banks said. A 27-year-old man is expected to face court over multiple weapons offences after police uncovered an arsenal of illegal firearms and ammunition in a western Sydney storage shed. Police arrested the man on Friday after he allegedly ran from them earlier in the week, leaving a sawn-off shotgun behind in his car. He hid in a shed at a Willmot property for several hours before handing himself over. A day earlier, police had searched a storage shed in St Mary's, seizing four unregistered shotguns, a rifle, scopes and a high powered electronic control device. The man is expected to face Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday. The Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) and Bosna Bank International (BBI) have agreed to foster collaboration between Dubai and Bosnia and Herzegovina in developing the Islamic economy sectors. The agreement also aims to strengthen cooperation between the two markets by leveraging the knowledge and expertise of DIEDC and its stakeholders, reported Emirates news agency Wam. This was stated after Abdulla Al Awar, CEO of Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, and Amer Bukvic, CEO of Bosna Bank International, signed a memorandum of understanding MoU). Al Awar said: "DIEDC is keen to develop strategic partnerships with international organisations to build a robust framework and comprehensive ecosystem based on Islamic economy principles and regulations. As the first Sharia-compliant bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BBI is an ideal partner to provide local insights that can facilitate deeper synergies in exploring innovative solutions to address the challenges facing both markets, as well as the global Islamic economy. We are confident that this MoU will lead to a fruitful exchange of knowledge and greater engagement to strengthen the reach and impact of the Islamic economy." "Bosna Bank International, through the international investment conference, the Sarajevo Business Forum, and the international halal industry event, Sarajevo Halal Fair, strives to give companies in Bosnia and Southeast Europe a chance to foster business connections and opportunities through networking and the realisation of business ideas, Bukvic said. We want to see our companies, clients and partners establish fruitful business connections. Since we focus mainly on small and medium enterprises, one goal is to help them create quality connections with companies abroad. Bosna Bank International is the first Shariah-compliant bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Southeast Europe. It launched operations in 2000 with its shareholders the Islamic Development Bank Group, Dubai Islamic Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank. For the last ten years, Bosna's Bank has been among the fastest growing banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since 2010, BBI and its BBI VIP Business Club have organised the Sarajevo Business Forum, an international investment conference that has earned a prestigious global reputation. Along with its UAE and GCC partners in 2018, BBI initiated the Sarajevo Halal Fair, an international halal industry event that positions Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a hub for, and a gateway to, the European halal market. Some residents have refused to leave Sydney's cracked Opal Tower despite being asked by the building's developer to move out, prompting the NSW government to request an urgent update on the investigation. Residents were first evacuated from the building on Christmas Eve after some people heard cracking noises and emergency services were called. Most had moved back in to the Sydney Olympic Park building when on Thursday they were told by the developers the entire tower would need to be emptied so their investigations could continue for at least 10 days. However, on Friday evening, a few residents hadn't left. "While most have moved out, a handful are yet to move," a spokesman for developer Ecove told AAP. A spokesman for the NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts told AAP he was "seeking an urgent update from the developer" about the status of the residents remaining in the tower, and what "ramifications" that had on the investigation. The government, which has been criticised by Opposition Leader Michael Daley for being slow to act on the problem, on Friday afternoon announced it had appointed an independent panel of engineering experts to investigate the tower. Two independent engineers will investigate the pre-cast concrete construction method used in the construction. This investigation will run concurrently with the developer's own investigation. The immense void left by Steve Smith and David Warner's suspensions has been laid bare by a Test century drought and yet another Australian batting collapse. Smith and Warner, who boast a combined 138 Tests worth of experience and have scored a total of 44 Test tons, have been sorely missed. Australia have passed 300 just twice since the Cape Town cheating scandal, finishing 8-362 to salvage a draw in Dubai then combining for 326 in the first innings of the recent Test in Perth. Usman Khawaja's epic 141 in Dubai is the only Test century scored by an Australian since the Newlands nightmare. If no member of Tim Paine's team reaches three figures in Melbourne it will be the first time since 1991-92 that Australia enter the New Year's Test without at least one player having posted a ton in the home summer. Australia's top six folded in their first innings of the third Test against India, surrendering in collapses of 3-29 and 3-13 on Friday. Pat Cummins conceded "it's always going to be hard missing two of your best players", pointing to Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli's output in the current series. "We've known for nine months (that Smith and Warner won't be available)," Cummins told reporters. "Others have to stand up. "It probably highlights the class they've had in previous years but we've got find to find a way." Cummins is confident the incumbent batsmen, who will come under immense pressure if Australia lose at both the MCG and SCG, can get the job done. "Everyone here is good enough. They've done it at the level below, all of them are the best (Sheffield) Shield players and most of them have done it for Australia before," he said. "We've definitely got the batsmen. "Lots of boys have batted long periods of time this season. It doesn't feel like anyone is out of form or anything like that. "Hopefully it just clicks soon and we'll be away." Peter Handscomb is the only batsman outside the XI in the mix to play the series finale in Sydney, unless selectors add in reinforcements to the 13-man squad. Handscomb scored 70 in his BBL return but Australia are expected to prefer allrounder Mitch Marsh again. The BBL is the only platform for Test aspirants to currently make their case. The Sheffield Shield's mid-season break, instituted as part of the rise and rise of the BBL runs throughout the second half of this Test series but also a two-Test contest between Australia and Sri Lanka that follows. Former prime minister Bob Hawke is reportedly confident Labor will win the upcoming federal election but doesn't think he'll be around to see it happen because of his poor health. The former Labor leader said his health had been "terrible" and that he's "had his time," News Corp Australia reported on Saturday. When the 89-year-old was asked what his plans were for the new year, he told News Corp Australia: "I've had my time, just stick around for a little while." Speaking at Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival - which he has attended for 10 consecutive years - Mr Hawke said he thought this would be his last one. But, he's confident Labor will win in the federal election. "I think they'll (Labor) do pretty well (in Queensland)," he told News Corp Australia. "I think he'll (Opposition Leader Bill Shorten) do well." Mr Hawke was earlier this year rushed to Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital after a case of "the wobbles". He served as Australia's 23rd prime minister from 1983-1991 and led Labor to four consecutive election victories. India have declared with a 398-run lead early on day four of the third Test at the MCG, where Australia face an imposing chase despite Pat Cummins grabbing a career-best haul of 6-27. India resumed at 5-54 on Saturday, then reached 8-106 when Virat Kohil called his batsmen in for the second time in the match. India, hunting their first Test series win in Australia, are perfectly placed to take a 2-1 series lead. The highest successful run-chase remains West Indies' 7-418, achieved against Australia in 2003, while the highest successful chase in Australia is the 4-414 that South Africa compiled in 2008. At the MCG, England's 7-332 in 1928 remains the record for a victorious side batting last in a Test. Recent evidence will also fill Kohli with confidence. Australia's top six, unable to fill the immense void left by the absence of suspended superstars Steve Smith and David Warner, surrendered in collapses of 3-29 and 3-13 on Friday. It suggests Cummins' effort, which bettered the 6-79 he snagged on Test debut at age 18 in Johannesburg, is likely to be in vain. Morning showers threatened to delay the start of play on day four but the covers came off and Cummins was soon charging in, seeking to back up an astonishing burst on day three in which he claimed 4-0 in eight consecutive deliveries. Cummins dismissed debutant Mayank Agarwal and Ravindra Jadeja on Saturday. The right-armer created a chance in his first over of the day, with Tim Paine unable to grasp an edge that came when Rishabh Pant was on seven. The end of Pant's entertaining knock of 33, when he guided the ball to Paine, prompted Kohli to declare. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking a record fourth term in Sunday's election Bangladesh's general election campaign ended Friday with more deadly violence and arrests of opposition activists which have raised international concern as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeks a record fourth term. A ruling Awami League party supporter was killed by opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) followers, police said. The BNP claimed 19 more of its activists had been detained ahead of Sunday's vote. Authorities suspended high speed 3G and 4G internet services for several hours in an effort to fight what a telecoms watchdog official called the "propaganda" fuelling unrest. The official campaign ended after seven weeks of widespread street clashes and accusations of an official crackdown on the opposition. An opinion poll indicated Hasina is favourite to win despite the controversy. Bangladesh Police said the Awami League supporter was beaten to death in the northeastern city of Sylhet late Thursday. They had already reported the deaths of two Awami League activists since the campaign opened on November 8. The BNP says eight of its supporters have been killed in election clashes. Sylhet police chief Shah Harunur Rashid told AFP that two BNP supporters had been arrested for the latest killing. The BNP denied any involvement. Nineteen BNP activists were arrested when police and paramilitary guards raided the election camp of a party candidate and several villages in southern Bangladesh, police and BNP officials told AFP. Police were also investigating a suspicious fire at the headquarters of the National Unity Front opposition alliance in Dhaka on Friday. Thousands of Awami League supporters rallied in the capital as candidates made a last-minute pitch for votes. The BNP, which says thousands of its activists have been locked up as part of a bid to rig the election, said it had been prevented from holding its final rally in Dhaka. An opinion poll indicates the Awami League's Sheikh Hasina is favourite to win Hasina has shrugged off accusations of using authoritarian tactics, and concentrated her final campaign on urging Bangladesh's 104 million voters to give her a new term to boost the impoverished South Asian nation's economic development. The economy has grown at an average of 6.3 percent every year since she won a landslide in December 2008. She has vowed to improve this. "Much work is still pending and it depends on the people casting a vote for us. Then we will be able to return to power and complete the work," she said late Thursday. - International concern - The BNP accuses the prime minister of clamping down on democracy and freedom of speech -- including over the jailing of its leader Khaleda Zia this year on graft charges. The party says that 9,222 workers and supporters were arrested during the election campaign and that half of its candidates were attacked by ruling party supporters. Rights groups have accused Sheikh Hasina's government of silencing dissent and muzzling the press Its Islamist ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, says more than 3,600 of its activists were also detained. The opposition has depended on social media to lobby for votes, saying that harassment has confined many candidates to their homes. But it stepped up its call for people to vote on Sunday. "On that day this country will be yours. You will take back its ownership," BNP deputy chief Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in a video posted to Facebook. The campaign troubles have put Bangladesh in the international spotlight. US ambassador Earl Miller said "the United States is concerned by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks," following a meeting with Bangladesh's election chief late Thursday. Sheikh Hasina has shrugged off accusations of using authoritarian tactics and urged voters to re-elect her to boost the impoverished South Asian nation's economic development He added that while all parties have been victims, "it appears opposition party candidates have borne the brunt of most violence." Miller said everyone in Bangladesh must be able to vote "without harassment, intimidation, or violence". UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also called for a vote "free of violence, intimidation and coercion," according to a spokesman. Sheikh Hasina won a landslide victory in 2008 and the BNP boycotted the 2014 election, saying it was not free and fair, gifting her a return to power. Since her last victory, civil society and rights groups have accused Hasina's government of silencing dissent and muzzling the press. Zia, an arch-rival of the prime minister, was jailed for 17 years this year on graft charges that her party says are politically motivated. The latest killer tsunami in Indonesia has put pressure on conservationists to ramp up a longstanding plan to find a suitable secondary habitat for the Javan rhino Indonesia's tsunami has raised fears that another deadly wave could wipe out the few dozen Javan rhinos still living in the wild, conservation authorities said Friday. There are believed to be fewer than 70 of the critically endangered species in a national park not far from a rumbling volcano that triggered Saturday's killer wave. None of the animals are believed to have been killed in the disaster -- which left more than 400 people dead -- but officials are warning that another deadly wave could slam into the stricken region. That is putting pressure on conservationists at Ujung Kulon National Park, on the western tip of Indonesia's main island of Java, to ramp up a longstanding plan to find a suitable secondary habitat for the rhinos. There are believed to be fewer than 70 Javan rhinos in a national park not far from a rumbling volcano that triggered Saturday's killer wave "It's become our duty to work harder to find a second habitat because the danger is real," national park chief Mamat Rahmat told AFP. "We're lucky that the tsunami did not affect the Javan rhinos this time. But the threat is there and we need to act accordingly." Widodo Ramono, head of the Rhino Conservation Foundation of Indonesia, added: "If you've only got one habitat and there's another tsunami, the rhinos could be wiped out completely." Plans to find a second home for the species have been in the works for about eight years, with conservationists surveying areas all over Java and neighbouring Sumatra but so far without success, he said. The size of the habitat, climate, food and water sources and safety from poachers are among the key criteria, Rahmat said. "There are still a lot of issues to be worked out," he added. The rhinos' current sanctuary in the park comprises some 5,100 hectares (12,600 acres) of lush rainforest and freshwater streams. Several years ago, three calves were filmed in the national park, raising hopes for the future of the world's rarest rhino after years of population decline. The shy creature, whose folds of loose skin give it the appearance of wearing armour plating, once numbered in the thousands and roamed across Southeast Asia. But, like other rhino species across the world, poaching and human encroachment on its habitat has led to a dramatic population decline. Poaching in particular represents a severe threat, with rhino horns used in traditional Asian medicine fetching ever higher prices on the black market despite a lack of scientific evidence showing the horn has any medicinal value. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on December 26, 2018 Moscow will early next year host the leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey to discuss the Syrian conflict, Russia's deputy foreign minister said Friday, after the United States announced it was withdrawing troops from the country. "It's our turn to host the summit... around the first week of the year. This will depend on the schedules of the presidents," Mikhail Bogdanov was cited as saying by Interfax news agency. The meeting will be the latest step in the Astana peace process -- set up in early 2017 by Russia and Iran, who support President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and opposition backer Turkey. The Astana process was launched after Russia's military intervention in Syria tipped the balance in the Damascus regime's favour. It has gradually eclipsed an earlier UN-sponsored negotiations framework known as the Geneva process. A Turkish delegation comprising foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and defence minister Hulusi Akar is due in Moscow on Saturday to discuss the pullout of 2,000 US troops from Syria announced last week by President Donald Trump. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday refused to comment on the move saying he was "waiting for actions to follow words." "The Americans don't always do what they promise, far from that," he said. "Washington clearly wants to pass on the responsibilities on the ground to its partners in the coalition." The last meeting between Russia's Vladimir Putin, Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Iran in September with the fate of the rebel-held Idlib province dominating the agenda. Trump in a shock announcement recently said he was pulling out some 2,000 American soldiers from Syria, claiming the Islamic State jihadists had been defeated. A row between Seoul and Tokyo escalated after Japan released video it said backed up its claim that a South Korean warship had locked its weapons targeting system onto a Japanese plane A row between Seoul and Tokyo escalated Friday after Japan released video it said backed up its claim that a South Korean warship had locked its weapons targeting system onto a Japanese plane. South Korea condemned the release of the footage and reiterated its rejection of the Japanese allegations. Tensions have flared since Japan alleged that a South Korean destroyer last week aimed its fire-control radar at a Japanese maritime patrol plane in the Sea of Japan off the eastern coast of South Korea. Seoul has denied the allegations, saying the ship was merely searching for a North Korean fishing boat that was drifting near the inter-Korean sea border. In a bid to defuse tensions, defence authorities from both sides held a video conference on Thursday and "exchanged opinions regarding the truth and technical analysis to remove misunderstandings," the South Korean defence ministry said. But the Japanese defence ministry on Friday released on its homepage a 13-minute video filmed by the aircraft which it said supported its allegations. Tokyo said the footage contained scenes where the plane was hit multiple times by the fire-control radar. "We express deep concern and regret" over the unilateral release of the footage, the South Korean defence ministry said in a statement Friday. "As we have stated repeatedly, the Gwanggaeto destroyer was engaging in a normal rescue operation and it remains as a fact that the ship did not use" the fire-control radar, it said. "Instead, it is very disappointing that the Japanese patrol aircraft conducted a low-altitude flight in a threatening manner against our ship which was involved in a humanitarian rescue mission," it said. It dismissed the footage as failing to stand up as evidence as it only shows scenes of the ship from the circling plane. The spat has further complicated already tense relations between the neighbours who are tangled in disputes over Tokyo's claim to a remote island controlled by Seoul and Japan's denial of legal responsibility for wartime atrocities. Syrian government soldiers ride in an infantry-fighting vehicle (IFV), east of the capital Damascus on March 7, 2018 Russia on Friday hailed as "positive" the Syrian army's entry into the key northern city of Manbij for the first time in six years after Kurds opened the gates. "Of course, this will help in stabilising the situation. The enlargement of the zone under the control of government forces... is without doubt a positive trend," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Kurdish forces who were left exposed by a US pledge to pull out its own troops, have asked the Syrian regime for help to face a threatened Turkish offensive. Peskov said the situation would be discussed Saturday during a visit to Moscow by the Turkish foreign affairs and defence ministers, to "clarify" the situation and "synchronise actions" between the two countries. Russia provides critical support to the Syrian government, while Turkey has backed rebel groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad's forces. A child who recently arrived in Spain on a migrant rescue ship that was turned away from several European nations A charity rescue vessel carrying 311 mainly African migrants plucked off Libya docked in Spain on Friday, ending a traumatic journey which saw them spend Christmas at sea and several European nations denying the ship entry. The migrants cheered and applauded as the vessel docked in the port of Crinavis near the southern city of Algeciras. Proactiva Open Arms, the Spanish charity which runs the Open Arms vessel carrying the migrants, feted the arrival with a "Mission accomplished" tweet. The migrants come from 19 different countries, including Somalia, Syria and the Ivory Coast. More than a third of them, 139, are minors. By early afternoon all of the migrants had disembarked from the boat and received clothes and food, as well as medical tests if required, from Red Cross officials. Women and children left the boat first. "They are in good health in general," said Inigo Vila, who is in charge of emergencies for the Red Cross in Spain. The migrants were welcomed with applause from bystanders Police will identify the migrants before moving them to shelters. The migrants were rescued on December 21 from three vessels but were denied entry by Italy and Malta. Libya, France and Tunisia did not respond to Proactiva Open Arms' requests for permission to dock, Madrid said. On Saturday, a newborn baby and his mother were helicoptered from the boat to Malta, while a 14-year-old suffering from a serious skin infection was taken to the Italian island of Lampedusa. - 'Lives in danger' - Photos and videos posted by the charity showed the rest of the rescued migrants celebrating Christmas at sea listening to music and singing. Some children wore red Santa hats as they huddled together on the small ship. The migrants received clothes and food, as well as medical tests if required, from Red Cross officials "We are talking about lives in danger, of people who need help. And it is really deplorable to have to travel for eight days at sea to take them to a safe port when international rules say to go to the nearest safe port," said Proactiva Open Arms founder Oscar Camps. Proactiva Open Arms operates in the sea between Libya and southern Europe, coming to the aid of migrants who get into difficulties during the crossing from northern Africa. This was the first time since August that Spain has allowed a charity rescue ship to dock and unload migrants in the country. The Open Arms resumed its Mediterranean patrols off the Libyan coast in late November, along with two other boats run by migrant aid groups. The movements of the Open Arms migrant rescue ship before it was finally allowed to dock in Spain It suspended its missions in August, accusing governments -- and hardline Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini by name -- of "criminalising" migrant rescue charities. Salvini has denied the groups access to Italy's ports, accusing them of acting as a "taxi service" for migrants. Malta too has been increasingly unwilling to host rescue vessels. "Your rhetoric and your message will, like everything in this life, end," Camps told Salvini on Twitter earlier. "But you should know that in a few decades your descendants will be ashamed of what you do and say." - Another ship still stranded - A member of Proactiva Open Arms organisation holds a new born baby rescued with her mother The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) meanwhile said Friday it was "concerned" for 32 migrants rescued by German NGO Sea Watch off the coast of Libya on December 22 and called for "their timely disembarkation at a nearby safe port". Sea Watch's ship was on Friday also looking for a boat carrying around 75 migrants which the Italian coastguard said was in distress off Libya, but has so far failed to find it, a spokeswoman from the charity said. The Libyan coastguard refuses to speak to Sea Watch and it was not clear if the migrants have already been rescued or if it was a false alarm, she added. More than 1,300 migrants have perished trying to reach Italy or Malta since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). That makes this stretch of the Mediterranean the most deadly for migrants attempting to cross to Europe. Spain meanwhile has become Europe's main entry point for migrants this year, overtaking Greece and Italy. More than 56,000 migrants have arrived in Spain by sea this year, and 769 have died trying, according to the IOM. Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company (SRC) has established a major sukuk programme with plans to issue up to SR11 billion ($2.93 billion) bonds, a statement said. Proceeds from the sukuk issuance will help SRC fund its business strategy to increase the liquidity in the Saudi Arabian mortgage market in compliance with its mission statement and the pursuit of its objectives, a company statement was quoted as saying by Argaam website. The SAR-denominated sukuk will be issued and offered at different intervals through multiple issuances, the statement said. HSBC Saudi Arabia has been mandated as sole lead manager and book-runner to arrange investor meetings for the sukuk, it said. The court said there was not enough evidence to support accusations that then-president Arroyo conspired with a local politician to rig the 2007 mid-term elections in favour of her allies The last of a series of criminal charges against former Philippine president Gloria Arroyo has been dismissed a court said, capping a remarkable comeback for the controversial former leader and Duterte ally. The Manila court ruling, which was released on Friday, said there was not enough evidence to support accusations that then-president Arroyo had conspired with a local politician to rig the 2007 mid-term elections in favour of her senatorial allies. "For failure of the prosecution to prove the guilt of accused Arroyo beyond reasonable doubt and moral certainty despite ample opportunity... the charge of "Electoral Sabotage" against accused Arroyo is hereby ordered dismissed", the court ruling said. Ferdinand Topacio, Arroyo's lawyer, told ABS-CBN television the ruling was a "vindication". Arroyo, 71, served as president from 2001 to 2010 but her term was tainted by allegations of massive corruption and vote-rigging. She was jailed on the charge of electoral sabotage in 2011 and in 2016 was hit with an additional charge that she stole 366 million pesos ($6.8 million) in state lottery funds meant for charity programmes. Benigno Aquino, a staunch critic of Arroyo, was elected president in 2010 and sought to make his predecessor a high-profile scalp of his anti-corruption campaign. But in 2016, Arroyo was allowed to post bail on the vote-rigging charge and was released later that year after the Supreme Court dismissed the plunder charge against her. Despite the controversies, in 2010 she was elected as a congresswoman, representing her family's home province north of Manila. She still occupies that post, and was sworn in to the influential position of House Speaker in July. Arroyo's change of fortune came after her ally, fiery city mayor Rodrigo Duterte, was elected president in 2016. She has been a supporter of Duterte, whose controversial campaign against illegal drugs has claimed thousands of lives and been widely condemned by human rights groups. Independent National Election Commission (CENI) workers load a truck with voting materials for distribution to polling stations in Bukavu Workers in DR Congo on Friday began preparations for long-awaited elections just two days away as a pre-vote protest called by the country's opposition appeared to fail. In Kinshasa, about 20 black cases said to contain electronic voting machines were brought in under police escort to a polling station in the district of Matonge, an AFP reporter saw. Fears of election-day problems have soared after the electoral commission said a warehouse fire destroyed thousands of voting machines earmarked for the capital. The commission ordered the elections, already twice delayed, to be moved from December 23 to 30 to get more time to prepare. On Wednesday, it declared the vote would be postponed again in violence-hit parts of the country. However, the elections will still go ahead elsewhere and the new president will be sworn in on January 18 as scheduled, the commission said, without further explanation. A polling official and Congolese policemen guard voting machines in Kinshasa The announcement prompted Lamuka, a coalition of parties supporting opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, to call for cities to be brought to a standstill on Friday. While the call had little support across the vast country, there was violence in the eastern province of North Kivu, one of the regions where voting has been postponed. One demonstrator was shot dead in the city of Beni and four were wounded, local sources said. In the province's capital of Goma, youths faced off with police in the rundown district of Majengo. Police there also seized camera equipment from a Congolese journalist working for the BBC. Around 1.25 million people in North Kivu and the southwestern territory of Yumbi are affected by the postponement, out of a national electoral roll of 40 million. The head of the Independent National Election Commission, Corneille Nangaa, met with candidates including Fayulu on Friday and reiterated that the vote would go ahead on Sunday. Another meeting between the candidates and observers will be held on Saturday. - Troubled past - The three candidates, from left: Felix Tshisekedi, head of a veteran UDPS opposition party; Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, Kabila's hand-picked successor; and Martin Fayulu, who has the support of an opposition coalition The presidential election -- the Democratic Republic of Congo's first in seven years -- coincides with voting for municipal and legislative bodies. At stake is the future of a volatile giant that has never had a peaceful transition of power in 58 years as an independent state. It has twice been a battleground for regional wars in the past 22 years and is mired in poverty, despite mineral riches ranging from gold and uranium to copper and cobalt. President Joseph Kabila, 47, is stepping down after nearly 18 years at the helm. He took office in 2001 at the age of just 29, succeeding his president father, Laurent-Desire, who was assassinated by a bodyguard. But his long tenure has been come under heavy fire from human rights watchdogs and anti-corruption monitors. Democratic Republic of Congo Three men are heading a field of 21 candidates in the presidential race. They are Kabila's hand-picked successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, a hardline former interior minister; Fayulu, until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive; and Felix Tshisekedi, head of a veteran UDPS opposition party. But a question mark hangs over whether the vote will be credible. The authorities have permitted some election monitors from fellow African countries but refused any financial or logistical help from the UN or western countries. On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all sides "to continue working together to ensure an environment free of violence so that all eligible voters can cast their ballots peacefully on election day." - Opposition favourites? - Opinion polls say Martin Fayulu is clear favourite to win, provided the elections are 'free and fair,' says Congo expert Jason Stearns If the elections are "free and fair," an opposition candidate will almost certainly win, according to Jason Stearns of the Congo Research Group, based at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University. Opinion polls indicate that Fayulu is the clear favourite, garnering around 44 percent of voting intentions, followed by 24 percent for Tshisekedi and 18 percent for Shadary, he said. However, "the potential for violence is extremely high," Stearns warned. Between 43 and 63 percent of respondents said they would not accept the results if Shadary is declared winner, he said. And between 43 percent and 53 percent said they did not trust DRC's courts to settle any election dispute fairly. Key presidential election candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo The figure of Shadary is at the centre of a diplomatic storm between the DRC and the European Union that erupted into the open on Thursday. Foreign Minister Leonard She Okitundu gave the EU 48 hours to withdraw its representative -- retaliation for sanctions against Shadary and 13 other officials accused of cracking down on dissent. On Friday, EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said "nothing could justify this arbitrary act", adding that it was "totally counterproductive and harms the interests of the population". Syrian Kurds take part in a demonstration in the northeastern Syrian Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli on December 28, 2018 to protest against threats from Turkey to carry out a fresh offensive following the US decision to withdraw their troops Syrian troops deployed in support of Kurdish forces around a strategic northern city on Friday, in a shift of alliances hastened by last week's announcement of a US military withdrawal. Nearly eight years into Syria's deadly conflict, the move marked another key step in President Bashar al-Assad's Russian-backed drive to reassert control over the country. The Syrian army announced that it had raised the flag in Manbij, a strategic city close to the Turkish border where Kurdish forces have been deployed since 2016 and where US-led coalition forces are also stationed. A military spokesman said in a televised announcement that the army would be bent on "crushing terrorism and defeating all invaders and occupiers". Manbij More than 300 government forces deployed in the Manbij area, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Nura al-Hamed, deputy head of the Manbij local authority, told AFP that the regime deployment was the result of Russian-sponsored negotiations. "The regime forces will not enter the city of Manbij itself but will deploy on the demarcation line" with Turkish-backed Syrian groups, she said. Hamed said that US and French coalition forces stationed there remained at their positions and continued to conduct patrols. The US military said the Syrian army had not entered the city itself. "Despite incorrect information about changes to the military forces in Manbij city, (the US-led coalition) has seen no indication of these claims being true," US Central Command spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Earl Brown said. - Kurdish shift - A fighter from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) participates in a demonstration in the northeastern Syrian Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli on December 28, 2018 against threats from Turkey to carry out a fresh offensive The Syrian army's deployment creates a regime buffer arching across northern Syria that fully separates the Turkish army and its proxies from the Kurds. Turkey reacted to the deployment by warning "all sides to stay away from provocative actions" while a large convoy of its Syrian auxiliaries were seen moving closer to the western edge of Manbij later on Friday. US President Donald Trump's shock withdrawal announcement last week left the Kurds in the cold. The People's Protection Units (YPG) have been the backbone of an alliance that has spearheaded the US-backed fight against the Islamic State group in Syria. They are currently battling the last remnants of the jihadists' once sprawling "caliphate" in the country's far east, near the border with Iraq. A US withdrawal will leave them exposed to an assault by Turkey, which has thousands of proxy fighters in northern Syria and wants to crush Kurdish forces it considers terrorists. A Turkish-backed Syrian fighter loads ammunition in the area of Sajour between the northern Syrian towns of Jarablus and Manbij on December 28, 2018 The Kurds welcomed the regime advance, a pragmatic shift in alliances that will dash their aspirations for autonomy but could help them cut their losses. "We invite the Syrian government forces... to assert control over the areas our forces have withdrawn from, particularly in Manbij, and to protect these areas against a Turkish invasion," the YPG said in a statement. After Manbij, the focus is likely to move to Raqa, a mostly Arab city that the Kurds liberated from IS last year and that the regime has vowed to retake. Turkey said Syrian Kurds "don't have the right" to seek regime help but Russia, the main foreign player in Syria since it intervened to rescue Assad in 2015, hailed the latest development. "Of course, this will help in stabilising the situation. The enlargement of the zone under the control of government forces... is without doubt a positive trend," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Peskov said the situation would be discussed on Saturday during a visit to Moscow by the Turkish foreign and defence ministers, to "clarify" the situation and "synchronise actions" between the two countries. This year the regime retook large swathes of territory with the help of Russian firepower, after three years ago controlling less than a third of the country. - Diplomatic drive - The US flag flies over an observation post on the the demarcation line separating pro-Turkish rebels and opposing US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters oustide Manbij on December 26, 2018 The government ousted rebels from their bastions in and around the capital Damascus and flushed out other pockets to reopen key transport and trade routes. With internal opposition in tatters and UN-backed political negotiations stillborn, Assad is now trying to shed his pariah status and looking for funds to rebuild the country. The US pullout from Syria risks opening a highway for other regional players such as Turkey and Iran, a prospect that some of Assad's erstwhile foes are keen to counter. On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates -- a Turkish rival in the region -- reopened its embassy in Damascus, nearly seven years after severing ties and recognising a now defunct opposition umbrella. The United Arab Emirates reopens its embassy in Damascus on December 27, 2018, ending a six-year rupture, the latest in a series of developments building up to the return of President Bashar al-Assad's Syria into the Arab fold The move was the latest in a series of developments building up to the return of Assad's Syria into the Arab fold. Bahrain also announced it would reopen its mission in Damascus and observers expect regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia to confirm that trend in the coming weeks. The Arab League has admitted that the reintegration of Syria, which was suspended from the regional body when it intensified its repression of anti-government protests seven years ago, is on the table. Conflicts have been festering in border areas since independence from Britain 70 years ago, with various armed groups fighting for autonomy, identity, resources and territory Myanmar's army accused rebels on Friday of attacking and killing "some" of its soldiers, the first skirmish acknowledged by the military in the wake of a rare ceasefire with ethnic armed groups. The military announced last week it would suspend "all military movements" in the troubled northern and eastern regions for four months, a move observers say is unprecedented. Halting a simmering decades-long civil war could be a way to coax ethnic armed groups into a fractious peace process, which has been marred by continuous fighting in restive border areas. But the Tatmadaw, the military's Myanmar name, said their soldiers stationed in Shan state were attacked on Thursday by troops from the Shan State Army (SSA) -- also known as the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS). "Some Tatmadaw men were killed and some injured in the attack were sent to the military hospital... for treatment," said a statement Friday from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief. "The Tatmadaw will strongly stand by its...ceasefire declaration and respond in line with the law to the attacks of the SSA." The army also hit out at local news outlets for publishing reports of skirmishes between the Tatmadaw and other armed groups, threatening "action in accordance with the law", said a statement posted Thursday by the military's information team. A spokesman with RCSS's liaison office in Taunggyi, the capital of Shan State, denied the Myanmar army's account. "Our local military commanders said it didn't happen among us," Lieutenant Colonel Sai Oo told AFP. "We have instructed our troops on the ground level already to avoid fighting." Even with the army's declaration of a ceasefire, Myanmar's border regions are subjected to fighting between opposing armed groups. The situation on the ground is "very complicated", said Brigadier General Tarr Phone Kyaw, a spokesman for the Taaung National Liberation Army (TNLA) -- one of the larger ethnic armed groups battling the military in the northeast. While the TNLA is still battling the RCSS, Tarr Phone Kyaw said they are honouring the ceasefire with Myanmar government troops and there has been "no offensive" against them. "We have been instructed to stay in our own area," he told AFP. Conflicts have been festering in border areas since independence from Britain 70 years ago, with various armed groups fighting for autonomy, identity, resources and territory. The peace process has been defacto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's stated priority since her party swept to power in landmark elections in 2015, as the country opened up following half a century of military rule. But she has had no say over security policy, with the military retaining key government posts in a delicate power-sharing arrangement. Russia wants to advance the Astana peace process with a three-way summit with Turkey and Iran on the Syrian conflict early next year Russia said Friday it will host a three-way summit with Turkey and Iran on the Syrian conflict early next year, after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced scepticism about an announced withdrawal of US forces. "It's our turn to host the summit... around the first week of the year. This will depend on the schedules of the presidents" of the three countries, deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov was cited as saying by Interfax news agency. The last meeting between Russia's Vladimir Putin, Iran's Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place in Iran in September. Lavrov refused to comment Friday on the US announcement, saying he was "waiting for actions to follow words." US President Donald Trump has said he will withdraw 2,000 US soldiers deployed in Syria, claiming that the Islamic State jihadists there had been defeated. "The Americans don't always do what they promise, far from it," Lavrov said. "Washington clearly wants to pass on the responsibilities on the ground to its partners in the coalition." A Turkish delegation that includes Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar is due in Moscow on Saturday to discuss the US pullout. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hailed the entry on Friday by Syrian forces into the key northern city of Manbij for the first time in six years after Kurds opened the gates. "Of course, this will help in stabilising the situation. The enlargement of the zone under the control of government forces... is without doubt a positive trend," he said. Kurdish forces who were left exposed by Trump's pledge to withdraw US troops have asked the Syrian regime for help to face a threatened Turkish offensive. Ankara is opposed to Kurdish control of Syrian territory close to its border, saying it helps Kurdish separatists inside Turkey. Peskov said the Turkish ministers' visit to Moscow would serve to "clarify" the situation and "synchronise actions" between the two countries. A three-way summit in January would be the latest step in the Astana peace process -- set up in early 2017 by Russia and Iran, who support President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and opposition backer Turkey. Russia is planning a summit meeting early next year to move the Astana peace process forward in a bid to restore peace in Syria The Astana process was launched after Russia's military intervention in Syria tipped the balance in the Damascus regime's favour. Lavrov said the "ultimate goal" of the Astana process is to "restore peace in Syria, with all ethnic and religious groups at ease and at peace, including the Kurds of course." Syria's Kurds control about 30 percent of the war-battered country, establishing a fragile autonomy in oil-rich areas in the northeast, near the border with Turkey. Some background: - Discrimination - Concentrated in the north, Kurds make up around 15 percent of Syria's population. Most are Sunni Muslims but there are some non-Muslim minorities and many Kurds consider themselves secular. They have suffered decades of marginalisation and oppression by Syria's ruling Baath party and have long pushed for their cultural and political rights. - Neutrality, then autonomy - When Syria's conflict erupted in 2011, the Kurdish population generally adopted a position of neutrality. President Bashar al-Assad at first made conciliatory gestures towards the Kurds, granting citizenship to 300,000 people -- a key demand for half a century. The Kurds had been stripped of their nationality following a controversial census in 1962. In 2012, government forces withdrew from Kurdish-majority areas in the north and east, paving the way for Kurds to consolidate control. They have since established self-rule in many of these zones and have sought to prevent rebels and regime forces from entering those areas. - 'Federal region' - In 2013, the Democratic Union Party (PYD) -- the political branch of the powerful People's Protection Units (YPG) -- announced the establishment of a semi-autonomous region. In 2016, Kurdish authorities unveiled a "federal region" for this territory comprising three cantons: Afrin in Aleppo province, Jazira and Euphrates, which includes parts of Aleppo and Raqa provinces. The initiative looked like de facto autonomy, provoking hostility from Syria's mainstream opposition forces and neighbouring Turkey. At the end of 2016, the Kurds gave themselves a "social contract" -- a kind of constitution for their "federal region". A year later they elected their own municipal councillors. - Anti-jihadists - Kurdish fighters have been among the most effective fighting the Islamic State group in Syria, with air support from a US-led coalition. At the start of 2015, they ousted IS from Kobane on the Turkish border after more than four months of fierce fighting. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish forces and local Arab militiamen, was created in October 2015. Dominated by the Kurdish YPG, it was the main ground force battling the jihadist attempts to set up a "caliphate" in eastern Syria. In October 2017, they ousted IS from its de facto Syrian capital, Raqa. In March 2019, they drove the jihadists from their last Syrian holdout, the village of Baghouz. - Turkish ire - In January 2018, the US-led coalition announced it was working to create in northern Syria a 30,000-strong border force comprised of Kurdish and Arab fighters, around half of whom would be retrained SDF fighters. But Ankara accuses the YPG of being the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has waged a three-decade rebellion in Turkey's southeast. Also in January 2018 Turkey launched an air and ground operation against the YPG-held enclave of Afrin, taking control by mid-March. - Abandoned by Trump - In December 2018, US President Donald Trump announced the approximately 2,000 US soldiers deployed in Syria -- fighting alongside the YPG against IS -- would be withdrawn. In the following days, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent troop reinforcements to the border between Turkey and the Syrian Kurdish regions in preparation for a possible offensive. But the US maintained a troop presence, after pushback in Washington against Trump's declaration. On October 6, 2019, the White House announced that US troops would begin pulling back from the border area, making way for the long-threatened Turkish operation. The retreat began the next day, provoking an angry response by the Kurds and American Republicans, who accused the president of leaving a crucial ally in the fight against IS exposed. Bringing the famous lanterns of Zigong, Sichuan, to the French town of Gaillac has paid off for the local mayor As darkness falls each winter night in the little French town of Gaillac, the glow of dusk is replaced with another -- that of a thousand colourful Chinese silk lanterns. The thousand-year-old town in the southwestern Tarn region, known for its wines, was not the most obvious place to launch what it trumpets as "the biggest Chinese event in France." This year's festival in Gaillac has a "Silk Road" theme But Gaillac happens to be twinned with Zigong, a city in China's Sichuan province which is famous for its lantern festival. For the second winter running Gaillac has transformed into a miniature version of its Sichuan twin, lighting up nightly with a dazzling array of giant lanterns in the form of dragons, flowers, birds and pandas. Among the delighted spectators was a 90-year-old who gave her name as Simone, taking photographs of the imperial palace stretching 75 metres (250 feet) long. Some 250,000 people attended the Gaillac lantern festival last year "I want to show my grandchildren all these wonders from another world," she said. Gaillac's Mayor Patrice Gausserand was on a trip to China in February 2017 when the idea of twinning with a Chinese town was born. "I naturally turned towards Sichuan province, which is twinned with our Occitanie region," Gausserand said. "And that's how I found Zigong." An 80-strong Chinese staff fly into France to set up the festival's lanterns Bringing the famous lanterns to Gaillac was "a mad gamble", he said. Zigong's own festival, in February, has been running for centuries and attracts millions of visitors each year. In Gaillac, a town of 18,000, Gausserand had to find private sponsors to cover the costs, and he wasn't even sure if people would come. Local hotels, shops and restaurants get a welcome boost from the Gaillac lantern festival But 250,000 people attended last year's inaugural edition -- an "enormous surprise" to town authorities which brought a windfall of one million euros ($1.15 million). - China-mania - This year the mayor expects even more to flood in -- by December 15, the town had already sold three times as many tickets than at the same time in 2017. Gaillac's lantern festival runs from December 1 until February 6 "The festival creates a strong bond between town staff, volunteers and about 80 Chinese workers who come to Gaillac for two months to put up the lanterns," he said. Shop windows, hairdressers, bars and residents' balconies all have red lanterns and dragons on display at a time of year when most French stores sport Christmas decorations. Chinese fever has also reached the bookshop, which has filled its window with fiction, graphic novels and tourist guides on China. The festival is in a park but China-fever has swept the whole town of Gaillac Extra footfall from the festival, which runs from December 1 until February 6, is a huge boost for local hotels, restaurants and shops. For Marion Duclot, a senior official in the Gaillac Graulhet local authority, the visitors are especially welcome in a season when the regional economy is "usually flat". And local landlords are celebrating too -- the Tarn villa rental association is delighted by a doubling in winter bookings over the past two years. India will send a three-member team into space for up to a week when it launches its first manned mission expected in 2022, the government announced India will send a three-member team into orbit for up to a week when it launches its first manned space mission expected in 2022, the government announced Friday. Indian ministers approved $1.4 billion to provide technology and infrastructure for the programme, according to a government statement. The sum would make India's one of the cheapest manned space programmes, stepping up its space rivalry with China. But the statement said India also hopes to take part in "global" space projects. India will become the fourth nation after Russia, the United States and China to send a manned mission into space. Ministers approved financing to launch an Indian-developed craft into a "low earth orbit" for a duration ranging from one orbital period to a maximum of seven days, the statement said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in August that India will launch a manned space flight by 2022 with at least one astronaut. The cabinet had not approved the project however. There will be two unmanned and one manned flights to launch the Gaganyaan (Sky-Vehicle) Programme, the statement said. Without giving a date for the blast off, the government said the manned flight would be "within 40 months" of Friday's meeting. Modi has hailed the national space programme as a prestige project. The government has stated that space flights will boost the economy, generate jobs and enhance capabilities in areas such as medicine, agriculture and fighting pollution. A successful manned mission would allow India to become a "collaborating partner in future global space exploration initiatives with long term national benefits," said the statement. The country has invested heavily in its space programme in the past decade. The Indian Space Research Organisation announced in July that it planned to send an unmanned mission to the moon in 2019. India launched an orbiter to Mars in 2013 which is still operational and last year launched a record 104 satellites in one blast-off. New Delhi is competing with other international players for a greater share of the satellite market, and hopes its low-cost space programme will give it an edge. China put its first humans into space in 2003 but its Shenzhou programme cost more than $2.3 billion. Experts say the United States spent the equivalent of about $110 billion at current values on preparatory flights and the mission to put the first man on the moon in 1969. Netanyahu was to meet Bolsonaro for lunch in Rio on Friday on what was the first-ever visit to Brazil by an Israeli prime minister Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed what he said would be a "new era" in ties with "great power" Brazil ahead of meeting Friday with the Latin America's country's incoming far-right leader, Jair Bolsonaro. Netanyahu also stressed that he would press Bolsonaro on an announcement -- since walked back -- that Brazil would follow the United States in moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. "The president-elect (Bolsonaro) announced he would (transfer the embassy). You can be certain I will speak with him about that in our first meeting," Netanyahu, speaking Hebrew, told reporters on his flight before it landed in Rio de Janeiro. Netanyahu was to meet Bolsonaro for lunch in Rio on Friday on what was the first-ever visit to Brazil by an Israeli prime minister. An embassy transfer could put at risk lucrative Brazilian poultry and halal meat exports to Arab countries He will be one of the most prominent leaders attending Bolsonaro's swearing-in on Tuesday in the capital Brasilia. Other VIPs who will be there include Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Bolsonaro and his team have excluded the leaders of leftwing-ruled nations Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua from the inauguration. - Meeting Pompeo - Netanyahu was making the Brazil trip despite domestic political turmoil in Israel and a spike in military volatility in neighboring Syria. Pompeo and Netanyahu are to discuss Syria while in Brasilia, an Israeli official and the US State Department said. US allies including Israel were caught by surprise by President Donald Trump's abrupt announcement last week that he was pulling US troops out of Syria, where Israel's arch-foe Iran has built up a significant military and political presence. Israel has made several aerial strikes in Syria against positions held by Iran and its Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Israeli and Brazilian flags hang outside the building housing the offices of the Brazilian Embassy, in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv Domestically, Netanyahu is maneuvering to extend his reign in Israel despite a slew of corruption allegations. On Wednesday, Israel's parliament approved a government decision to call early elections for April 9. Both Netanyahu and Bolsonaro admire Trump, and are keen to forge closer relations between their countries. Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton said the US president and Bolsonaro were "like-minded" individuals. Netanyahu said Bolsonaro represented a "big change" for Brazil, which for decades had center-left and center-right governments that aligned with international consensus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the status of Jerusalem. In 2010 the country recognized a Palestinian state. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians see eastern Jerusalem as the capital of its future state. - Embassy decision - After his October election, Bolsonaro reaffirmed an election promise to move his country's embassy to Jerusalem, earning praise at the time from Netanyahu, who called it a "historic" announcement. But Bolsonaro later backtracked by saying "it hasn't been decided yet." An embassy transfer could put at risk lucrative Brazilian poultry and halal meat exports to Arab countries. Flying in to see Bolsonaro and raise the embassy issue, Netanyahu was laudatory. Palestinians demonstrate against the Brazilian President-elect potential decision to move Brazil's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, outside the Brazilian Representative Office in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank Brazil, he said, "is an immense country with enormous potential for Israel from an economic, security and diplomatic point of view." He added: "We are happy to be able to start a new era between Israel and a great power called Brazil." His visit includes a day off on Saturday to observe Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. Netanyahu is to fly back to Israel early on January 2, an Israeli official said. The Israeli prime minister also serves as his country's foreign minister. Last year he visited Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. Kamal Hossain, Bangladesh's first law minister following independence from Pakistan, alleges that there has been "overwhelming violence" against members of the opposition coalition For Kamal Hossain -- the Oxford-educated architect of Bangladesh's constitution -- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is an autocrat who has betrayed the legacy of her independence hero father. The 82-year-old former friend of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman heads an alliance opposing Hasina's bid for a historic fourth term in a general election Sunday. Hossain accuses Hasina's Awami League party of trampling over Bangladesh's hard-won democratic freedoms by locking up and attacking opposition activists in a bid to rig the poll. While the prime minister denies wrongdoing, she has a growing number of critics at home and abroad. "It is really tragic that we are are having to witness this in the 47th year of independence," Hossain told AFP in an interview at his Dhaka home. "Those who are in government know that in any fair election they would lose hands down. That's the sad thing," he added. Hossain, a lawyer, was Bangladesh's first law minister following independence from Pakistan in 1971 and headed the committee that drew up a constitution the following year. He alleges that there has been "overwhelming violence" against members of the opposition coalition led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). - 'Systemic violence' - International observers back claims that government opponents are being targeted, with Human Rights Watch saying that the election was being conducted in a "repressive political environment". Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set for a comfortable win, according to an opinion poll, securing her a third-consecutive term and extending her record as the country's longest serving ruler "We've had violence in elections (before) but this time it is systemic and continual violence," said Hossain. "I never knew you could have so many goons who could be organised and deployed all across the country," he added. The BNP and its Islamist ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, say that around 13,000 of their supporters have been detained since the election timetable was announced on November 8. The BNP, whose leader Khaleda Zia is serving 17 years in jail on graft charges, says eight of its supporters have been killed by Awami League activists during the election campaign. According to police three Awami League supporters have died. Supporters of the Bangladesh Awami League have campaigned across the country ahead of the elections US ambassador Earl Miller said "the United States is concerned by the high level of campaign violence over the last two weeks," while the United Nations has appealed for calm. Hasina is set for a comfortable win, according to an opinion poll, securing her a third-consecutive term and extending her record as the country's longest serving ruler. The Awami League leader won a landslide victory in 2008 and the BNP boycotted the 2014 election, saying it was not free and fair, gifting her a return to power. Now civil society and rights groups accuse Hasina's government of silencing dissent by muzzling the press and jailing journalists. - 'Autocrat' - Hundreds of people have become victims of enforced disappearances blamed on security forces, according to civil rights groups while the BNP claims Zia's imprisonment is politically motivated. Hasina denies a descent into authoritarianism but Hossain insists she has become an "autocrat" and says he finds it "very, very painful" since he helped her return to Bangladesh following her father's assassination in 1975. Hossain, who walks with the aid of a stick, insists that as an octogenarian he has no intentions of trying to become president after the election Rahman was the founding father of Bangladesh and also served as prime minister, gaining the nickname Bangabandhu, meaning "Friend of Bengal". He was killed, along with most of his family, in a military coup. Hossain was close to Rahman and Hasina, until they fell out politically in the 1990s. Hossain says Hasina has betrayed her father's legacy "with a capital B" and that he wants to restore democracy and Bangladesh's institutions. "Is she really Bangabandhu's (Rahman's) daughter? It has gone to that level. "We are the victims of someone who has no commitment to democracy," he told AFP. Hossain, who walks with the aid of a stick, insists that as an octogenarian he has no intentions of trying to become president after the election. He believes that senior politicians must bring through the next generation because once a leader is viewed as irreplaceable "it's the beginning of the end". "I have said I will be around to help, advise and assist but you must get people in their 50s so that you can nurture leadership for the next 20 years," he said. Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development has signed an agreement with the Tunisian government authorities for key infrastructure develpment projects in the capital Tunis, said a report. As per the deal, the Kuwait Fund will provide a loan of KD30 million ($98.4 million) to help finance the Rehabilitation of Rullar Roads Project which involves rehabilitation and asphalting of about 912 km of rural roads, reported Arab Times. It is the 37th loan provided by the Kuwait Fund to the Republic of Tunisia taking the total loan amount to about KD223 million ($731 million). The project aims at contributing to support social and economic development of the Republic of Tunisia, and in particular to improve agricultural productions and enhancing the living standards of the farmers in the project areas besides alleviating the migration rates from villages to towns, by improving and rehabilitation of a total of 148 rural roads running about 912 km long in 22 governorates of the country, said the report. The project aims also to reduce the production costs, saving time and providing easy access to local markets, it added. Ibrahim al-Assaf, the new Saudi foreign minister, speaks to AFP at his residence in the Saudi capital Riyadh, on December 28, 2018 Saudi Arabia's new foreign minister voiced defiance Friday in the face of international outrage over critic Jamal Khashoggi's murder, rejecting the kingdom was in crisis and his predecessor was demoted. "The issue of Jamal Khashoggi... really saddened us, all of us," Ibrahim al-Assaf told AFP, a day after he was appointed foreign minister in a government reshuffle. "But all in all, we are not going through a crisis, we are going through a transformation," he added, referring to social and economic reforms spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The prince, heir to the Saudi throne, has faced intense international scrutiny over the October 2 murder of journalist Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate -- which critics say has left the oil-rich Gulf nation diplomatically weakened. Assaf, a former finance minister who was detained last year in what Riyadh said was an anti-corruption sweep, replaced Adel al-Jubeir as foreign minister in the sweeping government shake-up ordered by King Salman. Jubeir, who sought to defend the tainted government internationally after Khashoggi's murder, was appointed minister of state for foreign affairs, which was widely seen as a demotion. "This is far from the truth," Assaf said. "Adel represented Saudi Arabia and will continue to represent Saudi Arabia... around the world. We complement each other." Tesla tapped Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Walgreens Boots Alliance Executive Vice President Kathleen Wilson-Thompson for its board of directors Tesla named two more independent directors on Friday and said it completed the requirements of a US settlement of fraud charges involving Chief Executive Elon Musk. The electric car company tapped Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Walgreens Boots Alliance Executive Vice President Kathleen Wilson-Thompson for its board of directors, an element of the September agreement between Musk and the US Securities and Exchange Commission that resolved charges that Musk defrauded investors by claiming on Twitter that he had secured funding to take Tesla private. "Tesla intends to certify to the Commission that it and Elon have timely completed each of their respective actions required pursuant to the Settlement," the company said in a securities filing. The appointments come at the end of a rollercoaster year for Tesla and its flamboyant leader, whose head-turning conduct included appearing to smoke marijuana in a media appearance and a public battle with a rescuer who helped save a group of boys trapped in a cave in Thailand, whom he termed a "pedo guy." Despite it all, Tesla has met key deadlines in ramping up production of its critical Model 3, reporting strong earnings in its most recent quarter. In addition to Friday's appointments, Musk's settlement with the SEC included stepping down as chairman for three years and fines of $20 million each from Musk and Tesla. But Musk has continued to taunt the US agency, most recently in an interview broadcast earlier this month with network news program "60 Minutes." "I want to be clear. I do not respect the SEC -- I do not respect them" Musk said. Richard Overton (C), America's oldest man, seen here at a Veteran's Day ceremony in Arlington, Virginia, in 2013, has died at the age of 112 Richard Overton, a World War II veteran who was America's oldest man, has died at the age of 112. Overton, who lived in Austin, Texas, died on Thursday at a rehabilitation home, his cousin, Volma Overton Jr, told the Austin-American Statesman. He had been hospitalized earlier this month with pneumonia, the newspaper said. Overton's longevity and his status as the oldest living American veteran of World War II made him a celebrity of sorts over the past few years. In 2013, he visited Washington and met with president Barack Obama at the White House. The street where he lived in Austin was renamed "Richard Overton Avenue" on his 111th birthday. Overton was born on May 11, 1906 in Texas. He served in the US Army in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945. After returning home, Overton worked in furniture stores and for the office of the state treasurer. Overton spent his later years sitting on his porch smoking cigars and sipping coffee or Coca-Cola with a dash of whiskey, the Statesman said. He was married twice but had no children. According to the Gerontology Research Group, the oldest living man in the world is 113-year-old Masazou Nonaka of Japan. Israeli writer Amos Oz pictured on April 23, 2010 in Budapest Renowned Israeli writer Amos Oz, a passionate peace advocate whose stirring memoir "A Tale of Love and Darkness" became a worldwide bestseller, died on Friday aged 79, his daughter said. Fania Oz-Salzberger said on Twitter that her father had died and offered thanks to "those who loved him". "My beloved father, Amos Oz, a wonderful family man, an author, a man of peace and moderation, died today peacefully after a short battle with cancer," she wrote. Tributes poured in for Oz, including from Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon, who called his death "a loss for us all and for the world". While Oz's writing is widely acclaimed, he is perhaps equally known as one of the earliest and most forceful critics of Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands captured in the Six-Day War of 1967. In recent years, Oz spoke out against the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shunning official Israeli functions abroad in protest at what he called the "growing extremism" of his country's government. Netanyahu on Friday celebrated Oz as "among the greatest writers from the state of Israel". "Despite our diverging views on numerous issues, I have deeply appreciated his contribution to the Hebrew language and the revival of Hebrew literature," the premier said in a statement released by his office. Oz was described as a "literary great" by Israel's President Reuven Rivlin. "A tale of love and light and henceforth, great darkness," he wrote on Twitter. Displaced Syrians walk through a flooded camp near Qah in the northeastern Idlib province on December 27, 2018 Torrential rains have washed away hundreds of tents in camps sheltering displaced Syrians in the north of the war-wracked country, aid groups have said, as residents pleaded for help. "On December 26... hundreds of tents were washed away in Atme, Dana, Sarmada and Qah in the northern countryside of Idlib," the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations said in a statement Thursday. "Many shelters, food and water stocks were ruined by flooding," it said. In the Omar camp in the town of Atme near the Turkish border, two days of heavy rains flooded flimsy plastic tents and turned nearby fields into pools of mud, said an AFP correspondent, who toured the area on Thursday. Displaced Syrians stand in puddles of water at the Deir al-Ballut refugee camp in Afrin's countryside, after heavy rains bring floods. Residents of the makeshift homes said the deluge destroyed their few belongings, including bedding, leaving them with nothing as temperatures plunged below zero. "My tent has been flooded and the waters have carried away the mattresses and the carpets we used to sleep on," said Umm Adi, a widow and mother of four, who had sought refuge from the seven-year conflict in Omar camp. "Even the spoons and the food are gone," she told AFP. "Everything was lost in the floods. We have nothing left." Tens of thousands of displaced Syrians in the north of the country depend on handouts from humanitarian aid groups, including food, blankets and heating fuel, to survive the cold winter climate. Displaced Syrians try to reroute flood water away from the Deir al-Ballut refugee camp in the northern Afrin region on December 27, 2018 after heavy rainfall Since 2011, Syria's war has killed more than 360,00 people and caused more than half the country's population to flee their homes. Firas al-Modhi, 18, who fled the town of Halfaya in the central Hama province, also saw his family's tent in Omar camp destroyed by the downpour. "The rain and the water submerged our tent. Everything is wet. We don't have a blanket left," he said. With temperatures of zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) there was little to help him and his family stay warm, he said. "We appeal to aid groups to help us," the young man said. The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations, a France-based coalition of non-governmental organisations, also urged the international community and aid agencies "to release emergency funding" for those stricken by the floods. "People living in camps in northern Syria are facing difficult humanitarian conditions... The displaced people are humbly asking for help," it said in its statement. It said rescuers were trying to assess the needs of the displaced and provide those affected by the bad weather with food aid. Displaced Syrians in the north whose camps have been flooded are in need of "adequate shelter, heating, clothing, water and food," it added. Israeli author Amos Oz pictured on March 14, 2013 in Leipzig, Germany Amos Oz, who died of cancer Friday aged 79, was a celebrated Israeli novelist and passionate peace advocate whose stirring memoir "A Tale of Love and Darkness" became a worldwide bestseller. His daughter Fania Oz-Salzberger confirmed his death on Twitter, calling him "a wonderful family man, an author, a man of peace and moderation", as tributes began to pour in. While his writing is widely acclaimed, he was perhaps equally known as one of the earliest and most forceful critics of Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands captured in the Six-Day War of 1967. In recent years, Oz spoke out against the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, shunning official Israeli functions abroad in protest at what he has called the "growing extremism" of his government. Many viewed him as a conscience of the nation, although he was repeatedly the target of criticism from Israel's far right. But while he was a consistent advocate of the creation of a Palestinian state, Oz also took a hard line against those sworn to Israel's destruction and condemned every variety of religious fanaticism. He had little time for Western analysts who "assume that the Israelis and the Palestinians need to get to know each other better" to resolve the Middle East conflict. Israeli writer Amos Oz in Budapest on April 23, 2010 "It must be resolved through a painful compromise, and not through having coffee together," he told the Paris Review in a 1996 interview. "Rivers of coffee drunk together cannot extinguish the tragedy of two peoples regarding the same little country as their own and only homeland. We need to divide it. We need to work out a mutually acceptable compromise." - From kibbutz to fame - Oz was born Amos Klausner in Jerusalem in 1939, the only child of parents who emigrated from Russia and Poland to help establish a homeland for the Jews. His austere childhood in the final years of British-mandate Palestine -- haunted by the Holocaust and the threat of war for the land claimed by two peoples -- would serve as a major theme of his literary works. So would the suicide of his mother when he was 12, the topic of his heart-wrenching memoir "A Tale of Love and Darkness", which has sold more than a million copies and was adapted into a film by Hollywood actress Natalie Portman. Seeking a break from his life in Jerusalem, he moved to a kibbutz collective farm at the age of 15 and changed his last name to Oz, Hebrew for strength and bravery. It was while living on the kibbutz, where he would remain on and off for the next 25 years, that Oz emerged as a writer, focusing on daily life and family tribulations. "My work is the comedy of unhappy families, not tragedy," he has said. Amos Oz picks olives with Palestinian women in the West Bank village of Aqraba on 30 October 2002 His early works, many of which were published in Hebrew by the Israeli Labour Party's publishing house, included "Where the Jackals Howl" (1965) and "My Michael" (1968). Other works of fiction include "Black Box" in 1987, while "A Tale of Love and Darkness", the autobiographical story that portrayed three generations of Jewish life in Jerusalem, was published in 2002. His novel "Judas", published in Hebrew in 2014, was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize following its English translation. Oz has received numerous awards for his work, including the Israel Prize for Literature in 1998 and Germany's Goethe Prize in 2005, but the Nobel Prize in Literature eluded him despite widespread speculation he would win the prestigious accolade. Like many Israelis, Oz served several stints in the military, including in a Sinai tank unit during the Six-Day War of 1967 and during the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. He was an early critic of Israel's occupation of the territories it captured in the 1967 war -- the West Bank, including east Jerusalem, from Jordan; the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt; and the Golan Heights from Syria. As virtually all Israelis hailed their country's military triumph, Oz wrote to a local newspaper that holding on to the territories would exact an unbearable moral toll, saying that "even unavoidable occupation is a corrupting occupation". - 'Always a bit funny' - In 1978, Oz co-founded Peace Now, Israel's premier anti-settlement peace movement, and in the 1990s left Labour to join the more left-leaning Meretz party. Israeli writer Amos Oz answers questions during a press conference in Budapest on April 23, 2010 In 2006, he surprised many when he came out in support of that summer's war, in which Israel invaded Lebanon after that country's Shiite Hezbollah militia seized two soldiers in a deadly cross-border raid. "This time, the battle is not over Israeli expansion and colonisation. There is no Lebanese territory occupied by Israel. There are no territorial claims from either side," he wrote in an editorial a week into the war. His political views often overshadowed the humour and imagination of his writing, which has served as an antidote to the frequently bitter and uncompromising discourse of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "I have never once in my life seen a fanatic with a sense of humour, nor have I ever seen a person with a sense of humour become a fanatic, unless he or she has lost that sense of humour," Oz wrote. US President Donald Trump sees a strong ally in right-wing Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro Brazil's incoming right-wing leader Jair Bolsonaro will visit Washington early next year as he finds common ground with President Donald Trump, a US official said Friday. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to attend Bolsonaro's New Year's Day inauguration in Brasilia and will discuss Trump's invitation to Washington, the official said. "We look forward to what will hopefully be his first official visit early in the year ahead," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity. The Trump administration sees a strong ally in Bolsonaro, who is following the lead of the United States in moving Brazil's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and has been critical of international efforts to fight climate change. The US official noted that both Bolsonaro and Pompeo have warned of risks to Latin America from rising investment by China, whose financing of projects has turned into debt traps. "It's not always the case that when China shows up it is with good intention for the people they are showing up to ostensibly support," the official said. Bolsonaro, like Trump, has provoked outrage over the years with brash, swaggering statements, including telling a female lawmaker she was "not worth raping" and voicing nostalgia for the former military dictatorship's use of torture. The US official acknowledged "there has been some concern about older statements" but said Bolsonaro since the election has taken a "very strident and very forceful" approach to human rights in the region. "The president-elect has been very forward-leaning on Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua in his defense of the human rights and the freedoms and democracy for the people in those countries," she said. Pompeo heads after Brazil to Colombia, where he will speak with President Ivan Duque about taking a firm line against Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro. Some critics question whether the stock market's recent swoon has been exacerbated by automated trading The recent tumult in financial markets has shined a light on the rising role of automated trading on Wall Street and whether it is exacerbating volatility. Since the 2008 financial crisis, investors have increasingly turned to computerized trading systems that have been programmed to render quickfire "buy" and "sell" orders based on economic data, utterances of central bankers or complex artificial intelligence software that employ algorithms. Though set up by humans, these trades are based on a snap assessment that lacks the subtle discernment of the human eye. Whenever an unexpected lurch on Wall Street slams investors, fingers are pointed at such systems that increasingly dominate trading. Critics have questioned whether the market's recent swoon -- which could result in the worst December since the Great Depression -- is due to a liquidity drain and other unanticipated effects of the computerization of trading, rather than fundamental economic factors at a time when US unemployment is low and economic growth is solid. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, in a recent interview with Bloomberg, blamed the uptick in volatility on the surge in high-frequency trading, a type of automated trading. Trading from quantitative hedge funds relying on computer models now accounts for 28.7 percent of overall volumes in the United States, according to the Tabb Group consultancy. That is more than twice the share from five years ago and, since 2017, above the percentage held by individual investors. JPMorgan Chase analyst Marko Kolanovic has estimated that only about one-third of the assets in the stock market are actively managed and that only 10 percent of the daily trading volume is the result of specific deliberation. But while the rise of automated trading is undeniable, it is less clear that it is responsible for increased market turmoil. Traders have had a nervous December, which could be Wall Street's worst since the Great Depression Tabb Group Founder Larry Tabb said most electronic trading firms employ algorithms that identify and take advantage of price discrepancies between the price of a given security and what it fetches elsewhere. "They are looking to buy the cheap ones," Tabb said, adding, "most models actually dampen volatility rather than enhance volatility." - 'Flash Crash' - At the same time, Tabb concedes that the proliferation of exchanges where stocks are bought and sold can result in limited liquidity on platforms. That can make markets vulnerable to a "flash crash," although this possibility was mitigated with circuit breakers instituted after 2010. The system of automated trading is "all about supply and demand like it's always been," Tabb said. "It's just a supply and demand at a quicker pace." Another oft-cited risk is the tendency for computers to behave with "herd"-like behavior because they are engineered in a similar fashion. "Because of the design similarities, they tend to buy and sell futures at similar price levels," said Peter Hahn, co-founder of Bridgeton Research Group. "When they are hitting 'sell' stop-loss levels at similar times they can add significant price pressure at the beginning of down-trends," said Hahn, adding that the impact is more muted when trades are triggered by fundamental factors, such as an economic indicator. Kolanovic warned that the shift away from active investment could pinch the market's ability to "prevent and recover from large drawdowns." "The $2 trillion rotation from active and value to passive and momentum strategies since the last crisis eliminated a large pool of assets that would be standing ready to buy cheap public securities and backstop a market disruption," Kolanovic said. Authorities in Cape Town have criticised a private security company that allegedly ordered black beachgoers to leave a fashionable South African beach over the Christmas holiday. The city's mayor and a senior municipal official dismissed claims by the PPA security firm that it was working for the city authorities when patrolling the beach at Clifton, an upmarket coastal suburb. Beaches, like many public areas, were segregated under white-minority apartheid rule, and have since been a flashpoint of racial tension in South Africa. Beachgoers were told to leave Clifton beach by PPA guards last Sunday, two days before Christmas. "The city has at no stage given any authority to PPA to enforce by-laws," Cape Town's director for safety and security Richard Bosman said in a statement on Thursday. "The city has acted swiftly to address the conduct of PPA staff." On Friday Cape Town mayor Dan Plato reiterated that the security company "had no authority to ask anyone to leave Clifton beach", but added that "they asked people of all races to leave, and did not single out any race groups". But local activist Chumani Maxwele alleged that the guards had targeted black people on the beach, which attracts huge crowds over the holiday season. "These private security guards are hired by the Clifton (residents), they are actually briefed to not allow black people who appear to look like they are from the townships or criminals onto the beach," he told the News 24 website. - 'Barbaric and racist' - National government has weighed-in in the row, with Environmental Affairs minister, Nomvula Mokonyane saying on Friday that the "alleged interference and racial profiling of beachgoers by private security firms" is "unconstitutional and illegal". "South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and no spaces are for the exclusive use of any citizens based on their race, gender or creed," said Mokonyane in a statement. A lawmaker Phillemon Mapulane who heads a parliamentary committee on environmental affairs, condemned the ejection of beachgoers as "barbaric and racist". PPA chief executive Alwyn Landman said that the company's guards did not close the beach, but acted to protect local residents after alleged criminal activity caused "mayhem". The city has launched an investigation and urged persons who may have felt threatened or intimated by the security guards to call its emergency hotline or report to the police. Early Friday evening some protesters started gathering at the beach for a vigil. In 2016, South African estate agent Penny Sparrow likened black beach-goers to monkeys in a social media post, triggering widespread outrage. She was fined 150,000 rand ($10,500, 9,050 euros). In September, South African tourist Adam Catzavelos ignited another storm of protest after he used a racial slur in a phone video message from Greece, boasting that the beach had no black people on it. Ibrahim al-Assaf, the new Saudi foreign minister, denied the kingdom was in crisis and that his predecessor had been demoted, speaking to AFP at his residence in the Saudi capital Riyadh Saudi Arabia's new foreign minister struck a note of defiance Friday in the face of international outrage over critic Jamal Khashoggi's murder, denying the kingdom was in crisis and that his predecessor had been demoted. Ibrahim al-Assaf, a former veteran finance minister who was briefly detained last year in what Riyadh said was an anti-corruption sweep, replaced Adel al-Jubeir as foreign minister in a major government shake-up on Thursday ordered by King Salman. The surprise reshuffle was seen partly as an attempt to elevate the kingdom's marginalised old guard, adding a veneer of checks and balances to the policy decisions of 33-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who faces intense global scrutiny over the October 2 murder of journalist Khashoggi. But speaking to AFP in his first interview since his appointment, Assaf insisted the restructuring was motivated not by the Khashoggi affair, but the need to make the government machinery more efficient. "The issue of Jamal Khashoggi... really saddened us, all of us," Assaf told AFP at his residence in Riyadh, adorned with mahogany furniture, a wall-mounted elephant tusk and other hunting trophies. "But all in all, we are not going through a crisis, we are going through a transformation," he added, referring to social and economic reforms spearheaded by the crown prince. - Combative foreign policy - Assaf, 69, inherits the ministry after a series of combative foreign policy moves by the crown prince, who along with regional allies imposed a blockade on neighbouring Qatar, launched a military campaign in Yemen and engaged in a bitter diplomatic row with Canada. Topping it all, Khashoggi's murder in Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate by what it calls "rogue" agents is testing relations with key ally Washington, particularly after a US Senate resolution recently held Prince Mohammed responsible for the killing. When asked whether his biggest foreign policy challenge was to repair the kingdom's tarnished reputation, Assaf replied: "I wouldn't say 'repair' because the relationship between my country and a vast majority of countries in the world is in excellent shape." Before him, Jubeir also sought to vigorously defend the government and the crown prince, widely known as MBS, on the international stage over Khashoggi's murder. In Thursday's reshuffle, Jubeir was appointed minister of state for foreign affairs, fuelling speculation that he had been demoted after he failed to quell global criticism over Khashoggi. "This is far from the truth," Assaf said. Jubeir's new role, he insisted, was tantamount to a division of labour and not a demotion, in a bid to accelerate the task of remaking a ministry known to be overly bureaucratic. "Adel represented Saudi Arabia and will continue to represent Saudi Arabia... around the world," Assaf said. "We complement each other." Jubeir was not immediately reachable for comment. - 'Checks and balances' - A seasoned bureaucrat, Assaf was briefly held in Riyadh's Ritz-Carlton hotel last year along with hundreds of elite princes and businessmen, in what the government called a crackdown on corruption. Saudi officials say he was released after being cleared of any wrongdoing, and he subsequently led a government delegation to the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. His reappointment to a cabinet role indicates the government is seeking to slowly "rehabilitate" the experienced old guard, widely seen to be sidelined by the young prince, observers say. "King Salman is seeking to bolster his son by appointing seasoned technocrats like Assaf who are not from MBS's inner circle, indirectly reinstating an internal system of checks and balances that was swept away in (MBS's) drive to consolidate power," said Becca Wasser. "Adding experienced government hands from an older generation, will serve to check some of MBS's impulses," the policy analyst at the US-based RAND Corporation told AFP. The elevation of seasoned allies in Thursday's reshuffle has bolstered the authority of Prince Mohammed after the removal of younger aides in his inner circle implicated in Khashoggi's murder, including former royal court advisor Saud al-Qahtani. Assaf, who is on the boards of state oil giant Aramco and the vast Public Investment Fund, said his appointment as the top diplomat would help bring his financial experience to foreign affairs amid a current "dip" in the economy. The top crude exporter, facing a sharp fall in oil prices, is scrambling to restore confidence in foreign investors rattled by a series of what many see as rash foreign policy decisions. "Economic relationships now dominate foreign" affairs, Assaf said. Following positive response and an impressive line up of speakers confirmed for the Internet of Things 2019, key stakeholders from the region have confirmed their presence at the Armani Hotel Dubai from February 20 to 21, 2019, for the sixth edition of the cross-industry C level conference aimed at decision makers in both the private- and public sector. The IoT Middle East 2019 focuses on the business aspects of the digital transformation sweeping across industries, changing business models and opening up new services and markets for both traditional players and disruptive new entrants. Being the non-technical platform of the topic has generated a sold-out event every year and the event expects 400 attendees in 2019. The speakers include forward-thinking world-class leaders mixed with local experts sharing insight on business, technology and organisational transformation needed to leverage new business. Executives from Smart Dubai, Careem, PwC, Digital McKinsey, du, Arsenal FC, Samsung, SAP, Dimension Data, DLAPiper, Alibaba and many more will attend and speakers will highlight novel utilisation of technologies designed to shape the foundation of the future success stories. According to Johan Ehrstrom, CEO of IoT Middle East 2019, The Internet of Things 2019 is an ideal platform to discuss the business relevance of technology with professional peers across multiple industries and multiple verticals, through case studies, objective insights, real-world scenarios, networking and the newly introduced workshops scheduled for day two of the conference. Today IoT starts to be wonderfully complex and appealing to many with AI and blockchain empowering it. IoT, per se, has the rare opportunity of increasing company revenue while reducing costs at the same. The agenda is hence built to give participants the most objective and accurate predictions on the topic, highlighting how to generate business out of Internet of Things and manoeuvre in the IoT landscape for greater profits, added Ehrstrom. Participants can register on the IoT Dubai website. Early registration is open for $795 compared to the normal $1,595 closer to the event. - TradeArabia News Service US National Security Advisor John Bolton, pictured at the White House in November 2018, said he would head to Turkey and Israel in January US national security advisor John Bolton said Friday he would visit Turkey and Israel to coordinate on Syria, after President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw all US forces. Bolton said he would head in January to both Turkey -- which has enthusiastically backed Trump's sudden move -- as well as Israel, a close US ally where the pullout has caused concern. "We will discuss our continued work confronting security challenges facing allies and partners in the region, including the next phase of the fight against ISIS, as the US begins to bring troops home from Syria," Bolton tweeted. Trump last week unexpectedly said he was pulling all 2,000 troops from Syria, declaring that the United States had achieved its objective as the Islamic State extremist movement had been "knocked" out. Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has lost nearly all of its territory, although thousands of its jihadists are thought to remain in war-battered Syria. The United States, meanwhile, robustly defended Israel's right to strike inside Syria after criticism from Russia, which backs President Bashar al-Assad and will see its clout grow with the US pullout. Moscow condemned Israel's alleged Tuesday missile strikes near Damascus, the latest of hundreds of raids Israel says are aimed at Iranian forces and their Hezbollah allies. "The United States fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against the Iranian regime's aggressive adventurism, and we will continue to ensure that Israel has the military capacity to do so decisively," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement. "The commitment of the Trump administration and the American people to ensuring Israel's security is both enduring and unshakable," he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been delighted by Trump's hard line on Iran and landmark move of the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, but the pullout from Syria has caused unease concern in the Jewish state. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to meet next week in Brazil with Netanyahu in the wake of the Syria pullout decision, which triggered the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. A Palestinian protester prepares to throw back a tear gas canister during demonstrations and clashes with Israeli forces at near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel on December 28, 2018 A Palestinian man was killed Friday by Israeli fire during protests and clashes near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, the health ministry in the coastal enclave said. Karam Fayyad, 26, was killed east of the Gaza city of Khan Yunis, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told AFP. Eight other Palestinians were wounded by live fire during clashes with Israeli soldiers along the border, Qudra added. Around 5,000 Palestinians demonstrated on Friday along various parts of the border between Gaza and Israel, a spokeswoman for the Israeli army said. The protesters threw stones at the soldiers and also hurled explosive devices which fell on the Gaza side of the border, the spokeswoman said. Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have held often violent protests backed by its Islamist rulers Hamas since March 30. Protesters are calling for Palestinian refugees to be allowed to return to their former homes now inside Israel. At least 240 Palestinians have been killed since the demonstrations began, most of them by Israeli fire during border clashes but also by air and tank strikes. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period, one by a Palestinian sniper and another during an aborted special forces operation inside Gaza. Israel accuses Hamas of seeking to use the protests as cover to carry out infiltrations and attacks, and says the army's actions are necessary to defend the border. Turkish-backed Syrian fighters gather with their vehicles at a position near the northern Syrian town of Manbij, though the US military says it has seen no indication of the Syrian army entering the city The Syrian army has not entered Manbij, the US military said Friday, after Syrian forces claimed they had gone into the key northern city and raised the national flag. "Despite incorrect information about changes to the military forces in Manbij city, (the US-led coalition) has seen no indication of these claims being true," US Central Command spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Earl Brown said. Manbij is a strategic city close to the Turkish border where Kurdish forces have been deployed since 2016. US and French special operations troops are also stationed there, assisting the Kurds, but the Americans will be withdrawing under a surprise pull-out announced by President Donald Trump last week. Brown called on all parties to respect the "integrity of Manbij and the safety of its citizens." "Our mission has not changed. We will continue to support our coalition partners, while also conducting a deliberate and controlled withdrawal of forces, while taking all measures possible to ensure our troops' safety and that of our partners on the ground," he told AFP. The US withdrawal from Syria has sent Kurdish forces scrambling to find allies to fend off a possible attack from Turkey, which views the fighters as "terrorists." The Kurds have welcomed a regime advance in Manbij province, a pragmatic shift in alliances that will dash their aspirations for autonomy but could help them cut their losses. Canada legalized recreational use of marijuana in October Canadian cannabis producer Aphria on Friday rejected a proposed Can$2.8 billion ($2.1 billion US) takeover bid by US-based Xanthic Biopharma, calling it hostile and under-valued. Green Growth Brands, a division of Xanthic Biopharma, presented a conditional offer of Can$11 per share on Thursday after markets closed. It is offering to buy one of the biggest producers of cannabis in Canada, which in October legalized recreational use of the drug, drawing major investment to an industry previously focused on medical marijuana. The US group, which has cannabis operations in Nevada, said the combined firm would be the only North America-wide firm in the business, and the largest by market capitalization in the United States. It said its offer represented a premium of 45.5 percent over Aphria's December 24 closing price on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Green Growth said the offer was conditional on obtaining necessary financing. Aphria responded on Friday by saying that the US firm's offer is "based on a hypothetical valuation of its own shares, with no relation to the current price." Aphria shares jumped more than 10 percent in early trading Friday on the Toronto bourse to Can$8.36 a share while Xanthic Biopharma dropped one percent to Can$3.69. Benjamin Netanyahu is welcomed by President-elect Jair Bolsonaro to the first-ever visit to Brazil by an Israeli prime minister Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro on Friday announced a nascent "brotherhood" between their countries that will boost economic, military and technological cooperation. The two issued the warm words to the media after a meeting in a century-old military fort on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach, at the beginning of the first-ever visit by an Israeli prime minister to Brazil. Netanyahu said Bolsonaro had accepted an invitation to make his own visit to Israel, without giving a date. The Israeli leader is to stay on through Tuesday to join other foreign dignitaries at the inauguration in Brasilia of Bolsonaro, a far-right, security-conscious politician and former army officer elected in October on pledges to crack down on endemic crime and corruption. Bolsonaro, sometimes called the "Trump of the tropics" for a similar style to US President Donald Trump and rejection of multilateral diplomacy, emphasized the bond he wants to build with Netanyahu, a firm US ally. "More than partners, we will be brothers in the future, in economy, technology, all that can bring benefit to our two countries," Bolsonaro said. He also spoke of cooperation in military and agriculture matters. Netanyahu, calling his visit "historic," also spoke of "the brotherhood, the alliance" the two planned as something that "can carry us to great heights." "It's hard to believe that we had no such contacts before," he said. - Embassy move - However there was no mention of Bolsonaro's post-election declaration -- later walked back -- that he intended to follow Trump in moving his country's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Israeli and Brazilian flags hang outside the building housing the offices of the Brazilian Embassy, in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv Netanyahu had told reporters on his flight to Brazil that "you can be certain I will speak with him about that in our first meeting." But neither man raised the topic in their comments to media, and no questions were taken. An embassy move could put at risk lucrative Brazilian poultry and halal meat exports to Arab countries, which fiercely oppose any unilateral steps seen as cementing Israel's claim to all of Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, and most countries in the world back a longstanding consensus that Jerusalem's status can only be resolved through negotiations and as part of an Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Nearly 20 percent of Brazil's $5 billion beef exports go to 17 Arab countries. Brazil-Israel trade currently amounts to $1.2 billion. Bolsonaro said Tuesday he is looking to import Israeli technology to produce water for Brazil's parched northeast. - Rightward shift - Bolsonaro's ascent to the presidency represents a dramatic, rightward shift in Brazil's politics. For decades, the country has been under center-left and center-right rule and resolutely sought to carve out foreign policy independent of the United States. In 2010, the country recognized a Palestinian state, and it nurtured trade and investment relations with China. But Bolsonaro has spoken with hostility of China's investments in Brazil, and he and one of his politician sons have reached out to Trump and people in his orbit. He and his team have also excluded the far-left leaders of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from attending the inauguration in Brasilia, although Bolivia's leftwing President Evo Morales received an invitation. Other VIPs attending include conservative Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, Hungary's far-right Prime Minister Viktor Orban and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Bolsonaro later Friday attended a Rio synagogue with Netanyahu and told the congregation that Brazil intended to move forward in the world not only with Israel "but with other countries such as the United States that think and have a similar ideology to our own." - Meeting Pompeo - Netanyahu made his Brazil trip despite domestic political turmoil in Israel and a spike in military volatility in neighboring Syria. Pompeo and Netanyahu are to discuss Syria on the sidelines of Bolsonaro's swearing-in, an Israeli official and the US State Department said. US allies including Israel were caught by surprise by Trump's abrupt announcement last week that he was pulling US troops out of Syria, where Israel's arch-foe Iran has built up a significant military and political presence. Israel has made several aerial strikes in Syria against positions held by Iran and its Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Domestically, Netanyahu is maneuvering to extend his reign in Israel despite a slew of corruption allegations. On Wednesday, Israel's parliament approved a government decision to call early elections for April 9. The Israeli prime minister also serves as his country's foreign minister. Last year he visited Argentina, Colombia and Mexico. This picture taken on December 28, 2018 shows the scene of an attack on a tourist bus near the Giza Pyramids outside Cairo Three Vietnamese holidaymakers and an Egyptian tour guide were killed Friday when a roadside bomb blast hit their bus as it travelled close to the Giza pyramids outside Cairo, officials said. A statement by the public prosecutor's office said 11 other tourists from Vietnam and an Egyptian bus driver were wounded when the homemade device exploded. The improvised explosive device was placed near a wall along the Mariyutiya Street in Al-Haram district near the Giza Pyramids, it said. The bus was carrying a total of 16 people including 14 Vietnamese tourists, an Egyptian driver and a tour guide, according to the statement. Armed security personnel quickly deployed to the site and cordoned off the area for inspection. The white tourist bus could be seen with its windows shattered and surrounded by soot-covered debris. Egypt Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli visited the injured tourists in hospital, where he announced that the tour guide had died from his wounds. Madbouli urged against "amplifying" the incident as he insisted that "no country in the world can guarantee that its 100 percent safe". "It's possible at times that an individual incident takes place here or there," he told journalists. "We have to know that it's possible that it would be repeated in the future." There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. Later, a statement issued by the United States condemning the attack. "We stand with all Egyptians in the fight against terrorism and support the Egyptian government in bringing the perpetrators of this attack to justice," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said. - Tourism struggling - Egypt's tourism industry has been struggling to recover from terror attacks and domestic instability that has hit the country in recent years. In July 2017, two German tourists were stabbed to death by a suspected jihadist assailant at the Egyptian Red Sea beach resort of Hurgada. In October 2015, a bomb claimed by a local affiliate of the Islamic State group killed 224 people on board a passenger jet carrying Russian tourists over the Sinai peninsula. That incident dealt a severe blow to Egypt's tourism industry still reeling from the turmoil set off by the 2011 uprising that forced veteran leader Hosni Mubarak from power. A member of the Egyptian security forces stands guard at the scene of an attack on a tourist bus in Giza province south of the Egyptian capital Cairo, on December 28, 2018 Egypt has since been seeking to lure tourists back and spur the lucrative sector by touting new archaeological discoveries and bolstering security around archaeological sites and in airports. Tourism has slowly started picking up. The official statistics agency says tourists arrivals in Egypt in 2017 reached 8.2 million, up from 5.3 million the year before. But that figure was still far short of the record influx in 2010 when over 14 million visitors flocked see the country's sites. Egypt has for years been battling an Islamist insurgency in North Sinai, which surged following the 2013 military ouster of president Mohamed Morsi. Security forces have since February been conducting a major operation focused on the Sinai Peninsula, aimed at wiping out a local IS branch. More than 450 suspected jihadists and around 30 Egyptian soldiers have been killed since the offensive began, the army said in October. The pyramids of Giza are the only surviving structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world and a major tourist draw attracting visitors from across the globe. With two days to go before elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all sides to ensure the polls are free of violence UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged all sides to ensure that landmark elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo be free of violence to allow voters to peacefully cast their ballots. Millions of Congolese voters will head to the polls on Sunday for long-delayed elections that could pave the way to the first democratic change in presidency since the country's independence in 1960. Guterres called on DRC authorities, political leaders, election officials and civil society "to continue working together to ensure an environment free of violence so that all eligible voters can cast their ballots peacefully on election day." He reminded "all actors that they have a critical role to play in preventing electoral violence, by refraining from any form of provocation and showing maximum restraint in their words and actions," a UN statement said. The UN chief encourages citizens to "seize this historic opportunity to participate in the consolidation of the countrys democratic institutions." Voters will also be casting ballots to fill seats in the national and provincial parliaments in the vast mineral-rich country. President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, is not standing for re-election but his party has designated former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary as its presidential candidate. A total of 21 candidates are running for the presidency, but voting will not take place in two regions hit by turmoil: Beni and Butembo in North Kivu province and Yumbi in the west of the country. Elections there will be held in March. The new president is to be sworn in on January 18. Mali has been struggling to return to stability after Islamist extremists took control of the north in early 2012, prompting a military intervention by France Qatar has sent 24 armoured vehicles to Mali, army officials from both countries said Friday, as Doha pledges closer ties with the West African Sahel country locked in a battle with jihadist insurgents. Qatari General al-Ghaffari said the vehicles would be used by the Malian army operating in areas with mines and improvised explosives. "There will now be permanent cooperation between our armies in the fields of training, unit equipment and military exchanges between our countries," he told reporters in Mali's capital Bamako Friday. Malian general Moustapha Drabo said the vehicles would help "protect our forces against ambushes, which is the tactic used by the terrorists". Mali has been struggling to return to stability after Islamist extremists took control of the north in early 2012, prompting a military intervention by France. The extremists were routed in the French operation in 2013 but large stretches of the landlocked African state remain out of government control. Qatar has recently been looking to shore up allies outside its own region, where it is in a bitter feud with its Gulf neighbours. "With this gesture, Qatar is clearly showing that Mali is among its allies in the Sahel, where Doha will be visibly more present," Malian sociologist Mamadou Samake said. Qatar has found itself isolated since Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, severed diplomatic ties with Doha in 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism and fostering close ties with their regional rival Iran -- charges that Doha denies. The US government has been partially shut down since December 22, 2018 due to a dispute over funding for President Donald Trump's border wall Patrick Griffin worked in the White House for Democratic president Bill Clinton and participated in negotiations with Republican lawmakers during the 1995 government shutdown -- the longest in recent US history. Now a professor at American University, Griffin analyzes the current shutdown -- sparked by a dispute over funding for President Donald Trump's controversial border wall -- that has paralyzed the American government since December 22. - When will there be movement? - "This is going to be about 'who blinks first.' And when we did it in the '90s, we thought we had a better argument than they did, and it turns out we did. And they not only had to blink, and we got virtually everything we wanted, they also were damaged by it," Griffin said. "Somebody will blink. Not in the too distant future." - Assessment of Democratic strategy - "The reality is now nobody is paying much attention to it in the middle of the holidays... but as the battle shifts to the more general public, I think the messaging on the Democratic side will be more aggressive," Griffin said. "My guess is that Trump is winning with his base but I don't think he's winning in the public. But this can change. And then when the Democrats take control (of the House of Representatives in January), the fight takes on a different feel." - Possible solutions - "I don't know where the deal is. I don't know whether it's in a few more bucks, or if Trump will be very creative. He has the potential. If he did something on DACA, I think the Democrats would give him the money. But that would unsettle his base," said Griffin, referring to a program that protects immigrants who came to the US illegally as children, which has sought to scrap. - On the 1995 shutdown - "It's very tough. You make the decision and there's a lot of consideration that goes into the decision... You do a very, very thorough analysis of what you're going to do and what they're going to do and you play it out as far as you can," Griffin said. "You don't want the president running around on his own, undermining it. And President Clinton has some inclination to do that, but he was able to be managed and as a result our discipline and our message prevailed... Now, you never know with Trump." - Should shutdowns be scrapped? - "It is a constitutionally defined tension between the Congress and the executive branch. The executive branch proposes and the Congress disposes. So they have the power of the purse. And that is something that keeps the checks and balances in place, whether it looks messy, whether we like the issue or who's winning or losing," Griffin said. Three men dominate the field of 21 candidates vying to become next president of the Democratic Republic of Congo Three men dominate the field of 21 candidates vying to become next president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa's second-largest nation: - Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary - No caption Little known outside DRC circles, Shadary, 58, is a faithful supporter of President Joseph Kabila and, some say, his likely puppet if he wins Sunday's election. Kabila would "almost certainly remain the string-puller behind the scenes," said Indigo Ellis from risk analysis company Verisk Maplecroft. "Shadary has no special qualities other than absolute loyalty" to Kabila, an analyst at a political NGO based in Kinshasa told AFP on condition of anonymity. Typically dressed in a smart suit and tie, Shadary served as interior minister during a period marked by violent crackdowns on demonstrators after Kabila held onto power beyond his constitutional mandate at the end of 2016. He and 13 other officials have been hit with EU sanctions for rights violations. In retaliation, the DRC has told Europe to withdraw its envoy from Kinshasa by polling day. Shadary initially entered politics as a member of the UDPS, DR Congo's oldest and biggest opposition party. In 1997, after the fall of dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, he was elected vice-governor of Maniema province and a year later became governor. After Kabila took power in 2001 following the assassination of his father, Shadary helped him found the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD) a year later. He is now its permanent secretary. Shadary speaks Swahili and Lingala, the two languages used respectively in eastern and western DRC. He is a devout Catholic, with eight children. - Felix Tshisekedi - No caption Felix Tshisekedi, 55, hopes the elections will hand him the presidential prize that eluded his late father Etienne, who founded the DRC's mainstream opposition party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), in 1982. Tshisekedi junior took the helm of the party after his father died in February 2017. Known to his friends as "Fatshi," he gained a Belgian diploma in marketing and communication and rose doggedly through the party ranks. But he has never held high office or had management experience and is hobbled by the lack of his father's charisma. "Etienne was stubborn and proud," says one observer of the country's opposition. "(But) Felix is more diplomatic, more conciliatory, more ready to listen to others." On November 11, Tshisekedi joined six other opposition leaders to rally behind a single unity candidate, Martin Fayulu, to take on Shadary. But the deal was rejected by the party's rank and file. Tshisekedi and fellow opposition leader Vital Kamerhe swiftly abandoned the deal and ran on a joint ticket, effectively weakening and splitting the opposition. A father of five, he attends the same Pentecostal church in Kinshasa as Fayulu. - Martin Fayulu - No caption Martin Fayulu, 62, is an outsider who shot to front-rank status in the final weeks before the elections. Fayulu came to prominence two years ago as a fiery critic of Kabila's efforts to cling on to power. Often seen at the front of protest marches, he was arrested several times and was even struck on the head by a rubber bullet. Although his Engagement for Citizenship and Development party holds just three seats in parliament, Fayulu was thrust into the limelight last month when he was named the consensus choice of opposition stalwarts meeting in Geneva. Two days later, the deal fell apart when Felix Tshisekedi, bowing to grassroots pressure, decided to pursue his own election bid. Fayulu has relentlessly toured the country to make his pitch. He is also backed from behind the scenes by two political heavyweights -- ex-warlord Jean-Pierre Bemba and businessman Moise Katumbi, an exiled former provincial governor, both of whom were blocked from running. Fayulu studied in France and the United States, later taking up a role in 1984 with the US oil group which became Exxon Mobil. He stayed with the oil giant for nearly two decades, working in Africa and eventually rising to the rank of director general. If elected, he has pledged to invest $126 billion in the economy and create 20 million jobs over five years. A Lingala speaker, Fayulu owns a hotel in Kinshasa located between Kabila's residence and the president's office. Sakinah Sheikh Osman, a Malaysia-based visionary entrepreneur, will be launching her new modest fashion brand Sakinah for women looking for traditional yet timeless easy-to-manage scarves in the UAE. The brand aims to meet the needs of the modest wear clientele globally, starting with the Middle East market by introducing a design of scarves that are easy to manage and yet look elegant. The concept gave birth when Sakinah started wearing scarves and realised how difficult it was to get scarves that looked great and yet felt comfortable, stayed on and came in colours that are easy to combine with different outfits. According to Sakinah, it was necessary to start the project with conventional styles and use embellishments such as the use of Swarovski crystals to appeal to the Arab region. Sakinah was inspired by the fashion sense of the confident, career minded and yet sensual Muslim woman who valued simplicity, practicality and comfort combined with elegance and glamour. Combining Sakinah scarves with existing modern and traditional attire in the wardrobe helps the wearer make a fashion statement for all occasions. Sakinah scarves are available at all Lulu Hypermarkets in various colours including green, maroon, purple, black and brown, a statement said, noting that a video link on the styling of scarves is available online. TradeArabia News Service Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) officials at a school in Lubumbashi count votes during a power cut, watched by observers A marathon vote count got underway on Monday in DR Congo, central Africa's unstable giant, for presidential elections scarred by political turmoil and haunted by memories of violence. A day after a relatively peaceful vote, election officials began the task of counting and collating ballots in a climate of deep suspicion about fraud. The first verbal shots were fired over alleged interference and the opposition accused the authorities of cutting off the internet to thwart activism. The Democratic Republic of Congo has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, and bloodshed marred previous elections in 2006 and 2011. Worries of a new spiral into violence deepened two years ago after President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, refused to quit when his two-term limit expired. Election officials have begun the task of counting and collating ballots in a climate of deep suspicion about fraud But Sunday's vote -- delayed three times since 2016 -- was "relatively calm," the influential Catholic church's national conference of bishops declared. In the worst incident, four people were killed late Sunday when violence erupted at a polling station in the Walungu area of South Kivu province. An electoral official was accused of trying to rig the vote in favour of Kabila's preferred successor, said opposition figure Vital Kamerhe. The official was killed along with a policeman and two civilians, Kamerhe said. A spokesman for an independent monitoring mission, Symocel, confirmed that "an election agent tried to cheat, to get people to vote for the government candidate, and this set people off. The police intervened, and then the casualties happened." There were wounded in addition to the fatalities, the spokesman said. Frontrunners: Tshisekedi, Shadary and Fayulu Provisional results are due to be announced by January 6, followed by the final results on January 15 and the swearing-in of the next head of state on January 18. The presidential elections took place alongside legislative and municipal polls. - Claims and accusations - Voting was swiftly followed by early claims of victory and the first accusations of meddling in the count. Kabila's champion Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and Felix Tshisekedi, head of the veteran opposition UDPS, each claimed they had won as the election ended. On Monday, the campaign director for the other big opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu -- until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive -- maintained he was "way ahead" after, he said, more than a third of the vote had been counted. Touchscreen voting machines stoked controversy in the elections. The voter selects a candidate and receives a printout of their choice, which is then put in a ballot box and counted. Critics said the machines could be hacked At Mbuji-Mayi in the central region of Kasai, the UDPS accused Governor Alphonse Ngoyi Kasanji of trying to stuff ballot boxes in favour of Shadary. Ngoyi's spokesman in turn accused UDPS supporters of trying to make off with voting machines. All three main candidates have set up "compilation centres" to track the vote. While turnout failed to reach 50 percent at some polling stations, many voters said they were exhilarated at taking part in the first elections after the nearly 18-year Kabila era. But there was also much evidence of organisational problems, including with the contested electronic voting machines. The key presidential candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo election The Catholic monitoring mission said that, as of early Monday, its observers had checked overall tallies of the vote in 4,161 polling stations. In 3,626 stations, the number of paper ballot sheets tallied with totals kept by the voting machines, the observer mission said -- a figure that by extrapolation suggests possible discrepancies in 535 bureaux. - War and poverty - A country almost the size of continental western Europe which straddles central Africa, the DRC is rich in gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other minerals. Democratic Republic of Congo Little of that wealth trickles down to the poor. Poverty, corruption and government inertia are etched into the country's history, along with a reputation for violence. In the last 22 years, it has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from central and southern Africa. That legacy endures in eastern DRC, where militias control swathes of territory and battle over resources, wantonly killing civilians. Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March. Around 1.25 million people in a national electoral roll of around 40 million voters are affected. Despite this, elections in the rest of the country went ahead. The city of Beni held a symbolic vote in protest at the exclusion, drawing more than 60,000 people out of a local electoral roll of 182,000, the organisers of the event said on Monday. The French military high command said that an "air raid mounted by fighters and Tiger attack helicopters" struck jihadists gathered near Tongo Tongo, in southwestern Niger Some 15 suspected jihadists have been killed near the Niger-Mali border by a joint franco-nigerien task force, the French military high command said. "On the night of December 27 (...) an air raid mounted by fighters and Tiger attack helicopters struck" jihadists gathered near Tongo Tongo, in southwestern Niger, the high command said in a tweet overnight Saturday to Sunday. Tongo Tongo was the site of an ambush on October 4, 2017 where jihadists killed five Nigerien and four US special forces' soldiers. Nigerien and French soldiers, backed by helicopters, took control of several key positions in the area before mounting a 48-hour sweep. Overall, about 15 jihadists were "put out of action", a term generally used by the military to say they were killed. During the sweep, "some 20 motorbikes were recovered, along with 26 weapons, including machine guns, and ammunition, the high command said. French Defence Minister Florence Parly praised the operation in a tweet as "an exemple of a successful joint operation in western Niger". "The strengthening of the G5 Sahel armies is continuing," she added, referring to the regional force consisting of troops from Niger, Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania which has been set up to fight jihadists. France, the former colonial ruler, has deployed a 4,500-member 'Barkhane' force in the region to conduct counter-terrorism operations. WASHINGTON (AP) - More police officers have died in the line of duty this year in the United States than in 2017, according to data released Thursday. The most common cause of death was gunfire, and vehicular accidents claimed nearly as many officers' lives. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said in a report that 144 federal, state and local officers have died so far in 2018. That figure represents roughly a 12 percent increase from the 129 who died in 2017. The majority of the officers who died were either shot - 52 this year, up from 46 in 2017 - or fatally injured in car or motorcycle crashes, which accounted for 50 deaths. Other fatalities involved heart attacks, strokes, drownings and cancer and other illnesses among those who responded to the 9/11 World Trade Center attack. Of the officers who were shot, eight were killed during investigative activity and six were killed while responding to calls of a domestic or public disturbance, according to the report. Two were fatally shot while serving warrants, two died while handling or transporting prisoners and two others were inadvertently shot by other officers. Craig Floyd, the fund's chief executive officer, called the increase in deaths disappointing after a decline in 2017. "Sadly this reminds us that public safety is a dangerous job and can come at a very steep price," Floyd said in a statement accompanying the report. "We must never take the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers for granted, and we must remember the families of the fallen who are left behind." FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2018, file photo, mourners and police officers from around the country attend a memorial service before the funeral for fallen Florence police officer Sgt. Terrence Carraway at the Florence Center in Florence, S.C. Sgt. Carraway was killed in the line of duty Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018. More police officers have died in the line of duty this year than in 2017. That's according to data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The organization said in a report Thursday that 144 federal, state and local officers have died so far in 2018. That's up from the 129 who died last year. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File) Of the officers who died in traffic-related incidents, 32 were killed in crashes involving another vehicle and 14 were struck while outside their vehicle. An additional four were killed in motorcycle crashes. The officers who died in 2018 include a sheriff's deputy in Sacramento County, California, killed in a shootout at an auto parts store; a Greensboro, North Carolina, police officer killed in a car crash while responding to a call for a robbery; and a Greene County, Missouri, sheriff's deputy who drowned when his car was swept away by rising water. The states that experienced the highest number of officer fatalities were Texas, California, Florida and New York, with 11 fatalities each. ___ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2018, file photo, police officers react during a funeral service for fallen Florence police officer Sgt. Terrence Carraway Monday, Oct. 8, 2018, at the Florence Center in Florence, S.C. Sgt. Carraway was killed in the line of duty Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018. More police officers have died in the line of duty this year than in 2017. That's according to data compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. The organization said in a report Thursday that 144 federal, state and local officers have died so far in 2018. That's up from the 129 who died last year. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro, File ) JINAN, China (AP) - Cui Haoxin is too young to remember the days of his people's oppression under Mao Zedong. The 39-year-old poet was born after the Cultural Revolution of 1966-76, when the Hui - China's second-largest Muslim ethnic group - were among the masses tormented by the Red Guard. In the years since, the Hui (pronounced HWAY) generally have been supportive of the government and mostly spared the kind of persecution endured by China's largest Muslim group, the Uighur. There are signs, though, that that is changing. Cui fears both that history may be repeating itself and for his own safety as he tries to hold the ruling Communist Party accountable. In August, town officials in the Hui region of Ningxia issued a demolition order for the landmark Grand Mosque in Weizhou, though they later backed off in the face of protests. More recently, authorities in nearby Gansu province ordered closed a school that taught Arabic, the language of the Quran and other Islamic religious texts. The school had employed and served mainly Hui since 1984. And a Communist Party official from Ningxia visited Xinjiang, center of Uighur oppression, to "study and investigate how Xinjiang fights terrorism and legally manages religious affairs." In this Sept. 28, 2018, photo, Muslim Chinese poet Cui Haoxin dons an Islamic hat in his home in the city of Jinan in the eastern province of Shandong, China. Cui is an outspoken critic of the government's policies towards Muslims at home and abroad, writing poetry and tweeting about alleged abuses against Islamic traditions. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) China under President Xi Jinping is clamping down on minorities, tightening control over a wide spectrum of religious and political activity. In some places, a campaign to "Sinicize" religion has prompted authorities to seize Bibles, remove the "halal" designation from food products, demolish churches and strip mosques of loudspeakers and Islamic crescents and domes. Cui has spoken out against government intrusions. He is working on a novel with a nightmarish plot: believers are brutalized by demons in a Cultural Revolution in Hell. "The Muslims resisted and tried to protect the mosque," he said, describing the work. "They failed." He worries that violence lies ahead. "One has dignity. For a person, it is his or her bottom-line." he said. "If the persecution is too unbearable, if something happens, as I said, there could be a disaster." ___ Cui speaks eloquently about his people, who claim descent from Persian and Arab traders who came to China 1,300 years ago. The 10 million Hui living across China generally speak Mandarin - Cui is a former teacher of the standard Chinese dialect - and follow many Chinese cultural practices. They enjoy relative freedom of worship compared to the Uighurs, some of whom call the Hui "tawuz," which means watermelon in the Uighur's Turkic language. "Green or Islamic on the outside, and red or Communist on the inside," writes University of Toronto professor Isabelle Cote in a study on Uighur attacks on Hui in Xinjiang from 2009 to 2013. Farther back, Hui served Chinese emperors as shock troops repressing Uighur rebellions. In Beijing, Arabic signs mark Hui bakeries, teahouses, halal restaurants and a thousand-year old mosque bustling with activity in the historically Islamic neighborhood of Niujie. Ma Changli, who has run a butcher shop in the enclave for the past five years, said police help provide security for Friday prayers at the mosque. "Our country has always been pretty supportive to our worship," the 39-year-old butcher said, standing in front of an Islamic inscription and hanging lamb and beef racks. While the Hui face prejudice from the Han Chinese majority, they are proud to be Chinese and have a "positive outlook for the future," said David Stroup, a University of Oklahoma professor who met Hui across China in 2016. Many saw an opportunity in China's Belt and Road Initiative, a $1 trillion trade and infrastructure initiative that runs across several Muslim-majority nations in central Asia and Africa, he said. They aspired to become middlemen on a revived Silk Road linking China with Islamic nations. "It was going to be an opportunity for the Hui to play an important role as ambassadors to the Islamic world," Stroup said. It came as a shock, he said, when new regulations targeted the practices of Hui alongside those of other religious groups earlier this year. Stroup said the shift has dampened optimism in a community that saw language and religion as links to trading partners in the Muslim world. ___ Tension bubbled up in August in Weizhou, a dusty Muslim-majority town in China's northwestern "Quran Belt." The town's pride and joy is a gleaming white mosque with four minarets and nine domes tipped with crescent moons that dwarfs a surrounding warren of brick and concrete homes. Officials issued a demolition order for the Grand Mosque, alleging it had been "illegally expanded" and adding that 1.07 million yuan ($154,765) from foreign sources had been received by four local mosques - financing that would be illegal under Chinese law. Hundreds of Hui flocked to the mosque's courtyard for a rarity in China: a political protest. City authorities detained Associated Press journalists and prevented them from conducting interviews at the mosque. The protesters' success was even rarer. The mosque remained unscathed, if draped in a banner reading in Chinese: "Stick to directives of Sinicized religion." Weeks later, a top Communist propaganda official in Ningxia blamed the incident on "an oversimplified administrative decision" by local authorities. "It originally should not have happened," Bai Shangcheng, director-general of the regional Communist Party department that oversees religious groups, said at a news conference in Beijing. Dissent simmered quietly in the Hui community after the mosque incident, according to Cui, who circumvented China's internet censorship to tweet about the protest and feed video to a Turkish television station. In late November, the Communist Party-run Global Times reported that Ningxia had signed an anti-terrorism cooperation agreement with Xinjiang during a visit by Ningxia Communist Party head Zhang Yunsheng. China has set up a vast security apparatus in Xinjiang with pervasive police checkpoints and surveillance cameras. By some estimates, more than 1 million Uighurs and Kazakhs have been detained in internment camps in a crackdown on extremism. Two former camp detainees have told the AP that some Hui have been swept up in the clampdown too. The order to close the Arabic language school came early this month, the Global Times reported. An unnamed expert in Beijing told the newspaper that teaching Arabic sometimes arouses public concern if it crosses over into preaching religious content. The article quoted China's education law: "The State separates education from religion." ___ Cui is one of the few Chinese citizens disturbed enough - and brave enough - to criticize the Communist Party openly. For that, he has experienced censorship, detention, and "home visits" by police. He spoke to the AP at his home in Jinan, a city in eastern China where his family traces its roots back five centuries. Skyscrapers dwarf old mosques and boisterous halal restaurants with gold domes, Arabic script and crescents. He doesn't drink alcohol or eat pork, but neither does he pray five times a day. His bedside table is stacked with poetry and novels, not religious books. Hanging in the living room is a framed red embroidery by his mother of the Islamic profession of faith in yellow Arabic stitching. It was underneath this tapestry that police entered his home earlier this year to demand he stop criticizing the government online. Cui posts attacks on Beijing's policies related to Muslims in China and abroad, such as the government's support of Myanmar despite widespread criticism of its treatment of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority. A few months later, on Nov. 27, police brought him to the local Public Security Bureau for a few hours of questioning. A recent Human Rights Watch report said that China started in November "targeting Twitter users in China as part of a nationwide crackdown on social media." Cui refused to stop or delete his tweets. Sixty years ago, Communist Party cadres descended on the historically Hui city of Linxia to excise "superstitions" in the city in a "struggle against the privileges of feudalism and religion," according to a 2016 book by Matthew Erie, an Oxford University professor of modern China studies. Red Guards lit bonfires with wood from demolished mosques and tombs, Erie writes in "China and Islam: The Prophet, the Party, and Law." They forced Muslims to wear signs reading "enemies of the state." Cui fears the current crackdown on religion will return China to those days of blood. At a teahouse in Jinan, as steam from his jasmine tea mixes with the scent from a tray of sweets, he recites from his poem "Letter from Prison:" "It seems like I can see the bulldozer running wild in the Thousand and One Nights. The angel upon my shoulder urges me: 'Tell the truth under the grey sky.'" ___ Associated Press researcher Fu Ting contributed to this report. In this Sept. 28, 2018, photo, Muslim Chinese poet Cui Haoxin reads an Arabic prayer from a Quran in his home in the city of Jinan in China's eastern province of Shandong. Cui is an outspoken critic of the government's policies towards Muslims at home and abroad, writing poetry and tweeting about alleged abuses against Islamic traditions. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) In this Sept, 28 2018, photo, a stone inscription is seen near the Nandashi Great Southern Mosque, built in the 15th century in Jinan in China's eastern province of Shandong, where an ancient Muslim minority known as the Hui have lived for centuries. The Hui's historic national loyalty is being tested by a recent expansion of China's crackdown on Muslims. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) In this Sept. 28, 2018, photo, a motorcyclist passes by the Nandashi Great Southern Mosque, built in the 15th century in Jinan in China's eastern province of Shandong, where an ancient Muslim minority known as the Hui have lived for centuries. The Hui's historic national loyalty is being tested by a recent expansion of China's crackdown on Muslims. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) This Sept. 27, 2018, photo shows the entrance to a Muslim butcher with signs in Arabic and Mandarin on meat products next to the Women's Mosque in Jinan in China's eastern province of Shandong, where an ancient Muslim minority known as the Hui have lived for centuries. The Hui's historic national loyalty is being tested by a recent expansion of China's crackdown on Muslims. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) In this Sept. 27, 2018, photo, a Hui Muslim man talks on his mobile phone outside the Nandashi Great Southern Mosque in Jinan in China's eastern province of Shandong, where an ancient Muslim minority known as the Hui have lived for centuries. The Hui's historic national loyalty is being tested by China's expanding crackdown on religion. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) In this Sept. 28, 2018 photo, Muslim Chinese poet Cui Haoxin reads an Arabic prayer from a Quran in his home underneath a tapestry woven by his mother reading in Arabic "There is no god but God and Mohammad is His Prophet" in the city of Jinan in China's eastern province of Shandong. Cui is an outspoken critic of the government's policies towards Muslims at home and abroad, writing poetry and tweeting about alleged abuses against Islamic traditions. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) In this Dec. 7, 2018, photo, Ma Changli, 39, stands in the butcher shop that he has run in the Islamic neighborhood of Niujie for 5 years after moving from Hubei to Beijing 20 years ago. He said his people, China's second-largest Muslim ethnic minority group, the Hui, are supported by the central government despite reports of increasing crackdown on religious groups across the country in 2018. "Our country has always been pretty supportive to our worship," the butcher said. (AP Photo/Sam McNeil) PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) - Despite the unwanted publicity of a criminal trial for one of their main suppliers, business is booming at Pyongyang's 'Singapore shops,' which sell everything from Ukrainian vodka to brand-name knock-offs from China. The stores stock many of the very things United Nations' sanctions banning trade in luxury goods are intended to block and provide a nagging reminder that not all potential trade partners are lining up behind the U.N.'s pronouncements or the Trump administration's policy of maximum pressure on the North. Especially when there's a buck - or a few million bucks - to be made. The stores are anything but secret. They are well marked, open to walk-ins and distribute their own membership cards to reward regular customers. Until recently, the name of their Singaporean partner, the OCN Group, was printed on the Bugsae shop's plastic shopping bags. And while being the focus of the court case that could land OCN's former director in prison for a very long time, they continue to unabashedly specialize in imported products - perfumes, fine jewelry, wines, clothing and cosmetics - that would appear to blatantly violate U.N. restrictions. Formally known as the Potonggang Ryugyong Shop and the Bugsae Shop, the stores are a fixture of the upscale shopping scene in Pyongyang, catering to the capital's elites, Chinese businessmen and members of the diplomatic corps. Purchases can be made in dollars, euros and Chinese yuan. The price in each is displayed digitally on the cash register. Both stores have been substantially renovated since last summer. In this Dec. 21, 2018, photo, a North Korean woman walks outside Bugsae Shop, also known as the "Singapore Shop," in Pyongyang, North Korea. Despite the unwanted publicity of a criminal trial for one of their main suppliers, business is booming at Pyongyang's "Singapore shops," which sell everything from Ukrainian vodka to brand-name knock-offs from China. The stores stock many of the very things United Nations' sanctions banning trade in luxury goods are intended to block and provide a nagging reminder that not all potential trade partners are lining up behind the U.N.'s pronouncements or the Trump administration's policy of maximum pressure on the North. Especially when there's a buck, or a few million bucks, to be made. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) The Ryugyong store now has a coffee shop behind the imported shoe section on its second floor. The Bugsae shop has installed dark wood paneling and glass casing for its wines and spirits corner, which was recently dominated by vodkas from the Ukraine. It has separate display areas for snacks and soft drinks from Japan, Malaysia and China, a row dedicated to fancy shampoos, and a section in the rear for imported electronic appliances and household goods. The well-stocked shelves belie the hit supplies must have taken with the arrest of their former Singaporean trading partner. Ng Kheng Wah, 56, faces 80 charges of violating United Nations sanctions for allegedly supplying $6 million worth of luxury goods to the Bugsae Shop from 2010 to 2017. This includes watches "clad with a precious metal," jewelry, musical instruments and wine. While OCN is not mentioned, the charges accuse Ng of trying to defraud banks through another of his companies, T Specialist International. Ng, who stepped down as an OCN director in March, also faces 81 charges for working with a partner identified as Wang Zhi Guo to deceive DBS, the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd and Malayan Banking Berhad to carry out his deals, issuing false invoices for the sale of Watari Instant Noodles to T Specialist, most amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ng was charged on July 18 and granted bail of 500,000 Singapore dollars ($364,645). A pretrial conference is scheduled for Jan. 17. For each offense under the U.N. sanctions act, Ng faces a maximum sentence of five years in jail and a 100,000 Singapore dollars ($72,929) fine. Each cheating charge comes with an additional maximum jail term of 10 years and an unspecified fine. Singapore authorities have accused another Singaporean and a North Korean man of helping to supply luxury goods to Pyongyang. They are also investigating a Singaporean businessman who is facing criminal charges in the United States for allegedly violating sanctions against North Korea. Ng denied any wrongdoing in an interview with the Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times shortly after reports of possible violations became public. He said OCN was the sole distributor of the popular Japanese Pokka brand canned drinks in North Korea from 2000 and 2012, but claimed OCN dropped that when Japan imposed sanctions banning such exports. Documents presented in court show that in early 2014 his other business, T Specialist International, presented a bogus invoice to a bank from which it was seeking a loan, claiming it had received $522,410 for Pokka sales. The case hints at an uncomfortable truth that has long hamstrung efforts to make sanctions enforcement really bite: engaging the North is not as uniformly taboo with potential trading partners as Washington might like. China has long been Pyongyang's biggest pipeline. With Ng on trial, it's almost certainly where most of the Singapore shops' goodies come from, even if they originate elsewhere. The two countries have a long border, a rail connection, and almost-daily flights between their capitals that allow for the transport of a significant amount of goods. Russia is another important trader. So have been interests in countries like Egypt, which helped fund and set up the North's mobile phone system, and HB Oil of Mongolia, which was involved in a 2013 deal to build gas stations in Pyongyang. Singapore, which in June hosted the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, has relatively close ties with the North. North Korea runs an embassy in Singapore, though Singapore does not have an embassy in Pyongyang. The two also have a long history of doing business. While rumors swirled about how the Trump summit might lead to the North getting its first McDonalds, a trio of Singaporean businessmen had already gotten the jump on the Pyongyang burger market, in 2009. Burgers hot off the grill of the chain of fast food restaurants started by Patrick Soh, Quek Cher Lan and Timothy Tan called "Samtaesong," or Three Big Stars, are almost required eating at an amusement park next to Kim Il Sung Stadium. The menu at another somewhat fancier Samtaesong outlet has a wide selection of coffee, smoothies, fried chicken and even "Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGrddles" on its menu. Soh, also speaking to The Straits Times, claims to currently receive no income from the restaurants and says he has cut back his travel to Pyongyang. ___ Associated Press writer Annabelle Liang in Singapore contributed to this report. Talmadge is the AP's Pyongyang bureau chief. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram: @EricTalmadge LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) - Pedro Gonzalez has faith in Donald Trump and his party. The 55-year-old Colombian immigrant is a pastor at an evangelical church in suburban Denver. Initially repelled by Trump in 2016, he's been heartened by the president's steps to protect religious groups and appoint judges who oppose abortion rights. More important, Gonzalez sees Trump's presidency as part of a divine plan. "It doesn't matter what I think," Gonzalez said of the president. "He was put there." Though Latino voters are a key part of the Democratic coalition, there is a larger bloc of reliable Republican Latinos than many think. And the GOP's position among Latinos has not weakened during the Trump administration, despite the president's rhetoric against immigrants and the party's shift to the right on immigration. In November's elections, 32 percent of Latinos voted for Republicans, according to AP VoteCast data. The survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters - including 7,738 Latino voters - was conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Other surveys also found roughly one-third of Latinos supporting the GOP. Data from the Pew Research Center and from exit polls suggests that a comparable share of about 3 in 10 Latino voters supported Trump in 2016. That tracks the share of Latinos supporting Republicans for the last decade. FILE - In this May 25, 2016, file photo, a man holds up a sign for then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump before the start of a rally at the Anaheim Convention Center, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, in Anaheim, Calif. Republicans are holding onto a steady share of the Latino vote in the Trump era. With a president who targets immigrants from Latin America, some analysts predicted a Latino backlash against the GOP. But it hasn't happened. Data from AP's VoteCast survey suggests Republicans are holding on to support from Latino evangelicals and veterans. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) The stability of Republicans' share of the Latino vote frustrates Democrats, who say actions like Trump's family separation policy and his demonization of an immigrant caravan should drive Latinos out of the GOP. "The question is not are Democrats winning the Hispanic vote - it's why aren't Democrats winning the Hispanic vote 80-20 or 90-10 the way black voters are?" said Fernand Amandi, a Miami-based Democratic pollster. He argues Democrats must invest more in winning Latino voters. The VoteCast data shows that, like white voters, Latinos are split by gender - 61 percent of men voted Democratic in November, while 69 percent of women did. And while Republican-leaning Latinos can be found everywhere in the country, two groups stand out as especially likely to back the GOP - evangelicals and veterans. Evangelicals comprised about one-quarter of Latino voters, and veterans were 13 percent. Both groups were about evenly split between the two parties. Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist in California, said those groups have reliably provided the GOP with many Latino votes for years. "They stick and they do not go away," Madrid said. Much as with Trump's own core white voters, attacks on the president and other Republicans for being anti-immigrant "just make them dig in even more," he added. Sacramento-based Rev. Sam Rodriguez, one of Trump's spiritual advisers, said evangelical Latinos have a clear reason to vote Republican. "Why do 30 percent of Latinos still support Trump? Because of the Democratic Party's obsession with abortion," Rodriguez said. "It's life and religious liberty and everything else follows." Some conservative Latinos say their political leanings make them feel more like a minority than their ethnicity does. Irina Vilarino, 43, a Miami restauranteur and Cuban immigrant, said she had presidential bumper stickers for Sen. John McCain, Mitt Romney and Trump scratched off her car. She said she never suffered from discrimination growing up in a predominantly white south Florida community, "but I remember during the McCain campaign being discriminated against because I supported him." The 2018 election was good to Democrats, but Florida disappointed them. They couldn't convince enough of the state's often right-leaning Cuban-American voters to support Sen. Bill Nelson, who was ousted by the GOP's Spanish-speaking Gov. Rick Scott, or rally behind Democrats' gubernatorial candidate, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who lost to Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis. Still, in the rest of the country, there were signs that pleased Democrats. Latinos voted at high rates in an election that saw record-setting turnout among all demographic groups. Latinos normally have among the worst midterm turnout rates, and while official data won't be available for months, a number of formerly-Republican congressional districts in California and New Mexico flipped Democratic. That's why Republicans shouldn't take solace from being able to consistently win about one-third of Latinos, said Madrid. They're still losing two-thirds of an electorate that's being goaded into the voting booth by Trump. "That is contributing to the death spiral of the Republican Party - even if it holds at 30 percent," Madrid said. "That's a route to death, it's just a slower one." Gonzalez, the pastor, sees the trend in Colorado. He distributed literature across Spanish-speaking congregations supporting Republican gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton, who was crushed by Democratic Rep. Jared Polis as the GOP lost every race for statewide office. Gonzalez understands the anger among some Latinos at the GOP and Trump for what he says is a false impression of a solely hardline immigration stance. "In the community that is not informed, that is following the rhetoric of the media, there's a view that Donald Trump is a bad guy," Gonzalez said. Evangelicals "understand that he's there to defend values." Gonzalez's church is Iglesia Embajada del Reino, or Church of the Kingdom's Embassy. On a recent Saturday night, an eight-piece band played Spanish-language Christian rock before Gonzalez walked to the podium. Wearing a blue corduroy blazer, blue shirt and grey slacks, Gonzalez, a onetime member of a Marxist group in Colombia, told his congregants that they were ambassadors of a higher power - the kingdom of God. "It's important that your political opinions, your social opinions," not enter into it, Gonzalez said. "We need to represent the position of 'The Kingdom.' " Gonzalez did not mention Trump in his sermon, though he spoke about the Bible as a book of governance. Afterward the congregation gathered for bowls of posole, a traditional Mexican soup. When politics came up, church-goers struggled to balance their enthusiasm for some of Trump's judicial appointments with their distaste at his rhetoric and actions. "I think the president has good, Christian principles," said Jose Larios, a parks worker. "But we feel as Latinos that he doesn't embrace our community, and our community is good and hard-working." Oscar Murillo, a 37-year-old horse trainer, is not a fan of Trump's. But he tries to stay open-minded about Republicans. He voted for the GOP candidate for state attorney general, who visited the congregation before the election. "He's in the same party as Trump, but he seems different," Murillo said. ___ Hannah Fingerhut in Washington, DC contributed to this report. FILE - In this, Dec. 15, 2018, file photo, Pedro H. Gonzalez, the bi-vocational Denver pastor and board member of Colorado Family Action, poses for a photograph in Clement Park in Littleton, Colo. Republicans are holding onto a steady share of the Latino vote in the Trump era. With a president who targets immigrants from Latin America, some analysts predicted a Latino backlash against the GOP. But it hasn't happened. Data from AP's VoteCast survey suggests Republicans are holding on to support from Latino evangelicals and veterans. Pedro Gonzalez has faith in Donald Trump and his party. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Bahrain on Friday announced that "work is continuing at its embassy" in Syria, reflecting a new push by Gulf Arab states to improve relations with President Bashar Assad as the war winds down. A day earlier, the United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus with a flag-raising ceremony before journalists and camera crews. The concerted pronouncements come seven years after several Arab states recalled their ambassadors and Gulf states shuttered their embassies in Syria to isolate Assad. The diplomatic thaw comes after the U.S. announced plans to pull its troops from Syria. Gulf states have expressed concern about a growing role for Iran and Turkey in the future of Syria as the U.S. reduces its clout. Early in the civil war, Gulf Arab states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar rushed to back Sunni fighters battling Assad's forces. Syria was expelled from the 22-member Arab League in 2011. Arab countries sanctioned Damascus and condemned its use of military force against civilians. In recent years, however, the Syrian army has won a series of key military victories with the help of Russia and Iran. In its statement, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of continued relations with Syria. The ministry emphasized "the Arab role" in preserving Syria's independence and preventing dangerous regional intervention in its affairs - an apparent reference to Iran's strengthened foothold there. The statement did not give details on whether an ambassador would be reinstated to Damascus or give details on Bahrain's diplomatic presence in Syria. Bahrain is home to a majority Shiite population and there are direct flights from Manama to Damascus, which is home to Shiite pilgrimage sites. In October, Assad told a little-known Kuwaiti newspaper that Syria had reached a "major understanding" with Arab states after years of hostility. He did not name the Arab countries in the interview, which was his first with a Gulf paper since the war erupted, but said Arab and Western delegations had begun visiting Syria to prepare for the reopening of diplomatic and other missions. The interview came on the heels of a surprisingly warm meeting between the Syrian foreign minister and his Bahraini counterpart on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September. The meeting turned heads because it featured hugs between the two ministers. DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is poised to win a record fourth term in Sunday's elections, drumming up support by promising a development bonanza as her critics question if the South Asian nation's tremendous economic success has come at the expense of its already fragile democracy. The polls, the 11th since Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971, pit 71-year-old Hasina against a united opposition helmed by Kamal Hossain, 82, an Oxford-educated lawyer and former foreign minister. Notably absent is former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, 74, Hasina's archrival and the head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Courts ruled she was ineligible to run from her colonial-era Dhaka jail cell, where she's serving a 17-year sentence for corruption. Hasina and Zia have been in and out of power and prison for decades, vying to run the young Muslim-majority country of 160 million. Zia's BNP boycotted the 2014 polls. As a result, voter turnout was only 22 percent, according to Bangladesh's Election Commission. More than half of the 300 seats in Parliament were uncontested. Dozens of people died in post-election violence. This time, more than 104 million people are eligible to vote. Nearly one in 10 are young voters, including many first-time voters, in one of the world's largest democratic exercises. After a decade of rule by Hasina's Awami League party and in Zia's absence, Hossain, once a close aide to Hasina's father, Bangladesh's founding president, has risen as the primary challenger, attracting the interest of Bangladesh's growing middle class and Western diplomats not wholly convinced Hasina's development gains justify her increasingly heavy-handed rule. "Development is not only economic growth, it has a far broader meaning which includes human rights, rule of law, inclusivity, accountability and good governance, all (of which) seem to be missing here," said Illinois State University politics professor Ali Riaz. Supporters of Bangladesh Awami League shout slogans during an election rally ahead of the general elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. Bangladesh heads for the 11th National Parliamentary Election on Dec. 30, amid opposition allegations that thousands of its leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. But authorities say the arrests are not politically motivated and the opposition is trying to create chaos ahead of elections. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) The runup to the election has been marred by allegations from Hossain supporters of arrests and jailing of thousands of Hasina opponents. About 600,000 security personnel including thousands of military soldiers and paramilitary border guards have been deployed. State police have barred opposition marches and foiled rallies. At least six people have been killed in campaign-related clashes that local media report were mostly perpetrated by ruling-party activists backed by police. BNP spokesman Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said more than 12,000 opposition activists have been injured. Facebook last week shut down a series of fake news sites spreading false information about the opposition that a threat intelligence consultancy determined were created and managed by government associates. Earlier this year, Hasina spearheaded a draconian new digital law that journalists and some academics charged could be wielded to silence government critics. Hasina defended it in Parliament as a tool to combat dangerous propaganda. "Journalism is surely not for increasing conflict, or for tarnishing the image of the country," she said. With Hasina's hold on the state machinery increasingly clear, doubts have arisen about the fairness of the vote. The opposition this week demanded the resignation of the Election Commission chief. "So far the indications do not suggest we have a level playing field in place for the election to be fully free and fair," said Iftekhar Zaman, head of Paris-based corruption watchdog Transparency International's Bangladesh chapter. While rights groups sound the alarms about the erosion of democracy, Hasina has promoted a different narrative, highlighting an ambitious economic agenda that has propelled Bangladesh past larger neighbors Pakistan and India by some development measures. Bangladesh ranked 136 out of 189 countries on the U.N. Human Development Index, which factors in life expectancy, years of education and gross national income, jumping 7 spots from 2012. The World Bank has praised the country for sharply reducing the percentage of its people living in extreme poverty. Hasina embarked on a two-story, 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) bridge tapping government coffers rather than the World Bank's proffered loans. She has formed joint ventures with Japan, India, China and Russia, all clamoring for access to the northern Bay of Bengal. India and Russia jointly built Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant. Bangladesh launched its first commercial satellite earlier this year. Bangladesh's garment industry exports $30 billion a year to supply the racks of Zara, H&M, Uniqlo and other fashion retailers, making it the second-largest in the world after China. After an assault by Islamic militants in 2016 in which 20 hostages, including 17 foreigners from Italy, Japan and India, were killed, security officials under Hasina launched a massive crackdown, apparently destroying their network. Again, Hasina elected to handle the crisis in-house rather than engaging international players, and successfully suppressed claims that the Islamic State was behind the attack. Hasina's security officials have killed more than 60 radical Islamists including some commanders since 2016 in a zero-tolerance campaign against hard-liners. The same groups who criticize Hasina's heavy-handedness in civil matters have lauded her treatment of Muslim Rohingya refugees fleeing a military assault in neighboring Myanmar. She ordered border guards to open the frontier for Rohingya fleeing what many call a campaign of ethnic cleansing in August 2017, allowing more than 700,000 refugees to take shelter in camps near the city of Cox's Bazar. Despite some external pressure, she has maintained a policy of voluntary return. Still, Hasina's profile of courage has been tarnished by her intolerance of domestic critics. And on Thursday, Hossain urged supporters who might fear violence and intimation and stay away from the polls. "My appeal to the people: Be brave, this is our right," he said. ___ Associated Press writer Emily Schmall contributed to this report. Bangladeshi women check their names in the voters list pasted on the wall outside a polling station ahead of the general elections in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. Bangladesh heads for the 11th National Parliamentary Election on Dec. 30, amid opposition allegations that thousands of its leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. But authorities say the arrests are not politically motivated and the opposition is trying to create chaos ahead of elections. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Bangladeshi policemen escort Bangladesh Awami League party election rally in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. Bangladesh heads for the 11th National Parliamentary Election on Dec. 30, amid opposition allegations that thousands of its leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. But authorities say the arrests are not politically motivated and the opposition is trying to create chaos ahead of elections. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Election posters are seen hanging as Bangladeshi rickshaw pullers transport passengers in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. Bangladesh heads for the 11th National Parliamentary Election on Dec. 30, amid opposition allegations that thousands of its leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. But authorities say the arrests are not politically motivated and the opposition is trying to create chaos ahead of elections. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) Bangladeshi commuters walk amid traffic under the hanging election posters in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. Bangladesh heads for the 11th National Parliamentary Election on Dec. 30, amid opposition allegations that thousands of its leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. But authorities say the arrests are not politically motivated and the opposition is trying to create chaos ahead of elections. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Congo's leader is blaming a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to bar an estimated 1 million voters from Sunday's long-delayed presidential election, claiming it would be a "disaster" if someone infects hundreds of people. Protests exploded again on Friday in response as health workers suspended efforts and warned that new cases could sharply rise. In an interview with The Associated Press, President Joseph Kabila contradicted his own health officials and experts with the World Health Organization who have said precautions were taken in collaboration with electoral authorities so people could vote. Those include tons of hand sanitizer - Ebola is spread via infected bodily fluids - and the screening of all voters entering polling stations. Without mentioning the election, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned late Friday that "prolonged insecurity" in Congo could erase recent gains made in containing the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. Work has reached a "critical point," he said. Kabila on Thursday evening claimed that the hemorrhagic fever could spread as people use voting machines, tapping on a touchscreen to select candidates. A polling station could have 500 to 600 voters and "this assumes that a lot of people will be contaminated," he said. Health officials have said people would sanitize their hands before and after voting. Until this week, the Ebola outbreak declared on Aug. 1 had been a challenge but not a barrier to the election. Voting is now delayed in the cities of Beni and Butembo - but not in other communities with Ebola cases - until March, long after the inauguration of Kabila's successor in January. Residents had largely supported Kabila in past elections but sentiment has turned in recent years amid persistent insecurity. This latest delay in an election meant to occur in late 2016 has angered both residents and the opposition, which accuses the government of trying to ensure that Kabila's preferred successor wins. Many Congolese believe Kabila will wield power behind the scenes and protect his assets in a country with vast mineral wealth. Protesters walk past a burning tyre in the Eastern Congolese town of Beni, Friday Dec. 28, 2018, as they demonstrate against the election postponed until March 2019, announced by Congo's electoral commission for Beni residents that is blamed on a deadly Ebola outbreak. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro) Protests broke out in Beni again on Friday, with hundreds of people demanding to vote on Sunday with the rest of the country. Police used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse the marchers who barricaded streets. Some protesters carried crosses displaying "RIP Kabila" and saying his preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, "will never be our president." Beni's civil society urged residents to turn out en masse on Sunday. Others protested in Butembo and Goma city. "We don't fear Ebola," one marcher, Claude Vianney, told the AP. "I know that if you wash your hands, the Ebola virus will be killed." He added: "We are furious, as you can see. Why does Kabila keep mocking us?" On Thursday, some protesters attacked an Ebola response center and sent 21 patients fleeing. Many later returned, but the vandalism was the latest setback in efforts to contain the outbreak. Nearly 600 cases have been reported, with more than 350 confirmed deaths. The uproar over the voting delay has "badly disturbed" Ebola response work in Beni and Butembo, Congo's health ministry said. Health teams barely deployed on Thursday and no Ebola vaccinations could be carried out. The Oxfam aid group said it was forced to suspend Ebola response work. Acting country director Raphael Mbuyi called it "extremely worrying" because previous suspensions have led to a spike in new cases. "It's not surprising that people who have had their votes taken away at the last minute are frustrated and going to the streets," Mbuyi added. "These people deserve to have their say as well." Congo's national organization of Episcopal churches called the decision to bar voters "unjust" and urged the election commission to reconsider. Protesters said life has continued in the outbreak zone, with schools open, people going to church and candidates holding campaign rallies. Congo's president said such activities don't involve voting machines. There is "no further reason" to prevent Sunday's election for the rest of the country, Kabila told the AP, adding: "Rest assured, there will be peace." Police can secure the population, he said. He dismissed opposition allegations that campaigns had faced restrictions, including blocked flights and supporters assaulted. Opposition candidate Martin Fayulu told the AP that up to 5 million of Congo's 40 million voters might not be able to cast ballots on Sunday, claiming that voting machines had yet to be delivered to some areas. Congo's president also sounded defiant in the face of international pressure. His foreign minister on Thursday ordered the European Union ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours, citing EU sanctions on Kabila's preferred successor , Shadary. The former interior minister is under an EU asset freeze and travel ban for obstructing Congo's electoral process and for a crackdown against protesters angry over the delayed vote. The EU prolonged the sanctions this month. An EU spokesperson called Congo's order "completely unjustified" and counterproductive ahead of "very challenging elections." Kabila, when asked what advice he had for his successor, replied: "The biggest recommendation is that he listen to the voice of the Congolese and not follow that of the United States, Europe or elsewhere." Congo resists what it considers international meddling, funding this election itself. Western observer groups are notably absent. "I have already said that Congo is not a beggar country," Kabila said. ___ Maliro reported from Beni. Associated Press writer Mathilde Boussion in Kinshasa and video journalist Mark Carlson in Brussels contributed. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa Protesters in the Eastern Congolese town of Beni, Friday Dec. 28, 2018, as they demonstrate against the election postponed until March 2019, announced by Congo's electoral commission for Beni residents that is blamed on a deadly Ebola outbreak. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro) Congolese police move to quell protests in the Eastern Congolese town of Beni, Friday Dec. 28, 2018, as they demonstrate against the election postponed until March 2019, announced by Congo's electoral commission for Beni residents that is blamed on a deadly Ebola outbreak. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro) A man crosses the street in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Dec. 28, 2018. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) People at a sidewalk cafe as a man gets a haircut in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Dec. 28, 2018. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) A hairdresser waits for customers in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Dec. 28, 2018. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) A hairdresser waits for customers in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Dec. 28, 2018. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2018, file photo, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabila Kabange addresses the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters. Congo's leader says "there is no further reason" to prevent Sunday's presidential election after two years of delays, but he blames an Ebola outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) Congolese opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu poses for a portrait following an interview with the Associated Press in Kinshasa, Congo, Thursday Dec. 27, 2018. Police in eastern Congo fired live ammunition and tear gas on Thursday to disperse more than 100 people protesting a presidential election delay, blamed on a deadly Ebola outbreak, that means more than 1 million votes will not count. Some protesters attacked an Ebola treatment center, with a number of patients fleeing. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) BEIRUT (AP) - Syria's military said Friday it had entered the key Kurdish-held town of Manbij in an apparent deal with the Kurds, who are looking for new allies and protection against a threatened Turkish offensive as U.S. troops prepare to leave Syria. Turkey and American troops patrolling the town denied there was any change of forces in the contested area, contradicting the Syrians and highlighting the potential for chaos in the wake of last week's surprise pronouncement by the United States that it was withdrawing its troops. Since the U.S. announcement, forces have been building up around Manbij and further east, ushering in new alliances and raising the chances for friction. The Kurds' invitation to Syrian troops shows they'd rather let Syria's Russian- and Iranian-backed government fill the void left by the Americans, than face the prospect of being overwhelmed by their top rival Turkey. Meanwhile, a flurry of meetings is expected in the coming days as all sides of the conflict scramble to find ways to replace the departing U.S. troops. They include one Saturday in Moscow, where Russia will host top Turkish officials in a possible sign that the two sides could be working on a deal to avert a Turkish offensive into Syria. Russians officials have said they expect Syrian government troops to replace the U.S. troops when they withdraw. Turkey considers the U.S.-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units, which now controls nearly 30 percent of Syria, a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. Kurdish-controlled Manbij has been at the center of rising tension between the U.S. and Turkey. There were conflicting reports Friday on the location of the Syrian troops, who said they had moved into Manbij and raised the Syrian flag in the town. The Kurdish militia said it has invited the Syrian government to take control of Manbij to protect it against "a Turkish invasion." In this March 29, 2018 photo, a Syrian student walks next a wall with Arabic that reads: "We will not emigrate we will confront, no to the Turkish occupation," in Manbij, north Syria. On Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, Syria's military said it entered the flashpoint Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive -- a claim that was refuted by U.S. troops who patrol the town. The announcement and the conflicting reports reflect the potential for chaos in the wake of the U.S. surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) But a Kurdish official said the government deployment has so far been limited to the front line with Turkey-backed fighters, based north and west Manbij. And U.S. officials in Washington said Syrian regime forces and some Russian forces had moved a bit closer to the city and were largely south or southwest of the city. The officials spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the troop movements publicly. The U.S.-led coalition said the announcement that government troops had entered the town was "incorrect," and called "on everyone to respect the integrity of Manbij and the safety of its citizens." Russia and Iran, meanwhile, welcomed the Syrian announcement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it a "positive step" that could help stabilize the area. Iran hailed it as a "major step toward establishing the government's authority" over all of Syria. Russia has signaled it expects the Syrian government to deploy where U.S. forces leave. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Syrian government move was "a psychological act," and the situation in Manbij was uncertain. He spoke as Turkey-allied forces in Syria said they were fortifying their front line positions ahead of the possible military offensive. But Erdogan also noted that his country's goal is to oust the Kurdish militia from along his country's borders. "If terror organizations leave, then there is no work left for us anyway," Erdogan told reporters. In Washington, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who broke with U.S. President Donald Trump on his decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, tweeted that reports about the Kurds aligning with Assad were a "major disaster in the making." Graham, a leading voice on foreign policy and national security issues in Congress, warned the development would be a "nightmare for Turkey and eventually Israel." Graham tweeted that the "big winners" are Russia, Iran, Assad and Islamic State militants. National Security Adviser John Bolton is expected in Turkey after the new year. Friday's announcement by the Syrian military comes as Turkey and allied Syrian fighters have been sending in reinforcement to the front lines and threatening an offensive to dislodge the Kurdish forces. In response, the U.S. first warned against unilateral action and increased patrols and observation points in northeastern Syria. Then, in a surprise move, Trump announced he was withdrawing troops from eastern Syria. He later said the withdrawal would be coordinated with Turkey. The decision has left America's Syrian Kurdish partners in a conundrum. With no backing from the U.S., the Kurdish forces looked to new allies to protect their Kurdish-administered areas. Partners since 2014, the U.S-led forces and the Kurdish group have liberated most of east Syria from Islamic State militants. Ilham Ahmed, a senior Kurdish official, said an agreement is being worked out between the Russians and the Syrian government. She said the U.S. troops have not yet withdrawn from Manbij, but said Syrian troops would take over once U.S. withdrawal is complete. "The aim is to ward off a Turkish offensive," Ahmed said. "If the Turks' excuse is the (Kurdish militia), they will leave their posts to the government." The Syrian government has said it welcomes the Kurdish group returning to areas under its authority. But government officials have stated they will not accept an autonomous area, a main demand for the Kurds. The Syrian military declaration came shortly after the Kurds invited the government to seize control of Manbij to prevent a Turkish attack. Pro-state Syrian al-Ikhbariya TV aired footage from inside Manbij of commercial streets on a rainy day, but didn't show any troops. It carried images of a military convoy driving late at night, purportedly to Manbij. A timetable for the U.S. withdrawal has not yet been made public. ___ Associated Press writers Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow, Zeynep Bilginsoy in Istanbul and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. In this March 31, 2018 photo, Syrian citizens walk in front of buildings that were destroyed during the battle between the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighters and Islamic State militants, in Manbij, north Syria. On Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, Syria's military said it entered the flashpoint Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive -- a claim that was refuted by U.S. troops who patrol the town. The announcement and the conflicting reports reflect the potential for chaos in the wake of the U.S. surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) In this March 31, 2018 photo, a Syrian woman with her kids walks in front of buildings that were destroyed during the battle between the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighters and Islamic State militants, in Manbij, north Syria. On Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, Syria's military said it entered the flashpoint Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive -- a claim that was refuted by U.S. troops who patrol the town. The announcement and the conflicting reports reflect the potential for chaos in the wake of the U.S. surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) FILE - In this March 28, 2018 file photo, members of the Kurdish internal security forces stand on their vehicle in front of a giant poster showing portraits of fighters killed fighting against the Islamic State group, in Manbij, north Syria. On Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, Syria's military announced it has taken control the flash-point Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive. The announcement Friday came shortly after the main Syrian Kurdish militia invited the government to seize control of Manbij to prevent an attack. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) In this March 31, 2018 photo, a member of the Kurdish internal security forces, center, patrols at a popular market, in Manbij, north Syria. On Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, Syria's military said it entered the flashpoint Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive -- a claim that was refuted by U.S. troops who patrol the town. The announcement and the conflicting reports reflect the potential for chaos in the wake of the U.S. surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) FILE - In this March 28, 2018 file photo, women walk in front of clothes shops, on a commercial street, in Manbij, north Syria. On Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, Syria's military announced it has taken control the flash-point Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive. The announcement Friday came shortly after the main Syrian Kurdish militia invited the government to seize control of Manbij to prevent an attack (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) 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) FILE -- This March 31, 2018 file photo, shows a vehicle of U.S. troops passing on a street, in Manbij town, north Syria. The U.S-led coalition has denied that there were changes to the military deployment in Syria's Kurdish-held Syrian Manbij, refuting the government account that its troops have entered the town. The coalition said Friday information about government troops entering the town was "incorrect" and there were no indication the claims were true. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) In this March 31, 2018 photo, members of the Kurdish internal security forces patrol at a popular market, in Manbij, north Syria. On Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, Syria's military said it entered the flashpoint Kurdish-held town of Manbij, where Turkey has threatened an offensive -- a claim that was refuted by U.S. troops who patrol the town. The announcement and the conflicting reports reflect the potential for chaos in the wake of the U.S. surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) Abu Dhabi Airports today announced its airport-wide roll out of Super-Fi that will increase internet upload and download speeds to a maximum of 200 Mbps per user at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH). The Super-Fi internet access, which is among the fastest airport wi-fi services in the world, has been installed and tested throughout all three terminals. It will now provide millions of travellers with improved online connectivity. Internet access is free for public use throughout AUH terminals, allowing travellers to connect with family and friends upon arrival and prior to departure. The move comes as part of Abu Dhabi Airports commitment to enhanced passenger experiences, as well as its journey of digitalisation and innovation. Chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, Bryan Thompson, said: We understand just how important wi-fi has become to the travelling public. At Abu Dhabi Airports, we value our customers first and foremost, placing a primary focus on their experiences while coming and going from the UAEs capital. Access to fast internet is a crucial factor that makes a big difference for our travellers. Providing our customers with enhanced connectively services is in line with our vision of becoming the worlds leading airports group. Thompson added: We are proud to have rolled out Super-Fi across the entirety of Abu Dhabi International Airport, free for all of our travellers. Super-Fi is not just wi-fi, it is incredibly fast and reliable wi-fi allowing our customers to keep in touch while using our fantastic facilities. Technology is at the heart of our digital transformation strategy, and this improved internet infrastructure will open the door to further smart services and connected solutions. In October 2018, Abu Dhabi Airports and Cisco signed an agreement that provides AUH with cutting-edge solutions that will support its digital transformation strategy, including operational efficiency, digital capacity and customer experience. - TradeArabia News Service BEIRUT (AP) - BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on developments related to Syria (all times local): 7:05 p.m. Turkey-backed Syrian fighters say their forces are on alert and ready for an offensive in a flashpoint Kurdish-held town after Syrian troops announced that they have entered it and raised the government's flag there. Spokesman Youssef Hammoud says Turkey-backed fighters have reinforced their positions on the front lines with Manbij, including in areas where Syrian troops have taken up positions alongside the Kurdish-led forces. Turkey and its Syrian allied fighters have threatened an offensive against Manbij, to dislodge the U.S.-backed Kurdish militia. Turkey considers the U.S.-backed militia a terrorist organization. The escalation in Manbij reached new heights in the wake of the U.S.'s Dec. 14 decision to withdraw its troops from Syria. Although a timetable has not yet been made public, rival forces in the area are readying to grab territory vacated by U.S. troops. Hammoud said Syrian government troops have reinforced their existing positions south and west of Manbij, but have not entered the town. 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) "We are in forward positions all along the front line with Manbij and rural areas. We have reinforced our positions and are on alert, awaiting the signal for the start of the battle," he said. ___ 6:50 p.m. Iran's official IRNA news agency is reporting that the country's foreign ministry has welcomed the Syrian army's announcement that its troops had entered the northern town of Manbij. The Friday report quotes Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying, "Hoisting the Syrian flag in Manbij, located in the northeast of Aleppo governorate in northern Syria, is a major step toward the establishment of the country's legal government's authority in the entire Syrian territory." "It is a new step towards resolution of crisis in Syria," Ghasemi also said, according to the report. The Syrian army entered the town of Manbij on Friday after the main Syrian Kurdish militia invited the Syrian government to seize control of it to prevent an attack from Turkey. The Syrian military said it was responding to calls from the town's residents and promised safety for everyone living there. ___ 5:20 p.m. The U.S.-led coalition has denied that there were changes to the military deployment in Syria's Kurdish-held Manbij, refuting the Syrian government's account that its troops have entered the town. The coalition said Friday that the announcement that government troops had entered the town was "incorrect." Kurdish officials said the government troops have deployed at the front lines with Turkey-backed fighters to avert a Turkish offensive. U.S. troops have been patrolling the town and have bases on its edge to prevent friction with Turkey-backed fighters. The town is held by the U.S-backed Kurdish-led forces. Turkey has threatened a military campaign to drive the Kurdish militia out of the town. The threats, in part, triggered the surprise announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that he will withdraw American troops from Syria. The Syrian government announced earlier Friday that it has entered the town of Manbij and raised the national flag there. "We call on everyone to respect the integrity of Manbij and the safety of its citizens," the U.S.-led coalition said. ___ 2:35 p.m. Turkey's Defense Ministry says the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, has no authority to make statements on behalf of the region's people or "invite other elements" into the region. The statement Friday apparently was referring to the YPG's appeal to the Syrian government to seize control of the northern town of Manbij to avert an attack by Turkey. In an official statement Friday, Turkey's Ministry of Defense said it was closely monitoring the situation in Manbij. Turkey considers the YPG a terror organization and has been threatening an offensive to oust them from northeastern Syria. The ministry also "warned" all parties to refrain from "provocative acts and discourses" that could create more instability. ___ 2:35 p.m. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that Moscow hopes to receive clarifications from the United States regarding its upcoming withdrawal from Syria. U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement last week that American troops will pull out of Syria has caught U.S. allies Kurds by surprise. The Syrian military announced Friday that they have entered the key Kurdish-held town in the country after the main Syrian Kurdish militia invited the government to take control to prevent a Turkish attack. Lavrov, who was hosting the Jordanian foreign minister on Friday, told reporters that Moscow hopes to receive "concrete explanations" from U.S. officials of the reason behind the decision to pull out. Lavrov also said that "it appears that Washington wants to shift the responsibility" on other partners in the anti-Islamic State group coalition who will remain on the ground. ___ 2:25 p.m. Turkey's president says the facts on the ground in a key northern Syrian town remain uncertain but he emphasized Turkey's goal of ousting a Kurdish militant group. Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Syrian military's entry into Manbij a "psychological act." He told reporters: "I spoke with my friends, with intelligence, etc., about an hour ago and there is nothing certain at this moment." Erdogan also argued that Turkey has been working for Syria's territorial integrity and said Turkey's goal remains the defeat of the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or the YPG. Turkey considers it a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. "If terror organizations leave, then there is no work left for us anyway," Erdogan told reporters. He said Turkey's military was continuing its preparations. ___ 1:10 p.m. A senior Syrian Kurdish official says Syrian government troops have arrived at the front lines of the flash-point town of Manbij but have not taken over the city, and U.S. troops based outside it have not withdrawn. Ilham Ahmed said an agreement was being worked out with the Russians and the Syrian government that in case of a full U.S. withdrawal, government troops would take over. The Syrian government has announced it has seized control of the town. "The aim is to ward off a Turkish offensive," Ahmed said. "If the Turks' excuse is the (Kurdish militia), so they leave their posts to the government." Ahmed said the Kurdish militiaremain inside the city. ___ 11:55 a.m. The Kremlin has welcomed the Syrian military's entry into the flash-point Kurdish-held town where Turkey has threatened an offensive. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday described the development as a "positive step" that could help "stabilize the situation." The Syrian army entered the town of Manbij on Friday after the main Syrian Kurdish militia invited the government to seize control of it to prevent an attack from Turkey. The Syrian military said it was responding to calls from the town's residents and promised safety for all living there. The Syrian entry into Manbij comes a day before Moscow is to host top Turkish officials to discuss the crisis in Syria after the United States announced it will withdraw its troops from the country. ___ 11:15 a.m. The main Syrian Kurdish militia has invited government troops to take control of the flashpoint northern town of Manbij to prevent a Turkish attack. The People's Protection Units, or YPG, made the appeal Friday in a tweet. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is reporting that Syrian government forces have been massing on the edges of Manbij, a front line between Kurdish-led forces and Turkey-backed fighters to the west. It is not yet clear whether U.S. troops, which had patrolled the area, remain in place or have withdrawn. There was no immediate response from the U.S-led coalition. Turkey had threatened a military operation against Manbij to remove the Kurdish-led forces there. Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist group. The threats triggered the U.S. announcement of withdrawing troops from Syria. OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) - Burkina Faso's security minister says 10 gendarmes have been killed in an ambush after unidentified attackers set fire to a school near the border with Mali. Clement Sawadogo says troops who arrived to reinforce the gendarmes in Sourou province early Thursday accidentally triggered an explosive device, injuring three members of the security forces. The West African nation has seen increasing attacks by Islamic extremists since 2015. The area near the Mali border has seen a number of attacks on schools, police headquarters and administrative offices. In the past week, three soldiers and a policeman have been killed in separate attacks around Burkina Faso. Sawadogo urged security forces and citizens to be vigilant during new year celebrations. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) - Eritrea has partially closed two border crossings with Ethiopia that opened this year after the former East African rivals made peace and restored relations, an Ethiopian official said Friday. Thousands of people have crossed the border that had been closed for two decades, with traders pursuing brisk business and families reuniting after years apart. The crossings opened with fanfare in September as both countries said they would remove their troops. It was not clear why Eritrea closed the crossings to Ethiopians, spokeswoman Liya Kassa with Ethiopia's northern Tigray region told The Associated Press. She said Eritreans were still crossing freely. The Zalambessa and Rama crossings were closed as of Wednesday morning and preliminary information "indicates it was closed from the Eritrean side," she said. Eritrean border officials are now asking Ethiopian travelers to provide a travel document issued by federal authorities, she said. "We have communicated the issue with the federal government and we were told they don't have any information about it," she added. "Only Ethiopians are facing the restrictions." Eritrean officials were not immediately available for comment. Ethiopia's foreign ministry spokesman on Thursday told reporters he had no information about the new border restrictions. Photos posted on social media show stranded buses and trucks at the two crossings. Abraham Gedamu, an Ethiopian traveler who went to Zalambessa to cross into Eritrea for a religious event, said he was denied entry on Thursday morning. "They said I have to wait because they are drawing up a new travel directive. Several hundred others are facing the same issue," he told the AP by phone. Ethiopia and Eritrea restored relations in June after Ethiopia's new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, assumed power in April and fully accepted a peace deal ending a bloody border war from 1998 to 2000. Dramatic changes followed, with Abiy and longtime Eritrea President Isaias Afwerki visiting each other's capitals and embracing while phone lines opened and air links resumed. The international community welcomed the new peace that has led to further diplomatic breakthroughs in the often turbulent Horn of Africa region. In November, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to lift sanctions against Eritrea after nearly a decade. "Eritrea recognizes that a more difficult and complex task is waiting ahead," Eritrea's Charge d'Affaires Amanuel Giorgio said after the council's vote. "It is determined to redouble its own efforts and work closely with its neighbors to build a region at peace with itself." ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa MADRID (AP) - A Spanish aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea arrived in Spain on Friday, ending a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean. The boat, operated by the nonprofit group Proactiva Open Arms, docked at the Spanish port of Algeciras. The boat rescued 313 migrants in waters near Libya last week, but had to travel to Spain after Malta denied it permission to dock and Italy and other countries refused to help. Three of the migrants were later evacuated for health reasons. Oscar Camps, head of Proactiva Open Arms, said Friday that the group of migrants included "19 different nationalities, with many people with the right to ask for asylum." In June, Spain opened its ports to another aid ship belonging to SOS Mediterranee Sea and Doctors Without Borders carrying over 600 rescued migrants after Italy and Malta refused to let it dock. According to the U.N. refugee agency, over 2,200 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year in unseaworthy smugglers' boats while 119,336 have reached Europe. A migrant child is carried from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, to disembark in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday, after other European nations closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) A migrant child is helped from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, to disembark in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday, after other European nations closed their ports to the ship. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) A migrant child is helped from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, to disembark in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday, after other European nations closed their ports to the ship. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) A migrant child is helped from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, to disembark in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday, after other European nations closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) A migrant child is hekped from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, to disembark in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday, after other European nations closed their ports to the ship. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) A migrant child is helped from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, to disembark in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday, after other European nations closed their ports to the ship. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out as they approach port, from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out as they approach port, from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) A migrant child is carried from the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, to disembark in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday, after other European nations closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out as they approach port, from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. The Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea, has ended a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean Sea to dock at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea on Dec. 21 before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. To reach Crinavis they have sailed for 6 days with more than 300 migrants on board because other European countries closed their ports to the ship. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) A migrant looks out as they approach port, from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea on Dec. 21 before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. To reach Crinavis they have sailed for 6 days with more than 300 migrants on board because other European countries closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. To reach Crinavis they have sailed for 6 days with more than 300 migrants on board because other European countries closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. To reach Crinavis they have sailed for 6 days with more than 300 migrants on board because other European countries closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out as they approach port, on the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. To reach Crinavis they have sailed for 6 days with more than 300 migrants on board because other European countries closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) Migrants look out from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea on Dec. 21, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. To reach Crinavis they have sailed for 6 days with more than 300 migrants on board because other European countries closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) GLENELG, Md. (AP) - Two Maryland teenagers have pleaded guilty to writing racist and Nazi graffiti on their Glenelg high school over the summer. The Baltimore Sun reports 19-year-olds Joshua Shaffer and Seth Taylor each pleaded guilty to a hate crime charge Thursday as part of a deal. Prosecutors say Shaffer wrote racist graffiti targeting the Glenelg High School principal, who is black. Prosecutors called for Shaffer to serve 18 weekends at a detention center followed by supervised probation and community service, among other requirements. Prosecutors say Taylor spray-painted "KKK" and swastikas around the school and recommended nine weekends at the center and other requirements similar to Shaffer. Two other teens, 18-year-olds Tyler Curtiss and Matthew Lipp, are also charged with hate crimes in the vandalism. Their trials are set for January and February, respectively. ___ This story has been corrected to show prosecutors recommended sentences for Shaffer and Taylor, but they were not sentenced. ___ Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com TIRANA, Albania (AP) - Albania's prime minister has shuffled his Cabinet in response to a students' protest and complaints of corruption and inefficiency from the opposition. Edi Rama's move on Friday replaced eight out of 15 members of the Cabinet - including the finance and foreign ministers - with other officials or lawmakers. Rama also replaced his deputy Senida Mesi with Erjon Brace, a lawmaker. Rama, who is also leader of the governing Socialist Party, said the sacked ministers will have an important role for the June 2019 municipal elections as political leaders in their areas. Public university students have boycotted lessons for more than two weeks, demanding reduced tuition fees and more spending on higher education. The opposition has accused the sacked ministers of corruption and inefficiency. ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's Supreme Court has summoned former president Asif Ali Zardari, his sister and several other suspects in connection with a money laundering case. Friday's development was the latest blow to Zardari, who along with 171 others was placed on no-fly list by the government a day earlier amid accusations of concealing assets from tax authorities or creating fake bank accounts. Zardari and his sister are to appear in court on Monday. The suspects barred from leaving the country include Zardari, who is a member of the National Assembly, his sister Faryal Talpur, his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who heads the opposition Pakistan People's Party and Murad Ali Shah, who is chief minister in southern Sindh province. In a fiery speech at a rally in the Sindh province Friday, Zardari fired back, saying he will face all charges and prove his innocence. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The dissolution of North Carolina's elections board Friday injected further uncertainty into a still-undecided congressional race as a U.S. House Democratic leader rejected the idea of filling the seat until an investigation of ballot fraud allegations is complete. Gov. Roy Cooper was met with Republican resistance after announcing he would appoint an interim Board of Elections after a three-judge state court panel ruled Thursday that the current board should disband at noon Friday. The Democrat's move would fill the gap - and allow the board to proceed with a Jan. 11 evidentiary hearing about the 9th District congressional race - until a new law governing the statewide elections panel can take effect Jan. 31. Amid the turmoil, incoming U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer issued a statement saying House Democrats won't allow Republican Mark Harris to be sworn in next week because of the ongoing investigation. "Given the now well-documented election fraud that took place in NC-09, Democrats would object to any attempt by Mr. Harris to be seated on January 3," Hoyer said, adding that "the integrity of our democratic process outweighs concerns about the seat being vacant at the start of the new Congress." The U.S. Constitution states that the House is the judge of the elections of its members and the final arbiter of contests. The state Elections Board has refused to certify the race between Harris and Democrat Dan McCready while it investigates absentee ballot irregularities in the district in the south-central part of the state. Harris holds a slim lead in unofficial results, but election officials are looking into criminal allegations against an operative hired by the Harris campaign. FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2018 file photo Republican Mark Harris speaks to the media during a news conference in Matthews, N.C. The North Carolina board investigating allegations of ballot fraud in a still-unresolved congressional race between Harris and Democrat Dan McCready could be disbanded Friday, Dec. 28 under a state court ruling in a protracted legal battle about how the panel operates. The state Elections Board has refused to certify the race between Harris and McCready while it investigates absentee ballot irregularities in the congressional district stretching from the Charlotte area through several counties to the east. Harris holds a slim lead in unofficial results, but election officials are looking into criminal allegations against an operative hired by the Harris campaign. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) Friday's standoff was set in motion by the latest ruling from a state court that previously had found the elections board's makeup unconstitutional after the Republican-controlled legislature altered the board in 2016. The court had ruled earlier this year to allow the board to remain in place until Friday while it investigates the congressional race. The latest ruling came as lawmakers enacted a new law Thursday to largely restore the board to how it operated before 2016. Cooper started the process of rebuilding the elections board Friday by informing the state Democratic and Republican parties that he plans to create an interim panel with five members of the current elections board, unless he receives different picks from the state parties. The interim board would last until the new law takes effect Jan. 31. He said he would appoint both Democrats and Republicans to comply with pre-2016 state elections law he says is temporarily back in force. "All of these members have election law experience and an awareness of the circumstances around the allegations involved in the Ninth Congressional District election," Cooper said in his letter to state party heads. But state GOP Chairman Robin Hayes said the dissolving board's four GOP members "will not accept appointments to an unconstitutional, illegal sham Roy Cooper creation." Republicans instead will withhold GOP nominees until the new law takes effect, he said. The outgoing state board refused a last-minute formal request by Harris to certify him the winner. The elections board reorganization threatens to delay the Jan. 11 hearing. Lawyers for Harris and McCready had a Monday deadline to submit requests to the elections board for people they wanted to have compelled to appear and testify at next month's hearing. But if the current elections board is disbanded without a new one to replace it, the board chairman or vice chairman who could issue the requested subpoenas wouldn't exist. Last week, elections board chairman Josh Malcolm said in an affidavit to the three-judge panel that investigative staffers - who can continue working through any reorganization - had collected more than 182,000 pages of materials in response to 12 subpoenas. Malcolm said Friday that the elections board issued "numerous additional subpoenas" before disbanding. In a letter to Harris' attorney, Malcolm wrote that the GOP candidate had turned over only about 400 pages of subpoenaed documents and had yet to produce another 140,000 documents. Harris also had so far failed to arrange a requested interview with agency staffers, Malcolm said. Harris' campaign committee has pored through about 135,000 documents that needed review, the Republican's attorney David Freedman said Friday. Harris "has cooperated and intends to continue cooperating with the investigation," Freedman said. If House Democrats refuse to seat Harris, it wouldn't be the first time a chamber of Congress delayed or rejected seating a new member. In 2009, U.S. Senate leaders initially refused to seat Roland Burris as the replacement for President-elect Barack Obama's Illinois seat. Burris had been named to succeed Obama by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was eventually convicted on corruption charges for trying to sell the Senate appointment. ___ Follow Emery P. Dalesio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/emery%20dalesio . ___ Follow Drew on Twitter at www.twitter.com/JonathanLDrew LONDON (AP) - Angelina Jolie has not ruled out a move into politics - and has joked that she might be tough enough to take the rough and tumble that comes with it. The American actress and U.N. envoy told BBC radio she "can take a lot on the chin" - a possible reference to her bitter divorce from Brad Pitt. When asked if she is moving in the direction of politics, the 43-year-old Oscar winner said, "I honestly will do whatever I think can really make change." Jolie is a special envoy for the U.N. refugee agency. She used her slot as a "guest editor" on the BBC to highlight refugee issues in the Middle East. She also included Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and Nobel Peace Prize winner Denis Mukwege on the show. EAST VINCENT TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) - Authorities say an armed man who held off SWAT members for 10 hours surrendered after one of them sang him a Christmas carol. Nathaniel Lewis, of Chester County, Pennsylvania, was taken into custody in East Vincent Township early on Dec. 26. The Reading Eagle reports the 34-year-old Lewis allegedly fired at police officers who had responded when a concerned relative reported him acting erratically Christmas night. The shots hit a police vehicle, a house and another vehicle. Police returned fire. Eventually a negotiator got Lewis to agree to surrender after singing "White Christmas" to him. Lewis was charged with multiple counts of attempted homicide, aggravated assault and other offenses. He was being held in Chester County Prison without bail. ___ Information from: Reading Eagle, http://www.readingeagle.com/ Dubai Duty Free announced on Saturday that it had surpassed its annual sales target of $2 billion. The company said it achieved the milestone when Paul and Annelise Christensen, a retired Danish couple, purchased a camera worth Dh1,999 ($544.2) in Concourse B on December 29 at 12:43am. The couple were transiting Dubai for the first time from Copenhagen to Sydney for their wedding anniversary. They were presented with a DDF gift card for $2,000 by Dubai Duty Free officials. Speaking with a DDF representative, Christensen said: My wife wanted to purchase gold and with this $2,000 gift card she can buy all the gold that she wants." "We have been tracking the sales figures hour by hour over the past couple of days and it is fantastic to have achieved this figure before the end of the year, said Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of Dubai Duty Free. Dubai Duty Free, which celebrated its 35th Anniversary on December 20th, recorded sales of $20 million for its first full year of business. Of the original 100 staff who joined in 1983, 26 are still in active service, and the current staff figures are 6,200. - TradeArabia News Service BERLIN (AP) - The leaders of Germany and France are pressing Russia to release Ukrainian sailors captured over a month ago in time for the new year and Orthodox Christmas. In a joint statement Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron also vowed to keep up pressure to implement a 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine. The long-simmering conflict between Russia and Ukraine that started with Russia's annexation of Crimea escalated Nov. 25 when the Russian coast guard fired upon and seized three Ukrainian naval vessels and their crews. In Friday's statement, Merkel and Macron renewed calls for the "safe, free and unhindered passage of all ships" through the Kerch Strait that separates Crimea from mainland Russia and urged the "immediate and unconditional release of all illegally detained Ukrainian sailors." VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican secretary of state urged Iraqi Christians who have endured years of Islamic extremist persecution to forgive, reconcile and rebuild their broken communities as he celebrated Mass Friday in Iraq's largest Christian town. Cardinal Pietro Parolin has spent the Christmas holidays in Iraq in a show of Pope Francis' solidarity with the region's Christian minorities, many of whom were forced to flee their homes during the years of extremist violence. Parolin celebrated Mass in the Altahera Syro-Catholic Cathedral in Qaraqosh, which was overtaken by the Islamic State group in 2014. In his homily, Parolin praised those who had refused to renounce their faith and instead resisted and went into exile. "In God's saving plan, your sacrifices will not be without fruit, as fruitful as the witness of so many martyrs who, from the first centuries of Christianity, bathed this land with their blood and lived their faith heroically to the end," he said. He urged those families who are now returning not to dwell on revenge but to instead forgive those who wronged them, reconcile and rebuild. Many of the Christian communities of northern Iraq are some of the oldest of the faith, where dialects of Aramaic - the language of Jesus - are still spoken. "May the pain and violence you have endured never turn into bitterness, and may the heavy yoke of hatred never fall on your shoulders," Parolin told the Iraqi religious leaders and faithful in the cathedral. "Forgiveness is the basis of reconciliation." In the two years that the Islamic State group held Qaraqosh, militants burned down its churches, destroyed its religious altars and statues, and forced residents to convert or flee. By the time Iraqi forces retook it in 2016, Qaraqosh was practically deserted. Hundreds of families have since returned, and the global Christian community has donated generously to rebuild the churches. There aren't reliable census figures to go by, but by all accounts Qaraqosh was once Iraq's largest Christian town with a population of around 50,000 inhabitants. But Iraq's Christian numbers have been dwindling since the 2003 U.S. invasion, after which Christians of northern Iraq endured attacks by fundamentalist Islamic groups - foremost among them Al-Qaida. ___ AP reporter Salar Salim contributed from Irbil, Iraq. MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - A lawsuit says authorities targeted Tennessee stores with owners of Egyptian heritage in the "Operation Candy Crush" sting focusing on candy and other products containing cannabidiol. In February, 23 Rutherford County stores were padlocked and 21 people were indicted in connection with selling products infused with illegal controlled substances. All charges were later dropped when investigators couldn't determine if the cannabidiol was derived from marijuana or hemp. Seventeen owners representing 19 targeted stores sued in October. An amended complaint filed Dec. 20 says 12 owners are of Egyptian descent. According to the complaint, prosecutor John Zimmerman said "all the people selling CBD in Rutherford County are foreigners." The lawsuit says nearby businesses selling CBD products weren't targeted. Attorneys for the defendants didn't respond to outlets' requests for comment. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - The attorney for a man charged in the 1979 slaying of an Iowa high school student says his client will plead not guilty. Leon Spies is the attorney for Jerry Lynn Burns. Spies told The Des Moines Register Thursday that Burns will enter the plea at his arraignment, which has not been scheduled. The 64-year-old Burns is being held on $5 million bond . Police arrested the Manchester man on Dec. 19, charging him with first-degree murder 39 years to the day after 18-year-old Michelle Martinko of Cedar Rapids was killed. Her body was found the next day inside her family's car at a mall. She had been stabbed in the face and chest. Police say they matched a blood sample from the crime scene with a sample taken from Burns. ___ Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com METAIRIE, La. (AP) - Severe storms caused a New Orleans area Trader Joe's store to lose power, prompting the chain to donate more than 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) of perishable groceries to a food bank. News outlets report the Metairie store lost power for most of the day Thursday and contacted Second Harvest Food Bank about donating the food. Food bank spokesman Jay Vise says the donation included refrigerated and frozen items and will be distributed across 23 parishes. The food bank's chief impact officer, Melanie McGuire, says it's often hard to come by highly nutritious and perishable food donations. BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors have indicted a woman alleged to have belonged to the Islamic State group's "morality police" in Iraq and to have let a small girl she and her husband held as a slave die of thirst. The suspect, a 27-year-old German identified only as Jennifer W. in line with local privacy rules, was deported from Turkey to Germany in 2016. She was arrested in June and is now charged with murder and committing a war crime. Federal prosecutors said Friday W. patrolled parks in Fallujah and Mosul in 2015, ensuring women adhered to IS dress and behavior codes. They said she and her husband bought a 5-year-old girl as a slave. The husband left the girl chained outdoors as punishment for wetting her mattress. W. allegedly did nothing to prevent her dying. LONDON (AP) - Three men in Britain have been found guilty of murdering five people in an explosion as part of a plot to claim over 300,000 pounds ($380,000) from an insurance policy. Arkan Ali, Hawkar Hassan and Aram Kurd were convicted Friday in Leicester Crown Court. Prosecutors say they used around 26 liters (7 gallons) of gasoline in an arson attack in February on a supermarket, causing a blast that destroyed the shop and an apartment above. Prosecutors say the men left a shop worker to die in the building because she was aware of the insurance policy taken out less than three weeks earlier. Four others also died in the explosion. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A storm that dumped up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi moved into Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and western North Carolina on Friday. The National Weather Service posted flash flood watches and warnings for much of the South from Louisiana into southwest Virginia. The storm system was blamed for a death in Louisiana earlier this week when a tree fell on a camper. No deaths or serious injuries had been reported in Mississippi by early Friday, Glenn Flynn with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said in an email. Forecasters said up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain were possible in northern Alabama and central and north Georgia. A flood warning was also issued for Asheville, North Carolina. Water flooded more than a dozen homes in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, on Thursday. Cars stack up northbound on Interstate 110, as they encounter high water in the roadway under the railroad bridge near the governor's mansion, as even fewer vehicles opt to try to navigate the water as they progress southbound after heavy rains, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. (Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP) A Trader Joe's store in Metairie outside New Orleans lost power during the storm Thursday, prompting the chain to donate more than 10,000 pounds (4,500 kilograms) of perishable grocery items to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Food bank spokesman Joe Vise said the refrigerated and frozen items will be distributed across 23 parishes in the state. Teams were heading out in Mississippi on Friday to determine the extent of damage. Three emergency shelters were set up in Forrest and Jones counties, but only a few people were in them early Friday, Flynn said. The National Weather Service planned to check the Vicksburg area on Friday for evidence of a tornado, said forecaster Mike Edmunston in Jackson. There had been at least two dozen water rescues in the Hattiesburg area, Edmunston said. ROME (AP) - Italy's premier denied Friday that the country's new budget was dictated by the European Commission, saying that he held firm on key points, including a basic income for job-seekers and rollbacks in an unpopular pension reform. Premier Giuseppe Conte told reporters during the Italian government's traditional year-end press conference "it is not that Brussels made us rewrite the budget. That is erroneous. It is the budget we always wanted." Italy spent three months locked in a battle with Brussels over Rome's budget, which the European Commission initially rejected. The new draft lowers the budget deficit to 2.04 percent of GDP from 2.4 percent of GDP, with new taxes including on web-based businesses and moves to create new revenue by selling government property. Conte acknowledged that he erred in increasing taxes on nonprofit workers and said that would be rectified. Italy is under pressure to pass the budget by Dec. 31, or risk sanctions for excessive debt. Italy's debt at 130 percent of GDP is the second-highest in the 19-nation eurozone, and Brussels is concerned that a high deficit will shake investors, pushing up borrowing costs and threatening to further increase debt. As Conte spoke, the session of the lower house of parliament was suspended during a discussion of the budget due to disagreements. A final vote by the chamber was expected Saturday. The revised budget passed the Senate despite opposition complaints that it was being forced through without proper time to consider it. Italian premier Giuseppe Conte gestures during a year end press conference in Rome, Italy, Friday, Dec.28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Conte insisted that Italy's debt was under control. "The fundamentals of the Italian economic system are very solid. Of course we have a debt that inspires a certain fear, but it is under control and it is not so scary," Conte said, adding it's offset by Italians' high savings rates and Italy's place as the second-largest manufacturing country in Europe. Conte insisted the present populist government would endure for its five-year term and denied reports of disaccord between the two governing parties: the 5-Star Movement on the left and the League on the right. The premier, a lawyer who belongs to neither party, said the government was proudly populist. "This is not, as I think citizens can perceive, a government of lobbyists and of business interests," Conte said. Italian premier Giuseppe Conte arrives for a year end press conference in Rome, Italy, Friday, Dec.28, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - Bosnian prosecutors on Friday charged 13 former fighters in two separate cases of war crimes against Serb civilians and prisoners during the country's 1992-95 ethnic war. The prosecutor's office first charged eight people with torturing more than 20 Serb civilians who were unlawfully imprisoned in 1992 in the area of Lukavac, in northeastern Bosnia. The suspects were members of various local militia. Prosecutors said in a statement that two people died and all the victims suffered "grave physical and psychological injuries, sexual harassment, humiliations and other inhumane acts." Prosecutors plan to call 42 witnesses to back their case. Bosnia's courts must confirm the indictment for the trial to be held. In a separate statement, the prosecutor's office said later Friday that five other people were charged for atrocities against some 20 Serb prisoners of war in eastern Bosnia in 1992-93, around the towns of Gorazde and Visegrad. The group - including former members of the Bosnian army and police units - are suspected of "torture, beatings, harassment and abuse in a humiliating manner as well as inflicting severe physical and psychological harm." Two prisoners died from the torture, and one of their bodies was dumped into the Drina River and never found, the statement added. Prosecutors said the allegations are backed with testimony from around 100 witnesses. The war between Bosnia's Serbs and its Muslims and Croats killed more than 100,000 people and left millions homeless. TCN News Thousands of transgender, intersex and gender non confirming people and their allies came together in Delhi at Parliament street on Friday morning to protest against the Government of Indias Transgender persons (Protection of Rights) bill, 2018. Waves of protests and press conferences have been taking place at the district and state level over the last week in all these states and all these groups converged in Delhi on 28th December 2018 at Jantar Mantar. Members of communities all across the country came to Delhi from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, W. Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. Support TwoCircles The protest at parliament street took place in response to the Lok Sabha passing the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018. This Bill contradicts, rather than protects, many of the rights and protections laid out in the countrys Supreme Courts NALSA verdict of 2014. Along with the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018, this regressive and dangerous legislation will subject the thirunambi, thirunangai, transgender, hijra, kinner, intersex and gender non-conforming communities in India to increased discrimination, harassment, and institutional violence. How the Bill is harmful and not helpful? This Bill upholds the establishment of screening committees, comprised of District Magistrate, Psychiatrists, Medical Officers, and one Trans person, which will have the power to determine whether or not an applicant qualifies as transgender. The process of proving ones gender in front of a committee violates multiple fundamental rights, and is utterly humiliating. The Bill also mandates surgery as the basis for applicants to qualify as transgender and avail of protections. This requirement violates the principle of self-determination of identity for Trans, Intersex, and GNC people, and disenfranchises many who cannot afford surgeries as well as those who do not desire any surgeries. The Bill criminalizes begging, sex work, and other forms of livelihood that many in the trans communities depend on to survive. Contrary to the stated purpose of the Bill Protection of Trans persons Rights it criminalizes and discriminates against us, specifically targeting entire communities of Transwomen, Hijras, and Transfeminine people who have historically practiced begging and sex work as the primary source of income. The Trans, Intersex and GNC communities thus firmly oppose this Bill along with similarly criminalizing and discriminatory provisions of the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection, and Rehabilitation) Bill 2018. Both Bills are currently pending before the Rajya Sabha and must be withdrawn in their current form. The Trans Bill 2018 also denies reservations and affirmative action for trans, intersex and gender nonconforming people in employment, education, and healthcare. Thus between criminalizing begging and sex work, and denying reservations, it puts our very lives at stake. The Bill requires Transgender people, to reside with their birth family even though birth families are often the first site of violence against these individuals. If trans people are aided by other Trans community members in escaping such conditions at home, the community members can be imprisoned for up to 4 years The Bill postulates that sexual violence against trans people will face punishment up to 2 years, in comparison with the 7yrs of imprisonment for sexual violence against non-trans women. In this way, the Bill directly discriminates against the Trans, Intersex and GNC communities and strips us of dignity and equality The Bill has labelled all intersex people as transgender. This is a gross violation of the right of self-determination of intersex people, many of whom do not identify as transgender. Journey of the Transgender persons ( Protection of rights) Bill : The landmark decision of the Supreme Court in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India also in 2014, known as NALSA verdict accorded transgender individuals the right to self-identify as third gender or within the binary, as male or female; and ruled that insistence on sex reassignment surgery, hormone therapy, or other procedures to legally declare gender was illegal and immoral. The verdict also directed the Centre and State Governments to provide the community various social welfare schemes and to treat the community as socially and economically backward classes. It asked for the transgender community to be extended reservation in educational institutions and for public appointments, proper medical care and separate public toilets. It also asked for the recommendations of the Expert Committee Report on Transgender persons (released February 2014) to be reviewed in light of the verdict and be implemented within six months, i.e. by October 2014. After this positive verdict, Rights of Transgender Persons Bill 2014 was passed in 2015 in Rajya Sabha, then a private members bill by a MP from Tamil Nadu, Tiruchi Siva, was introduced. Tiruchi Sivas bill had all the recommendations of the NALSA judgment including the reservations and employment opportunities. But sadly it was not passed and kept pending in the Lok Sabha. Later in 2015, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment drafted a Rights of Transgender Persons Bill (2015), and sought public input, with comments to be submitted by 14th January, 2016. . The draft bill received substantial input from transgender and intersex led groups, as well as from LGBTIQ and ally groups. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2016 was then introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 2, 2016. However it did not incorporate any of the community feedback given to previous versions of the Bill. It sought feedback from the community which were given but all of the feedback was ignored except for the revised definition of transgender. And on 17th December 2018 the Transgender persons ( Protection of rights) Bill was passed in the lower house of the Indian parliament. Reaction of the trans community: Members of the community also burnt copies of the bill and sloganeered against the BJP government. Representatives from workers and students organizations also attended and gave their support to the mobilization. Grace Banu, Dalit and transgender activist and the first transgender person to be admitted to an engineering college in the state of Tamil Nadu said Without reservation, we have no opportunities. No one is ready to offer us the chance to work. If we arent given the chance to live, why doesnt the government just euthanize us or declare us refugees in our own country?. Meera Sanghamitra, National Alliance of Peoples Movements (NAPM) and Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti (THITS) gave her statement to TwoCircles.net : While on the one hand, as feminists, trans and human rights activists and collectives, we are constantly struggling to expand the protective and affirmative legal discourse to de-legitimize patriarchy, especially in domestic, socio-economic spheres; the three legislations in question pushed by a right-wing government reinforce stereotypes, legislate second-class citizenship, perpetuate historical injustice against trans persons, intersex, gender non-conforming persons, sex workers, surrogate women and raise rudimentary concerns of protective laws becoming tools for further marginalization and oppression of already violated populations and denial of constitutional safeguards. It took countless struggles by the transgender community and 70 years for the Supreme Court of this country to recognise the historical injustice and uphold our rights as equal citizens and now this Bill seeks to take away these limited rights as well by making a law with unconstitutional provisions, legislating second class citizenship and further marginalizing us. We seek immediate withdrawal of this Bill and an overhaul based on community consultations, during which period NALSA must be strictly implemented. Subikshamma, another activist said that the community will oppose this government to the very end on this bill. Several transmen activists spoke up about their struggles and unique needs as a largely overlooked group within the trans community. Satya Rai Nagpaul, Kiran Raj from Telangana, Kiran from Karnataka, Saransh from Delhi and Selvam from Tamil Nadu were some of the transmen who voiced their protests strongly and demanded for the Bill to be stopped. If you, a cisgender person, are not asked to strip before anyone to prove your gender, why should I? I am a man, and have identified that way since childhood, and I should not have to prove this to anyone. Asked Saransh How much longer must we struggle to just be seen as human like everyone else?. Gee Imaan Semmalar from Karnataka told TwoCircles.net The Bill is passed in the Lok Sabha. It is yet to be approved by the Rajya Sabha so we are lobbying with opposition MPs of Rajya Sabha to oppose or amend the bill. yesterday, an Indian express report said that the govt has agreed to send it to a select committee but our understanding is that this has to be placed on the floor of the house and passed by the chairman. So we are hoping that it happens soon or that this bill lapses. If the bill is passed then we have to fight it legally . Rani, a transwoman leader from Karnataka said Many of us come from poor backgrounds and our only acceptance is from the transgender community, our only livelihood is from traditional begging. If even that is criminalized, we will starve. Chandramukhi Muvvala, the transwoman who had contested for MLA from Hyderabad said Implement the NALSA judgment! Aparna from West Bengal gave a passionate speech in which she asked How can the government tell me who I am? If I do not accept my mother and parents telling me what my gender should be, who are more important to me than any government, do you think I would abide by this governments opinion? Support from political leaders: Rajeev Gowda, MP, Congress, Rajya Sabha came to the protest site and pledged his support for referring both the problematic Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018 and the Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2018, to a Select Committee. Tiruchi Siva, MP, DMK, Rajya Sabha addressed the crowd and honoured the self-respect struggle of the transgender community to which he had been a dedicated ally for many years. As he spoke, protestors raised signs stating Pass the Tiruchi Siva Bill in the Lok Sabha and Stop the Government of India Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Accompanying him were Sonal Mansingh and Ameeya Yajnik, who pledged their support to the transgender community. MPs from the CPI (M) also raised their voice in support of the community struggles. Derek OBrien, MP, TMC, Rajya Sabha addressed the rally and vowed to stand with the community and fight the bills that have criminalized the community. When he said they would end the regime of this anti-people government, the crowd cheered. KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - The Latest on Congo's presidential election (all times local): 7:30 p.m. The World Health Organization chief warns that "prolonged insecurity" in Congo could erase the gains made in a deadly Ebola outbreak, as parts of the country protest ahead of Sunday's presidential election. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus does not mention the election but expresses concern after protests erupted on Thursday and Friday in two Ebola-hit cities that have been barred from voting on Sunday. Tedros says security has deteriorated and health teams were unable to carry out critical field work. He says the work has reached a "critical point" and insecurity could lead to a rise in new cases. He says that would be a "tragedy for the local population, who have already suffered too much." A man crosses the street in Kinshasa, Congo, Friday Dec. 28, 2018. Congo's leader Joseph Kabila has blamed a deadly Ebola virus outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls in Sunday's long-delayed presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay) Residents, opposition leaders, Congo's Episcopal church and others have urged the electoral commission to reverse its decision barring some 1 million people from Sunday's vote. Health officials have said precautions were in place to allow voting. ___ 6:55 p.m. Congo's national organization of Episcopal churches is criticizing as "unjust" the decision to bar some 1 million people from voting in the presidential election on Sunday because of an Ebola virus outbreak. The statement calls on Congo's electoral commission to reconsider its decision that carries "such high risks" and does nothing to help the country emerge from political crisis. Protests have followed the decision, with one Ebola center attacked. Health officials had said precautions were in place so people in the Ebola outbreak zone could vote. The church statement calls the government's sudden political turnaround "very grave and with heavy consequences." The statement asks why residents in Beni and Butembo cities were OK to vote on the original election date of Dec. 23 but three days later were suddenly ruled out. ___ 4:55 p.m. The Oxfam aid organization says it is suspending its Ebola outbreak response work in Congo because of violent protests by people barred from voting in Sunday's presidential election. The Oxfam statement comes after Congo's electoral commission delayed voting in the Ebola-affected eastern cities of Beni and Butembo until March. That's well after Congo's next president is inaugurated in January. Acting Oxfam country director Raphael Mbuyi calls the situation "extremely worrying" because any suspension in efforts to contain the deadly Ebola virus has led to a spike in new cases. Mbuyi adds, however, "it's not surprising that people who have had their votes taken away at the last minute are frustrated and going to the streets. These people deserve to have their say as well." ___ 4:30 p.m. Congo's health ministry says the uproar over a delayed presidential election in two cities hit by a deadly Ebola outbreak has "badly disrupted" work to contain the virus. The ministry's statement says health teams could barely deploy in Beni and Butembo on Thursday and no Ebola vaccinations could be carried out. Protests erupted in Beni for a second straight day after Congo's electoral commission announced that voting in the two cities would be delayed until March. That's well after everyone else votes on Sunday - and after Congo's next president is inaugurated in January. The opposition says the votes of an estimated 1 million people therefore will not count. Congo's health minister has said health authorities and electoral authorities had worked together on preparing for the election and that precautions had been taken to protect voters. ___ 3:25 p.m. Hundreds of protesters have marched in the streets of Beni in eastern Congo demanding the right to vote in Sunday's presidential election along with the rest of the country. The government says voting in the cities of Beni and Butembo is delayed until March because of a deadly Ebola outbreak. The opposition says the votes of an estimated 1 million people won't count as Congo plans to inaugurate a new president in January. Beni's police chief, Blaise Safari, says 22 people have been arrested in the protests that began on Thursday. He says police are clearing streets barricaded by demonstrators. Gunfire can still be heard after the police and army used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse the marchers. Some protesters carried crosses with the words "RIP Kabila" and saying that departing President Joseph Kabila's preferred successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary "will never be our president." A statement by Beni's civil society urges residents to turn out en masse on Sunday to vote despite the delay. ___ 9:50 a.m. Congo's leader says "there is no further reason" to prevent Sunday's presidential election after two years of delays, but he blames an Ebola outbreak for the last-minute decision to keep an estimated 1 million voters from the polls. In an interview with The Associated Press, President Joseph Kabila says it would be a "disaster" if people vote Sunday in two large communities in the Ebola outbreak zone, asserting that "a single person" could infect scores or hundreds of others. His comments Thursday evening contradict those of his own health officials, who have said precautions had been made in collaboration with electoral officials so people could vote in the outbreak zone. Voting is delayed in opposition strongholds Beni and Butembo until March, long after the inauguration of Kabila's successor in January. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - When Danny Couch looks at the almost-completed new bridge across the Oregon Inlet along North Carolina's Outer Banks, he sees both beauty and certainty. Beauty because of the structure itself -- the new Bonner Bridge roadway will rise 90.5 feet in the air at its highest point, and the high-rise portion is 3,500 feet long. And certainty because the new bridge is replacing one that had a life expectancy of 30 years - when it was built more than 50 years ago. "It's probably going to end up on our county seal, along with the Wright brothers, the Lost Colony and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse," Couch, a Dare County commissioner who lives on Hatteras Island, said jokingly. The bridge spans Oregon Inlet, connecting N.C. Highway 12 and Hatteras Island eventually to the mainland. It's the only access to the island other than ferries. The new Bonner bridge was added to the state wish list known as the State Transportation Improvement Program in 1989-1990. In July 2011, the state issued a design-build contract with construction scheduled to begin in early 2013. But lawsuits filed by environmental groups delayed the process until those were settled in 2015. Construction finally began in March 2016, and the new bridge is scheduled to open three years later, in February or March of 2019. In this 2018 photo released by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, construction personnel work on a new Bonner Bridge that will span the Oregon Inlet on North Carolina's Outer Banks. The new 2.8-mile-long Bonner Bridge across the Oregon Inlet along the Outer Banks is expected to open in February or March. It was scheduled to open in December, but hurricane threats caused delays although the storms didn't hit the area.(North Carolina Department of Transportation via AP) The 2.8-mile-long bridge will run parallel to the existing span, which was built in 1963. Maintenance has kept the original bridge open to traffic, although it was closed for over a week in December 2013 because scour - the loss of sand around the pilings - made the bridge unsafe. The new, $252 million bridge has a life span of 100 years, said Pablo Hernandez, the resident engineer for the district that includes the bridge. "By designing it for a 100-year service life, we are designing it for the worst case that it could experience in those 100 years," he said. That includes scour, hurricanes, and the possibility that a dredge will hit the bridge, as one did in 1990, causing a 370-foot section to collapse. It took 3.5 months to complete repairs. The bridge will be the first in the state to use stainless reinforcing steel, which will provide additional protection against salt-water corrosion. It also will have 8-foot shoulders, a vast improvement over the original bridge, which has no shoulders. The new bridge originally was scheduled to open in December, but the threat of hurricanes delayed those plans, Hernandez said. Although neither Florence nor Michael caused serious damage on the Outer Banks, workers had to evacuate, and equipment had to be secured ahead of time in case they did. Couch, a Dare County commissioner who lives on Hatteras Island, where residents depend on the bridge to take them north to the mainland, said locals are ecstatic about the new bridge. "Doctors' appointments are a lot more certain. You can get your shopping in." The bridge also is important for tourism. Hatteras Island has about 6,000 rental cottages, said Couch, who's also a real estate agent. "For every man, woman and child who lives on the island, we have almost two rental cottages," he said. "Just what it can do to wind up our economy is important as well." The original bridge is getting a new life, in a way. The parts that are demolished will be added to offshore reef sites while about 1,000 feet at the south end will stay in place and be open for pedestrians. Hernandez, who began working the state Transportation Department in 1998, has helped maintain the existing bridge since 2003. He's been involved with the planning, design and construction of the new bridge since 2007. When the new bridge opens, he thinks his thoughts will be with the original one, which he described as an old friend that was a large part of his engineering career. "The old bridge, with a lot of attention and care, has been reliable and served a great need," he said. ___ Follow Martha Waggoner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mjwaggonernc DAHLONEGA, Ga. (AP) - The Latest on storms moving across the South (all times local): 6:10 p.m. Rescue workers in north Georgia used a ladder and ropes to get to a woman and baby stranded in a pickup truck inundated by rising waters. Dramatic video posted to Facebook showed crews working to reach the truck Friday as water reached the vehicle's windshield. The rescue occurred near Dahlonega amid a storm that dumped several inches of rain across the region. Crews used a ladder and ropes to get a rescue worker onto the bed of the truck, before helping the woman put on a life jacket and crawl back across the ladder. An East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's deputy speaks with a stranded motorist on Groom Road near Leland Avenue before pulling the woman to safety, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, as severe weather impacts the area in Baker, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP) A spokesman for Lumpkin County Emergency Services said the pair were in stable condition when they were dropped off at an area hospital. ___ 9:15 a.m. The head of emergency management in a southwestern Mississippi County says they had an "extreme flash flooding event" following heavy rains that hit the area. Glen Moore says authorities have had to rescue residents from about 25 area homes. He says they received more than nine inches (23 centimeters) of rain starting from around 3 p.m. Thursday to 3 a.m. Friday. He's asking people to stay away from roads that are barricaded. He says they had to rescue one man whose car was swept away after he went around a barricade intended to keep people from passing through a flooded road. Moore says the man was able to get out of the car and hold onto a tree until authorities could get a boat to rescue him. __ 7:45 a.m. Teams are heading out to determine the extent of damage in Mississippi after a line of storms moved across the South. Glenn Flynn with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said in an email Friday morning that no deaths or serious injuries had been reported from the storms. Officials had opened three emergency shelters in Forrest and Jones counties, but Flynn said only a few people were there early Friday. The National Weather Service planned to check the Vicksburg area for evidence of a tornado. Forecaster Mike Edmunston said there had been at least two dozen water rescues in the Hattiesburg area. The storm dumped up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi. The storms were moving in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and western North Carolina on Friday. ___ 6:45 a.m. A storm that dumped up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi moved into Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and western North Carolina on Friday. The National Weather Service posted flash flood watches and warnings for much of the South. The storm system was blamed for a death in Louisiana earlier this week when a tree fell on a camper. Forecasters planned to check Friday on a possible tornado near Vicksburg, Mississippi. Forecasters said up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain were possible in northern Alabama and central and north Georgia. A flood warning was also issued for Asheville, North Carolina. Water flooded more than a dozen homes in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, and more than two dozen water rescues were reported in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, because of the rain. MADRID (AP) - Spain's national statistics office says that the country's economy grew 0.6 percent in the third quarter of 2018. The office expects Spain's economy to finish 2018 with annual growth of 2.4 percent, compared to 3.7 percent last year. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday that his government expects the economy to maintain its rate of growth in the coming months. "Spain leads growth among the leading European countries," Sanchez said Friday. "All indicators say Spain will maintain or improve upon these numbers in the fourth semester of 2018 and likely in the first semester of 2019 as well." Spain has seen economic growth for 19 consecutive quarters since emerging from a three-year recession in late 2013. HARTVILLE, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri woman has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the accidental shooting of her 5-year-old son after he and his 7- and 3-year-old siblings were left home alone with two loaded guns out in the open. Bobbie Jo Scott, of Hartville, was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to endangering the welfare of a child in the shooting of Timothy Deatherage. Prosecutors say Scott and her boyfriend, Cory Gass, asked a neighbor to check on Timothy and his siblings in July while they went to pick up a paycheck. The children were left alone with a loaded 12-guage shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle. Wright Co. Sheriff Glenn Adler says the 7-year-old was handling the shotgun when it went off. Gass is set to appear in court Jan. 25. NEW YORK (AP) - Tesla named two independent board members Friday as part of a settlement with U.S. regulators who demanded more oversight of CEO Elon Musk. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, an executive vice president at Walgreens Boots Alliance, join the board as independent directors, effective immediately. Musk got into trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission in early August when he said in a tweet that he had "funding secured" to take the electric car company private at $420 per share. The SEC accused Musk of committing securities fraud, saying that the funding had not been secured and that he had duped investors who drove shares of Tesla up by 11 percent on the day of the tweet. Several weeks later, Musk said the go-private deal was off. Regulators initially wanted to force Musk out of his job as CEO, but agreed to accept $20 million in penalties from both Musk and Tesla. Musk did agree to step down as chairman for at least three years, but acknowledged now wrong-doing. Despite the agreement, Musk has continued to clash with regulators. FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2012 file photo, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison gestures while giving a keynote address at Oracle OpenWorld in San Francisco. Tesla is naming Ellison and an executive from Walgreens to its board as part of a settlement with U.S. regulators who demanded more oversight of CEO Elon Musk. The company said Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, that Ellison and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson are the new independent directors, effective immediately. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File) Just days after settling the case, Musk taunted the government via Twitter, referring to the SEC as the "Shortseller Enrichment Commission." Musk has had a long-running feud with short sellers, a category of investors that have bet that the price of Tesla stock will fall. So far, Musk is winning that fight. Shares of Tesla Inc. are up more than 20 percent since his clash with the SEC. Tesla named Australian telecommunications executive Robyn Denholm as board chairwoman last month as part of its agreement with the SEC. Although Denholm brings much-needed financial and auto industry expertise to Tesla -- which has struggled to produce cars and make money -- there hasn't been a marked change in Musk's unorthodox behavior, at least when compared with other chief executives at major corporations that are publicly traded. Tesla shares slumped 6 percent in early September after Musk was seen appearing to smoke marijuana during an interview that made the rounds on YouTube. Earlier this month, Musk also dismissed the idea that Denholm could exert control over his behavior, saying in an interview with "60 Minutes" that "It's not realistic in the sense that I am the largest shareholder in the company." And Ellison, one of the most recognizable names in Silicon Valley, revealed in October that not only was Tesla his second largest investment, but also that he and Musk are close. "I'm very close friends with Elon Musk, and I'm a big investor in Tesla," Ellison said. One other thing required of Tesla by the SEC as part of the settlement is that somebody vet Musk's tweets and other comments about the company before they are released to the public. Musk also shrugged off that provision, saying none of his tweets have been censored so far and the company does not review his posts to determine beforehand whether they could potentially affect the company's stock price. Still, in an SEC filing Friday, Tesla said that it, "intends to certify to the Commission that it and Elon have timely completed each of their respective actions required pursuant to the Settlement." Tesla shares rose more than 2 percent in midday trading. KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) - A senior Pakistani police officer says officers have detained suspects in the murder of a former lawmaker assassinated last week in the southern port city of Karachi. Kalim Imam, the provincial police chief, said Friday his department would soon share "important news" about the assailants who killed Ali Raza Abidi outside his home in the Dec. 25 gun attack. No one claimed responsibility for the attack which drew nationwide condemnation. Abidi's Muttahida Qaumi Movement party represents the Urdu speaking population and its two factions have uneasy relations. Also Friday, Pakistan's military said the country's army chief, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, approved death sentences for 22 militants convicted by military courts of involvement in attacks that killed 176 security forces and civilians in recent years. PARIS (AP) - A small group of yellow vest protesters has tried to enter the grounds of a presidential fortress on the French Riviera, but they were blocked by authorities. The mayor's office of Bormes-les-Mimosas, the town that is home to the Fort de Bregancon presidential retreat, said a few dozen protesters tried to approach the site Thursday and Friday. It said they were turned away peacefully by gendarmes. It is unclear whether President Emmanuel Macron is at the site. His office wouldn't comment. The 13th-century fortress on the Mediterranean coast has been the holiday retreat of French leaders for decades. Isolated on a small peninsula, it can be easily secured. The yellow vest movement has been waning nationwide, but new demonstrations are planned Saturday and on New Year's Eve. BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Romania will take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Jan. 1 from Austria. The role is partly symbolic but does involve setting the EU agenda and being a diplomatic go-between to reach consensus among the 28 members on issues ranging from Brexit to fishing rights. Here are five things you should know about the East European country's first ever EU presidency. IS IT READY? President Klaus Iohannis last month said Romania wasn't up to the presidency, creating momentary panic in the EU. Finland immediately upped its readiness (it's due to take over from Romania on July 1). Romania's most powerful politician, Liviu Dragnea, the chairman of the Social Democratic Party, then asked party colleagues to find a way to prosecute Iohannis for treason over those remarks. Iohannis has since struck a more optimistic tone and there is reported to be an unstated agreement between Iohannis and Premier Viorica Dancila to present a reasonably united face regarding the EU presidency during its duration. THE AGENDA FILE - In this file photo dated Tuesday Nov. 27, 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron, left, greets Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Romania will take over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Jan. 1, 2019, although President Klaus Iohannis said last month that Romania wasn't up to the job. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, FILE) March 29 is the official date when Britain leaves the EU, deal or no-deal. Romania, which has up to half a million citizens working in the U.K., will host an EU summit in the picturesque Transylvanian city of Sibiu for the event. European Parliamentary elections for the 751-seat Parliament will happen from May 23-26. Romania has 257 files, including issues such as migration and a multiannual EU budget, to deal with during its presidency. It will likely try to close as many as possible, insiders say. A number of EU officials will be seconded to Bucharest to help out. CORRUPTION The big sticking point in the presidency is corruption and the rule of law in one of the bloc's most graft-riddled states. When Romania joined the bloc in 2007, its justice system remained under special monitoring, and that hasn't been lifted - most recently due to a contentious judicial overhaul the Social Democrats embarked on two years ago that critics say will stifle efforts to tackle high-level graft. The government was successful in dismissing chief anti-corruption prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi over mismanagement allegations. That was in July and Kovesi - highly praised by the EU and U.S. for hundreds of successful prosecutions during her five-year mandate - still hasn't been replaced. Dragnea is pressing for an amnesty for "thousands of people" he says were wrongly imprisoned by anti-corruption prosecutors. Romania's government claims prosecutors have had too much power and the country should be allowed to decide its own laws. PRESIDENT v. GOVERNMENT Romania's presidency will likely bring to the fore disagreements between Iohannis, a centrist whom Brussels regards as a supporter of the anti-corruption fight, and Dragnea, who has recently been vocal in his criticism of foreign companies and banks and considers the anti-corruption fight to be deeply unfair. Dragnea, who was handed a 3-year prison sentence in June for abuse of office, will hear his appeal in that case during the presidency. Although he can't be premier due to a 2016 conviction for vote-rigging, he recently hinted he may eye a run for president against Iohannis in the 2019 election. SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - Macedonia's president has urged parliament to reject a deal with Greece under which his country would amend its constitution and change its name to North Macedonia in return for being able to join NATO. Gjorge Ivanov, a longtime critic of the name deal, spoke Friday in his annual address to lawmakers. He claimed under the accord that Macedonia would be paying the "highest price" with the "deletion" of its national identity. In Macedonia, the prime minister is the head of government and the president has limited power. Lawmakers from the governing left-wing coalition interrupted his speech several times with boos. Macedonia and Greece struck the deal in June to end a decades-long dispute over Macedonia's name, which Greece says harbors territorial claims on its northern province of the same name. By Muhammed Tauqeer In the recently concluded Telangana assembly elections, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) got a thumping win with 2/3rd majority. This inspite of Congress countrywide resurgence and an alliance (Mahakutami) with TDP, CPI, TJS. There are several pre/post-poll analyses by media houses and political analysts. To set the ground for real topic of discussion, lets recap top 5 causes of Congress (read Mahakutami) defeat: 1) Congress allied with TDP which is not only considered outsider but also a troublemaker in Telangana on several issues most important being irrigation related issues on Krishna & Godavari rivers. Moreover TDP hasnt regained trust of Muslims which was lost after it joining NDA. 2) TRS got early headstart by prematurely dissolving assembly and declaring candidates upfront. Congress was playing catch-up and you dont win elections by playing catch-up especially when you were dusted in the last election. Support TwoCircles 3) Absence of strong local leader was another big issue for congress. They were trying to pull Mr. K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), a giant in Telangana, down with the help of dwarf leaders. 4) The overall performance of KCR government was fairly good compared to other states. There were no major issues related to law and order or corruption or farmer distress etc.. that congress could raise. Moreover since Telangana is a newly formed state there is no baseline data to compare other than what was there for United Andhra and obviously small states tend to perform better. 5) Muslims across the state blindly (mind you KCR has been warming up to BJP for quite some time and Muslims are watching it) voted for TRS based on support from Mr. Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM (MIM in short) and several Muslim organizations. Muslims are approx 13% of total population in Telangana. It is imperative to note that the difference between vote share of TRS and Mahakutami was approx 14% statewide. Congress realized this little too late and to woo these Muslim voters, appointed Mohammad Azharuddin as working president of the state just one week before the election but to no avail. In short, the results of Telangana assembly polls were forgone conclusion and declaration on Dec11 was merely a formality. Now that the stage is set, lets come back to the topic which is related to the last of the five bullets above. If the election rallies of Congress and BJP stalwarts were followed closely one thing that will clearly stand out is that both were equally tearing into Asaduddin Owaisi more than KCR. What could be the reason? Asaduddin Owaisi, a three time MP, a London studied barrister, has become voice of minorities in recent years with his exceptional oratory skills, well studied debates and ability to articulate issues with statistics at his finger tips. He is no-nonsense politician who won the Sansad Ratna Award in 2014 and his speeches in parliament are extremely popular. He smartly focuses on issues of importance to minorities and Dalits, establishing himself as well wisher of the communities. Basically his politics revolves around minorities and Dalits mainly. Before he gained fame, it was Samajwadi Party (SP) & Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) who the minorities & Dalits looked up to for raising their issues at national level but after Owaisi taking center stage, SP/BSP have disappeared completely at least for Muslims issues. He also has enough share of controversies to his credit but in politics it does not really matter where the fame is coming from as long as it is building up your persona or at least thats what politicians think. KCR himself is an astute politician who built his independent identity by resurrecting (some say by hijacking) a dead issue of separate Telangana. Knowing the importance of Muslim voters and their allegiance to Owaisi, KCR has not just maintained friendship with Owaisi but also conceded to their demands on many occasions thus winning goodwill of minorities. He also won hearts by taking pause in speeches when Azan was heard or by donning skullcap. But one may argue, its limited only to customary display, especially when he fielded only 3 Muslim candidates out of 119 that too 2 against its undeclared alliance partner MIM, yes it is the same person who talks about 12% reservation for Muslims in Telangana. On the other hand he has been warming up to BJP for quite some time though has remained uncommitted. What did he achieve by that? Well he is far more shrewd than anyone might have thought. The BJP supporters know that saffron party has no chance of making any mark in Telangana assembly elections and they would not want their vote to be wasted. So they would go with TRS to defeat Congress with a hope that TRS will support BJP in centre during/after 2019 Parliamentary elections. To win these votes he even avoided formal alliance with MIM. Some might argue that by showing closeness to BJP, TRS risked its chances of losing Muslim votes but they nullified it by making undeclared alliance with MIM and Owaisis open support meant TRS is safely crossing the line. Agree or not, with 13% (or whatever number voted) Muslim population blindly voting TRS on his call, Owaisi has definitely played a kingmaker as he claimed. Had Owaisi not supported KCR, it would have been a different result, at least tough fight with Congress (minus TDP coz its more of a liability) if not a loss. This precisely is the reason why Congress and BJP were targeting Owaisi continuously. Moreover for the saffron party, Owaisi is synonymous with the bhoot our parents used to use for intimidating us in the childhood. Dividend to MIM for supporting TRS: 1) Potential representation in government and different government appointed committees for any of the MLA/s. 2) More bargaining power in terms of funds allocation and development projects which may further strengthen the partys image and may bear long term fruits. 3) Support for additional Loksabha seat/s beyond Hyderabad constituency. 4) Potential expansion opportunities beyond Telangana in case Federal Front is formed. Political Price MIM may have to pay if things go wrong: Telangana assembly result is a thing of past now but what is important is what lies in future. Theoretically there are four scenarios for TRS in 2019 Parliamentary elections and with each one of that Muslims will judge MIM more than they would do for TRS. 1) TRS joining hands with Congress (pre or post poll) This is a low risk low gain scenario for MIM. Except for few hardcore supporters, Muslims will like this and assume TRS and in turn MIM allied with Congress to keep BJP out of power. Moreover MIM will have choice to not support Congress and its supporters wont be too unhappy about it either. 2) TRS joining hands with BJP with a pre-poll alliance MIM can oppose TRS decision and walk its own path. Muslims wont vote for TRS candidates and theyll probably forgive MIM for supporting TRS in Assembly elections since there would be no actual damage done in Parliamentary elections at least. 3) TRS joining hands with BJP with a post-poll alliance This will mean MIM and Muslim votes actually helped BJP come back to power through backdoor and it would be major setback for Owaisi proving Congress argument of calling them BJPs B and C team. Even if they oppose TRS at this stage, regaining Muslims trust would be next to impossible and the backlash in next elections is inevitable. 4) KCR forming a federal front or joining third front (pre or post poll) KCR is less likely to be able to cobble up federal front considering only 4 months time left before election. Even if he is able to, highly unlikely it will go anywhere near forming government but post poll alliance of Federal Front or group of small parties with Congress is a real possibility in case no party gets majority. Either way, it wont hurt MIM except that few intellectuals may think he supported the vote cutters of Congress. This is exactly what the party seem to be banking on right now. KCR has zero presence outside Telangana today. His actions will have limited impact for his party but Owaisi on the other hand is a national leader and has a say across states, either he fields his candidates or not. By supporting TRS, he has played a big gamble which may pay off handsome dividends but if backfired would be disastrous and would destroy his credibility completely giving power to other secular/liberal/left parties like SP, BSP, TRS, Congress, Leftists etc. to regain minority votes. For now, Owaisi seems to be trusting his friend KCR and claiming that TRS wont support BJP at any cost but the answer lies in future. On the other hand, BJP is looking for new allies with exit of TDP, RLSP, etc. from NDA and it will do everything possible to woo TRS, YSRC, AIADMK to join the coalition. Congress and others who have ambitions of becoming PM, must be silently watching this space. Politics is a game of uncertainties and only time will tell who will pick which piece of the cake. WANTAGE, N.J. (AP) - A cow bound for a slaughterhouse who led authorities on an hour-long chase along Interstate 80 in New Jersey before being captured is recuperating at an animal sanctuary. The director of the Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue in northwestern New Jersey tells the New Jersey Herald the cow suffered cuts and scrapes from falling from the second floor of the trailer early Thursday near Paterson. Mike Stura tells the newspaper the cow has received shots and been examined by a veterinarian. She will remain at the sanctuary if she is able to recover fully. The cow has been named Brianna in honor of the police officer named Brian who alerted the sanctuary to the animal's escape. ___ Information from: The New Jersey Herald (Newton, N.J.), http://www.njherald.com BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Romania's president has extended the mandate of the army's chief of staff for a year against the wishes of the government, which is allegedly in a dispute with him over the acquisition of warships. President Klaus Iohannis on Friday convened the country's top defense body to discuss the position of Gen. Nicolae Ciuca, whose mandate expires Dec. 31. Defense Minister Gabriel Les recently said he would replace Ciuca when his mandate ended. But Iohannis rejected Les' new proposal Friday, saying that nomination didn't meet legal requirements. Ciuca reportedly is at odds with the ruling Social Democratic Party over the acquisition of four warships. The government wants to buy them from the Netherlands but Ciuca thinks the deal is too expensive. Romania has committed to upgrading its armed forces and equipment in the next decade. New Year's Eve revelers in Utah could find themselves with more than a hangover as 2019 dawns. If they drink and drive, they could end up on the wrong side of the nation's newest and lowest DUI threshold. The 0.05 percent limit goes into effect Sunday, despite protests that it will punish responsible drinkers and hurt the state's tourism industry by adding to the reputation that the predominantly Mormon state is unfriendly to those who drink alcohol. The state's old limit was 0.08 percent, the threshold in most states. For Utah lawmakers, the change is a safety measure aimed at encouraging people not to drive at all if they've been drinking. New Year's Eve revelers in Utah could find themselves with more than a hangover as 2019 dawns. A man is seen drinking a beer in Salt Lake City earlier this month The change was easily approved in 2017 by the Legislature, which is mostly Mormon and mostly Republican, and signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert, also a Republican and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The religion teaches its members to abstain from drinking alcohol. 'The vast majority of people nationwide think that if a person has been drinking they shouldn't be driving,' said Republican Rep. Norm Thurston, who sponsored the measure. The change means that depending on things such as food intake, a 150-pound man could be over the 0.05 limit after two beers in an hour, while a 120-pound woman could exceed it after a single drink in that time, according to figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The National Transportation Safety Board also backs the change, and many in the hospitality industry worry that other states will follow suit. Utah was among the first to adopt the now-standard 0.08 threshold decades ago, and lawmakers in four states - Washington, Hawaii, Delaware and New York - have floated measures to lower their DUI limit in recent years. None has passed. 'Other states proposing the 0.05 law, don't just follow blindly in the footsteps of Utah,' said Jackson Shedelbower, a spokesman for the American Beverage Institute, a national restaurant group. In 2017, the group took out newspaper ads in Utah, neighboring states and in USA Today, featuring a fake mugshot under a large headline reading, 'Utah: Come for vacation, leave on probation.' It's unfair that smaller people could violate the new threshold after just one or two drinks in quick succession, even though they're no more impaired than someone talking on a hands-free cellphone, his group argues. NTSB member Bella Dinh-Zarr countered that fears about the law are overblown. Nearly 100 countries have a similar limit, and it hasn't correlated with less drinking per-capita. Federally funded research indicates the standard could save some 1,500 lives a year if adopted around the U.S., she said. 'The restaurant industry should support this because it keeps their customers alive and drinking,' Dinh-Zarr said. Utah's law takes effect as the state basks in the news that the U.S. Olympic Committee chose Salt Lake City over Denver as a future bid city, most likely for the 2030 Winter Olympics. State tourism officials say they're not concerned about the law driving away visitors. With the increased use of Uber and other ride-hailing apps, many people going out for a night on the town don't set foot in their own cars. In Utah, DUI arrests have dropped more than 50 percent over the past seven years despite a booming population, according to state figures. Even if the law doesn't present a practical problem, it could scare off some visitors who see the state as rigid about liquor laws, said David Corsun, director of the Daniels College of Business' Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management. Still, it's hard to say how big the impact might be. 'If you really want to ski Utah, you're going to ski Utah. You're just going to figure it out,' Corsun said. Police, meanwhile, say they're aiming to stop dangerous drivers, not target people who might have had a drink or two and could be in violation of the lowered DUI threshold. 'You can't just stop someone who left a bar because you suspect they may have used alcohol,' said Sgt. Nick Street with the Utah Highway Patrol. Still, patrons of Salt Lake City's burgeoning bar scene do feel unfairly singled out by the change. Stopping for a whiskey after work with her sister at the upscale pub Beerhive, Maude Romney, 29, said she'll likely only go to places she can walk to from her downtown home. 'I'm paranoid about it already,' she said. A DUI charge can be expensive and have long-term effects on careers. In a booth in a corner, recent Ohio transplant Rob Wheatley, 50, said he drinks to try new craft beers, not to get drunk. He's skeptical that the law will be a serious deterrent for binge drinkers. 'I don't know if it's going to change anyone's behavior,' he said. 'If they're going to have a beer, they're going to have a beer.' MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) - Extremists have seized a Nigerian town and a key base for a multinational force fighting Boko Haram insurgents, raising their flag and sending many people fleeing, residents and military sources said Friday. One military source told The Associated Press that reinforcements trying to retake the town have been repelled, with some casualties. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. The attack on the northeastern town of Baga comes as President Muhammadu Buhari seeks a second term in February's election. He took office in 2015 vowing to defeat the Boko Haram extremists, who have split as one faction pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. One fleeing resident, Musa Hajaye, told the AP that the extremists "have hoisted their flag and warned us of the evil fate of saboteurs." Residents said the attack began on Tuesday night, with the military base seized on Wednesday. Many residents have fled to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and the birthplace of Boko Haram. The fighting continued on Friday in Baga, the chief of army training and operations, Maj. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, told reporters. "It's a ding-dong situation but we are engaging them," he said. "We are not in total control but the Boko Haram have not taken control of Baga, either. We are dealing and almost done with the situation." Baga, close to the border with Chad, hosts the Nigerian base of the multinational task force fighting Boko Haram. Its weapons, ammunition and other equipment are a key target for the extremists. Insurgents also overran the base in 2015. The Islamic State West Africa Province, the largest IS-linked extremist group in Africa, claimed to kill or wound "dozens" of soldiers in the latest attack, according to the SITE Intelligence Group that monitors extremist communiques. Nigeria's military rarely announces death tolls in such attacks, but the government in November acknowledged dozens of soldier deaths in what it called an extremist resurgence. The government also for the first time confirmed the insurgents had begun using drones, calling it a "critical factor" in the rise in attacks. Buhari at the time held an urgent meeting with member countries to "enhance the capacity" of the multinational force. The nearly decade-old Boko Haram insurgency has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and thousands of abductions. The unrest and displacement of millions of hungry people have turned northeastern Nigeria into one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration is seeking to cement close ties with Brazil's incoming far-right leader with a visit to the country next week by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo will lead the U.S. delegation to President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's inauguration on New Year's Day. The State Department said Friday that Pompeo would discuss increasing U.S.-Brazil trade and investment, particularly in the technology, defense and agriculture sectors. It said Pompeo would also raise democracy concerns about Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela as well as potential threats from China's growing presence in Latin America. Bolsonaro has indicated he will adopt positions similar to those of President Donald Trump. Trump has urged countries to follow national interests in economic, security, foreign relations and environmental policies. A senior State Department official said Pompeo was eager to talk with Bolsonaro about his plans for exerting Brazil's sovereignty in dealing with other nations and with international organizations. The official, who was not authorized to preview Pompeo's trip publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Pompeo would raise the broad issue of sovereignty when discussing multilateral agreements like the Paris climate accord from which Trump has said the U.S. will withdraw. Like Trump, Bolsonaro is a climate change skeptic and has suggested loosening Brazilian environmental protections to boost the country's economy. The official added that Pompeo would welcome Bolsonaro's pledge for Brazil to join the U.S. in moving its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to attend Bolsonaro's swearing-in. The State Department said Thursday that Pompeo plans to meet with Netanyahu in Brasilia in what would be their first meeting since Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw its military presence from Syria. After leaving Brazil, Pompeo is to make a brief stop in Cartagena, Colombia where he will meet Colombian President Ivan Duque to discuss regional issues, including Venezuela and counter-narcotics efforts, the department said. PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) - Kosovo's government on Friday extended a 100-percent tax on Serb imports to all international brand goods produced in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The new decision, taken Friday at a Cabinet meeting, is expected to affect goods including auto products, food, construction materials and computer devices, and affect companies including Samsung, Panasonic and Coca-Cola. In November Kosovo set regional tensions soaring when it introduced the 100-percent tax on Serb imports, saying it won't be lifted until Belgrade recognizes its sovereignty and stops preventing it from joining international organizations. The European Union, which facilitates a Pristina-Belgrade dialogue to normalize their ties, has called on Pristina to revoke that decision. The Serbian government official dealing with Kosovo issues, Marko Djuric, said Kosovo's move "showed they were not sincere when saying they want to normalize relations." Djuric accused Kosovo of seeking an "escalation" of tensions, adding: "What they are doing is pure madness." Serbian imports to Kosovo amount to about 400 million euros ($460 million) a year. Safet Gerxhaliu, secretary-general of the region's Chamber Investment Forum, said a majority of such imports are international branded goods. "Kosovar buyers will suffer the impact of higher prices," he said. Serb representatives in Kosovo urged international intervention, describing Kosovo's move as an "anti-Serb" measure that threatens the Serb minority there and peace in the region. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's 2008 independence and will not sit down for talks until Pristina lifts the tariff. Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has complained about the lack of action from senior European Union officials after Serbia asked several countries to revoke their recognition of Kosovo. ----- Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. Jovana Gec contributed from Belgrade, Serbia. ___ Follow Llazar Semini on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lsemini MADRID (AP) - The Latest on migrants and asylum-seekers in Europe (all times local): 6:45 p.m. Britain's Home Secretary Sajid Javid says a recent increase in small boats trying to cross from France to England should be treated as a "major incident." The Home Office said Friday it is "only a matter of time before people lose their lives" trying to cross the English Channel, which has major commercial shipping lanes and can be very rough in winter. More than 40 migrants have been found trying to cross the channel in recent days. Javid held a conference call with Border Force officials, Immigration Enforcement and the National Crime Agency. Migrants look out from the deck of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms rescue vessel, after being rescued Dec. 21, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, before disembarking in the port of Crinavis in Algeciras, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. To reach Crinavis they have sailed for 6 days with more than 300 migrants on board because other European countries closed their ports to the ship.(AP Photo/Olmo Calvo) He is seeking a weekend call with his French counterparts to emphasize the need to keep working together on the problem. ___ 6:30 p.m. Cyprus authorities say a search in waters between the east Mediterranean island nation and Lebanon for more possible survivors from a capsized boat has been unsuccessful. The search was mounted after a Syrian man was airlifted to a Cyprus hospital Thursday when the U.S.-flagged merchant ship Safmarine Nimba plucked him from stormy seas some 17 miles off Cyprus' southeastern coast. The Syrian man said he was among seven other people aboard a small boat that set sail from Lebanon on Dec. 21. But the boat capsized two days later due to stormy weather. Cyprus' Joint Rescue Coordination Center said a search helicopter Friday failed to locate anyone. The center said it's in touch with vessels in the area to be on the lookout for any survivors. ___ 5:45 p.m. British Border Forces have intercepted 12 men from Syria and Iran who were trying to get to England in two inflatable boats. The men were brought ashore at Dover Friday and are being interviewed by immigration officials. The intervention follows a recent upsurge in small boats trying to cross the English Channel from France to the English shore. Some 40 migrants were detained trying to transit the channel on Christmas Day, when the perilous trip was made slightly easier because ferry traffic was suspended. British officials say organized crime gangs are behind the spike in dangerous illegal crossings. ___ 11:45 a.m. A Spanish aid boat carrying over 300 migrants rescued at sea has arrived in Spain, ending a weeklong journey across the western Mediterranean. The boat, operated by the nonprofit group Proactiva Open Arms, docked at the Spanish port of Algeciras on Friday. The boat rescued the migrants in waters near Libya last week, but had to travel to Spain after Malta denied it permission to dock and Italy and other countries refused to help. In June, Spain opened its ports to another aid ship belonging to SOS Mediterranee Sea and Doctors Without Borders carrying over 600 rescued migrants after Italy and Malta refused to let it dock. According to the U.N. refugee agency, over 2,200 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year in unseaworthy smugglers' boats. IBI, Spain (AP) - Every year since Roman times, it's been a pitched battle for control of the Spanish town of Ibi. Friday's events included a chaotic fight using thousands of mostly rotten eggs and packages of flour, topped off by hundreds of wildly exploding fireworks. This is the topsy-turvy world of the "Enharinados" (the "floured") where for one day a year the underdogs are in control of this town in the eastern region of Alicante. Every Dec. 28, the citizens of Ibi are divided into two groups, the "Enharinados," - the "floured" - who try to take control for a day and the opposition, which aims to restore order. In Roman times, it was the slaves who took over for a day. Nowadays, friends and neighbors take up the differing roles. The uprising starts in the morning as "the floured" take control of the town hall and announce a new regime and laws. The two groups then move to the local square to slug it out, using a seemingly endless supply of eggs and flour. It doesn't take long for everyone to be dusted white with flour and egg smears to coat the cartoonish military uniforms. Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall.(AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Local records in Ibi first mention the winter festival in 1636. The tradition was lost during the right-wing dictatorship of Francisco Franco, but in 1981 the festival started up again. As soon as the eggs have run out, it's the turn of the "drunk" fireworks to overthrow the upstarts. Directionless and explosive, the fireworks end up going everywhere. "We always come to beat them and we eat them alive," said participant Ramon Castella, a 35-year-old electrician. "The "drunk" rockets, this is the moment we really give it a go." Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall.(AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall.(AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall.(AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall.(AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) A reveller takes part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) A reveller takes part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) A reveller takes part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) A reveller takes part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) Revellers take part in the festival of Els Enfarinats, in the town of Ibi near Alicante, Spain, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. For about 200-years the inhabitants of Ibi annually celebrate with a battle using flour, eggs and firecrackers, outside the city town hall. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz) GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Health officials say Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian during protests along Gaza-Israel frontier. Palestinian Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Kidra said Karam Fayyad, 26, was shot in the head Friday at one of the demonstrations in the southeast of the Gaza Strip. Six other protesters were wounded, he added. Witnesses say the man had Down syndrome and was among dozens who approached the perimeter fence. Despite rainy weather, thousands of Palestinians attended the weekly protest. The marches are led by Hamas, the militant group ruling Gaza, against an 11-year-old Israeli-Egyptian blockade. Israeli forces have killed 185 Palestinians present or participating at the protests, since they began in March. An Israeli soldier was killed in July. NEW YORK (AP) - For so long, movies around the holidays have been merry and bright. Lately, more and more seem murderous and designed to fright. Take this winter, where, of course, sugary options abounded, such as "Mary Poppins Returns" on the big screen and "A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding" on TV. Then there's the post-apocalyptic survival story "Bird Box." Released just days before Christmas on Netflix, the Sandra Bullock-led thriller is about monstrous entities that compel any human who sees them to quickly try to kill themselves. Not exactly the stuff of sugar plum fairies. But even though Netflix declines to release viewership numbers, "Bird Box" seems to have struck a nerve, triggering the creation of memes and online chatter for a very dark film dropped into the festive period. "I have never ever had as much attention or as many page likes, post likes/ shares and comments on any of my other pages as I have had on this one," says Heather Drake, who started a Facebook page for fans of the story and is not affiliated with the film or distributors. "It's been insane. I can't even come close to responding to all the feedback, if that tells you anything." Critics have been mixed toward "Bird Box," with many noting similarities to John Krasinski's "A Quiet Place." Variety complained about the "inexplicably bland ensemble" and The Hollywood Reporter sniffed that it was "not all that it might have been." The Guardian declared it "a bird-brained mess." This image released by Netflix shows Sandra Bullock in a scene from the film, "Bird Box." (Merrick Morton/Netflix via AP) In some ways, it shouldn't come as a surprise that a film about monsters attacking people showed up on the online video streamer on Dec. 21. Alternate Christmas movies are all the rage these days, from "Die Hard," ''In Bruges," ''Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" and "Lethal Weapon." Drake thinks the holiday timing of "Bird Box" isn't that important, noting the need for fresh and intriguing movies during the holidays far from usual stale fare like "It's a Wonderful Life" or "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." "I don't honestly think it would have mattered if it was Dec. 21 or July 21," she said. "However, Dec. 21 would give an advantage as many people are on vacation from school and work. And who doesn't want to cozy up and 'Netflix and chill' on a cold night when they don't have to worry about school or work the next day?" Netflix's decision may also be an attempt to replicate last late-December's hit "Bright," starring Will Smith and Joel Egerton. That supernatural cop drama also wasn't received well by critics but garnered strong word-of-mouth interest and a sequel has been promised. Bullock has been one of Hollywood's top stars since her 1994 hit "Speed" but had never made a horror movie until "Bird Box." She told The Associated Press before a special screening in New York this month that the risks she and the cast undertook were somehow appealing. To evade the movie monsters, Bullock and two young children are blindfolded while navigating through a forest and a treacherous river. The title refers to a literal box of birds that her character carries - the birds begin to chirp when the unseen evil approaches. Like the timing of the final film, it seemed to be a fresh challenge. "Anytime that they yelled 'Stop!' we knew we knew we had gotten to a place where we could all get injured," Bullock said. "And we fell. And I said don't stop the camera unless I say, 'Stop!'" ___ Associated Press reporter John Carucci contributed to this report. FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 17, 2018 file photo, Sandra Bullock attends a screening of "Bird Box" at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Released just days before Christmas on Netflix, the Bullock-led thriller "Bird Box" is about monstrous entities that compel any human who sees them to try to kill themselves. Even though Netflix declines to release viewership numbers, "Bird Box" seems to have struck a nerve, triggering the creation of memes and online chatter. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 17, 2018 file photo, Sandra Bullock attends a screening of "Bird Box" at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Released just days before Christmas on Netflix, the Bullock-led thriller "Bird Box" is about monstrous entities that compel any human who sees them to try to kill themselves. Even though Netflix declines to release viewership numbers, "Bird Box" seems to have struck a nerve, triggering the creation of memes and online chatter. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 17, 2018 file photo, Sandra Bullock attends a screening of "Bird Box" at Alice Tully Hall in New York. Released just days before Christmas on Netflix, the Bullock-led thriller "Bird Box" is about monstrous entities that compel any human who sees them to try to kill themselves. Even though Netflix declines to release viewership numbers, "Bird Box" seems to have struck a nerve, triggering the creation of memes and online chatter. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File) 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. A powerful winter storm that brought blizzard warnings Friday across the Upper Midwest was blamed for at least three fatal crashes while flash flooding from rains in the South swept away cars and forced dozens of water rescues. In northern New England, a mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain added up to make for dangerous driving Friday for post-holiday travelers. Much of the Dakotas and part of Minnesota were under a blizzard warning after many areas got a foot (30 centimeters) of snow or more Thursday. A collision between a small bus and an SUV in Minnesota killed a 47-year-old woman on the bus and injured nine others Thursday. A second person died in central Minnesota after being struck on a road by a pickup with a plow blade. In North Dakota, a pickup truck driver was killed Thursday on a snow-covered highway when visibility was reduced by blowing snow from a plow, according to the state highway patrol. Another storm dumped up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi, sweeping away cars and forcing some residents to be rescued from their homes before the rains moved into Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and western North Carolina on Friday. A car fell into this collapsed culvert due to heavy rains on Tommy Butler Road in the Causeyville Whynot area of Lauderdale County, Miss., Friday, Dec 28, 2018. No one was hurt in the accident. The National Weather Service posted flash flood watches and warnings for much of the South from Louisiana into southwest Virginia. (Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star via AP) The National Weather Service posted flash flood watches and warnings for much of the South from Louisiana into southwest Virginia. "We had an extreme flash flooding event," said Glen Moore, the emergency management director in Forrest County, in southwestern Mississippi, which saw 9 inches (23 centimeters) fall over 12 hours through early Friday. Authorities had to rescue residents from about 25 area homes in Forrest County, Moore said. They rescued one man whose car was swept away after he went around a barricade on a flooded road, Moore said. "He was able to make it outside of the car and latch onto a tree until we could get a boat to him," Moore said. Mississippi officials warned that flood levels on some rivers in the state could be high, especially if the forecast for more rain through Tuesday holds up. Some levels could match a 2016 flood that led to a federal disaster declaration, said Greg Flynn, the state's Emergency Management Agency spokesman. He said survey teams were still assessing damage from flash flooding in southern Mississippi and it was too soon to say how many roads and bridges were damaged or how many homes were flooded. Rain-fed rivers were rising Friday in some New Orleans suburbs north of big Lake Pontchartrain. The St. Tammany Parish government told residents of neighborhoods along both sides of the Tchefuncte River to consider voluntary evacuation because of the possibility of flooding Friday night and Saturday. The parish also declared an emergency to coordinate local, state and federal resources. North of St. Tammany Parish in Washington Parish, Parish President Richard N. Thomas said in a Facebook message that 10 to 13 inches of rain had caused flash floods in the Bogalusa, Varnado and Angie areas, and some people had to be rescued. There was one death in Tennessee where a woman fell into a rain rain-swollen creek near Chattanooga. Authorities who recovered the woman's body Friday morning about three hours after she lost her footing said she had been camping in a cave with friends and they were trying to leave the area when she fell into the water. Rescue workers in north Georgia used a ladder and ropes to get to a woman and baby stranded in a truck inundated by rising waters Friday. Dramatic video posted to Facebook showed crews working to reach the truck as water reached the vehicle's windshield. The storm system was blamed for a death in Louisiana earlier this week when a tree fell on a camper. Forecasters said up to 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain were possible in northern Alabama and central and north Georgia. Water also flooded more than a dozen homes in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, and a Trader Joe's store near New Orleans lost power during the storm, prompting it to donate perishable grocery items to a food bank. Some areas of the Midwest were seeing spring-like conditions. Shorts and t-shirts replaced winter running gear Friday for several joggers in downtown Columbus, Ohio, where temperatures were in the 50s. "It's weird that there's no snow," said Evan Miller, who was about four miles into his run while wearing gray shorts and a short sleeve shirt. Flood waters begin to approach a home near Highway 19 North in Meridian, Miss., Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. Intense rains across the Deep South and heavy snow in the Upper Midwest are making a mess for post-holiday travelers. (Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star via AP) A stop sign is partially submerged in water from the flooded Okatibbee River near the Meridian Regional Airport in Meridian, Miss., Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. Intense rains across the Deep South and heavy snow in the Upper Midwest are making a mess for post-holiday travelers. (Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star via AP) Matteo Perantoni spreads ice melt on the platform on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at the Montpelier-Berlin Amtrak train station in Berlin, Vt. A winter storm brought snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain to northern New England, making for a dangerous and slippery commute. (AP Photo/Lisa Rathke) In this photo provided by the Hattiesburg Police Department, drivers attempt to drive through flash flood waters in Hattiesburg, Miss., Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. A storm system dumped up to 12 inches of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi, Thursday afternoon through early Friday morning. (Ryan Moore/Hattiesburg Police Department via AP) Harry Anderson tries to stay relatively dry as he maneuvers his umbrella into position before slipping out of his car during a steady rainstorm, Thursday, Dec 27, 2018, in Baton Rouge, La. He was preparing to go inside Shoppers Value on Plank Road near J.H. Cooney Street to buy some groceries, and he succeeded in staying dry, for the most part, he said. (Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP) In this photo provided by the Hattiesburg Police Department, rain water begins to pool alongside Hardy Street as drivers pass through Hattiesburg, Miss., Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018. A storm system dumped up to 12 inches of rain in Louisiana and Mississippi, Thursday afternoon through early Friday morning. (Ryan Moore/Hattiesburg Police Department via AP) High water encroaches on the Treasures From Heaven Ministry on Mickens Road, Thursday, Dec. 27, 2018, as severe weather impacts the area in Baton Rouge, La. (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP) Evan Miller, 31, finishes up a 6 -mile run along the downtown Scioto River in mist and 53 degrees on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. In contrast to other parts of the country, Ohio saw unusually mild temperatures Friday with readings in the 50s for many cities. (AP Photo/Andrew Welsh-Huggins) SALISBURY, N.C. (AP) - A former North Carolina police officer convicted in the 1993 killing of a Swedish man once suspected of assassinating a prime minister has died. King Police Chief Paula May tells the Winston-Salem Journal 67-year-old Lamont Claxton "L.C." Underwood died Dec. 23 in a hospital while serving a life sentence for kidnapping and murder in the death of Viktor Gunnarsson. The Watauga County homicide attracted international attention because Gunnarsson had been a suspect in the 1986 assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme. He was never formally charged. Gunnarsson started a relationship with Underwood's ex-girlfriend Kay Weden after moving to the U.S. Prosecutors said the then-Salisbury police officer killed Gunnarsson out of jealousy. Weden's mother, 77-year-old Catherine Miller, was found shot to death days after Gunnarsson disappeared. Prosecutors opted not to try Underwood in her death. ___ This story has been corrected to fix the spelling of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme. ___ Information from: Winston-Salem Journal, http://www.journalnow.com NEW YORK (AP) - Fans of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" know that the show's clothes deliver eye-popping color and to-die-for style, but they might not know the costumes represent more than 1950's couture. They also meticulously reflect each character's mood and development. Costume designer Donna Zakowska said she thought about how each character changed from season one of the hit show to season two, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video earlier this month. Zakowska started out studying painting at Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, which instilled a "very strong response to color," she said in a recent interview, and that influenced her approach in costume design. One of her first decisions was putting lead character Midge Maisel, played by Rachel Brosnahan, in a baby pink coat in the first season when she is married and seemingly happy. "I do feel that color signals things to people and you know I don't take it for granted," Zakowska said. "I love doing it and I put a lot of effort into really working with the palette and working with the colors. It started with that pink coat, but that became sort of a characteristic of who Midge was when I first started. But when Midge's husband leaves her, her character puts on different, darker colors. "I basically did this with most of the characters and it's a little bit natural in a way because I do think that there is this emotional response that is inherent in color," Zakowska said. Brosnahan said while the second season is full of "exceptional clothes," the outfits aren't just eye candy. Zakowska helps shape the narrative with her designs. This image released by Amazon shows Rachel Brosnahan in a scene from "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." The meticulous costumes of the 1950s-era show are crafted by designer Donna Zakowska. (Nicole Rivelli/Amazon via AP) "She's a storyteller. And she dives just as deeply, if not more deeply in some ways, than we do into these characters, into their arcs, into the stories, into the settings, into everything that came before and is yet to come." "She is a mad scientist," ''Maisel" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino said in a recent interview. "She doesn't believe a hat is a hat. You know, a hat is character. It's a person. That hat needs to reflect where the person is internally. She started it last year with ... the pink coat and the pink coat represented something and when Joel (Mr. Maisel) left, the pink coat left, because the pink coat represented who she was with Joel. And then pink went away for a while, and when pink started to come back, it was a different kind of pink because she was a different kind of woman. She's (Zakowska) just a very fascinating, brilliant person." Zakowska said she leads a crew of at least 25 people on set to dress the principal players and the extras in hundreds of costume changes. She pays strict attention to detail, even for day players, who often wear 1950's outfits found in vintage stores or on the internet. But most of the clothes worn by the principal characters are designed by Zakowska. Not all the clothes are fun to wear. Zakowska said one of the most important accessories on the show is the underwear - which had to be tight and supportive, even for the extras. "It's like really the end of the era of the corset...that's something you really can't avoid. We can't all have period bras but we worked with Playtex and they had a certain bra they created for us that we used. And so you do to a degree have to sort of pull women in, you know, bring the bust up....there's no way around it, otherwise we couldn't get people into those dresses." The second season provides much deeper insight into the characters, like Midge's mother, Rose, who leaves her uptight life in Manhattan and takes off to Paris, which Zakowska relays in color and style. "In season one, I talked about the idea of her being like in a little Chanel suit or being the perfect mother on the Upper West Side. Now her power has really taken on... these deep purple and deep red tones, sort of very intense romantic palette. And so what she's really doing is revisiting that bohemian student life when she begins season two. And so it was really important to heighten her palette and to work with those colors and I think they're very Parisian," Zakowska said. Marin Hinkle, who plays Rose, said wearing the costumes helped her get into character. "The first season Rose had a kind of muted quality," Hinkle said. "And then by the second season they dressed me in these more vibrant colors and more youthful styles. And that dictates a kind of way you can be as a performer where you literally are putting something on and sort of 90 percent of the work is done." Tony Shalhoub, who plays Rose's husband, said of Zakowska's designs, "It's almost like the clothes are a character themselves and ... it's like the clothes are speaking to us through us. "I'm always sort of jazzed and energized by that," he said. This image released by Amazon shows sketches for "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," by costume designer Donna Zakowska. (Amazon via AP) NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) - Officials say a military jet slid off a runway at a Virginia airport during training exercises, but no injuries have been reported. Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport spokeswoman Jessica Wharton said Friday that the aircraft based at nearby Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton was training at the civilian airport. She said it's unclear what happened, but weather doesn't appear to be a factor. The base said in a statement that no one was injured in "an aircraft landing incident" involving a U.S. Airforce T-38 Talon, a trainer jet. The base says that a board of officers will investigate. Wharton said the airport is temporarily closed because the jet came to rest near the intersection of two runways. She said one or two commercial flights will be affected. NEW YORK (AP) - Ariana Grande has canceled a Las Vegas performance days before New Year's Eve "due to unforeseeable health reasons." Grande was originally scheduled to perform at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on Saturday. The hotel said Friday in a statement to The Associated Press that the pop star will not perform. The hotel said guests can receive refunds at their point of purchase. Grande has had a busy year: Her song "Thank U, Next" is spending its sixth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, she recently earned two Grammy nominations and was named woman of the year by Billboard. Her year also included the end of her relationship with comedian-actor Pete Davidson and the death of her former boyfriend, the rapper Mac Miller. SAO PAULO (AP) - Brazil's largest left-leaning opposition parties said Friday they will boycott the inauguration of far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro on Jan. 1. The Workers' Party, which governed between 2003 and 2016, and the Socialism and Liberty Party said their lawmakers and executives will not attend the ceremony in the capital city of Brasilia. Several members of the Communist Party of Brazil also said they will shun the inauguration of the former army captain who won 55 percent of the vote in the Oct. 28 presidential runoff. The three parties will have 75 of the 513 lawmakers in Brazil's lower house. The Workers' Party had fielded former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as its candidate in the election and he was considered the front-runner until he was barred from running after being jailed for corruption and money laundering. The party said in a statement that it recognizes the legitimacy of the results of the vote but will boycott the inauguration due to the electoral process itself. FILE - In this Dec. 5, 2018 file photo, Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro listens to a question during a press interview, in Brasilia, Brazil. Brazil's biggest left-leaning opposition parties will boycott the presidential inauguration on Jan. 1. The Workers' Party, which governed Brazil between 2003 and 2016, and the Socialism and Liberty Party said Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, their lawmakers will not attend the ceremonies. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File) "The illegal prohibition of the candidacy of former president Lula and the criminal manipulation of social media to spread lies against candidate Fernando Haddad" favored the far-right leader in the elections, it said. Both the Workers' Party and the Socialism and Liberty Party said the decision was also an act of resistance to Bolsonaro, who has angered many with comments seen as homophobic, racist or offensive to women, as well as expressing nostalgia for Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship. Also Friday, Brazilian authorities said security preparations for the inauguration are the most comprehensive ever. The Secretary of Public Security in Brasilia told the Associated Press that they are expecting as many as 500,000 people to attend the ceremony. Brazil's military has deployed anti-aircraft missiles and fighter jets to protect the event from the air. On the ground, more than 3,000 police and military will take to the streets. Security around Bolsonaro has been elevated following a Sept. 6 knife attack that left him with a ruptured intestine. ___ Gardiner reported from Rio de Janeiro. TELL CITY, Ind. (AP) - The Latest on a house fire that killed three children in southern Indiana (all times local): 1:40 p.m. Authorities say three young siblings are dead and their mother is hospitalized following an overnight house fire in a small southern Indiana city. Tell City Fire Chief Greg Linne says flames were "shooting from almost every window" in the two-story home's ground floor when fire crews arrived early Friday. The flames prevented police and fire crews from entering the house. Officials said 11-year-old Danielle Plock Sims, 6-year-old Thomas Plock Sims and 3-year-old Roseanna Plock Sims died in the fire. In this photo provided by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, firefighters work to extinguish a deadly fire on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, in Tell City, Ind. (Indiana Department of Homeland Security via AP) Their mother tried unsuccessfully to get the siblings out of the home. She and two other children escaped the blaze with non-life-threatening injuries, and one of the children called 911. The Indiana State Fire Marshal is investigating the fire in the city about 70 miles (110 kilometers) southwest of Louisville, Kentucky. ___ 10:45 a.m. Authorities say an overnight house fire has killed three children under the age of 12 in a small southern Indiana city. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security says multiple people were inside the home when the fire broke out early Friday in Tell City, on the Ohio River. The agency says three children died in the fire. WFIE-TV reports that fire officials say the three victims were under age 12. Three other people were taken to a hospital. Authorities have not released information about their conditions. The Indiana State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. Tell City is about 70 miles (110 kilometers) southwest of Louisville, Kentucky. NEW YORK (AP) - Wells Fargo will pay $575 million in a settlement with attorneys general from all 50 states and the District of Columbia that are investigating fake accounts opened without the knowledge of customers and a string of other dodgy practices. Under the agreement announced Friday, the bank will also create teams to review and respond to customer complaints about its banking and sales practices. The bank has been under a cloud since 2015 when it acknowledged that employees had opened millions of fake bank accounts for customers in order to meet sales goals. It has also said that it sold auto insurance and other financial products to customers who didn't need them. Wells Fargo has already been ordered to pay more than $1.2 billion in penalties and faced stricter regulations. "This agreement underscores our serious commitment to making things right in regard to past issues as we work to build a better bank," said CEO Tim Sloan. Tim Sloan apologized for the phony accounts and other practices during a congressional hearing in 2017, but the company remained under pressure from the weight of all the scandals. The company has announced plans to lay off up to 10 percent of its workforce over the next three years. FILE- In this May 17, 2018 file photo, the logo for Wells Fargo appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Wells Fargo is paying $575 million as part of deal to resolve investigations by every state into its banking practices, which have included creating phony accounts and using manipulative sales practices. The deal also includes creating teams to review and respond to customer issues about its banking and sales practices. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) California, the bank's home state, will get more than a quarter of the settlement funds because of the number of Wells Fargo customers residing there. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra called the bank's behavior "disgraceful". "Wells Fargo customers entrusted their bank with their livelihood, their dreams, and their savings for the future," said Becerra. "Instead of safeguarding its customers, Wells Fargo exploited them, signing them up for products - from bank accounts to insurance - that they never wanted. This is an incredible breach of trust that threatens not only the customers who depended on Wells Fargo, but confidence in our banking system." In a story Dec. 28 about efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in Virginia, The Associated Press incorrectly reported the first name of the president of The Family Foundation of Virginia. Her name is Victoria Cobb, not Virginia Cobb. A corrected version of the story is below: Will Virginia be next to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment? Virginia could be the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment By BEN FINLEY Associated Press For nearly half a century, Virginia has been a place where proposals to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment go to die. But this increasingly blue state could soon be the 38th to approve the gender-equality amendment, ushering it across the constitutional threshold for ratification and all but guaranteeing battles in the courts over whether it can be enshrined. "The capital of the Confederacy has changed dramatically," said Eleanor Smeal, who was president of the National Organization for Women in the late 1970s when the prospect of Virginia ratifying the ERA was unimaginable. "You used to have a machine that ran this state," Smeal said. "Those days are gone." The proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution would outlaw discrimination based on gender, providing Congress with firmer grounding to pass anti-discrimination laws while giving lawsuits more strength in the courts. Congress approved the ERA for ratification by the states in 1972. And 35 had ratified it by a final 1982 deadline, leaving the amendment three states short of what was needed. There has been much debate over whether the original ERA can be revived. But momentum is building in statehouses, anyway. And bills in Congress would try to remove the deadline or start the whole process over. ERA advocates are harnessing the energy of the #MeToo movement, the annual Women's March and concerns about President Donald Trump's policies on sex discrimination and contraception. In the last two years, Nevada and Illinois ratified the ERA, bringing the number of states to 37. ERA supporters are now looking to Virginia, which begins its legislative session Jan. 9. "There are several states hoping to ratify the ERA in the coming year, but Virginia is by far the most likely," said Kate Kelly, a New York-based human rights attorney for the women's rights nonprofit Equality Now. Republicans control Virginia's General Assembly by thin margins in each chamber. The 2017 election saw 11 Democratic women flip seats in the House of Delegates. In November, three Democratic women from Virginia were elected to Congress. A Christopher Newport University poll released in December estimates that 81 percent of Virginia voters support ratification. Some Republican lawmakers do as well, including state Sen. Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr. of central Virginia. His office said he will sponsor a resolution for ratification next session. It may not be enough. Since 1973, ERA measures have never passed Virginia's House or even left its Privileges and Elections Committee, the House Clerk's office said. (The Senate has approved it four times). "We know we have the votes," said Democratic Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy of northern Virginia. "Our goal is to get it to the floor." Carroll Foy is sponsoring a House measure and recently toured the state promoting the ERA. Her measure has been assigned to the House privileges committee. During the last legislative session, Republican committee chair Mark Cole would not allow a hearing on the ERA, inciting jeers from women's rights groups. It's unclear if 2019 will be any different. Parker Slaybaugh, a spokesman for Republican House Speaker Kirk Cox, said the measure "will have to go through the legislative process along with the many other bills that will be presented come January." Cole, the committee chair, lists many criticisms of the ERA on his website. They include the long-expired 1982 deadline, but also the fact that five states that ratified in the 1970s later passed measures to rescind their support. Plus, he said, many laws in Virginia already protect against gender-based discrimination. "The ERA proponents need to spend their time lobbying Congress and not trying to get the General Assembly to pass a resolution that would have no effect or worse spark a series of lawsuits," Cole wrote. There has been much debate over the constitutionality of states trying to rescind their ratifications, according to a July report from the Congressional Research Service. It's just one of many issues that legal experts say would likely spark a massive legal fight. ERA Proponents, for instance, question the finality of the 1982 congressional deadline. There is also much debate over what the ERA would do. Victoria Cobb, president of The Family Foundation of Virginia, said the ERA could be used to justify taxpayer-funded abortion because "only women can be pregnant, (and) therefore denial of abortion funding is sex-oriented discrimination." Anne Schlafly Cori, who chairs the conservative Eagle Forum, said a government-funded women's shelter could be prohibited from excluding men and that the ERA would give too much power to the federal government. "They're attempting to shoehorn a cadaver into the Constitution that was debated and rejected in the 1970s for good reasons," she said. University of Baltimore law professor Michele E. Gilman said the courts would ultimately decide what the ERA would do. "The next steps would be test cases and court battles," she said. Many would "ultimately go to the U.S. Supreme Court. And the court could read it in a way that is much more narrow and doesn't necessarily reflect the intent of the ERA." Gilman said the amendment would not be the "parade of horribles" that critics claim. And it wouldn't be a "magic overnight solution" for gender equality, either. But, she said, a constitutional amendment against gender-based discrimination would carry powerful symbolic value. Smeal, the former president of NOW who now heads the Feminist Majority organization, said that if Virginia fails to ratify the ERA, another state will. "Our strength is only growing," she said. Maine's outgoing Republican governor is signing off on the results of a disputed congressional contest, but not before getting the last word with a handwritten note calling it a "stolen election." A federal appeals court filing Friday showed all parties agreed to the dismissal of Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin's lawsuit over the November election without any award of legal fees. The filing makes formal Poliquin's Christmas Eve announcement he'd abandon the suit. Governor LePage signed 'stolen election' next to the official form signing off on election that cost fellow Republican his seat in Congress Maine's outgoing Republican governor is signing off on the results of a disputed congressional contest, but not before getting the last word with a handwritten note calling it a "stolen election." Governor Paul LePage tweeted Friday he signed off on the results despite his dislike of the new ranked voting method. The election marked the first use of the system in a congressional race. Democrat Jared Golden won the election. Golden received fewer votes than Poliquin in the first vote-counting round, but pulled ahead when second-choice ballots were later counted. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Nuclear power plants in Connecticut and New Hampshire made the list of electricity producers selected Friday to generate the clean energy needed to help meet Connecticut's goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Department Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Robert Klee and Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced the state also chose bids submitted from nine solar projects and one offshore wind project. Final regulatory approval of power contracts, which still need to be negotiated, are still required. "The selection of this diverse portfolio of zero-carbon resources ensures that Connecticut is doing its part to address climate change," Klee said. A 2017 state law required DEEP's commissioner to solicit proposals for up to 12 million megawatt-hours of clean energy annually to meet the state's renewable energy goals. Virginia-based Dominion Energy had sought for months to have its Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Waterford, Connecticut, included in the clean energy procurement. Dominion had argued the plant faced closure due to rising expenses and competition from natural gas. A top Dominion executive said Friday the company is pleased Millstone is part of the portfolio. DEEP selected a 10-year bid for about 50 percent of the entire nuclear facility's output. DEEP also selected a bid from the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant in New Hampshire. "DEEP's decision is good news for Connecticut's economy and the environment," said Paul Koonce, EVP, president and CEO of power generation at Dominion Energy. He said Dominion's "zero carbon offer brings at least $670 million in net benefits to Connecticut customer" and "welcome holiday news" for the power plant's 1,500 employees. "We look forward to executing the contract with Connecticut's utilities shortly," he said. State regulators recently determined Millstone was at risk of early retirement, a move that ultimately allowed the plant to be part of DEEP's clean energy auction. DEEP also selected nine solar projects, including three in Connecticut, four in Maine and two in New Hampshire. Additionally, DEEP announced plans to expand upon its June selection of 200 megawatts of energy generated by the Revolution Wind off-shore project being developed by Rhode Island-based Deepwater Wind. DEEP said the state will procure an additional 100 megawatts of power from the wind farm, located in federal waters, about halfway between Montauk, New York and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. "Offshore wind is fast becoming a centerpiece of Connecticut's renewable energy future," said Jeffrey Grybowski, Co-CEO of rsted US Offshore Wind, which acquired Deepwater Wind in October. "We're proud that our Revolution Wind project will now deliver even more clean energy to Connecticut communities." BOISE, Idaho (AP) - U.S. officials and at least one state said Friday that they have started investigations into a nationwide CenturyLink internet outage that has disrupted 911 service. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai called the outage that began Thursday "completely unacceptable" because people who need help couldn't use the emergency number. "Its breadth and duration are particularly troubling," he said. The commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau will investigate the cause and effect of the outage, he said. The Monroe, Louisiana-based telecommunications giant is one of the largest in the United States. It offers communications and information technology services in dozens of states. Customers from New York to California reported outages. CenturyLink spokeswoman Debra Peterson said the outage "is not related to hacking," but she declined further comment. The company said on Twitter that it's working to restore service and appears to be making progress. It hasn't provided a cause for the problems. "Where CenturyLink is the 911 service provider 911 calls are completing," the company said in a tweet. Regulators in Washington state also said they were opening an investigation into an outage of its statewide 911 service. The state Utilities and Transportation Commission said interruptions began about 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The commission's regulatory services division director, Mark Vasconi, said the system appeared stable Friday but the agency was monitoring it. In Idaho, Emergency Office Management Director Brad Richy said he didn't receive any reports of 911 service failures, but some state agencies, including the state Department of Correction, lost service on internet-based phones. Some businesses in Idaho also lost the ability to make credit card sales, and some ATM machines weren't working in Idaho and Montana. Due to sporadic 911 outages in Massachusetts, public safety officials recommended individuals looking for emergency help use the 10-digit telephone number of the fire or police departments they wanted to contact. In Greeley, Colorado, the Weld County Regional Communication Center on Friday said 911 calls were being dropped, but callers should keep trying and emergency dispatchers would try to call back. The 911 dispatch center and emergency management in western Missouri's Johnson County were hit by the outage, county Emergency Management Director Troy Armstrong said Friday. He said the 911 lines were not affected, but the internet was down at the dispatch center and phone services also were spotty. FARGO, N.D. (AP) - Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said she plans to reintroduce a bill intended to help solve crimes against Native Americans. The bill received unanimous Senate approval after being introduced by North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp but was blocked by the outgoing chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte said he agreed with the intent of Heitkamp's bill, which sought to expand tribal access to federal crime databases, set standards for law enforcement's response to cases of missing or slain Native Americans, and instruct the Justice Department to increase its data collection on crimes against Native Americans. But he said the bill would have hurt some agencies that have no link to tribal communities because they wouldn't be able to compete for Justice Department grants that the bill sought to create, The Roanoke Times reported. Goodlatte, a Republican who is retiring after 13 terms in office, said only a limited number of law enforcement organizations are eligible for those funds "so every other law enforcement organization in America is opposed to it, and the Fraternal Order of Police and groups like that because they're getting a cut in order to do that." With the House adjourned until further notice, it appears that the measure known as Savanna's Act will expire at the end of the year. Murkowski, also a Republican, has said she will take up the measure when lawmakers return to Washington. "It's disappointing that one Republican member of Congress blocked Savanna's Act from passing this year," Heitkamp, a Democrat, said in a statement. "But fortunately, Rep. Goodlatte won't be around to block it in the new Congress. I've talked with Sen. Murkowski about Savanna's Act and I'm so proud that she will reintroduce my bill in the new year." The bill is named for Savanna Greywind, a slain North Dakota woman whose baby was cut from her womb. Attorney Gloria Allred, who represents the Greywind family, told The Associated Press on Friday that the bill asks for "a minimal level of accountability" and the notion that it is too onerous for law enforcement is "absurd." "If that's the case then this bill should be introduced as is and let them come and testify before Congress about why they don't want an incentive for providing the appropriate data that is needed and that this bill requires," Allred said. "Let's see who they are. If there are any they shouldn't be hiding behind some elected official." ___ Information from: The Roanoke Times, http://www.roanoke.com BOSTON (AP) - Lawyers for Kevin Spacey are asking a judge to allow the actor to skip his arraignment on sexual assault charges in a Massachusetts courthouse next month. The Boston Globe reports that Spacey's attorneys have filed a motion asking to excuse his presence at a Jan. 7 hearing in Nantucket District Court. The reason wasn't disclosed. Prosecutors asked the judge to deny the motion. The judge did not immediately rule. Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Michael Giardino wrote that Spacey's appearance is required under state rules for criminal case procedure. The 59-year-old Oscar winner is charged with felony indecent assault and battery. Prosecutors say he groped an 18-year-old man in a Nantucket restaurant in 2016. FILE - In this May 24, 2017 file photo, Kevin Spacey participates in the speaker series in New York. Lawyers for Spacey are asking a judge to excuse the actor from a Jan. 7, 2019 hearing in Nantucket, Mass. The 59-year-old Oscar winner is charged with felony indecent assault and battery. Prosecutors, who allege Spacey groped an 18-year-old man in a Nantucket restaurant in 2016, asked the judge to deny the motion. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File) Spacey's attorneys have not spoken publicly about the case but in a court hearing questioned the evidence. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The top-ranking Republican in the Pennsylvania Senate said Friday he favors seating the Democrat who won last month now that he has looked into questions about her residency. President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati issued a statement that said he will recommend that Lindsey Williams be sworn in along with other new members on Tuesday. Williams' fate has been up in the air as Republicans have sought details about whether she meets a state constitutional requirement that senators be "citizens and inhabitants" of Pennsylvania for four years before they are elected. Williams has said she stayed with Pittsburgh-area friends in 2014 and made plans to move to that city in time to meet the constitutional requirement. "I respect that they took the time to deliberate and go to through the facts, and I'm happy and really looking forward to getting sworn in on the First," Williams said. She has been working as senator-elect while the dispute played out, including constituent work and a community event. Her lawyer, Chuck Pascal, said Scarnati's decision likely ends the controversy about Williams' status as a senator. "I think it's good that the Republicans decided ... not to create a constitutional crisis in the state right now," Pascal said, shortly after reading a letter from Scarnati. "So I think that we proved that she was here on Nov. 6 (2014), and I think that should be sufficient and I'm glad that it was." The 35-year-old Williams defeated Republican candidate Jeremy Shaffer by fewer than 800 votes. Shaffer beat incumbent Sen. Randy Vulakovich, R-Allegheny, in the primary. Counting Williams, Republicans will hold a 29-21 majority in the chamber after losing five seats in this year's balloting. If Williams is not seated, a special election will be scheduled. Scarnati said the state constitution's residency provision has not been fully vetted by courts and argued a precise definition of residency in the constitutional context does not exist. He also cautioned that the dispute could resurface Tuesday if documents are obtained that contradict those Williams has produced. Williams has said she accepted a job offer with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers in the days before the 2014 deadline, and began moving her belongings from Maryland. She is a native of northeastern Pennsylvania and has lived in the state most of her life. VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A Michigan sheriff's deputy has been charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman who was accused of shoplifting on Christmas Eve. The Genesee County prosecutor says George Zofchak II was sent to a Walmart store to investigate a theft Monday. He's accused of pulling a woman from her car, handcuffing her and later sexually assaulting her at a motel. The woman's boyfriend was taken to jail by another officer. Sheriff Robert Pickell (Pi-KELL') alleges Zofchak left the woman in the motel room and told her to not say anything. Zofchak was being held on a $600,000 bond Friday. He was arraigned without a lawyer. A message left at a phone number listed for Zofchak wasn't immediately returned. Prosecutor David Leyton says "nobody is above the law, and that especially includes sworn police officers." NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A famous Nashville hot chicken restaurant is closed "indefinitely" after a hit-and-run driver crashed into a strip mall, starting a fire that damaged several businesses. News outlets report that the main location of Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in Nashville is closed because of the Friday morning fire. No one was reportedly injured in the crash. Semone Jeffries, whose mother has owned Prince's for 38 years, said the popular restaurant that draws locals and tourists hopes to re-open as soon as possible. She says officials need to evaluate the structural integrity of the building. The restaurant also sustained smoke and water damage. Jeffries says Prince's fans can visit the restaurant's second location in Nashville. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Attorneys for a black man who was kicked out of an Oregon hotel last week say they want a public explanation for why he was told to leave. Nearly a week later, the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Portland apologized Friday to Jermaine Massey on Twitter. He has accused the hotel of racially profiling him after a security guard called police to remove him from the lobby, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported . "We sincerely apologize to Mr. Massey for his treatment this past weekend, and deeply regret the experience he endured. It was unacceptable and contrary to our values, beliefs and how we seek to treat all people who visit our hotel," the tweet said. The hotel also said the employees involved had been placed on leave and an investigation would be done. The security guard told Massey that if he could not provide a room number, he would be asked to leave. The Washington state resident was staying at the hotel and left with an officer, according to a police report. Massey posted a video on social media that shows part of the interaction with the guard. "He's calling the cops on me because I'm taking a phone call at the DoubleTree hotel," Massey says in the video. "I have not moved, I have been sitting here the whole time and they're calling the police on me because I'm taking a phone call in the lobby. Did you ask any of those people walking by what room they were staying in? No." General manager Paul Peralta said in a statement earlier this week that the hotel reached out to Massey to try to reach a resolution, noting the incident was "likely the result of a misunderstanding between our hotel and guest." Massey said through his attorneys Thursday that he wasn't interested in a closed-door discussion. "The hotel has requested a private discussion, but Mr. Massey was publicly humiliated," attorneys Gregory and Jason Kafoury of the law firm Kafoury and McDougal wrote in a statement. The hotel should publicly answer why security approached and questioned Massey and explain how, as the guard said, Massey was a threat to security, his lawyers said. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said Friday that it was deeply troubling to hear about Massey's experience. "No one should be treated this way, and I hope this serves as a catalyst for necessary changes that address the systemic nature of discrimination of all forms," he wrote on Twitter. It's the latest high-profile incident in which black people have been removed from businesses. Last month, police in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland helped the owner of a frozen yogurt shop kick out a black man because employees said they felt uncomfortable. Police in Philadelphia in April arrested two black men at a Starbucks coffee shop after a manager called police to say they refused to make a purchase or leave. Police, other city officials and business owners in those incidents later apologized. ___ Information from: KOPB-, http://www.opb.org LAREDO, Texas (AP) - The first inmate charged in a South Texas jail riot that authorities say involved at least 25 inmates and left two correctional officers injured has appeared in court on charges that include arson. The Laredo Morning Times reports 37-year-old Joaquin Morales appeared in court Thursday. A judge reset his hearing for January to give prosecutors more time. The Webb County sheriff's office has said Mexican Mafia members incited the Dec. 11 riot at the Webb County Jail in Laredo. Authorities have said at least 25 inmates are expected to be charged but Morales is the first. His charges also include engaging in organized criminal activity. His attorney denies the charges and says Morales isn't a Mexican Mafia member. Authorities say the riot caused nearly $30,000 in damage to the jail. ___ Information from: Laredo Morning Times, http://www.lmtonline.com 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 Angelina Jolie has not ruled out a move into politics joking she has no skeletons left in her closet. The Hollywood star and mother-of-six pondered her future as she guest-edited Radio 4s flagship Today programme. She told presenter Justin Webb she can take a lot on the chin. He asked her: Im not necessarily getting you to run for president on the programme but are you moving in a direction of politics? The Oscar winner, 43, replied: If you asked me 20 years ago I wouldve laughed. I really dont know. Angelina Jolie guest-edited the Today programme (Yui Mok/PA) I always say Ill go where Im needed. I dont know if Im fit for politics with but then Ive also joked that I dont know if I have a skeleton left in my closet. So Im pretty open and out there, the actress, who had an acrimonious split with Brad Pitt, said. I can take a lot on the chin so thats good. But I honestly will do whatever I think can really make change. Jolie, a special envoy for UN refugee agency the UNHCR, added: Right now I am able to work with a UN agency to do a lot of work directly with the people in need. Im also able to work with governments so I sit in a very interesting place of being able to get a lot done, without a title and without it being about myself or my policies. So for now Ill sit quiet. The US actress laughed as Webb suggested she could be on the list of 30 to 40 Democrats running for the partys presidential nomination. Angelina Jolie in the studio (BBC Radio 4 Today/Anna Gordon) Jolie admitted being wild and a bit of a young punk in her youth but said: I dont feel Ive changed much at all. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and the Nobel Peace Prize winner and Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege were among those to feature in her programme. Previous guest editors over the years have included Prince Harry, Sir Lenny Henry and Sir Richard Branson. Veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby, who stepped down as the host of Question Time after 25 years, was the first of this years guest editors. Andy Murray insists he has no regrets about his long battle to regain fitness despite admitting he is still unsure how his troublesome hip will hold up. The former world number one is in Australia preparing to start the new season at the Brisbane International having managed just six tournaments in 2018. It was in Brisbane 12 months ago where Murray finally accepted he would have to undergo surgery after trying for six months to overcome a problem that first surfaced in the summer of 2017. On arriving in Australia, he told the Courier Mail that he still had pain in his hip and his comment that it was a bit better than last year hardly inspired confidence. The suspicion remains that this condition will shorten his career, and Murray is unsure whether he will be able to achieve his remaining targets on court. He said on atptour.com: I owe it to myself to give myself a chance to get back to the level that Im happy competing at. I want to go out on my own terms. If I (had) stopped six months ago or not given the hip time to recover, I may look back and regret that decision. As Ive gotten older, and with the last 12 months, I cant believe how quickly things can change. When I first had issues with the hip I was number one in the world and 12 months later I was struggling. I thought I had time on my side. Things are getting serious...@andy_murray & @GrigorDimitrov out on centre stage today. Could we be looking at an early preview of the final? pic.twitter.com/RSnqZClGsi #BrisbaneTennis (@BrisbaneTennis) December 28, 2018 Theres nothing Id rather do more than stay out on tour. I love the practice, the competition, the locker room. I want to play as long as I can. There are still things I want to achieve. Whether I am capable of doing that or not, well see. Murray is likely to play a lighter schedule than in previous years, with recovery a top priority. He has spent several periods during the last six months in Philadelphia working with reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles, who also travelled to the Scots pre-season training camp in Miami. The 31-year-old, who is currently ranked down at 256, said: I have to be smart with how I train and manage (the hip) as best I can. Nick Kyrgios required hospital treatment for a spider bite (Instagram) Last year I was in more pain than I am now. It was a hard year in which I went through a lot, but I had to accept that pain was something I had to deal with. This time Im trying to enjoy myself. I missed playing here and Im going to go out and compete as hard as I can. British number ones Kyle Edmund and Johanna Konta also begin their seasons in Brisbane while Nick Kyrgios is set to defend his title despite being hospitalised over the Christmas period with a spider bite. Three men who killed five people in a bomb-like shop blast have been convicted of murder and plotting to claim a 300,000 insurance pay-out. Arkan Ali, Hawkar Hassan and Aram Kurd used many, many litres of petrol in an arson attack on Kurds supermarket causing an explosion which completely destroyed the shop and a flat above the premises. Leicester Crown Court heard how some residents living near the Polish supermarket on Hinckley Road, Leicester, thought a bomb had reduced the property to rubble. A five-week trial was told the defendants left shop worker Viktorija Ijevleva, 22, to die in the building because she was aware of the insurance policy taken out less than three weeks earlier. Opening the Crowns case at the start of the trial, prosecutor David Herbert QC told a jury of seven women and five men the defendants intended to maximise the damage to the premises and would have known people would have been in the two-storey flat above. Brothers Sean Ragoobeer, 17 (left) and Shane Ragoobeer, 18, and their mother Mary, three of the five victims of the Hinckley Road explosion in Leicester (Leicestershire Police) Ali, 38, Hassan, 33, and Kurd, 34, were assisted by a Kurdish interpreter throughout the trial after denying murder and alternative counts of manslaughter. But they were unanimously found guilty of five counts of murder after 11 hours and 26 minutes of deliberations. The trio were also convicted of conspiring with Ms Ijevleva to make a gain, by dishonestly pursuing an insurance claim in respect of the fire. Ms Ijevleva, Mary Ragoobeer, 46, her teenage sons Shane and Sean, and 18-year-old Leah Beth Reek, 18, who was Shanes girlfriend, were all killed in the blast on Sunday February 25. Around 26 litres of petrol was used to start the fire in the basement of the supermarket, triggering a massive explosion at 7.01pm. Viktorija Ijevleva was among the victims (Leicestershire Police) CCTV and traffic camera footage released by police at the end of the trial shows people escaping from a nearby takeaway moments after the explosion, and rubble being blasted into the roadway as cars pass by. Footage recovered by police from a neighbouring business showed Ali in shot three days before the blast moments before the camera angle was moved. Further images from the same CCTV unit a day before the fire showed a gloved hand moving the camera angle again at a time when all three defendants were nearby. Kurd was also recorded on a security camera as he escaped from the scene at the rear of the shop. Ali, of Drake Close, Oldham, Hassan, of Eld Road, Coventry, and Kurd, of Hillary Place, Leicester, were remanded in custody and will be sentenced in mid-January. During his opening address, Mr Herbert told jurors: The explosion and the proceeding fire demolished a building and killed five people in the building one person who was in the shop and four who were in the flat above enjoying a peaceful night in. Mr Herbert said: Even on camera 50 metres away you can see the explosion and the enormity of what happened. It was an explosion, the prosecution say, caused by many, many litres of petrol. The explosion and the fire that followed was deliberately caused by these defendants who intended to profit from loss of stock, contents and future loss of business from the shop. It was not an accident, the prosecution say, that the petrol used caused such devastating damage. Leah Beth Reek, 18, was also killed (Leicestershire Police) Describing the unlawful killing of Ms Ijevleva, Mr Herbert added: The defendants thought she knew too much and decided to leave her to die in the explosion that they created. In other words, the devastation that they caused was carried out with the intention to kill. In a statement issued by police after the verdict, Jose Ragoobeer, the husband of Mary, and father of Shane and Sean Ragoobeer, said: Mary was a hard-working, loving mother and wife who was devoted to her family. Shane was in a relationship with a lovely girl called Leah. They were so happy together. Leah was a lovely girl who bought so much joy and happiness to our home. Sean was a good person and loving son who like Shane was always willing to help family and friends. He was looking forward to going to university and to study French and history. The family of Leah said she had been looking forward to training as a nurse. Speaking outside court, her older sister Molly said: The light went out of our world on that terrible night. No parent should ever have to arrange a funeral for their child. It is so difficult to put into words how much we miss Leah. A rocky outcrop off the coast of Kerry that starred in two Star Wars films has transformed the tourism scene in south-west Ireland. Star Wars fans have been flocking to Skellig Michael, a sheer-sided island 12 miles off the Wild Atlantic Way, and other Kerry sites, since they featured in the two latest movies in the franchise, The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. The World Heritage site was inhabited by monks from around the 6th century for about 500 years, with residents living in stone beehive-shaped huts in a monastery clinging to the cliff faces on the 714ft (218m) high rock. Publican Gerard Kennedy, who runs the Moorings guesthouse in Portmagee, said the village had been transformed by the interest generated by Star Wars. Mark Hamill with Patricia and Ger Kennedy, the owners of The Moorings in Portmagee. Pic courtesy of The Moorings. Its been very positive, he said, adding that an entirely new industry had been created. Mr Kennedy was involved in providing and arranging accommodation for the cast and crew. He was told rooms were needed for a team who were going to film a puffin documentary on the island. We were all dying to find out, he said. We thought they were the BBC the BBC are forever doing documentaries on puffins (on the island), he explained. Mark Hamill behind bar in Portmagees The Bridge bar. Pic courtesy of The Moorings, Portmagee. He said he knew there was something awry when they came back to him to say they needed rooms for 180 people. But it was not until one of the crew handed him a business card with Lucas Films embossed on it that he knew it was Stars Wars for definite. I hadnt even seen a Star Wars movie if it was Mrs Browns Boys I would have known it alright, Mr Kennedy said. He added: I was telling Mark Hamill this afterwards, the crew were getting a real kick out of it that I hadnt a clue who they were. Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker in the long-running franchise, ended up pulling pints in his bar. I went from never seeing a movie to be amongst all the cast, Mr Kennedy said. Vincent Kidd, proprietor of the Royal Hotel on Valentia Island, said it had brought areas like Valentia, Portmagee, Dingle and Donegal to an audience of billions that no marketing campaign could ever hope to achieve. Youd want an astronomical budget to do what Star Wars did for the Wild Atlantic Way and area in particular, he said. The Skelligs now will always be synonymous with Star Wars. It has put not just Kerry but the whole western seaboard on the world stage Its done so much for the whole country and tourism in the region, its had a monumental effect. Mr Kidd said he saw an immediate impact, with increased visitors once the films were released. Even though the outcrop is only accessible from May to September, he said fans were still coming year-round. Earlier this year the first ever May The Fourth Festival was held. Failte Ireland, the national tourism body, got behind them to push the festival. The three-day Star Wars themed event took place in Portmagee, Ballinskelligs, as well as Valentia Island and Ballyferriter and Dingle. Enthusiasts dressed as Darth Vader, Stormtroopers and Chewbacca travelled to take part in the events. It was so successful that plans are already afoot for the second festival. It is expected to include screenings of the films and a ceili dance with participants wearing Star Wars costume. Jeremy Hunt has warned the EU must provide further assurances over the Irish border backstop if Theresa Mays Brexit deal is to get through Parliament. The Foreign Secretary said he believes the backstop is the only outstanding issue and can be solved, noting the EU has agreed it is temporary and the UK needs it to define what temporary is. He added he is a supporter of Mrs Mays deal with those qualifications to the backstop and predicted such assurances would sway MPs as they weigh up the prospect of a cataclysmic no-deal Brexit. Mr Hunt also said there is a need to have a version of Mrs Mays deal which they can get through Parliament. His remarks came as Jeremy Corbyn urged the PM to cut the Christmas recess short and recall Parliament so MPs can vote on the Brexit deal. The Labour leader said he wanted to have a vote as soon as possible, and accused Theresa May of trying to run down the clock and offer MPs a choice between the devil or the deep blue sea. MPs are due to return to the Commons on January 7 after a two-week Christmas break, and will begin a new debate on Mrs Mays deal on January 9 with a vote expected to take place the following week. Mr Hunt, appearing on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, said: The EU has agreed that the backstop is temporary and what we need them to do is define what temporary is. So my view is this is not the time to be talking about what other major changes we might be faced with making because actually we can get this through. We can get this through, absolutely can. Mr Hunt reiterated the need for the EU to define the temporary nature of the backstop, adding: Because if it is temporary then Parliament can live with that, but you need to show us. So I am a supporter of Theresa Mays deal with those qualifications to the backstop and I think MPs, as they reflect on how close we are to an agreement, but also how cataclysmic it would be if we didnt end up having an agreement we could get through Parliament, the best thing is to put our heads down and make sure we have a version of this agreement that we can through Parliament. Asked if he was interested in becoming Conservative Party leader, Mr Hunt replied: I think we have a very good leader of the Conservative Party, a very good Prime Minister, frankly, doing probably the most difficult job of any leader in the Western world right now, and what we need to do as shes battling for Britain is get behind her. Mr Corbyn, in an interview with the Independent, refused to be drawn on whether Labour would seek to extend Article 50 to keep the UK in the EU for longer, and said: Lots of things are possible, the EU has longform on reopening and extending negotiations, but lets not jump too many hoops when we havent arrived at them. (Independent/PA) Mr Corbyn also said it was in Mrs Mays hands whether she should recall Parliament a week early, on January 2. I want us to have a vote as soon as possible, thats what Ive been saying for the past two weeks, and if that means recalling Parliament to have the vote lets have it, he told the paper. But it looks to me the Government has once again reneged on that and tried to put it back another week. We need to have that vote so a decision of parliament can be made. What I suspect is that its a completely cynical manoeuvre to run down the clock and offer MPs the choice of the devil or the deep blue sea. A Downing Street source labelled Mr Corbyns call a silly demand, and said: Following debate in the Commons, in the week commencing January 14 MPs will vote on the Brexit deal. Instead of making silly demands, Jeremy Corbyn should be honest with voters that he has no alternative plan, and only intends to frustrate Brexit ultimately betraying the referendum result. Elsewhere, shadow chancellor John McDonnell dismissed the idea of an indicative vote to find which Brexit options MPs would be prepared to support if the Prime Ministers deal is rejected. The shadow chancellor told the Financial Times such a move would run the clock down even further towards March 29, when Britain is due to leave the EU. A supermarket chain is encouraging people across Scotland to reignite the tradition of first-footing this Hogmanay. Lidl will be supplying a free lump of coal for shoppers across its 96 stores north of the border from Saturday as it bids to continue the new year ritual which dates back 400 years. The retailer said it will be providing enough coal to serve up to 100,000 homes across the country. First-footing is a centuries-old tradition in Scotland (Lidl/PA) A first-footer is the first person to visit a house after the new year. They are supposed to bring luck for the year ahead by bearing symbolic gifts such as coal, whisky and shortbread. Scotland is world-renowned for its many Hogmanay traditions, which also include joining hands to sing Auld Lang Syne at midnight, and swinging balls of fire through the streets of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire. Royal Mail has apologised over a stamp design planned to commemorate the D-Day landings which actually showed US troops on a beach in Asia. The stamp was intended to represent British troops landing in France and was labelled as D-Day Allied soldiers and medics wade ashore. It was part of the 2019 Special Stamp programme showcasing the Best of British and was to be released in June. Royal Mail said the image will no longer be part of the final collection. Its time, our 2019 Special Stamp calendar has been revealed! Showcasing the Best of British the programme features a range of subjects: from a celebration of the UKs Birds of Prey to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. More info here: https://t.co/URPaDpGyPX pic.twitter.com/IOYzejRNl7 Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) December 27, 2018 A spokesman said: We work very hard to ensure that our Special Stamp programme appropriately commemorates anniversaries and events that are relevant to UK heritage and life. We would like to offer our sincere apologies that our preview release for our 2019 Special Stamp programme included a stamp design which had been incorrectly associated with the D-Day landings. One of a set of 11 stamps being issued in 2019 to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings (Royal Mail) When an image of the stamp was posted on Twitter users were quick to point out the mistake. Paul Woodadge, a filmmaker, author and historian, said: The image chosen actually depicts US troops disembarking from LCI(L) 30 at Dutch New Guinea in May 1944. Please correct this or you will look like idiots. The image is also captioned on the US National World War II museum website as USS LCI(L)-30 landing troops carrying stretchers onto a beach during a second assult [sic] wave, and was taken on May 17 1944. I'm assuming you have had many people say this to you. BUT if not, on your Normandy landings 75th anniversary stamp, the image chosen actually depicts US troops disembarking from LCI(L) 30 at Dutch New Guinea in May 1944. Please correct this or you will look like idiots WW2TV Paul Woodadge (@WW2TV) December 27, 2018 According to The Spirit of Normandy Trust this is not the first time an incorrect image has been used in relation to the D-Day landings. Ian Stewart, vice chairman of the trust, said: The problem with most of these things is that research has got to be thorough and done well ahead of time. Its very unfortunate, but research is absolutely critical and its not the first time its been done about D-Day. People think that it doesnt matter whos in the photograph. The Best of British collection will feature 11 stamps to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings. The collection will also include six stamps to commemorate the life of Queen Victoria, whose bicentenary will take place in May 2019. A Spanish aid boat carrying more than 300 migrants rescued at sea has arrived in Spain after a weeks journey across the western Mediterranean. The boat, operated by the non-profit group Proactiva Open Arms, docked at the port of Algeciras. The boat rescued 313 migrants in waters near Libya last week but had to travel to Spain after Malta denied it permission to dock and Italy and other countries refused to help. Three of the migrants were later evacuated for health reasons. A child migrant is carried from the aid boat after it docks in Spain (Olmo Calvo/AP) Oscar Camps, head of Proactiva Open Arms, said that the group of migrants included 19 different nationalities, with many people with the right to ask for asylum. In June, Spain opened its ports to an aid ship belonging to SOS Mediterranee Sea and Doctors Without Borders carrying over 600 rescued migrants after Italy and Malta refused to let it dock. According to the UN refugee agency, more than 2,200 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year in smugglers boats while 119,336 have reached Europe. A duck that was thought to be extinct for 15 years has been brought back from the brink and given a new home on a remote lake in Madagascar. Some 21 Madagascar pochards spent a week in the safety of the worlds first floating aviaries on Lake Sofia in the north of the country. Gloucestershire-based WWT said this pioneering approach is to enable the birds to become accustomed to their new surroundings, increasing the chances they will remain at the site after release. The state of the wetlands in Madagascar is so poor they will likely not survive if they leave the lake. The ducks were released from the aviaries in December and very quickly adapted to the lake, diving and flying, associating with other wild ducks and returning to the safety of the floating aviaries to feed and roost. Experts from WWT, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, The Peregrine Fund and the Government of Madagascar have spent years laying the foundations for the birds introduction. Madagascar pochard ducks in the safety of the worlds first floating aviaries on Lake Sofia in the north of the country (WWT/PA). With a wild population of just 25, this duck may be the rarest bird on the planet. Nigel Jarrett, head of conservation breeding at the WWT, said: It takes a village to raise a child, so the old African proverb goes, but in this case it has taken a village to raise a duck. We have been preparing for this moment for over a decade. The logistics of working in a remote part of Madagascar where access to the lakes by vehicle is only possible for three months a year have been an enormous challenge, requiring us to come up with novel approaches. Working with local communities to solve the issues which were driving this bird to extinction has been essential to giving the pochard a chance of survival. If we can make this work, it will provide a powerful example not just for of how save the planets most threatened species but how communities can manage an ecosystem to benefit people and wildlife, especially in areas of significant poverty. Conservationists have been meticulously planning their release since the surprise discovery of a small group of pochards in 2006. The floating averies on Lake Sofia in Madegascar (WWT/PA). Faced with an endless set of logistical hurdles, they have had to consistently think outside the box. Madagascar pochards spend almost all their time on water and, importantly, feed underwater. For this reason, a plan was conceived to convert Scottish salmon-farming cages into the worlds first floating aviaries. After successful trials in 2017, the aviaries were shipped from the UK to Madagascar and assembled on Lake Sofia this summer. Ducklings hatched in October were transported 124 miles to the lake along a dirt road and reared in lakeside aviaries. Then, in early December, just before they were able to fly, they were moved into the floating aviaries. Other floating equipment feeding stations and loafing rafts have also been specially designed and installed on the lake to give the birds the best possible chance of survival. With much of the wetlands across northern Madagascar severely degraded due to human encroachment, conservationists have also been working to improve the condition of Lake Sofia. Dr Glyn Young, head of birds at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, said: The idea that we could be releasing pochards into the wild only 12 years after rediscovery pays remarkable testament to the dreams and hard work of many people from Madagascar, Jersey and the UK, who have worked tirelessly to see this remarkable bird get a chance of survival in a changing world. As the countdown continues to Brexit on March 29, heres what been happening over the past week. How many days to go: 91 What happened this week: Jeremy Corbyn wanted a recall of Parliament so MPs could vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal. Met Police chief Cressida Dick warned of the risk to public safety of a no-deal break. What happens next: Ministers return to Westminster early from their Christmas break for a special Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss no deal planning. Jeremy Corbyn has called for the recall of Parliament (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Good week: Voters. A weary public was largely spared another week of Brexit wrangling by their politicians as most finally piped down for the festive season. Bad week: Business. Another seven days gone and firms looking to plan ahead were still none the wiser as to what to expect after March 29. Quote of the week: Ghastly. What I minded were those pictures of the way he was holding the Prime Minister. I did not like that. When I used to go to the EU for meetings, I often had a terrible cold to insist that I didnt get enveloped in a bear hug Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd on European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. Tweet of the week: British politics for the next generation will divide into those who resisted Brexit, & those who promoted or appeased it. I will never fully trust or respect anyone who wasnt in the resistance from the beginning Andrew Adonis (@Andrew_Adonis) December 27, 2018 Word of the week: Brexmas. Tens of thousands of people are expected to take part in a torchlight procession through Edinburgh to start this years Hogmanay celebrations. Locals and tourists will take part in Sundays walk which will also include pipers, drummers and dance groups along the Royal Mile. As part of the Year of Young People events, youth groups will lead the procession into Holyrood Park where the outline of Scotland will be lit by torches. Organisers have already revealed that Edinburghs Hogmanay celebrations will mark the ties between Scotland and Europe as the UK prepares to leave the EU. Blaze the trail for #EdHogmanay celebrations with the unforgettable Torchlight Procession. 30.12.18. Last tickets remaining! pic.twitter.com/nERusNTgav Edinburgh's Hogmanay (@edhogmanay) December 27, 2018 Charlie Wood and Ed Bartlam, directors of Edinburghs Hogmanay, said: The torchlight procession is Edinburgh Hogmanays iconic opening event and this year will close the Year of Young People with ScotArt. Were expecting tens of thousands on the procession and as spectators. Shetlands Up Helly Aa Vikings led the Hogmanay torchlight procession last year (Jane Barlow/PA) At the finale in Holyrood Park, the torchbearers will form the burning outline of Scotland and in the middle, the ScotArt sculptures which have been designed by young people across Scotland will be put together in a heart shape and set alight. The image will rightly place young people and their creativity right at the heart of Scotland. This years Edinburghs Hogmanay has a fantastic line-up of events for young and old under the banner We Love You, a celebration of Scotlands long-standing cultural ties with Europe. Edinburgh Lord Provost Frank Ross said: It is a special moment to lead such a breathtaking torchlight procession through Scotlands capital and to see people come together from all over the world to celebrate the start of Edinburghs Hogmanay. You see the city at its best and you cant help but feel proud of its streets and its people. Meanwhile, police have urged everyone attending Hogmanay events in the capital to plan ahead. Chief Superintendent Kenny MacDonald said: To make sure you get entry to the event arena as quickly as possible, people should not bring large bags with them. There will be searches carried out so please allow time for this to happen. Safety is a top priority for Police Scotland and we ask revellers to act responsibly and not let their enjoyment of the evening be ruined by over-consumption of alcohol. We urge people to look after each other, family and friends. The street party is a lively occasion and our officers will provide a high-visibility presence, both within the event arena and the surrounding areas, and can be approached with any concerns or inquiries. On behalf of Edinburgh division, I would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable Hogmanay and new year. President Donald Trump has threatened to close the US border with Mexico if Democrats in Congress do not agree to fund the construction of a border wall. Mr Trump tweeted on Friday morning that we will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely unless a funding deal is reached with the Obstructionist Democrats. Mr Trumps demand for money to build the border wall and Democrats refusal to give him what he wants has caused a partial government shutdown that is nearly a week old. Congress adjourned for the week without a resolution in sight. The shutdown has led to hundreds of thousands of federal workers being off work and citizens who count on some public services beginning to feel the pinch. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said of Democrats: Theyve left the table altogether, so of course we are far apart. President Donald Trump has threatened to close the southern border (Andrew Harnik/AP) Incoming acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney complained that Democrats were ignoring an offer from the White House to agree to lower funding levels to build the wall. Mr Mulvaney said the offer was made on Saturday but Democrats are no longer considering that option. He said: Theres not a single Democrat talking to the President of the United States about this deal. He added of the shutdown: We do expect this to go on for a while. Drew Hammill, spokesman for House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, said Democrats will not fund Mr Trumps immoral, ineffective and expensive wall. He said Democrats are waiting for Mr Trump to publicly endorse a proposal to end the shutdown because he has changed his position so many times. After a weekend and two holiday days for federal employees, Wednesday was the first regularly scheduled workday affected by the closure of a variety of federal services. The shutdown started on Saturday when funding lapsed for nine Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies. Roughly 420,000 workers were deemed essential and are working unpaid, while an additional 380,000 have been put on hold. The impasse over government funding began last week, when the Senate approved a bipartisan deal keeping government open into February. That bill provided $1.3 billion (1 billion) for border security projects but not money for the wall. At Mr Trumps urging, the House of Representatives approved that package and inserted the $5.7 billion (4.5 billion) he had requested. But Senate Republicans lacked the votes they needed to force the measure through their chamber. That jump-started negotiations between Congress and the White House but the deadline came and went without a deal. A family have spoken of their horrifying shock at the deaths of relatives who were killed when the 44 they were travelling in crashed off a bridge in Iceland. Two British women and a baby girl were killed in the crash near Skaftafell on the morning of December 27. A family statement, who described those involved as an Indian origin British family, said: The fatal car crash near Skaftafell in Iceland on the morning of 27th December, 2018 has come as a horrifying shock for the entire family and friends. The Indian, British and Icelandic authorities have been extremely co-operative and extended appropriate support. Our family is deeply saddened so we request you to kindly respect our privacy and give us the space to grieve in peace at this difficult time. Special thanks to the local authorities for airlifting and ensuring timely medical facilities were provided. Thank you for your prayers and understanding on this matter. The vehicle was carrying two brothers who were touring the country with their families, including two children aged seven and nine. All four were seriously injured. Icelandic police said the women were born in 1982 and 1985 and the child this year. The two couples involved in the crash have been named by friends in Poplar, east London, as Shreeraj Laturia and his wife Rajshree and Supreme Laturia and his wife Khushboo. A police vehicle at a roadblock on Route 1 in Iceland, near the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon (Owen Humphreys/PA) The cause of Thursdays accident is not yet known, but in a statement on Friday police said the Toyota Land Cruiser seems to have turned on the bridge with the result that it went on top of the railing of the bridge, to the right, following it for a short distance and then turned over off the rail and the bridge. There, the car fell down on the ground beneath the bridge. The crash happened on the 200m-300m (656ft-984ft) bridge on the national Route 1 road near Skeidararsandur, a vast sand plain in southern Iceland. Police previously said the road was not thought to be icy but humidity could have made the surface slippery for the SUV, which was driving eastbound over the bridge in Nupsvotn, just south of the Vatnajokull glacier. Those involved in the crash are from two British families, and of Indian heritage. Neighbours in the street where the two Laturia families lived in Poplar, east London, said they were shocked by the news and described them as lovely people. One family friend, who said her daughter went to school with one of the Laturia children, said: They were a very lovely family. A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: They were lovely people, absolutely peerless people. Its absolutely terrible. The Indian ambassador to Iceland, T Armstrong Changsan, is believed to have visited the survivors in hospital. Another brother, Sarvesh Laturia, who is in India, told the Times of India: It was my two brothers and their wives they are British people. They were on vacation in Iceland and their car met with an accident in which my two sister-in-laws passed away and my niece passed away. My two brothers are in a critical condition in hospital. The crash happened just south of Skaftafell National Park, part of the Vatnajokull National Park, which was nominated for inclusion in Unescos World Heritage List in 2018. The Vatnajokull glacier is the largest in Europe, covering 8% of Icelands landmass including the islands tallest peak Hvannadalshnjukur at 2,200 metres tall (7,218ft). Tourists flock to the area to enjoy hiking, camping and sightseeing flights. South of the national park is the Skeidararsandur, a vast sand plain formed from alluvial deposits, with little vegetation, with the Nupsvotn glacial lakes on its western boundary. Blyth Spartans have insisted they are not endorsing the oppressive regime in North Korea after allowing a firm promoting trips to the country to advertise at their Croft Park home. The National League North club found themselves in the spotlight after photographs of an advertising hoarding for a firm called Visit North Korea were shared on social media. However, commercial director Mark Scott, who revealed in the clubs match programme that he had set up the deal with Visit North Koreas Tom Fowdy, a Chinese Studies graduate from Sunderland, insisted the move has nothing to do with the countrys politics. He said: We have had a little bit of, not abuse, but a few people making comments. We are promoting a business offering trips to North Korea, we are not endorsing the North Korea regime. But as I have said to a few people, if theyre wanting to promote the country and wanting people to visit, surely thats a good thing? Scott admitted that the deal is the most unusual he has been involved in, and that the contact had come out of the blue. He said: We were on the way back from Nuneaton Borough on the team bus when I got an email asking about our prices and at that point, I didnt know where it was from and who they were. The North Korean regime under Kim Jong-un has been heavily criticised for its alleged human rights abuses (AP) Usually our advertisers are from a 10-mile radius, the local plumbers and electricians amongst a few bigger businesses. Then the guy told me it was all about promoting trips to North Korea and after we had talked about it, there was no legitimate reason to turn it down. Mr Fowdy was quoted in the programme article admitting that the link could prove controversial. In it, he said: I understand it is unusual and also slightly controversial, but nevertheless I believe the publicity will be of benefit to both parties. A project to make Scottish cities more attractive to investors is to focus on improving digital and hydrogen technology across the country. The Scottish Cities Alliance said it has so far attracted more than 150 million in combined investment and funding and plans to increase the figure in 2019. The Alliance is a collaboration between Scotlands seven cities and the Scottish Government to promote the combined economic potential around the world. It aims to improve the quality of life for citizens and make the cities more attractive to potential investors who are increasingly looking at sustainability as a key draw. Funded projects include smart street lighting, improved mobile working and hydrogen-powered vehicles and infrastructure. John Alexander, Alliance chair and leader of Dundee City Council, said: Working together as a collective, Scotlands cities have had a fantastic year. The Scottish Cities Alliance aims to make Scotland more attractive to investors (John Linton/PA) Obviously there have been challenges, but by working together we have brought in an additional 15 million of European funding for our Smart Cities programme, which is continuing to attract attention from around the world as people see the benefit of collaboration and want to know how we do it. And our hydrogen work continues to push boundaries and is helping to bring the technology here early and reap the benefit of cleaner air, while driving forward using innovative technology. The strength of our joint working will help Scotlands city economies to thrive in what could be a more challenging year for attracting investment from abroad. Infrastructure Secretary Michael Matheson said: The cities continue to be the driving force behind the success of the Scottish economy. Their collaborative work across a range of economic sectors demonstrate Scotland is open, connected and makes a positive contribution internationally. I am proud to be part of an Alliance that recognises both the challenges and opportunities the digital age brings. An abandoned dog with no nose has received hundreds of offers of a new home after a plea from a shelter that saved him. Sniffles came to the United States for treatment after losing his nose in an attack by other strays in Puerto Rico. Following multiple surgeries he was left with what his rescuers describe as a blow hole. Staff at Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida said he was shy, scared and confused when taken in just before Christmas. Their subsequent campaign to find him a home saw more than 300 potential owners come forward from across the United States. Sniffles, thought to be around 12 years old, also suffers from a host of other conditions, including parasites, serious dental issues and a growth from his eyeball, but he remains affectionate in spite of all his difficulties. Sniffles with Michele Wacker, special needs director at the shelter (Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida) He does these Eskimo kisses that are so cute, its just so ironic that a dog with no nose gives Eskimo kisses, said Michele Wacker, special needs director at the centre. Poodle and Pooch Rescue takes in between 500 and 600 sick or wounded dogs each year. Ms Wacker said she hoped those who miss out on Sniffles will come forward to help one of the many others at risk of being put down due to ill health. Its almost sad, she said. We have people that wanna drive from Nevada, New Jersey, Tennessee, Michigan to adopt this one dog. Sniffles undergoing surgery (Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida) Meanwhile, to us, theres nothing special about this one dog. Hes just as important as every other dog that were saving from being euthanised. The centre says it will wait a short while before making a decision on where to house Sniffles, adding that they want to keep him local as they want to continue treating him. In the meantime, Ms Wacker urged other would-be owners to go down to your local animal shelter, be a hero to that dog. A Liverpool fan who was left with catastrophic injuries after being attacked outside Anfield earlier this year is now eating independently, his family has said. Sean Cox, 53, from Dunboyne, Co Meath was assaulted by a Roma fan less than an hour before kick-off at the Champions League semi-final in April. The father-of-three was left with brain injuries, and his wife Martina said their lives had been turned upside down. Sean Coxs wife Martina (Peter Powell/PA) Mr Cox has been recovering at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire, where his wife says he is making progress. He no longer has a feeding tube so is starting to eat and drink again with the help of the wonderful nursing staff, she said. Sean has some more words and is trying very hard to sing along to familiar songs; these are encouraging and proud steps for us all. Mrs Cox said they have shown him social media posts, press clippings and videos from fundraising events in England and Ireland to show him the public support he has received. While it has been an exceptionally difficult time, what has helped me and the kids get through it has been the overwhelming goodwill of Seans family, friends, supporters and the general public, she said. The Support Sean campaign has witnessed huge generosity and has raised 1.1 million euro (992,045) to date. People whom we have never met have been there for us in so many, many ways, alongside our family, friends and local community. While we have a battle ahead again in 2019, our burden is lightened by this love and support for Sean. Roma fan Filippo Lombardi, 21, from Rome, was cleared of inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Cox in October, though he was jailed for three years for violent disorder. Daniele Sciusco, 29, from Rome, admitted violent disorder ahead of the match and was jailed for two-and-a-half years in August 2018. Tesla has named two independent board members as part of a settlement with US regulators who demanded more oversight of chief executive Elon Musk. Oracle founder Larry Ellison and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, an executive vice president at Walgreens Boots Alliance, join the board as independent directors. Mr Musk got into trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in early August when he said in a tweet that he had funding secured to take the electric car company private. The SEC accused Mr Musk of committing securities fraud, saying that the funding had not been secured and that he had duped investors who drove shares of Tesla up by 11% on the day of the tweet. Several weeks later, Mr Musk said the go-private deal was off. Regulators initially wanted to force Mr Musk out of his job as CEO, but agreed to accept $20 million in penalties from both Mr Musk and Tesla. He agree to step down as chairman for at least three years, but acknowledged no wrong-doing. Despite the agreement, Mr Musk has continued to clash with regulators. Elon Musk got into trouble with US regulators over a tweet (Robyn Beck/AP) Just days after settling the case, Mr Musk taunted the government via Twitter, referring to the SEC as the Shortseller Enrichment Commission. Just want to that the Shortseller Enrichment Commission is doing incredible work. And the name change is so on point! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 4, 2018 Mr Musk has had a long-running feud with short sellers, a category of investors that have bet that the price of Tesla stock will fall. So far, Mr Musk is winning that fight. Shares of Tesla are up more than 20% since his clash with the SEC. Tesla named Australian telecommunications executive Robyn Denholm as board chairwoman last month as part of its agreement with the SEC. Although Ms Denholm brings much-needed financial and auto industry expertise to Tesla which has struggled to produce cars and make money there has not been a marked change in Mr Musks unorthodox behaviour, at least compared with other chief executives at major corporations. Tesla shares slumped 6% in early September after Mr Musk was seen appearing to smoke marijuana during an interview that made the rounds on YouTube. Earlier this month, Mr Musk also dismissed the idea that Ms Denholm could exert control over his behaviour, saying that its not realistic in the sense that I am the largest shareholder in the company. The SEC settlement also requires the company to vet Mr Musks tweets and other comments about the company before they are released to the public. Mr Musk also shrugged off that provision, saying none of his tweets have been censored so far and the company does not review his posts to determine beforehand whether they could potentially affect the companys stock price. Still, in an SEC filing on Friday, Tesla said that it intends to certify to the Commission that it and Elon have timely completed each of their respective actions required pursuant to the Settlement. Syrias military has entered a flashpoint Kurdish-held town and raised the national flag after Turkey threatened to launch an offensive. A Kurdish official said the troops arrived only at the front lines in Manbij but an agreement is being worked out with the Russians and the Syrian government that, in case of a full withdrawal of US troops, the government would take over. Ilham Ahmed said the US troops who patrol the town and the tense front line with Turkey-backed fighters have not yet withdrawn from Manbij. The aim is to ward off a Turkish offensive, Ms Ahmed said. If the Turks excuse is the (Kurdish militia), they will leave their posts to the government. A resident of Manbij said there was no sign of government troops. Pro-state Syrian TV aired footage from inside Manbij of commercial streets on a rainy day but did not show any troops. It aired images of a military convoy driving late at night, reportedly to Manbij. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian troops have deployed around Manbij on the front line, with the Turkey-backed fighters to the west. Turkeys president said the facts on the ground remain uncertain but he emphasised Turkeys goal of ousting a Kurdish militant group. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to journalists after Friday prayers in Istanbul (AP) Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the Syrian militarys entry into Manbij a psychological act. He told reporters: I spoke with my friends, with intelligence etc about an hour ago and there is nothing certain at this moment. He also argued that Turkey has been working for Syrias territorial integrity and said Turkeys goal remains the defeat of the Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or the YPG. Turkey considers it a terrorist group linked to an insurgency within its own borders. If terror organisations leave, then there is no work left for us anyway, Mr Erdogan said. The announcement and the conflicting reports reflect that all sides are scrambling to reach an agreement on how to replace US troops following the surprise announcement by President Donald Trump. The announcement by the Syrian military was quickly welcomed by the Kremlin, whose spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it a positive step that could help stabilise the situation. The Syrian military declaration came shortly after the main Syrian Kurdish militia invited the government to seize control of Manbij to prevent a Turkish attack. The Syrian Kurdish group, which had partnered with the US since 2014 to fight the Islamic State group, have sought new allies, reaching out to the government and the Russians to protect their Kurdish-administered areas in north Syria. The Syrian government has said it welcomes the Kurdish group returning under its authority. But government officials have stated they will not consider an autonomous area, a main demand for the Kurds. Meanwhile, Syrian troops have massed outside of Manbij and in south-eastern Syria, where the US-led coalition and Kurdish fighters are battling remnants of Islamic State. Regulators are investigating whether a company that laid off hundreds of staff committed a criminal offence over environmental legislation breaches. Earlier this year, hundreds of tonnes of waste piled up at Healthcare Environmental Services (HES) disposal sites amid a backlog it said had been caused by a shortage of incinerators. The company, which was responsible for disposing of clinical waste from every hospital, GP surgery, dental practice and pharmacy in Scotland and also had several NHS contracts in England, denied claims human body parts were among items caught up in the backlog. Around 150 staff at its depot in Shotts, North Lanarkshire, were told on Thursday that the company would cease trading. Earlier this year, the firm said its banking facilities had been cut off following the loss of NHS contracts in Scotland and England. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said there will continue to be robust regulation of the companys base in Shotts, and at its other Scottish site in Dundee. The company has told its staff it will cease trading (Lucinda Cameron/PA) Sepa issued two enforcement notices to HES on September 12 outlining the need for the company to demonstrate more robust systems in relation to the tracking and management of waste. Two further enforcement notices were issued on December 11 to ensure each HES facility was complying with permit conditions for the storage of waste. Clinical Waste in Scotland. Read our latest statement at https://t.co/eqyBjBOrBC #ClinicalWaste pic.twitter.com/Ztej6aNu2Q Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) (@ScottishEPA) December 28, 2018 The agency has indicated that inspections this week established HES has not fully met the requirements of the latest enforcement notices. Breaching environmental legislation is a criminal offence. A spokesman for Sepa said: Sepa has now commenced an investigation to establish if criminal offences have been committed. This could include further enforcement action, up to and including considering a referral to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Our work has included weekly inspection visits and we do not have any immediate concerns for local communities or the environment. HES currently remains responsible for meeting their environmental obligations, including the removal and treatment of waste from their sites, and Sepa will continue to pursue compliance. Sepa said that if the company enters liquidation, environmental obligations will fall to the insolvency practitioner. The Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and health boards have worked with Sepa to conduct extensive contingency planning. The agency said it remains confident the contingency arrangements in place will ensure clinical waste across Scotland continues to be stored, collected and disposed of appropriately. In the face of the Yellow Vest protests, French president Emmanuel Macron abandoned his campaign pledge to stand firm behind his reform agenda. He rescinded tax increases and promised more spending outlays, expanding his budget deficit beyond the European Unions threshold of 3 percent of GDP. The EUs budget commissioner, Gunther Oettinger, said the EU would make an exception and accept the rule-breaking French budget. As National Review writes, no such exception is made for the new Italian government, which seeks approval for a budget that has a 2.4 percent deficit. The EU wants to clamp down on Italys debt, which at 130 percent of GDP is more than twice the EUs limit of 60 percent. (France exceeds the limit as well, however, with a debt roughly equal to its GDP.) And in the eyes of the EU, Italys government is an enemy, made up of populists and occasional critics of the EU. No allowances are made for them, even though Italy has gone through political upheaval similar to or greater than Frances. All this should be a reminder that there is nothing much to envy about European Union membership. If youre a relatively wealthy Western European nation, it is a source of instability. Brexit is treated as a shambles, but to an outsider it looks orderly and civilized compared with what is happening in the European Union itself. The immediate political effect of the Leave vote was to strengthen the U.K.s most long-lived mainstream parties: Tory and Labour. Meanwhile, on the Continent, the traditional political parties in European Union member states continue to shrivel and die. The Yellow Vest protests have moved on from French cities to Brussels. So-called populists parties continue to make gains. The European Union is a brilliant and insidious construction. Franco-German interests are obviously paramount. But it attracts the political class of smaller countries by removing difficult questions of governing from their parliaments and providing offices of authority without accountability that seem to have more shine than their national governments. Because Germans dont want to be seen as utterly dominating the bloc, the political offices at the very top are doled out generously to second-tier members such as Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, and Portugal. That lack of accountability is an important advantage. Theresa May has to answer a British public about the deal she negotiated with Brussels. Who would hold Brussels accountable for bungling the other side of the negotiation? If Britain crashes out and pulls continental business interests down with it, all because European negotiators were too intransigent, who gets to fire those negotiators? Who holds them accountable? No one. They have nothing to fear. The EUs high-handedness, blatant favoritism, disdain for elections, stifling political orthodoxies, and mulish unresponsiveness are the primary cause of political instability across Europe. But most of all, the problem is that the European Union is not really a governing institution in the normal sense of the term. It doesnt really do the primary jobs of government, such as providing law and order and reconciling diverse interests in a functioning society. Instead the European Union is a teleological project; it is pursuing a goal. Its function is to create more Europe. That is, it exists for itself. It uses the existing pooled sovereignty of its member states to attempt to drain more sovereignty away from the member states. Thats why power resides with an unelected body, and why it ignores or retries any national referendum that doesnt endorse the preexisting goals of the European Union. The European Union has shown that it can change speeds, not that it can change course. Unable to correct, it must and will crash spectacularly. An MP convicted of perverting the course of justice has indicated she intends to stay in the House of Commons despite facing a possible jail sentence. Fiona Onasanya was suspended by Labour after being found guilty at the Old Bailey earlier this month and the party said in a statement that she should quit as MP for Peterborough. But writing in the Peterborough Telegraph, she said constituents should rest assured that she would remain their representative fighting injustice in the corridors of power. Under parliamentary rules, Ms Onasanya would lose her seat in the Commons only if she is jailed for 12 months or more at her sentencing, expected next month. In the article headlined I will continue to fight against injustices Ms Onasanya made no mention of her December 19 conviction for lying to police to avoid a speeding charge. Instead, the 35-year-old solicitor provided a recap of her involvement in events at Westminster over the past year, including battles over Brexit, Universal Credit and austerity, as well as local controversies about working conditions at an Amazon warehouse and the planned closure of a tax office. Labour MP Fiona Onasanya leaves the Old Bailey in London (Victoria Jones/PA) Its an honour to be your voice for change over an incredibly consequential period of British politics, said Ms Onasanya. And she pledged: While it has been a successful year fighting back against these injustices, there is still much more to be done, and you can rest assured that I will continue to do so as your representative in the corridors of power. The Peterborough MP on how she plans to continue fighting injusticeshttps://t.co/DOaPMZQ6XX Peterborough T'graph (@peterboroughtel) December 28, 2018 The papers editor, Mark Edwards, said he had been asked why the Telegraph was continuing to print Ms Onasanyas regular column following her conviction. While she is still the MP and therefore the elected representative we believe it would be wrong to deny our readers the chance to read what she has submitted, he said. To censor the column would, in my view, be wrong, and in my experience our readers are quite capable of making their own minds up about the columns submitted by local politicians. Shortly after her conviction, Ms Onasanya compared her position to that of Biblical figures Joseph, Moses and Daniel who were each found guilty by the courts of their day. And in a WhatsApp message to Labour colleagues she added that Jesus was accused and convicted by the courts of his day and yet this was not his end but rather the beginning of the next chapter in his story. If she does resign or lose her seat, Labour will face a tough fight to hold on to Peterborough, which it seized from the Tories by a wafer-thin margin of 607 in 2017. A roadside bomb has hit a tourist bus in an area near the Giza Pyramids, killing two people from Vietnam and wounding 12 others. Egypts Interior Ministry said the bus was travelling in the Marioutiyah area near the pyramids when the crude roadside bomb, concealed by a wall, went off. The wounded included 10 Vietnamese tourists. The other two wounded were the Egyptian bus driver and the guide. Damage to the bus after the blast (Nariman El-Mofty/AP) The bus was carrying a total of 14 Vietnamese tourists, it added, saying only two of them escaped unharmed. Egypt has battled Islamic militants for years in the Sinai Peninsula in an insurgency that has occasionally spilled over to the mainland, hitting minority Christians or tourists. However, this is the first attack to target foreign tourists in almost two years. The attack takes place as Egypts vital tourism industry is showing signs of recovery after years in the doldrums because of the political turmoil and violence that followed a 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Hosni Mubarak. It will prompt authorities to further tighten security around churches and associated facilities ahead of the New years Eve celebrations and next months Christmas celebrations of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the dominant denomination among Egypts estimated 10 million Christians. Over the past two years, militant attacks against Christians in Egypt usually targeting churches or buses carrying pilgrims to remote desert monasteries have killed more than a hundred people. The man accused of killing a California police officer during a traffic stop has been captured, authorities say. Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson told reporters that Gustavo Perez Arriaga was arrested in Bakersfield over the death of Cpl Ronil Singh. The sheriff says Perez Arriaga was in the country illegally after crossing the border in Arizona. He did not say when that happened, but that he has been in the US for several years. Mr Christianson says Perez Arriaga is from Mexico and was trying to cross back over the border before his arrest. The sheriff says Perez Arriaga had two prior drunken driving arrests and known gang affiliations. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridges personal assistant Natasha Archer has been made a member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) by the Queen. Ms Archer has the important role of helping with Kates style and has travelled around the world with the Cambridges on official tours to help co-ordinate her wardrobe. She was spotted arriving at St Marys Hospitals private maternity unit where Prince Louis was born to help the duchess get ready for her public appearance that day. Ms Archer helps with Kates style (Joe Giddens/PA) Ms Archer first began working for the royal household in 2007. She is married to Gettys royal photographer Chris Jackson who took the official pictures to mark the Prince of Waless 70th birthday. The couple have recently celebrated the birth of their first child. The Royal Victorian Order awards are in the Queens gift and are bestowed independently of Downing Street to people who have served the monarch or the royal family in a personal way. An eminent life scientist has said he is thrilled to receive a knighthood. Professor Mike Ferguson, regius professor of life sciences at the University of Dundee, is knighted for services to science in the New Year Honours. The university said Prof Ferguson is one of the UKs most eminent life scientists, and he helped build the Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) in the universitys School of Life Sciences. The DDU has attracted more than 75 million of investment and works with international health agencies and pharmaceutical companies to combat illnesses such as Chagas disease and tuberculosis, including developing an anti-malarial drug now in human trials. In 2012 he became a director of Medicines for Malaria Venture, supporting its mission to eliminate malaria, and recently he contributed to the establishment of the Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research. Prof Ferguson said: I am thrilled to receive this great honour, but minded immediately that it recognises the efforts of many at the University of Dundee my home for 30 years and an institution where collaboration and co-operation are truly valued, and where advancing knowledge into solutions is highly-prized. Professor Mike Ferguson receives a knighthood (University of Dundee/PA) Together we have managed to build in Dundee a truly world-class environment for science, and I feel very privileged to have been able to contribute to that. I am particularly grateful to my life and science partner Dr Lucia Guther, and my family for support of every kind. Prof Ferguson was appointed a governor of the Wellcome Trust in 2012 and became deputy chairman in 2017. The university said his collaboration with the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics led to a new rapid diagnostic test for human trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) that should contribute to disease elimination. He has also supported new start-up businesses helping to drive the economic future of the Dundee city region, and co-led a successful bid in the Tay Cities Deal to grow the Tayside Biomedical Cluster. Professor Sir Pete Downes, principal of the University of Dundee, said: This is a richly deserved honour for Mike, who has made a tremendous contribution to our understanding of major diseases. Very few of the worlds top scientists translate the fruits of their own research to deliver impact which transforms lives. Mike Ferguson has done more than that he has created a sector-leading drug discovery unit developing new treatments for some of the worlds most neglected diseases. Campaigners for a second EU referendum have accused Theresa May of weakness after one of Parliaments most prominent Brexiters was made a knight in the New Years Honours list. John Redwood was one of the Eurosceptic Cabinet ministers branded bastards by John Major as he fought to ratify the Maastricht Treaty in 1993, and has continued to fly the anti-EU banner in the Commons ever since. He was among three MPs awarded knighthoods, alongside Conservative former minister Gary Streeter and Labours deputy chief whip Alan Campbell. With the crunch vote on Theresa Mays EU Withdrawal Agreement due within the next three weeks, Westminster has been buzzing with speculation that honours may be deployed as a means of luring MPs to back the Prime Minister. And a leading supporter of the Best for Britain campaign, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, said the announcement brought dishonour on the honours system. I cannot see how it is anything but a desperate attempt to blunt criticism of the Prime Ministers Brexit deal by dangling a knighthood or two in front of MPs, said Ms Moran. All this does is erode trust in politics. Knights of the realm are meant to represent the best of being British, not backstabbing Brexit extremists like John Redwood. It just shows how weak Theresa May is that she is seen to be rewarding him for his behaviour. In an apparent bid to reassure supporters that he will not be swayed by his gong, Mr Redwood published a blog just days ahead of the announcement of his honour outlining Eight things wrong with the Withdrawal Agreement. Mr Streeter, who backed Remain in the 2016 referendum, has already made clear that he supports the Prime Ministers deal. A banker and academic, Mr Redwood headed the 10 Downing Street policy unit under Margaret Thatcher from 1982-87, where he was a champion of privatisation. John Redwood (left) served as Wales Secretary under John Major, who he later challenged for the Tory leadership (Barry Batchelor/PA) He entered Parliament as MP for Wokingham in 1987 and rose to Cabinet rank in 1993 as Wales secretary, where his most memorable moment came when he attempted to mime the Welsh national anthem despite clearly not knowing the words. His clash with Mr Major over Europe came to a head in 1995 when the Prime Minister called on his critics to put up or shut up and resigned to permit a leadership contest. Mr Redwood stood against him but received only 89 votes to Mr Majors 219. After being defeated in a second bid for the leadership in 1997, he returned to the Tory frontbenches from 1997-2005 under William Hague and Michael Howard. An early supporter of an in-out referendum on Europe, Mr Redwood has argued since the 2016 Brexit vote for a clean break from the EU which he said should be quick and easy. The 67-year-old investment strategist told the Press Association he saw his knighthood as a great honour. Alongside his political work, he is a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford University, and has supported the childrens charity, Variety. Mr Streeter, 63, entered Parliament in 1992 as MP for Plymouth Sutton and has represented South West Devon since 1997. Former minister Gary Streeter has been a leading voice for Christians in Parliament (Phil Noble/PA) A solicitor by profession, he was a junior minister in the Lord Chancellors Department in the final years of the Major administration before serving as Mr Hagues shadow international development secretary from 1998-2001. A committed Christian, he told PA that he hoped his honour came in part in recognition of his work over the past 10 years as the chairman of the all-party group on Christians in Parliament and mentoring new MPs after their arrival at Westminster. I am deeply honoured, said Mr Streeter. As far as I am concerned, I want to dedicate the award to my wife and family for supporting me through the last quarter of a century at Westminster, which has involved sacrifice on their part. A history teacher before entering politics, Mr Campbell, 61, has represented Tynemouth since 1997. Alan Campbell has been MP for Tynemouth since 1997 (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA) He served as a whip in Tony Blairs government and was a minister in the Home Office for two years under Gordon Brown. He was appointed opposition deputy chief whip by Ed Miliband in 2010 and remains in that position under Jeremy Corbyns leadership. Mr Campbell told PA: It is a great honour to receive this award. My first priority has always been and still is my constituency and that includes issues around the regeneration of seaside and coastal towns. If this award is a recognition of that, then that is great. I think it also recognises my work in government and in opposition. I have been deputy chief whip for the last eight years and these have been pretty turbulent times for our politics and challenging times for Parliament. So if my efforts to keep things working are being acknowledged, that is very pleasing. Whitehall honours included a knighthood for Roy Stone after more than 40 years in the civil service under seven prime ministers, including stints as director of House of Commons business managers, principal private secretary to the Government Chief Whip and parliamentary clerk to the PM. The deputy principal private secretary to Prime Minister Theresa May, William Macfarlane, receives a CBE for public service. The excavation of a site in Co Galway where it is suspected that hundreds of babies are buried is set to begin in the latter stages of 2019. It comes after significant quantities of human remains were discovered in 2016 at the site of a former mother and baby home in Tuam. In October, the Irish Government approved the forensic excavation of the site. Irish premier Leo Varadkar has revealed that he expects the excavation will take place in the latter part of 2019. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he expects excavations will begin at the site of a former mother and baby home in Co Galway in 2019. (Tom Honan/PA) We anticipate that therell be excavations in Tuam in the latter half of 2019, because we have to pass legislation in the Oireachtas giving us, the government, the power to do the excavations, the Taoiseach said. Because, for lots of reasons, we dont have the power to do that. So well have to pass that legislation in the New Year, and wed envisage carrying out the first excavations in the second half of 2019. In the meantime though we can start appointing the experts and the ground team wholl be doing the actual work. Mr Varadkar said he does not believe an excavation of this size has been done before in Ireland but emphasised his government believes it is the right thing to do. Weve never really done this before in Ireland, on this scale, so weve a lot to set up, [and] a lot to learn before we do it, he said. Tributes left at the site of a mass grave for children who died in the Tuam mother and baby home, Galway. (Niall Carson/PA) Were not entirely sure what were getting into, but as a government were convinced this is the right thing to do, to remove the remains and to give those children a proper decent burial they didnt get. The Tuam mother-and-baby home operated from 1925 to 1961 and was run by the Bon Secours Sisters. Official records show that 798 infants and children died at the home and it is believed many were buried there. The story hit the headlines across the world when it emerged that a significant quantity of human remains were found in septic tanks. There has been a long running campaign to secure an excavation of the site. Tuam was one of a number of homes for unmarried mothers and their children across Ireland which were run by religious orders. The Coalition of Mother and Baby Home Survivors estimate that around 35,000 women and girls went through nine mother and baby homes between 1904 and 1996. In times of crisis, in India or abroad, the NDRF has extended a helping hand to those in need. Based upon the magnitude of the disaster, the Government puts to use all its resources be it the NDRF or the armed forces. This synergy works best, says krishnan kumar This article is in response to an earlier opinion piece titled, Disaster Management a distant dream that appeared in The Pioneer on December 11, by Ramesh Davesar. While the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) appreciates the great efforts made by the writer in bringing to the fore the countrys disaster vulnerabilities and response mechanism, certain doubts, as raised by him, about the capabilities of the NDRF, are in sharp contradiction and tarnish the image of the force. This article will attempt to set a right perspective about the yeoman service rendered by the NDRF in times of national crises and disasters. To start with, as against the writers opinion that the NDRF, bereft of funds, resources and staff, is today a truncated outfit, and that the armed forces continue to be the first responders in times of natural calamity, suggesting that the entire languid set-up be handed over to them for the creation of a composite response force, it must be mentioned that: (i) There is no dearth of funds for the NDRF. Rather, sufficient funds are allotted every financial year. (ii) As far as resources and staff are concerned, the force is fully equipped with state-of-the-art equipment; has trained and specialised manpower to deal with natural as well as man-made disasters both in India and abroad. Upgradation as well as review of existing equipment is a regular phenomenon. (iii) Regarding the NDRF being a truncated outfit, it would be apt to mention that the body has a pan-India presence with 12 battalion headquarters that have been placed as per the vulnerability profile of the region. There also exists 27 Regional Response Centres to cut down the response time. Second, the writer seems to imply that the armed forces continue to be the first responder in times of natural calamity. But the fact remains that it is the local community and authorities who are the immediate responders. When a situation goes beyond their coping capacity, the NDRF is pressed into action to provide specialised response, whereas all other agencies, including the armed forces, provide assistance as per their strength and capabilities. The NDRF is associated with the disaster management activities during pre-disaster and post-disaster phases as well. Third, with regard to the establishment of a languid set-up, it would be pertinent to mention that in a short span of time, the NDRF has emerged as a household name in the realm of disaster response and disaster risk reduction. Despite all odds, the brave-hearts of NDRF have led from the front. Since its raising, the force has conducted 2,395 operations across the country and proved its worth by rescuing over 1.15 lakh people and evacuated over 5.8 lakh people. Additionally, the force also evacuated 2,360 livestock during various disasters. The NDRF has also extended its helping hand to distressed people abroad. The response of the body during the triple disaster in Japan in 2011 was appreciated by the Japanese Government and the local people. Besides, the NDRF was the first agency that capitalised the golden hour rule of disaster response by being the first on ground after a massive earthquake hit Nepal in 2015. The help extended by NDRF has brought accolades to the nation. Fourth, the writers statement that sadly, the present organisation, bereft of captive resources such as air effort, specialised equipment and lack of wherewithal to administrative support, among others makes for a truncated outfit was grossly misleading. Whenever the situation demanded, NDRF teams have proactively airlifted people, with help from the Air Force. As far as specialised equipment is concerned, the NDRF is second to none in the world. It is fully-equipped with latest, state-of-the-art disaster response equipment tools and has accessories that can match international standards. Regarding the wherewithal to administrative support, it is to intimate that NDRF operates under the supervision of the National Disaster Management Authority, whose Chairman is the Prime Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs, National Crisis Management Committee and the National Executive Council. Fifth, the writers statement The NDRF deployed 55 teams with 38 boats that played a crucial role in providing relief in affected areas. But keeping in mind the magnitude, it drastically fell short of demand. To plug the void, axiomatically, the nation once again looked up to the armed forces....even as the NDRF is around, the involvement of the armed forces has virtually remained unchanged was factually wrong. The facts and figures as provided were in themselves incorrect. During the Kerala floods, NDRF made its highest ever deployment in a single State by deputing its 58 teams with 207 boats. The deployment was done in consultation with the State Government. During the operations, NDRF rescued 535 persons and 119 livestock. It also safely evacuated 24,690 people. The force also established medical camps in various areas, provided medical assistance to 6,821 sick and needy persons. The selfless services of NDRF were highly appreciated by all. So far as the involvement of the armed forces is concerned, while coordinated efforts of all rescue agencies which came forward to serve the countrymen at the time of need, should be appreciated, it doesnt mean one should belittle the efforts of NDRF and other organisations. Based upon the magnitude of the disaster, all resources, which are at the disposal of the Government, are put to use, including the armed forces. Foreign assistance too is sought in different situations. Lastly, after reading the article, it appeared that the writer has insufficient knowledge about the NDRF as well as the disaster management structure of the country. It is appreciable that today, NDRF has become the most trusted name in the field of disaster response and disaster risk reduction. Since raising of the force (NDRF), dependency on the armed forces for disaster response has been diverted towards the NDRF. It is to be hoped that the above mentioned information will set the record straight and give a true picture of the capabilities and service rendered by the NDRF. (The writer is Assistant Commandant/Public Relation Officer, NDRF) With a history of state-led operations against the Mohajirs, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement suspects the Pakistan militarys role behind the murder of Abidi. Only a fair probe can clear the air A senior member of a major Pakistani political party, Syed Ali Raza Abidi, was assassinated by unidentified people (Na maloom afraad) who fired at his car outside his Karachi residence on December 25. Apart from being a successful restaurateur, he was a former Member of the National Assembly (MNA), and an ex-leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which later broke into MQM-Pakistan. In the 1980s, the MQM emerged as the political representative of the Mohajirs, those who migrated from India to Pakistan during Partition. As a Left-leaning party, it later dropped the word Mohajir from its name and changed it to Muttahida, to appeal to a wider base. But the party has constantly been in the crosshairs of Sindhi, Pashtun and Baloch populations as also the politicians in Karachi and Hyderabad all of which are electoral catchment areas. In 2017, Abidi had opposed the short-lived alliance between MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) both being splinter groups of the MQM. Moreover, removing the word MQM itself (embodying its history and legacy) had been a bone of contention among many loyal followers of the movement. (The Pakistan murdabad slogan was taken as seditious by the Pakistani establishment and pressure ensued on all to distance themselves from MQM leader Altaf Hussain, who got banned from all media. Journalists, too, couldnt use his name in their reportage.) Abidi contested the general election this year from Karachi but suffered defeat at the hands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf president and now Prime Minister, Imran Khan. In September, he resigned from MQM-Pakistan citing personal reasons. The Dawn reported that according to the Senior Superintendent Police, South Pir, Muhammad Shah, Abidis guard was not trained for the job entrusted to him. Its hard to tell what the motive behind the attack is, the SSP said. Further, Whether it is a personal, political or religious issue, it is being investigated from all angles, he said. The MQM Coordination Committee (MQM-London) led by its convener Nadeem Ehsan and deputy convener, Qasim Ali Raza, saw red in this attack and called Abidis assassination a deep conspiracy by Pakistans military establishment to accelerate the genocidal crackdown in Karachi against the Mohajir/MQM movement. Meanwhile, Pakistans Information Minister, Fawwad Chaudhry, blamed Altaf Hussain to be behind the murder of Abidi. Wherever MQM is used without any qualifier, it means MQM-London, the Altaf loyalists group. Nadeem Ehsan added that this was not just sheer speculation but the plot of the military establishment had already been exposed. On the one hand, the military establishment is intimidating many high-profile political and non-political personalities, on the other, they have been removing security cover for those under serious threats. Slain Abidi was one such fateful. In a statement, the MQM Coordination Committee said that though the slain Abidi had parted ways with the movement, he was very vocal and never hesitated in expressing his views while making statements. He feared none. Hence, the military establishment couldnt bear him. His murder is a deep conspiracy and tragedy. Suspicions of MQM-London might not be without any reason. To explain it, I would digress from the topic and delve into the background of the issue. Since 1986, nearly 20,000 MQM workers have been arrested. In the 1990s, the brutal Operation Clean-up was launched by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with an objective to cleanse Karachi city of anti-social elements. It circled around the controversy regarding Jinnahpur plan; MQM was accused of being anti-Pakistan and blamed for planning of a separate state, Jinnahpur. Later, former President Pervez Musharraf normalised relations with the MQM. Crackdown against MQM began again in September 2013, as a part of the minus three formula (that has now been successfully implemented with all three Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Altaf Hussain effectively sidelined from politics by Pakistan/the military establishment). The successful implementation of the minus three formula by the military establishment, coupled with a weaker Awami National Party (ANP) in Karachi paved the way for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs (PTI) win in Karachi, including Imran Khans own seat. Following 2013, onwards crackdown had more than 130 enforced disappearances and 76 extra-judicial killings. However, such efforts still could not crush MQM or Altaf Hussain, who remained beyond reach in London. The MQM workers were given a choice during this phase of the crackdown to either go with the PSP or MQM Pakistan or any other party. They were asked to distance themselves from Altaf. But this idea could not materialise. From time-to-time the shadow of Altaf propped up in the silhouette of his supporters, much to the chagrin of the establishment. On December 9, which is observed as the Martyrs Day in remembrance of those who lost their lives in such a gory operation by Pakistans military establishment, a huge crowd turned out at Altafs call and pro-Altaf slogans were chanted. The crowd, that included women, were tear-gassed. They were, however, stopped from paying obeisance. All routes leading to the Jinnah Ground were blocked. Not a single individual was spared thousands of Mohajir men, women and children were illegally arrested, tear-gassed, tortured and abducted. The resident editor of The Nation in Karachi, Mansoor Khan, was also mistakenly arrested for he was passing by that area. Such was the indiscriminate nature of the arrests. Given the fact that many Mohajirs are staring at eviction from Government quarters in colonies, a huge crowd turned out in favour of Altaf. Citing a bad law and order situation, the establishment can use it as a ruse to bring in more forces into Karachi for a crackdown on them. Now, Karachi already has paramilitary rangers with a negligible number of Mohajirs in it, along with a horrible human rights record. It was probably this that Ehsan Nadeem hinted at. Only an impartial probe will make it clear so as to what actually transpired. (The writer is an jndependent journalist working on cyber security and the geopolitics of Indias neighbourhood) The Rajya Sabha on Monday is set to witness a fierce showdown between the Treasury benches and Opposition when the controversial triple talaq Bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims will come up for passage. The Congress-led Opposition is pushing for sending the Bill to the joint-select committee for trimming its harsh provisions. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the Bill in the Upper House. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 was cleared by the Lok Sabha 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition. Prasad had on Friday claimed the Bill will find support in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks numbers. In case, the Opposition is to block the Bill in the Upper House, summoning the joint-session of the two Houses to pass the Bill would be the last option with the ruling party. The Bill, as passed by the Lok Sabha, makes instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) in any form spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and instant messengers illegal and void, with up to three years in jail for the husband. Declared illegal in about 20 Muslim countries, the instant talaq was only recently declared against law in India by the order of the Supreme Court. After the Opposition stalled the Bill in the Rajya Shaba in earlier session, the Government made changes and introduced provision for magistrate allowing bail to husband (indulging in triple-talaq) with the consent of his wife. The Congress claims that making the offense a non-bailable would put the family of the instant talaq offender (the husband) in disarray and thus provision should be deleted. The demand for declaring instant talaq illegal has for long been raised by a large section of Muslim women who are at the receiving end. Many cases of triple-talaq have come to light even after the Supreme Court declaring it as illegal. Citing details of instant triple talaq cases, the Government had last week informed the Lok Sabha that till now 430 incidents of triple talaq have come to the notice of the Government through the media. Of these, 229 were reported before the Supreme Court judgment, while another 201 came to the notice after it. Both the BJP and the Congress have issued whips in the Upper House asking their members to be present in full strength when the Bill is introduced. With the New Year just around the corner, the tourism sector is close to surpassing 40 million in foreign visitors and setting an all-time high. Realizing major achievements so far this year, Turkey has seen the number of foreign arrivals rise significantly in the January-November period, according to data revealed Friday. According to Culture and Tourism Ministry, more than 37.5 million foreigners visited the country in the first 11 months of this year, up 23 percent year-on-year. Having closed 2017, which stood out as a year of recovery following a difficult period in 2016, with 32.4 million foreign visitors and $26.3 billion in tourism income with an increase of 28 percent and 19 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year, the sector is experiencing a golden period. As Daily Sabah reports, Turkey is projected to rise to the world league in 2019 with new structures and tourism policies. Moreover, the figures released on Friday revealed that the country hosted nearly 43 million visitors, when Turkish citizens residing abroad are included, in the said period of this year, a 21.35 percent year-on-year increase. The data also showed that Istanbul, Turkey's largest city by population and one of its top tourist draws, and the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya attracted the highest number of foreign visitors 12.4 million and 12.3 million. Russians topped the list among nations in the said period and accounted for over 15 percent or nearly 5.9 million of the visitors, followed by Germans with 11.6 percent (4.3 million visitors), and the U.K. with nearly 6 percent (2.2 million). The number of Russians coming to the country was up 26.22 percent, while the number of Germans and British tourists surged by 25.56 percent and 36.44 percent. On the other hand, the largest annual growth was seen in Polish visitors, which have more than doubled from a year earlier. Colombians came in second with a 94 percent increase. The most preferred means of transport was by air with 28.7 million foreign visitors. Some 7.8 million and nearly 960,000 visitors used roadway/railway and seaway. In November, the number of foreigners that entered Turkey also surged 19 percent annually to reach nearly 2 million. According to the forecasts of the ministry and sector representatives in light of available data, it is expected that the number of foreign visitors will exceed 40 million by year-end, and tourism revenues are expected to reach $32 billion in the meantime. The country will host around 50 million tourists in 2019, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said at the opening of the Turkish pavilion at the World Tourism Market 2018 in London in November. "I am expecting a 23 percent increase next year. I hope we will reach the target of 48 million [tourists]," Ersoy added. While Turkey hosted 36.8 million foreign tourists in 2014 and 36.3 million in 2015, the figure fell sharply to 25.3 million in 2016. Tourism revenues reached a record high and hit $34.3 billion in 2014. The figure dropped to $31.5 billion in 2015 and to $22.1 billion in 2016 because of the declining number of foreign visitors. The quest for gender equality and attaining socioeconomic equilibrium through the realm of personal laws has historically been the prime cause of ambient conflicts between the constituents of the most progressive and the regressive orders of society. Recently, we have experienced a lot of hue and cry relating to Triple Talaq and the Sabarimala episode although the matters have been well-settled by the Supreme Court. The passage of The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, this Thursday, in the lower house which criminalises Triple Talaq with three years imprisonment for the guilty, has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition parties. The critics view this as too stringent, given the fact that, Supreme Court has already set aside the practice of Triple Talaq and declared it unconstitutional, which implies any act of divorcing through triple talaq to be void ab initio or void from the beginning. In such a case, criminalising an otherwise civil offence of wrongfully divorcing ones wife is considered too harsh and against the spirit of constitution, particularly when a non-muslim man wrongfully deserting his wife, is considered a civil offence. While the supporters foresee a paradigm shift in the legal framework inching further towards securing gender equality and empowerment of Muslim women, the critics consider it as draconian, unnecessary and an election gimmick. It can easily be perceived that personal laws may not always be contra bonos mores or against the good principles, but they inherently contain gender biases and unreasonable practices, since they are born out of the socio-economic conditions under which the respective religions are born. And interestingly, it has always been about the convenience of the dominant group which has dictated the terms of the personal laws. Invincibility of personal laws in the face of constitutional scrutiny is time tested in the Indian legal history. The Hindu Law Committees report of 1947 which culminated into Hindu Code Bill of 1948 was ndefeated in the Constituent Assembly, and this led to resignation of Dr Ambedkar as the first Law Minister of India in 1951. Any expectation of personal laws being in conformity with the highest constitutional standards is marred by tussle between Article-25 of the Constitution, i.e., Right to practice religion of ones choice and Article-44 which prescribes Uniform Civil Code or One nation, one law (for personal laws). However, the State of Goa is an exception to the rest of the Indian peninsula, which has a Uniform Civil Code for all religious communities, in the form of Portugal Civil Code of 1867 or Codigo Civil Portuguese, or the Goa Civil Code (as popularly known). Echoing the concerns over difficulty in implementation of the code, the Supreme Court of India has observed in Pannalal Bansilal Patil vs State of Andhra Pradesh, AIR 1996 SC 1023, that, Uniform law for all persons may be desirable. But its enactment in one go may be counter-productive to the unity of nation. This may sound politically correct, but the expediency for subjecting personal laws to judicial review under the ambit of Article-13 of the Indian Constitution is often felt in the face of inconvenience to various interest groups and individuals, especially when their fundamental rights stand abridged. The question, whether personal law can be included in the expression laws in force used in Article 13(1) of the Constitution, and the extent to which personal laws are subject to fundamental rights, first came up before the Bench constituting Chief Justice MC Chagla and Justice PB Gajendragadkar of the Bombay High Court in The State of Bombay vs Narasu Appa Mali, AIR 1952 Bom 84. This is considered as the turning point in the constitutional history, where personal laws were made sort of invincible, as the Bombay High Court held that personal law is not included in the expression laws in force used in Article 13(1) of the Constitution, which made personal laws immune from judicial review. What happened next is history, as the Narasu Judgment is still in vogue and firmly holds the field, which is yet to be overruled. However, the recent Sabarimala verdict saw an illustrious judgment being delivered by Justice DY Chandrachud, who has dissected the Narasu Appa Mali judgment only to hold it incongruous to constitutional suitability. Amidst such status quo in approach of courts, in not subjecting personal laws to judicial review (under Art-13), the apex court in Saha Bano Begum, AIR 1985 SC 945, has ruled in favour of providing maintenance to Muslim women under Section 125 CrPc, despite being against the tenets of Muslim Law. Another major breakthrough from the reign of the seemingly invincible personal laws, was in the shape of the judgment in Shayara Bano Case, (2017) 9 SCC 1, in which the misogynistic practice of triple talaq was declared unconstitutional. Further, the judgment in Indian Young Lawyers Association vs State of Kerala or the Sabarimala case has come out as a torch-bearer for all times to come, against the discrimination faced by women for, who they are and for, what nature has bestowed upon them. Often the malignant innovations in personal laws are an exploitation of the social contract theory, forged by the shrewd oppressors of the time, to secure and sustain their personal influence. For instance, according to Ameer Ali, the mode of triple talaq, which is whimsical and unreasonable, was post-prophet innovation by Omayyad Monarchs. On the contrary, the Holy Quran at SURAH 4 Verse 35 has emphasized on reconciliation between the man and woman, so that, they can take time and help of arbitrators for their reconciliation and take the right decision with calm and poised mind, and not in sudden and grave anger. Here, it is worth invoking George Mason, who wrote for the drafting committee appointed by the Virginia Convention in May, 1776, that, mall men are born equally free and independent, and have certain inherent natural rights, of which they cannot, by any compact, deprive or divert their posterity, among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety. This may be considered as the jurisprudence behind subjecting personal laws to judicial review or taking a step towards Uniform Civil Code. Experience says, vested interest groups shall continue to derail any effort to mutate personal laws to a more egalitarian tone and mould, through judicial review or a Uniform Civil Code, but the wise know, it is worth risking such a venture to embalm our collective conscience and constitutional goals. And certainly, Saha Bano Begum, Shayara Bano and Sabarimala shall continue to inspire us, in achieving social equilibrium and growth, through a more benevolent set of personal laws. However, this voyage for justice, cant commence without meaningfully answering, are personal laws invincible in India? (The author is a lawyer based at Bhubaneswar. sjyotiranjan3@gmail.com.) Farmer-Welfare and Agriculture Development Minister Sachin Yadav said that seeds and soil of the farmers fields will be tested free-of-cost in Madhya Pradesh. The department has issued orders in this connection. Yadav informed that the state government will fulfill the promises to the farmers within the time limit. Yadav told that seven State Seed Testing laboratories are operating in Gwalior, Ujjain, Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Sagar and Hoshangabad. Farmers can get samples of seeds prepared by them tested in these laboratories. He informed that after the testing of the purity of seed samples, germination, moisture in the laboratory, a report of purity will be prepared and given free of cost to the farmers. Farmer-Welfare Minister Sachin Yadav told that no charge will be taken from farmers of the general category along with the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes for testing of soil samples. Till now an analysis fee of Rs 33 was charged for testing per soil sample from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes farmers and an analysis fee of Rs 45 was taken from the general category farmer. He said that 50 departmental soil testing laboratories are operating in the state. In these laboratories, testing facilities are being provided to the farmers. Principal Secretary Farmers Welfare Rajesh Rajoura informed that instructions are being given to laboratories and concerned officers to make seed and soil testing free. Palamu administration is in a quandary following the Statewide stir of the Para Teachers, who are showing black flags and raising anti Government slogans with a fierce regularity these days here in the State and in Palamu too where they had waved black flags before MP and MLAs. Sources said local administration here too is too concerned about their behaviour during the programme of the Prime Minister here. Commenting upon this DIG police Palamu Vipul Shukla said on Sunday, The PM is coming over here for a very noble and ambitious project, which on completion and will benefit millions of farmers of the two states Jharkhand and Bihar and at such occasion like this which is most pious, farmers friendly and important, no aberration from Para Teachers is expected. He further said, Administration looks forward to the exhibition and display of good sense from Para Teachers as this will not be the time and occasion for them by any stretch of imagination to raise their banner of resentment or agony as the State government is already moving fast to overcome this issue. Sources said there is a serious apprehension of para teachers doing anything unpleasant on this occasion which the administration is all set to foil. DC Palamu Shantanu K Agrahari said the administration is fully prepared to avert any nuisance. Agrahari at his Saturday press briefing where he spoke less but meant more had said, There would be frisking of all the visitors coming over to this programme as I too face frisking whenever I go to attend programmes in one particular place in Delhi. What he meant was that security check would be too high. Sources said the whole of the Chiyanki is under the radar of the police here. There are people here who used to learn driving four wheelers and even two wheeler here in this Chiyanki area but now they have been asked to keep off the areas till this programme is over. Chiyanki area boasts of a railway station also of the same name Chiyanki railway station where hordes of people come here every day and here too police are keeping a close watch on any arrival of people with any dubious look or having any suspicious movement. Sources said houses in and around Chiyanki area have been surveyed with their height, structures like rooms, balcony, gallery, windows etc and vulnerability if any as here on the roof tops there would be cops when PM would be here. Sources said a few kilometers away from the venue where Modi is to address the people here are a few stone crushing plants which too are being scanned by the police with inputs like number of labourers working there, their residential backgrounds etc. Sources said there are trees also which too are under the lens of the police. Police headquarter in Ranchi is to send in here heavy contingent of police force, which will have more lathi cops as it is more effective in crowd management. Senior police officials are in touch with their counterparts in Bihars Rohtas, Aurangabad and Gaya as it is expected there may be an influx of people from these places too on this occasion as dams water when released would be reaching there in times to come. Garhwa and Chatra districts police too have been taken into confidence for this VVIP programme here as sources said Palamu has its borders with both Garhwa and Chatra, which still have naxals lurking there. DC Palamu Shantanu Kumar Agrahari said, There would be a meticulous preparation for the PMs programme here. The uncertainty prevailing over the holding of elections to 13,276 gram panchayats in Punjab was clarified on Thursday by the State Election Commission which made it clear that the election would be held as per schedule. The declaration by the State Election Commission secretary Dr Kamal Kumar came after the Punjab and Haryana High Court refused to accept, as of now, Punjab Governments plea to recall or modify its orders wherein it had given the competent authorities 48 hours after receiving the complaints to redress the grievances of the rejected candidates. The Commission secretary said that as the High Court has not ordered any stay on the election process, the election process would continue as per schedule while complying with the Court directives to redress representations of the rejected candidates within 48 hours. At the same time, he denied having any complied data of the representations or complaints received by the returning officers in the districts. There can be stray instances or cases where elections may be postponed, but as a whole, the elections would be held on December 30 only, he said, while adding that already published ballot papers would also be revised wherever needed. Kumar said that the Court has not fixed or specified any date as deadline, and all that it has directed that the representations, made to the competent authorities, be redressed within 48 hours. Till about a day before, the clouds of incertitude were looming large on the ongoing process of panchayat elections as both the aspirants and the Government have taken the matter to the corridors of justice. As many 11,424 applications for the posts of sarpanches and panches across the state were rejected during the scrutiny process. No less than 117 petitions were filed before the High Court by the candidates, whose nominations were rejected during scrutiny. As the Government failed to place before the Court relevant material and argument against the issues raised by the petitioners, the High Court had not only given liberty to the petitioner candidates to approach the competent authorities or the Deputy Commissioners, but has also allowed other candidates with grievances to seek redressal of their complaints by approaching the competent authority. Moving the High Court for the recall or modification of its previous order, the State Government has, in fact, apprised the Court of its difficulties following the order. Among other things, the government has told the High Court that ballot papers with names of eligible candidates had already been published. Besides, the Government has also pointed that those having objection on the election process, has the option of filing the election petition, which could be filed after the election result was declared. The Government argued that the entire process could not be rescheduled, and the polling on December 30 could not be postponed. We have to hold the election this year only because if we postpone the elections for the next year, there will be a tedious task of revising the electoral rolls as on January 1, 2019, there will be more eligible voters, said Kamal Kumar. As per the prvisions of law, the elections for the gram panchayats are required to be completed by January 16, 2019, as per the provisions of the law. As per record, total 49,261 nominations were filed for the post of Sarpanch for 13,276 panchayats in the state, out of which 3,128 were rejected; and out of total 1,65,453 nomination papers received for the Panch candidates, 8,296 were rejected due to various flaws and errors including non-submission of meagre Rs seven per annum chulha tax supposed to be given to the gram panchayat. The state election commission rejects the papers after receiving reports from the respective returning officers, whose reports are based on the reports from the concerned panchayat officials. Opposition parties, including AAP and SAD-BJP, have all along been alleging the ruling Congress of using official machinery to win the elections. Though no political party contests panchayat polls on their symbols, candidates are generally supported by them. AAP ACCUSES GOVT OF DIVESTING EMPLOYEES FROM 'RIGHT TO VOTE' Accusing the Congress-led Punjab Government of divesting its employees from their constitutional right to vote, AAP on Thursday demanded from the State Election Commission to ensure that the government employees must be given an opportunity to avail their right to vote in December 30 panchayat election. AAP MLA Aman Arora, in a letter written to the state Election Commission, said that it was feared that the government has deliberately debarred the employees from their right to vote fearing that they will vote against the pro-Congress candidates due to widespread anger amongst the employees because of anti-employee policies of the government. In his letter, Arora said that the employees had brought it to his notice which was confirmed from the poll. Punjab Gram panchayat polls to be held on schedule conducting administration that the government employees deputed to conduct the panchayat elections on December 30 would not be able to cast their votes because of non-availability of postal ballot papers. It is the clear-cut violation of the rights bestowed to every citizen by the Constitution and Rule 22 (1) of Punjab Panchayat Election Rules, 1994, and Punjab Government and Election Commission is responsible for it, he said. Arora demanded that the State Election Commission must look into the matter and make special arrangements so that the employees can avail their voting right. VIDEOGRAPHY OUTSIDE POLLING BOOTHS ALLOWED Punjab State Election Commission has allowed the candidates or any other person to arrange videography outside the polling station at their own cost in panchayat elections. Commissions secretary Dr Kamal Kumar made it clear that if candidate or any other person expresses the desire of videography outside the polling booth, they cannot be prevented from doing so. There is no need to take permission from any other official in this regard, he said. To maintain secrecy of the polling, Dr Kumar, however, made it clear that videography shall not be conducted inside the polling booths. Divulging further, he said that total 4,363 sarpanches and 46,754 panches have been elected unanimously. Voting began in Bangladesh on Sunday amid tight security following a weeks-long campaign that was marred by violence and allegations of a government crackdown on opposition activists. Tens of thousands of people, including women, stood in long queues outside the polling booths as the voting started at 8 am (local time). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was the first voter at the Dhaka City College centre in the capital where her lawyer nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "People will cast their vote for Awami League to ensure the win of pro-Liberation forces," Hasina said. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex-premier Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards have been deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people are eligible to vote. Security agencies have been asked to keep an extra vigil on religious minority communities as media reports said at least three Hindu households were set on fire by miscreants between December 16 and 26. Bangladesh's telecoms regulator also ordered the country's mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest during the election, the 11th since Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Thirteen people have been killed and thousands injured in clashes between supporters of Hasina's ruling Awami League and activists of main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Zia in pre-poll violence. Hasina, who is seeking to return to power for a third consecutive time, on Saturday expressed fears that the opposition could boycott polls in the middle of voting as part of a "political trick" to evade a "humiliating defeat". "I want to caution all about the character of (main opposition) BNP...They may say in the middle (of the elections) that we are boycotting the polls," she said. "In that case (opposition boycott) I will ask our candidates and other contenders to continue polls until the voting is ended," 71-year-old Hasina said. Her comments came as the BNP is contesting the polls in a state of disarray in the absence of 73-year-old Zia and her fugitive son Tarique Rahman who is the acting party chief. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while Rahman is living in London ostensibly to evade the law as a court has sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack on a rally in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists. The BNP has stayed out of parliament since 2014 when it boycotted the last election over its demands for a poll-time non-party government. It has returned to parliamentary politics as part of a new alliance - National Unity Front (NUF) - that was cobbled together three months ago with eminent lawyer Kamal Hossain as its convener. Reacting to Hasina's remarks, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said "There is no dispute in our party about taking part in the polls". "But what we see, there is no festive mood anywhere and rather a sense of fright is prevailing across the country due to government intimidation," he said. The Election Commission last week also allowed hardline Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, a crucial ally of BNP, to contest the election, two months after it scrapped the fundamentalist party's registration. BNP earlier accused the election commission of being biased during the poll campaign, a charge rejected by Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda. Huda acknowledged a media report about arrests of some polling agents of BNP candidates and called such action "unwanted". "Unless someone is wanted under certain case, police must not arrest anyone...Maintain utmost neutrality in discharging your duties," he said. "No member of law enforcement will arrest or harass polling agents of any candidate unless there are specific allegations against them," he said in a directive which he issued in a pre-poll press conference in Dhaka. The opposition parties have alleged that thousands of their leaders and activists have been arrested. The CEC's comments came as BNP expressed doubts about credibility of Sunday's election alleging their supporters were intimidated and arrested while their agents too were being harassed to keep them away from polling centres. Later BNP's Alamgir said "Now we've no expectation over the election. This election has become a complete mockery....The state, the government and the Election Commission are working together to turn it into a mockery. There's no question of win or defeat since it is not an election at all as a particular party is trying to snatch election victory by force and using the state machinery". Alamgir, however, asked his party candidates to stay in the race until the voting ended while NUF convenor Hossain urged voters to "restore democracy" and exercise their franchise. Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed urged voters to exercise their franchise without any fear saying more military personnel would be called out if required. Novelist Rudolfo Anaya and painter Moises Salcedo crafted a novel kids book that follows the adventure of a tiny owl who longs to read on his own, even as he skips school The 81-year-old author is often called a dean of Chicano literature. The illustrator is a younger muralist steeped in the visual traditions of Mexican-American pop culture and low-rider cars. Together, novelist Rudolfo Anaya and painter Moises Salcedo who goes by El Moises have created a bilingual childrens book with parallel texts in Spanish and English about the adventures of a tiny owl named Ollie who longs to read on his own, even as he skips school and tangles with a cast of conniving animal characters in the hills and skies of northern New Mexico. Anaya achieved lasting literary fame with the novel Bless Me, Ultima in 1972 about a boys coming of age in post-World War II New Mexico under the guidance of a traditional spiritual healer. The book became a movie and recently an opera. The new childrens book from the Museum of New Mexico Press titled Owl in a Straw Hat, or El Tecolote del Sombrero de Paja is chocked full of references to northern New Mexico geography and homespun Hispanic tradition from posole soup and pinon nuts to the acequia organisations that help irrigate fields and lend a special order to local rural life. Anaya said the work is a heartfelt effort to encourage shared family reading in English or Spanish, with eye-grabbing imagery. The books illustrations spring from the brush of Mexican-born, Arizona-raised El Moises who made New Mexico his adopted home nearly a decade ago. His other recent commissions include urban murals, a tequila logo, CD covers and more. The 45-year-old illustrator is a father of five who often paints at a weathered living-room table amid the bustle of family. El Moises says people call him a Chicano artist, but its really just his take on everyday life. Bold and bright has always been my thing, he said. I love low-riders because I grew up around them... I just think that Im an artist who is narrating his life. One of the new books characters a hungry and untrustworthy wolf in sunglasses named Luis Lobo is adapted from a self-designed tattoo on the artists upper arm. Other characters include a young raven and crow who prefer video games to school. There are positive role models, too a disciplined roadrunner who drives a dazzling low-rider car and a loving grandmother Nana owl. El Moises and Anaya already are working on a sequel that explores concerns about childhood bullying something the illustrator and a 13-year-old son have been grappling with recently in Albuquerque, culminating in the decision to do home schooling. Anaya, a widower who lives in Albuquerque with a dachshund at his side, continues to work steadily on essays and novels for grown-up readers. He said Owl in a Straw Hat is an outgrowth of his enduring concern for children including children living far away in war-torn countries. Maybe thats why I write books for children, to get a lift, to think there is something positive on Earth that might offset the evil that we see, Anaya said, on a day where violence in Syria dominated news headlines. As Im writing, Im speaking to a child, to children. Im kind of telling them, Look at Oli and Raven and Crow. The children are always there, theyre always there wanting to hear a story. The English text of the new book contains a smattering of colloquial Spanish words and phrases such as mi'jito for my little son. A Spanish-English glossary at the back of the book resolves any mysteries. That aims to help young readers from various cultures feel comfortable, according to Enrique Lamadrid, who wrote the books full Spanish translation. 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. OurPet's Company designs, develops, produces, and markets various accessories and consumable pet products for enhancing the health, safety, comfort, and enjoyment of pets in the United States and internationally. It offers various pet products, such as dog, cat, and bird feeders; storage bins; dog and cat toys; cat and dog waste management products; catnip products; scratchers and cat treats; dog houses, bowls, and molds; cat litter, litter box accessories, and disposable litter boxes; and pet supplements. The company markets and sells its products under the OurPet's, PetZone, Flappy, SmartScoop, EcoPure Naturals, Play-N-Squeak, Durapet, Clipnosis, Go! Cat! Go!, Festiva, Eat, Smarter Toys, petzonebrand.com, and Cosmic Pet brands. It serves mass retailers, pet superstores, regional pet chains, pet catalogues, e-commerce, warehouse club stores, military exchange chains, grocery chains, and pet distributors. The company was formerly known as Napro, Inc. and changed its name to OurPet's Company in March 1998. OurPet's Company was founded in 1985 and is based in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. Read More Interserve Plc provides advice, design, construction, equipment, facilities management, and citizen services in the United Kingdom and internationally. Its Support Services segment offers support services to public- and private-sector clients. The company's Construction segment designs, constructs, and maintains buildings and infrastructure. Its Equipment Services segment designs, hires, and sells formwork, falsework, and related access equipment. The company also engages in the property management, development, rental, and leasing activities; management of five community rehabilitation companies; pension trustee activities; fitting out and refurbishment of offices and other buildings; equipment hire and sales activities; rental of plant and machinery; and provision of transport and maintenance services to the oil and gas industry. In addition, it offers healthcare, vocational training, welfare-to-work, employment, probation and rehabilitation, contract and window cleaning, catering, defense sector and industrial support, asbestos, supply, security manpower and support, manned guarding security, mechanical and electrical engineering, army training estate, personnel and management, fire suppression and detection system, insurance, education, and building maintenance services. Further, the company provides oil-field maintenance, fabrication, and construction services; support services for integration of disabled people into cleaning contracts and the transport sector; operational and financial services to PFI/PPP projects; management/maintenance services for slough borough council; management/maintenance services for MoD; and solutions for building/infrastructure projects. Additionally, it offers mechanical, electrical, and engineering services; and acts as a trustee. The company was formerly known as Tilbury Douglas Plc and changed its name to Interserve Plc in February 2001. Interserve Plc was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Twyford, the United Kingdom. Read More Kibo Energy PLC, together with its subsidiaries, explores for and develops energy projects in Sub Saharan Africa and the United Kingdom. The company holds a 100% interest in the Mbeya Coal to Power project located in Songwe Regio, Tanzania. It also holds an 85% interest in the Mabesekwa Coal Independent Power Project located in Botswana; and 65% interest in the Benga Power Plant Project located in the Tete province of Mozambique. In addition, the company owns a 100% interest in the Bordersley power plant located near Birmingham. Further, it engages in power generation and treasury businesses. Kibo Energy PLC has a collaboration agreement with ESS Tech Inc. to develop energy storage solutions. The company was formerly known as Kibo Mining Plc and changed its name to Kibo Energy PLC in July 2018. Kibo Energy PLC was founded in 2008 and is based in Galway, Ireland. Read More One was killed and 15 were injured in a major car accident on Yerevan-Meghri highway. Opel and Mecedes Sprinter collided on Saturday afternoon. According to Shamshyan.com website, the injured were taken to the military hospital in Sisian and the local hospitals, News.am reported. Knoll, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, and sells commercial and residential furniture, accessories, and coverings for the workplace and residential markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Office and Lifestyle segments. It provides systems furniture, including integrated panels or table desks, work surfaces and storage units, power and data systems, and lighting products; office seating products comprising various work chairs; and files and storage products, such as lateral files, mobile pedestals and other storage units, bookcases, and overhead cabinets. The company also offers adjustable tables, as well as meeting, conference, training, dining, and stand-alone and table desks; conference furniture product platforms; height desks, tables, and ergonomic seating and accessories principally for individual home offices and small businesses; technology support accessories, desktop organizational tools, and lighting and storage products; seating and lounge furniture, as well as side, cafA, and dining chairs; conference, training, dining, and occasional tables; and lighting, rugs, textiles, fabrics, felt, leather, upholstery, drapery, and related architectural products. It serves Fortune 1000 companies, governmental agencies, and other medium-to-large sized organizations in various industries, including financial, legal, technology, entertainment, accounting, education, healthcare, and hospitality through its direct sales force and showrooms, distribution partners, and independent dealers and retailers, as well as online. The company was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in East Greenville, Pennsylvania. Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected]marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Nippon Paint Holdings Co., Ltd. engages in the management and strategies of its group companies that is involved in the manufacture and sale of paints and fine chemicals. It offers automotive and industrial-use coatings and trade-use paints. It also provides surface treatments and fine chemical products. It operates through the following geographical segments: Japan, Asia, Americas, and Other. The company was founded by Jujiro Moteki on March 14, 1881 and is headquartered in Osaka, Japan. Read More President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko gave Russian President Vladimir Putin salo (food of cured slabs of pork fat) and four sacks of potatoes as a New Year gift, Belarusian presidential press secretary Natalya Eismont said, TASS reported. Speaking during a late night show "Makayenka, 9" on Belarus 1 television channel, Eismont said President Lukashenko presented with handmade baubles for a New Year tree other leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). "I should say that Alexander Lukashenko presented Vladimir Putin with not potatoes only, and in fact, as far as I know, Russian president likes good salo," Eismont said. "Alexander Lukashenko knows about it and during his previous visit he brought salo, the most delicious of course, the selected Belarusian salo." Eismont said that potatoes were brought afterwards. "As far as I know, potatoes were particularly ordered, because some time ago, perhaps half jokingly, Alexander Lukashenko asked Vladimir Putin, what he would like to get from the Belarusian president, from our country, and in response it was said - what else should I ask from Belarus? Potatoes and salo." According to her, four sacks of potatoes were brought to Moscow and they were of different varieties. "Some potatoes were for grilling, some for making hash browns, some for cooking them mashed, some for roasting and boiling. All of them were supplied with instructions," she said. Eismont also said that after a lengthy deliberation the staff of the presidential administration decided to give the leaders of the CIS member states for New Year handmade baubles for a Christmas tree. "They are absolutely exclusive," she said. "Initially they were considered by Alexander Lukashenko as a bit heavy and he asked to make them lighter and more festive.". There is not enough analysis data for Gold Reserve. 4.7 Community Rank Outperform Votes Gold Reserve has received 66 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Gold Reserve has received 29 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Gold Reserve has received 69.47% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Gold Reserve and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe GDRZF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe GDRZF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next iShares Europe ETF's stock was trading at $37.19 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IEV shares have increased by 40.3% and is now trading at $52.19. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. T Read More The European Union is not trying to keep Britain in and wants to start discussing future ties the moment the UK parliament approves Brexit, partly to focus on its own unity ahead of May elections, the head of the blocs executive said, Reuters reported. It is being insinuated that our aim is to keep the United Kingdom in the EU by all possible means. That is not our intention. All we want is clarity about our future relations. And we respect the result of the referendum. Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Commission, told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in an interview. Juncker said the EU was ready to start negotiating a new deal with Britain right after the British parliament approves the divorce deal. A vote is now due in the week starting Jan. 14. He also said Britain should get its act together. And then tell us what it is you want, he said. I am working on the assumption that it will leave, because that is what the people of the United Kingdom have decided, he added, refusing to be drawn into whether Britain would hold a second Brexit vote. That is for the British to decide. 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LTD., METLIFE ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE ASIA SERVICES SDN. BHD, METLIFE ASSET MANAGEMENT CORP., METLIFE ASSIGNMENT COMPANY INC., METLIFE AUTO & HOME INSURANCE AGENCY INC., METLIFE BL FEEDER, METLIFE BL FEEDER LP, METLIFE BORO STATION MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CABO HILTON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAMINO RAMON MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CAPITAL CREDIT L.P., METLIFE CAPITAL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, METLIFE CAPITAL TRUST IV, METLIFE CB W/A LLC, METLIFE CC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CHILE ADMINISTRADORA DE MUTUOS HIPOTECARIOS S.A., METLIFE CHILE INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS DE VIDA S.A., METLIFE CHILE SEGUROS GENERALES S.A., METLIFE CHINO MEMBER LLC, METLIFE COLOMBIA SEGUROS de VIDA S.A., METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND GP LLC, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE INCOME FUND LP, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE ORIGINATOR LLC, METLIFE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE REIT LLC, METLIFE CONSQUARE MEMBER LLC, METLIFE CONSUMER SERVICES INC., METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY FUND LP, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY REIT LLC, METLIFE CORE PROPERTY TRS. LLC, METLIFE CREDIT CORP., METLIFE DIGITAL VENTURES INC., METLIFE EMEKLILIK VE HAYAT A.S., METLIFE EMERGING MARKET DEBT BLEND FUND, METLIFE EU HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE INSURANCE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPE SERVICES LIMITED, METLIFE EUROPE d.a.c., METLIFE EUROPEAN HOLDINGS LLC., METLIFE FINANCIAL SERVICES CO. LTD, METLIFE FM HOTEL MEMBER LLC, METLIFE FUNDING INC., METLIFE GENERAL INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE GLOBAL BENEFITS LTD., METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY I GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDING COMPANY II GMBH, METLIFE GLOBAL HOLDINGS CORPORATION S.A. De C.V., METLIFE GLOBAL INC., METLIFE GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE GROUP INC., METLIFE HCMJV 1 GP LLC, METLIFE HCMJV 1 LP LLC, METLIFE HEALTH PLANS INC., METLIFE HOLDINGS INC., METLIFE HOME LOANS LLC, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE LIMITED, METLIFE INNOVATION CENTRE PTE. LTD., METLIFE INSURANCE AND INVESTMENT TRUST, METLIFE INSURANCE BROKERAGE INC., METLIFE INSURANCE K.K., METLIFE INSURANCE LIMITED, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HF PARTNERS LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED LLC, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND I LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND II LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND III LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND IV LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND V LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VI LP, METLIFE INTERNATIONAL PE FUND VII LP, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE INVESTMENTS ASIA LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS PTY LIMITED, METLIFE INVESTMENTS SECURITIES LLC, METLIFE INVESTORS DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, METLIFE INVESTORS GROUP LLC, METLIFE IRELAND TREASURY D.A.C., METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND GP LLC, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY FUND LP, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS, METLIFE JAPAN US EQUITY OWNERS LLC, METLIFE LATIN AMERICA ASESORIAS E INVERSIONES LIMITADA, METLIFE LEGAL PLANS INC., METLIFE LEGAL PLANS OF FLORIDA INC., METLIFE LHH MEMBER LLC, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METLIFE LIFE INSURANCE S.A., METLIFE LOAN ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC, METLIFE MAS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MEMBER SOLAIRE LLC, METLIFE MEXICO HOLDINGS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., METLIFE MEXICO S.A., METLIFE MEXICO SERVICIOS S.A. DE C.V., METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT GP LLC, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL FUND LP, METLIFE MIDDLE MARKET PRIVATE DEBT PARALLEL GP LLC, METLIFE MULTI-FAMILY PARTNERS III LLC, METLIFE MUTUAL FUND COMPANY, METLIFE OBS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE OFC MEMBER LLC, METLIFE ONTARIO STREET MEMBR LLC, METLIFE PARK TOWER MEMBER LLC, METLIFE PENSION TRUSTEES LIMITED, METLIFE PENSIONES MEXICO S.A., METLIFE PET INSURANCE SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE PLANOS ODONTOLOGICOS LTDA., METLIFE POWSZECHNE TOWARTZYSTWO EMERYTALNE S.A., METLIFE PRIVATE EQUITY HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE PROPERTIES VENTURES LLC, METLIFE RC SF MEMBER LLC, METLIFE REAL ESTATE LENDING LLC, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF BERMUDA LTD., METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF CHARLESTON, METLIFE REINSURANCE COMPANY OF VERMONT, METLIFE RETIREMENT SERVICES LLC, METLIFE SAENGMYOUNG INSURANCE COMPANY LTD., METLIFE SECURITIZATION DEPOSITOR LLC, METLIFE SEGUROS S.A., METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FINCO LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING FUND LP, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING GP LLC, METLIFE SENIOR DIRECT LENDING HOLDINGS LP, METLIFE SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS LLC, METLIFE SERVICES CYPRUS LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EAST PRIVATE LIMITED, METLIFE SERVICES EEIG, METLIFE SERVICES EOOD, METLIFE SERVICES SOCIEDAD LIMITADA, METLIFE SERVICES SP Z.O.O, METLIFE SERVICIOS S.A., METLIFE SLOVAKIA S.R.O. V LIKVIDACII, METLIFE SOLUTIONS PTE. LTD., METLIFE SOLUTIONS S.A.S., METLIFE SP HOLDINGS LLC, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN FUND SCSP, METLIFE SYNDICATED BANK LOAN LUX GP S.A.R.L., METLIFE THR INVESTOR LLC, METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO FUNDUSZY INWESTYCYJNYCH S.A., METLIFE TOWARZYSTWO UBEZPIECZEN NA ZYCIE I REASEKURACJI S.A., METLIFE TOWER RESOURCES GROUP INC., METLIFE TREAT TOWERS MEMBER LLC, METLIFE WORLDWIDE HOLDINGS LLC, METROPOLITAN CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN DIRECT PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC., METROPOLITAN GROUP PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN LIFE SEGUROS E PREVIDENCIA PRIVADA S.A., METROPOLITAN LIFE SOCIETATE de ADMINISTRARE a UNUI FOND de PENSII ADMINISTRAT PRIVAT S.A., METROPOLITAN LLOYDS INC., METROPOLITAN LLOYDS INSURANCE COMPANY OF TEXAS, METROPOLITAN PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, METROPOLITAN TOWER REALTY COMPANY INC., MEX DF PROPERTIES LLC, MFA FINANCING VEHICLE CTR1 LLC, MIDTOWN HEIGHTS LLC, MIM CLAL GENERAL PARTNER LLC, MIM EMD GP LLC, MIM I LLC, MIM METWEST INTERNATIONAL MANAGER LLC, MIM ML-AI VENTURE 5 MANAGER LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC, MIM PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF GEORGIA 1 LLC, MIM THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MANAGER LLC, MISSOURI REINSURANCE INC., ML - URS PORT CHESTER SC MANAGER LLC, ML 300 THIRD MEMBER LLC, ML ARMATURE MEMBER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MANAGER LLC, ML BELLEVUE MEMBER LLC, ML BRIDGESIDE APARTMENTS LLC, ML CAPACITACION COMERCIAL S.A. DE C.V., ML CERRITOS TC MEMBER LLC, ML CLAL MEMBER LLC, ML DOLPHIN GP LLC, ML DOLPHIN MEZZ LLC, ML MATSON MILLS MEMBER LLC, ML MILILANI MEMBER LLC, ML ONE BEDMINSTER LLC, ML PORT CHESTER SC MEMBER LLC, ML SENTINEL SQUARE MEMBER LLC, ML SLOANS LAKE MEMEBR LLC, ML SOUTHLANDS MEMBER LLC, ML SOUTHMORE LLC, ML SWAN GP LLC, ML SWAN MEZZ LLC, ML TERRACES LLC, ML THIRD ARMY INDUSTRIAL MEMBER LLC, ML VENTURE 1 MANAGER S. DE R. L. DE C.V., ML VENTURE 1 SERVICER LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 1 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 2 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 3 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 4 LLC, ML-AI METLIFE MEMBER 5 LLC, MLIA MANAGER I LLC, MLIA PARK TOWER MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF COLONY MANAGER LLC, MLIA SBAF MANAGER LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS II LLC, MLIC ASSET HOLDINGS LLC, MLIC CB HOLDINGS LLC, MLJ US FEEDER LLC, MM GLOBAL OPERATIONS SUPPORT CENTER S.A. DE C.V., MMP CEDAR STREET OWNER LLC, MMP CEDAR STREET REIT LLC, MMP HOLDINGS III LLC, MMP OLIVIAN OWNER LLC, MMP OLIVIAN REIT LLC, MMP OWNERS III LLC, MMP OWNERS LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK OWNER LLC, MMP SOUTH PARK REIT LLC, MREF 425 MKT LLC, MSV IRVINE PROPERTY LLC, MTC FUND I LLC, MTC FUND II LLC, MTC FUND III LLC, MTL LEASING LLC, MTU HOTEL OWNER LLC, NATILOPORTEM HOLDINGS LLC, NEWBURY INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, OCONEE GOLF COMPANY LLC, OCONEE HOTEL COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND COMPANY LLC, OCONEE LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LLC, OCONEE MARINA COMPANY LLC, OMI MLIC INVESTMENTS LIMITED, PACIFIC LOGISTICS INDUSTRIAL SOUTH LLC, PARK TOWER JV MEMBER LLC, PARK TOWER REIT INC., PJSC METLIFE, PLAZA DRIVE PROPERTIES LLC, PNB METLIFE INDIA INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED, PREFCO FOURTEEN LLC, PREFCO XIV HOLDINGS LLC, PROVIDA INTERNACIONAL S.A., SAFEGUARD HEALTH ENTERPRISES INC., SAFEGUARD HEALTH PLANS INC., SAFEHEALTH LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, SEVENTH AND OSBORN MF VENTURE LLC, SINO-US UNITED METLIFE INSURANCE CO. LTD., SOUTHCREEK INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS LLC, ST. JAMES FLEET INVESTMENTS TWO LIMITED, SUPERIOR PROCUREMENT INC, SUPERIOR VISION BENEFIT MANAGEMENT INC., SUPERIOR VISION HOLDINGS INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE INC., SUPERIOR VISION INSURANCE PLAN OF WISCONSIN INC., SUPERIOR VISION OF NEW JERSEY INC., SUPERIOR VISION SERVICES INC., Safeguard Health Enterprises, Security First Group Inc., THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH AVENUE MEZZANINE LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL HOLDING LLC, THE BUILDING AT 575 FIFTH RETAIL OWNER, THE DIRECT CALL CENTRE PTY LIMITED, TRANSMOUNTAIN LAND & LIVESTOCK COMPANY, UVC INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ASSOCIATION INC., VERSANT HEALTH CONSOLIDATIONS CORP., VERSANT HEALTH HOLDCO INC., VERSANT HEALTH LAB LLC, VIRIDIAN MIRACLE MILE LLC, VISION 21 MANAGED EYE CARE OF TAMPA BAY, VISION 21 PHYSICIAN PRACTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, VISION TWENTY-ONE MANAGED EYE CARE IPA INC., Versant Health, WDV ACQUISITION CORP., WFP 1000 HOLDING COMPANY GP LLC, WHITE OAK ROYALTY COMPANY, and WHITE TRACT II LLC. 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. Ad Investing Trends New this week - 395 interested How This Rare Metal Is Going To Solve A $173 TRILLION World Problem And Could Benefit Investors According to Bloomberg NEF, changing the world to "All Green Energy" could cost about $173 trillion. And without this rare metal, going green would be IMPOSSIBLE. That's why there's a literal "gold rush" to find it. (HINT: It's not electric vehicles, nuclear power, or wind energy). The following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. De C.V., Dal-Tile Peru SRL, Dal-Tile Puerto Rico Inc., Dal-Tile Services Inc., Dal-Tile Shared Services Inc., Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC, Dal-Tile of Canada ULC, Daltile, Daltile, Dekaply NV, Durkan, Dynea NV, Eliane Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Eliane S/A - Revestimentos Ceramicos, Emilceramica India Pvt Ltd., Emilceramica S.r.l, Emilgermany GmbH, Emilgroup Asia Ltd, Explorer S.r.l., F.I.L.S. Investments Unlimited Company, Feltex Carpets Ltd, Feltex Carpets Pty Ltd, Feltex New Zealand Ltd, Fibremakers Australia Pty Ltd, Flooring Foundation Ltd, Flooring Industries Limited S.a r.l., Flooring XL B.V., Floorscape Limited, Godfrey Hirst & Co Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Group, Godfrey Hirst NZ Ltd, Hytherm (Ireland) Limited, IVC BVBA, IVC Far-East Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited. The following companies are subsidiares of Sonoco Products: AMGH, APEI UK Limited, APEI Unlimited IOM, Associated Packaging Technologies Inc., Beteiligungen Sonoco Deutschland Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh, CP Acquisition LLC, Can Packaging, Can Packaging SAS, Cap Liners Limited, Capseals Limited, Capseals Liners Limited, Cascades Sonoco Inc. (fka Cascades Conversion Inc), Clear Lam Flexible Films (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Clear Lam Packaging Inc., Clear Pack Co., Clear Pack Company, Colombiana P.M. LLC, Conitex Sonoco (BVI) Ltd., Conitex Sonoco (Mexico) S. de R.L. de C.V., Conitex Sonoco Hellas S.A., Conitex Sonoco Holding B.V., Conitex Sonoco Inc., Conitex Sonoco India Pvt. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco N.V., Conitex Sonoco Shanghai Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Suzhou Co. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Taiwan Ltd., Conitex Sonoco USA Inc., Convex Mold Inc., Corenso Holdings America Inc., Corenso North America, Corenso Richmond LLC, Corepak Limited, CorrFlex Graphics LLC, Demolli Industria Cartaria S.p.A., Engraph Inc., Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., Fair Lawn Packaging Services LLC, Friarsgate Studio Limited, Graffo Paranaense De Embalagens S.A., Graffo Paranaense de Embalagens S/A, Grove Mill Paper Company Limited, Gunther of America Inc., Hartsville Corrugating LLC, Hayes Manufacturing Group, Heathfield Reels Limited, Highland Packaging Solutions, Highland Packaging Solutions LLC, Industrial Machine Co. Inc., Inversiones Sonoco Limitada, Italtubetti SpA, Laminar Medica, Laminar Medica (CE) s.r.o., Laminar Medica Limited, Manufacturas Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Matrix Packaging Inc., Nathaniel Lloyd & Company Limited, OOO Sonoco Alcore (fka ZAO Sonoco Alcore), Ontario Inc., PT Conitex Sonoco, PT Papcor Asia Pacific, PT Papertech Indonesia, PT Sonoco Indonesia, Packaging Holdings Inc., Papcor (Dezhou) Packaging Material Co. Ltd., Papertech Dezhou Co. Ltd., Papertech SL, PenPack LLC, Peninsula Packaging Company, Peninsula Packaging LLC, Penpack S. de R.L. de C.V., Phoenix Packaging Corp., Plastique Holdings LTD, SAS Du Lagon, SCI Lagon Quest, SMB GmbH, SPC Capital Management Inc., SPC Liquidation LLC, SPC Management LLC, SPC Resources Inc., SR Holdings of the Carolinas LLC, Sebro Plastics Inc., Sonoco (Shanghai) Co., Sonoco (Taicang) Packaging Co., Sonoco (Weifang) Packaging Company Ltd., Sonoco Absorbent Technologies LLC, Sonoco Absorbent Technologies Limited, Sonoco Alcore - Demolli S.r.l., Sonoco Alcore AB, Sonoco Alcore GmbH, Sonoco Alcore N.V., Sonoco Alcore Nederland B.V., Sonoco Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sonoco Asia Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Asia L.L.C., Sonoco Asia Management Company L.L.C., Sonoco Australia Pty Ltd, Sonoco Board Mills Limited, Sonoco Bonmati S.A.U., Sonoco Canada Corporation, Sonoco Capseals Liners Limited, Sonoco Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Consumer Products Dordrecht B.V. (fka Dorpak B.V.), Sonoco Consumer Products Europe GmbH (fka Weidenhammer Packaging Group GmbH), Sonoco Consumer Products Hellas S.A. (fka Weidenhammer Hellas S.A.), Sonoco Consumer Products Limited, Sonoco Consumer Products Mechelen BVBA (fka Weidenhammer Belgium BVBA), Sonoco Consumer Products Montanay SAS (fka Neuvibox SAS), Sonoco Consumer Products Poland Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco Consumer Products SAS, Sonoco Consumer Products South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Sonoco Consumer Products Zwenkau GmbH (fka fka Weidenhammer Plastice Packaging GmbH), Sonoco Cores and Paper Limited, Sonoco D & P LLC, Sonoco D and P York LLC, Sonoco Deutschland GmbH, Sonoco Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Development Inc., Sonoco Display and Packaging LLC, Sonoco Elk Grove Inc., Sonoco Embalagens Ltda. (fka Sonoco Embalagens S.A.), Sonoco Europe Limited, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Canada Corporation, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Co. Inc., Sonoco Graphics India Private Limited, Sonoco Hickory Inc., Sonoco Holdings Inc., Sonoco Holdings UK Limited, Sonoco Hutchinson LLC, Sonoco IPD France SAS, Sonoco Iberia S.L.U., Sonoco International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco JV GmbH & Co. KG, Sonoco Kaiping Packaging Co. Ltd., Sonoco Limited, Sonoco Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sonoco Milnrow, Sonoco Netherlands Holding II BV, Sonoco Netherlands Holding III BV, Sonoco New Zealand Limited, Sonoco Operadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Packaging Limited, Sonoco Packaging Tapes Limited, Sonoco Paper Mill & IPD Hellas SA, Sonoco Paperboard Group LLC, Sonoco Partitions Inc., Sonoco Phoenix LLC, Sonoco Pina S.A.U., Sonoco Plastics B.V., Sonoco Plastics Canada ULC, Sonoco Plastics Germany GmbH, Sonoco Plastics Inc., Sonoco Poland Holdings B.V., Sonoco Polysack A/S Inc., Sonoco Polysack Limited, Sonoco Products Company UK, Sonoco Products Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sonoco Protective Solutions Inc., Sonoco Recycling - International Trade Group LLC (fka Reparco USA Inc.), Sonoco Recycling LLC, Sonoco Reels Limited, Sonoco Retail Packaging S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Sonoco SAS, Sonoco Saudi Limited Company, Sonoco Services LLC, Sonoco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Sonoco TEQ Holdings Ltd, Sonoco TEQ LLC, Sonoco TEQ Ltd, Sonoco TEQ Sp. Z.o.o, Sonoco Taiwan Ltd, Sonoco Thailand Ltd, Sonoco UK Leasing Limited, Sonoco Venezolana C.A., Sonoco Venture International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Ventures UK Limited, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Core Plant LLC, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Inc., Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Paper Mill LLC, Sonoco Yatai Pinghu Packaging Co Ltd, Sonoco de Colombia Ltda, Sonoco do Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Sonoco do Brazil Ltda, Sonoco of Puerto Rico Inc., Sonoco-Alcore AS, Sonoco-Alcore Ou, Sonoco-Alcore Oy, Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l., Sonoco-Alcore Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco-Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., TPT Board Mills Limited, TPT Limited, Tegrant Alloyd Brands Inc., Tegrant Corporation, Tegrant International Inc., Tegrant Property Holdings LLC, Tegrant de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ThermoSafe Brands Asia PTE LTD., ThermoSafe Brands Europe Ltd., Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC, Trident Graphics Canada Corporation, Trident Graphics NA LLC, U.S. Paper Mills Corp., Unit Reels & Drums Limited, Weidenhammer Chile Ltda., Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Weidenhammer UK Ltd., and Wisenberg U.S. Inc.. iShares Currency Hedged MSCI EMU ETF's stock was trading at $24.73 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, HEZU shares have increased by 47.6% and is now trading at $36.49. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Russian President Vladimir Putin told his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump in a New Year letter on Sunday that Moscow was ready for dialogue on a wide-ranging agenda, the Kremlin said following a series of failed attempts to hold a new summit, Reuters reported. At the end of November, Trump abruptly canceled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions about Russian forces opening fire on Ukrainian navy boats and then seizing them. Trump and Putin also failed to hold a full-fledged meeting in Paris on the sidelines of the centenary commemoration of the Armistice. The two leaders held their one and only summit in Helsinki in July. Vladimir Putin stressed that the (Russia - United States) relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security, a Kremlin statement said. He confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda. iShares Yield Optimized Bond ETF's stock was trading at $24.80 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, BYLD shares have increased by 0.9% and is now trading at $25.02. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Jones Lang LaSalle: 225 Fitness Inc., 360 Commercial Partners, ACREST, AGL, AMAS Limited, AVM Partners, Advanced Technologies Group Inc., Alaska UK (GP) Ltd, Alkas Consulting, Aoyama Holding Limited, Australian Valuation Solutions, Avenue9, BRG, BRG International LLC, BRG Resource Group ULC, BRG WORKPLACE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS (EUROPE) LIMITED, BRG Workplace Management Solutions (India) Private Limited, BRG Workplace Management Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Beijing Dazheng Zhongheng Enterprise Consulting Co. Ltd., Beijing Guotai Zhongheng Enterprise Consulting Co. Ltd., Beijing Jones Lang LaSalle Property Management Services Co. Ltd., Big Red Rooster Flow LLC, Bill Goold Realty, Bradford McCormack & Associates, Brune Consulting Management GmbH, Building Services Network Inc., Business Products Group Inc., Business Resource Holdings Inc., CIG III Technoparc Nominee II Inc./Fiduciaire CIG III Technoparc II Inc., CMM Projekt & Office Solutions GmbH, COBERTURA - SOCIEDADE DE MEDIACAO IMOBILIARIA S.A., CTH, Capital Realty LLC, Carolyn House (General Partner) Limited, Charter Oaks Financial Services Inc., Churston Heard Ltd, Claygate Residential (General Partner) LLP , Claygate Residential (Nominee) Limited, CoR Advisors, Cobertura, Colliers Baltimore, ComRef LIM Co-Invest LLC, Corporate Concierge Services Inc., Corporate Concierge Services of Hawaii Inc., Corporate Realty Advisors, Corrigo, Corrigo Incorporated, Credo Real Estate (Singapore), Creston Residential (General Partner) LLP, Creston Residential (Nominee) Limited, DST International Property Services, Dalian Jones Lang LaSalle Services Limited, ECD Energy and Environment Canada, ECD Energy and Environment Canada Ltd., EID (General Partner) LLP, ELPF Lafayette Manager Inc., Eleven Eleven Construction Corporation, Environmental Governance Ltd, Europe Fund III Alberta GP Inc., Europe Fund III GP LLC, FACILITY ASSOCIATES RECRUITMENT LIMITED, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (NSW) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (NT) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (QLD) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (SA) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (TAS) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (VIC) PTY LTD, FIVE D PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (WA) PTY LTD, Five D Holdings Pty Limited, Five D Holdings Pty Ltd, Five D Property Management (ACT) Pty Ltd, Fox RPM Corp., GFN Property Investments L.L.C., Guangzhou Jones Lang LaSalle Property Services Company Limited, Guardian Property Asset Management, Guardian Property Asset Management Limited, H Park Germany LP GmbH, H Park Germany Verwaltungs-GmbH, HALL AND KAY FIRE HOLDINGS LIMITED, HFF, HFF Holdings Limited, HFF InvestCo LLC, HFF Partnership Holdings LLC, HFF Real Estate Limited, HFF Securities L.P., HFF Securities Limited, HG2 Limited, HUB PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LIMITED, Halcyon Real Estate, Hall & Kay Fire Services Ltd, Harry K Moore, Hentschel & Company LLC, Hercules Property Manager (Jersey) Limited, Holliday Fenoglio Fowler L.P., Holliday GP LLC, Hunter Facilities Management (HFM), Huntley Mullaney Spargo & Sullivan Inc., Huntley Mullaney Spargo & Sullivan LLC, IFM Services Finland OY, INTEGRAL UK HOLDINGS LIMITED, Inmobiliaria Jones Lang LaSalle Limitada, Integra Realty Resources, Integra Realty Resources - Dallas, Integral, Integral Facility Services Limited, Integral UK, Integrated General Administration Services K.K., J P Sturge Limited, J.L.W. Nominees Limited, J.L.W. Second Nominees Limited, JLL 2002, JLL 2003 Limited, JLL CAMBRIDGE LTD, JLL CMG LLC, JLL Capital Markets AB, JLL Chile Asesorias Inmobiliarias Limitada, JLL Corporate Solutions - Servicos De Conservacao e Manutencao de Imoveis Ltda, JLL Corporate Solutions AB, JLL Corporate Solutions Holdings Inc., JLL Corretagen e Trasacoes Imobiliarias Ltda., JLL Expertises SARLAU, JLL Infrastructure Advisory Pty Ltd, JLL Ingenierie, JLL Investment Scottish Limited Partnership II, JLL Kapitalmarkand Holding AB, JLL Kapitalmarknad AB, JLL Ltd, JLL Macau Limited, JLL Mall Management K.K., JLL Marketplace LLC, JLL Morii Valuation & Appraisal K.K., JLL Mortgage Services Pty Limited, JLL Nevada Inc., JLL Properties LLC, JLL Public Sector Valuations Pty Ltd, JLL Puerto Rico Realty & Co. S. en C., JLL Real Estate Capital Pte. Ltd., JLL Scottish II G.P. L.L.C., JLL Singapore Capital Pte. Ltd., JLL Transaction Services AB, JLL Treasury Support AB, JLL Valuation & Advisory Services LLC, JLL/BWXT Naval Facility Experts LLC, JLLBRR LLC, JLLINT Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle & Compania Limitada, Jones Lang LaSalle (ACT) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (B) Sdn Bhd, Jones Lang LaSalle (Barbados) Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle (Beijing) Consultants Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (China) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (Fiji) Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle (Geneva) SA, Jones Lang LaSalle (Luxembourg) Secs, Jones Lang LaSalle (NSW) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (PNG) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (Philippines) Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle (Portugal) - Sociedade de Mediacao Imobiliaria S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle (Puerto Rico) Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle (QLD) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (S E) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (SA) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (Shenzhen) Commercial Consultancy Company Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (VIC) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (WA) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle (pty) ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle - Central Texas LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle - Front Range LLLP, Jones Lang LaSalle - Northeast Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle - Texas Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle -Sociedade de Avaliacoes Imobiliarias Unipessoal Lda, Jones Lang LaSalle 1. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Jones Lang LaSalle AG, Jones Lang LaSalle Acquisition Corp., Jones Lang LaSalle Administration B.V., Jones Lang LaSalle Advisory Services Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas (Illinois) L.P., Jones Lang LaSalle Americas Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Arizona LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Asia Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Asset Management GmbH, Jones Lang LaSalle Australia Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Bangladesh Private Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Beihai Holdings L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Belgium Holdings LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Billion Management Services Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Brokerage Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Building Operations Private Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Bulgaria EOOD, Jones Lang LaSalle Capital Investments Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Charities, Jones Lang LaSalle Co-Investment Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Co. Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle Constructions K.K., Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Appraisal and Advisory Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Finance Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Property (VIC) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Property Services Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Dorchester Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Ecuador S.A. JLL ECUADOR, Jones Lang LaSalle Electronic Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Espana S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle Europe Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle European Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle European Services Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Expertises SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle Facility Services S.L., Jones Lang LaSalle Finance BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Finance Europe, Jones Lang LaSalle Finance Luxembourg Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Finland Oy, Jones Lang LaSalle French Co-Investments Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Gayrimenkul Hizmetleri Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Jones Lang LaSalle German Holdings B.V. & Co. KG, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Finance Luxembourg Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Finance UK Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Finance US LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Global Holdings BV, Jones Lang LaSalle GmbH, Jones Lang LaSalle Great Lakes Corporate Real Estate Partners LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Finance Luxembourg Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Holdings BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Holdings SNC, Jones Lang LaSalle Group Services spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Jones Lang LaSalle Guatemala Sociedad Anonima, Jones Lang LaSalle Gutland S.a.r.l., Jones Lang LaSalle Haiti S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle Holding AB, Jones Lang LaSalle Holding BV, Jones Lang LaSalle Holding SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Cyprus Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings Y.K., Jones Lang LaSalle Holdings spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels (NSW) Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Participacoes Ltda., Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels S.A., Jones Lang LaSalle IP Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Innovation Development L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Insurance Services Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle International Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle International Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle International Properties Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Investments LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Israel Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Jamaica Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle K.K., Jones Lang LaSalle KFT, Jones Lang LaSalle Kenya Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle LLP (Kazakhstan), Jones Lang LaSalle Lanka (Private) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Laser Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Limitada, Jones Lang LaSalle Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Limited Liability Company, Jones Lang LaSalle Lithuania UAB, Jones Lang LaSalle Ltd (Ireland), Jones Lang LaSalle Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle Ltda., Jones Lang LaSalle Luxembourg Star Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Malta Holdings Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Malta Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Management Services Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Management Services Taiwan Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Michigan LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Midwest LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Misr LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Multifamily LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Multifamily Member LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle New England L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Northwest LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Pension Trustees Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Procurement Funding Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Procurement Ltd., Jones Lang LaSalle Property Consultants (India) Private Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Consultants Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Fund Advisors Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Management Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Property Management Services LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Advisory Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Brokerage Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Real Estate Services Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Receivables Holdings LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Residential Development GmbH, Jones Lang LaSalle Resources Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle S. de R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle S.R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle S.p.A., Jones Lang LaSalle SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle SE, Jones Lang LaSalle SEA Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle SSC (Philippines) Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Saudi Arabia Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Secs, Jones Lang LaSalle Securities L.L.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Services (Jersey) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Services (Malta) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Services (Private) Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Services AB, Jones Lang LaSalle Services AS, Jones Lang LaSalle Services ApS, Jones Lang LaSalle Services B.V., Jones Lang LaSalle Services Bahrain S.P.C., Jones Lang LaSalle Services Gmbh, Jones Lang LaSalle Services LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle Services Lebanon S.A.R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle Services Limited (Nigeria), Jones Lang LaSalle Services Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Services S.r.l., Jones Lang LaSalle Services SA/NV, Jones Lang LaSalle Services SAS, Jones Lang LaSalle Services SRL, Jones Lang LaSalle Services Sarl, Jones Lang LaSalle Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Jones Lang LaSalle Sociedad Comercial de Responsabilidad Limitada, Jones Lang LaSalle South Africa (Proprietary) Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Strata Management Pty Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Surveyors (Shanghai) Company Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Taiwan Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle Technology Services Pte Ltd, Jones Lang LaSalle Trinidad Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle UAE Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle UK FC, Jones Lang LaSalle UK Hanover, Jones Lang LaSalle Vietnam Company Limited, Jones Lang LaSalle d.o.o. (Croatia), Jones Lang LaSalle d.o.o. (Serbia), Jones Lang LaSalle de Venezuela S.R.L., Jones Lang LaSalle of New York LLC, Jones Lang LaSalle of Pennsylvania Inc, Jones Lang LaSalle s.r.o, Jones Lang LaSalle s.r.o., Jones Lang LaSalle sprl, Jones Lang LaSalle spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Jones Lang Wootton Ltd, Jones Lang Wootton Property Management Services Ltd, KHK Group Limited, Kensington CA LLC, Keystone Partners, King & Co Limited, King Sturge, King Sturge Holdings Limited, King Sturge Management SPRL, LAOF V (General Partner) LLP, LASALLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT BV, LAVA (General Partner) LLP, LIC II (General Partner) Limited, LIC Lafayette Manager Inc., LIM Advisory Services S.a r.l., LIM Asia Co-Investments Pte. Ltd., LIM Associates L.L.C., LIM Consejeros S. de R.L. de C.V., LIM Management Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., LJPF Co-Investments GK, LMF Investments LLC, LPI (Australia) Holdings Pty Ltd, LRA MKP TRS L.P., LREDS II PF L.P., LREDS III Carry Partner L.P., LUKSS I Carry Partner L.P., LUKV Carry Jersey Limited, LUKV/CPP Co-Investment L.P., LaSalle (Shanghai) Industrial Co. Ltd. [ () ], LaSalle - VA Industrial GP LLC, LaSalle AIFM Europe S.a r.l., LaSalle Acquisitions Corp., LaSalle Asia Opportunity II GP LLC, LaSalle Asia Opportunity II Investors GP LLC, LaSalle Asia Opportunity III GP Ltd., LaSalle Asia Opportunity IV GP LTD, LaSalle Asia Opportunity Investors III GP Ltd., LaSalle Asia Opportunity V GP Ltd., LaSalle Asia Recovery L.L.C., LaSalle Asia Venture Co-Investment Trust, LaSalle Aureum Verwaltung GmbH, LaSalle Blooms General Partner Limited, LaSalle CAVA Industrial Carryco LLC, LaSalle CIG III GP Inc., LaSalle CIG IV GP Inc., LaSalle Canada Core Real Property GP Inc., LaSalle Canada Property Fund GP Inc., LaSalle China Logistics Venture GP Ltd, LaSalle China Logistics Venture GP S.a r.l., LaSalle China Logistics Venture SCSp, LaSalle Co-Investment L.L.C., LaSalle Co-Investment Management (General Partner) Limited, LaSalle Direct General Partner Limited, LaSalle EMEA (Scots) Investments GP LLP, LaSalle Euro Growth II S.a.r.l. , LaSalle European Co-invest (Scotland) LLP, LaSalle European Investments L.L.C., LaSalle European Recovery III (GP) LLP, LaSalle French Fund II Co-Investment GmbH, LaSalle French Fund II G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Fund Management B.V., LaSalle Funds General Partner Ltd, LaSalle Funds Management Limited, LaSalle GPS Holdings LLC, LaSalle Genco G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle German Income and Growth G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle German Retail Venture GP L.L.C., LaSalle Global Partner Solutions Limited, LaSalle GmbH, LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VI Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VI GP L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VI L.P., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VII Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VII GP L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VIII Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Income & Growth Fund VIII GP L.L.C., LaSalle Investment (Luxembourg) SARL, LaSalle Investment Limited Partnership II-A, LaSalle Investment Management, LaSalle Investment Management (Canada), LaSalle Investment Management (Canada) Inc., LaSalle Investment Management (Jersey) Limited, LaSalle Investment Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, LaSalle Investment Management Asia Pte Ltd, LaSalle Investment Management Australia Pty Ltd, LaSalle Investment Management Co. Ltd., LaSalle Investment Management Distributors LLC, LaSalle Investment Management Espana S.L.U., LaSalle Investment Management Hong Kong Limited, LaSalle Investment Management Inc., LaSalle Investment Management K.K., LaSalle Investment Management Kapitalverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, LaSalle Investment Management Korea Yuhan Hoesa, LaSalle Investment Management Luxembourg SARL, LaSalle Investment Management SAS, LaSalle Investment Management Securities B.V., LaSalle Investment Management Securities LLC, LaSalle Italia SRL, LaSalle Japan Logistics II GP Ltd, LaSalle Japan Logistics III GP Ltd, LaSalle Japan Logistics Investors II GP Ltd., LaSalle Japan Logistik-Immobilienfonds GP SARL, LaSalle Japan Property Fund GP Limited, LaSalle LIC II A G.P. Ltd., LaSalle LIC II A UK LLP, LaSalle LIC II B G.P. LLC, LaSalle Land General Partner Limited, LaSalle Land Trustee Limited, LaSalle Logistics GP LLC, LaSalle Mariner Co-Investment Fund Carryco L.L.C., LaSalle Mariner Co-Investment Fund G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Medical Office Fund III GP LLC, LaSalle Mexico Advisors Inc., LaSalle Mexico Fund I Investors A G.P. LLC, LaSalle Mexico I (General Partner) LLC, LaSalle Mortgage Real Estate Investors Inc., LaSalle North American Holdings Inc., LaSalle Paris Office Venture General Partner L.L.C., LaSalle Partners (Mauritius) Pvt Ltd, LaSalle Partners International, LaSalle Partners S. de R. L. de C. V., LaSalle Partners Services S. de R.L. de C.V., LaSalle Property Fund GP Holdings LLC, LaSalle Property Fund GP LLC, LaSalle Property Fund REIT Inc., LaSalle RECC GP LLC, LaSalle REDS GP Inc., LaSalle REDS III GP Sarl, LaSalle REDS TSA GP LLC, LaSalle REIT Advisors K.K., LaSalle Ranger Co-Investment Fund G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger Co-Investment Fund II G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger Co-Investment Fund III G.P. L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger II Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Ranger III Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Real Estate Debt Strategies II (GP) LLP, LaSalle Real Estate Investment Strategies GP S.a r.l., LaSalle Residential Finance Fund GP Inc., LaSalle Residential Fund III GP Inc., LaSalle Retail Japan-Immobilienfonds GP S.a r.l., LaSalle Salt River Carry L.L.C., LaSalle Special Situations Carry GP LLC, LaSalle Special Situations II Venture GP S.a r.l., LaSalle Student Housing L.L.C., LaSalle Transpennine GP (Scot) LLP, LaSalle UK Property Services Limited, LaSalle UK Ventures (General Partner) Limited, LaSalle UKSS I GP Ltd., LaSalle UKV Co-Investor GP LLC, LaSalle UKVA GP LLC, LaVA Carry (Scotland) L.P., LaVA Feeder (Scotland) LP, Lava II GP S.a r.l., Lead Fast Investments Limited, Lee & Klatskin Associates, Leechiu & Associates, Lexington MKP Management L.P., Light bluu Limited, LodgeTax, MSCI's Global Occupiers business, Maloney Field Services, Martin Potts & Associates, Means Knaus Partners, Merlin UK Property Venture GP Limited, Merritt & Harris Inc., Midosuji Management GK, Morii Appraisal & Investment Consulting, Neo-Swiat, New England - Jones Lang LaSalle LLC, Nextport, Nima Mountaineer AB, Oak Grove Commercial Mortgage, Office Blocks Pte. Ltd., Opex Consulting, Orchid Insurance Limited, Oxford General Partner Limited, P.1 Administracao em Complexo Imobiliarios Ltda., P.2 Administracao em Complexo Imobiliarios Ltda., P.3 Administracao em Complexo Imobiliarios Ltda., PDM International, PDM International (Beijing) Limited, PDM International (Chengdu) Limited, PDM International China Limited, PDM International HK Limited, PDM International Limited, PMX, PT Jones Lang LaSalle, PT. Procon Indah, Pacific Real Estate Partners, Peloton Commercial Real Estate, Primary Capital Advisors, Prime Property Consultants Limited, Procofin, Propell National Valuers Pty Ltd., PropertyLinx Pty Ltd, Quadrant Realty Finance, Rogers Chapman UK Ltd, SBR Continental Europe GP LLC, Sage Capital, Salt River Investors GP LLC, Sandalwood Mall Management Private Limited, Shelter Bay Retail Group, Sovereign Asian Properties Inc., Spaulding and Slye Federal Services LLC, Stessa Inc., Strategic Advisory Group, TETRIS ARQUITECTURA SL - SUCURSAL EM PORTUGAL, TETRIS Arquitectura S.L, Tansei Mall Management Co. Ltd., TeTriSolutions LLC, Tenzing AB, Tetris Amenagement SARL, Tetris Design & Build BV, Tetris Design & Build Romania SRL, Tetris Design & Build Sarl, Tetris Design & Build sprl, Tetris Design and Build (Pty) Ltd, Tetris Design and Build S.R.L (Italy), Tetris Design and Build Sarl, Tetris Poland spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Tetris Projects GmbH, Tetris Projects Ltd, Tetris SAS, Tetris Tasarm ve Insaat Hizmetleri A.S, The Apartment Group, The Horizon Management Services Limited, The Spargo Corporation, The Standard Group LLC, The Staubach Company, Travis Commercial Real Estate Services, Triangle General Partner Limited, Trinity Funds Management, Trussard Property Consultants, Tetris Design & Build Servicos de Arquitetura Ltda., Tetris Design & Build s.r.o., Utrillo Ltd, ValuD Consulting, Veronique Nocquet, W A Ellis LLP, Washington Partners, Whitetail GP LLC, Wilson Retail Group, Wonderment BV, YY Property Solutions, bluu City Limited, bluu Projects Limited, bluu Regions Limited, bluu Solutions Limited, and bluuco limited. There is not enough analysis data for Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 179 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 111 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 61.72% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe KYN will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe KYN 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 Jabil: AOC Technologies Co. Ltd., AOC Technologies Inc., Badger Technologies LLC, Celetronix, Celetronix India Private Limited, Celetronix USA Inc., Clothing Plus Hong Kong Ltd., Clothing Plus MBU Oy, Clothing Plus Zhejiang Ltd., Clothing+, Eco.logic Brands Inc., Ecologic Brands, F-I Holding Company, GET Manufacturing, Green Point Electronic Technology Co. Ltd., Green Point Precision Electronic Co. Ltd., Green Point Precision Sdn. Bhd., Green Point Technology Co. Ltd., Green Prosperity Co. Ltd., Greenam Electricity (Proprietary) Limited, JCI Funding Ireland Designated Activity Company, JCI Labuan Limited, JN Global Holdings C.V., Jabil AMS LLC, Jabil Advanced Mechanical Solutions Inc., Jabil Advanced Mechanical Solutions de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil C.M. S.r.l., Jabil Canada Corporation, Jabil Chihuahua Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Circuit Austria GmbH, Jabil Circuit Belgium N.V., Jabil Circuit Cayman L.P., Jabil Circuit China Limited, Jabil Circuit Co. Ltd., Jabil Circuit Financial II Inc., Jabil Circuit Holdings Limited, Jabil Circuit Hong Kong Limited, Jabil Circuit Hungary Contract Manufacturing Services Ltd., Jabil Circuit Inc., Jabil Circuit India Private Limited, Jabil Circuit Investment Co. Ltd, Jabil Circuit Italia S.r.l., Jabil Circuit Limited, Jabil Circuit Ltd., Jabil Circuit Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Jabil Circuit Luxembourg S.a r.l., Jabil Circuit Netherlands B.V., Jabil Circuit Pte. Ltd., Jabil Circuit SAS, Jabil Circuit Sdn Bhd, Jabil Circuit Technology LLC, Jabil Circuit Ukraine Limited, Jabil Circuit de Chihuahua S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Circuit de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Circuit of Michigan Inc., Jabil Consulting Limited Liability Company, Jabil DR S.R.L., Jabil Defense and Aerospace Services LLC, Jabil Denmark Aps, Jabil Dutch Mexico B.V., Jabil EMS Switzerland GmbH, Jabil Electronics Co. Ltd., Jabil Energy Ltd., Jabil Green Point Precision Electronics Co. Ltd., Jabil Green Point Technology Co. Ltd., Jabil Guadalajara Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Healthcare DR S.R.L., Jabil Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Holdings Ltd., Jabil Hungary LP Services Limited Liability Company, Jabil India Manufacturing Private Limited, Jabil Industrial do Brasil Ltda., Jabil International Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil International Treasury Pte. Ltd, Jabil Investment Pte. Ltd., Jabil Israel Ltd., Jabil Japan Inc., Jabil Korea International Limited, Jabil Limited Liability Company, Jabil Mexico Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Mexico Investment S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Monterrey S. de R.L. de C.V., Jabil Nypro Holding LLC, Jabil Nypro I LLC, Jabil Nypro II LLC, Jabil Nypro International B.V., Jabil Optics Germany GmbH, Jabil Poland Sp. z.o.o., Jabil Precision Industry Co. Ltd., Jabil Science and Telecommunication Trading Co. 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Since then, EWT shares have increased by 79.3% and is now trading at $65.79. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. 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 CoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California. Read More Varian Medical Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products for treating cancer and other medical conditions worldwide. It operates through Oncology Systems and Proton Solutions segments. The Oncology Systems segment offers hardware and software products for treating cancer with radiotherapy, fixed field intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, artificial intelligence based adaptive radiotherapy, and brachytherapy, as well as quality assurance equipment. Its products include linear accelerators, brachytherapy afterloaders, treatment accessories, and quality assurance software; and information management, treatment planning, image processing, clinical knowledge exchange, patient care management, decision-making support, and practice management software. This segment serves university research and community hospitals, private and governmental institutions, healthcare agencies, physicians' offices, medical oncology practices, radiotherapy centers, and cancer care clinics. The Proton Solutions segment designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and services products and systems for delivering proton therapy for the treatment of cancer. The company has a strategic agreement with McKesson Corp. to supply treatment delivery systems and planning, services, and radiotherapy information system solutions to its U.S. Oncology Network and Vantage Oncology affiliated sites of care; and a strategic partnership with Siemens AG to represent Siemens diagnostic imaging products to radiation oncology clinics in the United States and other select markets. Varian Medical Systems, Inc. was formerly known as Varian Associates, Inc. and changed its name to Varian Medical Systems, Inc. in April 1999. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Read More Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes https://www.aish.com/jw/id/Amos-Oz-Controversial-Giant-of-Israeli-Literature.html In a life that spanned the state of Israel, Oz wrote novels of humanity and beauty. Amos Oz, Israels celebrated author, has died at the age of 79. He was an outspoken critic of Israeli politics who called himself a traitor for his often extreme opinions. But in a lifetime that spanned the modern state of Israel, Oz wrote 40 books about his beloved country, painting it in tones both tender and harsh. Born in Jerusalem in 1939 as Amos Klausner, Oz later described his home as intensely intellectual, filled with books. He was an only child and his parents gave him every chance they could, even sleeping in the living room so young Amos could have the one bedroom to himself. Despite this, his childhood was unhappy. Ozs mother had fled rising anti-Semitism in Ukraine, and her family was wiped out in the Holocaust. Ozs father fled Jew hatred in Lithuania and his family was murdered. Ozs mother suffered from depression and she killed herself when Amos was 12 a life-shattering experience that he explored in many of his works. In his literature and many interviews, Oz described the terror he felt as a child during Israels War of Independence, when the tiny, besieged Jewish country wasnt sure it could survive. Both of Ozs parents realized that building a Jewish state in the land of Israel was their only chance of survival. I was a kid in Jerusalem in 48 when the city was besieged, shelled, starved, the water supply cut off. And I know the horror, and I know the despair, and I know the hopelessness, and I know the anger, and I know the frustration, Oz recalled. Two of his earliest words were British out! On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted to establish the State of Israel. That night, Ozs father Arieh Klausner climbed into bed with his young son and held him. He was usually a stoic, restrained man, beaten down by the realization of what had happened to his family. But this night was different. Holding his son, he whispered words that Oz never forgot: From now on, from the moment we have our own state, you will never be bullied just because you are a Jew. Not that. Never again. From tonight thats finished. Forever. Oz recalled that night was the only time he ever saw his father cry. Oz went on to reject his father and everything he thought that his family had stood for. Oz went on to reject his father and everything he thought that his family had stood for. When he was 14, he ran away from Jerusalem, moving to a kibbutz and changing his name from Klausner to Oz, which means strength in Hebrew. Oz later wrote of his decision: I killed my father by rejecting everything, even his surname. When I left home, Oz later recalled, I decided to become everything (he) was not, and not to be anything that he was. For a teenaged Amos Oz, that meant becoming a left-wing socialist...tractor driver. He even tried to become tall, because his father was short. And he started to write, often exploring themes of kibbutz life in his work. His early novels were published by the Israeli Labor Partys publishing house, including Where the Jackals Howl (1965) and My Michael (1968). As he aged, Oz became ever more strident in his political views, yet his books remained tender and profound. I first learned about Israel through Ozs works, and many of them affect me profoundly to this day. Black Box (1987) was the first Oz novel I read; a worldwide bestseller, it established Oz as a major literary name outside of Israel. Its an epistolary novel, telling its story through letters between Alec Gideon, an Israeli academic living abroad, his ex-wife Ilana, their son Boaz, Ilanas second husband Michael, and Gideons old friend and lawyer Manfred. The title refers to the black box of recording devices contained on airplanes and analyzed after a crash to establish the cause of a disaster. Years after their divorce, Alec and Ilana are sifting through the wreckage of their marriage. Containing a plethora of voices from different lifestyles and points of view, Black Box was revolutionary in the way it portrayed modern Israel. Michael is religiously observant and his quiet decency and will to do good shone through the book, providing me with my first real taste of what an Orthodox Jew might sound like. When Boaz, a disturbed teenager, tells Michael that he doesnt follow any of the Torahs commandments, Michael encourages him, explaining with love that hes already following many mitzvot. Indeed, even being alive is a huge mitzvah in itself. Despite not being religiously observant himself, Oz created a world in which the greatest comfort and voice of reason came from an Orthodox Jewish character imbued with love. Fima (1993) was one of my favorite of Ozs novels and contained a cogent assessment of Jewish-Catholic relations at the time. Oz wrote it during the controversy over establishing a convent on the site of Auschwitz. In 1984, the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Franciszek Macharski, announced the building of a Carmelite convent on the grounds of Auschwitz: a 1985 fundraiser called on Catholics to donate Your gift to the Pope a convent in Auschwitz. As Jews around the world objected to the convent, Cardinal Josef Glemp of Warsaw warned Jews not to talk to us from the position of a superior nation, words that were widely seen as anti-Semitic. Tensions were high, especially when the convent built a large cross on its grounds, at the site where over a million Jews were murdered. Jews visiting Auschwitz ought to be confronted with the sight of crosses and convents, his character declared, so he can remember that he is but a guest in Europe. Much of the Jewish world was outraged, but Ozs character Fima was not. Jews visiting Auschwitz ought to be confronted with the sight of crosses and convents, his character declared, so he can remember that he is but a guest in Europe, and an unwanted one at that. Oz often had harsh words to say about Israeli politics, but he never forgot that it is the only place in the world Jews can truly call home. Ozs essential humanity enabled others to connect with his works, even when they disagreed vociferously over politics. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Oz criticized bitterly, called Oz one of the greatest ever authors. Netanyahu explained that Oz contributed immensely to the renewal of Hebrew literature, which he expressed with talent and feeling...Even though our views diverged, I deeply respected his contribution to the renewed Hebrew language and literature. Israels Culture Minister Miri Regev, another one of Ozs political targets, said his novels resounded around the world and inspired all our hearts. Many of Ozs works gained acclaim around the world. His 2002 memoir A Tale of Love and Darkness was adapted as movie starring and directed by Natalie Portman in 2015. He won the Israel Prize in 1998, as well as the Prix Femina and Ordre des Arts et Lettres in France, the Frankfurt Peace Prize in Germany, and the Primo Levi Prize in Italy. He is survived by Nili, his wife of 58 years, and by their daughters Fania and Gallia and their son Daniel. Pranitha Subhash was part of the Young Indian Leaders delegation that went to Israel as a part of the Discover Israel Programme, organised by the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The actress recently adopted a government school in Hassan district in Bengaluru, an initiative that prompted several others to follow suit. Hence the actress made it to the Indian delegation for being a change maker and using her position to make a social impact. The actress trying her hand at swimming in the Dead Sea bordering Israel, the West Bank and Jordan Talking about the Programme, Pranitha says, It was a great experience sharing the dais with entrepreneurs, bureaucrats and thought leaders. India and Israel share great relations, and with Israel known as a start-up country, there are a lot entrepreneurship opportunities to explore on social projects. Pranitha also took the opportunity to rejuvenate and explore Israels culture. The experience of chilling in the Dead Sea is beyond words! I have also been to the iconic Western Wall and explored several other tourist places. I understood how the country is upholding its rich history and strong cultural values Lucknow: Nineteen people have been arrested in connection with the killing of a policeman in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district, a senior police official said on Sunday. Director General of Police (DGP) O P Singh, in a tweet, clarified that the deceased policeman, Suresh Pratap Singh Vats, was a head constable. Vats (48) was killed Saturday when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protests. "The death of head constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Ghazipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law (sic)," the DGP said in a tweet. According to Superintendent of Police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh, the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue. "When the Prime Minister had left Ghazipur, the party workers blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue," he told news agency PTI on Saturday. The SP said the police are trying to identify other protesters by scanning video footage of the incident. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of Vats and Rs 10 lakh for his parents, the state has government said. Adityanath also directed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to take strict action against unruly elements and arrest them immediately. The death comes less than a month after the killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr district. He was shot dead during mob violence over alleged cow slaughter. The man who allegedly shot the Bulandshahr inspector was arrested last week. PM Modi had addressed a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for a medical college and releasing a postal stamp on Maharaj Suheldev. He had left for Varanasi when the violence in Ghazipur took place. The officials said that usually passengers book tickets online using www.tnstc.in website. Chennai: The transport department on Saturday announced that it would set up 30 special booking counters in the city to cater to the Pongal rush. In a first, transport officials have provided facility for passengers to book bus tickets online even from private websites. The officials said that usually passengers book tickets online using www.tnstc.in website. Now, it has been decided to link this with other private websites. Since many people are browsing to book tickets online, we thought and created a link in other websites like www.redbus.in, www.paytm.com and www.busindia.com to book their bus tickets, said an official. Further, the department would also set up 30 special ticket booking counters that would function at Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Bus Terminus known as CMBT, Tambaram Sanatorium, Poonamallee bus stand, Madhavaram Mofussil Bus Terminus (MMBT) from January 9 to January 14, said a press release issued by the transport department. The department had already announced that apart from the 2,275 regular buses, the department would operate 5,000 special buses from Chennai to various districts all over the state between January 11 and January 14. A total of 14,263 services would cater to the Pongal rush. Moreover, 10,445 services would ply between districts during the four days. Between January 17 to January 20, a total of 3,776 buses would be operated from other districts to Chennai. Likewise, as many as 7,841 buses will be operated between the districts and states, read the release. As is the usual norm, the department has made temporary arrangements to ease the pressure in traffic. Accordingly, all buses plying towards Andhra Pradesh will leave from MMBT. Buses to Pondicherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram via ECR would leave from KK Nagar MTC bus depot. Passengers travelling to Kumbakonam, Thanjavur via Vikkravandi and Panruti should board buses from Tambaram Anna bus stand at Sanatorium. Vellore, Arani, Arcot, Thirupattur, Kancheepuram, Cheyyar and Hosur buses will leave from Poonamallee bus stand. Buses to other places including Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Tirunelveli and Madurai will leave from CMBT. The transport department along with police personnel would decide on traffic diversion from January 11 to January 14. Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the Anna University to consider on merits and in accordance with law, a representation from Sri Nandhanam College of Engineering and Technology in Vellore district, seeking affiliation for PG courses viz., MBA and M.E.(Structural Engineering) and M.E. (Thermal Engineering) courses. Justice T.Raja gave the directive while disposing of a petition from Sri Nandhanam College of Engineering and Technology, which also sought a direction to permit 15 students in MBA, 17 students in M.E.(Structural Engineering) and 14 students in M.E. (Thermal Engineering) studying in the college to participate in the 1st semester practical and theory examinations for the year 2018-2019. According to G.Sankaran, counsel for the petitioner, the college has applied for continuation of Provisional Affiliation by the Anna University. Based on the same, the University conducted inspection in March 2018 and issued notice pointing out certain deficiencies. Thereafter, the college has submitted a detailed compliance report in April 2018. While so, the Anna University issued proceedings dated May 15, 2018, granting provisional affiliation in favour of the college with reduced strength of students. When the said proceedings were challenged by the college, this court set aside the order of the Anna University in respect of B.E. (Marine Engineering) course only with further direction, leaving to take any decision in respect of the other discipline or course, he added. He further submitted that the college filed another petition to modify the earlier order in order to give liberty to the petitioner to approach the University for redressal to avail sanctioned intake of students in respect of P.G courses, viz., M.B.A and M.E courses and this court granted liberty to the college to approach the Anna University with a further direction to the University to consider the same on merits. Thereafter, the petitioner college has resubmitted the representation to the University on September 27, 2018 for granting provisional affiliation for M.B.A and M.E courses since the students have already been admitted in the said course and the list of student have already been forwarded to the University for verification. But, no order has been passed by the University. Therefore, the college filed the present petition, he added. The judge said considering the facts and circumstances of the matter, it appears that the representation of the petitioner which was resubmitted on September 27, 2018 was pending with the Anna University. Therefore, the Anna University was directed to consider the said representation of the petitioner on merits and in accordance with law within one week, the judge added. Locals, NGOs and politicians protested against the district administrations failure to protect the park and the statue. Warangal: Miscreants on Saturday despoiled a statue of Mahatma Gandhi by rubbing mud on its face and head in Mahbubabad. Locals, NGOs and politicians staged a demonstration at the Gandhi Park protesting against the district administrations failure to protect the park and the statue. They raised slogans against officials. Mahbubabad-based NGO Nenusaithams Md Saleema contended that even after the High Court had ordered the Gandhi Park in Mahabubabad to be cleaned and beautified, the district administration has failed to execute the orders. In addition, there are no CCTV cameras in the surrounds of the park to identify who has caused such disrespect to the statue. Mahbubabad DSP A. Naresh visited the park and spoke to the protestors. He promised them that the police department would adopt the park and take care of its beautification and development. A gate would also be arranged for the compound of the park. He assured that they would work in coordination with the municipality and change the face of the park completely before Sankranthi festival. The protest was called off on the assurances of the DSP and the statue was cleaned of the mud and dirt. The locals washed it with water and then with milk. Mr Naresh garlanded the statue. The teams raided several gambling hide outs, brothels, hookah parlours and drug sellers, said Cyberabad police commissioner, V.C. Sajjanar. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: The Special Operations Team (SOT) apprehended 1,506 persons involved in 447 cases and seized about Rs 12 crore worth property from them. There are three SOTs working in three Zones: Madhapur, Balanagar and Shamshabad. The teams are well organised to focus on organised crimes, rowdy sheeters and trouble mongers regularly. The teams raided several gambling hide outs, brothels, hookah parlours and drug sellers, said Cyberabad police commissioner, V.C. Sajjanar. Earlier this year, SOT Madhapur conducted a raid on a house and found 91 kg ganja packed in 27 individual packets and apprehended three people. Officials also seized cell phones, and other property worth of Rs 20 lakh from them. In a third case, the SOT, busted an interstate criminal gang (Kanjar Kherva Gang) involved in theft of gold ornaments and cash from bus passengers travelling by buses in Cyberabad, Rachakonda, Nalgonda, Suryapet and Mahbubnagar and arrested five members of the gang and seized 780 gm gold.c Hyderababd: Nearly a decade of constantly making his way upwards, K.T. Rama Rao ends the year at the threshold of the top job in the state that is widely stated to be his. A day after party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao took oath as Chief Minister, he elevated Mr Rama Rao as TRS working president, giving the clearest indication of things to come. If all goes according to plan, Mr Rama Rao, 42, may step into his fathers shoes in the near future. Mr Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao entered politics in 2006, soon after his return to India after quitting a job in the US. He became an MLA in 2009 from Sircilla, and has won four times since. He quickly became the face of the party. If Mr T. Harish Rao was everywhere during Mr Chandrasekhar Raos fast, Mr Rama Rao had broken into the limelight during the time of the Million March a few years later. Since then, Mr Rama Rao has handled the more public assignments. After the TRS formed government in 2014, he became the go-to person for the people by becoming the partys voice on Twitter. He was the lightning rod for the peoples ire over bad road in the city, he was the one who arranged for money for medical treatment of a child in remote village. He has not only lent a patient ear, he has also insisted quite tersely that citizens bore a responsibility to society and in maintenance of infrastructure. After being made the working president, he told the media, Being the son of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, I can have a pass only to have an entry into the party, but I have to prove my mettle which I already proved during the GHMC elections and also by winning 18 seats out of 29 seats in the recent elections for which I was made in charge by the party president. He added another notch to his belt by spearheading a thumping victory by winning 99 wards out of the 150 in the elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections in 2016. More ominously, the Congress, Telugu Desam and the BJP were reduced to sub-five figures in the elections. This was as clear a sign as could be of the things to come. Mr Rama Rao proved this was not a fluke win by leading the charge to win 18 Assembly segments out of 29 segments in the December 7 elections, for which he was made incharge. It was as much a reflection of the TRS taking root as Mr Rama Rao overseeing the shift in power equations. In the first term, Mr Rama Rao held the portfolios of municipal administration and urban development and information technology in the Cabinet. As IT minister, he was in the forefront of furthering the brand image of Hyderabad, including sharing the credit for the I Love Hyd urban signage as well as overseeing music groups performing in the city. He was instrumental in creating the T-Hub and also TS-iPASS, the industrial policy that is widely acknowledged as having attracted industry to the state and more specifically Hyderabad. Given his work experience in the US, it was also felt that there was none better than him to speak to investors from across the globe, including majors like Apple, Google and Boeing. For the political leaders, masses and party workers, he spoke their language as well, being well versed in Telugu, Urdu, Hindi and English. So when he becomes Chief Minister of Telangana Mr Rama Rao will have earned his spurs. Chennai: Mother strangles her son to death, burns him and dumps his remains in a septic tank after her a heated argument with her husband. Meenakshi, a 27-year-old woman from Karayanchavadi, Poonamallee, and her husband Saravanan from Krishnagiri, were married seven years ago and they have a son, Srikanth, a six-year-old. The couple had frequent quarrels and Meenakshi would usually leave with her son to her parents house. However, on Thursday, when the woman turned up at her parents residence, after an argument with her husband, she was turned away. Because of this, she and her son spent their night at the motor room behind the parents house. In the morning when her parents checked on them, Meenakshi was missing and they discerned a burnt foul smell from the septic tank and alerted the police. When the officials turned up at the place, they found the body of Srikanth, the six-year-old son, in the septic tank. His remains were sent to the Kilpauk Government Hospital for post-mortem. The face of the child had been completely burned and the dress of the child had been charred, police sources said. The mother returned home soon with a shaved head and confessed to being responsible for the death of the child. The son was sleeping when she strangled him to death, after which she burnt him with kerosene, and dumped his body into the septic tank, said the police to whom Meenakshi had confessed. According to sources, Meenakshi meant to end her life along with her son, and planned to hang herself inside the house, but changed her mind out of fear, but developed cold feet and chose not to. After the incident, she went to Mangadu temple, repented and returned home to surrender. A case has been registered on the mother with murder charges and further enquiry is on. Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday called on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. Mr Rao reportedly briefed the Governor on his Delhi visit and his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier Mr Rao in his press conference said the Prime Minister had assured the sanction of Navodaya Schools in the state. Vijayawada: AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who earlier promoted family planning has now changed his attitude by cancelling the two-children norm to contest in the elections. This will help political leaders who have more than two children and still contest in the local bodies elections. Mr Naidu has been asking the people of Andhra Pradesh not to stop with one or two children and to have more kids. He admitted that he had earlier promoted family planning due to the need of that time, but now the young population was decreasing and hence his stand had changed. Speaking to mediapersons, Mr Naidu said that Japan, China and other countries were facing a severe shortage of young people due to their practice of family planning for decades. He said that the population of old people had increased due to good health but the younger population was required for development in any country and reduction of youngsters was a big problem to society. He said that the state government had cancelled the two children norm eligibility to contest in the local body elections and further awareness programmes would be started to bring awareness among masses to have more children. He said that the youth was the wealth of the country and the power of the society. Naidu added that the AP government was planning to start promotional schemes among parents to shun family planning and to have more children. Lumthari (Meghalaya): A team leader from the Indian Navy and NDRF personnel went inside a 370-foot-deep mine, where 15 miners are trapped, to ascertain the water level inside on Sunday afternoon, officials said. The Navy divers and their equipment arrived at the site around 1:30 pm Sunday after which the Navy personnel started measuring the actual level of the water in the mine shaft. The 10 pumps brought by the rescue team from Odisha have been kept on standby. Meanwhile, the divers have also been kept on standby, the officials said. The Navy wanted to ascertain the water level as their divers can operate up to 100 feet in a closed container-type situation, a district official said. Nearly 200 rescuers from various agencies are stationed at the site. The Odisha Fire Service team had brought 10 high-powered pumps with them. East Jaintia Hills district SP Sylvester Nongtynger said that at least two pumps will have to be lowered down to the water level inside the mine shaft to begin the operation. Odisha Chief Fire Officer S Sethi said his team was tasked with pumping water out and they are ready for the job. "Our only concern is that if we install the pumps now, the carbon exhaust may suffocate the entire mine shaft," Sethi said. The remaining eight pumps will be placed at various locations identified in the area, he said. One high-powered submersible pumps with an output capacity of 500 gallons per minute is arriving on Sunday from CIL Ranchi, CIL Kolkata GM A K Bharali said. Bharali, who arrived here four days ago, said that as soon as the generators and platforms are made available at the mine shaft, the pumping of water will begin. Five more pumps from CIL Centres in Ranchi, Dhandbad and Asansol are on road and are expected to arrive anytime, he said. A senior district official said a few pumps of Coal India Ltd have arrived in Guwahati and are expected to reach the site soon. A team of 25 CIL personnel are at the site and survey teams are doing their job, Bharali said. The miners have been trapped in the mine in the Ksan area of Lumthari village in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district since December 13, after water from the nearby Lytein river gushed into it. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is coordinating the rescue operations with the help of Navy, the NDMA and Coal India Ltd. "The Navy divers have reported that they have the capacity to go a depth of 100 feet, whereas the NDRF divers can go to a depth of 30 feet," East Jaintia Hills district SP Sylvester Nongtyngerthe said. At present, India's armoured regiments, comprising mainly T-90, T-72 and Arjuna tanks, have much more superiority over Pakistan, but sources said Islamabad was seriously planning to bridge the gap at the earliest. (Representational Image | PIB) New Delhi: At a time when modernisation of the Army's armored corp is moving at a "snail's pace", Pakistan has drawn up an ambitious plan to procure close to 600 battle tanks including T-90 tanks from Russia, primarily to bolster its combat prowess along the border with India, military and intelligence sources said on Sunday. Most of the tanks Pakistan was procuring will be able to hit targets at a range of 3 to 4 km and they are set to deploy some of the tanks along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources told news agency PTI. Apart from battle tanks, Pakistan army is also procuring 245 150mm SP Mike-10 guns from Italy out of which it has already received 120 guns. The sources said Pakistan was eyeing to buy from Russia a batch of T-90 battle tanks- the mainstays of the armoured regiments of the Indian Army, and that the move reflects Islamabad's intent to forge a deeper defence engagement with Moscow which has been India's largest and most trusted defence supplier post Independence. Pakistan has been holding joint military drills with Russia in the last couple of years besides going for defence purchases from it, triggering some concerns in New Delhi. The sources said as part of the mega plan to significantly revamp its armoured fleet by 2025, Pakistan has decided to procure at least 360 battle tanks globally besides producing 220 tanks indigenously with help from China. Pakistan army's move to enhance its armoured corps comes at a time when the Line of Actual control in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed growing hostilities in the last one year. The Indian Army has been strongly retaliating to every unprovoked firing by Pakistani side. But, when the Indian Army is focused on counter-terror operations, the Pakistan Army was fast reducing its gap with Indian forces in fighting a conventional war, the intelligence sources said. Military sources said modernisation of the Indian Army's armoured regiments were moving at a "snail's pace" due to procedural delays and the issue is being examined at a very high level of the government. The Indian Army had drawn up a mega plan to modernise its infantry and armoured corps. However, almost all the procurement projects including the Rs 60,000 crore Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme are stuck due to a variety of reasons. At present, India's armoured regiments, comprising mainly T-90, T-72 and Arjuna tanks, have much more superiority over Pakistan, but sources said Islamabad was seriously planning to bridge the gap at the earliest. As against around 67 armoured regiments of Indian Army, the number of similar regiments in Pakistan Army is around 51, the sources said. At present, over 70 per cent of the tanks in Pakistan's armoury have the capability to operate during night which, they said, was a matter of concern. Besides eyeing to procure T-90 tanks, Pakistan army is also in the process of inducting Chinese VT-4 tanks as well as Oplod-P tanks from Ukrain, the sources said. Trials for both Oplod and VT-4 tanks have already been conducted by the Pakistan Army. At present, Pakistan is learnt to have around 17 units of Chinese origin T-59 and T69 tanks, which comprise 30 per cent of its total tank strength, the sources said. It also has 12 regiments of Al-Zarar tanks, which makes 20 per cent of the tank fleet while Ukrain origin T-80-UD and T-85-UD as well as upgraded version of T-59 tanks comprise the rest 50 per cent tank fleet, they said. "The Pakistan army is carrying out modernisation of its armoured regiments in a calibrated and time-bound manner which is not the case in India," said an expert, who wished not to be named. He said it was a matter of concern the way Pakistan was modernising its tank fleet. The Indian Army has also raised an independent tank brigade which is stationed in Ladakh but it is not enough, the expert said. TIRUCHY: The International Airport at Tiruchy drew global attention recently as a Dubai- bound Air India Express flight miraculously escaped when it brushed past the airport compound wall here at the end of the runway, while taking off in the wee hours of October 12. All the 130 passengers and six crew members had a miraculous escape. Airport sources told DC that around 0119 hours, the flight commandant Capt. Ganeshkumar operating the aircraft on its taking-off process hit and damaged the Instrument landing system (ILS), one runway end light (RWY 27), five ILS functional monitoring antennas and an ILS monitor controlled antenna, before the wheelbase of the aircraft crashed the compound wall very close to the Tiruchy- Pudukkottai National Highway. It resulted in a small portion of the compound wall collapsing at two places and also damaged the fencing. The Air traffic Control (ATC) duty staff gave a note to airman and also directed the pilot to come back for an emergency landing, but he told the ATC that they were safe and continued their journey as if nothing happened. Realising the trouble and danger, the ATC alerted the Air Indian Express authorities and the Mumbai airport. Then, at Mumbai airport ATCs instruction, the aircraft nearing Muscat returned to Mumbai for an emergency landing there. The passengers of the aircraft came to know about the episode only after the aircraft alighted at Mumbai airport. According to local residents residing on the Tiruchy-Pudukkottai National highway, fortunately at that time when the flight crashed the compound wall, very close to the National highway, there was no vehicular movement; otherwise a major mishap could have taken place. This incident has given the jolt to the Airports Authority of India to pursue the expansion of the existing runway, which has been long delayed due to the bottlenecks faced in land acquisition for the proposed runway expansion. Though the AAI instituted a high level inquiry into the incident, the outcome of the probe is yet to be released. However, after setting right the damaged compound wall and other communication equipment, flights movement in and out of Tiruchy International airport is going on as usual. New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the death of a police constable during stone-pelting by a mob, alleging that in Yogi Adityanath's "jungle rule" neither the people are safe, nor the police. Police constable Suresh Vats, 48, was killed Saturday in Ghazipur when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reacting to the incident, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed, "In Adityanath's grand jungle rule, neither the people were safe, nor the police." "Today in Ghazipur after Modi ji's rally, a mob mercilessly killed police constable Suresh Vats," he tweeted. Before this, a mob had killed police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr which the chief minister had described as an accident, he said. "Democracy in BJP rule=mobocracy," he tweeted. Vats from Karimuddinpur police station was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protesters. Superintendent of police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh said the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue. When the Prime Minister had left Ghazipur, the party workers blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue, he said. Vats was immediately taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. At least 15 party workers were detained in connection with the incident. The police are trying to identify other protesters through the video footage of the incident. The constable was from Raniganj in Pratapgarh district. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of the dead constable and Rs 10 lakh for his parents. He also directed the district magistrate and the SP to take action against unruly elements. Sadhu Yadav and Subhash Yadav accused Lalu Yadav of ignoring Tej Pratap Yadav when naming Tejashwi Yadav as his political successor. (Photo: File | PTI) Patna: RJD national president Lalu Yadav's estranged brothers-in-law Sadhu Yadav and Subhash Yadav on Saturday sought to fish in troubled waters by accusing the former Bihar chief minister of having ignored his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav when naming Tejashwi Yadav as his political successor. The brothers of Lalu Yadav's wife Rabri Devi, who succeeded him as chief minister, used to wield tremendous influence in Bihar politics and administration when the RJD was in power. They were also elected to parliament when Lalu Yadav moved to Delhi and became a union minister in 2004. Over the years, however, the two fell out of favour with the RJD chief. Talking to a regional news channel separately, Sadhu Yadav and Subhash Yadav squarely blamed Lalu Yadav for the perceived struggle for supremacy between Tej Pratap - who of late has shown greater interest in the RJD's affairs - and Tejashwi Yadav - who was declared the party's chief ministerial candidate last year. "It was his (Lalu's) excessive fondness for Tejashwi that led him to turn his back on us. Now he is doing the same to his elder son. Being the elder child, Tej Pratap too must get something," Sadhu Yadav said. Similar views were echoed by Subhash Yadav, who suggested that in the event of the RJD winning power in Bihar, one of the brothers should head the government while the other should lead the party. Sadhu Yadav recently made an appearance at a dharna staged by Tej Pratap at a police station, triggering speculation that the maternal uncle was egging on his mercurial nephew to take on the younger brother who enjoys greater clout within the party. However, Tej Pratap Yadav side-stepped queries about his being goaded by his maternal uncles to embark on a collision course with Tejashwi Yadav. "If the uncle does not act in a way that benefits the nephew, he gets finished like Kansa was slain by Krishna," Tej Pratap Yadav, known for his fondness for mythological metaphors, remarked cryptically. ormer Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday said he too was an 'Accidental Prime Minister' amid a political row over the movie with the same title. (Photo: File) Bengaluru: Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday said he too was an "Accidental Prime Minister" amid a political row over the movie with the same title. The film is based on Manmohan Singh's tenure as India's prime minister from 2004 to 2014 with the Congress alleging it was the BJP's propaganda against their party. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Sanjaya Baru, who served as Singh's media adviser from 2004 to 2008 The film's trailer was released in Mumbai on Thursday. Reacting to a question over the controversy, the 85-year-old JDS supremo said, "Actually I don't know, why that was allowed...I think it started three or four months ago. I don't know who has permitted, why? Honestly, I have not gone through this so called Accidental Prime Minister. I'm also (an) Accidental Prime Minister," Gowda said in a lighter vein. In the 1996 general elections, no party won enough seats to form a government. The United Front, a conglomeration of non-Congress and non-BJP regional parties, decided to form the government at the Centre with the support of the Congress and chose Gowda to head the government. He served as prime minister from June 1, 1996, to April 21, 1997, with the help of regional parties and Congress. Later when Congress withdrew support, Gowda had to step down. Directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, the film stars Kher as Manmohan Singh and Akshaye Khanna as Baru. It is slated for release on January 11. Hyderabad: Several policy decisions are waiting for the approval of the Cabinet. In the recent Assembly elections, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao gave various assurances to the people on which some policy decisions need to be taken. Mr Rao said the assurances given by him will be implemented from the next financial year which starts from April 1, 2019. For this the government should make financial allocations in the Budget. The exercise will start from next month. Unless the government takes policy decisions on some issues, the finance department will not be in a position to allocate funds. In a review meeting held on Saturday with finance department officials, Mr Rao made it clear that every promise made by him in the elections needed to be implemented. Once the Cabinet approves the policy decisions, the finance department will estimate the quantum of funds needed to implement them and the allocations required in the Budget. In the election manifesto, the TRS promised a mix of new spos, extension of existing schemes and a repeat of old assurances. TRS announced increasing the retirement age of government employees from 58 years to 61. The finance department needs to assess how many employees will retire next year and the impact of their continuing in service means for finances and others. Unless the Cabinet approves this policy decision, the finance department cannot continue their services after retirement. Another assurance made by TRS was increasing the age limit for government jobs by three years and giving unemployed youth a dole of `3,016. This also needs Cabinet approval. Regarding the dole, Mr Rao said he would appoint a committee to study the number of unemployed youth in the state and how the other states are implementing the scheme. The most important assurance of waiver of agricultural loans up to `1 lakh. Unless the Cabinet takes a decision on this, the departments concerned cannot take up the exercise. Because of the assurance, farmers have stopped repayment of loans, and bank officials will start exerting pressure on them to pay up. The government needs to act quickly. Mr Rao announced that the government would reduce the age limit to get old age pensions under Aasara scheme and implement it from the next financial year. Old age pensions are being given for those who are 65 years and older and Mr Rao promised to reduce the age limit to 57. With this lakhs of people will come under the scheme. To allot the budget for this a lot of exercise is needed after the approval of the Cabinet. Governor Banwarilal Purohit appoints Dr Sudha Seshayyan as VC of the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University on Saturday at Raj Bhavan. R. Rajagopal, additional chief secretary to Governor, also present. (Photo: DC) Chennai: Governor of Tamil Nadu and chancellor of the Tamil Nadu MGR Medical University, Banwarilal Purohit appointed Dr Sudha Seshayyan as the vice-chancellor of the Tamil Nadu MGR Medical University, Chennai on Saturday. She has been appointed for a period of three years beginning from the date of her assumption of office. An excellent Tamil orator and currently the vice-principal and director and professor of Institute of Anatomy at Madras Medical College, Dr Sudha has an outstanding academic record with a teaching experience of more than 30 years. After pursuing undergraduation in public administration from Osmania University and hospital administration from Annamalai University, Dr Sudha turned a civil surgeon at 30. Dr Sudha is currently a member of Medical Council of India, member of board of medical education at Annamalai University and also a member of board of postgraduate studies at Chettinad University. She was the co-ordinator for the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University and has also been the registrar of the university from January 2009 to November 2011 and was presented with the best administrator award by the university. Dr Sudha Seshayyan also served as the director and professor, Institute of Anatomy, Madurai Medical College, head of Department of Anatomy at Stanley Medical College and inspector to medical Institutions on behalf of Medical Council of India and various other universities. Her academic excellence got her recognized as the international advisory member of 'Gray's Anatomy' and 'Atlas of Clinical Gross Anatomy'. She edited the Text Book of Anatomy, 'Brittanica Thagaval Kalanjiyam' (Tamil version of Brittanica Encyclopaedia) and a medical encyclopaedia titled "Maruthuva Kalanjiyam". She has also contributed endowment lectures and orations for various international conferences. Her write-ups on various spiritually oriented topics have been published in various Tamil magazines. Dr Sudha has many awards to her name including the best performance award of appreciation by state health department, Kalaimamani award by the government of Tamil Nadu, Pravachana Chooodamani by Krishna Gana Sabha, Asthika Pravachana Rathna by Asthika Samaj and Sollin Selvar award by Government of Tamil Nadu to name a few. Vijayawada: Calling Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Raos comments on him atrocious, Telugu Desam supremo and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu strongly condemned them. Mr Naidu said he followed value-based politics and always refrained from making any personal comments as Mr Rao had done on Saturday. He said he always maintained dignity and decorum in public life. Terming the comments as crass and not dignified, Mr Naidu said no civil society accepts such remarks by a leader of Mr Raos stature. Mr Naidu also dared Mr Rao on the vote for note case, saying he can also book cases like phone tapping. If he books one case I can also book four cases, said Mr Naidu. He ridiculed Mr Raos claim that the entire nation has appreciated his Rythu Bandhu scheme and that it is ready to be implemented across the country. He said the growth of agriculture in Telangana state was way behind Andhra Pradesh. The four-year average growth of Telangana in the agriculture sector was two per cent while it was 11 per cent in Andhra Pradesh. Talking to reporters after releasing a white paper on rural and urban infrastructure, Mr Naidu said he cant be cowed down by blackmail in politics. He added that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Rao dont like Andhra Pradesh to be developed and are targeting him. He said Mr Rao and Mr Modi criticise each other in public but in private they have a secret deal. Mr Naidu also said that Mr Rao was frustrated with no tangible outcome of his meetings with the Chief Ministers of Odisha and West Bengal, Naveen Patnaik and Mamata Banerjee respectively, on the supposed federal front and was making improper comments against him. He added that Mr Rao, Mr Modi and YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy are all conspiring against Andhra Pradesh and targeting him. He termed Mr Rao as Middle Modi and Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy as Junior Modi. The TD supremo said that Mr Modi did nothing for Gujarat during his 13-year tenure as the state chief minister and failed to create a knowledge economy. Taking strong objection to Mr Rao calling him a rank opportunist, Mr Naidu recalled that Mr Rao had declared he would merge the TRS with the Congress if the latter granted statehood, but had made a U-turn later. He also said that though he was against giving majority seats to the TRS in 2009, Mr Rao had pleaded with him, and so the TD had given 44 seats to the TRS. He said in 2004, Mr Rao was with the Congress and in 2009 with the TD. He said that Mr Rao alleged that he had snatched away the TD from its founder and his father-in-law N T Rama Rao, but Mr Rao had supported him when the incident took place. He recalled that Mr Rao had become a minister in his Cabinet only after the incident of usurping NTR took place. Mr Naidu said that because he was denied a Cabinet berth, Mr Rao had walked out of the TD and started his own outfit. He said Mr Rao should not forget his origins. He also said Mr Rao is most welcome to AP and have a truck with the YSRC and the BJP and even contest in the state in the upcoming polls. He assumed that Mr Rao and Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy were preparing the ground to contest in the Andhra Pradesh polls since Mr Rao has said he would write to Mr Modi asking for special category status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh. On aligning with the Congress, Mr Naidu said that since the grand old party had openly assured that SCS would be given to Andhra Pradesh immediately after coming to power, setting aside all differences, they had joined hands. He said the new secretariat of Andhra Pradesh will be the pride of Andhra Pradesh and a symbol of self-respect of Andhra people. He also took strong objection to Mr Rao saying he doesnt know English and asked sarcastically if Mr Rao had studied at Oxford. Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will undertake a phase-wise tour of irrigation projects from January 1 to review the work in progress at the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme and the Sriramsagar project rejuvenation scheme. Mr Rao will leave from Begumpet airport to Karimnagar on New Year Day after attending the swearing-in of Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and other judges of the Telangana High Court, to visit the barrages and pump houses at Medigadda, Sundilla and Annaram that are coming up as part of the Kaleswaram project. According to a statement from the CMs office, a team of retired engineers led by retired chief engineer Shyam Prasad will visit pump houses of the three barrages on Monday evening and and brief the Chief Minister about the progress of work on the projects. The next day, the team will visit the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy and the Dindi projects to examine the progress of the work taken up. On January 2, the team will visit the Sitarama project and surrounding areas and reach Hyderabad the same day. The Chief Minister will visit the Sriramsagar project and the pump house sites of Rajeshwa-rraopet and Rampur and return to Hyderabad on the same day. The CM will hold review meetings on the irrigation projects at Pragathi Bhavan on January 3 or the next day. Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh government and Telugu Desam leaders are shocked at the decision of the Prime Ministers Office denying their request to grant 90 days grace period for shifting the High Court to Amaravati. Sources in the judiciary disclosed that the AP government had requested the Union Law Ministry to issue a notification for the separate High Court by granting 90 days to get the logistics in place like moving judicial staff officers and case files from Hyderabad to Amaravati. Sources revealed that the Union Law ministry had forwarded the file to the Prime Minister's Office along with the note of the AP government. But, surprisingly, the President issued the notification on December 26 without mentioning the grace period sought by the AP government. Sources in the judiciary disclosed that the PMO authorities, after obtaining legal opinion, discarded Andhra Pradesh's request. The Supreme Court in its order thus categorically held that both the High Courts would be functional from January 1, 2019 in view of the affidavit of the AP government assuring that the infrastructure for the High Court would be ready by December 15, 2018. Sources said that the PMO authorities refused the request to avoid further legal consequences in view of the apex court's finding of making both High Courts functional from January 1. 2019. OneWeb has not offered to sell any stake in OneWeb to the Russian Government. The US satellite startup OneWeb, which plans to create a worldwide internet network using satellites, said on Friday that it had not offered the Russian government a stake in the project. Sources had earlier told Reuters that OneWeb had offered to sell a 12.5 percent stake to Russia, a move it hoped would allay Moscows concerns about the companys satellite network plan. Russias Federal Security Service said in October it was against the OneWebs project to bring internet access to remote parts of the country because the agency said it could be used to gather intelligence and damage national security. "OneWeb has not offered to sell any stake in OneWeb to the Russian Government", the startup said on its website. Russias state news agency TASS has cited Russias communications minister as saying the government has not discussed such a deal with OneWeb. The Virginia-based startup plans to create a network of 900 satellites, most of which it wants to send into orbit via 21 Russian Soyuz launch vehicles from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and the Guiana Space Centre. The launch of the first satellite is planned to take place before February 2019. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Senior politician Yashwant Sinha, who quit BJP earlier this year, is a vocal critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his latest book 'India Unmade: How the Modi Government Broke the Economy' is a scathing critique of the regime. He believes Modi added to the problems rather than solving it. Sinha says he is no liberal like Vajpayee. Sinha spoke to DH's Shemin Joy Your new book is a scathing critique of Narendra Modi government's economic policies. Why do you think Modi has unmade India? It is because he followed wrong policies and caused a lot of damage to the economy, the full import of which is not known yet. I think it will have to be another government to go into some of the follies that he committed in policy formulations and assess the impact of those policies. We had an India which he inherited. It was not been exactly a clean slate. There were problems. But he has added to the problems instead of solving them. The book ends with an interesting line. "Elect him again and by 2024 it will be a lost decade," you wrote. Why do you say so? We have already lost half-a-decade by electing Modi in 2014. If we give him another five, we will lose a decade. I don't expect him to be able to fulfil the needs of the people of this country. In the last four and half years or more, he has clearly demonstrated that his only purpose of governance is to win elections by hook or crook. Therefore, he has not concentrated on delivering or fulfilling promises. He has merely indulged in event management. So, it is not just the economy. Do you mean to say he has failed in other counts too? Yes. He has failed in foreign policy. He has failed in social policy. He succeeded in dividing the society. So that is why it is a lost five years. He has damaged the Idea of India. The Modi government is faced with agrarian distress and trouble in job creation among other issues. Why did the government fail? That is because the economy is not really growing at a pace at which it is claimed to be. An economy which is growing at a rate of 7% will create jobs. If the jobs are not being created, then those figures lose credibility. There are many economists, including me, who feel that these figures are not credible. Are these fudged figures? I have said that in the book also and mentioned the reasons. Did demonetisation and GST added to these woes? Yes. It did. You were one of the first to endorse Modi as the Prime Ministerial face of BJP ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha elections. You refer to the public mood too in his favour before the elections. Do you now think you erred in your judgement? Yes. I have no hesitation in admitting that I was mistaken and I also got taken in by the propaganda he had unleashed as Chief Minister of Gujarat in projecting the progress of Gujarat, projecting himself as being responsible for that progress and creating an image of a doer. You have worked with leaders in the capacity of a bureaucrat when you were an IAS officer and later as a politician. What differences do you find between A B Vajpayee and Modi? There is a world of difference. Vajpayee was a Democrat. Modi is not. Vajpayee believed in consensus. Modi believes in his own rule. Vajpayee tried to make everyone comfortable in this country. There was an assurance of comfort. People were not in tension all the time. Modi has put everyone or most of them ill at ease. People are not comfortable any more. Yes, there were problems even during Vajpayee rule but people did not doubt his sincerity. Modi's sincerity and commitment to people is doubtful. What was Vajpayee's economic philosophy? Vajpayee made India. I had written an article two years ago and its title was Make India and Make in India will follow. First, you have to make India. I gave the example of the National Highway programme. I said that the first problem that we faced when we decided to built world class highways, it was not money but equipment. The country did not have the equipment to make modern roads. The builders came to me and asked me to allow them to import machines until we started making them in India. I did allow them to import these machines and exempted customs duty. Then people started making it here. It was a clear case of making India. Like making roads in India and making equipment in India. It cannot happen in a vacuum. You said Vajpayee provided sort of comfort. He was never ridiculed by his allies or Opposition. Now, Modi is being attacked even by allies like Shiv Sena whose chief Uddhav Thackeray has said that 'chowkidars' (guards) themselves have become thieves, taking cue from a campaign launched by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. How do you view this? The difference is that Vajpayee throughout his long public life, he followed certain behaviour patterns which created respect for himself across party lines. Modi has not been able to do that. Not even among his allies. With Opposition also, it is the same. Both Vajpayee and Modi have their roots in the RSS. Is there a difference in their idea of India? Through once instance I will explain. The RSS and BJP believed India should go nuclear. The moment Vajpayee got an opportunity, he conducted nuclear tests and declared to the world that India is a nuclear weapon state. To that extent, he followed the old policy which had been influenced by the RSS. But as far as the economy was concerned, he did not follow the restrictive policy of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM). Instead He followed a very liberal policy. Vajpayee was generally a liberal. He came from the same stock. But he came with an overdose of liberalism. Modi doesn't have that. With slow but steady progress, fair funding for Pennsylvania schools moved along in 2018, inching toward a resolution that would make public education equitable across the commonwealth. As 2019 begins, we continue our push to keep the effort on track with hopes for a finish line somewhere down the road. The effort is being led by schools in the five-county region surrounding Philadelphia. Most notably in this region are the parents in the William Penn School District in Delaware County who initiated a lawsuit against the state Department of Education and district leaders in the Pottstown School District in Montgomery County who tirelessly sound the call for reform. The William Penn lawsuit took a step forward in August, 2018, when Commonwealth Court rejected motions filed on behalf of state Senate President Pro-Tempore Joseph Scarnati and House Speaker Mike Turzai who claimed the 2014 lawsuit was moot after the legislature passed a fair funding formula in 2016. In a four-page opinion, Judge Robert Simpson said it was clear that a dispute about the significance and adequacy of the funding changes persists. The fair funding formula takes into account local factors like special education population and local property tax effort, but the payoff to the districts that would benefit from the formula was curtailed by the provision that only new education funding be distributed that way. Using this method, it could take as long as 20 years for some districts to reach parity. Pottstown Schools, for example, are currently underfunded by more than $13 million every year. Aggravating the situation was a 2017 study by the advocacy group POWER which found that, intentional or not, Pennsylvanias education funding has a bias against communities with high minority populations, even when the poverty levels are the same. I doubt very much this situation exists by design, said researcher David Mosenkis. I dont think people got together in a back room and said lets discriminate against students of color. But now that we have shone a light on its existence, now that we know there is a systemic bias that favors white populations, there is no excuse for not fixing it. This revelation further motivated Pottstown Schools Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez and members of the Pottstown School Board to step up their advocacy in Harrisburg. This absolutely angers me, said Rodriguez. It angers me for what opportunities it is robbing from our students and it angers me for the economic burden it is putting on this community. The drumbeat of protest continued through 2018, gaining some traction. In May, a flurry of bills was introduced in the General Assembly, all aimed at further empowering the fair funding formula and putting its provision to work more widely and more quickly. In August, state representatives Tom Quigley and Tim Hennessey jointly introduced a bill that would allocate 75 percent of all new Basic Education Funding proportionately to the underfunded school districts and the remaining 25 percent of all new Basic Education Funding to all 500 school districts through the student-weighted Basic Education Formula. If enacted, the bill, which also had the support of state Sen. Bob Mensch, R-24th Dist., would speed up the pace at which underfunded districts catch up to their wealthier neighbors. The distribution of education funding through the fair funding formula remains a single-digit fraction of the whole just 8 percent in the current years budget despite Gov. Tom Wolfs endorsement of a more equitable method. While Rodriguez and other school leaders pressure the legislature, petitioners in the William Penn lawsuit look to the courts to remedy the situation. Dan Ackelsberg of the Public Interest Law Center, which represents the petitioners, told Digital First Media in August that the suit has always been about challenging the system. One statute change does not change that failure, that system, he said. This has always been a challenge to the system and the legislatures failure to adequately fund public schools. We look forward to children across the commonwealth getting their days in court. As we begin 2019, we await the day in court that could force the legislature to properly fund our schools all schools, not just those that are in wealthy areas with a strong local tax base. Every child is entitled by the state constitution to an education. We look forward to the finish line that will make that a reality. People are incurably optimistic. Thats more than just an endearing trait; it becomes, over time, a self-fulfilling prophecy. Thats good news as we sit on the precipice of another new year. A century ago, the Salt Lake Telegram greeted 1919 with an optimistic editorial about the things that had changed because of a grim and deadly world war. Because of the united efforts of foreign born and ethnic citizens to help win the war, the editors said, the nation would enter a new era of equality. Americans are going to do many things differently from now on, the editorial said. We are going to come to a full realization of the fact that an American is an American regardless of race or religion. That optimism can seem silly in retrospect at least in the perspective of those times. Certainly, we have not yet achieved such a full realization 100 years later. In some quarters today, people from 1918 might still feel quite at home. But it would be equally silly to deny the progress and the upward trend, or to discount the vision of those editors. Just as it would be foolish to stop believing the future will be even better. That kind optimism seems innate in a nation that values freedoms. If you dont believe people will naturally try to do better, why give them any freedom at all? Americans wouldnt put on silly hats and act nutty Monday night without some degree of faith in the future. Even those of us who are older and go to bed early still expect good things. The political world isnt nearly as optimistic, for obvious reasons. You wont get many votes by arguing that life is good while your opponent is in power. Unfortunately, we often buy into these false arguments. We take a long view of the future and a short view of the present. That doesnt serve us well. 2018 was the year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that life expectancy actually dropped by 0.1 years. Violent crime ticked up, and the #metoo movement blossomed, exposing all sorts of sexual assault and abuse we didnt know was happening. Last spring, some people noted that more people died in school shootings so far in the year than while actively deployed in military hot spots. Grim statistics, all. Each one exposes a real problem that will require the focus of great minds and the collective will of the entire culture to solve. But we also cannot afford to ignore a broader perspective. The small drop in life expectancy doesnt look so dire when you consider it stood at 47 years in 1900. Today its 78.6 years, and modern science is making strides that promise to reverse the small backward step. As for crime, the 2016 murder rate stood at 5.3 per 100,000, according to federal statistics, which seems much higher than the 4.4 rate in 2014. But in 1980 the rate was 10.2. Robberies stood at 251.1 per 100,000 in 1980; in 2016 the rate was 102.8. Rapes dropped from 42.8 per 100,000 in 1994 to 29.6 in the latest statistics. Likewise, the #metoo movement is a positive step in the right direction, so long as due process and fair representation remain in place. And the shooting statistics, disturbing as they are, were skewed by two large incidents early in the year. Experts say its still more dangerous to be on active duty in the military than at school. That doesnt minimize the importance of stopping people from killing kids. Nor should we discount the need to solve todays other ills. But we shouldnt over-glamorize the distant past, either. In their book, Its getting better all the time, authors Stephen Moore and Julian L. Simon describe life a century ago as an era of tuberculosis, typhoid, sanitariums, child labor, child death, horses, horse manure, candles, 12-hour workdays, Jim Crow laws, tenements, slaughterhouses and outhouses. Well, when you put it that way. The truth is, we wouldnt face Tuesday morning with optimism without an innate understanding of this overall upward trend one that has its roots in basic freedoms and rights. On the doorstep of 2019, we should pause and remind ourselves of progress made. Also, we should give thanks to folks, including those editors a century ago, who at least knew enough to keep pointing us in the right direction. On Jan. 1, Secretary of Defense James Mattis will be the latest cabinet member to exit President Donald Trumps dwindling circle of friendship. To some, hell walk away a hero who stood on principle. To others, hell head home a softie who couldnt rein in the president. Still others will bid him a hearty farewell and welcome another more aligned with the president. So which is it? When at loggerheads with the chief executive, is resigning a show of integrity, or is it failing to put country first? Mattis, a distinguished career Marine, was appointed by Trump nearly two years ago and entered the office with a long list of accomplishments. He seemed a natural fit and affirmed the importance of a United States-led world order, in a sense supporting a foreign affairs version of America first. But tensions with the president mounted, bursting when Mattis refused to defend the presidents Dec. 19 decision to pull 2,000 American troops out of Syria. So he resigns. And his resignation letter doesnt hide any discontent he feels toward the administration. Because you have the right to a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours, he writes, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position. Sounds like standing on principle. But Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse called it a sad day for America because Secretary Mattis was giving advice the President needs to hear. Sounds like a public servant refusing to put his country first. Whats right? Consider this history refresher. With the United States in its infancy, electors had no qualms casting their votes twice for George Washington to lead the fledgling nation. But after he graciously bowed out of a third term, partisan politics settled in and the country got its first taste of nasty politicking. Washingtons vice president, John Adams, dueled with his longtime friend and fellow cabinet member, Thomas Jefferson, in the election of 1796. These were simpler times where Twitter was the town newspaper and stump speeches predated news sound bites. It also was a time when the Constitution had only 11 amendments. That means whoever got the second-most votes in their run for president became the vice, a constitutional mechanism Congress altered with the 12th Amendment. In the meantime, Adams edged out Jefferson in 1796, elevating Adams to president and making his political foe second in command. Once great friends, politics drove them apart and neither had an inclination to work with the other. Foreign affairs was the sticking point. Jefferson supported the ongoing French Revolution, despite the execution of King Louis XVI, while Adams was decidedly pro-British. Somehow they limped through the four years. After another demoralizing campaign, politicos of the day saw the mess and found the solution in a constitutional amendment. (Apparently, slandering Adams hideous hermaphroditical character didnt do much to help the situation.) But such a severe action isnt prudent today, at least not for something so petty as a presidential-appointed secretary who disagrees with his boss. Unlike Mattis and a growing number of Trumps chosen White House officials, Jefferson stuck it out. But is gridlock and conflict more noble than progress for one persons agenda? Put yourself in the scenario. Could you possibly serve your country without being totally compromised by working for someone you couldnt support? Its a complex question. But lets hope our touchstones for answering still involve a sense of patriotic duty and a clear conscience. SALT LAKE CITY Leaked toy figurines based around the Marvel Cinematic Universes characters have shed light on what we can expect from the upcoming films. Hulk: A new leak from Lego revealed the possible fate of Hulk, according to BGR. See, a new Lego minifigure that appeared on an Instagram account shows the character smiling. Why does that matter?: Well, theres an ongoing fan theory that Hulk becomes Professor Hulk, which is a more human version of the beastly character who can speak better English, according to ComicBook.com. Captain Marvel: Another toy leak for the Captain Marvel line of toys includes one of character Carol Danvers turning into her Binary character, which happened after an alien race called the Brood experimented on her, according to ScreenRant. More: An Instagram users posted the rough plans for upcoming Lego sets that offer a few hints at Avengers: Endgame. For example, theres a toy called Captain America: Attack of the Outrider, which hints at a minor battle since it costs $20 and has 167 pieces, according to BGR. Other titles like War Machine Crusher and Iron Man Armor Room hint at characters War Machine and Iron Man having new armor, BGR reports. References to Avengers Super Quinjet and Battle of the Assembled Avengers imply there will be major battles for the film, too. However: None of these toys are confirmed from Lego or Marvel. So take these minor spoilers with a grain of salt until more details about the film become available. LODI, Calif. The father of a 2-year-old boy who was separated from his Yemeni mother until she successfully fought the Trump administration's travel ban to see him in the United States laid his body to rest Saturday, a day after the child was taken off life support at a hospital. Under a cloudless winter day, Ali Hassan carried his son's small body to bury at an Islamic cemetery in California's Central Valley. "I'm a U.S. citizen; my son is a U.S. citizen," the 22-year-old father told mourners at a service before burial. "The Muslim ban kept my wife from coming to the U.S. for over a year. It forced me to choose between my son's health and keeping our family together. We are angry, but we know our son did not die in vain." The child's distraught mother mourned privately at home. Abdullah Hassan died Friday at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, where his father brought him in the fall to get treatment for a degenerative brain condition. He had been on life support when his 21-year-old mother, Shaima Swileh, arrived last week. Hassan spent his youth in California's central valley after his family immigrated there from Yemen. During a trip to the warn-torn country in 2016, he fell in love with Swileh and married her that same year. Because she is Yemeni, Swileh was restricted from traveling to the United States under the White House travel ban that's keeping citizens from Yemen and four other mostly Muslim countries from entering the country. The family stayed in Cairo, Egypt, while Swileh tried to obtain a waiver to that ban, which would allow her a visa to travel with her family to the United States to receive medical treatment for the boy. But she was repeatedly denied travel documents, Hassan said. When Abdullah's health worsened, Hassan went ahead to California in October to get their son help. As the couple fought for a waiver, doctors put Abdullah on life support. "My wife is calling me every day wanting to kiss and hold her son for the one last time," said Hassan, choking up at a news conference earlier this month. He started losing hope and was considering pulling his son off life support to end his suffering. But then a hospital social worker reached out to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which sued on Dec. 16, said Basim Elkarra, executive director of the advocacy group in Sacramento. The State Department granted Swileh a waiver the next day, and she has since received a visa to stay in the country. She was pictured cradling her son in the hospital 10 days ago. "With their courage, this family has inspired our nation to confront the realities of Donald Trump's Muslim Ban," said Saad Sweilem, a lawyer with the council who represents the family. "In his short life, Abdullah has been a guiding light for all of us in the fight against xenophobia and family separation." Hassan said he hopes his family's struggle will lead to policy changes and families like his will not have to separate. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the boy's first name is spelled Abdullah, not Abdallah. SALT LAKE CITY Gov. Gary Herbert wants to set aside an extra $5 million next year to ensure Utahns' right to an attorney even if they can't afford one. The potential boost to Utah's public defender system is "really a measured, calculated amount we need in this third year," said Joanna Landau, director of the Indigent Defense Commission. The governor's proposal, part of a larger budget plan he unveiled earlier this month, would expand the commission's bandwidth by about four times. Its current ongoing yearly budget is $1.3 million. The group was created two years ago and works with several Utah cities and counties to help provide attorneys to those who can't afford them. It also offers training and other resources. Together, the state and local governments now spend an annual total of $36 million on public defenders, Landau said. The price tag may seem high to some, but it's lower than in many neighboring states. Herbert's plan would raise total spending on indigent defense to $14.10 per Utahn, with the bulk coming from local government funding. The governor's proposed investment falls in line with his other public safety and money-saving recommendations, Landau said. But the potential infusion still puts Utah behind neighboring Nevada, which sets aside $41 for every state resident; Colorado at $28; and Idaho's $24, according to a commission analysis. Landau says attorneys who are underpaid, overwhelmed and ill-equipped to do their jobs won't be able to help clients get mental health and drug treatment or be released from custody when it's appropriate. That in turn drives up costs and chips away at public safety, she said. The court-appointed attorneys handle more than just adult criminal proceedings. They also are assigned to represent low-income Utahns at risk of losing parental rights over youngsters in welfare cases. And they advocate for children and teens in juvenile proceedings. Counties and cities don't automatically get money and resources from the commission, but they can apply for the assistance to supplement their own programs. In 2018, for example, Ogden received $19,900 from the commission. Utah County was awarded nearly $260,000, and Nephi got a grant to cover about $60,000 in expenses, according to figures maintained by the group. The commission, made up of local government officers, defense attorneys, lawmakers and others, is working to hash out how much money is needed to support government-appointed attorneys throughout the entire state. The $5 million earmarked for next year would allow more counties and cities to vie for financial help starting in July, Landau said. "It's a stepping stone to our longer term purpose, which is to help the state figure out the full scope of its partnerships with local governments," Landau said. The U.S. Supreme Court in the 1963 landmark case Gideon v. Wainwright ruled a person has a right to an attorney even if the cost is out of reach. Utah's own constitution also guarantees counsel for those who can't afford to hire a lawyer if they ask for one, and judges can appoint a public defender on their own. The majority of states pay for and oversee their public defender systems, but Utah is one of several where the state and local governments share in the cost. Three counties in eastern Utah are the latest to secure financial help from the commission. Daggett, Duchesne and Uintah counties will share $600,000 in grant money that will help them hire more defense attorneys and fund trainings, the group announced Friday. The governor's recommendations, released last week, come ahead of Utah's 2019 legislative session, which convenes in January. Lawmakers during the session will hammer out their own version of the budget and must agree on a final budget with Herbert before it can take effect. TAYLORSVILLE When expecting parents learn that their child will be born with an intellectual or developmental disability, they usually go through a unique grieving process, Gerald Nebeker says. The first thing the doctor will often ask, Nebeker said, is if the couple would like to terminate the pregnancy. They only hear about the hard facts and figures and other reasons why the diagnosis will make their lives hard. That's one reason why in 2016 he started Orange Socks a nonprofit organization and parent network that celebrates raising children with special needs. The group's message, he said, is "If you choose to keep the child, this is what you might experience." Orange Socks is an initiative under RISE, a nonprofit founded by Nebeker nearly 30 years earlier that provides services for people with disabilities. It seeks to inform expecting parents about a side of raising children with disabilities that they otherwise might not hear about: the "blessings" of raising a "little angel." Since it formed, Orange Socks has expanded its focus to the parents of all children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as Nebeker said most parents don't find out about the condition until after their child is born. Nebeker said the grieving process for most parents in that situation can take some time but follows a similar pattern when they learn of their child's diagnosis. "Why me? Why is this happening to me?" is the first reaction, he said. Next, parents usually come to terms with it and think, "Why not me? I've got the resources, the support," he said. And finally, he said most parents arrive at the stage where they think, "Thank God it's me." For Nebeker, it took awhile to reach the final stage. His youngest daughter, now 17, was also born with Down syndrome. "It was probably at least two years before I could wrap my arms around it," he said, while his wife came to terms with their daughter's disability right away. Brian and Terah Jones didn't know their daughter Indy, now 2 years old, had Down syndrome until shortly after she was born. "I think everybody has their own timeline," Brian Jones said. "It took me, like, eight hours to wrap my head around it and I said, 'This is going to be us, and I'm going to own it.'" Terah Jones said it took her about a year of highs and lows before fully accepting her situation. In the hospital shortly after Indy's birth and diagnosis, she said she found encouragement by following social media accounts of families of children who also had Down syndrome. "That gave me hope at the time," she said. She would think to herself, "OK, these kids are adorable. Their families are happy. They look like they're living a normal life. And it brought me so much comfort." Brian Jones added that Orange Socks helps to give Down syndrome an "identity" for their family and gives them and other parents around the world a "home." "It's a very lonely place when you get that diagnosis," Nebeker said. "The first person that you want to reach out to for comfort is not necessarily the well-meaning next-door neighbor or church member, but somebody who has walked that path before you." Terah Jones connected with Orange Socks over social media when Indy was about 9 months old. Nebeker invited the Jones family to tell their story on his podcast, Inspiring life despite a diagnosis by Orange Socks, where he has now interviewed more than 100 families of children with disabilities. Terah Jones said she continues to find hope and inspiration from the Orange Socks stories. Orange Socks has also partnered with an international adoption agency to educate and encourage people to adopt children with disabilities. In some parts of the world, Nebeker said, children born with disabilities are taken from the parents and put in institutions or orphanages, and are considered "unadoptable" in some cultures. Nebeker's daughter, Rachelle Beagley, said many parents have no choice in the matter in those places. "If you have a child that's diagnosed at birth, it's almost like you don't even have an option to keep that child," Beagley said. Orange Socks works with the agency to encourage parents to adopt children in those situations. Nebeker has found that almost every parent of disabled children that he has met say they would do it all over again. They say raising the child changed them and their whole families for the better. Nebeker, Beagley and the Joneses all agreed that someone can't fully comprehend the amazing experience of raising an "angel" child until they've experienced it firsthand. "Other people from the outside go, 'Oh, gosh, you're so strong' or 'I wouldn't be that strong,'" Nebeker said. "The reality is, you are. And to have that child is such a blessing that we want the world to understand that." WEST JORDAN When she was born, a gallon of gasoline was 23 cents, the Boston Red Sox had won the World Series and a new home would sell for about $2,200. A lot has changed in 100 years, and, even though it hasn't all been easy, Frances "Fran" Allen is still smiling. "I always choose to be happy," the centenarian said at a birthday celebration held Saturday in her honor at the Vista Montana town houses where she lives. There's no secret to a long life, she said, other than that. "It's God's choice whether I live or die," Allen said, adding that she's a firm believer in being nice and doing good things. "I always think there must be something I'm supposed to do to have been here this long." Though, her family says she's been busy her whole life doing things for other people. Allen's youngest great-grandson just turned 2, yet, he's already got a fairly large hand-knitted afghan with his name on it for a high school graduation present. She's done that for all of her eight grandchildren and nearly 20 great-grandchildren. They're folded, labeled and ready to be gifted when the kids come of age. And each of them know that "Nana" made it special, just for them. "I feel like they should have something meaningful," Allen said. "There's not a lot of people who do that stuff anymore. And I just love them." The 100-year-old's eyesight is keen and her hands are nimble, and she says that as long as she's able, she'll work for the benefit of others, creating mementos and whatever she can to help people know they are loved. Allen also crochets baby blankets and sews custom-designed cross-stitch. She loves to do jigsaw puzzles, and she is never without a book to read and said that sometimes she reads into the morning hours without even realizing it. She tries to eat healthly and exercises daily. And, she still has a valid Utah driver's license. Five days before Christmas, she fell down some stairs and got 17 staples to close a gash in her head. But Allen still hosted all her grandkids and great-grandkids at an annual Christmas Eve breakfast at her house. "She's taught us all a love of family, about traditions and remembering people, and about service," said Caleb Lindquist, 20, a great-grandson who lives in Herriman. He said Allen is "positive about everything." "Even if things are hard, she's always got a smile on her face," he said. "Nothing slows her down." Allen followed an older brother into the Navy and served as a pharmacist mate during World War II, under the direction of medical officers. She never left the country but was stationed all over the East Coast, and, ultimately, at a receiving depot in Boston helping soldiers coming home from war. "I'm proud of my time in the Navy," she said. "I'm proud that I've lived this long." She credits a "wonderful family" a family, she said, "that just loves each other." One wouldn't guess it by her countenance, but Allen hasn't had an easy life. Her father died when she was 10 years old and she grew up on a farm in the Midwest, partly during the Great Depression. She's been through divorce, largely raised three kids alone, and has watched many friends and family members, including two husbands, pass away. "She has a lot of built-in coping skills," said Allen's daughter, Jo Lavin, of Riverton. "She's always doing something for someone else." Lavin doesn't worry much about her mom, who lives pretty independently, except for her oldest son who lives with her. She said her mom makes friends easily and never forgets things about people. "Mom was always there for us," Lavin said. "I hope I can follow in her footsteps," said Jim Call, Allen's youngest, who lives in Oregon and came to Utah for his mom's party. Since burying her second husband, Allen has said she wants to live to be 104. There isn't anyone who knows her who doesn't believe she'll make it to at least that. SALT LAKE CITY Jason McGowan says one secret to Crumbl's success is not worrying about competition. Which seems almost impossible, with new cookie delivery companies on the rise in Utah. But this mindset seems to have treated McGowan and his company co-founder Sawyer Hemsley well, as they now have 13 cookie delivery locations in Utah and three outside the state. In fact, McGowan says Crumbl was "born into competition." Within days of its opening, Baked opened up with a similar business model delivering large chocolate chip cookies to Cache Valley residents' doors. Early on, McGowan and Hemsley who are cousins by marriage decided not to worry about their competitors, instead focusing on cookies and customers. "We sat down and we thought, 'Ignore everyone else and just focus on ourselves and being the best Crumbl that we can be,' and we feel like the rest will take care of itself," McGowan said. Both companies opened in Logan in September 2017, unknown to each other until about a week before they both opened. While it's unclear which one was the original Cache Valley cookie delivery service (Baked delivered first, while Crumbl opened a store first), neither of the two were Utah cookie pioneers. Nationwide chain Insomnia Cookies has been in Utah for years, McGowan said, and Chip Cookies opened about a year before the two Logan competitors. But now, both Crumbl and Baked have expanded beyond Cache Valley and even out of the state, and now compete with and have even surpassed other big names in cookie delivery. Baked has since opened two new locations: Lehi and Rexburg, Idaho. Crumbl's 16 stores span across Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties, reaching as far as St. George, Las Vegas and Meridian, Idaho. Its 17th store will open in January in Sugar House. McGowan says Crumbl is now "the largest cookie delivery company in Utah, by far." So how did they do it? "We never thought we were going to have more than one when we first started," McGowan admitted. They had started in Logan partially because Hemsley was living there and attending Utah State University. When they saw great success, the business partners decided to expand. McGowan lived near Orem, so they opened their second store there. Then word of the Crumbl brand spread quickly across the Wasatch Front. McGowan said that as soon as they decided to expand, they determined to expand fast. This determination, McGowan believes, was key to their brand blowing up all over Utah, along with strategy, timing, social media and other factors. But he thinks the biggest reason is their cookie selection. They perfected their chocolate chip recipe, he says, and then added other options. They now offer several varieties on a weekly rotating menu. "The only thing that matters to us is having the best cookies and the best customer experience in the world," he said. "If we're sitting there thinking, 'How many stores do we have compared to someone else?' We don't really care," he continued. "We say, 'How fast can we move?' 'How can we have the best chocolate chip cookies?' 'How can we have the best quality customer experience, whether it's the opening of the box, the smiles that you get at the door, or whatever?'" They worked on their recipe for months before opening, and testing was an important part of Crumbl's success, McGowan said. "I come from the world of software, where you have testing to see which one's better," he said. They performed many A/B tests using friends, family and even strangers, McGowan said. McGowan and Hemsley had both successfully started up other companies, and McGowan says he believes in hard work, dedication and not hesitating. "When you want to get started on something, sometimes the best thing to do is just get started," he said. So that's what they did when they decided, 'We're going to open a cookie shop,' and they haven't looked back since. SALT LAKE CITY Some stories we write have great reach and impact, like our look at Jon Huntsman Jr.'s role on the international stage as U.S. ambassador to Russia, or the deportation of Maria Santiago and the reasons behind her decision to send her U.S.-born children back to Utah for education and greater opportunity. Both pieces gathered international attention for their depth and look at key issues facing the nation our relationship with Russia and the impact of America's immigration policies currently under President Donald Trump and previously under both Republican and Democratic leadership. Other stories may make less of a national or international splash, but are no less important to those they are about and in many cases, to those they protect. Here then is a look at some of the noteworthy work in the Deseret News during the past year. This isn't a Top 10 list nor a comprehensive list, but a snapshot of stories that show the breadth of work being done by a talented, principled staff, including some important stories you may have missed. Investigations Investigative work by reporter Annie Knox followed a tip about misdeeds by an ex-youth symphony director in Utah County. Her April report led with the following: "Spurred in part by allegations of sexual misconduct against powerful men across the country, three former teenage employees of a youth symphony orchestra in Utah County say one of its longtime leaders either sexually abused them or inappropriately touched them years apart." Her reporting led to reopened case files that resulted in multiple charges filed in November and December against the now 70-year-old former director as told in these two stories: "Ex-symphony leader charged in sexual misconduct with teen musician" and "Ex-Utah County youth symphony leader charged with sexually abusing 2 more teens." Reporter Amy Joi O'Donoghue first reported in 2013 an alleged solar energy scheme that sought to attract investors under dubious claims of breakthrough energy technology. She reported and was threatened as she peeled back the story year after year that in October resulted in the following headline: "Judge issues $50 million judgment against 'abusive' solar energy scheme." As O'Donoghue reported on the $50 million judgment: "That amount is what the court said the U.S. Treasury was defrauded out of through an extensive multilevel marketing scheme perpetuated over 10 years in which no solar energy was produced." The First Amendment Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press and the right to gather in the public square focused our reporting on key issues that will continue to play out in 2019. Reporters Kelsey Dallas and Gillian Friedman dissected the place of faith in the public square. "How 140 bills across the country are redefining religious freedom" provided an analytical look at bills covering LGBT rights to free speech, health care and adoption, among other topics. We went in-depth on adoption and looked for solutions protecting LGBT rights and the rights of religious groups to practice their faith in the public square under the headline: "Why children have the most to lose in the latest battle over LGBT and religious rights." We also went onto college campuses for a piece published in September that discussed the conflict between religious belief, speech and what is changing at institutions of higher learning under the headline: "Free speech on campus: The real crisis is the confrontation that never happens." Helping the family We spent the entirety of the year understanding Generation Vexed those who struggle with anxiety and why their numbers are growing at such remarkable levels. The complete library of coverage can be viewed here at Deseretnews.com/anxiety and will give you tools to both understand and cope with anxiety. " We looked at the role of technology on youth and their parents and learned through the Deseret News American Family Survey that technology is the No.1 fearof parents for their children, more than drugs, alcohol or sex. Numbers 2 and 3 were bullying and poor mental health. Lying and falsehoods have come front and center, whether it's the president claiming the media reports "Fake News" or columnists and reporters calling out the president for repeatedly telling falsehoods or misleading statements, as the Washington Post claims he did 6,420 times in 649 days. We surveyed the public back in spring and discovered America is becoming more comfortable with lying. We explored the phenomena in this piece: "Americans are increasingly comfortable with many white lies." The Deseret News will continue to look at the importance of honesty and integrity next month when it hosts an event at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 14 featuring Bob Woodward of the Washington Post, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Michael Dimock of the Pew Institute. There were many, many other stories, including our political bookends reporting on then new congressman John Curtis under the January headline, "The agony of John Curtis" and the November story concluding the career of Sen. Orrin Hatch, "The final walk. These and other stories can be found at Deseretnews.com, and we will continue to report in-depth on those issues most important to you, Utah and the nation in the coming year. Happy new year. SALT LAKE CITY Only one of Utah's five national parks will be staffed after the new year as the state pulls back funding during the partial U.S. government shutdown, officials said Friday. A nonprofit will pay about $2,000 to $2,500 a day to keep Zion National Park open Jan. 1-5 with skeleton staffing and services such as public restrooms, clean bathrooms and trash collection, Utah Office of Tourism managing director Vicki Varela said. The other four parks Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef will remain open but without those services. Those parks are expected to have fewer visitors than Zion, Varela said. The state has paying about up to $7,500 a day since Dec. 22 to keep Zion, Arches and Bryce staffed through Dec. 31. The decision to leave Arches and Bryce unstaffed was made in consultation with park superintendents based on a calculation of how to make the state money go farthest and help the most visitors, she said. Zion, known for its red rock vistas and spectacular slot canyons, is still slated to get 4,000 to 5,000 visitors per day next week, Varela said. The nonprofit footing the bill to keep staffing at Zion is called The Zion Forever Project. She and state officials will reassess the situation after Jan. 5, Varela said. Varela called it frustrating that visitors aren't getting the full national park experience during the shutdown, and said she hopes "sanity returns sometime soon in D.C." The weeklong impasse comes as Democrats, who take control of the House on Jan. 3, refuse to give President Donald Trump the money he's demanding to build a border wall with Mexico "The natural resources to be protected, the visitor experience needs to be protected," Varela said. "All we're able to do is a patchwork job. . .. You can't possibly have that full national park experience without full staffing." users renewing after a month or new sign ups will have to bill their purchase in the Netflix website and then login into the iOS app. Key Highlghts: Netflix will no longer allow users to pay for their plans on iPhone or iPad New Users will have to go to the Netflix website to pay and login to the app in their iOS devices The move is presumably a backlash against Apple's claim of a high 30 percent revenue cut from in-app purchases You can no longer renew your Netflix subscription from your iPhone or iPad. Along with other prominent app developers, Netflix will no longer allow customers to subscribe via iTunes by way of an in-app purchase on iOS devices. While the change was spotted earlier in November, Netflix delved deep into the move in a VentureBeat article on Friday. The report explained users who are already paying via iTunes may continue to do so. However, users renewing after a month or new sign ups will have to bill their purchase in the Netflix website and then login into the iOS app. Netflix is not the only streaming service to do so. Presumably done against Apples move to take a larger revenue share from in-app purchases, streaming apps like Spotify and Soundcloud had to charge extra for iOS users. Later, Spotify stopped in-app purchases altogether and iOS users can only pay for their plans via the website. Apple normally takes 30 percent of the revenues made via in-app purchases by an app. This may shrink down to 15 percent for long-term subscribers, but even then, many developers have argued that it takes away a substantial amount of their revenue. Its partly the reason why most apps on iOS are more expensive as compared to their Android counterparts. Many have argued that the decision to cut away from developers profits gives Apple an unfair advantage. For Spotify, where Apple Music is present omnipotently across iOS devices, it is indeed so. Its also somewhat unfair for Apple to make money out of content it doesnt produce or even host. Related Links: App developers want better revenue cut from Apple Tomorrow. Sunday 30th December, as 2018 comes to a close, two of this countrys much-loved iconic institutions come together with a tribute on RTE's Sunday Miscellany programme to Brennans Criterion Bar, Bundoran. As Sunday Miscellany goes from strength to strength with its celebration this winter of 50 years on air the 118-year-old Brennans Bar has closed its doors. The bar has been run by three successive generations of the same family since James and Patrick Ward opened it on Saint Patricks Day, 1900. It became Brennans in 1933, when the young James Brennan, home from America, married the daughter of the house, Mary Ward. The couple ran the business while living on the premises and rearing their four children there. Two of those children, Patricia and the much-missed, recently deceased Nan, have been the guardians of Brennans for all of their lives, also working and living on the premises. They faithfully preserved what their grandparents had created, unlike so many Irish pubs, which jettisoned beautiful fittings in favour of what was fleetingly considered in vogue. In Brennans the retention of all the original furniture and fittings created an oasis of calm and timeless beauty right in the heart of Bundorans bustling main street. However, the bar, while a time capsule, was also a vibrant living piece of history. While Sunday Miscellany has for half a century provided a gentle, reflective start to Sunday mornings with its mixture of music and musings in Brennans the strictly enforced rules of no TV, WIFI or music gave the art of conversation pride of place. The bar received accolades and charmed loyal fans from all around the world, including the Boston Globe. In 2017, Nan and Patricia and their gorgeous mirrored Bar featured in the Guinness Hop House 13 ad, and in the RTE documentary The Irish Pub. Sunday Miscellany contributor Olive Travers has first-hand experience of the legendary hospitality of Nan and Patricia as for sixteen years, the Brennan sisters hosted the local writing group which met every fortnight in the back room of the Bar This Sunday, she reflects that while the closure of Brennans bar is a huge loss to the country, a big debt of gratitude is owed to the Brennan sisters for their preservation of not just a precious and unique Irish pub building but also values of decency and respect. You can tune in to the last Sunday Miscellany of 2018 on RTE1 at 9.10am this Sunday morning to hear more. The Coast Guards three rescue Coordination Centres at Malin Head, Valentia Island and Dublin managed a total of 2650 incidents which saw a rise when compared to 2017 (2503 incidents). In an end of year review the Coast Guard is continuing to highlight the Capacity to Raise the Alarm and Stay Afloat as essential elements to reducing loss of life owing to drownings at sea or on inland waterways. The Coast Guards core safety message is Stay Afloat Stay in Touch highlights the importance of never engaging in any commercial or recreational boating activity without wearing a fully serviced Life Jacket or Personal Flotation Device coupled with a capacity to raise the alarm via means such as a VHF radio, Personal Locator Beacon or mobile phone. This should be supported by informing a colleague of your anticipated return time. Into 2019 the Coast Guard will continue to focus on the importance of prevention as a core theme of drowning prevention and will continue to work with colleagues in Irish Water Safety, RNLI and the Irish Sailing Association in promoting water safety and identifying key risk areas. In early 2019 it is intended to re-launch the Safety on the Water website. In 2018 MRCC Dublin processed a total of 137 electronic transmissions the majority of which proved to be false arising from accidental activation or out of date equipment no longer in service. The Coast Guard emphasises that this should not detract from their value and highlighted the importance for all users being familiar with their operation and inbuilt test mechanisms. Coast Guard helicopter services are provided under contract by CHCI operating a fleet of Sikorsky S92 helicopters out of bases in Dublin, Shannon, Waterford and Sligo. Helicopter services at each of the Four bases are on 15 minute notice by day and 45 minutes by night. In addition to their primary role of provision of maritime search and rescue services the Coast Guard provides a round the clock medical evacuation service to the offshore islands. In 2018 the Coast Guard flew a total of 102 medical missions from islands to the mainland, 35 more than in 2017. In addition Coast Guard helicopters conducted 8 Long Range offshore medical evacuations in addition to coastal and inshore search and rescue missions. Coast Guard helicopters also provide HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) to the HSE/National Ambulance Service including inter hospital transfers. The busiest inter hospital transfer routes are from the Letterkenny and Sligo to University Hospital Galway. By year end Coast Guard helicopters will have flown in excess of 670 missions, of which 119 were conducted on behalf of the Health Service Executive. Coast Guard helicopter services also include inland searches for missing persons and medical evacuations in support of An Garda Siochana and Mountain Rescue Teams. The nationwide network of Volunteer Coast Guard units continue to be an integral part of the national Search and Rescue framework. With a membership of circa 1,000 volunteers, the units deliver rescue boat, cliff rescue and shoreline search services coupled with a capacity to support their communities during local emergencies such as inclement weather. These community services were to the forefront during storm Emma in March when major challenges were experienced in reaching essential services. Coast Guard volunteers provided emergency transport to Health Care staff, conducted patient transfers and provided support to isolated homes. Overall Volunteer Coast Guard units were tasked on a total of 1185 separate occasions throughout the year. Coast Guard Director Chris Reynolds said: I want to particularly acknowledge the commitment and professionalism of our Volunteer members. In addition to the three core services that they provide they are an integral part of community resilience and continually act as the Eyes and Ears of our RCCs in assessing and responding to any coastal emergency. The RNLI is categorised as a declared resource to the Coast Guard which means that each individual station can be directly requested to respond to individual incidents. In 2018 the RNLI were requested to launch on 836 occasions. The Coast Guard attaches particular attention to what is categorises as Lives Saved. *This refers to assistance provided that was it not available would have resulted in loss of life or severe risk of loss of life or protracted hospitalisation. In 2018 the Coast Guard has recorded that in excess of 400 people were categorised as Lives Saved in comparison with 340 in 2017. Director Chris Reynolds reiterated a core message of raising the alarm in time. If you can raise the alarm and you can stay afloat then you have an outstanding chance of being rescued by our world class rescue service. If you see somebody in trouble or if you think they are in trouble at sea, on the water or along the coast Dial 112 and ask for the Coast Guard. Changing times: Post office closures caused much concern Michelle NicPhaidin reports News that post offices were to close across the county and country came as a shock to local communities in August of this year. An Post announced that more than 150 post offices around the country were due to close as part of a deal reached between An Post and the Irish Postmasters' Union. The deal will see 159 postmasters retire and their offices close nationwide. The process continues. In late August, An Post announced that, under the deal, 17 post offices were set to close in Donegal, four more than was originally envisaged when a draft was circulated earlier in August. The revised list included Ballyliffin, Ballymagan,Brinlack, Bunbeg, Burnfoot, Burtonport, Churchill, Culdaff, Culkeeny, Dunaff, Dunfanaghy, Dunkineely, Gortahork, Kindrum, Meenaneary, Quigley's Point and Rosnakill. An Post said that all of the offices that are due to close are within 15km of at least one other post office and that all were in locations with a population of less than 500 people. Closing post offices will be consolidated with neighbouring offices, ensuring their viability, the company added. Western counties are being hit hardest by the closures, with at least 45 to close across counties Galway, Mayo and Donegal. And so it began..... On August 8,both Ballymagan and Quigley's Point closed their doors for the final time. Two days later, on August 10, the people of Churchill were saddened to see their picturesque post office close after almost 150 years of service. It was a sad day for Mrs Wilkin who had been postmistress over the past 23 years. The grandmother of 11 was sad on the final day saying that she would miss all the customers who would come to visit her on a daily basis. Culdaff followed the Churchill closure on August 31. Dunkineely closed on September 28, Gortahork and Rossnakill post offices closed at the end of October. Reaction The news of the impending closures ignited huge reaction across the county with meetings being held to discuss the issue being held in many villages. The first meeting to be held in relation to the post office closures took place in Dunkineely where the meeting co-ordinator Roger Meehan informed the meeting that it was important to recognize that the Post Office was closing on September 30 and that could not be halted. However, he urged the large crowd to come forward with ideas to save the service and called for a joined up approach to the move. This is bigger than Dunkineely, we stand by ourselves but if we stand for ourselves, we wont succeed. We need to come together as a county and as the north west we need to be a force to be reckoned with, one man at the meeting said. That was the clear message from the meeting and speaker after speaker reiterated the point. Over one hundred people attended the meeting. Local representatives included Pat The Cope Gallagher, TD, Thomas Pringle TD, councillors Niamh Kennedy, Tom Conaghan and councillor Michael Naughton. All of the representatives pledged their full support. Appeals Local politicians organised meetings where subsequent appeals were lodged with An Post. An appeal lodged on behalf of the communities of Culdaff and Dunkineely was rejected in October. The community of Burtonport, Dunfanaghy, Bunbeg lost their appeal in November. Gortahork subsequently closed in October after having lost its appeal to remain open. The Brinlack post office closure is due to go ahead having lost an appeal earlier this month. Expected closures At the end of December Ballyliffin, Brinlack and Meenaneary are expected to close. On January 31, Dunfanaghy, Burnfoot, Culkeeny, Bunbeg, Dunaff and Burtonport are due to close their doors for the final time. Political representatives across the county have been exceptionally unhappy in relation to the closures with many describing it as another blow to rural Ireland. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle Pat The Cope Gallagher said: The policy by this Government in partnership with An Post of post office closures throughout Donegal is leaving a massive legacy of rural decline and neglect by this Government and its predecessor in office, this policy of closing post offices from its inception was a poorly thought out policy and was extremely blunt in its approach. The post office policy being pursued by this Government is going to have a lasting negative legacy within Donegal and one which will last for years. The closures were condemned by many councillors across the of the county. Fianna Fail councillor, Enda Bonner organised a meeting in relation to the Burtonport closure whilst the Cllrs Seamus O'Domhnaill and John Sheamais O'Fearraigh organised meetings in relation to post office closures in their area. Meanwhile, Cllr Micheal Cholm MacGiolla Easbuic organised protests in relation to the closures, (among them a protest outside Bunbeg Post Office featured above in this article). For many the closures are viewed as a further erosion of resources/facilities in local communities here in Donegal and in rural Ireland generally. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. 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. Houthi rebels redeploy forces in Yemens Hudaydah Houthis say the redeployment was part of UN-brokered agreement Houthi rebels have started to redeploy their forces in Yemens coastal city of Al-Hudaydah, according to a Houthi spokesman on Saturday. Army and popular committee forces started late Friday the first phase of redeployment in Al-Hudaydah, Bri. Gen. Yahya Sari said in a statement cited by the Houthi-run Saba news agency. He said the redeployment was part of the UN-brokered agreement with the government reached during peace talks in Sweden earlier this month. We expect the UN Monitoring Committee to oblige the other party to implement its obligations under the first phase of the Stockholm agreement, to withdraw from the eastern side of the city and the rest ofareas, he said. There was no comment from the Yemeni government on the Houthi announcement. Home to several strategic seaports, Al-Hudaydah constitutes a lifeline for Yemen's beleaguered civilian population, with significant amounts of humanitarian aid regularly flowing through the port city. Yemen's warring parties agreed earlier this month to withdraw their forces from the Red Sea port city and institute a ceasefire during UN-sponsored talks in Sweden. Last week, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a British-sponsored resolution approving the deployment of a UN team to monitor Al-Hudaydah ceasefire. Yemen plunged into civil war in 2014 when Shia Houthi rebels overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa, forcing the government to flee to Saudi Arabia. A year later, Saudi Arabia and several Arab allies launched a massive air campaign aimed at rolling back Houthi military gains. The Saudi-led campaign in Yemen has devastated the country's infrastructure, including its health and sanitation systems, prompting the UN to describe it as one of the worst humanitarian disasters of modern times. US evacuates first military warehouse in Syria Following withdrawal decision, US troops vacate 1st military warehouse in northeastern al-Hasakah province, bordering Iraq Following its surprise decision last week to withdraw its troops from Syria, the first U.S. military warehouse near the Iraqi border was evacuated on Friday. According to a reliable local source, the U.S. forces vacated a warehouse in Malikiye in the northeast al-Hasakah province. THE U.S FORCES LEFT THE BASE Hummer armored vehicles and trucks from the 400-square-meter (4,306 square foot) warehouse -- around which some 50 U.S. troops were based -- were sent to Iraq. The U.S. troops based around the warehouse also left for Iraq. The warehouses have served as hubs for the distribution of U.S. materiel to the terrorist group YPG/PKK in northern Syria through Iraq. Turkey has long objected to U.S. support for the YPG/PKK, arguing that supporting one terrorist group (the YPG/PKK) to fight another (Daesh) terrorist organization makes no sense. US MILITARY BASES AND SOLDIERS Washington's military presence in Syria has included some 18 military bases. President Donald Trump last week made a surprise announcement that the U.S. would withdraw its troops from Syria. His decision followed a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in which the two leaders agreed on the need for more effective coordination over the civil war-torn country. In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the death of some 40,000 people, including women and children. The YPG is its Syrian branch. Hello, everyone. I've been on and off this forum since 2004 and it has been a long, crazy road to get this far. The number of changes to the immigration process over the last 14 years have been incredible and I don't think we could have made it to the final stretch without the information and friendly guidance on this forum. So, firstly, thanks to everyone who has donate their time and energy to Expat Forum.Although we got married in Scotland in 2005, we moved back to the USA and lived there until our return to the UK on 21 January 2015. I entered on a VISA that was issued on 29 December 2014, which was just a sticker inside my US passport. I got my biometrics card on 30 June 2017 and it expires on 27 January 2020.I have been reading about Brexit and complex circumstances it's creating for some members of the EU. I was wondering if anyone has heard of any changes expected for the immigration process for non-EU members? Should I brace myself for more changes in the final year of my qualifying period for ILR? We are becoming worried and just wondering if anyone else is feeling this anxiety?Also, is there a place you can direct me to for instructions on how to apply for ILR?I think I need to take a British test, is that correct? How early can I take that test? Can I do it now? Also, is it still possible to pay for an in-person appointment for a same-day decision or has this changed? And, can someone kindly confirm that 24 December 2019 is the date that I can apply for ILR? Gosh, it sure seems like terrible timing since I think everything will be closed for the holidays. What happens if I can't get an appointment before my current visa expires? Is this something that could happen?During my appointment when I got my last visa, my husband and I were told that we should be prepared to show proof of relationship at my next appointment (which will be ILR). My husband jokingly said that he thinks they are going to ask us for sex videos because we feel we've already provided stacks and stacks of evidence over the years. Does anyone know exactly what we should prepare ourselves to provide? I know it's still a year away, but should we be saving receipts for our holidays and weekend getaways or what are they looking for here? We've been married so long we don't really email each other much like we used to 15 years ago. And our text messages are rather practical these days -- pick up milk on your way home -- that sort of stuff -- not the long romantic texts of our youth.Thanks again to everyone. And Happy New Year! From: American Evaluation Association (AEA) For Immediate Release: Dateline: Washington , DC Sunday, December 30, 2018 Hi, my name is Ali Holstein and Im a In our Good Shepherd Services Improves Fellowship, we invited staff from Lessons Learned: The fellowship has led us to examine how Good Shepherd uses data to think about improvement: Old Way of thinking: If we bring people together to look at data, it will spark change. New Way : Invite staff to use improvement science methods to look at a specific problem. Spend time understanding the problem and researching solutions before creating any change ideas. Going slow is okay. Old Way: If we present the data in different ways, it will lead to insights. New Way: There are endless ways to use data to understand a problem. Start with insights and follow with the data to drill deeper. Staff already have instincts about whats working, what hasnt worked, and what might be worth trying. Old Way: Staff are too busy for data stuff, so we should do the analysis and present our findings to them. New Way : Invest time in building the data skills of your staff. They will feel more empowered to ask key improvement questions like: what is the problem were trying to solve? What change should we introduce? How will we know if the change is an improvement? [ link ] Rad Resources: Dont leave participants/constituents out of your improvement process. As homework, our fellows were asked to do empathy interviews with students to learn more about chronic absenteeism. with students to learn more about chronic absenteeism. While specific to the school context, Learning to Improve: How Americas Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better by Bryk, Gomez, Grunow, and LeMahieu is a great resource for anyone looking to learn about improvement science. The American Evaluation Association is celebrating Internal Evaluation (IE) Topical Interest Group Week. The contributions all this week to aea365 come from our IE TIG members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the About AEA The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association and the largest in its field. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products and organizations to improve their effectiveness. AEAs mission is to improve evaluation practices and methods worldwide, to increase evaluation use, promote evaluation as a profession and support the contribution of evaluation to the generation of theory and knowledge about effective human action. For more information about AEA, visit www.eval.org. Welcome to Internal Evaluation Week, hosted by the Internal Evaluation TIG! This weeks blogs focus on the theme of improvement: as internal evaluators, how are we ensuring that insights are being used to inform program and organizational improvement? Topics include improvement science, communities of practice, and participatory data interpretation.Hi, my name isand Im a consultant and data translator working with youth programs. In my previous role as a program analyst at a non-profit, I would often bring people together to discuss our outcome data, reflect, and set goals for improvement. On paper, it sounds like a solid performance management plan. In reality, those meetings could fall flat. We once asked staff how they felt about data, and their responses included: anxious, stressed, and annoyed. This year, were trying a new approach, piloting a continuous improvement fellowship as a different way of learning.In our, we invited staff from Good Shepherds school programs to examine a shared problem they had identified as ongoing, hard, and frustrating: chronic absenteeism. Staff are pressed for time, but we still had five programs apply to participate in the 6-month fellowship. They were motivated to find better approaches to solving a problem that many had been dealing with their entire careers, and hoped to do so by sharing ideas among a network of peers and learning to solve problems in a disciplined way.The fellowship has led us to examine how Good Shepherd uses data to think about improvement:If we bring people together to look at data, it will spark change.: Invite staff to use improvement science methods to look at a specific problem. Spend time understanding the problem and researching solutions before creating any change ideas. Going slow is okay.If we present the data in different ways, it will lead to insights.There are endless ways to use data to understand a problem. Start with insights and follow with the data to drill deeper. Staff already have instincts about whats working, what hasnt worked, and what might be worth trying.Staff are too busy for data stuff, so we should do the analysis and present our findings to them.: Invest time in building the data skills of your staff. They will feel more empowered to ask key improvement questions like: what is the problem were trying to solve? What change should we introduce? How will we know if the change is an improvement? [The American Evaluation Association is celebrating Internal Evaluation (IE) Topical Interest Group Week. The contributions all this week to aea365 come from our IE TIG members. Do you have questions, concerns, kudos, or content to extend this aea365 contribution? Please add them in the comments section for this post on the aea365 webpage so that we may enrich our community of practice. Would you like to submit an aea365 Tip? Please send a note of interest to aea365@eval.org . aea365 is sponsored by the American Evaluation Association and provides a Tip-a-Day by and for evaluators. The J.T. Deely power plant CPS Energys first coal-fired generator was half-hidden in fog. Its stack stood hundreds of feet tall, red warning lights blinking along its side, but visitors to the Calaveras Lake complex last spring couldnt see the top because of the clouds. For 41 years, the 1970s-era facility on San Antonios Southeast Side has generated electricity for CPS customers a lot of electricity. One megawatt can power about 200 homes on a hot summer day. Running full-tilt, Deely alone, producing 840 megawatts of electricity, can keep the air conditioning running in 168,000 homes. On New Years Eve, however, CPS workers will dump the last load of Wyoming coal into the plants furnace and start the long, complicated process of mothballing the facility. The 67 utility employees whove kept the plant running, their numbers augmented by contractors, will be assigned to other CPS power generators and operations. The era of coal plants is ending. The question for CPS now is: What will it do with the carcass of Deely? A first for CPS If the plants closing is a sign of coals demise at least as a fuel for generating electricity Deelys beginning was part of its rise. The Deely units were the first of their kind for CPS. Prior to their construction, the city-owned utility built only natural gas-powered plants. But the energy crisis of the 1970s drove the price of natural gas sky high. Coal was cheap by comparison. Deely began an era of energy diversification for San Antonio, which also included the construction of the South Texas Nuclear Project complex in Matagorda County near the Gulf Coast. OnExpressNews.com: San Antonio's CPS Energy may be closer to rate increase The trade-off for cheaper power generation was more air pollution. Environmentalists, who fought for decades to close the facility, refer to the plant as Dirty Deely. In 2016, Deely pumped 3 million tons of carbon dioxide, which contributes to global warming, into the atmosphere, according to CPS. It also spewed nearly 1,300 tons of nitrogen oxides, an ingredient of the lung-irritant ozone, and more than 7,600 tons of sulfur dioxide, which can be harmful to asthma sufferers. Retiring Deely by the end of 2018 is a boost to cleaning up carbon emissions and ozone precursors like nitrogen oxides in San Antonio, and that deserves a clean-air celebration," said Peter Bella of March for Science-San Antonio, which organizes marches and rallies advocating for evidence-based science. Deely had been scheduled to be decommissioned by 2033. But then-CPS chief executive Doyle Beneby decided seven years ago to retire the plant by the end of 2018. Beneby had pushed to expand the utilitys reliance on clean energy namely, wind- and solar-generated electricity but his Deely decision had more to do with CPS bottom line. It would have cost about $600 million to install scrubbers and other pollution controls to bring the plant into compliance with stricter environmental regulations then looming on the horizon. Beneby left CPS in 2015. His successor, Paula Gold-Williams, has stuck to the plan despite President Donald Trumps rollback of environmental regulations in his attempt to revive the coal industry. On Friday, the administration proposed changes to required cost-benefit analyses that would benefit the owners of coal-burning plants, the New York Times reported. CPS isnt alone in moving away from coal. Power company Luminant has shut down three coal-fired plants in Texas this year. Nationwide, 529 coal plants were shuttered between 2007 and 2017 largely because of the expense of meeting tougher air-quality standards but also because of the low cost of natural gas and the increasing availability of renewables. This year, CPS coal plants including Spruce 1 and Spruce 2 units next door to Deely have generated 18 percent of its electricity, natural gas facilities 46 percent, and wind and solar 22 percent. The South Texas Nuclear Project, which CPS co-owns, produced the rest. Deelys retirement will be the first since the utility shut down the last units of the 1950s-era W.B. Tuttle natural gas-fired power plant in 2011. The following year, CPS bought the Rio Nogales natural-gas fired power plant in Seguin for less than $400 million to help offset the expected loss of Deelys generation. Theres a chance that CPS next power plant could also be fueled by natural gas and that it could be a resurrected Deely. Rebirth of a giant? Deelys dimensions are enormous. Its first unit went online in 1977, its sister unit firing up the following year. Combined, theyre made of 26,000 tons of steel, the weight of 62 fully-loaded C-5 Galaxy military transport planes, the largest in the U.S. military. Operating at full capacity, the two units burn more than 500 tons of coal an hour and produce 24 tons of ash, which is then sold as an ingredient in concrete. Each unit is 160 feet tall and 140 feet deep. Their boilers share a towering concrete-and-steel stack. It would be just 50 feet below the tip of the antenna on the Tower of the Americas if you could set the two structures side by side. Like the Tower of the Americas, the stack has its own elevator. Nearly 280 miles of boiler tubes and pipes for water, steam and air snake through the units, enough to stretch to Austin and back twice. Some workers use three-wheeled bikes or gas-powered carts to travel around the complex, inspecting the units to ensure theyre operating properly. Walking through the ground floor, heavy equipment and bursts of steam screech overhead, although the noise is muffled by protective earplugs. When Deely goes quiet on Monday, CPS will monitor and preserve the 41-year-old facility either for a possible rebirth as a natural gas-fired plant or its eventual dismantling. And while the utility figures out its next move, itll pick Deelys insides clean, selling its coal-processing and burning machinery to coal power plants the world over. Even if its not a system or component we would use in a gas facility - if we made that choice - other people run coal plants. People buy used equipment theres a value, said Benny Ethridge, CPS vice president of power generation. Thats an asset that we can turn into money through a resale process. Were going to preserve it all. Both Ethridge and Paula Gold-William have raised the possibility of turning Deely into a natural gas plant and underscoring that itll never run on coal again. We need much less infrastructure to manage gas, Ethridge said, so, basically, (a conversion) involves removal and bypassing of systems, and then the addition of gas and gas controls. Its not a terribly complex process. The utility will have to decide whether to convert Deely or schedule it for dismantling in the next five years. Otherwise, technological advances could threaten how competitive a reworked Deely plant would be in the Texas energy market, Ethridge said. OnExpressNews.com: Filling in San Antonio's skyline: An update on 10 major downtown construction projects Transforming Deely into a gas-fired plant, Ethridge said, would cost CPS lots of tens of millions (of dollars). Current market conditions could be an obstacle to Deelys potential return as a natural gas plant. In July, when a heat wave led to record-breaking electricity demand, the average price was $47.20 per megawatt hour, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, the states grid operator. But even though the prices were more than 50 percent higher than in the summer of 2017, power companies have said that at those levels, it wouldnt make business sense to build new power plants in the ERCOT system. Meanwhile, natural gas prices spiked in October to nearly five-year highs, briefly doubling the price compared to what producers charged the year before. CPS Chief Operating Officer Cris Eugster said in March the utility will not be building a large base-load power plant again, and Mayor Ron Nirenberg a member of the utilitys board of trustees has said he would oppose building any new fossil-fuel power plant, including a gas-fired facility. All that coal... On a visit last spring, visitors were shown the coal yard just south of Deely tall piles that resembled black waves sitting in the middle of a peninsula that juts into Calaveras Lake. The 360-acre site employs 70 people, and long trains some 150 train cars in length surround the site. Some of the cars were empty, and others filled with tons of coal, waiting to be unloaded. In 2017 alone, 337 coal trains dropped off loads at the Calaveras Lake coal pile. Each train can hold over 18,000 tons of coal. Every carful of coal comes from Wyoming, the top U.S. coal producer. The coal mound was almost featureless. Each step around the site stirred up a fine, pitch-black dust that coated the bottoms of shoes and stuck to anything it touched. A large bulldozer clanged rhythmically as it rumbled up a coal pile. The piles would be reduced by half when J.T. Deely closes, Ethridge said. Employment at the coal yard and related facilities, however, will hold steady CPS still owns more than 1,000 rail cars that will need maintaining. Theyll be used for future coal shipments for the Spruce power plant at Calaveras. That facilitys older unit is expected to run until at least 2030, while the newer unit, Spruce 2, is expected to remain in operation till at least 2040. The coal yard also needs maintenance. Francisco Mata, a retired CPS control-room operator, said the mounds of coal need work to keep them from combusting. If there were air or water in the coal, the mound could smolder and start a fire, Mata said. Large bulldozers and other machines are used to move the coal and keep it compacted. In other words, theres still work to be done on the coal pile next to Deely. Its a little too early to think of it as a burial mound. Rye Druzin is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering Texas energy. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rdruzin@express-news.net | Twitter: @druz_journo In just two weeks in October, the legal landscape for marijuana use in North America changed dramatically. First, Canada opened sales of legalized pot for recreational use, and then Mexicos high court delivered a definitive ruling that citizens have the right to possess the weed for their personal use. That leaves Texas virtually surrounded by states that allow marijuana for medical use but not for recreational purposes as well as being sandwiched between two neighboring countries that have liberalized their stance on personal usage of the drug. And while the Lone Star State is a long way from following the example of Canada and Mexico, there seems to be growing support for at least reducing stiff criminal penalties for possessing small amounts of the weed. Currently, possession of less than two ounces of marijuana is a class B misdemeanor, punishable by a six-month jail term and a $2,000 fine. Even in Texas, public opinion seems to have shifted from criminalization to at least decriminalization, with strengthening support for legalization, said Nora Demleitner, a professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law in Virginia and the lead author of the textbook Sentencing: Law and Policy. PATIENTS LOCKED OUT: Medical cannabis out of reach for Texas family Among the frontrunners of decriminalization in Texas is Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, who shortly after taking office in 2017 created a marijuana diversion program for first-time offenders that eliminates jail time and a criminal record if the person attends a drug awareness class and is not re-arrested. A similar diversion program is in operation in Austins Travis County. Ogg rationalized that the average $25 million per year that the county spent prosecuting low-level pot consumers and locking them up was a wasteful public policy, preferring instead to use those funds to support fighting other crimes that threaten community safety. And the countys top prosecutor is not alone, recent polling indicates. Less than 20 percent of registered voters in Texas object to legalizing marijuana and overall, 53 percent would legalize pot either in small or any amounts, according to a University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll conducted before the midterm elections. The trend seems similar across the country, where so far 10 states have legalized marijuana and 33 allow it to be used for medical treatment. Expending resources on investigation, interdiction, prosecution and incarceration is a waste of those resources, agreed Barry Grissom, a former U.S. prosecutor in Kansas and vice president of Electrum Partners, a Las Vegas venture management firm specializing in cannabis. He added that those assets should be directed toward violent crime, human trafficking, sexual exploitation of children on the internet; things that will make our communities safer. Texas lawmakers passed a law in 2015 that allows doctors to prescribe a CBD oil, or cannabidiol without intoxicating properties, for patients with epilepsy that dont respond to approved treatments. MEDICAL MARIJUANA: Federally approved cannabis drug offers hope for patients and marijuana advocates Despite the criminal penalties, Texas has two of the Top 10 consumer cities in the country. Houston occupies the fourth spot with an estimated 21 metric tons of weed consumed last year, after New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, according to the 2018 Cannabis Price Index from the German company Seedo, which tracks the market around the world. Dallas is number seven with 15 metric tons. That high demand in Houston and elsewhere in Texas, some experts say, is not being met by traditional drug smuggling networks alone. Today in Texas, consumers easily find a wider variety of cannabis products than a few years ago coming from all over the place, said Dean Becker, a Baker Institute contributing expert in drug policy. Becker explained that states like Colorado, California and Oregon are growing more than their markets can absorb, and smugglers are flourishing moving the merchandise to other marketplaces. Mexico, he said, isnt the main Texas supplier anymore as their producers are struggling to compete with the higher quality of U.S. grown products. Similar reforms in Mexico, Canada The Canadian Cannabis Act that widely entered into effect on Oct. 17 legalized the recreational use and possession of small amounts of marijuana (just over an ounce) as well as cultivation for personal, adult consumption. At the end of October, the Mexican Supreme Justice Court ruled that Mexicans had a right to possess marijuana, and while it did not strike down laws, it made it virtually legal for all purposes except commercial sale. In November, the government of newly-inaugurated Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador introduced a bill that would legalize commercial cultivation of marijuana, as well as allowing residents to possess and even cultivate small amounts of the weed. Smoking marijuana in public would also be lawful. The purpose, the bill says, is to promote a model of responsible regulation. It has ample support in Mexico as a measure to decimate the power of drug cartels and their violent criminal enterprises. The proposed bill is expected to become law, since the landslide election bringing Lopez Obradors political party to power in December also brought his party control of both houses of the Mexican congress. Failure of War on Drugs Tony Payan, director of the Baker Institutes Mexico Center at Rice University, says the progressive approach to marijuana by Canada and Mexico has roots in the decades of a largely ineffective war against drugs. The prohibition and war against it (marijuana) have proven to be a huge failure, Payan said. Instead of decreased availability, the decades of costly interdiction efforts on both sides of the border have seen the consumption of marijuana increase in all three North American countries. And in its course, the drug war has resulted in a machine-like criminalization by the justice system for a product that poses no more health issues, and in many cases less, than most legal drugs used for recreational purposes including alcohol and tobacco, according to a number of studies. The argument of fear of weed from Mexico is over a century old, and hasnt evolved much beyond the racist them-vs-us origins since then, said Benton Bodamer, a member of the cannabis practice group at the international law firm Dickinson Wright and an adjunct professor at the Ohio State Universitys Moritz College of Law. He referred to the origins of marijuana prohibition in America in the early 1900s when racist propaganda sensationalized an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality and death, in the words of Harry J. Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics which was created in 1930. Following the steps of a previously established racist narrative, he said that the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races, identified as Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Today, about one in seven adults of all walks of life in the U.S. consumes marijuana, according to 2017 figures from a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in July. It also found that 81 percent of American adults believe that cannabis consumption has at least one benefit, with only 17 percent attributing none at all. Business opportunities for legalization The cannabis industry is a job creator, which Mexico and Canada realize, and it also cuts into the portfolio of criminals by making its use and sale a legitimate business that (creates) jobs and revenue, said Grissom, the former federal prosecutor. Grissom says Colorado is a good example, which reported total cannabis sales of $1.5 billion in 2017, and a staggering $5.7 billion since sales began in January 2014, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue. These funds did not go to criminals but to entrepreneurs who created over 20,000 new full-time jobs that paid a living wage as well as a new source of (tax) revenue for the state, he said. Overall, the nascent U.S. cannabis market is already double the size of Canadas, at $8.5 billion dollars, said Brad Alexander, a senior adviser at McGuireWoods Consulting, a public policy advisory firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. He predicts that by 2022, this market could top $20 billion. Progressive approaches to decriminalization have merged with fiscally conscious conservative arguments when it comes to business. Savings in the criminal justice system attract many conservatives while liberals bemoan the racially discriminatory impact of marijuana arrests and prosecutions, said Demleitner. Abbott signals support Recent comments from Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who has opposed marijuana reform, could prove to be a game changer in Texas Abbott said that he would support decriminalization by reducing the possession of less than two ounces from a B to C misdemeanor, with no jail time. Requests for comments from Abbott were not returned. With the 86th Texas legislature set to meet in January, already a dozen bills have been introduced dealing with decriminalization as well as legalization of medical and recreational marijuana use. RELATED: New bills filed for marijuana decriminalization in Texas All of this momentum foreshadows the global transformation from a fear-based prohibition into a global cannabis industry fueled by facts, market data, medical research, customer-patient experiences, and intelligent and evolving legislative solutions, said Bodamer, who teaches a class called Cannabizz at Ohio State. And although the federal government continues to abide by a full criminalization of marijuana, Demleitner notes that the resignation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions could mean a change in marijuana enforcement policies. For the Lone Star state, Demleitner has a prediction about the sandwich effect. All in all, Texans of all stripes may be closer than ever to move toward legalization, especially as everyone around them is going along with this major change, she said. olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet Caroline Wilson walked around the hospital bed and patted a spot on the mattress to invite the dog to jump. Come on, come on, bud! Wilson said to a large goldendoodle that wore a Santa costume over a green service vest. Heeding his handlers instructions, Jaime leapt lightly onto the bed. With Wilsons help, he settled at the feet of 16-year-old Kalynn Holmes-Butler. Before long, the dog was fast asleep. Hi, Jaime. You look so cute in your little outfit, Kalynn said, beaming as she patted the dogs fluffy fur. Are you tired, Jaime? Me too. At Methodist Childrens Hospital, two golden-haired dogs deliver comfort and joy to patients and staff. Working with the hospitals child life specialists, Jaime and his half-sister Hazel sit at childrens bedsides as they undergo procedures. They nuzzle stressed nurses and help fortify bereaved families. Sometimes they stand at the doorways of patients who for medical reasons are not allowed to touch them but find their presence soothing. Unsurprisingly, they bring smiles to the faces of just about everyone they meet. Caitlin Pearce, the hospitals director of child life, is the handler of Hazel, a 3-year-old golden retriever. She said the dogs have made the hospital a friendlier environment for children. We say she does the work for us, Pearce said of Hazel. Just the power of the paw, you could say. Methodists dog program started more than a year ago when the hospital acquired Hazel from Canine Assistants, a nonprofit that trains service dogs in Milton, Ga. Hazel was trained as a facility dog, one that works with children and thrives in a hospital environment. During training, Hazel was exposed to conditions she would face regularly as a facility dog. She visited childrens hospitals in Georgia and grew familiar with the unique smells and sounds there. She learned how to read a room so she would gravitate to people who were anxious or stressed. Karen Casto, who places dogs in hospitals for Canine Assistants, said hospitals have a growing interest in the organizations service dogs, which are bred and born in Milton and exposed at a young age to public spaces. Dogs are assessed based on personality to ensure that they can handle the stress, emotions and noise inherent in a hospital. Theres nothing like the love of a dog. There just isnt, Casto said. Once you see it in action, you want to be a part of it. You want to bring it to your patients and community. At Methodist, Hazel was a hit, so in November the hospital brought on Jaime, who is younger than 2 years old. The hospitals dogs are funded by donors, no small thing considering the upfront cost is $21,000 apiece. Contributions also cover food, treats and veterinary bills, Pearce said. Before the dogs arrived, their handlers attended a weeklong training camp with them in Georgia. Wilson and Pearce use bond-based training so the dogs follow their handlers lead through a deeply formed connection. We can have a really close-knit relationship where if we need them to do a specific task, we can work together as a team to do it, said Wilson, a child life specialist. On a recent Wednesday morning, Jaime was ready to work. He wore the Santa costume and an employee identification tag with a small picture of his face. In the lobby, passers-by stopped to pet Jaime, who welcomed the attention. Savanna Meadows, an instructor who works with current and future mothers, walked up with a gift bag, a green-and-red stuffed dinosaur sticking out of the top. Jaime happily took the toy into his mouth, the bag still hanging off it. Wilson and Jaime rode the elevator to the third floor, where they encountered a boy on a gurney who petted the dog before being wheeled away. At the nurses station, Jaime leaned against a woman sitting at a computer as she rubbed his side. You want to go see a friend? Wilson said to the dog and led him to the room of 10-year-old Luna Ramirez. Gathering the large dog in her arms, Wilson placed him on the bed gently, buffered him with a pillow and knelt beside him. I think were leaving today, said Lunas mother, Amanda Ramirez. You know what that means? Wilson said to Luna. That means you did a lot of hard work to take care of your body. Luna and her mother laughed at Jaimes faint snore. Luna twirled her fingers in the dogs hair. The only hard part is shes attached to that thing, Amanda Ramirez said, gesturing to the IV line in her daughters arm. Wilson asked the girl whether she wanted to learn about how it would be removed. Luna nodded. First, they would remove all the tape, Wilson said, likely with the help of a special alcohol that would help loosen it. Then whos your nurse today, Ms. Blaine? You can tell Ms. Blaine if you want her to count, and then she can count one, two, three and just pull the straw out, Wilson said. And then shell give you a Band-Aid and be all done. It would be much easier than the time Jaime was there to help her when another tube was removed, Wilson assured Luna. Midmorning, after visiting with another patient, Wilson led Jaime to a deserted hallway to meet with Pearce and Hazel. Pearce had spent that morning at a sister hospital, where a young mother had reached the end of her battle with cancer. She brought Hazel along to help facilitate a conversation with the womans husband and three children. Hazel helped Pearce build rapport with the family and ease the tension as Pearce explained cancer to one of the children, a little girl. The situation, involving several grieving people, was a lot for Hazel to handle. It had the potential to leave the dog exhausted. But as soon as Hazel spotted Jaime, all she wanted to do was play. Jaime, who had napped on beds and in hallways throughout the morning, instantly perked up and engaged Hazel in a game of tug of war with the new toy. Breaks like this were essential for the dogs, Pearce said. Their jobs involve long hours and stressful situations, such as the one Hazel had just dealt with. Pearce suspected that the dog was letting off steam from that encounter as she galloped up and down the hallway, panting heavily. The dogs knew they were free to act like regular dogs during these breaks and at home, where their service vests come off. Before the hospital brought Jaime on, Pearce noticed that Hazel would often be drained. These days, she seemed happier. There were many days that she would go down for a nap and refuse to get up because she was just that tired, Pearce said. And Ive seen that a lot less because she has a partner that can help carry her workload. The dogs have opposite personalities and are assigned to patients based on the circumstances. Jaime, sleepy and serene, is better suited to situations where he can act as a calming presence. Hazel, perky and energetic, thrives in more active scenarios, such as when a child needs to get up and walk after surgery. Pearce has been amazed at the many ways they have been able to use the dogs and the profound effect they have had on the hospital. She cannot imagine doing her work without them. 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 With an old cap and ball pistol that hadnt been fired in 15 years, Charles Carl Wahnschaffe took his life in 1907 at the age of 61. The San Antonio resident was separated from most of his family at the time of his death, and his legacy was nearly forgotten. But in 2005, his descendants honored him with a metal cross that bore a star emblem of the storied group of mounted horsemen with whom he served in happier times the Texas Rangers. It stood at his grave for 13 years, but earlier this year, it was stolen. The German-born immigrants tomb is in the Hermann Sons Cemetery Harmonia Lodge #1, a small graveyard on San Antonios East Side where 64 other people are buried. It was broken clean off, said Charles Kretzschmar, pointing to where the cross once stood on Wahnshaffes grave. Kretzschmar is a member of the Sons of Hermann, a fraternal organization that helps preserve German heritage in America. He and his wife, Angelina Kretzschmar, have been volunteering since May with the upkeep of the Hermann Sons Cemetery, which dates to 1877. The cross theft is the latest in a string of incidents at the cemetery and others nearby. Vandalism. Stolen gates. Used IV needles left behind. Angelina said that during visits to clean the cemetery, she and her husband would take pictures. Our last picture of the cross was on 14 August 2018, she said. On the 25th of September, as we were loading up our truck to leave, we noticed it was gone. The couple began a quest to find a replacement for the cross. It involved hours of Internet research and many phone calls to city and county officials. Finally, they reached an organization in Fredericksburg dedicated to preserving the legacy of the mounted patrol: the Former Texas Rangers Association and its parent nonprofit, the Former Texas Rangers Foundation. The association sent a new cross to Angelina, because many of Wahnschaffes descendants have died since the original cross was dedicated in 2005. The new one cost the Kretzschmars $25 the shipping fee they paid out of their own pockets. (If it needs to be replaced again, it will cost $85, plus shipping.) Angelina, a retiree who served as a budget analyst and equal employment opportunity specialist at Fort Sam Houston, found it regrettable that anyone would take something from a grave that honors a persons service. Its sad, she said. Records kept by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission show Wahnschaffe was born in Germany in 1845. He immigrated to America and wound up in Texas. A farmer, he was pressed into service when he was 26. Documents from the commission show he was with Company G of the Texas Frontier Forces from Oct. 30, 1870, to April 21, 1871. He was paid $261.66 after $30 was deducted for a Winchester carbine rifle he was issued. Joe Davis, president of the Former Texas Rangers Foundation and past president of its association, said it was not unheard of in that era for a citizen to be pressed into service in a Rangers regiment to protect new settlers. Some didnt make a career out of it, said Davis, who served with the Texas Rangers from 1969 to 1993. Some served just months or a couple of years, and then went back to their lives. Back then, there were regiments that were formed to protect settlers from Indians, and thats all they were. They didnt have law enforcement functions until later. Other records, some compiled by Angelina Kretzschmar, indicate that Wahnschaffe married Friederike Schube in San Antonio on May 19, 1872 after his service with the Frontier Forces. A story in the Wilson County News in 2005 said the couple raised five children one boy and four girls. A 1907 article in the Houston Chronicle said that in his final days, Wahnschaffe was separated from most of his family and was addicted to chloroform. In mid-January of that year, he went to an empty lot next to his San Antonio home and shot himself with a pistol before neighbors who saw him grab the weapon could intervene. He was a member of the Sons of Hermann and was buried under its auspices, the article said. Davis, who attended the 2005 cross dedication ceremony, said Wahnschaffe is among a select group to be honored with a Texas Ranger Memorial Cross. His group provides them free of charge to members of the association or their descendants, Davis said. The cross has horseshoes at the bottom and the Texas Rangers emblem at the center of the cross. Davis organization recommends that the horseshoes be embedded in concrete when a cross is installed at a gravesite, though some relatives of Rangers have preferred that the horseshoes remain above-ground to show that it was a horse-mounted patrol unit. The memorial cross program began in 1999 when the association dedicated 32 of the crosses in Center Point Cemetery, in Kerr County, where 32 former Texas Rangers the most anywhere are buried. There was nothing on the tombstones that recognized them as Texas Rangers, Davis said. Since then, the organization has dedicated more than 700 memorial crosses, he said. Davis could recall only one other incident of a memorial cross being damaged at the grave of Policarpio Polly Rodriguez near Bandera, where vandals broke his cross and removed the star. The memorial was replaced. Very seldom do we have that problem, but occasionally you do, Davis said. Davis said his group would help the Kretzschmars or Wahnschaffes descendants re-dedicate the new cross. He said that others who think a relative might have served with the Rangers, or with earlier frontier forces, should contact his organization at (830) 997-2698. If somebody wants to know, they can contact our office and we can check the muster rolls, Davis said. Our board believes that by providing these crosses and ceremonies, we are keeping alive the memory of the Rangers who have gone before us and fulfilling our mission to create landmarks relating to Texas Ranger history. This article has been updated to correct the name of the burial site of 32 Texas Rangers. Guillermo Contreras covers federal court and immigration news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland London cinema shows Holocaust film for babies To Kilburns Kiln arts centre in Londons Brent, where the parent and baby film screening of holocaust documentary Back to Berlin has attracted one punter and shes not allowed to watch on account of her being unaccompanied by a baby. All viewers must be carrying a babe in arms or entry will be denied. And babies should love the story of eleven modern day motor bikers on a mission to carry the Maccabiah torch from Tel Aviv to Berlin. As the synopsis informs next-years kindergarten intake: Each destination on the way to Berlin holds a chilling resonance for the riders as they discover and share how their families perished, or managed to survive. They find themselves heavily protected by police in 21st century Europe where anti-Semitism once again rears its ugly head particularly in countries like Greece, Hungary and Poland. En route to Berlin, the bikers meet much diminished Jewish communities clinging on to plaques and memorials as symbols of a time gone by, and once again fearful. Patrizia Diemling fancied watching the film. But the 68-year-old was vorboten. She tells her local paper: Staff told me nobody is allowed to come to the screening unless they have a babe in arms. They said I would make them [parents] feel uncomfortable. Women und children zis vay! The elderly must go to zer exit. A Kiln Theatre spokesperson goes on the record: The parent and baby screenings are something we are trialling our first was this Monday and they have been programmed in response to requests from parents within the local community. Babies hackling their mums accounts, wed wager. Anorak Posted: 30th, December 2018 | In: Key Posts, News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Christian Bautista was a lot of things: a seasoned criminal, an apparent gang member, a wild-eyed killer who stabbed Lauren Bump 27 times while the 24-year-old was jogging in O.P. Schnabel Park on the Northwest Side in 2013. He was not, however, an undocumented immigrant. State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, made that claim this week at the Capitol while debating the merits of his controversial sanctuary cities bill. Senate Bill 4 would punish local and state governments that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration officials or enforce immigration laws. During a six-hour debate, Perry launched into a list of supposed victims of undocumented immigrants. He was trying to justify a proposed measure requiring local law enforcement to honor detainers requests by federal officials to hold on to immigrants who are in the country illegally. The third on Perrys list of victims: Lauren Bump, 24, Texas, 2013. I can go on and list, the senator said. Those are real faces with real names that are no longer here today because the detainer process was not complied with. So we can have the debate about the outcomes from this bill. Those are realities of the day. Perry must have meant alternative facts of the day. The reality is that Bumps killer was not an undocumented immigrant, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Christian Ivan Bautista-Velasco had been referred by local law enforcement to (ICE) officials in the past, the federal agency stated on Wednesday. However, it was later determined that he is a U.S. citizen. Therefore, ICE has no jurisdiction regarding this individual. In naming Bump, Perry was reading from a list compiled by The Remembrance Project, a Houston-based nonprofit that seeks to publicize Americans killed by undocumented immigrants. The anti-immigrant group memorializes each victim on a stolen lives quilt that it displays at nativist events across the country. Bump is listed among its stolen lives. A request for comment emailed to The Remembrance Project was not returned on Wednesday. Perrys reliance on a slanted source to justify his bill is galling, but it isnt surprising in an era of alternative facts. The true facts simply dont fit Perrys storyline. Bumps murder was horrific, but it was not committed by an undocumented immigrant who should have been arrested by police before it happened. Perry was spurred to recite his list by state Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, who was trying to articulate the impact of a bill that would ban local law enforcement agencies from prohibiting their officers from asking about someones immigration status. Addressing Perry, Whitmire asked about Rosa, an undocumented immigrant and single mother in Houston. Under your bill, would she not have to worry about being pulled over for a broken taillight? Whitmire said. If under your legislation, they ask ICE about her, and theres a detainer, who is going to pick her 9-year-old up from one of our intermediate schools in Houston? Help me with that, senator, because that is an actual, living case as I stand before you. What do I tell Rosa? I have refrained from using this information for lots of reasons, Perry responded. But let me list something for you, Sen. Whitmire. He added, Im an accountant, not a wordsmith, so and he began to recite the names. A careful accountant, though, would not have counted Bump. bchasnoff@express-news.net Once again, the Johnson Amendment a federal law that protects our charitable sector, including houses of worship, from candidates seeking endorsements during political campaigns is up for debate. Once again you can hear people of faith across America turning into a united chorus saying, Dont turn my congregation into a Political Action Committee! Supporting the Johnson Amendment seems to be one of the few things capable of bringing together people of faith from across the theological spectrum. In April, 99 national and state religious bodies joined together to tell Congress that they do not need or want a change in the law to pursue their religious mission. In August over 4,000 faith leaders sent a letter to Congress asking to keep the current law. A LifeWay research poll from 2016 reports 79 percent of Americans say it is inappropriate for pastors to publicly endorse political candidates. People from across the conservative to liberal spectrum seem to understand that the Johnson Amendment is a good thing because it keeps churches from being overly involved in partisan politics. In six years as a pastor in San Antonio I have never had anyone in my church ask me who they should vote for. Getting rid of the Johnson Amendment would incentivize candidates and partisan groups to use congregations for partisan campaign activities. Houses of worship could be turned into virtual political action committees (PACs), providing an irresistible loophole for some to count campaign contributions as tax deductions by funneling them through houses of worship. The Johnson Amendment protects the integrity of houses of worship. It does that by shielding congregations from being targeted by political campaigns. It does not target churches or pastors to limit their free speech. This critical tax law protects churches from the lustful temptation of partisan politics. In our drive to create our own vision of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth, we have at times forgotten to follow what Jesus claimed were the greatest commandments loving God and loving our neighbor. In our fervor to create our own heaven on earth, we in the church have too often claimed that the ends justify the means. Through this terrible theology terrible things happen. If you do not think that faithful Christians would take advantage of the system for political gain, then you do not know your history very well. While most religious leaders support the Johnson Amendment, a minority longs for political power and yearns to elevate their theology to state policy. They are itching to get rid of the Johnson Amendment as a means of diving head first into electoral politics. Imagine a scenario where churches across the country function as political action committees for candidates. A big steeple pastor in the city calls a colleague in a small town, We have someone who wants to give some money, but you know, weve already given a bunch of money to this one candidate. Maybe you could accept this donation and then send it on to this fine Christian running for Congress. We need the Johnson Amendment. And by we I mean churches need the Johnson Amendment. We need it to keep us honest. We need it because we have the responsibility, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, to be The conscience of the state. It may not look like we are living up to that high calling. But there are churches across this country doing incredible work. We do not need this complicating or muddying the waters of the gospel. Our own history has done that enough. Garrett Vickrey is the pastor of Woodland Baptist Church in San Antonio. A common joke among Mexican expats and Mexican-Americans is the story of the boy with the shoeshine box who solicits a wealthy Latino in downtown Laredo. My colonel, please let me shine your shoes, the waif asks. The towering, rotund Mexican-American businessman smiles at the boy and asks, Why do you call me colonel? Please let me shine your shoes and after you pay me, Ill tell you, the boy replies. The Mexican-American businessman agrees, and after his shoes are glossy and shiny, he flips him a silver dollar. OK, so why do you call me colonel? Do I look like a colonel? The boy grins and runs away yelling, Hoy en dia cualquier imbecil es un coronel! Nowadays, any imbecile is a colonel! Its been more than 100 years since the Mexican Revolution spilled over into el otro lado (the other side), as thousands sought asylum in the United States. It began as a rebellion for democratic independence from the authoritarian dictator Porfirio Diaz, who sided with the landowning elites. Many would challenge Diazs rule in Mexico, including Francisco Madero, candidate of the Antirreeleccionistas. Seeking to quell any political threat to his reign of power, Diaz had Madero arrested, declaring himself the winner of a pseudo-election. Madero eventually published a cry for revolution, a la Thomas Paines Common Sense, titled Plan de San Luis Potosi. Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata answered the call. The revolution brought much violence and instability to the civilians of Mexico. My grandmothers family on my fathers side crossed over from Monterrey, Mexico, with all her belongings, finding refuge in Laredo. They had forfeited their land for a better life on the other side. Seemingly, the Mexican Revolution ended in 1920 after a bloody interlude between Pancho Villa and Gen. John Black Jack Pershing, leaving much collateral damage on both sides, from the Bath Riots of 1917 to innocent Tejano citizens, mistaken for insurgents and revolution sympathizers, slaughtered or shot by Texas Rangers. Life on the borderlands was like living on the edge of the world, according to David Dorado Romos Ringside Seat to a Revolution. The people living on the borderlands, fronterizos, were unclassifiable hybrids people on the margin Not real Americans. Nor real Mexicans. Many fronterizos traveled to and from Ciudad Juarez and El Paso along the Santa Fe Bridge. During the revolution, El Paso residents displayed xenophobic attitudes toward the travelers, promoting stereotypical accusations of uncleanliness. As a result, El Paso Mayor Tom Lea promoted a sanitation campaign along the border checkpoint. Border crossers were stripped in public, and doused with gasoline and DDT to remedy the false narrative of lice infestation. Exposure to these dangerous chemicals led to an atrocious incident in which a border agent lit a match, igniting the room and burning 19 of the detainees. One woman would challenge the inhumane practices at the border. Aware of the mistreatment of Mexicans who crossed the checkpoint, Carmelita Torres, a 17-year old maid who frequently traversed the border for work, refused to follow a Border Patrol agents orders to exit the trolley. She began a protest right at the bridge, urging all commuters to follow suit. The number grew to the thousands as pedestrians flooded the bridge in protest, pelting agents with rocks and bottles. It would be known as the Bath Riots of 1917. Historians have shown affinity toward Torres, labeling her the Mexican Rosa Parks. We have seen incidents recently like the ones witnessed by Carmelita at the border over 100 years ago with the mistreatment of Honduran migrants. The xenophobic mindset of the Trump administration to paint these poor, desperate people as disease-ridden threats to our democracy is reminiscent to the false stereotype of Mexicans infested with lice in 1917. If Trump seeks validation as leader of a secure border, he needs a silver dollar to find a response. Alfredo Torres Jr. is an independent historian working at Palo Alto College, researching the history of the Texas Good Neighbor Commission. Serial DWI defendants dont belong behind the wheel. There are laws to prevent that, but regrettably things often dont work out like they are intended. The case of 37-year-old James Preston Green, a four-time convicted DWI defendant, is a perfect example of how the checks and balances intended to make our thoroughfares safe dont always do that. Often, criminal defendants who are dealt minor slaps on the wrists as punishment, such as Green, come to light only after a tragic roadway incident. Bexar County motorists appear to have caught a break in the Green case. After more than a decade of sweetheart deals from the criminal justice system, Green spent the holiday season in the Bexar County lockup. Earlier this month, State District Judge Ron Rangel issued a warrant for Greens arrest for violation of the terms of his DWI probation, just as the findings of a monthslong investigation into Greens criminal history by Express-News journalist Brian Chasnoff was going to press. Green had pleaded no contest to driving while intoxicated in October and was given a six-year probated sentence a pretty light sentence considering Green was already on DWI probation when he was arrested in this latest case, after rear-ending another vehicle at high speed on Wurzbach Parkway in January. Never mind that Greens blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit or that he had two felony domestic-violence charges pending. Green was facing up to 20 years in prison on the drunken-driving charges when he went to court. That he managed to come out of the mess with a probated sentence and two domestic violence cases dismissed is pretty remarkable. This raised suspicions of preferential treatment: District Attorney Nico LaHood led a prayer group attended by Greens father, a local jeweler and former Fiesta Rey Feo. The district attorneys office said LaHood played no role in prosecutors recommendation in the case. Rangel told Chasnoff he had no choice but to accept the plea bargain presented by LaHoods prosecutors. Thats not just wrong, its unacceptable. Judges are an essential part of our judicial system of checks and balances. They are not obligated to rubber-stamp or accept plea bargains, especially for defendants with troubling criminal histories. But Rangel is not the only judge who needs to be held accountable in this case. Judge Randy Gray of Comal County did the public no favor when he did not require Green to complete the terms of his probation on a 2011 conviction. The terms included treatment for substance abuse. Gray said that was difficult to enforce because the defendant did not live in the county. Green was still on probation in Grays court when he picked up his fourth DWI in Guadalupe County in 2013. District Judge Gary Steel gave him 10 days in jail, six years probation, a fine, participation in an outpatient substance abuse program, and drug and alcohol testing. He ended up violating the terms of that probation too. After his Guadalupe County arrest, the Comal judge extended Greens probation for a year and subsequently released him from probation. By the time he went before Rangel, Green had been charged with DWI five times, but one of those, a case in 2008, had been dismissed. Consider: There are defendants with fewer DWIs on their record sheets serving time in Texas penitentiaries. Greens rap sheet includes incidents in Comal, Guadalupe and Bexar counties. Judges in each of those jurisdictions should have taken Green off the road a long time ago. Instead they each handled the case before them as isolated incidents and failed to view the bigger, troubling picture Green presented. The criminal justice system cannot operate that way. And asking why it did in this instance is a perfectly legitimate line of inquiry. Sweet curried chicken salad with raisins and mango chutney on a bagel is Peter Rosemans idea of a perfect Sunday lunch. Thats no small commitment from a man who, having dozens of ideas for sandwiches in his culinary repertoire, once quipped that his happiness is buried somewhere in-between two slices of bread. He dreams of sandwiches, makes sandwiches, eats sandwiches, sells sandwiches. He even writes about sandwiches. Sandwichd: My Life Between the Breads (Plum Bay Publishing) debuted this fall. Its a delightful read, chronicling Rosemans life as a deli man. Read a chapter or twothere are 24 chapters and 21 recipes heralded by a cartoonish sketch and you will find yourself comfortably following his lead, topping chicken slices with a sunny-side-up egg, diced onion and green pepper and even French fries, enveloped between the slices of a Brioche bun. Roseman has been making sandwiches for the better part of his life. Hes in the deli business where frantic mornings of roasting beef rounds and shredding the meat off a pork shoulder, dealing with vendors and employees (the ones who stay and the ones who fail to show up), and chatting up the noon-day parade of lunch-hungry construction workers and office staff is par for the course. He writes about the book editor, the jeweler, the teacher, the lawyers and stock brokers who patronized his store day after day. And does he ever love to tell a story to anyone who lingers more than a moment. The more people eavesdrop on his conversations, so much the better. After a friend listened to Roseman regale him with one anecdote after another, he was persuaded by that smart friend to compile his narratives in a book. The resulting paperback is part memoir and part business talk, with many delightful stories by its author. Fresh out of Lehigh University, Roseman did not know how or where to begin a career. At the same time, his mom was ready to start a business venture and suggested they open a food/catering retail shop together. Dad was appalled: Why a food business, he famously asked. You know nothing about food. Ah, on that score Dad was wrong. Roseman had been preparing for this step for years: His career trajectory took him from stints at a high school snack bar to a seafood restaurant, a pizzeria, and a country club restaurant. Fast food was in his genes. And as his mom exclaimed, she had three children so she knew a thing or two about sandwiches. So they jointly decided to open a delicatessen. How hard could that be? After all, at least according to Roseman, lunch is the celebrated part of anyones work day and nothing beats a good sandwich. Friends and family told them that a delicatessen was a perilous venture, but they took the plunge and what a roller-coaster ride it has been. Gourmet Galley opened in Greenwich on the top of the main retail avenue of the town in 1993. After a few years of learning the ropes, Roseman got the deli rhyrthm down pat without having a nervous breakdownbarely. His mettle was tested when auto dealer Malcolm Pray approached him to produce 5,000 turkey, ham and cheese sandwiches for a weekend when the Concours dElegance would take over Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. In true assembly-line formation with help from his family, he sliced the meats and cheeses, swiped the spreads on the slices of bread, layered on the tomatoes and lettuceall night long before the event. Then he bagged the sandwiches with chips and a drink. Everybody was happy with the results, no more than Roseman. Zabars should hire this guy. Roseman can handle anything now, he says, laughing at the memory. The business changed locations three times before comfortably settling on Fairfield Avenue in Stamford. Today, it sits on a corner neatly splitting a residential area from the commercial/retail streets that dovetail into that junction. You enter Gourmet Galley with a serious appetite. The place is humble, almost bare bones, very much a workmans lure. You look up at the overhead menus extolling Rosemans extensive offerings including soups and salads. Theres a very small glass showcase with rounds of meat and cheese, and racks of chips (every recipe in Sandwichd ends with a suggestion for accompanying chips) rounding out the decor, if you can call it that. Youre here for the food and very quickly, the enticing aromas will have you vacillating between the Hawaiian Ono burger made with fish fillets on a cholesterol high of mayo, sour cream, and heavy cream tempered by a lemon vinaigrette, or the Italian combo that leaves nothing out. In the book, Roseman pays homage to the simpler pleasures of the sandwich assemblage. He fondly remembers the brown bag lunches of his childhood (at school and on car rides with his parents), the satisfying pleasures of a BLT or a peanut butter and jelly served with a glass of milk. He says he would like to retire early, but for now life is good, shared with his wife and daughter, a dog and three turtles and the makings of any sandwich anyone would want. The recipes are meant for four servings, so they are on steroid overload. The Sicilian Muffuletta really caught my attention: 1 pound salami, 1 pound mortadella, pound each of pepperoni and provolone cheese, 1 pound olives, a small container of pickled vegetables and roasted red peppers. Garlic is thrown in for good measure to make you feel like a full-blown Italian. And you will be after eating your quarter share. Peter Roseman is truly the sandwich man of Fairfield County. Rosemarie T. Anner is a frequent contributor to Sunday Arts & Style. DAR honors five students for good citizenship The Putnam Hill Daughters of the American Revolution presented five winners of the D.A.R Good Citizens award with certificates at a ceremony hosted by award Chairwomen Dorothy Darlington and Sally Bretschger at Putnam Cottage. The honored students from Greenwich are Elizabeth Cassidy, Colette Cooper, Elizabeth Peck, Stephanie Rota and Monique Nikolov. They were selected by their house masters and guidance counselors from each of the five houses at Greenwich High School. The award is given to five outstanding senior high school students who excel in academics, leadership, service, dependability and patriotism in their home, school and community. The award committee was created by a resolution of the Continental Congress of 1934. The D.A.R. Good Citizen program is open to senior students enrolled in accredited private or public high schools. The Putnam Hill DAR of Greenwich is running a campaign to increase membership. Anyone interested, even if you are not sure you can qualify to trace back to a patriot of the American Revolution, is encouraged to contact putnamhilldar@gmail.com. Genealogical assistance can be given. Greenwich Hospital nurse recognized as a Top Millennial The Fairfield County Business Journal honored Mark Anthony Abille, a registered nurse, as one of its 2018 Milli Award winners. Abille is the clinical coordinator of the hospitals Post-Anesthesia Care Unit and has worked at the hospital for more than 10 years. He was selected along with 19 others from hundreds of applications across Westchester and Fairfield Counties. They were all recognized at an event in White Plains, N.Y. Abille, 34, is a leader at the hospital, training colleagues on new techniques. He spearheaded work with the anesthesia department on peripheral nerve blocks an alternative form of pain management to avoid overuse of opioids post-operatively. When hes not being a nurse, father or husband, he donates his time to the Filipino American League in Connecticut. The group collects clothing, food and money during disaster recovery, and builds schools for children. It is an honor to work with such an accomplished and dedicated individual, said his manager Helene Kimmons. Mark is kind and considerate, always smiling and taking on extra work to improve patient care and the hospital overall. Sponsored by Westfair Communications, the Milli Awards recognize standout local young professionals ages 21 to 34. As part of the ceremony, the award winners were asked to give their thoughts on how they would like future generations to view the millennials contribution to the business world and the wider society. Abille said he hoped the next generation Generation Z would consider millennials as both an inspiration for and a partner in their endeavors. I know that if we all work together, we can make this world a better place, he said. Greenwich Hospital, a 206-bed community hospital, is a member of Yale New Haven Health. Honors for students More than 2,400 students at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., were named to the Deans List for the Fall 2018 semester for earning a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Lara Gabriele, an exercise and sport science major from Greenwich, was among those students earning a spot on the Deans List. Two local students achieved the Deans List at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., for the Fall 2018 semester. Eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours and a quality grade point average of 3.5 with no grade below a C. The students are Zoe Clark of Greenwich and Dakota Sarcone of Greenwich. Nazareth College of Rochester, N.Y., announced that Riley Ellsworth of Cos Cob has been named to the deans list for the Fall 2018 semester. Ellsworth is majoring in psychology. A students grade point average must be at least 3.5 or above, and they must complete 12 credit hours of graded work that semester to be included on the deans list. Contributed Photo / Google Maps / Contributed Photo GREENWICH The Red Cross has been called to help a family of four relocate after a fire in their residence Saturday afternoon, according to dispatch reports. Around 3:24 p.m., Greenwich fire units rushed to South Water Street after receiving multiple calls about a fire. GREENWICH With just over a week until they are sworn in, the legislators in the Greenwich delegation are forming a better idea of the work they will be doing when they arrive in Hartford for the new legislative session. After breaking a lengthy Republican lock on Greenwichs seats in Hartford, Sen.-elect Alexandra Bergstein, D-36, and Rep.-Elect Stephen Meskers, D-150, will be joining longtime incumbent Reps. Livvy Floren, R-149, and Fred Camillo, R-151, for the next two-year term, which begins Jan. 9. Last week, Bergstein, Floren and Camillo received their committee assignments in the Capitol. Bergstein, who ousted longtime Republican Sen. L. Scott Frantz, was named chair of the Banking Committee and vice chair of the Judiciary Committee. The attorney said her background in law will come into play in her new roles. Being vice chair of judiciary, one of the most important committees, gives me the opportunity to shape critical policy on gun safety, which is an issue that is a priority for me and for our district. And our country, too, Bergstein said. The Banking Committee assignment will allow her to influence other critical issues such as infrastructure financing and student loan policy, she said. Bergstein, who campaigned as a different kind of Democrat, said that approach will still apply when she gets to Hartford. Labels dont readily apply to me, she said. People may make assumptions about me, but Im generally not what they expect and thats a good thing. Its not where were from or what we have that matters. Our conduct and character reveal who we really are. In preparation for her first session, Bergstein has met with state Sen. Gary Winfield (D-10), chair of the Judiciary Committee, and began reaching out to colleagues across the aisle to establish common ground. Ive had a warm reception from everyone, she said. Legislators in both parties understand we need to restore the fiscal health of our state because that helps everyone, in all corners of Connecticut. And if everyone acts for the best interest of the state, not their party or special interest, we can steer this ship in the right direction. Meskers, the first Democrat elected to the 150th District in over a century, said Friday the House Democrats have yet to release their committee assignments. He expects to find out which committees he will sit on in the next week. Floren, who ran unopposed for her 10th term this fall, is the longest-serving member of the Greenwich delegation. She has served on of the legislatures powerful Bonding Subcommittee, which crafts the states bonding bill every year that serves as a blueprint for the governor. Rep. Themis Klarides, R-114, the Republican Caucus leader, reappointed Floren to that subcommittee. Floren will also serve on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee and to the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Her priorities in state spending will remain education, housing as well as community- and school-based health centers, she said. But Floren promised to focus on the states bottom line with her work on the Bonding Subcommittee. Fixed costs, including debt service payments and Medicaid and retirement benefits, make up more than half of the states $40 billion budget, which makes the budget work difficult, she said. My primary responsibility as ranking member of Bonding is to craft a bipartisan bill that remains under the $1.9 billion bond cap and funds needs, not wants, and must haves, not nice to haves, Floren said. On Thursday, Floren expressed optimism that her goal of staying under the cap could be accomplished. The process, she said, will include four days of interviews with every state agency commissioner to determine priorities. Camillo, who was re-elected to his sixth term in November, was reappointed by Klarides to the Commerce Committee as well as to the Public Safety Committee and Veterans Committee. The public safety appointment pleased Camillo, who said he has worked in the past on legislation on distracted driving, indemnification for volunteer firefighters and others to provide protection from lawsuits and a good Samaritan law that allows people to help children or animals locked in cars during extreme heat. Calling the assignment to the Veterans Committee an honor, Camillo pledged to be a strong voice in support of the men and women who served us in the military. And he said he was happy to return to the Commerce Committee, which he called one of the most productive groups in the legislature. I am always inspired and energized by the truly bipartisan approach we take to each bill we consider, and hope we can make an even greater effort next year to encourage new employers to invest in our state, Camillo said. He will also remain on the Higher Education Committee. Both Floren and Camillo will return as assistant Republican leaders in the legislature, which gives them seniority in the caucus. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com As the partial shutdown of the federal government careens into its second week and the new year with no apparent end in sight, state and local officials, as well as social service organizations that rely on federal funding, are bracing for an impact yet to reach Connecticut with force. Connecticut, like most states, is protected from any immediate budget impact, said Chris McClure, a spokesman for the state Office of Policy and Management. But that doesnt mean an extended government shutdown isnt a big problem for the state. The grants we receive are already appropriated and allocated, so were operating with money the Feds have already given us, he said. Those funds will eventually run out, though, and state officials said a prolonged shutdown would cause big problems. In the meantime, state officials are most concerned about federal workers in the state about 1,500 of the 8,000 total who will go without paychecks until the shutdown ends. They expect to be paid retroactively eventually, if past shutdowns are a guide. Also on the list of those holding their breath for a speedy resolution are domestic violence advocates. With the shutdown came the expiration of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, which helps survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault by providing funding to domestic violence organizations. Prior to the shutdown, both the House and Senate passed budget agreements that would cover the costs of VAWA programs through Feb. 8, 2019. Grants already awarded before the shutdown will not be affected, but future payments for anti-domestic and anti-sexual violence programs funded by VAWA will be cut off until the legislation is reauthorized The fact that it is in limbo is enormously concerning, said Karen Jarmoc, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Were talking about 40,000 victims in Connecticut who are assisted by VAWA. Were hopeful the shutdown is not a long-term circumstance. In the short-term we can manage, and well continue to do the work we do. In the long-term if there is no funding, well have to adjust and make some really tough decisions. One main cause of worry is delays caused by the long planning needed for loans, approvals and events such as trade shows. For example, the federal housing and agriculture departments, as well as the Small Business Administration, all make loans to Connecticut businesses, developers and even homeowners. Those arent nixed by the shutdown but after a couple of weeks, the delays have real consequences. If it went past the week of the 7th, wed be working 18-hour days to catch up, one federal official said. Partisan swiping continues. This holiday season, the president gave the American people a temper tantrum and a government shutdown, said Leigh Appleby, a spokesman for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. The guy who is separating babies from their parents at the southern border shut down critical parts of the federal government because our current system plus the additional funding for border security offered by Democrats isnt cruel enough to immigrants. This rests squarely on the shoulders of Donald Trump, and its the people of Connecticut who will pay for this latest meltdown. This is the third shutdown of 2018. The first, in January, lasted only a few days, and a second in February lasted only nine hours. U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., said hed hoped this third shutdown would be similar, lasting only a few days with minimal impact on the general population. With the holidays we might not notice it too much, he said. For a couple of days it isnt more than an inconvenience for most people. But the longer it lasts, the more that will be affected. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt iShares MSCI Belgium ETF's stock was trading at $15.65 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWK stock has increased by 32.8% and is now trading at $20.78. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. 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 Telecom Italia S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides fixed and mobile telecommunications services in Europe, South America, and the Mediterranean Basin. The company operates through Domestic, Brazil, and Other Operations segments. It offers fixed and mobile voice and Internet, and public telephony services, as well as products managed and developed for individuals and families; and voice, data, and Internet services and products, and information and communications technology solutions for small and medium-size enterprises, small offices/home offices, the public sector, large accounts, and enterprises in the fixed and mobile telecommunications markets. The company also manages and develops a portfolio of regulated and unregulated wholesale services for fixed and mobile telecommunications operators; provision of infrastructure for housing radio transmission equipment of mobile telephone networks; and development, engineering, building, and operation of network infrastructures, information technology (IT), real estate properties, and plant engineering. In addition, it engages in customer care, operating credit support, loyalty, and retention activities; and staff functions and other support activities. Further, the company offers office products and services for IT sector. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Rome, Italy. Read More Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Whirlpool: 1900 Holdings Corporation, ADC, Aeradriatica S.p.A., Airdun Limited, B. Blend Maquinas e Bebidas S.A., BUD Comercio de Eletrodomesticos Ltda., BWI Products Limited, Bauknecht AG, Bauknecht Hausgerate GmbH, Bauknecht Limited, Beijing Embraco Snowflake Compressor Company Limited, Bill Page Orchestra, Bill Page Orchestra Inc., Brasmotor S.A., Brunson Place Properties, Brunson Place Properties LLC, CNB Consultoria Ltda, Cannon Industries Ltd., Centro de Desarrollo Tecnologico e Innovacion WHM S. de R.L de C.V., Comercial Acros Whirlpool, Comercial Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Consumer Appliances Service Limited, Ealing Compania de Gestiones y Participaciones S.A., Elera Delaware, Elera Delaware Inc., Elera Holdings Corporation, Embraco Europe S.r.l., Embraco Eurosales S.r.l., Embraco Industria de Compressores e Solucoes em Refrigeracao Ltda., Embraco Luxembourg S.a r.l., Embraco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco Mexico Servicios, Embraco Mexico Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco North America, Embraco North America Inc., Embraco RUS LLC, Embraco Slovakia S.r.o., Everest Campus, Everest Campus LLC., General Domestic Appliances Holdings Ltd, General Domestic Appliances International Ltd., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd., Haceb Whirlpool Industrias S.A.S., Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric, Hefei Whirlpool Enterprise Management Service Co. Ltd., Hoover Comercial Limitada, IRE Beteiligungs GmbH, Indesit Argentina S.A., Indesit Company, Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Pazarlama A.S., Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Indesit Company Ceska S.r.o., Indesit Company Domestic Appliances Hellas Mepe, Indesit Company International Business S.A., Indesit Company Luxembourg S.A., Indesit Company Magyarorszag Kft, Indesit Company Nordics AB, Indesit Company Polska Sp. zo.o., Indesit Company Singapore Pte. Ltd., Indesit Company UK Holdings Ltd., Indesit IP S.r.l., Indesit International ZAO, Indesit Ireland Ltd., Indesit Middle East FZE, Indesit Ukraine LLC, Industrias Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Industrias Acros Whirlpool S.A. de C.V, Jackson Appliances Ltd., Joint-Stock Company Indesit International, KitchenAid, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd., KitchenAid Delaware Inc., KitchenAid Europa Inc., KitchenAid Global, KitchenAid Global Inc., KitchenAid Inc., KitchenAid Korea Limited, KitchenAid Promotions, KitchenAid Promotions LLC, KitchenAid Trading Co., KitchenAid Trading Co. Ltd., LAWSA S.A., MLOG Armazem Geral Ltda., Maytag Corporation, Maytag Limited, Maytag Properties, Maytag Properties LLC, Maytag Sales, Maytag Sales Inc., Maytag Worldwide N.V., Merloni Domestic Appliances Ltd., Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Polar S.A., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co. Ltd., South American Sales Partnership, THC Assets Corporation, Up Points Servicos Empresariais S.A., Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., WCGP Nova Scotia Co., WHirlpool EMEA Finanace S.a r.l., Whirlpool (Australia) Pty. Limited, Whirlpool (B.V.I.) Limited, Whirlpool (China) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co. Ltd, Whirlpool (Hong Kong) Limited, Whirlpool (Japan) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Thailand) Limited, Whirlpool ASEAN Co., Whirlpool America Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Argentina S.r.l., Whirlpool Asia B.V., Whirlpool Asia Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Asia Inc., Whirlpool Asia LLP, Whirlpool Belux N.V./S.A., Whirlpool Bermuda Euro Ltd., Whirlpool Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Bulgaria Ltd., Whirlpool CIS Ltd., Whirlpool CR, Whirlpool CR spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool CSA Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada Co., Whirlpool Canada Co. (post 9/1/05 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Holding Co, Whirlpool Canada Holding Co. (post 4/18/06 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada LP, Whirlpool Canada Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Chile Limitada, Whirlpool Colombia S.A.S., Whirlpool Comercial Ltda., Whirlpool Company Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Company Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool Croatia Ltd., Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A., Whirlpool Ecuador S.A., Whirlpool Eesti OU, Whirlpool El Salvador, Whirlpool El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Electrodomesticos S.A., Whirlpool Eletrodomesticos AM S.A., Whirlpool Enterprises, Whirlpool Enterprises LLC, Whirlpool Europe B.V., Whirlpool Europe Coordination Center, Whirlpool Europe Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Ev Aletleri Pazarlama Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Finance B.V., Whirlpool Finance Center Corp., Whirlpool Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Finance Overseas Ltd., Whirlpool Financial Corporation, Whirlpool Financial Corporation International, Whirlpool Floor Care Corp., Whirlpool France Holdings SAS, Whirlpool France SAS, Whirlpool Germany GmbH, Whirlpool Global B.V., Whirlpool Global Investments B.V., Whirlpool Greater China Inc., Whirlpool Guatemala, Whirlpool Guatemala S.A., Whirlpool Hellas S.A., Whirlpool Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool Home Appliances B.V., Whirlpool Home Appliances Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool Hungarian Trading Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool India Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Insurance Company, Whirlpool Insurance Company Ltd., Whirlpool Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool International GmbH, Whirlpool International Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool International Manufacturing S.a r.l., Whirlpool Ireland Appliances Limited, Whirlpool Ireland Limited, Whirlpool Italia Holdings S.r.l., Whirlpool Italia S.r.l., Whirlpool Japan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Japan Inc., Whirlpool Kazakhstan LLP, Whirlpool Latin America Corporation, Whirlpool Latvia S.I.A., Whirlpool Lietuva UAB, Whirlpool Ltd Belgrade, Whirlpool Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Ventures S.a r.l., Whirlpool MEEA DMCC, Whirlpool Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Whirlpool Management Services S.a.g.l., Whirlpool Maroc S. a r.l., Whirlpool Mauritius Limited, Whirlpool Mexico Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico Ventures LLC, Whirlpool Microwave Products Development Limited, Whirlpool NAAG Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool NAR Holdings, Whirlpool NAR Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Nederland B.V., Whirlpool Nordic, Whirlpool Nordic A/S, Whirlpool Nordic AB, Whirlpool Nordic AS, Whirlpool Nordic OY, Whirlpool Oceania Inc., Whirlpool Overseas Holdings, Whirlpool Overseas Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Overseas Hong Kong Limited, Whirlpool Overseas Manufacturing S.ar.l., Whirlpool Peru S.R.L., Whirlpool Polska Appliances Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Portugal, Whirlpool Portugal S.A., Whirlpool Product Development (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Whirlpool Properties, Whirlpool Properties Inc., Whirlpool Puntana S.A., Whirlpool R&D S.r.l., Whirlpool RUS LLC, Whirlpool Realty Corporation, Whirlpool Romania S.r.l., Whirlpool S.A., Whirlpool SSC Limited, Whirlpool Slovakia Home Appliances spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool Slovakia spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Whirlpool Southeast Asia Pte, Whirlpool Sweden Aktiebolag, Whirlpool Taiwan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Technologies LLC, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, Whirlpool UK Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Whirlpool Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool WW Holdings B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Investements B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Ltda., Whirlpool of India Limited, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Xpelair, Xpelair Ltd., Yummly, Yummly Canada Ltd., and Yummly Inc.. iShares Latin America 40 ETF's stock was trading at $22.49 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, ILF shares have increased by 8.5% and is now trading at $24.41. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. iShares MSCI Switzerland ETF's stock was trading at $35.66 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWL stock has increased by 39.1% and is now trading at $49.62. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. There is not enough analysis data for Anglo African Oil & Gas. 3.9 Community Rank Outperform Votes Anglo African Oil & Gas has received 44 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Anglo African Oil & Gas has received 32 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Anglo African Oil & Gas has received 57.89% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Anglo African Oil & Gas and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe AAOG will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe AAOG will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Shares of United States Natural Gas Fund reverse split before market open on Friday, January 5th 2018. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, December 22nd 2017. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the market closes on Thursday, January 4th 2018. An investor that had 100 shares of United States Natural Gas Fund stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split. by Sean Fitzpatrick | Sun, Dec 30th 4:35pm EST Jarnell Stokes signed with the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday on a two-way deal. (Shams Charania on Twitter) Fantasy Impact: Stokes is off the fantasy radar and could spent most of his time in the G-League. Stokes last played for Denver back in 2016. Suresh Vats was killed Saturday when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from venue of PM Modi's public meeting. Lucknow: Nineteen people have been arrested in connection with the killing of a policeman in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district, a senior police official said on Sunday. Director General of Police (DGP) O P Singh, in a tweet, clarified that the deceased policeman, Suresh Pratap Singh Vats, was a head constable. Vats (48) was killed Saturday when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protests. "The death of head constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Ghazipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law (sic)," the DGP said in a tweet. According to Superintendent of Police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh, the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue. "When the Prime Minister had left Ghazipur, the party workers blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue," he told news agency PTI on Saturday. The SP said the police are trying to identify other protesters by scanning video footage of the incident. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of Vats and Rs 10 lakh for his parents, the state has government said. Adityanath also directed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to take strict action against unruly elements and arrest them immediately. The death comes less than a month after the killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr district. He was shot dead during mob violence over alleged cow slaughter. The man who allegedly shot the Bulandshahr inspector was arrested last week. PM Modi had addressed a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for a medical college and releasing a postal stamp on Maharaj Suheldev. He had left for Varanasi when the violence in Ghazipur took place. The NFU brought more than 70 representatives from the agri-food supply chain together in London in December to discuss the impacts of the UK leaving the EU without a deal in place. The NFU has been clear that the UK leaving the EU without a deal would be 'catastrophic' and is 'not an option' for UK agriculture. The whole supply chain was represented from seed to shop shelf representing from pre and post farm gate. The event was also supported by Defra, and officials there heard a strong message on the strength of feeling around some key no-deal issues. During the event attendees broke out into four workshops focusing on: domestic markets, exports, physical inputs and wider operational concerns. Within these workshops participants identified risks and discussed potential mitigation strategies. As expected, across the workshops several key themes emerged. Labour From staff on cutting lines in abattoirs, to dairy herdsman, to seasonal fruit pickers, no part of the industry was content with provisions made to ensure the sector would have access to the permanent and seasonal workers it needs in the event of no deal. With some non-UK workers going home for Christmas, several present were concerned staff may simply choose not to come back. Those seeking to recruit workers next year reported they were already facing issues with uncertainty over Brexit cited as a major concern. The balance of trade Many businesses present voiced concerns about the potential inability of the UK to export animals or animal-based products to the EU in the event of no deal. In 2017, 31% of domestic sheep meat production was exported and 94% of that was destined for the EU, using carcase weight equivalence this equates to a staggering total of around 4.5 million sheep. Other sectors are equally as reliant on EU outlets and face similar issues including cull cows, cull sows and trade in live chicks. On imports there was much discussion about key inputs for the sector such as seed, ag chem products and fertilisers. Whilst stockpiling is possible it isnt the silver bullet, according to the NFU. For example, many crop protection products are manufactured on the continent and production cycles are planned to coincide with market demand across Europe meaning the UK cant buy early. Stockpiling fertiliser isnt possible due to security concerns. Elsewhere many horticultural businesses rely on imported product to complement British seasonality, with March representing the lowest point of British production supply of fruit and veg could be at risk. Logistics Delegates heard that a significant proportion of the food consumed in the UK comes across the Dover Straight. Currently 10,000 lorries cross this 20 mile stretch of water each day with traffic heading both ways. Any delays at the borders have the risk of causing serious disruption to the food chain. With lorries potentially held up in queues, delegates expressed concern that hauliers would be in short supply, potentially pushing up cost and waiting times for businesses. Communication Communication and timing of that communication was a key theme emerging from the workshops. Many felt that in the event of no deal, clear and co-ordinated communication would be needed from government to industry and consumers. As part of this, consumer confidence was of concern and many felt there was a role for government in helping to promote Great British food. Access to capital All of the workshops touched on the impact fluctuations in currency could have on our sector. Alongside this, cash flow and adequate access to credit were raised as genuine issues, with some questioning the support banks would be given from financial authorities to ensure they were able to support customers in times of need. The response to the RTI query had revealed that the committee formed to study the bullet train project had not met even once before clearing the project. The Maharashtra government has suspended an information officer for allegedly providing "incorrect information" under the Right to Information Act. Sarangkumar Patil had provided documents to RTI activist Jeetendra Ghadge, which had revealed that Devendra Fadnavis government had not followed the due procedure before clearing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. The Home Department of Maharashtra will now conduct an inquiry against Patil, in the first instance of an information officer being suspended for allegedly providing wrong information under the RTI Act. On Tuesday, 25 December, Firstpost had reported that documents obtained by Ghadge had revealed that a Fadnavis-led panel had cleared the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project without meeting even once. On 27 February, 2017, the state home department had issued a circular noting the formation of the subcommittee to be headed by Fadnavis to conduct an "in-depth study" of the bullet train project. More than six months later, on 12 September, 2017, the department had issued another circular approving the project. However, the response to the RTI query, which Patil sent to the activist, revealed that the subcommittee had not held a single meeting, let alone conducted an in-depth study. "You have sought information on the meetings of the cabinet subcommittee. So far, not even one meeting has been held," read the reply. The revelation embarrassed the Maharashtra government. It even suggested that the state may not have had a say in the bullet train project, considering that it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet project. However, after Firstpost published the report, the Maharashtra government claimed that the subcommittee did, indeed, hold meetings and brief the chief minister. Responding to Mumbai Mirror, which had also published the story, Fadnavis had said that "the information is wrong". "Selective information was asked under the RTI Act. The state cabinet made decision. The committee had held meetings," he said, though he did not share any details of the meetings. If the meetings did happen, details of when and how many there were and what transpired at them remains ambiguous. RTI activist Ghadge said he was "shocked" by Patil's suspension and believes that he had provided the correct information. "He had given the information available in the file," he said. "I had also inspected the file thoroughly, but I did not get any information on any meetings conducted by the subcommittee. There was no correspondence, minutes or report of the subcommittee meeting. The Chief Minister's Office is clearly misleading by not sharing the dates of the meeting, yet insisting that the information is incorrect. I hope better sense prevails and the suspension is cancelled." This correspondent tried to reach Fadnavis, but he did not respond to text messages, neither did Sunil Porwal, Assistant Chief Secretary of the Home Department of Maharashtra. Government sources have claimed that Patil did not consult any seniors before responding to Ghadge's RTI query and providing wrong information. Earlier, Diwakar Raote, Maharashtra transport minister and a supposed member of the subcommittee formed to look into the bullet train project, had claimed to have no clue about the panel. "My name may be there (on the list of members of the panel), 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," he said, adding that he was not looking into the bullet train, the chief minister was. This correspondent, once again, contacted Raote to ask whether it could be possible that the subcommittee of four had held meetings without him knowing about them, but he said, "The respected chief minister has already responded. It would not be right for a minister to comment after the chief minister's response." WCD minister Maneka Gandhi has taken note of the case after a woman in Bengaluru was allegedly given triple talaq by her US-based husband through a text and voice message. Bengaluru: Days after a bill criminalising instant triple talaq was passed in the Lok Sabha, a woman in Bengaluru was allegedly given triple talaq by her US-based husband through a text and voice message. Reshma Azeez told ANI, "He left me at my parents' place, went back to the USA, and divorced me through a message. I am not able to meet my kids also." The text message of Azeez's husband Javeed Khan reads, "I am sending this message in my full sense and I am not under any influence of anger or intoxication. ALLAH as my witness. I, Dr. Javeed Khan, son of late Taj Ahmed pronounce TALAQ (divorce) to RESHMA Azees , daughter of Azeezuddin, according to ISLAMIC LAW OF SHARIAH. Meher has been completely fulfilled." The victim sought External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj's help in the matter. Women and Child Development minister Maneka Gandhi also took note of the matter and said that the ministry has taken up the case on absolute priority. "My ministry has taken up the case of triple talaq on absolute priority. The first instance post the passing of the bill, criminalising the act of instant divorce in the Muslim community will be dealt with and we shall ensure that justice is done," Maneka wrote on Twitter. On 27 December, the Lok Sabha passed the Triple Talaq bill which makes the practice a criminal offence with a provision of three-year jail term for the erring husband. The development comes a day after BJP legislator Devendra Singh Lodhi stirred controversy by claiming that cop Subodh Kumar killed in Bulandshahr violence had 'shot himself after he became hopeless.' Bulandshahr: The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested the main accused of the 3 December cow slaughter incident, which later triggered violence in the district claiming two lives, including that of a cop. The accused identified as Haroon was apprehended along with a licensed revolver. The development comes a day after BJP legislator Devendra Singh Lodhi stirred controversy by claiming that cop Subodh Kumar killed in Bulandshahr violence had "shot himself after he became hopeless." In an exclusive conversation with ANI, Singh made the appalling remark and said, "He became hopeless and shot himself in haste while trying to save himself. He was not targeted. It was a mob that got aggressive as the police were not filing an FIR. " On 3 December, sub-inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and a youth named Sumit died in the violence which erupted after the carcasses of 25 cattle were found in forests close to a police post. Inspector Singh, who was trying to control the wild mob, was wounded in the head with a stone. As his driver bundled him into his SUV and tried to take him to the hospital, the mob followed the car, cornered it in a field and shot the police officer. Singh died of a bullet wound below his left eyebrow, the autopsy report confirmed. As many as 25 accused have been arrested in connection with the violence that took place in the town earlier this month. The arrested individuals included army man Jitendra Malik, alias Jeetu Fauji. Malik, however, had pleaded his innocence in the matter and said he has been framed. On 19 December, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath had said that the Bulandshahr violence was a conspiracy by those who have lost political ground and want to communalise the atmosphere. According to reports, the northwest, central and eastern parts of the country are likely to continue facing the cold wave on Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the chill in the air is expected to continue for the next two days. A cold wave has gripped several parts of India, with temperatures dipping over the weekend. The cold wave continued to grip Delhi as well as Maharashtra on Sunday, with temperatures in the coastal state dropping significantly, breaking records of at least 10 years. Jammu and Kashmir, however, got some respite from the chill, recording warmer temperatures over the weekend. According to reports, the northwest, central and eastern parts of the country are likely to continue facing the cold wave on Sunday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted that the chill in the air is expected to continue for the next two days. The weather agency also predicted moderate fog for the next three to four days over the northern plains and the northeastern states of the country. Delhi Temperatures in the national capital plummeted to 2.6 degrees on Saturday morning, the lowest levels this winter. It was also the lowest in the last half a decade mercury had fallen to 2 degrees on 30 December, 2013, The Economic Times reported. Saturday's minimum, at 2.6 degrees, was four notches below normal, and the maximum, at 20 degrees Celsius, was a degree below normal, the report said. Delhi has been reeling under a cold wave for the past few days. On 21 December, the minimum temperature was recorded at 3.4 degrees Celsius. The Indian Express quoted IMD sources as saying that the city is unlikely to be free from the cold wave any time soon. "Cold waves will continue to prevail on Sunday, as well. The minimum and maximum temperatures are likely to hover around 2 and 21 degrees, respectively, on Sunday," the MeT official said. The cold wave has even even claimed two lives in the city, The Times of India reported. The police found a man lying on a footpath beside a bus stop at Alipur near Rohini in northwest Delhi on Sunday. They suspect he died of hypothermia. Additionally, a woman's charred body was found near Lady Irwin College on Sikandra Road in Lutyens, and the police suspect she had been sleeping beside a bonfire when her clothes caught fire. Flight delays and cancellations are common at the Delhi airport during the winter months, when foggy conditions reduce visibility to unsafe levels. Apart from air traffic getting affected, train and road traffic movement are also severely affected every year due to fog. Road accidents are also frequent in North India during the foggy winter. On Monday morning, eight people had died in a 50-vehicle pileup near Haryana's Jhajjar. Maharashtra The cold wave also swept over parts of Maharashtra and Vidarbha on Saturday, with as many as five locations in the state, including Pune, breaking a 10-year record of minimum temperatures, The Times of India reported. A cold wave warning was issued for isolated places in Vidarbha and North Maharashtra on Sunday. There may also be ground frost in the adjoining areas of Nagpur and a few other places in Vidarbha, officials were quoted as saying by the newspaper. Nagpur was the coldest in the state, recording 3.5 degrees Celsius at night, an almost 9-degree deviation from the norm. It was colder than places like Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, Patiala in Punjab and Banihal in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday morning. At 5.9 degrees Celsius, Pune recorded its coldest morning in 18 years on Saturday. Reports from Mahabaleshwar also indicated ice and ground frost formation around Venna Lake. Jammu and Kashmir Residents in Kashmir experienced relief from the intense cold wave conditions on Sunday, as the temperature rose by several degrees across the Valley and the Ladakh region. But the minimum temperature continued to remain below freezing point, an IMD official said. The temperature at night in the Kashmir division, including Ladakh region, rose by several degrees on Saturday night because of the cloudy skies, providing huge relief to the residents from the intense chill blanketing the region over the past few days, the official added. Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday night an increase of nearly five degrees from minus 7.2 degrees Celsius on Friday night. Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan the 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably. It ends on 31 January, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir. This 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long Chillai-Khurd (small cold) and a 10-day long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold). The winter this season has been dry so far, though there was a spell of early snowfall in the Valley in the first and second weeks of November. The prolonged dry spell has resulted in an increase in common ailments like cough, cold and other respiratory problems, especially among children and the elderly. The weatherman has predicted light rain or snowfall at isolated places in the Valley and Ladakh on Sunday and at scattered places across Jammu and Kashmir over three days from Tuesday. Punjab and Haryana Hisar in Haryana reeled at 1.6 degrees Celsius as the unrelenting cold wave intensified in the state and neighbouring Punjab on Sunday. Hisar, where the minimum settled five notches below normal, was the coldest place in the two states. Karnal, too, experienced the chill at 2 degrees Celsius, down three notches, IMD officials said. Narnaul and Rohtak also recorded below normal identical minimum temperatures of 3 degrees each. Ambala and Sirsa, too, registered below normal identical lows at 4.4 degrees Celsius each, while Bhiwani's minimum settled at 4.6 degrees. Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, braved the chill at 4 degrees Celsius, down two degrees against normal limits. In Punjab, Gurdaspur was the coldest place, recording a low of 2.4 degrees, while Ludhiana also experienced a cold night at 2.8 degrees Celsius. Patiala's minimum settled at 3.4 degrees, down three notches against normal, while Adampur, which was the coldest place in the state on Saturday, recording a sub-zero temperature, registered a slight increase in minimum at 2.5 degrees Celsius, though it was still below the normal limits. Halwara recorded a minimum of 3.9 degrees Celsius, while Amritsar and Pathankot registered near similar lows 5.9 degrees and 5.5 degrees Celsius. MeT officials said fog had reduced visibility early on Sunday morning at many places, including Hisar, Karnal, Bhiwani, Ludhiana and Patiala. With inputs from PTI Today's top stories: The Congress and BJP trade bards over Christian Michel's reported 'Mrs Gandhi' revelation in the AgustaWestland case; India win the third Test against Australia; NASAs New Horizon sends one final ping before its New Year's Day fly-by of Ultima Thule; and more. Christian Michel names 'Mrs Gandhi' in AgustaWestland case: BJP, Congress trade barbs The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday told Delhi's Patiala House court that the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, Christian Michel, named "Mrs Gandhi" while being interrogated, but the context of his statement was not clear. Michel also spoke about "the son of the Italian lady" and how he is going to become the "next prime minister of the country". The ED is now seeking to ban Michel's lawyer Aljo K Joseph access to his client, alleging he is being tutored from outside. The court sent Michel to seven-day ED remand and also ordered his lawyers to maintain a distance while meeting him. It restricted Michel's time with his lawyers to 15 minutes every morning and evening. In response, the Congress accused the BJP-led government of using its agencies to put pressure on Michel. Congress spokesperson RPN Singh said: "We have seen what the BJP has been doing in this matter. In fact, one of the television channels showed how there is pressure on Christian to name a particular family." The BJP, on the other hand, accused the Congress of compromising on national security. Union minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Earlier, we knew only two words 'AP' and 'Family' (allegedly mentioned in notes seized in connection with this case.) Now, there are mentions of 'big man', 'son of Italian lady,' 'R' and 'party leader.' All of these point to one family. The Congress government only engaged in scams and compromised with national security. The 'accidental prime minister' led a government of loot." Polling opens in Bangladesh general election Voting began in a Bangladesh general election on Sunday, which is expected to deliver a record fourth term for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Polls opened at 8 am amid tight security following a campaign that was marred by violence and allegations of a government crackdown on Opposition activists. Some 6,00,000 security personnel are deployed across the South Asian nation, including at 40,000 polling stations where voters will cast their ballots in the country's 11th parliamentary election since Independence in 1971. Around 104 million voters will choose between an alliance led by Hasina's ruling Awami League party and a coalition headed by the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which was cobbled together only three months ago. Opinion polls show Hasina, who has presided over impressive economic growth during an unbroken decade in power but who is also accused of growing authoritarianism, heading for a comfortable victory. Triple talaq bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Monday; Congress says won't let it pass The contentious triple talaq bill seeking to criminalise the Islamic practice of instant divorce is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Monday even as the Congress said it will not allow the passage of the proposed legislation in its present form. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House after it was cleared by the Lok Sabha on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition. Prasad had on Friday claimed that the bill will find support in Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks the numbers. The bill was passed by the Lower House with 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it. All India Congress Committee general secretary KC Venugopal told reporters in Kochi that the party would join hands with others to prevent the bill from getting passed in the House. He said 10 Opposition parties had openly come out against the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, when it was introduced in the Lok Sabha India win third Test against Australia India clinched a 137-run victory on a rain-affected fifth and final day to gain a 2-1 series lead, and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the process. Rain had earlier washed the morning session out, with play resuming at 7.25 am IST. However, the visitors took a little over 20 minutes to wrap things up, with Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma taking a wicket each to bowl Australia out for 261. Relive the highlights from the day's play here. Egyptian forces kill 40 suspected militants after tourist bus bombed Egyptian security forces have killed 40 suspected militants in three separate incidents in North Sinai and Giza, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday, a day after a bombing on a Vietnamese tourist bus in Giza killed four people. The ministry did not say whether the suspected militants were connected to Fridays attack, but said its forces killed 30 people during raids on their hideouts in Giza, where it said terrorist elements were planning a series of attacks targeting state institutions and the tourism industry. Security forces also killed 10 suspected militants in North Sinai, where the country is fighting an insurgency led by Islamic State. State news agency MENA said the suspects were killed in a gun battle. New Year offers for OnePlus 6T continues OnePlus announced its exclusive New Year offers for OnePlus 6T buyers starting 29 December. This is a limited period offer for OnePlus 6T buyers on Amazon and will continue till 6 January. The year-end offers include a Rs 1,500 instant discount on all EMI transactions to buy the OnePlus 6T using HDFC Bank credit and debit cards. NASAs New Horizon to send one final ping before its New Year's Day fly-by of Ultima Thule The New Horizons probe launched by NASA in 2006 has racked up a lot of accomplishments over the year, but its biggest one yet is a day away a fly-by of the farthest object encountered by any man-made object in the solar system. After travelling billions of kilometres and, in 2015, capturing an image of dwarf planet Pluto that shot the spacecraft to fame, New Horizons will move into the new year by gathering as much information as it can about an icy rock Ultima Thule in the Kuiper Belt, reportedly as old as the Sun itself. New Horizons will ping its location to mission control at NASA one last time for a hit-or-miss course-correction before it embarks on the historic fly-by An FIR was registered and four women employees of the Delhi shelter home a welfare officer, an in-charge and two house mothers were arrested. They have been sent to judicial custody and an investigation is underway, the police said. New Delhi: Four women employees of a shelter home in Delhi, where girls were allegedly abused by its staff, were arrested on Saturday, police said. During an inspection of the private shelter home in Dwarka on Thursday, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) found that girls were severely punished by the staff for not following rules. Some teenage girls alleged that the female staff put chilli powder in their private parts as punishment. They were also forced to have chilli powder, the DCW had said. Following the revelation, an FIR was registered and four women a welfare officer, an in-charge and two house mothers were arrested. They have been sent to judicial custody and an investigation is underway, the police said. Reacting to the arrest, DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal requested the child welfare committee to ensure new management of the home, and protection and proper rehabilitation of the girls. "Also request Centre to ensure inspection of all shelter homes across the country by sensitive officers at war footing. When abuse can be prevalent in a shelter home in Delhi, one can imagine what must be going on in the entire country," she tweeted. She urged the authorities to not separate the girls by transferring them to another shelter home. Maliwal had said a team of DCW counsellors, as well as the police, have been deputed in the home 24/7 to ensure the safety of the children. The DCW will continue to monitor the condition of the home. Earlier, the DCW had set up an expert committee in consultation with the Delhi government to inspect various private and government-run shelter homes and give suggestions for their improvement. The Maharashtra government has suspended an information officer for allegedly providing 'incorrect information' under the Right to Information Act. After Firstpost report on bullet train project, Maharashtra govt suspends officer who responded to RTI query The Maharashtra government has suspended an information officer for allegedly providing "incorrect information" under the Right to Information Act. Sarangkumar Patil had provided documents to RTI activist Jeetendra Ghadge, which had revealed that Devendra Fadnavis government had not followed the due procedure before clearing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. Ghazipur violence: 11 arrested after constable's death in stone pelting; Congress calls it 'Adityanath's jungle rule' At least 11 people have been arrested in connection with the death of a police constable in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur. Additional Director General of Police (Varanasi Zone) PV Rama Sastry said 32 people had been named in the FIR. Four rifles go missing from Jammu and Kashmir Congress legislator's house; police sound alert in Srinagar The weapons of Congress leader and Member of Legislative Council Muzaffar Parray's PSOs went missing from the guard room of his official residence in Jawahar Nagar area of the city, a police official said. With Bhima Koregaon gearing up to host lakhs of Dalits, police tighten security, monitor 'provocative' social media posts Ahead of the 201st anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon, the number of security forces deployed at Bhima Koregaon village in Maharashtra is 10 times more than that deployed last year to prevent violence, said Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Sandip Patil. The Congress on Saturday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the death of a police constable in Ghazipur in stone pelting by a mob, alleging that in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's 'jungle rule' neither the people were safe, nor the police. At least 11 people have been arrested in connection with the death of a police constable in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur. Additional Director General of Police (Varanasi Zone) PV Rama Sastry said 32 people had been named in the FIR, which also mentions over 70 to 80 unidentified accused. Police constable Suresh Vats was killed on Saturday when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the public rally Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed at Ghazipur. The 48-year-old was hit in the head by a stone when he had gone to clear a traffic jam caused by the protests. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh also tweeted that 19 people had been arrested in three separate cases, including the 11 arrested for the "murder" of the police constable. "Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence," he said, calling Vats' death "extremely tragic". Superintendent of Police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh said the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party, who the Uttar Pradesh administration and police had prevented from going to Modi's rally. "When the prime minister left Ghazipur, the party workers blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue," Singh said. However, Rashtriya Nishad Party president Sanjay Nishad claimed that the BJP was conspiring against them. "We need a proper investigation into the case. It is BJP who is plotting against us. It was not our party workers but BJP workers who threw stones at people. We're taking our demand of reservation ahead in a democratic manner. If my party workers are found guilty, we will take strict action against them. It is easy to blame the weak as Yogi ji and Modi ji are in power," he said, according to ANI. The 48-year-old police constable from the Karimuddinpur Police Station was hit on the head by a stone when he had gone to clear a traffic jam caused by the protests. "He was immediately taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries," the Superintendent of Police said, adding that the police are trying to identify other protesters through video footage of the incident. 'Adityanath's grand jungle rule' The Congress did not leave the opportunity to attack the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over the death of yet another police officer in mob violence. Reacting to the incident, the party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said: "In Adityanath's grand jungle rule, neither the people are safe, nor are the police... Today in Ghazipur, after Modi ji's rally, a mob mercilessly killed police constable Suresh Vats." He also pointed out that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had described the killing of police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr as an accident, though it was a case of mob violence. Congress leader Sanja Nirupam also reacted to the Vats' "cop lynching" in Ghazipur and insinuated that the prime minister's public meeting may have "instigated" the crowd, demanding that the angle be looked into. Another case of cop lynching in UP ! After #Bulandshahr another police man Suresh Vatsa is killed by mob in Gazipur today. This happened immediately after PM MODI's public meeting there. Did he instigate the crowd? Must be probed. Can Yogi do this? Don't think so. pic.twitter.com/E4VO1LJYdX Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) December 29, 2018 'Police not able to protect their own' Adityanath has announced compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the deceased constable's wife and Rs 10 lakh for his parents. On Saturday, he also directed the district magistrate and the Superintendent of Police to take strict action against unruly elements and arrest them immediately. ANI quoted Vats' son, VP Singh, as saying, "Police is not being able to protect their own. What can we expect from them? What will we do with compensation now? Earlier, similar incidents took place in Bulandshahr and Pratapgarh." VP Singh, son of deceased constable Suresh Vats who died in Ghazipur in a stone pelting incident y'day: Police is not being able to protect their own. What can we expect from them?What will we do with compensation now?Earlier,similar incidents took place in Bulandshahr&Pratapgarh pic.twitter.com/2xgarpIDXB ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018 With inputs from agencies Jaish claimed many security personnel were killed and injured in the gunfight. Army soldiers raise their guns to celebrate the killing of four top Jaish-e-Muhammad militants, including one Pakistani commander, at Hajin Payeen area of Pulwama district of South Kashmir on Saturday. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: Four Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) cadres were gunned down by the security forces in a cordon-and-search operation in J&Ks southern Pulwama district on Saturday, taking the death toll among militants for the year to 258. Soon after the killing of militants, parts of Pulwama erupted with irate crowds taking to the streets and throwing rocks at the security forces. A boy was killed and at least 10 persons were injured when the security forces fired teargas canisters and pellet shotguns to quell the protesters and stone-pelting mobs, witnesses and hospital sources said. The police said one person was injured when hit by a stone during the clashes. Jaish claimed many security personnel were killed and injured in the gunfight. The authorities denied it and said the security forces did not suffer any casualties. Giving details of the encounter, a police spokesman here said the security forces, including the Armys Rashtriya Rifes, J&K polices counter-insurgency Special Operations Group and the CRPF laid siege to Pulwamas Hanjan Payeen after learning the presence of militants in the area. As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the terrorists. The fire was retaliated, leading to a gunfight, he said. Three of the slain militants were local Kashmiris identified as Muzzamil Ahmed Dar, Waseem Akram Wani and Muzzamil Nazir Bhut. The fourth man is believed to be a Pakistani national. Jaish named him as guest mujahid Muhammad Khalil Khan, who was known by his pseudonym Khalil Bhai. Meanwhile, a 10-year-old boy was critically injured in a mysterious blast in Pulwamas Gadoora area on Saturday afternoon. SSP Pulwama Chandan Kohli, confirming the incident, said the boy, identified as Arif Ahmed Dar, was fiddling with some explosive device which suddenly went off. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, and then shifted to Srinagars government-run Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital for advanced treatment, the police said. Separately, the Army on Saturday claimed to have averted a major militant strike after recovering two assault rifles and other ammunition during a search operation in Kathua district of the Jammu region. A defence spokesman said in Jammu, the states winter capital: At early hours, based on inputs from Military Intelligence (MI), a joint operation by Army Brigade at Samba & J&K police was launched at Galak in Billawar block of Kathua district today. He added that in the search operations, one AK-47 and AK-56 rifle each with 256 rounds and four magazines, one hand grenade and 59 rounds of sniper ammunition were recovered. With these recoveries, a major possible terrorist strike planned in Jammu region has been averted, the spokesman said. The recommendations call for Indian pilgrims to be given free entry through the Kartarpur corridor, and that facilitation centres and security check-posts to be set up on both sides of the border. The pilgrims will be allowed in groups of a minimum of 15 people and Pakistan shall issue special permits to them. Islamabad: Pakistan has sent recommendations to India for facilitating visa-free travel of Indian Sikh pilgrims through the upcoming Kartarpur corridor, according to a media report on Saturday. Islamabad has given a 59-page document with 14 key recommendations to New Delhi, Express News TV reported quoting Pakistani diplomatic officials. The recommendations call for Indian pilgrims to be given free entry, and that facilitation centres and security check-posts to be set up on both sides of the border. The pilgrims will be allowed in groups of a minimum of 15 people and Pakistan shall issue special permits to them. Both countries will compile a record of visitors which will include their names, travel records and other details, according to the recommendations. The Indian government will provide a list of pilgrims to Pakistan three days in advance and it will be mandatory for all visitors to bear a standard Indian passport. The recommendations further say that all visitors shall be required to obtain a security clearance certificate from Indian authorities. Pakistan will issue permits to 500 visitors per day and local authorities shall reserve rights to admission. On 28 November, Prime Minister Imran Khan had laid the foundation stone for the corridor on the Pakistani side that will connect Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak situated in Indian Punjab's Gurdaspur. Two days earlier, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh laid the foundation stone for the corridor on the Indian side of the border. Pakistan said it will complete and open the corridor before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in November, 2019. According to a senior police official, the Maoists fired several rounds and set 10 vehicles on fire in Bihar's Aurangabad district. Aurangabad: One person was killed and 10 vehicles were torched by Maoists in Bihar's Aurangabad district, a senior police officer said Sunday. Superintendent of Police, Satya Prakash said the Maoists attacked Sudi Bigaha village under the jurisdiction of Deo police station area late on Saturday night and shot dead a man identified as Narendra Singh (55). Singh was the uncle of Rajan Kumar Singh, who is a member of Bihar Legislative Council, he said. According to the SP, the Maoists fired several rounds and set 10 vehicles on fire including three tractors parked at Narendra Singh's house. The Maoists also set a house belonging to one Dhananjay Singh, a dafadar with Deo police station, on fire located near Sudi Bigaha village, the SP said. After getting information about the Maoist attack, security forces reached the village and exchanged fire with the Naxals, who fled from the village, Prakash said. Senior police officers and CRPF Commandant Saurav Choudhary are camping in the village. The SP said police have launched a massive search operation after cordoning off the area. Divers from the Navy and the NDRF went inside the flooded Meghalaya mine on Saturday to conduct a recce and measure the level of accumulated water as part of the rescue operation of the 15 trapped miners. Shillong: Divers from the Navy and the NDRF went inside the flooded Meghalaya mine on Saturday to conduct a recce and measure the level of accumulated water as part of the rescue operation of the 15 trapped miners. The water level is estimated to be more than 77 to 80 feet in the vertical shaft of the rat-hole coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Assistant Commandant Santosh Kumar Singh told PTI. "The Navy divers and I went down inside the mine and preparatory exercises were conducted. I hope that all the rescue agencies will begin the operations at the first ray of light tomorrow," Singh said. The operation could not proceed further due to technical issues concerning manpower and machineries, district officials said. The 15-member Navy team, equipped with specialised diving equipment, arrived at the site in the remote Lumthari village on Saturday. District officials said that the Odisha Fire and Emergency Services would press their 10 high-powered pumps on Sunday to dewater the flooded mine. They said a team of experts from the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, have also arrived on Saturday, along with an ace mine-mishap expert from Punjab, Jaswant Singh Gill, to assist in the operation. A senior district official said pumping of the water from the 370-foot-deep mine was yet to resume as technical experts handling the pumps were preparing for the job. The NDRF personnel have been engaged in the operation at the mine since 14 December, a day after the disaster took place. The mine, located on top of a hillock fully covered with trees, had got flooded when water from the nearby Lytein river gushed into it on 13 December, trapping 15 diggers. The NDRF had contradicted media reports that quoted it as saying the trapped miners were suspected to be dead on the basis of the foul odour the force's divers had smelt when they had gone inside the mine. It said the foul smell could be due to the stagnant water in the mine as pumping had been halted for more than 48 hours. Rat-hole mining involves digging of narrow tunnels, usually three-four feet high, for workers to enter and extract coal. The horizontal tunnels are often termed "rat holes" as each just about fits one person. A survivor of the 13 December accident said on Saturday that there was no way the trapped miners would come out alive. Family members of at least seven trapped miners had already given up hope to rescue their kin alive and requested the government to retrieve the bodies for last rites. As operation to rescue 15 trapped miners continue at the 370-foot-deep illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district, a survivor of the 13 December accident said on Saturday that there is no way the trapped miners will come out alive. Shillong: As operation to rescue 15 trapped miners continue at the 370-foot-deep illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district, a survivor of the 13 December accident said on Saturday that there is no way the trapped miners will come out alive. Sahib Ali, hailing from Assam's Chirang district, is one of the five men who narrowly escaped the flooding coal mine a fortnight ago. He said four others who made it alive had fled to their homes in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. "There were 22 of us who went in that day. I had worked for two weeks. Many are diggers who went to the farthest part of the mine. Some are cart pullers like me and we all work in synchronised manner in small holes that barely fit a big man," Ali told PTI over the phone on Saturday. He said four of those who escaped were the men who were tasked with loading coal into the metal box. Recounting the 13 December nightmare, Ali said," all men started work early at about 5 am. By about 7 am, the entire mine was full of water." "I was about 5 to 6 feet inside the mine pulling a cart full of coal. For some unknown reasons, I could feel a breeze inside the mine which was unusual. What followed was big sound of water gushing in. I barely made it to the opening of the pit," Ali said. "There is no way the trapped men will be alive. How long can a person hold his breath underwater?" he added. Going by Ali's story, at least 17 people are still trapped inside the illegal coal pit as only five narrowly escaped the flooding mine out of the 22 men who went in. "My only hope is to see that their bodies pulled out and last rites be carried out as per traditions," a sobbing Ali said. On 13 December, he spent the entire day at the flooded mine and slept in a nearby active coal mine in the night, he said. The ill-fated mine is roughly 370 feet and as of 29 December, the rescue officials have calculated that about 170 feet is full of water, an NDRF official said. In Lumthari village where Ali and his fellow miners went to work, coal is found roughly between 200-500 feet underneath the ground. Asked on what prompted him to go and work in the dangerous coal mines of Meghalaya, Ali said the mines promised a big amount of money at the end of the week. "I earn between Rs 800-1500 on a full day of work at the mine. I had in mind that I will work for sometime only and return home," he said. Family members of at least 7 trapped miners, hailing from West Garo Hills district of the state, have already given up hope to rescue their kins alive and requested the government to retrieve the bodies for the last rites. Shohor Ali who hails from Magurmari village in West Garo Hills district and whose son, brother and son-in-law were among the victims at Lumthari village, told PTI, "We have lost all hope to see them alive. I just wanted the authorities to help retrieve the dead bodies for their last rites." The three were allegedly lured to the coal mines at Lumthari as it involves bigger wages and on an average each miner gets paid Rs 2000 per day, he said. Kins of four other victims also did not sound optimistic of seeing their dear ones alive. Shohar Ali was among the first people who came to know of the accident when he received a call within minutes when the mine was flooded. One of the 5 persons who narrowly escaped the flooded mine called him up to inform of the accident. Ali in turn called up his MLA (Rajabala constituency) Azad Aman to find out about the accident and who later called up the SP of the district to verify. It took the police several hours before finally locating the place where the accident took place, the MLA said. In all, 7 persons from Rajabala in West Garo Hills district, 3 from Lumthari village itself, and the other 5 from Assam have been confirmed to have been trapped inside the ill-fated mine. The state government had announced a Rs 1 lakh interim relief on December 22 to the family members of each of the 15 miners trapped and feared dead, 10 days after the accident took place. On a day the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told a court that AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel had made a reference to 'Mrs Gandhi', the Congress on Saturday claimed that the government is using the probe agencies to malign the Gandhi family while the BJP said the 'truth is coming out'. New Delhi: On a day the Enforcement Directorate (ED) told a court that AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel had made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi", the Congress on Saturday claimed that the government is using the probe agencies to malign the Gandhi family while the BJP said the "truth is coming out". The Congress also referred to Michel's statement before his extradition that Indian probe agencies were pressuring him to name a member of the Gandhi family and alleged it was a "fixed match". Party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said Michel had stated before his extradition "on record in court that he was being pressured to name a member of the Gandhi family and that is what they were planning and have done". "The motive is clear. What he said is prophecy and this has happened. This is an outright fixed match fraudulently aimed at planting something on the Gandhi family," Vadakkan said. The BJP seized on the ED's statement in court that Michel had made a reference to "Mrs Gandhi" and the "son of an Italian lady" during its probe and attacked the Gandhi family, alleging that the truth about it was coming out now. Union ministers Prakash Javadekar and Ravi Shankar Prasad also hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Prasad accused him of showering Prime Minister Narendra Modi with abuses and asserted that "today is the time for the Gandhi family to explain" following the ED's statement in court. In a sharp attack, Javadekar told reporters that the statement of Michel, who is accused of being a middleman and is under arrest, points to one family which, he claimed, has now been caught. "The ED's disclosure in the court has made it clear that truth can no longer be suppressed. The truth about the Congress and Sonia Gandhi and Rahul is coming out before the people. The people will give the Congress a befitting reply," he said. The country was earlier aware of two words, "family" and "AP", about the VVIP chopper case but Michel has now taken a few more names by referring to "Mrs Gandhi, big man, son of Italian lady, party leader and R", Javadekar said. Earlier, Congress spokesperson RPN Singh, during a press conference said that in Dubai when journalists had talked to Michel's lawyer, he had given a statement about how government agencies were trying that he name a particular family. Michel was produced before a special court which extended his ED custody by seven days. "We have seen what the BJP has been doing in this matter," Singh said. On the ED's claim that Michel had spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he was going to become the next prime minister of the country, he said, "The BJP scriptwriters are working overtime." Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal, Singh said action should be taken against him as there was "complete proof". He alleged that the Modi dispensation was "trying to pressure government agencies to name a person". "But the person who has done the biggest 'chori' (theft) cannot be spared," the Congress leader said, in an apparent reference to the opposition party's allegation against Modi of corruption in the Rafale deal. "We know that elections have come and they (BJP) do not have any issues, so through the ED, they are trying to put pressure on people," he said. Slamming the government over the issue, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters, "The Modi government is guilty of malicious and vicious propaganda." "There is brazen and shameless abuse of agencies of the state," he said. In his remarks, BJP's Prasad claimed that Michel was a very key player in the case who was brought to India after due extradition process. "He has taken Sonia ji's name and also given an indication about Rahul Gandhi in a chit passed to his lawyer. The raazdar (one carrying secrets), Michel, is disclosing the involvement of others. Today is the time for the Gandhi family to explain. As far as the Congress is concerned no deal is complete without a deal," he claimed. Javadekar said the UPA government "looted" the county and also compromised the national security. "The Congress never finalised a transaction without a middleman. While it is busy in saving the likes of Michel, the Narendra Modi government is working to save the country's money and bring back what was looted earlier," he said. Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on 4 December. After the violence at Bhima Koregaon last year, Dalit groups from across Maharashtra are likely to throng the destination this time to make a statement, and the police have their work cut out for them. Ahead of the 201st anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon, the number of security forces deployed at Bhima Koregaon village in Maharashtra is 10 times more than that deployed last year to prevent violence, said Superintendent of Police (Pune Rural) Sandip Patil. At a joint press conference at the collector's office on Saturday, Patil, Inspector General Vishwas Nangre Patil and Collector Naval Kishor Ram asserted that the atmosphere at Bhima Koregaon was "peaceful" and "beautiful". On 1 January every year, tens of thousands of Dalits across Maharashtra gather at the Bhima Koregaon war memorial, 40 kilometres from Pune. The day commemorates the historic victory of the British Army, which had a significant Dalit contingent, over the Peshwas. It was the 200th anniversary of the battle in 2018 because of which there was an even larger crowd in the village that was allegedly assaulted by right-wing groups. This time around, Dalit groups from across the state are likely to throng the destination to make a statement, and the police have their work cut out for them. "At least 5,000 police personnel, 1,200 home guards and 200 volunteers will be there," the senior officials said at the press conference. "There will be 35 public announcement systems, 40 video cameras, 12 drones and 306 CCTV cameras in place, as well. We are prepared for a 10 lakh-strong crowd." In the run-up to a sensitive event such as this, social media often adds fuel to the fire. Keeping this in mind, various teams across the state are closely monitoring messages and posts on Bhima Koregaon, said Patil. "We have been monitoring them since 15 November," he said. "But hate messages are no longer coming in." The administration was considering shutting down internet services in Bhima Koregaon to prevent rumour mongering, but that would have prevented the media from communicating the developments, as well. No speeches will be allowed within 100 meters of the war memorial either. "We received applications from five organisations to conduct programmes on 1 January," the Superintendent of Police said, giving no clear answer on whether Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad would be allowed to hold an event. The Mumbai Police had detained Azad on 27 December from Chaityabhoomi, where Dalit icon BR Ambedkar was cremated. While Naval Kishor Ram, the district collector, said they had not received any request from Azad to hold a rally at Bhima Koregaon yet, reporters at the press conference corrected him, pointing out that his request was pending with the police. Furthermore, Patil said the state has taken preventive action against 1,211 people so far under various sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure. "At least 64 people have been restricted from coming into Bhima Koregaon," the senior police officer said. "Six have been expatriated." When questioned about the basis for the preventive action, Inspector General Nangre Patil said authorities had acted on "confidential" inputs from various agencies. He refused to name the people or organisations against whom the preventive action was taken. Social media posts under scrutiny The police said they will be monitoring the cultural programmes being organised in Bhima Koregaon to ensure that no provocative content is on display. On 6 November, Patil circulated a letter to police stations across Maharashtra, ordering them to keep an eye on incendiary posts and rumours propagated through social media. "In the context of the riots that broke out on 1 January, certain people are appealing to others to carry sticks and swords to Bhima Koregaon this time around," the letter reads. "Those people should be observed and their past records scrutinised for preventive action." Some of the posts by the selected Dalit youngsters were along the lines of, "It is okay if the flag is small, but the stick should be long." Dalit activist Rahul Dambale, leading the Bhima Koregaon Shauryadin Samiti, has shared Facebook posts and voice messages, urging people to not spread such content. "The posts implied that they should be prepared for self protection, if they are attacked again," he said. "But these posts are uncalled for. We want the proceedings to go smoothly." Patil's letter also asks authorities to keep an eye on those accused in previous riots and the organisations they have been associated with. No preventive action against Sambhaji Bhide? Since the police refused to name those being closely watched, several reporters asked whether Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide were among those under scrutiny. Both the Hindutva leaders have been accused of instigating the mobs that attacked Dalit pilgrims on 1 January, 2018. Ekbote is currently out on bail, while Bhide has not even been questioned. Critics believe Bhide is being shielded because of his proximity to the Sangh Parivar. Sources said the Kabir Kala Manch and Samata Kala Manch, who were part of the Elgar Parishad, have been served preventive notices. They have been told not to visit the areas under the jurisdiction of the Pune Rural Police. Ekbote, too, is believed to have been served the notice. Nangre Patil justified their decision to not name those under scrutiny, saying it would not be wise to name any of them. When asked about Bhide not being among those under watch or being acted against, the inspector general chose to deflect the question and say that the atmosphere in Bhima Koregaon was now peaceful and positive. "We have diverted the traffic of heavy vehicles and made provisions for 11 big parking spaces. We are also providing around 200 bus shuttles," he said. "Our role is that of a facilitator." Aparna Yadav's views are in contradiction to the Samajwadi Party's official stand on the triple talaq Bill, which had alleged that the Bill is an attempt by the BJP to politicise the issue. Lucknow: Contrary to the Samajwadi Party's stand on the triple talaq Bill, party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav has welcomed the Bill, stating that it is a major move by the government. She added that the bill should also be passed in the Rajya Sabha. Yadav's views are in contradiction to her party's official stand on the issue which had alleged that the Bill is an attempt by the BJP to politicise the issue. On 27 December, during the triple talaq debate in Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party's Dharmendra Yadav said triple talaq was a social issue and the BJP was trying to politicise the matter. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2018 was passed by the Lower House with 245 MPs voting in favour and 11 opposing it. Other than the Samajwadi Party legislators, the AIADMK, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress MPs walked out. While talking to ANI on Friday, Aparna praised the Centre's effort in passing the Bill in Lok Sabha. She further stressed that "if we will look at the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), we will find that women are not safe in our country, especially in Uttar Pradesh. Not only women, but even men should also be aware of the laws and punishment meant for women protection," she said. Notably, the bill was taken up in the Parliament in August last year after a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court termed unconstitutional the law that allowed Muslim men to divorce their wives simply by uttering the word "talaq" three times in quick succession. The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed a bill which proposes to make the practice of instant triple talaq an offence under the Indian Penal Code with the provision of three-year jail term for the erring husband. The BJP top brass has relied on a mix of electoral experience and organisational ability in picking its team of state in-charges for the Lok Sabha election. New Delhi: The BJP top brass has relied on a mix of electoral experience and organisational ability in picking its team of state in-charges to drive the party's 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign, and as expected from the Modi-Shah duo, they have sprung a few surprises as well with the Hindutva agenda being at the core of the choices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah have entrusted Gordhan Zadaphia, a fellow Gujarati who was long a bitter Modi critic, with the responsibility of Utttar Pradesh, a state where BJP's performance will be central to its dream to retain power at the Centre. Election in-charges are trusted lieutenants of the party's central leadership and their job is to be a bridge between it and state units, elicit feedback from grassroots and craft and execute the poll campaign while being at the background. Here is a profile of leaders chosen as in-charges for 17 states and Union Territory of Chandigarh. Gordhan Zadaphia: He had a big fallout with Modi in 2004 when he refused to take oath as minister. He later floated his own party and joined hands with likes of former state chief ministers, Keshubhai Patel and Suresh Mehta, to take on Modi. He returned to BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. What is, however, unquestionable is the 64-year-old leader's Hindutva credentials as his ties with RSS and VHP always remained strong. The junior home minister in the Gujarat government during 2002 riots, Zadaphia has already set a target of winning all 80 seats of UP, where BJP had won 71 seats in 2014. Incidentally, Shah was Uttar Pradesh in-charge in 2014. Bhupender Yadav: A party general secretary, he will be in charge of Bihar. A lawyer and key party spearhead in Parliament, Yadav has been involved with almost every state election in some way since Shah became BJP chief in 2014. A low profile leader, he enjoys Shah's trust and has long been in-charge of party affairs in Bihar. His job will be to iron out any differences with allies chief minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP. NDA had won 31 of the state's 40 seats in 2014. Mahendra Singh: A minister in the Uttar Pradesh government, BJP has appointed him election in-charge for Assam. The party came to power in the state for the first time in 2016, with him as in-charge. Arun Singh: A party general secretary, he will lead the poll campaign in Odisha. A Thakur leader from Uttar Pradesh, Singh (53) started his political career with Bhartiya janata Yuva Morcha, BJP's youth wing, and has since steadily climbed up the organisational ladder. BJP had won only one seat out of 21 in Odisha in 2014. Mangal Pandey: A former Bihar BJP chief, he has also looked after party affairs in Himachal Pradesh in past. Now a minister in Bihar government, Pandey (53) has responsibility of steering campaign in Jharkhand. Tirath Singh Rawat: A former Uttarakhand BJP chief, Rawat would lead the task in Himachal Pradesh. His job will be to ensure a repeat of 2014 feat when party won all 4 seats. Nalin Kohli: A lawyer and savvy spokesperson of party, Kohli is in-charge of Nagaland and Manipur. BJP is in power in Manipur and its ally is at helm in Nagaland. Nitin Nabin: An MLA from Bihar, he has been given charge of Sikkim. He is only 38 and has also been associated with BJYM. Prakash Javadekar, who has been party's in charge in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, likes to take everyone on board. Due to this quality, he has been given responsibility of Rajasthan, where the BJP under Vasundhara Raje has been at loggerheads with its national leadership over various issues. He has to act as a bridge between both sides. Javadekar enjoys the trust of Modi and Shah. He also has backing of BJP's ideological mentor, the RSS. Sudhanshu Trivedi has also been again given responsibility of Rajasthan for 2019 polls. Trivedi, who has a doctorate in mechanical engineering, rose to prominence during his tenure as political advisor to then BJP chief Rajnath Singh. He is known for his political analysis and deep understanding of caste equations. Captain Abhimanyu, minister in BJP government in Haryana, has been given responsibility of Punjab and Chandigarh. An Amit Shah loyalist, he was in his team for Uttar Pradesh during 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The Jat leader handed caste-dominated western Uttar Pradesh at that time. Hailing from Haryana, he twice has been in-charge of Punjab in 2012 and 2017. BJP's Chhattisgarh in charge Anil Jain is a practicing surgeon at Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. Jain maintains a low profile and is essentially a backroom person. He takes care of Shah's schedule and political programmes. BJP lost Chhattisgarh last month with him as in charge. OP Mathur, vice-president of party, will lead the BJP's campaign in Gujarat after 16 years. He was state in-charge in the 2002 Assembly elections. BJP's Dalit face and Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot has again been given charge of Uttrakhand. He is also a member of BJP's parliamentary board. Architect of party's victory in Tripura, Sunil Deodhar has been given new challenge of making party a force in Andhra Pradesh. He is known for his organisation skills especially in strengthening the party on ground and expanding its network of cadres. He will be assisted by V Muralidharan, party's ex-Kerala unit chief. Responsibility of Telangana has been given to Aravind Limbavali, sitting MLA from Karnataka and ex-minister. Swatantra Dev Singh, minister of state (independent charge) in Uttar Pradesh, will lead party campaign in Madhya Pradesh. Singh will be accompanied by party's Delhi unit ex-chief Satish Upadhyay. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel slammed Narendra Modi on Saturday and said that results of the Assembly elections indicate that the BJP was on its way out even at the Centre. Addressing a rally at Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, Patel said the verdict in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh showed that people were disenchanted with the BJP. Ahmedabad: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said on Saturday that results of the Assembly elections indicate that the BJP was on its way out even at the Centre. Addressing a rally at Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, Patel said the verdict in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh showed that people were disenchanted with the BJP. "When you came to power in 2014 by making false promises and spreading lies, you may not have thought that you will become unpopular within just four years. People are disenchanted with BJP now. That is why Congress won the assembly polls in three states," Patel said. "When you came to power in 2014, you thought you will rule forever. That was your ego. You did not realise that if people can put you in power, they can also oust you," Patel said. "Time has come for you (Modi) to vacate the throne in near future. If you do not step down, people will make you do so," the Congress veteran said. Referring to Modi's sartorial choices, Patel said one can not become a leader like former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru just by wearing a "Nehru jacket". "You can also not become Indira Gandhi by going on foreign trips. You can not become Rajiv Gandhi by donning designer jackets and kurtas. To be in the league of such leaders, you have to make sacrifices like them. Do you have the courage to do that?" Patel asked. To Modi's recent jibe that Kartarpur in Punjab went to Pakistan at the time of Independence because of "lack of vision" in Congress leaders, Patel asked if Modi was also blaming Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a Congress stalwart of that period. "On one hand you are building Sardar Patel's statue and on the other you are insulting him," the Congress leader from Gujarat said. Modi and the BJP are trying to erase history and present a "distorted version" to claim that Congress leaders did nothing for the country, Patel alleged. Modi failed to fulfil any of his pre-poll promises such as depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone's bank account by bringing back black money, he said. "They claim they have done all those things which the Congress could not do in the last 70 years....Congress never looted the country in 60-70 years of its rule. But they (the BJP) looted the country through demonetisation during their four-year rule," he said. Mrinal Sen, known for films like 'Neel Akasher Neechey' and 'Bhuvan Shome', was acclaimed filmmaker and ambassador of parallel cinema. Dadasaheb Phalke award-winning film director Mrinal Sen passed away on Sunday after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments. (Photo: Twitter | @paramspeak) Kolkata: Dadasaheb Phalke award-winning film director Mrinal Sen passed away on Sunday after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments. He was 95. The Padma Bhushan awardee, best known for films such as "Neel Akasher Neechey", "Bhuvan Shome", "Ek Din Achanak", "Padatik" and "Mrigayaa", was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of the country and an ambassador of parallel cinema. "Sen passed away today around 10:30 am due to age-related ailments," a family member said. The auteur, who has won multiple National Film awards, was known for his artistic depiction of social reality. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the demise of Sen on Twitter. "Saddened at the passing away of Mrinal Sen. A great loss to the film industry. My condolences to his family," she tweeted. CPI Secretary General Sitaram Yechury also remembered the filmmaker for his humanistic narrative. "Mrinal Sen's passing away is a big loss not only to Cinema but to the world of Culture & India's civilisational values. Mrinal da radicalised cinematography by his people-centric humanistic narrative. Deepest condolences," he wrote. Bengali film industry also mourned the loss of the illustrious director. Parambrata Chatterjee tweeted, "End of an era... an epoch... legends never die... bhalo thakben (stay well)." Prosenjit Chatterjee said, "At the end of the year receiving news like demise of the legend Mrinal Sen saddens and shocks us. Mrinal jethu gave a new perspective to Indian Cinema. It's a huge loss for all of us. May his soul rest in peace." Mrinal Sen made his debut as a filmmaker with a feature film Raat Bhore in 1955, which starred Uttam Kumar. However, it was Neel Akasher Neechey that earned him recognition. Baishey Shravan released in 1960 was the first film that gave him international exposure. His film, Bhuvan Shome, not only strengthened his position as a major filmmaker, both nationally and internationally but also started the "New Cinema" film movement in India. Apart from winning National Awards, he received the country's highest film honour, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 2005. In 1983, he was awarded Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award, for his outstanding contribution in the field of cinema. Voters had started queuing up outside polling stations in Punjab at 8 am, braving cold weather, before voting closed at 4 pm to elect sarpanches and panches. Chandigarh: Stray incidents of violence were reported in Punjab during panchayat polls on Sunday even as an elderly voter was killed during an alleged booth-capturing attempt at a Ferozepur polling station, officials said. Approximately 80 percent voting was reported in the state, they said. At some places in Punjab, candidates and their supporters levelled allegations of booth capturing by some miscreants. Voters had started queuing up outside polling stations at 8 am, braving cold weather, before voting closed at 4 pm to elect sarpanches and panches for 13,276 villages. In Muktsar's Badal village, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal along with his son and SAD chief Sukhbir and daughter-in-law and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur cast their votes. Both Sukhbir and Harsimrat were seen seeking blessings from the former's estranged uncle Gurdas Singh Badal. Police said stray incidents of violence were reported from different places in the state. In Ferozepur district, an elderly voter was killed after being hit by the vehicle of some unidentified miscreants during their attempt to capture a booth. They also set the papers kept inside a ballot box on fire, they said. About 12-15 unidentified people reached a polling booth at the government primary school in Lakhmir ke Uthar village of Ferozepur's Mamdot block, they said. They arrived in an SUV bearing a Maharashtra registration number and allegedly snatched the ballot box from the polling staff. They burnt the ballot papers and when they were leaving, Mohinder Singh, 60, got hit by their vehicle, the police said. They left the vehicle behind and fled from the spot. The injured man was rushed to Mamdot civil hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, they said. Senior police and police administration officials from the administration and the police including Deputy Commissioner Gurmit Singh Multani, reached the spot and took stock of the situation. At Dina Sahib of Moga district's Nihal Singh Wala sub-division, some unidentified miscreants fired some shots outside a polling booth but no one was injured, the police said. In other areas of the district, minor incidents of scuffle between some villagers were reported, they said. In Jalalabad, a ballot box was damaged by some miscreants and in a village in Tarn Taran district, an argument broke out between Congress and SAD supporters and it was followed by a scuffle in which two people sustained head injuries. They were admitted to a hospital at Bhojia village, SSP Darshan Singh Mann said, adding the incident occurred away from the polling booth. In another incident in the district, camera equipment of an electronic media journalist was damaged by some miscreants when he was covering the polling process outside a booth at Tarn Taran-Patti Road. The SSP said that an FIR was lodged against the four accused, who were identified. He said entire incident was recorded by other journalists. The accused were yet to be arrested, he said. Stray incidents of violence were also reported in Tarn Taran district at Soul and Malian villages. In Amritsar district, at Naushera village's Ram Nagar polling booth, incidents of scuffle were reported. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said an incident of snatching of ballot papers was reported at Lidey village falling in the Harsa Chinna Block which was being probed. SAD workers led by senior leader Sucha Singh Langah blocked a road in a village in Gurdaspur district, alleging booth capturing by Congress workers. In Faridkot district, a candidate for sarpanch's post Raman Singh, owing allegiance to the Congress, alleged that some miscreants damaged his car in Hari Wala village but he escaped unhurt. A minor clash took place between SAD and Congress supporters in a village in Patiala district and a stray incident of violence took place in Rupnagar district as well. Post-poll violence was also reported from some places, including Bathinda and Patiala districts. In Jalal village of Bathinda, supporters of candidates clashed and there were reports of gunshots being fired in the air, they said. The officials said that before the polls, around 4,363 sarpanches (village headman) and 46,754 panches (village council members) had already been declared elected unopposed. Counting of votes will begin after the conclusion of polling. As many as 13,276 sarpanchs and 83,831 panchs will be elected for 13,276 villages. Around 1.27 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the polling. The State Election Commission has set up 17,268 polling booths and 86,340 personnel have been deputed on duty. The polls were held across the state's rural belt amid tight security arrangements, the officials said. In some places, the elderly could be seen being carried on cots to reach the polling booths. In Fatehgarh Sahib's Jabhal village, a bride cast vote in her wedding attire and at some other places, brides and grooms reached the booth to exercise their franchise before solemnising their marriage. The Congress and the BJP have issued whips to their members to be present in the House on Monday, when the triple talaq bill will be taken up for discussion. New Delhi: The contentious triple talaq bill that seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, with the Congress and other Opposition parties gearing up to send it to a select committee. The Congress and the BJP have issued whips to their members to be present in the House on Monday and other parties have also asked their MPs to be present in full strength when the bill is taken up. The Congress has convened a meeting of its MPs. A number of Opposition parties will also meet Monday morning in the chamber of Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad to evolve their strategy in the house on the issue. The contentious triple talaq bill is likely to face stiff resistance from Opposition parties, who are united in their demand for sending it to the select committee for further scrutiny. "Opposition parties will meet Monday morning and evolve their strategy. But, we all are determined to send the bill to the select committee as the same cannot be passed in its present form. The Opposition parties are united in this stand on the issue," a senior Opposition leader told PTI. Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu is unlikely to be present on Monday due to the demise of his mother-in-law and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh is likely to conduct the proceedings instead. The Congress has said it will not allow the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, in its present form and it along with other parties are keen that the proposed legislation be sent to a select committee for further scrutiny. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House. It has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, with 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it, Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition parties. It is listed in the Rajya Sabha's legislative agenda for Monday. Prasad had Friday claimed the bill will find support in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks numbers. Sources said the numbers are stacked slightly in favour of the Opposition in the Upper House, with the UPA having 112 members and the NDA 93. One seat is vacant. The remaining 39 members of other parties are unattached to either NDA or UPA and are likely to play an important role in the passage of the contentious legislation. Though the NDA is way short of the half-way mark of 123 in the 245-member House, it had emerged victorious in the election of the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman, with its nominee Harivansh of the Janata Dal (United) bagging 125 votes against 101 polled by the opposition-backed Congress member BK Hariprasad. Congress leader T Subbarami Reddy has moved a statutory resolution that "this House disapproves the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance, 2018 (No.7 of 2018) promulgated by the President of India on 19 September, 2018". Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel also sought the support of all parties for the passage of the triple talaq bill a day before it is taken up in the Rajya Sabha. "It is high time we ensure justice for our Muslim sisters. They have gone through so much pain because of this inhuman practice of triple talaq," Goel said. The bill seeks to protect the rights of married Muslim women and to prohibit divorce by their husbands by pronouncing talaq. It also seeks to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. The Opposition has questioned the stringent provisions like criminalisation of a civil wrong in the triple talaq bill. In the Lok Sabha, the Opposition had demanded that the bill be referred to a 'Joint Select Committee' of Parliament for further scrutiny. On Thursday, the government rejected the Opposition's contention that it was aimed at targeting a particular community. Piloting the bill, Prasad had said there should be no politics on the proposed legislation, stressing it was not against any particular community. Describing the passage of the triple talaq bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step towards ensuring equality and dignity of Muslim women, BJP chief Amit Shah had demanded an apology from the Congress for "decades of injustice". The fresh bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offence was introduced in Lok Sabha on 17 December to replace an ordinance issued in September. Under the proposed law, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void, and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband. The fresh bill will supersede an earlier bill passed in the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha. But amid Opposition by some parties in the upper house, the government had cleared some amendments, including introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more acceptable. However, after it faced resistance in Rajya Sabha, the government issued an ordinance in September, incorporating the amendments. An ordinance has a life of six months. But from the day a session begins, it has to be replaced by a bill which should be passed by Parliament within 42 days (six weeks), else it lapses. In the Lok Sabha, the law minister had said despite the Supreme Court striking down the practice of talaq-e-biddat (instant triple talaq), terming it unconstitutional, divorces in this form were taking place. Citing details of instant triple talaq cases, the government had last week informed the Lok Sabha that till now 430 incidents of triple talaq have come to the notice of the government through the media. In the Punjab panchayat polls, as many as 13,276 sarpanches and 83,831 panches will be elected for 13,276 villages, an election official said. Around 1.27 crore voters will take part in the polling, he added. The panchayat polls to elect sarpanches and panches for 13,276 villages in Punjab began at 8 am on Sunday amid tight security arrangements. As many as 13,276 sarpanches and 83,831 panches will be elected, an election official said, adding that around 1.27 crore voters will take part in the polling. Till noon, a voter turnout of 32 percent was recorded in Gurdaspur, 25 percent in Amritsar, and 26.35 percent in Faridkot. Moga recorded 30 percent vote turnout, while Jalandhar saw 26.34 percent voting. According to reports, the panchayat polls did not progress smoothly across the state. BJP workers staged a protest outside a polling station at Majitha Road in Amritsar, while villagers protested after a polling booth was captured at Hiragarh village near Patiala. Voting for panchayat polls begins in Punjab; Visuals from a polling centre in Majitha Halka in Amritsar (pic 1&2) and Ludhiana (pic 3) pic.twitter.com/mAPYURkNw6 ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 Around 8,000 candidates are in the fray in the Punjab panchayat polls, with around 4,363 sarpanches and 46,754 panches already elected unopposed. The State Election Commission has set up 17,268 polling booths and deployed 86,340 personnel for duty. According to The Times of India, the Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal has accused the Congress government of working to ensure that its candidates could not contest the polls. Former minister and leader of SAD's farmers' wing, Sikandar Singh Maluka, said that after the dates for the panchayat elections were announced, the ruling party had either ensured that Akalis were not allowed to file nomination papers, or had made sure that their papers were rejected. "Now, this high handedness will go against the ruling party," The Times of India quoted Maluka as saying, adding that in many villages there was factionalism within the Congress, with groups of party workers fighting against each other. With inputs from PTI Reuters A lawsuit filed against Google by consumers who claimed the search engines photo sharing and storage service violated their privacy was dismissed on Saturday by a U.S. judge who cited a lack of concrete injuries. U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang in Chicago granted a Google motion for summary judgment, saying the court lacked subject matter jurisdiction because plaintiffs have not suffered concrete injuries. The suit, filed in March 2016, alleged Alphabet Incs Google violated Illinois state law by collecting and storing biometric data from peoples photographs using facial recognition software without their permission through its Google Photos service. Plaintiffs had sought more than $5 million collectively for the hundreds of thousands of state residents affected, according to court documents. Plaintiffs had asked the court for $5,000 for each intentional violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, or $1,000 for every negligent violation, court documents said. Attorneys for the plaintiffs as well as officials with Google could not immediately be reached to comment. Google had argued in court documents that the plaintiffs were not entitled to money or injunctive relief because they had suffered no harm. The case is Rivera v Google, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, No. 16-02714. Asheeta Regidi Earlier this week, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology invited comments on new draft guidelines for intermediaries. These led to several voices being raised against the censorship and monitoring enabled, and a few voices in support of it. Those in support mainly cite recent events as justification, such as fake news and related mob violence and lynching, and the pending case against the circulation of rape videos. A closer look at these events and related Supreme Court orders, however, reveal a disparity between these and the changes actually being proposed to be made. Assuming the amendment to these guidelines are an attempt to put into effect Supreme Court directions in these cases, such as in the Tehseen Poonawalla case (mob lynching) and the In Re: Prajwala Letter case (rape videos), the proposed guidelines still go against previous Supreme Court orders those given in the Shreya Singhal case. Supreme Court orders on Tehseen Poonawalla and Prajwala case Looking at the Supreme Court directions in these cases (outlined here) in the Tehseen Poonawalla case interim orders were issued directing the Center to take steps to curb the dissemination of content on social media that could incite violence. Similarly, in the In Re: Prajwala Letter case, the Court directed that guidelines, standard operating procedures, as well as technology for auto-deletion of content be put in place to deal with videos, imagery, sites and other similar content in relation to child pornography, rape and gang rape. Traceability of messages is another requirement that has been the subject of discussions between WhatsApp and the government. In fact, these cases led to several calls for the need to revisit intermediary liability in the modern age, requiring them to take on greater responsibility for the content they host, as opposed to providing them with (almost) absolute immunity as intermediaries. Greater responsibility on intermediaries in line with Shreya Singhal It is without question that intermediaries need to take on greater responsibility, and this is very much possible, as is indicated with YouTubes adoption of ContentID to deal with content that infringes copyright. However, while imposing greater responsibility on the intermediaries, it is essential that these do not interfere with the peoples right to freedom of speech, and that the intermediaries are not put in a position to self-censor or police content. Any new measures, therefore, need to implement these orders, in view of the special circumstances that they are dealing with, in addition to ensuring compliance with Supreme Court directions in the Shreya Singhal case. These directions include that an intermediary should not be required to apply its own mind in judging the lawfulness of content, given the huge volumes of requests that an intermediary deals with. Further, laws declaring vague and broad categories of content as unlawful violate the fundamental right to freedom of speech. The automated monitoring requirement Consider the proposed requirement under the law, for an intermediary to deploy automated tools and other mechanisms to proactively identify, remove and disable access to unlawful information or content. Going by the types of unlawful content which intermediaries are required warn its users against putting up, then the intermediary is required to use tools for content that is harmful, harassing, defamatory, invasive of privacy, threatens the unity of India, threatens public health or safety, and so on. This requirement violates both the requirements of the Shreya Singhal judgment it requires an intermediary to apply its own mind, in relation to the countless pieces of content it hosts, for identifying and removing a vague category of information unlawful content. Turning to the In Re: Prajwala Letter case, the Supreme Court did require the use of automated tools, but to deal with specific forms of content only, namely, child pornography, rape videos and gang rape videos. A limited provision of that nature, requiring an intermediary to deploy automated tools for specific forms of content, and not all unlawful content, would allow dealing with the issue as a reasonable restriction, without violating peoples right to freedom of speech. Steps to address the rape video issue Steps of a different nature need to be taken to deal with the rape video issue such as an amendment of Section 67B under the Information Technology Act, an extremely strict provision in relation to the creation, consumption, publication, etc., of child pornography, to include rape and gang rape videos as well. This will ensure that all persons, and not just intermediaries, are subject to equally strict obligations in relation to such content. This further needs to be supported with provisions such as mandating the reporting of such content by anyone who comes to know of it, creating a direct point of access for the reporting of such videos, and, as a preliminary step, even waiving the judicial order requirement for the removal of this specific form of content. Directing the intermediary to apply its own mind in relation to such specific forms of content, given their delicacy, in particular for the victims, can provide an immediate, prima facie remedy until the matter is decided in court. Revisions made to deal with fake news The same issue arises with the measures that have purportedly been introduced to deal with fake news. First of all, the governments powers to require intermediaries to provide information/remove the content stem from Sections 69 to 69B of the IT Act, as well as Section 79 for intermediaries specifically. As was discussed with the MHA notification issue, these provisions themselves need to be revisited for their constitutionality. The draft guidelines then attempt to include the reading down of Section 79(3)(b) under the Shreya Singhal judgment, which allowed a government order to remove or disable access to be within the limits of Article 19(2) (reasonable restrictions on the right to freedom of speech). Next, these impose stricter timelines for complying with governmental or judicial orders to provide information or remove content. The new timelines, in brief, are 72 hours to provide information/assistance, 24 hours as opposed to the previous 36 hours for removal of content, and storage timelines of information and records on such content have been doubled to 180 days. Further steps have also been imposed to tighten control over the intermediaries, including that intermediaries with over 50 lakh users in India have to be incorporated in India, have a registered office in India, and have a nodal point of contact, for 24x7 coordination with law enforcement agencies and officers. Additionally, these require an intermediary to enable the government to trace the originator of unlawful content. Impact on privacy and freedom of speech While these changes work well for ensuring cooperation with investigations, it spells trouble for the privacy of the users. The government can require information of any form, including data, text, images, messages, databases, etc. from an intermediary. These, along with the traceability requirement, put in question the extent of governmental access to data with such intermediaries, and also with the use of encryption as a means of protection for users. Even with the freedom of speech, it is unclear what say the intermediaries or the people will have against such governmental or court orders. Section 69A comes with certain safeguards, but it is unclear if the scope of censorship under Section 79(3)(b) (the provision that requires an intermediary to remove unlawful content on receiving a governmental direction to do so) is limited to Section 69A, or extends beyond it. If it does extend beyond it, then this power of censorship also lacks the procedural safeguards that are necessary for restricting the right to freedom of speech, as is required under the Shreya Singhal judgment. Addressing fake news and mob lynching The Supreme Court direction in the Tehseen Poonawalla case, after all, is for the Centre to take steps to curb the spread of such content, and does not authorise putting privacy or the right to freedom of speech in jeopardy. Any steps towards this therefore must be with due regard to peoples fundamental rights. Intermediaries certainly must be made to play a role, but with due regard to the fact that they are just intermediaries in this scenario. Fake news, and related mob violence and lynching, is a collective failure, of the law enforcement agencies for failing to prevent the violence, of the lawmakers for failing to enact laws to deal with lynching, of society and the people themselves for such events to occur. As has been argued previously, this is a much broader issue that cannot be resolved solely by imposing more liability on intermediaries. Revisit intermediary liabilities, but not at the cost of fundamental rights If the amended guidelines are in fact an attempt to enforce Supreme Court directions in relation to social media related lynching and rape videos, then the changes, firstly, fail to actually contribute in any way towards resolving the problems at hand. Secondly, these take specific directions given for specific circumstances and apply them generally for all unlawful content. Such generalisation is unlikely to lead to a reasonable restriction on a fundamental right. While it is without question that intermediary liabilities need to be revisited, this cannot be at the cost of peoples fundamental rights. Meity has invited comments on the draft Intermediary guidelines until 15 January, 2019. The author is a lawyer specialising in technology, privacy and cyber laws. By Gina Cherelus NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City residents and visitors gathered at a paper shredder in Times Square on Friday to symbolically purge themselves of unpleasant memories of 2018 in the 12th annual Good Riddance Day. The event drew a few dozen participants eager to wipe out documents for everything from high mortgage payments to electricity bills, as well as written statements representing sexual assault and 'meanness.' Other messages said goodbye to dandruff, negative thinking, gun violence, racism, homophobia, electronic cigarettes, messy roommates, 'nights when the baby wakes up four times' and the traffic-prone Holland Tunnel that connects New Jersey to New York City. Randy Killian, 49, visiting from Phoenix, was prepared to shred a sign with the words 'childhood abuse' and 'cancer' written across it By Gina Cherelus NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York City residents and visitors gathered at a paper shredder in Times Square on Friday to symbolically purge themselves of unpleasant memories of 2018 in the 12th annual Good Riddance Day. The event drew a few dozen participants eager to wipe out documents for everything from high mortgage payments to electricity bills, as well as written statements representing sexual assault and "meanness." Other messages said goodbye to dandruff, negative thinking, gun violence, racism, homophobia, electronic cigarettes, messy roommates, "nights when the baby wakes up four times" and the traffic-prone Holland Tunnel that connects New Jersey to New York City. Randy Killian, 49, visiting from Phoenix, was prepared to shred a sign with the words "childhood abuse" and "cancer" written across it. Another participant, Gwen Argo, said she wanted to get rid of "bad auras." "Well, there's been enough bad aura in my life so I want to just shred it all out and hopefully that 2019 bring better luck for me and good fortune," Argo said. Tim Tompkins, president of the Times Square Alliance, which helped organize the event, said feeding items into the shredding truck was a New York version of catharsis. "We're shredding things and pulverizing these things that we want to let go, either for ourselves personally or for the world, before we have the reboot and reset of a new year," Tompkins said. (Reporting by Gina Cherelus and Dan Fastenberg; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Bill Trott) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khalida Zia faces an uncertain future. Dhaka: Voting in a tense election to choose a new government in Bangladesh ended on Sunday with at least 13 people being killed in poll-related violence amid allegations of manipulations by the ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex-premier and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The voting started at 8 am (local time) and ended at 4 pm. "The eight-hour long voting has ended as per schedule...preparedness are underway to start the counting," an Election Commission (EC) spokesman said. The unofficial results are expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, he said. The EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports that violence killed 12 activists and a security personnel during the voting. Dozens were injured in the poll-related violence. The build-up to the elections has already been marred by violence. At least 13 people, including a member of law enforcement agency, have been killed in eight districts in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported. The media reports said that five of the dead were ruling party activists while others were mostly workers of BNP or its allies. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "I'm always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future," she said after casting her vote. Schools and colleges across Bangladesh were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. At least 10 candidates mostly BNP nominees announced to stay off the polls alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. "From the picture we have received, this is a violent election. We are seeing a one-sided election environment conducted at the whims of the government. This paints a clear picture that they want to ensure a favourable result through a one-sided contest," Rizvi told a media briefing at the party office. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media from his northwestern Thakurgaon constituency that some of their candidates stayed off the vote in their "personal decisions" but "we will announce our party stance at 4 pm when the voting will end". No announcement, however, came yet despite the voting hours ended. Veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who leads main opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) with BNP being its key partner, however, said "the overall environment is not bad" with huge turnout of voters. "But every minute I receive calls saying Kamal Bhai (brother), it has already happened overnight. It began in the evening. I have gotten so many reports. These reports are concerning. It's sad and shameful," he said. The Jatiya Oikya Front or NUF is a coalition of four parties - Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League - led by Hossain. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. According to the eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling party's "boat" symbol outnumbered those of the main opposition's "sheaf of paddy". BNP earlier said intimidation and police harassment kept their activists away from the campaign and polling process. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful...We could tell you at the end of the day if the election was participatory," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda told reporters. Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's private Jamuna TV has been taken off the air. Channel's chief news editor Fahim Ahmed said private cable operators stopped broadcasting their transmission without giving any reason and "so no one in Bangladesh now can see our channel due to the blackout." An online newspaper quoting cable operators, however, reported that they stopped Jamuna's broadcast due to technical glitches as "we are not getting their signal". The channel is owned by an independent candidate in the polls with an influential businessman from the ruling party being her rival. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first premier for the fourth terms. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while her son Tarique Rahman is living in London in self exile. BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese court ordered a retrial of a Canadian citizen on drug smuggling charges on Saturday after prosecutors said his sentence of 15 years was too light - a case that could further test relations between Beijing and Ottawa. Tensions between the two governments have been high since Canada's arrest of a high-ranking Chinese executive at the request of the United States this month, followed by China's detention of two Canadian citizens on suspicion of endangering state security. BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese court ordered a retrial of a Canadian citizen on drug smuggling charges on Saturday after prosecutors said his sentence of 15 years was too light - a case that could further test relations between Beijing and Ottawa. Tensions between the two governments have been high since Canada's arrest of a high-ranking Chinese executive at the request of the United States this month, followed by China's detention of two Canadian citizens on suspicion of endangering state security. Robert Lloyd Schellenberg had lodged an appeal after being handed a 15-year sentence on Nov. 20 in the northeastern city of Dalian, the high court for the province of Liaoning said in a statement, adding that he was to have been deported after serving his sentence. At the appeal hearing, prosecutors said the sentence was too light and improper, arguing Schellenberg was highly likely to have been part of a international drugs smuggling operation and had played a major role in smuggling the drugs, the statement said. The court said it accepted this argument and ordered a retrial. It added that Canadian diplomats were in court for the appeal. In Ottawa, the foreign ministry said in a statement that it has been aware of the case for several years and would continue providing consular assistance to Schellenberg and his family. It gave no more details. It was not immediately clear who Schellenberg's lawyer was or when the retrial may take place. A Dalian government news portal said this week Schellenberg had smuggled "an enormous amount of drugs" into China. Drugs offences are routinely punished severely in China. A Briton caught smuggling heroin was executed in 2009, prompting a British outcry over what it said was the lack of any mental health assessment. In one development that could lessen tensions, Ottawa said on Friday that a citizen who was detained in China this month had returned to Canada after being released. A Canadian government source identified the citizen as teacher Sarah McIver. China's Foreign Ministry said this month that McIver was undergoing "administrative punishment" for working illegally. McIver was the third Canadian to be detained by China following the Dec. 1 arrest in Vancouver of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of the Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. Canada had said there was no reason to believe that McIver's detention was linked to the earlier arrests. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland did not mention McIver last week in calling for the release of the other two Canadians detained on suspicion of endangering state security. They have each only been allowed to see Canadian diplomats once since being detained. China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was aware of reports McIver had been released, and referred further questions to the "relevant authority". Neither China nor Canada has drawn a direct connection between Meng and the cases of the two other Canadians. China has demanded Canada free Meng, who is fighting extradition to the United States, where she would face fraud charges that carry a maximum sentence of 30 years jail for each charge. Meng has said she is innocent. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Allison Lampert in Montreal and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Robert Birsel, Edwina Gibbs and Frances Kerry) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces have killed 40 suspected militants in three separate incidents in North Sinai and Giza, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday, a day after a bombing on a Vietnamese tourist bus in Giza killed four people. The bombing, less than 4 km from the pyramids, on the outskirts of Cairo, is the first deadly attack against foreign tourists in Egypt for more than a year and comes as the tourism sector, a vital source of foreign currency, recovers from a sharp drop in visitor numbers since the country's 2011 uprising. CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian security forces have killed 40 suspected militants in three separate incidents in North Sinai and Giza, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday, a day after a bombing on a Vietnamese tourist bus in Giza killed four people. The bombing, less than 4 km from the pyramids, on the outskirts of Cairo, is the first deadly attack against foreign tourists in Egypt for more than a year and comes as the tourism sector, a vital source of foreign currency, recovers from a sharp drop in visitor numbers since the country's 2011 uprising. A spokesman for Britains Thomas Cook travel group said it had cancelled day trips to Cairo from the Red Sea resort of Hurghada following the attack and it would continue to review the security situation. The ministry did not say whether the suspected militants were connected to Friday's attack, but said its forces killed 30 people during raids on their hideouts in Giza where it said "terrorist elements" were planning a series of attacks targeting state institutions and the tourism industry. Security forces also killed 10 suspected militants in North Sinai, where the country is fighting an insurgency led by Islamic State. State news agency MENA said that the suspects were killed in a gun battle. The ministry did not give any details about the suspects' identity or whether there had been any casualties or injuries among the security forces. The statement said the three raids took place simultaneously. The ministry published photos of bloodied bodies with their faces concealed and assault rifles and shotguns lying on the floor beside them. Three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian guide were killed and at least 10 others injured when the roadside bomb hit their tour bus on Friday. Events such as the bombing of a Russian airliner shortly after it took off from Sharm el Sheikh in 2015, killing all 224 people on board, caused tourist numbers to Egypt to plunge. There are still no direct flights from major tourist markets such as Britain and Russia to the country's biggest Red Sea resort, Sharm el Sheikh, since that attack. The government says fighting Islamist militants is a priority as it works to restore stability after the years of turmoil that followed the "Arab Spring" protests of 2011. Egypt's military and police launched a major campaign against militant groups in February, targeting the Sinai Peninsula as well as southern areas and the border with Libya. (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba and Haitham Ahmed, additional reporting by Mohamed Sayed and Andrew MacAskill in London; Writing by Amina Ismail; Editing by Alison Williams) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Lupin warns of more pricing pressure as fourth-quarter profit halves | Reuters By Zeba Siddiqui | MUMBAI MUMBAI Indian drugmaker Lupin Ltd expects to launch over 30 products in the United States this year, but warned revenue growth would remain muted due to growing pricing pressure and competition in the world's largest healthcare market."We've talked about medium single digits of price erosion in the past and I think we are now (seeing) high single digits," Managing Director Nilesh Gupta told Reuters after Lupin reported a quarterly profit that halved from a year earlier.The country's third-largest drugmaker has been working on building a pipeline of high-value complex generic drugs in the United States to offset growing competition in plain generics. But a consolidation among drug distributors has hit generic companies' ability to negotiate on prices, and price hikes have also become harder to justify amid regulatory scrutiny."Competition is increasing and (distributors) are getting more powerful than ever before," Gupta said. The company expects to launch more than 30 drugs this year, most of which would be small to medium-sized opportunities, with bigger, more lucrative launches planned for 2019, he added Pakistan is believed to be looking at the sensitive issue. Pakistan PM Imran Khan had presided over a high-profile ceremony last month at the gurdwara to mark the beginning of the construction of the corridor on the Pakistani side. (Photo: AP) New Delhi: Is Pakistan considering visa-free access for Indian Sikh pilgrims when they visit the historic Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in November next year? Reports suggest this could be so. A large number of Indian Sikh pilgrims are due to visit the historic gurdwara in less than a year for the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. According to TV reports on Saturday, Pakistan is considering visa-free access for Indian pilgrims but is planning to retain the right to refuse entry at the same time in the case of any individual. In fact, for the past few months, Pakistani media reports suggested a provision for visa-free entry for Indian Sikh pilgrims could be a distinct possibility next year. Pakistan is believed to be looking at the sensitive issue. According to the TV reports, Pakistan is compiling a 14-point draft of its plans for entry of Sikh pilgrims next year, which could be shared with India once it is finalised. It may be recalled that Pakistan is also building a corridor with modern facilities for the benefit of pilgrims from the international border to the gurdwara located just a few kilometres away in Pakistans Punjab. India is similarly constructing a corridor too on the Indian side. Pakistan PM Imran Khan had presided over a high-profile ceremony last month at the gurdwara to mark the beginning of the construction of the corridor on the Pakistani side. Thousands of Indian Sikh pilgrims had been given visas last month by Pakistan to visit the gurdwara where Guru Nanak had spent the last years of his life in the 16th century. Five people were killed in election-related violence in Bangladesh on Sunday as voters went to the polls following a campaign marred by deadly clashes and a crackdown on the Opposition by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. Five people were killed in election-related violence in Bangladesh on Sunday as voters went to the polls following a campaign marred by deadly clashes and a crackdown on the Opposition by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. Two men were shot by police, while three others were killed in separate clashes between activists from the ruling Awami League party and the main Bangladesh Nationalist Party opposition (BNP). Voting is being held under tight security until 4 pm in a parliamentary election that is expected to deliver a historic but tainted fourth victory for Hasina. Bangladesh's leader has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor Asian nation during an unbroken decade in power and for welcoming Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar. But critics accuse her of growing authoritarianism and crippling the opposition including arch-rival Khaleda Zia who is serving 17 years in prison on graft charges she says are politically motivated in a bid to cling on to power. The weeks-long election campaign was marred by violence between supporters of her Awami League and activists from the BNP, led by Zia. Some 6,00,000 security personnel were deployed across the South Asian country, including at 40,000 polling stations, in a bid to prevent skirmishes. Authorities have also ordered the country's mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest. The election-day deaths bring to nine the number of people confirmed by police to have been killed since the ballot was announced on 8 November, marking the country's 11th parliamentary election since Independence in 1971. Police said they acted "in self-defence" in the southern town of Bashkhali, when they opened fire on opposition supporters who had attempted to storm a polling booth, killing one. In a separate incident another man was shot by police after he tried to steal a ballot box. Free and fair? Opinion polls following the crackdown show Hasina, who has presided over six percent GDP expansion every year since she won a landslide in 2008, heading for a comfortable victory that would extend her reign as the country's longest-serving leader. She needs 151 seats in the first-past-the-post system to win in the 300-seat parliament but experts say any victory would be sullied by accusations that she hamstrung her opponents' campaign and scared people into voting for her. The opposition says more than 15,000 of its activists have been detained during the weeks-long campaign, crushing its ability to mobilise its grassroots support. "We are getting disturbing reports outside Dhaka that overnight votes have been cast illegally," said Kamal Hossain, the 82-year-old architect of Bangladesh's constitution who is helming the opposition coalition. Presiding officers at polling stations across Dhaka reported a low turnout in morning voting. Human Rights Watch and other international groups have decried the crackdown, saying it has created a climate of fear which could prevent supporters of opposition parties from casting their ballots. The United States has also raised concerns about the credibility of the Muslim-majority country's election while the United Nations called for greater efforts to make the vote fair. Seventeen Opposition candidates have been arrested over what they claim are trumped-up charges while another 17 were disqualified from running by courts which Hasina's opponents say she controls. "This is not (a) free and fair election. It is more a controlled selection," said a Western diplomat who asked not to be named. Student protests The Bangladeshi leadership has alternated between Hasina and Zia, former allies-turned-foes, over the last three decades and the pair are nicknamed the "Battling Begums". Hasina rejects accusations of creeping authoritarianism but analysts say she mounted the clampdown over fears that young voters were set to hand a victory to the BNP. Her government was criticised earlier this year for its heavy handling of weeks of massive student protests over the abolition of job quotas and poor safety standards on Bangladesh's dangerous roads. Hasina, the daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was gifted victory in the 2014 election when the BNP boycotted the vote claiming it wasn't free or fair. Since then, rights groups have accused her administration of stifling freedom of speech through the toughening of a draconian anti-press law and the enforced disappearance of government dissenters. At least four people have died since the timetable for the Bangladesh general election was announced on 8 November, and international groups have decried the government crackdown on Opposition activists. Dhaka: Bangladesh headed to the polls Sunday, following a weeks-long campaign that was dominated by deadly violence and allegations of a crackdown on thousands of opposition activists. Voting began at 8 am amid tight security in a vote that is expected to deliver a historic but tainted fourth general election victory for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Some 600,000 security personnel are deployed across the South Asian nation, including at 40,000 polling stations. There was fresh violence on the eve of the vote when a ruling party activist was allegedly killed by supporters of the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its Islamist ally, Jamaat-e-Islami. "He was attacked with rocks. He died on the way to hospital," Mohammad Niamutullah, police chief in the southern town of Patia, said. The death brought to four the number of people confirmed killed by police since the timetable for the election was announced on 8 November, marking the country's 11th parliamentary election since Independence in 1971. The BNP claims eight of its activists have died. Around 104 million voters are choosing between an alliance led by Hasina's ruling Awami League party and a coalition headed by the BNP, which was cobbled together only three months ago. Opinion polls show Hasina, who has presided over impressive economic growth during an unbroken decade in power, but who is also accused of growing authoritarianism, heading for a comfortable victory. She needs 151 seats in the first-past-the-post system to win in the 300-seat Parliament, but experts say any victory would be sullied by accusations that she hamstrung her opponents' campaign. The Opposition says more than 15,000 of its activists have been arrested, crippling its ability to mobilise its grassroots support. Human Rights Watch and other international groups have decried the crackdown, saying it has created a climate of fear that could prevent supporters of Opposition parties from casting their ballots. The United States has also raised concerns about the credibility of the Muslim-majority country's election while the United Nations has called for greater efforts to make the vote fair. Seventeen opposition candidates were arrested over what they claim are trumped up charges while another 17 were disqualified from running by courts which are allegedly controlled by Hasina. "This is not a free and fair election. It is more a controlled selection," said a Western diplomat who has been monitoring the run-up to the polls and who asked not to be named. Badiul Alam Majumder, the leader of a Bangladesh civil society group, said the alleged crackdown had "created a perception that the incumbent government will return to power". "Never in my life I have seen such kind of election. The election commission has totally failed to do its job," he told AFP. Mobile internet shutdown The BNP, the main player in the alliance headed by Kamal Hossain, an 82-year-old Oxford-educated lawyer who drew up Bangladesh's constitution, has accused the election commission of bias, allegations it denies. Hasina herself has rejected accusations of creeping authoritarianism and called for voters to back her to further bolster the economy which has expanded over 6 percent a year since she won the 2008 election. The daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina was gifted victory in the 2014 election when the BNP boycotted the vote claiming it wasn't free or fair. Since then, rights groups have accused Hasina's administration of stifling freedom of speech through the toughening of a draconian anti-press law and the enforced disappearance of government dissenters. BNP leader Khaleda Zia, an arch-rival of the prime minister, was sentenced to 17 years in jail earlier this year on charges that her party says are politically motivated. Authorities have ordered the country's mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest. Polls close at 4 pm. About every few years, there is one commodity that captures the hearts of investors. The most recent iteration of this mineral lust is lithium. Lithium-ion battery technology has emerged as the predominant method for electrifying vehicles and energy storage for solar- and wind-power generation. With high demand for batteries comes high demand for lithium, and it has investors clamoring to own stock in the companies that produce the stuff. A search for lithium stocks will likely result in a small handful of companies, two of which are the well-established Sociedad Quimica y Minera (aka SQM) (NYSE:SQM) and upstart Canadian producer Lithium Americas (NYSE:LAC). For investors who may be wringing their hands about which of these two stocks is the better addition to their portfolio, let's look at their future prospects to see which one is a better buy. Getting in on the ground floor Lithium production is a niche part of the mining business. The least expensive source of lithium isn't mined in the conventional sense but harvested by letting brine water evaporate in ponds. The most cost-effective place for these ponds is in a region called the Lithium Triangle between Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. Here, lithium content in brine water is high, and there's ample sun for evaporation. For decades, lithium has been a tightly controlled business in the region, but the recent demand for the battery component has led to a wave of backers trying to get their hands on permits to build new facilities. Lithium Americas is one of those companies looking to build the next wave of lithium facilities. It recently broke ground on a new facility in Argentina that will start producing approximately 25,000 tons of lithium carbonate, the preferred form of raw lithium for manufacturing batteries, per year. According to management, the facility will start producing in 2020 with low operating costs. If everything goes according to plan, it expects this facility to generate around $233 million in annual EBITDA. On top of that, it is also looking to build a conventional mining facility in the U.S. to extract lithium from hard rock. This facility is still in the planning phases, but management estimates that the first phase, set to start in 2022, could produce an additional $250 million in annual EBITDA and scale up to twice that size. Since both of these facilities are not yet operational, Lithium Americas has a market capitalization of just $200 million. After all, it is a start-up commodity company that has yet to produce a pound of product. For investors, there is a chance to get in very early and reap the benefits much further down the road. A titan of the lithium industry Aside from the lithium connection, SQM couldn't be more different from Lithium Americas. The Chilean company has been producing lithium as well as several other products in its brine ponds for decades, including industrial iodine, fertilizers, and other industrial chemicals. What's more, the company has a dominant market share with some of these products, a rarity for most companies that produce commodities. Product diversity that serves several end markets is also a handy trait in this business because it helps to offset when one or two of those markets are weak. Even though it is an established company with considerable market share, management isn't letting this surge in lithium demand pass it by. Between now and 2021, the company intends to more than double production from 70,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate to 180,000 tons by 2021. In addition, it expects to significantly expand production of both its iodine and potassium nitrate business. Perhaps the most compelling case for an investment in SQM isn't what it mines or its expansion plans but rather the company's established history of generating returns for shareholders. For the past decade, the company has generated returns on equity in excess of 20%, and that was before lithium became the red-hot commodity that it is today. As long as the company can maintain this level of discipline while expanding its operations, it could make a compelling long-term investment. Buy the upstart or the established player? As great as the opportunity in lithium might sound on the surface, neither of these companies is what you would call a slam-dunk investment today. SQM is an established leader in the lithium industry, with an enticing growth plan ahead of it and a history of generating returns for investors. The downside is that even after the recent decline in stock prices, SQM still trades for 23 times earnings. That's still not a great price to pay for a business that is so intricately tied to the volatility of commodity prices. Lithium Americas stock has the potential to be a great value at today's stock price, but a lot of things have to go right for that to happen. Since the company has no track record for developing projects or operating a lithium-producing facility, you're basically making a bet that things will play out exactly as they appear on management's investor slide deck. If the project were to go over budget or if it isn't able to produce lithium for as low a price as it claims once up and running, then those numbers on paper may be completely useless. If forced to make a choice between these two stocks today, I think I personally would go with SQM. While it isn't the most attractively priced stock, its track record for generating returns and its dividend yield of 3.2% means it will likely be a positive return stock over the long haul. Lithium Americas' offer looks appealing, but there is simply too much uncertainty right now without a producing asset. Perhaps once we see some significant progress toward putting its facility into operation on time and on budget, then it will be worth reexamining. For now, though, better to take the more sure bet. As the year comes to a close, the stock market is facing its steepest correction in a decade and was, at one point, staring down the worst December in 80 years. Although stock market corrections are pretty common, investors are nevertheless often surprised with the volatility and voracity of the downside moves that accompany them. Heading into the new year, plenty of questions remain unanswered. Can the U.S. economy keep up its torrid GDP growth? Will the slump in oil prices cost the sector jobs? Can President Trump work with a divided Congress to effectively pass laws? Will the Fed continue its monetary tightening cycle? And can the U.S. and China avert an escalation of the trade war? The smart way to combat stock market corrections While we don't concretely know the answer to any of these questions, as investors, we can take steps to shore up our portfolios against possible downside and near-term volatility. The best way to do that is usually to seek out dividend-paying stocks. Why dividend stocks? The simple answer is that dividend-paying stocks almost always have time-tested business models. In other words, management is unlikely to share a percentage of profits with investors if a company wasn't going to remain healthfully profitable in the future. That makes dividend stocks an excellent beacon for investors during turbulent times. Dividend stocks can also help take the edge off of a correcting stock market. While a single-digit yield won't erase the fourth-quarter decline investors have endured, it certainly helps hedge against this downside. And perhaps most important, dividends can be reinvested in more shares of dividend-paying stock to quickly compound your payouts and total wealth. This is a strategy commonly employed by the world's most successful money managers. These high-yield dividends should be on your buy list Of course, the catch with dividends is that investors want the highest yield possible with the least risk imaginable. Unfortunately, risk and yield typically rise and fall together. Since yield is a function of share price, a faltering business model with a plunging share price could give way to higher yields, falsely giving the impression of being an attractive income stock. Then again, if you're willing to dig around, some amazing high-yield stocks (i.e., dividend stocks with a yield of at least 4%) can be unearthed at the moment. If you're looking for a solid income stream and reasonable value, here are some of the best high-yield stocks to consider buying in 2019. AT&T: 7.3% dividend yield Arguably my favorite high-yield stock and a company that was just recently added to my personal portfolio is telecom and content giant AT&T ( T 1.78% ). To be clear, AT&T isn't flashy. It's not going to win anyone points for originality or grow at a double-digit annual rate. It's got a relatively boring business model, but that's what makes it so beautiful. Well, that and a number of recent corporate developments. For starters, we're beginning to see AT&T and its major rivals roll out 5G networks in select cities. These next-generation networks are likely to have a similar effect to the 4G LTE rollout in 2010, whereby consumers push to upgrade their smartphone or tablet in order to download more data even more quickly than they already are. This leads to a tech-replacement cycle and a surge in high-margin data usage. The needle may not be moving much yet, but the company's growth rate is about to see a healthy pickup thanks to the coming 5G revolution. Don't overlook the now-completed acquisition of Time Warner, either. Time Warner's prized networks (TNT, CNN, and TBS) are like dangling carrots that AT&T can use to attract video streaming subscribers from competitors as well as to command higher advertising rates. At the moment, AT&T's 7.3% yield is very difficult to top, and it appears to be in no danger of going away. Tack on its lowest forward P/E in at least a decade, and you have one incredibly attractive yet stable high-yield stock. Philip Morris International: 6.8% dividend yield As long as you have no socially responsible investing qualms, I'd suggest also giving Philip Morris International ( PM 1.75% ) a serious look. It's no secret that Philip Morris has a serious challenge on its hands. Cigarette shipping volumes in developed countries are mostly lower, as health concerns and tightening regulations work against the tobacco industry. But Philip Morris still has a number of factors working in its favor. For one, nicotine is an addictive substance. Because smokers have historically had such a hard time quitting, Philip Morris has had little issue passing along higher prices for its products. Thus, even as the volume of cigarette shipments declines, it's had no trouble growing its sales and bottom line. And don't forget, this is a company that doesn't operate in the United States. Instead, it's counting on a burgeoning middle class in foreign markets to drive sales and hedge against volume weakness in developed countries. Philip Morris has also been doing what it can to improve shareholder value. Although it hasn't repurchased any of its own stock in a few years, it has been regularly raising its dividend, which now stands at a delectable 6.8% yield. Worried this payout won't last? Don't be. This is a company that's averaged $8.6 billion in operating cash flow and $7.1 billion in net income over the past five years. Looking ahead, Philip Morris' heated tobacco unit, IQOS, could be its next catalyst beyond just emerging-market tobacco product sales. The IQOS system was tested in Japan with modest success, but Philip Morris had difficulties penetrating the 45-year-old-and-up market. Some pundits wrote the alternative system off as a failure, but I see it more as a learning curve that needs some marketing adjustments. As IQOS is brought to new markets and the existing marketing campaign is tweaked, alternative products could become a greater percentage of Philip Morris' revenue. At less than 13 times forward earnings, this, too, is about as cheap as it's been in at least a decade. Cardinal Health: 4.3% dividend yield Another top-notch high-yield stock to consider buying in 2019 is pharmaceutical and medical-device supply chain company Cardinal Health ( CAH 0.45% ), which, following its recent decline, has pushed its yield to more than 4%. Cardinal Health's stock struggles can be tied to two problems: (1) weakness in generic-drug pricing, since it's a distributor of pharmaceuticals to hospitals, and (2) supply chain issues with Cordis, the medical-device subsidiary acquired from Johnson & Johnson in October 2015. Neither of these issues is much of a long-term concern. Most generic drug developers have noted that generic pricing weakness has been ebbing and could dissipate completely in 2019. That should help improve the company's pharmaceutical supply chain margins, which is Cardinal Health's bread and butter. Likewise, Cordis' supply chain issues are currently being worked on and shouldn't be a long-term problem. All the while, segment sales for Cordis have continued to rise. When these operating inefficiencies are resolved, it's not out of the question that Cardinal Health could begin growing its bottom line by around 10% per year. Like Philip Morris, Cardinal Health is also looking out for shareholders where it can. A recently approved $1 billion share repurchase agreement now brings the company's buyback potential up to $1.3 billion. That's nearly 10% of the company's market cap. And as the number of outstanding shares is decreased, earnings per share has an opportunity to expand. Sporting a forward P/E of a little more than 8, Cardinal Health, like the other high-yield stocks on this list, hasn't been this cheap in at least a decade. The Apna Dal leader also demanded Mr Modis intervention in sorting out the matter of the increasing divide between the two parties. New Delhi: With months to go for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling NDA alliance is seemingly headed for more trouble as two of its crucial allies in Uttar Pradesh Apna Dal and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) on Saturday stayed away from events attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi and Ghazipur. The tough posturing by the two allies is being seen as an attempt at securing a better bargaining power in seat sharing negotiations ahead of the 2019 general elections. This is the first time that Apna Dal has taken such a tough stance at the continuous neglect by the Yogi Adityanath government. The party is also miffed at the fact that Union Minister of State for Health, Anupriya Patel was not invited to events related to her ministry. While the SBSP boycotted Prime Ministers programmes to release the postal stamp in the name of Maharaja Suheldev. The state unit chief of Apna Dal, Ashish Patel, said his party was immensely hurt by the arrogant attitude of the BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh and accused them with insulting party leaders and the weaker sections of the society. He also announced that till the matter between the two allies was not settled, Apna Dal will not attend any government programmes. The Apna Dal leader also demanded Mr Modis intervention in sorting out the matter of the increasing divide between the two parties. The SBSP has claimed that the party chief and state Minister for Backward Classes Welfare Om Prakash Rajbhars name has been deliberately omitted from the invitation card. The state of Uttar Pradesh is considered most crucial for the BJP as it elects 80 MPs to Lok Sabha and the hindi heartland state is believed to hold the key that to the power corridors of the national capital. In 2014 the state sent 71 BJP MPs and two Apna Dal legislators to the lower house. In 2014, the party had contested two seats in a pre-poll alliance with the BJP. While the Apna Dal has two Lok Sabha MPs and 9 seats in the 403-member state Assembly, the SBSP has four legislators in the state. Apna Dal has demanded that the NDA allow it to contest more Lok Sabha seats claiming that it has grown since 2014 and so it naturally aims to increase its tally. Apna Dal (S) will hold a state-level meeting of its party workers on January 7 to take a call on the issue, sources stated. While the SBSP has four legislators in Uttar Pradesh Assembly, the stand adopted by the party is being seen as an attempt at bargaining for a few seats to contest the forthcoming Lok sabha polls. Recently, the Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Jan Shakti Party had also made similar noises regarding NDA alliances and was able to secure a better deal in the 2019 seat sharing arrangements in Bihar. The latest alliance troubles for the BJP come days after its Bihar ally Rashtriya Lok Samta Party parted ways with the NDA after disagreement over seat sharing arrangements ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha left the alliance upset with the BJP after it asserted that the party would not be given more than two seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Earlier in March, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) ended its four-year-old alliance with the NDA over the Centres refusal to grant a special category status to Andhra Pradesh. However, family members of those trapped are still hopeful that miners would be taking shelter in wind-chambers inside the tunnels. Guwahati: The ongoing rescue operation, which was suspended for two days on Saturday resumed at war scale with Indian Navy divers armed with special diving equipment including re-compression chamber and remotely operated vehicles capable of searching underwater, joining the operation to rescue 15 miners in the East Jaintia Hills district in Meghalaya. Amidst the speculations on bleak chances of survival of miners trapped in a tunnel like space under 70-feet water, the rescuers recovered three helmets, which are suspected to be of those miners. However, family members of those trapped are still hopeful that miners would be taking shelter in wind-chambers inside the tunnels. The Navy divers started preparations to navigate the rat-hole coalmines to descend into the coal pit where 15 miners are suspected to have been trapped in some wind pockets. Sources engaged in the rescue operations told this newspaper that biggest challenge before the rescue team is to navigate the rat-hole mines, as there is no information or map is available about the tunnels in which mining activities were going on. Meanwhile, state administration was also accused to have failed in coordinating the movement of the rescue team, which landed at Guwahati Airport on Friday. The chief fire officer of Odisha Mr Sukant Sethi, who is leading 21-member team of rescuers said, Initially we were told that we would be travelling by trucks. Then the plan was changed and it was decided that dumpers would be used to shift the equipment to the accident site. He regretted that by the time they reached a primary school (located 25 km from the mine) where they were supposed to spend the night it was very late in the night and no body was there to help them for basic needs. There was no food, blankets or beds for the men to take few hours of rest. We are not used to such cold temperatures in Odisha and had to rush for our mission without carrying enough warm clothes, he added. The team of rescuers is carrying 10 high-powered pumps to flush out water from the mine. Informing that they have already started work, he however clarified that even after all these logistic challenges, they have started work on installing pumps to flush out water. He said that Indian navy divers are also working out strategy in consultation with experts of the Coal India. The 15 miners have been trapped in a 370-feet deep illegal rat-hole mine in Lumthari village since December 13, when water from the nearby River Lytein flooded the mine. Meanwhile, a six-member team of the Opposition Congress in Meghalaya visited the site and found several lacunae in the arrangements made by the district administration. The legislators led by Ampareen Lyngdoh expressed their surprise over district magistrate FM Dopth going on leave in spite of the tragedy of such a scale. Precious lives are at stake but the officer in-charge of the rescue operations has been allowed to go on leave, she said, demanding that the district magistrate be immediately recalled. Fallout 76s Appalachia map is enormous, with six different regions offering vastly unique terrain and environments. While youll start in the Forest, luscious and green, as you venture north, youll come across the Toxic Valley. As youd expect from the name, its barren and toxic water fills the craters dotted across the northern region. As you explore, kill enemies and loot the abandoned wasteland, youll come across treasure maps. These are sketches that depict certain areas of Appalachia, and you need to work out the location to find the treasure. The only issue is that if you head to these locations without already owning the correct Fallout 76 Toxic Valley treasure map, you wont be able to loot it because the map acts as a key. With that said, here are all four locations for the Fallout 76 Toxic Valley treasure maps. Fallout 76 Toxic Valley Treasure Map #1 Head to Becker Farm, found between Grafton and Lady Janets Soft Serve. Go slightly further west, and youll find the treasure in the ground, with the large fans in the background. Fallout 76 Toxic Valley Treasure Map #2 Go to Clarksburg, the small town north-west of Grafton, then look on the hill by the water tower to the south-west for Toxic Valley Treasure Map #2. Fallout 76 Toxic Valley Treasure Map #3 Directly north of the Grafton Dam is the Pioneer Scout Camp. This treasure is found just to the south-east, by the sailboat. Fallout 76 Toxic Valley Treasure Map #4 The final treasure map is found directly south of the Crashed Space Station, which is north-east of Black Bear Lodge and Becker Farm. Have you nabbed yourself some Nuka-Cola Power Armor paint yet? Raising questions on prevailing law and order situation in UP, Akhilesh claimed criminals have doubled under BJP rule. '...there is a trend among the police officials that they undertake encounters when they anticipate that they can be transferred. Their acts are emulated by their subordinates,' Akhilesh Yadav said. (Photo: ANI) Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that the police officers in Uttar Pradesh are following the 'Thok Do Neeti' (encounter policy) of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to avoid getting transferred. Raising questions on the prevailing law and order situation in the state, the former chief minister claimed that criminals have "doubled" in Uttar Pradesh under the BJP rule and "law and order situation was not so bad earlier". "UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is advocating his Thok Do Neeti (encounter policy) everywhere. Due to this, there is a trend among the police officials that they undertake encounters when they anticipate that they can be transferred. Their acts are emulated by their subordinates," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow. Police head constable Suresh Vats was killed on Saturday after some members of a protest rally, organised by Nishad Party, allegedly hurled stones at him near Naunera area in Ghazipur. The police constable was deployed at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur and was returning from the event when the incident took place. So far 19 people have been arrested and FIR against 32 people have been registered. "The death of Head Constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Gajipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law," Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh said in a tweet. Meanwhile, the son of the slain police constable blamed police force responsible for his father's death. Venting his ire over the Uttar Pradesh Police, VK Singh, the deceased constable's son, told news agency ANI, "If the police are not able to protect their co-workers then what sort of protection can a common man expect from them." Pentagon: Afghanistan Could Be Poised for Political Settlement By Hasib Danish Alikozai December 28, 2018 Despite challenges on multiple fronts, Afghanistan seems more likely than at any time in recent history to come to a favorable political settlement, according to a report released this week by the Pentagon, which cited the effects of a recent military escalation coupled with diplomatic initiatives. In a yearly assessment required by the U.S. Congress, the Pentagon this week submitted a detailed report on the war in Afghanistan to U.S. lawmakers, detailing the country's progress and challenges in fiscal year 2018-2019. Among the challenges facing Kabul are the lack of political stability, the capabilities of the national security force and interference from other regional powers, the report assessed. "The current military situation inside of Afghanistan remains at an impasse. The introduction of additional advisers and enablers in 2018 stabilized the situation, slowing the momentum of a Taliban march that had capitalized on U.S. drawdowns between 2011 and 2016," the report said. "Diplomatic, religious, military and social pressures, enabled by the conditions-based strategy, and buoyed by increased international engagement, have forced the Taliban senior leadership to debate whether to enter negotiations with the Afghan government," the report added. Strategy in Afghanistan In August 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration's strategy on Afghanistan and put forth a case for staying the course and not allowing the country to become a haven for terrorists who would once again pose a threat to U.S. national security. "I share the American people's frustration. I also share their frustration over a foreign policy that has spent too much time, energy, money and most importantly lives, trying to rebuild countries in our own image," President Trump said at the time, promising to end nation-building and focus instead on U.S. national security interests. Trump said the new U.S. strategy would shift from a timeline-based approach to a condition-based one. The new report by the Pentagon comes as the Trump administration is reportedly considering withdrawing roughly half of the 14,000 U.S. troops currently deployed to Afghanistan. No formal announcement on the potential drawdown has yet been made. U.S. troops in the country engaged in both train-and-advise missions, as part of the U.S.-led NATO Resolute Support Mission, and in counterterrorism missions against the Islamic State and al-Qaida terror groups. The Pentagon assessment warns that Afghanistan continues to be threatened by more than 20 terror groups operating in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region, which, if left unchecked, could pose a threat to U.S. national security interests. "Since October 2001, U.S. [counterterrorism] efforts in Afghanistan have prevented another large-scale terrorist attack against the U.S. homeland," the assessment said. "However, the existence of more than 20 terrorist or insurgent groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including ISIS-K [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan], requires an Afghan-supported U.S. platform in the region to monitor, contain and respond to these threats," the assessment added. Regional players The Pentagon report also discusses regional state actors involved and engaged in Afghanistan. It adds that as part of the U.S. strategy, the U.S. military is also pushing for a regional approach to enhance stability in South Asia. "This includes building a broad consensus for a stable Afghanistan, emphasizing regional economic integration and cooperation, stressing cooperation for an Afghan-led peace process, and holding countries accountable for their use of proxies or other means to undermine stability and regional confidence," the report said. While engaging with several regional countries, U.S. has stepped up efforts to seek a negotiated settlement to the war and has held several rounds of direct talks with the Taliban. Earlier this month, U.S diplomats, led by the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad, and Taliban delegates concluded another round of talks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Taliban insurgents have increased their contacts with regional countries recently. A senior U.S. military official told VOA in October that the insurgent group has established ties with Iran and Russia, as both countries are vying for influence in Afghanistan. "I think what they [Russia] are doing trying to do is they are pursuing a strategy which is to compete with us by trying to exert their influence wherever they can, whether it is in Afghanistan or Syria or anywhere else," Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, told VOA. "They [Iranian leaders] don't have any, obviously, any love for us [the U.S.] here, but I do think Iran shares concerns along their eastern border, the western part of Afghanistan, and is concerned about the threat of this emanating onto them," Votel added. Russian officials assert the country is in touch with the insurgents to encourage them to engage in peace talks. "We maintain these contacts primarily for the sake of the security of Russian nationals in Afghanistan, Russian agencies there, and also to convince the Taliban to renounce armed conflict and join the national dialogue with the government," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in August. Iran In contrast, Iran, accused by the Afghan government of providing the Taliban with money, weapons and explosives, has been less vocal about its contacts with the Taliban. A senior Iranian security official, quoted this week by the country's official news agency, IRNA, confirmed that Iran has been in talks with insurgents. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the contacts have been made with the knowledge of the Afghan government. The recent Pentagon report said Iran is pursuing "a multitrack strategy" of engaging and trying to grow ties with the Afghan government and the Taliban. VOA's Carla Babb and Rikar Hussein contributed to this story. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US evacuates first military warehouse in Syria IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 29, IRNA -- Following its surprise decision last week to withdraw its troops from Syria, the first US military warehouse near the Iraqi border was evacuated on Friday. According to a reliable local source, the US forces vacated a warehouse in Malikiye in the northeast al-Hasakah province, Anadolu Agency reported. Hummer armored vehicles and trucks from the 400-square-meter (4,306 square foot) warehouse--around which some 50 US troops were based-- were sent to Iraq. The US troops based around the warehouse also left for Iraq. Washington's military presence in Syria has included some 18 military bases. US President Donald Trump last week made a surprise announcement that the US would withdraw its troops from Syria. His decision followed a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in which the two leaders agreed on the need for more effective coordination over the civil war-torn country. 8072**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni spokesman: First round of Sweden agreement implemented IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 29, IRNA -- Spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree declared on Saturday the beginning of the first round of Sweden agreement and the change in deployment of the Yemeni forces in Al-Hudaydah Port. Yemen's official spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces said in an interview with the official Yemen news agency (Saba) that according to the peace agreement, the Army and popular committees have begun the first phase of the change in the arrangement of the deployment in the Port of Al-Hudaydah. He expressed his hope that the supervising committee on ceasefire would require the other parties to fulfill their commitments at the first stage of the Swedish Peace Agreement and leave the eastern part of the city and the rest of the area. Al-Mayadin news network also reported that Salim al-Moghles, a member of the Sana'a delegation in the Swedish talks, also referred to the beginning of the first phase of the change in the arrangement of the deployment of the forces and their withdrawal from Al-Hudaydah as an action to reduce the concern of the other party to implement the agreements. 'We hope the other parties' forces will withdraw from the eastern part of Al Hudaydah to begin the second phase of the agreement,' he said. 9455**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bahrain has revoked over 800 nationals of citizenship since 2012: Report Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 07:03PM The Al Khalifah regime in Bahrain has stripped more than 800 nationals of their citizenship during the past six years, a human rights group says. According to a new report by the UK-based NGO, SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights, cited by the Arabic-language Bahrain Mirror news website on Saturday, Manama has revoked the citizenship of 804 nationals from the beginning of 2012, a year after widespread anti-regime rallies began to rock the small Persian Gulf island country. SALAM, which tries to preserve universal principles of dignity and respect by shielding democracy and human rights, detailed by the year the number of revocations per year: "2018 (298) - 2017 (156) - 2016 (90) - 2015 (208) - 2014 (21) - 2013 (0) - 2012 (31)." It also said that the highly controversial move of revoking citizenship with an increasing rate is taken with the growing use of the judiciary for punishment despite international convictions. On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Appeals stripped 25 Bahraini activists of their citizenship, accusing them of involvement in a purported terror attack. Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011. They are demanding that the Al Khalifah regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established. Manama has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent. On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to assist Bahrain in its crackdown. Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of the Al Khalifah regime's crackdown. On March 5, 2017, Bahrain's parliament approved the trial of civilians at military tribunals in a measure blasted by human rights campaigners as being tantamount to imposition of an undeclared martial law countrywide. Bahraini monarch King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah ratified the constitutional amendment on April 3 last year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump not drawing down military presence in Afghanistan: White House Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 04:54PM The White House says President Donald Trump has not yet ordered the US military to pull troops out of Afghanistan, amid reports that Trump is planning for the withdrawal of thousands of troops from the country. "The president has not made a determination to drawdown U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and he has not directed the Department of Defense to begin the process of withdrawing U.S. personnel from Afghanistan," Garrett Marquis, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said in an emailed statement to Bloomberg on Friday. The official White House statement came after reports were published by Bloomberg and various media outlets from unnamed American officials who claimed the Pentagon was pulling out some 7,000 troops deployed to Afghanistan. The US has a total of 14,000 troops stationed in Afghanistan. The United States -- under Republican George W. Bush's presidency -- and its allies invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban regime from power, but after more than one and a half decades, the foreign troops are still deployed to the country. After becoming the president in 2008, President Barack Obama, a Democrat, vowed to end the Afghan war -- one of the longest conflicts in US history but he failed to keep his promise. President Trump, who has spoken against the Afghan war, has dubbed the 2001 invasion and following occupation of Afghanistan as "Obama's war". But Trump has also announced to deploy thousands of more troops to the war-torn country, signaling a policy shift. The Taliban on Thursday warned the United States it would face the same fate as the Soviet Union in the 1980s if it did not leave Afghanistan. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that US forces face "humiliation" and could "learn a great deal" from the experience of their Cold War foe. The Soviets pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, ending a decade-long occupation and precipitating a bloody civil war and the emergence of the Taliban and other militant groups. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Egypt security forces kill 40 militants in Giza, Sinai: Ministry Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 04:04PM Egyptian security forces have killed 40 suspected members of a terror outfit affiliated to the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Giza province and the north of the Sinai Peninsula during counterterrorism operations, the interior ministry says. The security forces managed to gun down 40 suspected militants during raids on three hideouts in both regions in the early hours of Saturday, said a statement released by the Ministry of Interior of Egypt. It added that 30 "terrorists" were killed in 6th of October city and a residential area at the al-Wahat al-Baharia road in Giza province while the remaining 10 were slain in the coastal city of el-Arish in northern Sinai. The ministry also said that the dawn raids targeted those militants who had been planning to carry out terrorist attacks during Christmas celebrations. "Information was received by the national security that a group of terrorists were planning to carry out a series of aggressive attacks targeting state institutions, particularly economic ones, as well as tourism, armed forces, police and Christian places of worship," the statement added. According to the statement, ammunition, firearms and improvised explosive devices were recovered in significant numbers in the hideouts. The Interior Ministry added that "this comes as a continuation of the ministry's efforts in chasing terrorist elements involved in the implementation of hostile operations seeking to destabilize the country's security." The raids were made hours after the explosion of a roadside bomb ripped through a tour bus in the al-Haram district in the vicinity of the Giza pyramids, claiming the lives of three Vietnamese holidaymakers and their Egyptian guide. A statement from the public prosecutor's office further said that 11 other tourists from Vietnam and an Egyptian bus driver sustained wounds in the bomb attack. 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 terror group, pledged allegiance to Daesh in 2014, has claimed responsibility for most of the assaults across Egypt, particularly those in the Sinai region, where the group is based. The terror group, previously known as Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, has mainly attacked security forces in the restive region of Sinai Peninsula since its inception in 2013. The terrorists have so far killed hundreds of members of security forces. It later expanded its attacks to target members of Egypt's Coptic Christian community as well as foreigners visiting the country, prompting Cairo to widen a controversial crackdown, which critics say has mostly targeted dissidents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The event was attended by BJP president Amit Shah, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari and presidents of polling booths in the city. New Delhi: Former Delhi BJP president and Union minister Vijay Goel has suggested a new demographic formula, Poorvanchali-Baniya combine, for the partys electoral success in next years general elections and the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls in the national capital. The Poorvanchali-Baniya combine, which constitutes a little less than 50 per cent of the total electorate in the city, can together change the electorate fortune of any political party. The event was attended by BJP president Amit Shah, Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari and presidents of polling booths in the city. Mr Goel, who belongs to the Baniya community, tried to connect a chord with the dominant Poorv-anchali community, which consists over 35 per cent of the total electoral in Delhi, by speaking in Bhojpuri at a party event on December 23. I want to assure every Poorvanchali in Delhi that nobody can harm them as long as Vijay bhaiya is here. Not to forget, Manoj Tiwari bhaiya is also here in Delhi, Mr Goel said in Bhojpuri. Mr Goel, speaking in Bhojpuri, brought loud cheers from the audience and brought a smile on Mr Shahs face. Mr Tiwari, a Bhojpuri superstar turned politician, still remains a dominant and tallest leader of the Poorvanchalis. A senior party leader said that identifying and exploring new political equations at this time is crucial for BJP as the party is already facing the ire of the trading community in wake of demonetisation, implementation of GST, and the sealing drive. Arvind Kejriwal, and his party AAP, is trying to make an inroad into these two communities. AAP has even raised a baseless allegation that the names of 15 lakh Poorvanchalis and four lakh Baniyas have been deleted from the voter list on BJPs direction. It is necessary that we reach out to these two communities and politically there is no harm in combining them, he added. A Delhi BJP insider explained that the Poorvanchalis voted in large numbers for the saffron party in the municipal polls in 2017 owing to their connect with Mr Tiwari, who was elected to Lok Sabha from the Northeast Delhi constituency and later appointed as the Delhi BJP president. On the other hand, Mr Goel has influence over the Baniya or trading community in Delhi, he added. Child soldiers from Sudan's Darfur fight in frontline of Saudi war on Yemen: Report Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:08AM Child soldiers from Sudan's Darfur have reportedly been fighting on behalf of Saudi Arabia and its allies in the frontline of the deadly war on Yemen, with money being their only motive. The New York Times reported that the Saudis have used their vast oil wealth to outsource the war, mainly by hiring survivors of the Darfur conflict to operate in Yemen, many of them children. Citing several Sudanese mercenaries and lawmakers, the report said that as many as 14,000 Sudanese militants have been fighting in Yemen alongside Saudi-backed forces while at least hundreds of them have been killed so far. Almost all the Sudanese come from Darfur and most of them belong to the Rapid Support Forces, a tribal militia blamed for war crimes during the Darfur conflict, the report added. Saudi Arabia and its allies launched the military aggression against Yemen in March 2015 but have been facing strong resistance from Yemeni armed forces led by the Houthis fighters. The Saudi war has killed tens of thousands of people in Yemen and pushed the impoverished country to the brink of famine. Elsewhere, the report said that Saudi or UAE overseers commanded the Sudanese militants by remote control radio headsets and GPS systems in a bid to keep a safe distance from the battle lines. "The Saudis told us what to do through the telephones and devices," said Mohamed Suleiman al-Fadil, a 28-year-old ex-Sudanese militant, adding, "They never fought with us." He also highlighted the Saudis' incompetence to fight against the Houthis, saying, "Without us, the Houthis would take all of Saudi Arabia, including Mecca." "The Saudis would give us a phone call and then pull back," said Ahmed, 25, who fought near the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah."They treat the Sudanese like their firewood." The report also noted that some Sudanese families even bribe militant officers to let their teenage sons go fight. Abdul Raheem, 32, said that last year his family paid a local militant leader a bribe worth $1,360 so an older brother could go to Yemen. "People are desperate. They are fighting in Yemen because they know that in Sudan they don't have a future. We are exporting soldiers to fight like they are a commodity we are exchanging for foreign currency," said former banker Hafiz Ismail Mohamed. Five Sudanese militants, who had returned from Yemen, and another about to depart told The New York Times that children made up at least 20 percent of their units. Two other militants, however, put the number at over 40 percent. They said that Sudanese jets flew from the cities of Khartoum or Nyala to Saudi Arabia with 2,000 to 3,000 soldiers on board. They added that at Saudi camps, which already host as many as 8,000 Sudanese, the Sudanese mercenaries received American-made uniforms and weapons. Then, they said, Saudi officers provided the Sudanese two to four weeks of training, divided them into units of 500 to 750 and sent them over land to Yemen. The Sudanese militants interviewed also noted that they all had fought in Yemen only for money. The Sudanese are paid in Saudi riyals, the equivalent of about $480 a month for a 14-year-old novice to about $530 for an experienced officer. They receive an additional $185 to $285 for any month they saw combat every month for some. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthis start to redeploy in Hudaydah amid Saudi raids Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 07:11AM Yemen's Houthi fighters say they have started to redeploy from the port of the Red Sea city of Hudaydah as part of a UN-sponsored peace agreement signed in Sweden earlier this month. A UN source confirmed the announcement on Saturday which saw Saudi airplanes carry out new airstrikes despite the presence of UN observers who arrived in Hudaydah this week. "Our forces have started to redeploy since last night from Hudaydah port, as agreed in Sweden," a Houthi military spokesman told Yemen's al-Masirah TV. The Houthis have agreed to let international monitors to be deployed in the strategic city. Under the deal, a Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) including both warring sides will oversee implementation. The redeployment is intended to be the first step in the implementation of the agreement, to be followed by both sides pulling their forces out of three ports of Hudaydah, Salif and Rass Issa. The parties are due to present detailed plans for a full redeployment to head of the UN advance team charged with monitoring the ceasefire Patrick Cammaert at the next RCC meeting on Jan. 1, the United Nations said. It is still unclear how far they will withdraw and who will control the three ports or if the two sides will share control with UN monitors positioned between the two fronts. The UN monitors will not be uniformed or armed but will provide support for the management of and inspections at the ports and strengthen the UN presence in Hudaydah. The agreement, the first significant breakthrough in peace efforts in five years, is part of confidence-building measures intended to pave the way for a wider truce and a framework for political negotiations. On Saturday, Saudi air raids hit an area near Qabiah Village in Bayt al-Faqih District on Friday, PressTV's correspondent Mohammed al-Attab reported from Hudaydah's countryside. The attacks came as UN observers met with representatives of Yemen's former government and the Houthi movement, which defends the country against the invaders. The United Nations dispatched the team after the two sides hammered out the truce deal affecting Hudaydah Province in Sweden on December 18. Child killed The strikes were the latest to be committed by Saudi Arabia and the forces backed by the kingdom since the agreement was reached. On Friday, Yemeni army spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said Saudi Arabia had violated the truce as many as 158 times over the previous 24 hours, Yemen's al-Masirah television network reported. He said Saudi-backed militants had attacked various areas across Hudaydah with mortar rounds, adding that one such attack against the province's Hays District had killed a child and injured another. "Saudi-backed forces have been accused of committing 70 truce violations only on Thursday, including firing mortar shells and bombarding areas in the eastern side of Hudaydah," Attab said. "We felt relieved after the declaration of the ceasefirealso, after the arrival of the UN team of observers. But we fear the current violation of the truce could spark another brutal cycle of violence in the port city," said a local resident. "Ansarullah movement has given concessions out of consideration for the civilians in Hudaydah and across Yemen. This goodwill gesture should be respected as it is not a sign of weakness. Ansarullah fighters and we beside them will defend our city and invaders will enter over our dead bodies," said another. The truce deal saw the parties agree to let local forces take control of the port, which receives some 80 percent of the humanitarian aid headed into Yemen. Saudi Arabia launched the offensive in 2015 at the head of the coalition, which also comprised many of its regional allies. The invasion has killed thousands through indiscriminate attacks and brought the country close to the edge of famine, including by blocking entry of foodstuffs and medical supplies through the port. "The failure of the current truce should shatter a glimmer of hope that was created by the unprecedented talks in Sweden," Attab said. "Yemenis believe if such brutal intervention stops, the country's political factions can bring the country back to order and end the humanitarian crisis." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief calls for violence-free elections in DR Congo Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 01:15AM UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged all sides to ensure that landmark elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo be free of violence to allow voters to peacefully cast their ballots. Millions of Congolese voters will head to the polls on Sunday for long-delayed elections that could pave the way for the first democratic change in presidency since the country's independence in 1960. Guterres called on DRC authorities, political leaders, election officials and civil society "to continue working together to ensure an environment free of violence so that all eligible voters can cast their ballots peacefully on Election Day." He reminded "all actors that they have a critical role to play in preventing electoral violence, by refraining from any form of provocation and showing maximum restraint in their words and actions," a UN statement said. The UN chief encourages citizens to "seize this historic opportunity to participate in the consolidation of the country's democratic institutions." Voters will also be casting ballots to fill seats in the national and provincial parliaments in the vast mineral-rich country. President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, is not standing for re-election but his party has designated former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary as its presidential candidate. A total of 21 candidates are running for the presidency, but voting will not take place in two regions hit by turmoil: Beni and Butembo in North Kivu province and Yumbi in the west of the country. Elections there will be held in March. The new president is to be sworn in on January 18. The call for peaceful elections came a few days after clashes between supporters of rival candidates just days ahead of DR Congo's crucial presidential election which left at least one person has been killed and over 80 injured. Unrest erupted in Tshikapa, a city in the restive central Kasai region, on Sunday when the planes of two rival candidates -- opposition heavyweight Felix Tshisekedi and former education minister Maker Mwangu -- landed at the airport just a few hours apart. Sources with observers at the scene said at least one person had been killed and around 20 arrested. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Leader Expresses Doubts About Romania's Ability To Take Over Bloc Presidency By RFE/RL December 29, 2018 European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has voiced doubts about Romania's ability to take over the EU's six-month rotating presidency next week. Juncker was quoted on December 29 as telling Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper that Romania was "technically well-prepared." "But I think the government in Bucharest hasn't yet fully understood what it means to take the chair over the EU countries," he added. Romania assumes the rotating presidency of the European Union on January 1 for the first time since it joined the bloc in 2007 amid political divisions at home. Juncker said the EU presidency "requires a willingness to listen to others and a willingness to put one's own concerns in the background. I have some doubts about this." He also questioned the capacity of the country, faced with internal political tensions, to appear as a "compact unit" in Europe. "There needs to be a united front at home to foster unity in Europe as well during the presidency," he said. In November, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said his country was not prepared to fulfill the task. He referred to a situation which has led to the most powerful politician in Romania, Social Democratic Party leader Liviu Dragnea, being unable to become prime minister because of a conviction for election fraud. The president has since struck a more optimistic note. "We are well prepared and I'm confident that we'll handle [the presidency] in a suitable way", Iohannis said on December 21. Meanwhile, Maria Grapini, a European Parliament lawmaker with Romania's Social Democrats, said Juncker was being "duplicitous." She told the private Mediafax news agency that, during a recent meeting with Romanian officials in Brussels, Juncker had said it was "clear...that Romania was up to the presidency." "You can't say it's black today and tomorrow it's white," she said. With reporting by AP, dpa and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-leader-expresses- doubts-about-romania-s-ability-to-take-over -bloc-presidency/29683145.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 Yemeni Government Dismiss Houthis' Withdrawal Report from Hodeida Port, Accuses them of Circumventing Attempt Saudi Press Agency Saturday 1440/4/22 - 2018/12/29 Aden, Dec 29, 2018, SPA -- Yemeni legitimate government denied reports that the Houthi terrorist group, backed by Iran, had withdrawn from the port of Hodeida, west of Yemen. A government source said that the statements of the Houthi militia redeployment at the port of Hodeida is a clear attempt to evade and circumvent the implications of the Stockholm agreement on Hodeida and that such violations are unacceptable, as they would lead to the failure of the agreement. The source said in a statement quoted by the official Yemeni news agency that the government side, in the Joint Commission, has informed the head of the commission for the redeployment of the United Nations' Dutch General Patrick Cammaert not to accept any unilateral actions or measurements, as any decision must officially be made by the committee on the deployment. -- SPA 22:08 LOCAL TIME 19:08 GMT 0020 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthi Rebels Begin Withdrawing From Yemeni Port of Hodeida, UN Official Says By VOA News December 28, 2018 Yemen's Houthi rebels have started withdrawing from the port of Hodeida, a U.N. official said Saturday. Handing over control of Hodeida, a key lifeline for Yemen, was included in a U.N.-sponsored agreement signed in Sweden earlier this month. The withdrawal is one in a series of measures in the agreement that could lead to an end of Yemen's 4-year-old civil war. During the conflict, the Iranian-aligned Houthis have clashed with a Yemeni government backed by a Saudi-led coalition. The pullout began after the two sides observed a week-long cease-fire in Hodeida, a point of entry for aid to about 14 million Yemenis the U.N. says are on the verge of famine. The U.N. adds the war's affect on civilians has created the world's worst humanitarian disaster. A U.N. team led by retired Dutch Major General Patrick Cammaert arrived in the city last week to oversee the cease-fire. The agreement, the first significant breakthrough in peace efforts in five years, also calls for the Houthi's to withdraw from the port of Salif and Rass Issa. It is still unclear how far the rebels will withdraw and who will control the ports. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At Least 8 Government Soldiers, 14 Militants Killed in Fighting By Mohamed Olad Hassan December 28, 2018 Fighting between Somali regional troops and al-Shabab militants Saturday left at least 22 people dead, witnesses and officials said. The fighting in South Western Somalia started after heavily armed al-Shabab militants tried to overrun a military base in the Bay region. A Somali government official told VOA Somali that the soldiers engaged in a fierce battle for more than six hours with the militants, who attacked the base from four directions. "They attacked us from four directions with the aim of running over our base at around 7 a.m. local time, after five hours of fierce battle we finally warded them off and forced them to flee," said Col. Osman Nurow. Nurow said government army forces sent from a nearby Baidoa town to reinforce the base immediately joined the battle, killing at least 14 militants. Newly elected regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, also known as Lafta Gareen, said the regional forces lost eight soldiers in the battle. Multiple independent witnesses contacted by VOA confirmed the government claim, saying they saw the bodies of at least 14 militants. Goof Gaduud, a village 30km from Baidoa town of Bay region has often been a battleground for al Shabaab militants and government soldiers. For the past two years, hardly a month has passed without militants attacking the base, which was briefly occupied and destroyed several times. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bangladesh's Prime Minister Seeks Third Consecutive Term By Anjana Pasricha December 28, 2018 Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hopes to win a third consecutive term in general elections based on impressive economic growth under her decade-long rule, but her opponents accuse her of authoritarianism and eroding democracy. The elections being held Sunday pit Hasina's Awami League party against an opposition alliance called the National Unity Front that was cobbled together three months ago by 82-year-old Kamal Hossain, a former foreign minister and lawyer. The country's main opposition leader, Khaleda Zia, is in jail and banned from contesting polls. The 71-year-old Hasina, has promised to "build a non-communal, golden Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty and illiteracy," and make the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million a middle income country by 2021. While there is widespread agreement that the economy has raced ahead, the opposition has called conditions development without democracy. It has campaigned on a platform of doing away with laws that rights groups say give the government sweeping powers to go after dissenters and harass the media. Security has been tightened ahead of the polls and tens of thousands of soldiers and paramilitary personnel have been deployed across the country to protect the approximately 40,000 election booths. Sunday's vote will be held after a violent campaign in which at least six people were killed. The opposition alleges that it was mainly their supporters who were victims. Opposition leader Hossain has said many of the candidates were too scared to come out after a spate of attacks on election rallies. Ataur Rahman, professor of political science at Dhaka University, says the opposition concerns are genuine. "Most of the violence was against opposition candidates and opposition activists," he says. "They did not get adequate space to mobilize the people, and they strongly argue, and most of that is true, that they were muzzled by the government, there were so many cases against them in courts." The opposition says more than 8,000 of its supporters have been detained since the election was announced last month and hundreds of cases brought against the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist party. Its leader, Khaleda Zia, who was jailed in February on charges of corruption, says the cases against her are politically motivated. Zia and Hasina have been the main contenders for power in the South Asian country in recent decades and are bitter political rivals. But Zia's imprisonment has weakened the opposition in a country where political leaders traditionally rally supporters at large political gatherings. The leader of the opposition alliance, Hossain, is not standing for a seat in parliament, making it unclear who is their prime ministerial candidate. On the other hand, political analysts, say Hasina has consolidated power and strengthened her hold on state institutions since 2014, when Zia boycotted the polls. "There was virtually no opposition in parliament, there was no accountability in that sense," says Ataur Rahman. Hasina's Awami League is brushing aside criticism of undermining democracy and is focusing on the economic progress witnessed in recent years to rally voters. Per capita incomes have tripled since 2009. The $ 30 billion garment industry that sustains most jobs, is booming. Bangladesh has witnessed average growth of over 6 per cent in the past decade, development indices such as health have improved and the country has won praise from the World Bank for reducing extreme poverty. The one concern say some economists is that income inequality has increased. "Growth has been there, but not for everybody proportionately. So that is a major issue," according to Debapriya Bhattacharya at Dhaka's Center for Policy Dialogue. Most political analysts expect Hasina to win another term in power but caution that much will depend on voter turnout low voter participation is expected to favor Hasina and a higher turnout the opposition. More than 100 million people are eligible to vote. Meanwhile some concerns have been expressed about the fairness of the poll. Human Rights Watch, in a report last week, said a "repressive political environment in Bangladesh is undermining the credibility of the process." Opposition leader Hossain has urged supporters who might be intimidated by the violence during the campaign to come out to vote. "My appeal to the people: Be brave, this is our right," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Putin, Lukashenka Meet Amid Energy Dispute December 29, 2018 Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, are holding talks in the Kremlin on an energy dispute that has hurt ties between the two allies. It's the second time the two leaders have met in recent days following a December 25 confab at the Kremlin. Earlier this year, Russia changed its tax system in a way that left Belarus paying significantly more for Russian oil and natural gas. Belarus has criticized the change, but Moscow maintained that Minsk was still paying less than other countries. "I made a joke that we are sick and tired of each other. But we will probably never grow tired of each other because there are issues that need to be discussed. It's our work," Lukashenka was quoted as saying by Interfax as the two leaders headed into their December 29 meeting. Commentators say Moscow is increasing pressure on Belarus for further integration under a 1999 union treaty. The Kremlin on December 29 rejected as "unsupported statements" that there are plans to incorporate Belarus into Russia. "Of course, we are not talking about any joining, etc. It's more likely movement toward each other. It's not movement in one direction," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by Interfax as saying on December 29. Earlier this month, Lukashenka, who has relied on loans and cheap energy from Russia to keep its state-controlled economy afloat, accused some politicians in Russia of proposing to make Belarus part of Russia, plans he said he would stop. Based on reporting by Interfax, TASS, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/putin-lukashenka-meet-amid- energy-dispute/29682894.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 For Koreas, Will 2019 be 'Fire and Fury' or New Era of Peace? By Steve Miller December 29, 2018 From "fire and fury" to talks of a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula, 2018 was a significant year of engagement for the once reclusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, including multiple meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore. But to fully understand the events of the past year, it's important to revisit key events in 2017 that created the momentum for the detente achieved in the past 12 months. 'Rocket man' to summit In August 2017, Trump took a harsh stance against Kim for threatening the United States. "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States," Trump said. "They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen." The remarks elicited a rebuke from North Korea. "We cannot have a sound dialogue with a senile man who can't think rationally and only absolute force can work on him," Pyongyang said. "This is the judgment made by our soldiers of the Strategic Force." Trump took aim at North Korea again at the 2017 United Nations General Assembly where he proclaimed, "Rocket man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully, this will not be necessary." Which led Kim Jong Un to announce during his New Year's address that the "entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons," a statement linked to the successful Hwaseong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile test in November adding, "This is a reality, not a threat." 2018 begins with hope Following Kim's Jan. 1 address, the tone on the peninsula changed. South Korea's president reached out to Pyongyang to partner with South Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. North Korea's high-level delegation to the event included Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong. She attended the opening ceremony, sitting along side President Moon and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and was the first member of the ruling Kim family to cross the border since the 1950-53 Korean War. Yongwook Ryu of the Institute for North Korean Studies commented on the change taking place on the peninsula. "In 2017, we witnessed very high tensions, but beginning from 2018, hopes have been raised that Inter-Korean relations would improve [and that] the U.S.-North Korea relations also would improve," he said. In April, Moon held the first of three summits with Kim. The pair agreed to work toward denuclearization, ease military tensions, and improve inter-Korean relations. Their third summit in September brought about concrete plans to promote economic ties between the two countries and reduce the chances of skirmishes. In June Trump and Kim met in Singapore. It was the first meeting ever between a North Korean leader and a sitting U.S. president. Significant or window dressing? Ryu calls the April inter-Korean summit and the June Singapore summit two of the most significant events during the past year. He said the Panmunjom Declaration, signed by Moon and Kim in April "was a significant improvement on all the previous inter-Korean summit decorations in terms of making progress in inter-Korean relations with a number of integration projects that seek to develop [the] North Korean economy and invite North Korea to the international community." However, the Asan Institute's Seong Whun Cheon downplayed the importance of the summits, criticizing the lack of concrete outcomes and noting Kim Jong Un made his intentions clear during his New Year's address. "They (the summits) are not big moments it's window dressing without substance," Cheon said. "In order to understand the current issue we're facing," he added, "I think we have to read his [New Year's address] very carefully once again. The first thing he did was to proclaim that he accomplished his mission of becoming a nuclear weapon [state]." He said that Kim further ordered North Korea to "mass produce" nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles before beginning his economic and cultural engagement policies with the world. Since the third inter-Korean summit in September, North Korea denuclearization talks have stalled and their future remains unknown as 2019 approaches. 2019 unclear During the September inter-Korean summit, Moon invited Kim to visit Seoul. It was a visit that he had hoped would take place before 2019 arrived, but that looks nearly impossible. The Moon administration is still hopeful a visit could take place in early 2019, but no details have been made public. Likewise, Trump has indicated a willingness to meet for a second time with Kim in early 2019, but details of such a summit remain absent. Cheon would like world leaders to take advantage of the "optimistic moment" and persuade Kim Jong Un to abandon his nuclear weapons, creating a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. "The yardstick to use whether the past year was successful in terms of increasing peace and security on the Korean Peninsula is whether Kim Jong Un has made a full commitment [and] to give up nuclear weapons," he said. However, in his assessment, Kim has not made such a commitment, and Cheon predicts the current impasse with North Korea will continue for years to come, if not decades. Ryu sees a number of likely scenarios taking place in the forthcoming year. "I think the best scenario for everybody is [for] Kim Jong Un [to change] his mind and become serious about denuclearization," he said, "If he takes steps towards denuclearization, then South Korea, USA, along with many other countries in the international community would provide economic benefits to his government. And that's good for him." But "unless we see an entirely different North Korean society [that] have a different view about nuclear weapons we cannot change anything," Cheon said. Cheon believes the key to a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula is transforming North Korean society and making the population "believe nuclear weapons are actually harmful" and negatively affect their "personal and their country's prosperity." He noted this is not something that can be achieved quickly, but is a "long-term game." If no real progress is made on North Korean denuclearization, Ryu thinks it may be likely that more pressure may be applied to Pyongyang, and events could return to levels of tension last seen in 2017. Lee Ju-hyun contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The BJP in the state represents mainly the Jammu region, which generally does not support the insurgency. Army soldiers raise their guns to celebrate the killing of four top Jaish-e-Muhammad militants, including one Pakistani commander, at Hajin Payeen area of Pulwama district of South Kashmir on Saturday. (Photo: PTI) Three trends in Jammu and Kashmir stand out in the year 2018 the conflation of civilian protests with militancy in the Valley; a complete breakdown in the political consensus between the Valley and the rest of the state; and the further fragmenting of opinion within the Kashmir Valley itself. The year came to a close with the tragic death of six civilians during an encounter in the Valleys Pulwama district. This horrific event, which also saw the killing of three hardcore terrorists and an Army soldier, marked the culmination of a process that has been gathering steam for more than a year. Increasingly, civilian supporters of the Kashmir militancy, especially the youth, are actively conniving with terrorists to disrupt counter-insurgency operations and highlight their narrative of resistance. Civilian killings by the security forces feeds a dynamic set in motion by the terrorist masterminds in the Valley and across the border in Pakistan. It reinforces the narrative that New Delhi is brutally suppressing the freedom-loving people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The images of civilians with bullet wounds, mass funerals and frenzied mobs chanting anti-India slogans fuel the anti-Indian narrative which is broadcast by Pakistan and its proxies all over the world, including forums such as the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Conference. The notion of Indian repression in Kashmir is thereby further concretised in the global mind. Nuances are lost and so is the reality of deadly provocation by huge mobs of extremely violent youth assaulting the Indian security forces at encounter sites, compelling them to retaliate and thereby keeping in motion the cycle of violence, protest and alienation. This is a trend that is gathering momentum and for which the Indian State really has no answer or effective response. The other development, which is mostly lost to the outside world, is the vast political divergence between the Valley and the rest of the state. That Jammu and Kashmir is not the Valley alone was evident when the coalition government formed between two unlikely political parties, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, collapsed this June, ushering in another round of Governors Rule. The BJP in the state represents mainly the Jammu region, which generally does not support the insurgency. There is no militancy here and no resonance for the notions of secession from India. If anything, there is a powerful pro-India lobby that dominates the politics of this region. This was evident during the urban local bodies and rural polls held in the state during October-November this year. The response to these elections was overwhelming in the Jammu region and in Ladakh, with the voter turnout at over 70 per cent. In contrast, there was virtually zero polling in the three militancy-affected south Kashmir districts of Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam. The overall voting percentage in the Valley was about 30 per cent. Politics in the state today is completely divided and unlikely to meld in the near future. The BJP in the state also largely represents the non-Kashmiri populace, that has tasted state power for the first time in decades. The rise of non-Kashmiri political power is bound to have major long-term repercussions on the state. The PDP represents mostly Valley Kashmiri interests and had received overwhelming voter support in the 2016 state elections because the average Valley Kashmiri voter wanted to keep the BJP out of power. The unanticipated collation between the PDP and the BJP came as a shock to the Valleys Kashmiris. For the first time in history, the political supremacy of the Valley Kashmiri was challenged and the PDP might never be forgiven for allowing this to happen. The third trend, which is gradually becoming evident, are major differences in opinion within the Kashmir Valley itself. The fact that 30 per cent of the Valleys electorate decided to participate in the elections to grassroots democratic institutions this year despite the vote boycott called by the separatists and terrorist threats points to the differences in political perceptions. At another level, the state is witnessing slow but inexorable changes in the structure of mainstream politics, which has traditionally been dominated by two dynasties, one represented by the National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, and the other Mehbooba Mufti, who inherited the leadership of the PDP from her late father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. This stranglehold could also end with new aspirants such as Sajad Lone entering the fray and new political combinations emerging. The official discourse on the state of Jammu and Kashmir rests on the view that the state is one vast united, inviolate entity. History, however, suggests that the state was an artificial construct cobbled together by the military might of the Dogra rulers emboldened by the blessings of the powerful British Raj. Once the Raj ended, the somewhat inevitable process of dissolution began. One great chunk of the states territories was usurped by China and another seized by Pakistan, leaving the prized Valley, the Jammu region and the desolate wastes of Ladakh under Indias rule. Today, as the year 2018 demonstrated, even the areas under Indian rule are riven with fundamental schisms. Ladakh has been long agitating for autonomy and Union territory status; the Jammu region is on the whole has hitched its destiny to a resurgent India; and it is only the Kashmir Valley which is on a wholly different tangent, seeking autonomy, secession or reconciliation. Events of the year 2018 unequivocally suggest it is only the Government of India and its implacable foe, the Kashmiri separatist bloc, who continue to hold on to the myth of an undivided state. The fact is, history has never seen a more fragmented and divided state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is time that we accept this reality. Italy to halt arms sales to Saudis amid Yemen war Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 08:24AM Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte says his government wants to end arms sales to Saudi Arabia due to war and atrocities in neighboring Yemen. "We are not in favor of the sale of these weapons and so now it is only a question of formalizing this position and acting accordingly," Conte said at the prime minister's traditional end-of-the-year press conference on Friday while responding to Italy's continuing arms exports to the Persian Gulf kingdom. The move comes amid controversy over Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen and massive aerial bombardment of Yemen's residential areas and infrastructure there as well as the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Kashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Turkey's Istanbul. If Conte's decision goes ahead, Italy would join a growing list of countries halting arms sales to the Saudis. Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway have already decided to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also expressed interest in canceling his country's $13 billion arms deal with Riyadh. Trudeau announced in October that Ottawa stands ready to halt its weapons deal with the Saudis, claiming in a parliamentary address that "we strongly demand and expect that Canadian exports are used in a way that fully respects human rights." The Canadian branch of the US-based General Dynamic arms manufacturer has been contracted to deliver 742 armored vehicles to the Saudi kingdom to support its aggression against Yemen. Despite Trudeau's pledge however, reports last week revealed that a consignment of the military vehicles had already left Canada for Saudi Arabia. Canada's leading daily The Globe and Mail reported last Sunday that that a cargo ship loaded with armored vehicles left the port of Saint John for Saudi Arabia a day after protesters gathered to condemn the shipment. Another report earlier this month further revealed that despite Germany's claim of halting its arms shipments to the Saudis over the murder of Khashoggi, Berlin is covertly continuing its arms exports to the kingdom and is even planning to resume overt weapons sales to Riyadh soon. This is while many more Western governments are continuing their arms deals with the Saudis, including the US, France, and the UK. The United Nations calls Yemen the site of the worst humanitarian suffering in the world as the Saudi war has left 14 million people facing starvation Saudi Arabia invaded Yemen in March 2015 to reinstate former president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who had resigned amid popular discontent and fled to Riyadh. The aggression is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead. The 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey will continue close cooperation with Iran on Syria IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Moscow, Dec 29, IRNA -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday that 'we will continue our close co-operation with Iran on Syria and regional issues'. He told reporters at the end of a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Ankara will continue cooperation with not only Moscow but also Tehran. He further pointed out that Turkey as a guarantor state of Astana Peace Process will counter any move damaging Syria's territorial integrity. Referring to his country's close cooperation with Russia, he said that mutual cooperation paved the way for diplomatic settlement of Syrian crisis. Cavusoglu further noted that necessary coordination for implementing agreement on creating safe zone in Idlib signed in Sochi was discussed in today's meeting. He also said that countries Astana peace guarantor states will uphold Syrian territorial integrity and sovereignty, as they are ready to withstand any move marring the principles. Rapid repatriation of Syrian migrants and creating conditions for that were also discussed during the Saturday's meeting. 8072**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey to continue cooperation with Iran, Russia on regional issues, Syria: Turkish FM Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 03:56PM Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says Turkey would continue to be in close cooperation with Iran and Russia on regional developments, especially the Syria conflict as Ankara is reportedly preparing to launch a military incursion against US-backed Kurdish militants in northern Syria. "We will continue close cooperation with Russia and Iran on Syria and regional issues," Mevlut Cavusoglu said following a meeting with Russian officials in Moscow on Saturday, Turkey's official Anadolu news agency reported. The Turkish foreign minister said that Turkey, Russia, and Iran, known as the guarantor states of ceasefire in Syria, have close cooperation on the Arab country within the framework of the Astana peace process. "Thus we've made important progress in many fields on the political process," Cavusoglu said. Ankara, which has been assisting several militant groups fighting to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad, has moderated its initial hostility toward Damascus and been working with Iran and Russia to restore peace to Syria within the Astana talks. The Astana format which has brought the parties to the Syria conflict to the negotiating table has so far made numerous achievements both on the battlefield and the political stage. The talks have helped significantly decrease the violence gripping Syria by creating for de-escalation zone there. They have also paved the way for the formation of a constitutional committee. 'Turkey committed to Syria's integrity' Cavusoglu further said that Ankara would remain committed to Syria's territorial integrity and was ready to counter attempts to undermine it. "As the guarantors of the Astana process, we are certainly committed to the territorial integrity and unity of Syria and are ready to deter any actions aimed at undermining these principles," he said. Cavusoglu said that Turkey and Russia had a common position on Syrian issues, including the need to eradicate all terrorist groups in the Arab country. 'Turkey, Russia to continue anti-terror battle' He said that during talks with Russian officials, "We confirmed our readiness and determination to continue the fight in order to liberate Syria from this scourge." The top Turkish diplomat also said that the two countries' foreign and defense ministers had exchanged views on the situation "surrounding the United States' plan to withdraw troops from Syria." "We discussed ways to coordinate our joint efforts given the circumstances," Cavusoglu noted. Earlier this month, US 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-torn country. US media reports say the planned pullout has made anti-Damascus Kurdish militants, who have long enjoyed American support, feel abandoned by Washington. On Friday, Kurdish militants from the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) asked Damascus for protection after the planned withdrawal of US troops. Units of the Syrian army entered Syria's northern town of Manbij later and hoisted the national flag in the Kurdish-held city. The northern Syrian town of Manbij, which lies in mainly Arab territory west of the Euphrates, has been a major bone of contention between Ankara and Washington. Turkey has complained over the slow implementation of a deal reached with the US in June, which would see the YPG ousted from the town and moved back to the eastern bank of the river. Last week, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said preparations for a military operation campaign in the eastern bank of the Euphrates River against Kurdish YPG militants were proceeding as planned. Over the past few days, the Turkish military has been sending reinforcements to frontline areas with YPG militants in northern Syria. The Turkish military, with support from allied militants of the so-called Free Syrian Army, has launched two cross-border operations in northern Syria, dubbed "Euphrates Shield" and "Olive Branch," against the YPG and Daesh. Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist group and an affiliate of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and threatened to attack east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria to drive out the militants. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's IRGC: US pullout from Syria sign of defeat Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 11:31AM The deputy commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says President Donald Trump's decision to pull out US troops from Syria is a sign of Washington's defeat in the region. The decision is an "obvious retreat and the defeat and burial of US policies and strategies in the region," Brigadier Hossein Salami said on Saturday. "They spent $7 trillion in the region, and are leaving today without any achievements," said the general on the sidelines of a conference on "40 years of plots and 40 years of resistance" in Tehran. Salami was apparently referring to Trump's remarks during a sneak trip to Iraq on Thursday and his acknowledgement of concerns about visiting Iraq. "Pretty sad when you spend $7 trillion in the Middle East, and going in has to be under this massive cover with planes all over and all of the greatest equipment in the world, and you do everything to get in safely," the US president said. Trump's decision to withdraw all US troops from Syria has shocked and angered many American politicians who want to see the back of President Bashar al-Assad. On Friday, leading US Senator Lindsey Graham warned in a tweet about a "major disaster" if Syrian Kurdish militants aligned with Assad following Trump's decision. "If reports accurate about Kurds aligning with Assad, major disaster in the making," he said. Graham's remarks came after the Kurdish residents of Manbij asked the Syrian government to retake the city following the US pledge to withdraw troops from the Arab country. The Syrian army said later it had entered the city as it pledged to guarantee "full security for all Syrian citizens and others present in the area." "Nightmare for Turkey and eventually Israel," Graham said, adding that the withdrawal would hand over a big win to Russia, Iran and the Syrian government. Iran has been giving military advisory support to Syria's anti-terror operations at Damascus' request. Israel has, on the other hand, been lending military support and safe havens to militants since 2011. The Israeli military also regularly targets Syrian military defenses and supplies intended for Damascus-allied anti-terror fighters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US may let Kurdish militants to keep arms after Syria pullout: Officials Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 07:18AM US officials say the Pentagon is considering recommending that Kurdish militants be allowed to keep American-supplied weapons after the withdrawal of troops from Syria. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, three US officials told Reuters that the recommendations were part of discussions at the Pentagon on a draft plan. The initiative, they added, would be presented to the White House in the coming days with US President Donald Trump making the final decision. Earlier this month, Trump ordered a quick withdrawal of all 2,000 US forces from Syria claiming victory over the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the war-torn country. US media reports say the planned pullout has made anti-Damascus Kurdish militants, who have long enjoyed American support, feel abandoned by Washington. On Friday, Kurdish YPG militants asked Damascus for protection after the withdrawal of US troops. Units of the Syrian army entered Manbij later and hoisted of the national flag in the Kurdish-held city. Turkey views the YPG as a terrorist group and an affiliate of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and threatened to attack east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria to drive out the militants. Asked about possible US recommendations for leaving behind weapons provided to Kurdish militants, the Pentagon said it would be "inappropriate" and premature to comment on what will happen with the arms. "Planning is ongoing, and focused on executing a deliberate and controlled withdrawal of forces while taking all measures possible to ensure our troops' safety," said Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson. One of the American officials stressed that the US had vowed to arm the YPG until the purported fight against Daesh was complete. "The fight isn't over. We can't simply start asking for the weapons back," he added. Another one noted that it would be nearly impossible to locate all of the equipment supplied to the Kurds, asking, "How are we going to get them back and who is going to take them back?" The other US official said, "The idea that we'd be able to recover them is asinine. So we leave them where they are." A person familiar with the discussions of the US pullout plan said that the White House and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan would oppose the proposal to allow the YPG to retain its weapons. The recommendation "is a rejection of Trump's policy to withdraw from Syria," he pointed out. The likely US plan to leave weapons at the hands of the Kurds is expected to infuriate Ankara, which has repeatedly complained about Washington's close ties with the militants. The US has given the Kurdish militants anti-tank missiles, armored vehicles and mortars. Back in April, Erdogan said the US had sent 5,000 trucks loaded with weapons to northern Syria. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin Confirms Information on Syrian Army Taking Control of Manbij Sputnik News 13:34 29.12.2018(updated 13:59 29.12.2018) On Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan brushed off the report on Manbij passing under the Syrian government's control as a "psychological operation", saying that "there is nothing definite yet". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday the information that the Syrian government's forces had taken control of the city of Manbij was true. On Friday, the Syrian Arab Army announced its troops had entered the northern city of Manbij after a request by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) to take control of the town ahead of Turkey's looming offensive in the area. "Considering the obligation of the army to respond to the call by the people of Manbij, the General Staff declares that the army has entered Manbij and raised the flag of the Syrian Arab Republic there", the army's statement was cited by the Syrian state broadcaster. Once the news broke, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed the claims as a "psychological operation" and said that the situation in the area remained unclear. The Turkish president further said that Ankara's main goal in the Arab Republic was to drive terrorists out of the country: "We are against dividing Syria, our goal is to have terrorists out of there. Then we will have no other business there", he stressed. Erdogan expressed readiness to launch a military operation against Kurdish fighters in Manbij this month, but eventually postponed the offensive following a phone converation with US President Donald Trump, who decided to withdraw American troops from the Mideast country. Ankara considers the YPG to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Withdrawal From Syria a Step in Right Direction Russian Envoy to UN Sputnik News 12:19 29.12.2018(updated 12:53 29.12.2018) The White House announced the withdrawal of its troops from the Arab Republic on 19 December. The US president noted that the goal of American troops of eliminating Daesh had been achieved and thus they can now return home. Russian envoy to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, hailed the US decision to withdraw from Syria, stressing the illegal character of their deployment. "The pullout of foreign forces from Syria, which are stationed there without Damascus' consent is a step in the right direction", the Russian envoy said. Nebenzya added that the US decision will not only allow for the restoration of the Arab Republic's sovereignty, but will also enable achieving more in other directions, namely in resolving the "stalemate situation around Rukban refugee camp". He added that the restoration of Damascus' control over territories around Al-Tanf will allow the Syrian government to send humanitarian aid to the camp and help its inhabitants to return to their homes, if they are willing to. The Russian envoy further stated that with the Syrian army regaining control of the Syrian-Iraqi border, the complete eradication of Daesh forces will be imminent due to coordinated actions by the two countries' militaries. Nebenzya also touched upon several other issues. Namely, he signalled Moscow's interest in the ongoing efforts on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and said that Russia is ready to offer its help to the US in that regard. The envoy also spoke about the US sanctions against Iran, warning that Washington could try to push further limitations on Tehran's activities via the UN Security Council resolution. Washington announced on 19 December the withdrawal of its troops from Syria within 60 to 100 days. US President Donald Trump justified the pull-out by stating that the American troops had achieved their goal of defeating Daesh* in the Arab state. The decision was not welcomed by some US officials and was followed by two resignations US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis, who announced that his views were no longer aligned with Trump's, and Brett McGurk, special presidential envoy for the US coalition in Syria. *Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Commanders Recommend Letting Kurdish Fighters Keep Weapons Reports Sputnik News 06:45 29.12.2018(updated 09:54 29.12.2018) US Commanders planning the pullout of the US troops from Syria are recommending that Kurdish fighters battling Daesh forces be allowed to keep US-supplied weapons, four officials said on condition of anonymity. The recommendations were part of discussions inside the Pentagon, but it is still unclear whether they will be applied by the White House, the officials told Reuters. Discussions are still at an early stage inside the Pentagon and no decision has yet been made, the officials said. The plan will be presented to the White House in the coming days. The Pentagon declined to comment on what will happen with the weapons, saying it would be "inappropriate" at this time. The White House also declined to comment. "It would be inappropriate to discuss the disposition of weapons at this time. Planning is ongoing, and focused on executing a deliberate and controlled withdrawal of forces while taking all measures possible to ensure our troops' safety", said Commander Sean Robertson, a Pentagon spokesman. The US officials said Trump's announcement to pull the US troops out of Syria has upset US commanders, who view his decision as a betrayal of the Kurdish YPG militia, which has led the fight to eradicate Daesh* forces in northeastern Syria. One of the officials told Reuters that the YPG was given assurances that they would be armed by Washington until the fight against Daesh was completed. "The fight isn't over. We can't simply start asking for the weapons back", the official said. According to the officials, the arms could include anti-tank missiles, armoured vehicles and mortars. The Pentagon keeps records of the weapons it has supplied to the YPG and their chain of custody. But, the US officials said, it would be nearly impossible to locate all of the equipment. The debate over leaving the weapons will continue with Trump's national security adviser John Bolton's visit to Turkey and Israel next week for talks on Syria, as the US had reportedly told Turkey that it would take back the weapons after the defeat of Daesh forces, which has lost almost all of its of territory in northeastern Syria. "The idea that we'd be able to recover them is asinine. So we leave them where they are", said a US official. A person familiar with the discussions said that the White House and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan would oppose the proposal to allow the YPG to keep its US-supplied weapons, as it would be considered "a rejection of Trump's policy to withdraw from Syria". Turkey views the YPG as an extension of outlawed separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party that has long soured bilateral relations with Ankara. Trump and Erdogan last spoke two weeks ago, discussing the US president 's decision to withdraw all US forces from Syria, reshaping Middle East policies and letting Turkish forces finish the fight against terrorists in Syria. *Daesh (aka Islamic state, ISIL, IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Continues to Concentrate Tanks, Artillery Near Syrian Border - Reports Sputnik News 20:59 29.12.2018(updated 21:02 29.12.2018) ANKARA (Sputnik) - A new group of Turkish heavy military vehicles arrived in the country's southeastern province of Sanliurfa bordering northern Syria, the Anadolu news agency reported on Saturday. According to Anadolu, howitzers, tanks and other vehicles were redeployed to the Sanliurfa province in order to boost security in the border area. On Friday, the Syrian army announced it had entered Manbij after receiving an appeal from the YPG to take control over the city amid Turkey's plans to start a military operation there. On Saturday, the Kremlin confirmed that Damascus had indeed regained control over the territory. Earlier in December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Ankara was ready to launch a new military operation against the Kurdish militia in the northern Syrian region of Manbij if the United States did not make the Kurdish People's Protection Units' (YPG) militants leave the area. The Turkish leader later said that the operation had been postponed following his phone conversation with US President Donald Trump, who decided to withdraw US troops from Syria last week. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.K. Says 'No Change' On Position On Russian Diplomats By RFE/RL December 28, 2018 Britain has rejected comments by Russia's ambassador to London claiming the two countries have agreed to gradually reinstate dozens of diplomatic personnel who were expelled by both sides following the Novichok poisoning in the English city of Salisbury, Russia's state-run TASS news agency reports. "No new arrangements have been agreed," TASS quoted a spokesperson at the British Embassy in Moscow as saying on December 28. "There has been no change in our position on the Russian diplomatic presence in the U.K., including the measures taken after Salisbury," the spokesperson said. "The staffing of our respective missions takes place within those constraints." The spokesperson added that Britain had had a "continuous dialogue with Russia" about diplomatic visas even prior to the Salisbury events. The remarks from the British spokesperson came hours after Moscow's ambassador to London, Aleksandr Yakovenko, told the Rossia-24 TV channel that diplomatic personnel in the London and Moscow embassies would begin to be reinstated in January. "I am not sure that it will affect all the employees, but at least half of the embassy staff will be restored," Yakovenko said. Neither the British Foreign Office nor the Russian Foreign Ministry released official statements on the matter on December 28. Relations between the two countries deteriorated after former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a nerve agent in the English town in March. Britain expelled 23 Russian diplomats in the wake of the scandal, and Russia in response expelled the same number of British diplomats and ordered the closure of the British Consulate-General in Russia's second-largest city, St. Petersburg, and the British Council's offices operating in the country. The United States and European Union also expelled Russian diplomats and added to their existing sanctions on Moscow. London has blamed Moscow for the poisoning, while Russia has repeatedly denied evidence that its agents were behind the poisoning and accused British intelligence agencies of staging the incident to stoke what they called "Russophobia." The Skripals survived the poisoning, in which a Soviet-made military nerve agent known as Novichok was used. Two other British citizens were exposed to the same nerve agent in June, apparently by accident. One of them, Dawn Sturgess, died. With reporting by Rossia-24, Reuters, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/britain-russia-diplomats- novichok-expulsions/29681990.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 Zuckerberg reflects on the number of challenges the company has taken up to make the social networking platform safer for its users. As Zuckerberg writes, some of the issues which he focused included preventing election interference, stopping the spread of hate speech and misinformation, and making sure people have control on their information. (Photo: AP) This year was not the best for Facebook for plenty of reasons with the string of scandals being the prime one. As the year draws to a close, CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to his platform to reflect on the year gone by. In his long post on Facebook, Zuckerberg reflects on the number of challenges the company has taken up to make the social networking platform safer for its users. As Zuckerberg writes, some of the issues which he focused included preventing election interference, stopping the spread of hate speech and misinformation, and making sure people have control over their information. Since the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook has faced global reputational damage, and with the periodic instances of fake news and hate speech, the challenges to keep the platform pure have only grown manifold. The 34-year-old co-founder detailed how the company has 'fundamentally altered its DNA' and now works together with law enforcement agents and implements artificial intelligence and policy changes to tackle these challenges. He further acknowledged that fixing Facebook is not a one-year challenge and every year more efforts will be required to keep the platform clean. (Source) Russia hits Ukraine with sanctions in 'tit-for-tat' measure Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 06:52PM Russia has introduced new sanctions targeting Ukraine in response to Kiev's earlier restrictions on specific Russian goods. "This is a tit-for-tat measure against sanction restrictions on the part of Ukraine," said Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday. The new measure bans any import of wheat, turbines, furniture, sunflower oil, vegetables, fruits and some other goods from Ukraine. The Kremlin issued a statement explaining that "the Russian government may decide to abolish the newly introduced special economic measures if Ukraine abolishes restrictive measures imposed earlier on specific Russian goods." On December 18, Kiev extended an earlier ban of Russian food products and railway equipment till 2020. The two countries have repeatedly imposed minor yet numerous sanctions against each other. On Tuesday, Moscow added another 245 individuals and seven companies, mostly in energy and defense sectors, to its sanctions list. A total of 567 individuals and 75 Ukrainian companies now face Russian economic sanctions after Medvedev initially signed a government decree sanctioning 322 citizens and 68 companies on November 1. Ukraine originally imposed sanctions against Russia in February 2014 over the unification of Crimea a former territory of Ukraine with the Russian Federation. The unification happened after Crimea held a referendum to join Russia. Kiev and its Western allies, however, refused to accept the unification, accusing Moscow of illegally "annexing" the peninsula. Washington and its allies have also imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia over the Crimean reunification and an armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. The conflict started after a string of protests overthrew the country's democratically government in 2014 and replaced it with a pro-Western government, leading to armed confrontations in the country's eastern and predominantly Russian-speaking regions. Western countries accuse Russia of supporting pro-Russia forces in the region. Moscow denies the allegations. The ongoing conflict has so far left over 10,000 people dead and more than a million displaced according to figures released by the United Nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia completes fence between Crimea and Ukraine Iran Press TV Sat Dec 29, 2018 08:35AM Russian authorities say they have completed construction of a "defensive" fence dividing the Crimean Peninsula, which rejoined Russia in a 2014 referendum from Ukraine. Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said the construction of the 60-kilometer-long fence on the Crimea-Ukraine border had been completed and that the barrier would help to prevent possible border violations and strengthen cross-border security. The barrier, starting in 2015 at a total cost of $2.9 million, is equipped with sensors and CCTV cameras to protect Russia's southern border against "reconnaissance and sabotage groups." "The fencing anti-intruder complex was completed and put into operation on December, 2018. It is equipped with a vibrating sensor," said Vasili Kochetkov, captain of the FSB's border guard unit. "The intrusion of sabotage groups in Crimea through the border is one of the current challenges. So this complex is able to detect the intruder when he approaches the fence as well as in the very moment of him crossing the border." Kochetkov added that the barrier would also prevent "attempts by criminal groups to smuggle weapons, ammunition, tobacco, alcohol, gasoline, drugs" and other items. The rejoining of Crimea to Russia came following political changes in Kiev where a pro-Western movement staged weeks of street protests that led to the ouster of elected President Viktor Yanukovych. People in Crimea and in the industrial eastern territories of Ukraine, areas which are dominated by ethnic Russians, effectively refused to endorse the new administration in Kiev. Crimea decided to rejoin Russia in a referendum in March 2014 and two provinces in the east revolted by establishing self-declared republics. Washington and allies in Europe have slapped rounds of economic and security sanctions on Russia over Moscow's alleged interference in Ukraine, especially in the two eastern provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk, where pro-Russia groups have been battling the Ukrainian military forces for the past four years. Russia has downplayed the sanctions as insignificant while denying the West's accusation of support for the militia in eastern Ukraine. However, Moscow insists it will intervene militarily if it feels Kiev is suppressing the ethnic Russian population living in areas close to the Russian border. Tensions over Ukraine escalated on November 25 when Russian border patrols fired at three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait near Crimea and then seized them along with their sailors because of illegal entry into Russian waters. The recent military confrontation sparked a fresh row between Russia and the United States and even forced US President Donald Trump to cancel a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit. Russia urged to release Ukrainian seamen German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday called on Moscow to free the 24 Ukrainian sailors who were seized along with their ships for illegally entering Russian waters off the coast of Crimea in the Sea of Azov last month. "We demand safe, free and unimpeded transit for all ships through the Kerch Strait and the immediate and unconditional release of all illegally detained Ukrainian seafarers," Merkel and Macron said in a joint statement. The leaders of France and Germany also called for a sustainable ceasefire in eastern Ukraine ahead of a planned cessation of hostilities in the volatile area. Merkel and Macron urged the warring parties to hold a solid, full and permanent truce in the New Year's holidays, which could serve as an opportunity to focus on the needs of civilians in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions. This comes as representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) announced that a fresh ceasefire would take effect on December 29. International efforts to restore peace and stability to eastern Ukraine have largely failed, furthering the split between the two sides. So far, over 10,000 people have died in the armed conflict since 2014, according to the United Nations estimates. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Medvedev Announces Russian Ban On Ukrainian Goods By RFE/RL's Russian Service December 29, 2018 Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced a ban on Ukrainian goods, including agricultural and industrial products, days after adding Ukrainian firms and individuals to Russia's sanctions list. Posting on his Twitter page on December 29, Medvedev said the Russian action was a "retaliatory measure against Ukrainian restrictions." Relations between Ukraine and Russia have plummeted since Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and its subsequent support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, where some 10,300 have been killed in fighting since April 2014. Kyiv has imposed sanctions on Russian citizens and companies, a course of action also taken by the European Union and United States. On December 25, Medvedev said he had signed a decree expanding the sanctions list by some 200 individuals and legal entities to "defend the interests of the Russian state, companies, and citizens of Russia." On November 1, Russia imposed "special economic measures" against 322 Ukrainian individuals and 68 companies. The sanctions included freezing of noncash accounts and other assets in Russia and a ban on capital transfers from Russia. Among the individuals on the original list were Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Security Service chief Vasyl Hrytsak, former Prime Ministers Yulia Tymoshenko and Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Crimean Tatar leader Mustafa Dzhemilev, and former Right Sector leader Dmytro Yarosh. The list is based on an October 22 decree by President Vladimir Putin. Putin said at the time that the punitive measures could be canceled if Ukraine lifted all restrictions it had imposed against Russian citizens and companies. With reporting by TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/medvedev- announces-russian-ban-on-ukrainian -goods/29682961.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 Moscow Rejects French, German Appeal To Release Ukrainian Sailors By RFE/RL December 29, 2018 The Russian Foreign Ministry has rejected what it says are unacceptable demands by Germany and France to release Ukrainian soldiers held by Russia. The statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry on December 29 follows an appeal by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in a statement on December 28. Russia is holding the 24 Ukrainian sailors after capturing them along with their Ukrainian naval vessels last month near the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. Moscow alleged that the vessels had illegally entered Russian territorial waters near Crimea, which Russia occupied and annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine and most UN member states do not recognize the annexation. Macron and Merkel said in their joint statement on December 28 that these "excessive inspections" were a source of "deep concern." "We call for all ships using the Kerch Strait to be given safe, free, and unhindered passage, and for the immediate and unconditional release of the Ukrainian sailors. They too must be allowed to spend the holidays with their families." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin had discussed demands to free the sailors with Merkel. However, Peskov said Russia would "act in accordance with Russian law," Russian news agencies quoted him as saying on December 29. The European Union and the United States say Russia's actions were illegal and have called on Moscow to immediately return the vessels and their crews to Ukraine. Merkel and Macron also welcomed a cease-fire that took effect at 12:01 a.m. on December 29 in the conflict area of eastern Ukraine. "The approach of the New Year's and Orthodox Christmas holidays must serve as an opportunity for the stakeholders in the conflict in eastern Ukraine to focus on the needs of civilians, who have suffered all too long as a result of this conflict and its consequences," the leaders said. "The guarantee of a safe and secure environment should enable the implementation of crucial humanitarian measures. We now call on the parties to assume their full responsibilities, especially with regard to civilians in the area." The Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also welcomed the deal to establish the New Year's cease-fire in eastern Ukraine. On December 26, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced the end of martial law in the country's borders regions that was imposed following Russia's seizure of the sailors and their ships in the Black Sea. Ukrainian government forces have been fighting against Russia-backed separatists in 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 in November 2016 ruled that the fighting in eastern Ukraine was "an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation." The current truce is scheduled to run through at least January 7 and was reached by the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, which consists of Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE. Several cease-fires have been called in the region as part of the so-called Minsk agreements, but none has met with success. With reporting by Interfax, TASS, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/merkel-putin- germany-russia-detained-ukrainian-soldiers -syria-kurds/29682464.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 Kiev Claims of Taking Control Over Neutral Donbass Zone is Provocation - Moscow Sputnik News 22:06 29.12.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Claims about Ukrainian army taking control over the neutral zone along the separation line in the Donbass sound like blatant provocation aimed at disrupting the peace process in conflict-hit eastern Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. "It is well known that the dangerous approach of the Ukrainian armed forces to the militia positions and that is exactly what happens as a result of the seizure of the neutral zone by the Ukrainians significantly increases the risk of direct military clashes This looks like a blatant provocation aimed at disrupting the peace process," the ministry said in a commentary. Meanwhile, the authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic in Donbas later refuted Kiev's claims about occupying the neutral zone, and called them "an attempt to provoke a conflict." The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission, which is operating in Donbas, must assess the Ukrainian troops' activities after Kiev's claims. "We expect the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine to give a principal assessment of the Ukrainian activities. That will contribute to the prevention of possible escalation of the conflict, maintenance of the ceasefire as well as the implementation of the relevant provisions of the Minsk agreements," the ministry noted. Kiev authorities announced earlier that the Ukrainian armed forces have occupied the neutral zone and closed in on the positions of the Donbass militia. The conflict in Donbass started in 2014 when the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, which had refused to recognize the new government in Kiev that came to power after what they considered to be a coup. In February 2015, the warring parties signed the Minsk peace accords to end the fighting in the region, but the situation has remained tense, with both parties accusing each other of ceasefire violations. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Will Defend Its Sovereignty, Stop Any Provocation Attempts - Moscow Sputnik News 12:34 29.12.2018(updated 13:37 29.12.2018) The response comes a day after French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Russia to free the Ukranian sailors arrested during the Kerch Strait incident, as well as ensure the free passage of shipping in the Sea of Azov. "We are compelled again to urge our partners to abandon the obvious 'double standards' and pay attention to the real problems and threats to European security and stability, created by their 'Kiev wards'", the Russian Foreign Ministry stated Saturday, stressing that Russia "to defend its sovereignty and stop provocation attempts". The ministry added that Moscow regretted the accusations by Paris and Berlin of alleged human rights violations in Crimea, urging them to abandon double standards. "At the same time, the second part of this statement, in which Berlin and Paris categorically accuse Russia of certain violations of human rights in Crimea, escalation of tension in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, put forward unacceptable demands for us, is regrettable", the ministry concluded. On November 25, three ships of the Ukrainian Navy breached the Russian border, entered Russian territorial waters that were temporarily closed, and began moving toward the Kerch Strait, which serves as an entrance into the Sea of Azov. The Ukrainian vessels and their crew were detained by Russia after failing to respond to a lawful demand to stop. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Chief Calls for International Cooperation to Overcome Dangers to Humanity By Lisa Schlein December 29, 2018 In his New Year's message, U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres urges international cooperation to resolve the many dangers and divisions facing humanity. As Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres carries the burdens of the world upon his shoulders. At the same time, he is expected to be the world's cheer-leader-in-chief, reassuring nations that solutions to the world's many problems are available. He does not disappoint in either category. On the one hand, he wishes the world a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year. On the other hand, he issues a stark warning about the many crises and risks threatening global stability and security. Chief among these is climate change, which he says is moving faster than it can be controlled. But Guterres does not throw up his hands in despair. Rather, he notes work is moving ahead, albeit slowly, to confront this danger. "The United Nations was able to bring countries together in Katowice to approve the Work Program for the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change," Guterres said. "Now we need to increase ambition to beat this existential threat. It is time to seize our last best chance. It is time to stop uncontrolled and spiraling climate change." Guterres warns geo-political divisions are deepening, making conflicts more difficult to resolve. He says inequality is growing with only a handful of people owning most of the world's wealth. He notes intolerance is on the rise. Despite this grim picture, he sees reasons for hope. The U.N. chief finds chances for peace in Yemen and South Sudan are better than ever. He says a recently signed agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea is easing tensions between the two countries. He says these and other hopeful developments show when international cooperation works, the world wins. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A regional office of the Hana resettlement center said it has been notifying affected defectors. About 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea, mostly travelling via China, since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. (Photo: AP) South Korea said Friday its responding to a hacking attack that stole the names and addresses of nearly 1,000 North Korean defectors who resettled in the South. A regional office of the Hana resettlement centre said it has been notifying affected defectors after discovering last week that one of its computers had been breached sometime around November. South Koreas Unification Ministry said the names, home addresses and birthdays of 997 defectors living in the countrys southeast region were stolen. Police are investigating the hacking attack but have yet to identify the source. The ministry said it has found no further signs of hacking attacks or data breaches after investigating Hanas offices around the country earlier this week. Hana runs 25 offices nationwide to provide assistance to North Korean defectors who resettled in the South. About 30,000 North Koreans have fled to South Korea, mostly travelling via China, since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. South Korea in the past years has accused North Korea of cyber attacks on South Korean business and government websites, but the North has denied responsibility. (Source) Xiaozhu is planning to add facial recognition-enabled door locks to 80 percent of its listings in the city of Chengdu. Xiaozhu has already added the technology from Alibaba to door locks in 40 cities.(Photo: Pixabay) Facial recognition is set to take the commercial route. The technology is on its way to being used by China-based home-sharing company to deliver more secure access. Xiaozhu, the Chinese version of Airbnb, is planning to add facial recognition-enabled door locks to 80 percent of its listings in the city of Chengdu, Quartz reported. With facial recognition, the company expects to make the shared-homes business safer and more secure. Xiaozhu has already added the technology from Alibaba to door locks in 40 cities. Xiaozhu is not the only company incorporating the facial recognition technology. Popular food joints such as KFC in China, boarding airplanes, and Alipay's 'Smile to Pay' service use the technology as an important feature. (Source) By Guy Nolch If we wont share our medical history across the health system, its hard to see Australians handing over their genetic profile. In November, the federal government extended the opt-out deadline for My Health Record following a public backlash against the system, which enables digital health records to be accessed across the healthcare network. Throughout our lives we change GPs and have medical crises far from home, so its easy to see the logic in giving doctors access to our entire medical history, no matter where or when we need it. However, concerns about data breaches, authorised access by government agencies such as the Australian Taxation Office and police, and even the secondary use of de-identified data by researchers have dogged public acceptance of the system. These apprehensions arose despite the ubiquity of social media, in which our images, experiences and interests are shared with friends and, ultimately, advertisers that can target our likes including our health-related internet browsing history. As this unfolds were also seeing a growing interest in our genetic information, with direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic tests gaining in popularity (despite their contentious ability to predict our predisposition to disease), while genetic samples are also wilfully given up to genealogy companies that use it to divine our ancestry. Police are also accessing genetic data to solve crimes. In the USA, for instance, police can search state and federal databases containing the genetic profiles of more than 16 million people who have been arrested or convicted, or private databases containing the genetic data of tens of millions of patients, consumers and research participants. Requests for privately maintained data are likely to become much more frequent, according to a Policy Forum published in Science (https://goo.gl/pznaWV) that raised the merits of a universal genetic forensic database in the US. For a start, forensic databases that contain only genetic data of arrestees and those convicted of crimes have serious limitations, a fact demonstrated by law enforcements increasing reliance on publicly accessible and private databases, composed almost entirely of innocent individuals. As a result, a universal database would be less discriminatory than criminal databases that are skewed against the disadvantaged because they are the ones most likely to be the focus of such convictions and arrests. In contrast, public and DTC databases tend to contain the genetic data of predominately white individuals, generally from higher income brackets. Even then, considerable inefficiency is likely if the effort to find a match requires consulting numerous companies, all of which may need to re-analyze their sample to generate the relevant profile. Therefore, a universal database would eliminate the temptation on the part of law enforcement to use public, DTC, or research databases for investigative purposes. While the paper contends that the criminal stigma of being in a database is eliminated if everyones DNA is acquired, the Australian experience with My Health Record data indicates that a universal genetic database would face vocal opposition, regardless of assurances about the security of such as system and the safeguards in place to prevent its abuse by hackers and authorities alike. Australians place a high value on law and order, but police can already identify and track suspects and their associates via CCT footage and GPS, as well as access their phone calls, text messages, social media posts and browsing history. Is genetic surveillance necessary as well? The legislation for My Health Record has already been amended to enable the Australian Digital Health Agency to disclose health information to authorities if it reasonably believes it is necessary for matters such as preventing or investigating crimes and protecting public revenue. With the slippery slope so easily greased, one can only anticipate further public mistrust of the integrity of a digital record that can cross-reference the medical history and future disease risk of not only individuals but also their relatives. Astronomers at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy have found a star system about 8000 light years from Earth that is the first known candidate in the Milky Way to produce a dangerous gamma-ray burst when it explodes and dies. The system comprises a pair of scorchingly luminous Wolf-Rayet stars in the southern constellation of Norma, just beneath Scorpios tail. One star is on the brink of a massive supernova explosion. The findings, published in Nature Astronomy (https://goo.gl/2eCfg3), are controversial as no gamma-ray burst has ever been detected within the Milky Way. The Wolf-Rayet stars orbit each other every 100 years or so. Using spectroscopy, the astronomers measured the stellar winds streaming off the stars at 12 million km/h, which is about 1% the speed of light. When we saw the stunning dust plume coiled around these incandescent stars, we decided to name it Apep the monstrous serpent deity and mortal enemy of Sun god Ra from Egyptian mythology, said Dr Joe Callingham, lead author of the study. When we saw the spiral dust tail we immediately knew we were dealing with a rare and special kind of nebula called a pinwheel, said Prof Peter Tuthill, research group leader at the University of Sydney. The curved tail is formed by the orbiting binary stars at the centre, which inject dust into the expanding wind, creating a pattern like a rotating lawn sprinkler. Because the wind expands so much, it inflates the tiny coils of dust, revealing the physics of the stars at the heart of the system. However, the data on the plume presented a conundrum: the stellar winds were expanding ten times faster than the dust. It was like finding a feather caught in a hurricane just drifting along at walking pace, Tuthill said. Dr Benjamin Pope of New York University explained: The key to understanding the bizarre behaviour of the wind lies in the rotation of the central stars. What we have found in the Apep system is a supernova precursor that seems to be very rapidly rotating, so fast it might be near break-up. Wolf-Rayet stars are massive stars at the ends of their lives; they could explode as supernovae at any time. The rapid rotation puts Apep into a whole new class. Normal supernovae are already extreme events, but adding rotation to the mix can really throw gasoline on the fire. The researchers think this might be the recipe for a perfect stellar storm to produce a gamma-ray burst, which are the most extreme events in the universe after the Big Bang itself. Fortunately, Apep appears not to be aimed at Earth, because a strike by a gamma-ray burst from this proximity could strip ozone from the atmosphere, drastically increasing our exposure to UV light from the Sun. Melbourne researchers have developed a permanent implantable device that electrically stimulates the brain from inside a blood vessel. The device, called a Stentrode, could lead to a range of potential treatments that currently require open brain surgery, including deep brain stimulation for Parkinsons disease, epilepsy and motor neurone disease. Deep brain stimulation requires open brain surgery, with one or more holes drilled through the skull so the electrodes can penetrate the brain. The Stentrode, however, can place electrodes into the brain via blood vessels originating in the neck. The researchers implanted a 4 mm diameter Stentrode into blood vessels in sheep, and achieved localised stimulation of brain tissue. Stimulation-induced responses of the facial muscles and limbs were observed, and were comparable to those obtained with electrodes implanted following invasive surgery, the researchers announced in Nature Biomedical Engineering. (https://goo.gl/tjBR9e). However, additional data is required to validate chronic safety and efficacy of the Stentrode. Lead researcher Dr Nick Opie of the University of Melbourne said the Stentrode could operate as a two-way digital communication device. In one application, the Stentrode could be used as a tool to record the onset of an epileptic seizure, and provide stimulation to prevent it. Co-author Dr Sam John added that the device offers hope of less invasive treatments for the symptoms of conditions such as Parkinsons disease, epilepsy, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. In an upcoming clinical trial, the Stentrode will receive and interpret neural signals to enable a person with motor neurone disease to control communication software. Eventually the technology could be used to help all people suffering from paralysis to control computers, wheelchairs and exoskeletons. From within a blood vessel in the head, the Stentrode can pick up brain signals when people think about moving, Opie said. These can be converted into commands that enable direct-brain control of computers, vehicles or prosthetic limbs. With stimulation, sensory feedback is possible, and people may be able to feel what they are touching. Haiti - Nicaragua : Message from President Daniel Ortega to Jovenel Moise The President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega, a member of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, sent a message to President Jovenel Moise on the occasion of the commemoration of the 215th anniversary of Haiti's independence (1 January 2019). "On behalf of the people and the Government of Reconciliation and National Unity and on our behalf, we wish to extend our sincere congratulations to the people and Government of the Republic of Haiti, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 215th anniversary of independence." In his message, the Sandinista President remembers and evokes the symbolic value of Haitian emancipation "[...] Haiti, the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to become independent of colonialist forces, set a precedent in all processes of independence and revolutionaries of our America." Concluding "The two countries share a common history of struggle and a deep commitment to the peace, prosperity and well-being of our peoples. We therefore reiterate our willingness to continue strengthening bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation between our Nations." SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... A Gang Leader shot by the PNH Friday during a police operation in the area of Lilavois "Angelot" an alleged Gand leader was killed in a clash with the National Police of Haiti. Closure of the MSF Trauma Center As expected, the Trauma Center of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Tabarre will no longer receive new patients (it will close permanently in June 2019 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25038-haiti-humanitarian-doctors-without-borders-closes-2-major-hospitals-in-haiti.html ) Patients already hospitalized will continue to be treated until their cure said Walter Lorenzi, the Head of Mission of the activities of MSF Belgium. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25038-haiti-humanitarian-doctors-without-borders-closes-2-major-hospitals-in-haiti.html Two members of the "Twa rigwaz" gang arrested Two members of the "Twa Rigwaz" gang : Belve Papin and Sinoya Bernard actively wanted for their involvement in numerous criminal acts, were arrested in St-Raphael where they were being assaulted by the National Police of Haiti (PNH). NOTICE : 4th Edition of "Jean Jean of Youth" On the initiative of Jean Jean Roosevelt, Samantha Colas Miss Universe Haiti 2018 and several other young artists including Fatima Altieri, will be in Jeremie this Sunday, December 30 as part of the 4th edition of "Jean Jean of Youth" for a series of activities : sensitization on the use of drugs, concert for the benefit of the Stenio Vincent library and other cultural activities that will allow the Jeremie Youth to recreate healthily for the end of year celebrations. Communal Funds : allocations of 6 million Nearly 6 million gourdes have been allocated to the town halls and the administration of the Communal Sections (ASEC) within the framework of communal fund allocations, according to Jean Claudy Pierre, the Minister of Planning and External Cooperation. Congratulations to Pierre Adelin One year after being appointed Youth Ambassador for Climate, by the Ministry of the Environment, Pierre Adelin has just won the most outstanding Young Prize of 2018 in the field of Moral Leadership and/or the Environment Service https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26495-haiti-social-winners-of-the-2018-contest-of-the-10-outstanding-young-persons.html Congratulations! HL/ HaitiLibre By Mal Vickers Despite a number of reforms, the TGAs system of labelling therapeutic goods confuses consumers and its complaints resolution process fails to deter repeat offenders. The complementary industrys regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), came under pressure at the 2018 Australian Public Health Conference held in Cairns. During a panel session on Contested Policy: Complementary Medicines and Advertising Reform John Skerritt, Deputy Secretary for Health Products Regulation in the federal Department of Health (which oversees the TGA), promoted reforms that the TGA had recently or was about to implement. These include the triaging of advertising complaints, increased investigation and enforcement powers, the new permitted indications scheme, and the proposed AUST L(A) product category. The latter is a new label for complementary medicines that have submitted clinical trial data to the TGA and been assessed to work. Among these announcements was news that the TGA was finally carrying out a review of gummy supplements, a confectionery product promoted to parents as gummy vitamins that are packed with healthy nutrition. The first advertising breach for Kids Smart Vita Gummies is dated 2012. Monash University researcher Alanna Rottler presented a survey of consumer knowledge of the TGA and the regulation of medicines. Ninety-one per cent of the 273 respondents could not make an informed choice about therapeutic goods using the existing AUST-L and AUST-R labels because they had not noticed these small-print labels or had no idea what they meant. For those readers similarly unaware, AUST-R applies to medicines assessed for safety and efficacy (typically prescription medicines) while AUST-L only means that the ingredients supposedly can do you no harm (vitamins, herbal extracts, supplements etc.). Efficacy is untested prior to the sale of products with an AUST-L label. I presented an analysis of the decisions of the Complaints Resolution Panel (CRP) between 1999 and 2017 before its abolition on 30 June 2018. More than 2000 determinations of complaints about the advertising of therapeutic goods were available for analysis. The CRP referred 755 complaints to the TGA for non-compliance, or to save duplicating CRP determinations where the same advertising problem later reappeared. Referrals to the TGA were essential for enforcement action as the CRP had no powers to enforce its determinations. I found that the TGA lacked transparency as it published the outcomes of only 80 CRP referrals (11%). One company, Pharmacare Laboratories Pty Ltd, had the greatest number of complaints (104) upheld by the CRP. This was three times more than Swisse (33) and Blackmores (32). Readers may recognise these Pharmacare products from letterbox advertisements for FatBlaster Magnet, Super Krill Oil, Horny Goat Weed for Him, and Horny Goat Weed for Her. Each year, Pharmacare has had complaints upheld by the CRP following similar breaches of the code. However, the publication of detailed CRP determinations appears to have had no impact on the companys behaviour. The CRP referred 21 Pharmacare complaints to the TGA for regulatory action, but only two outcomes have been published by the TGA. The most recent is dated 2014; meanwhile, misleading promotions have continued. I also noted that the TGAs handling of complaints is much less transparent than the CRP system it replaced. The TGA publishes no information on complaints that it decides are low priority, although they are likely describing breaches of the law. The TGA closes these complaints by sending an education letter without follow-up to see whether this achieved compliance. It usually does not. A lively Q&A session took place after the presentations. Terry Slevin, CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, noted the importance of the research presented by Rottler and myself, which held the TGA accountable. He was also pleased that the head of the TGA had attended and engaged in the forum. The debate about the TGAs handling of complaints continues. The TGA argues that its priorities are public health and safety, not the financial interests of consumers. Yet if the TGA fails to act on companies that consistently break the law, misleading and deceptive promotion will continue. By William Schwartz | Published on 2018/12/29 North Korea sent a lot of war orphans to Poland during the Korean War. Allegedly, "Children Gone To Poland" is their story. In practice, the documentary has frustratingly little focus on those orphans. We barely hear anything about them before director Chu Sang-mi is already holding auditions for a young North Korean defector (Lee Song ends up being chosen) to go with her to Poland and find out more. Advertisement Aside from the fact that Lee Song has ancestry from North Korea, she has no history with Korean War orphans and no one in her family appears to have gone to Poland. What's worse, the whole audition gives the impression that Lee Song's purpose in the documentary is to be a performer. This makes later scenes involving tears rather awkward, since the question is naturally begged whether said tears were real. By contrast the firsthand historical material is extremely strong. There are numerous interviews with old Polish people who looked after the orphans, old film footage of what the orphans were doing, and written records of their presence in Poland. All of this historical data is fascinating, and it's brutal watching these now elderly people discuss with startling clarity experiences in their childhood and early adulthood that left a lifelong impact. Other data is politically dubious. Director Chu Sang-mi, for some odd reason, keeps finding weird and often contradictory ways to find fault with how the North Korean government acted back then. One minute they're bad for not doing more to send war orphans picked up in South Korea back to South Korea. The next, they're cruel for forcing the children to come back to North Korea too. The horrible circumstances the children were in were more a consequence of generic warfare than ideology. Indeed, considering the sorry state of South Korean war orphans, the efforts made both by the North Koreans and the Polish were quite admirable. One of the darkest interviews depicts how the war orphans, out of sheer habit, would crawl under their beds to sleep because they were terrified of bombs falling in the night. All of that is brutal and genuinely emotionally affecting, which only leaves me all the more puzzled why so little content in that vein made it into the final cut. At one point Chu Sang-mi and Lee Song go to Auschwitz, a famous name with at best tertiary relevance to the war orphans. Well, maybe there was more, we just don't get to see it because of questionable editing. The credits sequence is loaded with so much intriguing research material I was just left wondering, why didn't the documentary talk about this stuff instead? The main reason for these shortcomings is probably that director Chu Sang-mi is an actress, not a historian. This explains why she feels the need to frame the story around Lee Song instead of just letting the historical record speak for itself. In that way "Children Gone To Poland" is certainly a crowd-pleaser. But when I watch documentaries I'm looking for educational depth, not emotional manipulation, so I can't rightly recommend this film. Review by William Schwartz "Children Gone To Poland" is directed by Chu Sang-mi. Published on 2018/12/30 | Source Officials from the two Koreas hold hands at a ground-breaking ceremony for a cross-border railway project in the North Korean city of Kaesong on Wednesday. Advertisement The two Koreas held a ground-breaking ceremony in the North Korean border city of Kaesong on Wednesday for a project to reconnect railways and roads severed during the 1950-53 Korean War. Some 200 officials from both sides and international dignitaries gathered for the largely symbolic event. Actual work cannot begin until sanctions against North Korea are eased. It was at least the fourth start of a project that has repeatedly been derailed by North Korea's provocations. Similar events were held in 2000, 2002 and 2003. A researcher of a government-funded think tank here said, "It's highly likely that today's event will end up simply as a one-off event as in the past, unless there's progress in Pyongyang's denuclearization and sanctions are eased or lifted". The two Koreas earlier this month carried out a survey of the tracks on the North Korean side and are expected to work out more detailed plans in the near future. The government here has released only the vaguest cost estimate without knowing the extent of the work that will be needed. Asked when he thinks actual work would begin, Ri Son-gwon, the chairman of the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, said, "We'll discuss it with South Korean officials". But South Korean reporters were then barred from asking him further questions. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party here denounced the event as a charade. "Was it necessary to hold such a ground-breaking ceremony when no actual work began?" said interim party leader Kim Byung-joon. And the party's new floor leader Na Kyung-won said, "The event was held without any plan or program, and it's difficult to even guess how long the construction will last, let alone how big the construction project will be and how much it will cost". Published on 2018/12/30 | Source Tu Airong The government has granted asylum to a Chinese man who is credited with helping hundreds of North Koreans escape through China to Southeast Asia. Advertisement 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". 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". 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. Published on 2018/12/30 | Source The government wants public universities to hire more female academics so women make up more than a quarter of faculty. Advertisement The National Assembly's Education Committee in a meeting on Wednesday authorized a revision of the relevant laws to enshrine the quota. A new clause will require public universities to make sure that no more than three quarters of its faculty are of the same gender. At present, the proportion of female academics at public universities stands at a paltry 16.8 percent, compared to private universities' relatively progressive 28.5 percent. There are 38 public universities in Korea including the University of Seoul which is run by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. But the new regulation is not binding, and the quota applies only to the average of all public universities rather than each one. The Education Ministry said the aim is to "recommend" that universities steadily increase female faculty. The revised rules have to be ratified by the National Assembly before they go into effect next June. By William Schwartz | Published on 2018/12/29 In a delightfully cynical opening montage writer/director Kim Byeong-woo shows us how even in its most magnaminous moments, the United States is a comically fickle country whose leaders will sabotage long term peace deals in the name of dubious short term objectives. By the time we get to mercenary captain Ahab (played by Ha Jung-woo) we find out that the glue holding his team together is economic poverty and an absence of proper paperwork to live in the land of opportunity. So it is that they took on a high profile job...in the bunker. Advertisement From a production standpoint writer/director Kim Hyeong-woo films "Take Point" in much the same style that he did "The Terror Live" with events flowing in real time. Long shots are the norm here, and they constantly shake from the frequent explosions. Hilariously enough, Ahab himself spends most of the movie stuck in a single room thanks to his bum robotic leg, helplessly trying to keep track of all his men while also coordinating with CIA liason Mac (played by Jennifer Ehle) who is both untrustworthy and a terrible liar. In stark contrast to more optimistic films like "Steel Rain" which demonstrate fundamental trust in the competence of high-ranking personnel in the American security apparatus, Mac's competence is constantly questioned. Mainly this is just because she is almost always wrong about everything that's happening. Even the final explanation we get for how the Chinese are the real villains is terribly unconvincing- not that this matters to Ahab, whose concerns are immediate and practical, and not very concerned with political gamesmanship. Curiously enough, for a team of professional killers, we almost never really see Ahab's team kill anyone. All the action is filmed through shaky, grainy cameras, in tight corridors where no one can really see where they're shooting and everything is incredibly loud. It's often hard to tell what's going on- making for a very effective reenactment of an actual war zone, where the emphasis is more on survival than keeping track of who got what kill. This is all fairly terrifying stuff. The entire team, Ahab included, is totally expendable. Everybody knows this, and in the very first action sequence there's a ridiculously long prelude where Ahab tries and mostly fails to hype everybody into busting down the first door with gusto. Conversations about death are very serious and practical, and ethical life and death decision making is frequently rendered a moot point by yet another off-screen explosion by some new manner of death machine. "Take Point" is brilliant work that, far from romanticizing the work of private military contractors normalizes it as just a very bad job. Of course, real life private military contractors aren't like that at all, but that lapse is forgivable enough given the surprisingly relevant and timely take the movie has on American interests regarding North Korea. Much like Ahab himself, North Korea is a very abstract quantity here- a piece to be moved around the board with no regard to unintended consequences. Review by William Schwartz "Take Point" is directed by Kim Byeong-woo, and features Ha Jung-woo, Lee Sun-kyun, Jennifer Ehle, Kevin Durand, Malik Yoba and Spencer Daniels. Blue and fin whales are among the loudest animals in the oceans, as well as the largest. Only males sing, and their songs can travel more than 1000 km underwater, allowing them to communicate across vast oceans. Blue whales have been dropping pitch incrementally over several decades, and now a study in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans (https://goo.gl/dEGvqJ) has announced that this is also occurring with fin whales and Madagascan pygmy blue whales and speculated why this might be occurring. Lead author Dr Emmanuelle Leroy of the University of NSW analysed more than a million songs from three species of large baleen whale: fin, Antarctic blue and three acoustically distinct populations of pygmy blue whales. Six stationary underwater microphones recorded the calls over 6 years in the southern Indian Ocean, an area spanning 9 million km2. The study measured the pitch of elements of each species song, which had fallen to about 25.6 Hz for the Antarctic blue whale by the end of 2015. In 2002, the pitch of the selected element of the blue whales call had been 27.5 Hz, a difference equivalent in Western music to a whole tone or major second interval (for a recording comparing the two see https://goo.gl/xijiPX). Leroy found that the pitch of Antarctic blue whale calls is falling by 0.14 Hz/year. While fin whales, pygmy blue whales and Antarctic blue whale sing very different songs, the study observed similar trends in call pitch, falling by about 0.120.54 Hz/year depending on the species. Low pitches carry farther underwater, but the pitch change is likely to be too small to affect the whale calls over long distances in the ocean and too subtle for the whales to detect any changes. Unlike most of the worlds oceans, the southern Indian Ocean has grown quieter in recent years, and its shipping traffic is limited. Because the long-term trends in pitch drop are steady around the global range of the whales, the data from the Indian Ocean indicate the ongoing drop cannot be explained as a response to human-generated noise. Instead, the study suggests that the pitch drop could be a by-product of lower call volume because the rebounding whale population doesnt need to sing as loudly to reach other whales. Recent population assessments estimate there are 10,000 to 25,000 blue whales globally, up from a few thousand when commercial whaling ceased in the 1970s. Because the whaling stopped, the whale population is increasing, Leroy said. They can decrease their call intensity to keep in touch, because there are more whales. Alternatively, the whales may not need to be so loud because the speed and distance that sound travels are affected by the temperature, pressure and chemistry of the ocean. Sound travels further in ocean water that is increasingly acidic due to climate change. Despite this long-term trend, blue whale calls in the southern Indian Ocean increase in pitch by 0.20.3 Hz during the summer, possibly because whales need to sing louder to overcome additional noise in the ocean at this time. The noise is related to the increasing number of free icebergs in summer, Leroy explains. When the ice sometimes cracks, like when you put ice in your drink, it makes noise. This noise is really strong and will propagate over really long distances, so we can hear this noise at our northernmost site, up to 26 South. Iceberg crackles at a frequency range that overlaps the pitch of the Antarctic blue whales calls. To be heard over the noise, the whales may need to get a little louder, which makes the whales pitch rise in summer. What's surprising is the long-term and short-term changes could have the same reason, a change in call intensity, but the change responds to two different causes, Leroy said. First omicron COVID-19 cases confirmed in Maryland State health officials have confirmed the first three cases of the COVID-19 omicron variant in Maryland residents. Nikhil Chandwani was a loner who found it difficult to make friends. The 25-year-old then found a unique way to beat his loneliness - helping people. This is what led him to start the Writers Rescue Center in 2017, which helps and trains those who are suicidal, depressed and differently abled to pen down their thoughts and find purpose in life. Chandwani does not charge any money from the writers. The success stories he has been responsible for are from all age groups, they range from the age of 16-72. Chandwani, who is responsible for publishing hundreds of authors and is a TedX speaker, tells us about the people he has helped, the issue of mental health and how the Writers Rescue Centre operates. When did you think of the idea of starting the Writers Rescue Centre? Modern-day disorders in the world include having an identity crisis, depression, mid-career crisis and so many other issues. Being a dropout myself, I understood these problems from the root. Everyone is facing some kind of troubles, and hence, they all have a story to tell. Following this mantra, I took up social entrepreneurship through the Writers Rescue Center by developing a one on one gurukul system that mentors, pushes, teaches and helps everyone- those with disability, dyslexia, mental health patients and also those who are poor and need help in writing and publishing their first book. How do you go about the whole process? We give them the required space and trust to open up about their issues, and aid them in writing their own life story. It takes anywhere between one month to one year to complete their manuscript. The book, once it is ready, is shared with numerous publishing units and now we have even started our own publishing house WRC Publishers as an imprint to Raindrop Publishers INC. Once the book is published, we market it for them. I believe everyone has a story to tell. The best inspirational stories are the ones that come straight from the ruins of personal struggles. What do you do to sustain yourself financially? Ive retained all my writers and formulated a team of 211 individuals who take up various writing projects, which is how we sustain ourselves. Tell us about some of your success stories? Some of the individuals who I have trained include a dyslexic writer, Yash Singhania, who emerged from his failures in Chartered Accountancy to write and publish three books and currently works as a columnist for LA Times and Chicago Tribune. I have also trained Nikhila Chalamalasetty from Vijayawada, a differently abled writer who has also got appreciation from Alia Bhatt because of her book, The Day I Started Flying. We have also developed a unique writer-to-author, public speaker, and visiting professor module. Students sign-up with the foundation to seek help in writing, and their books are published and marketed through the foundation. These writers are then taken to public speaking platforms, slam poetry, and column writing fields to form a career path. Nikhila Chalamalasetty is a differently abled writer who wrote the book, The Day I Started Flying, after enrolling at the Writers Rescue Centre. Have you personally also faced mental health issues, because of which this idea came about to help others? I have always been a loner who couldnt gel with people. WRC started because I wanted to make friends. The best way to make friends is to help others and that is what helped me to come out of loneliness and inspired me to help others come out of their problems as well. Physical health has always been taken care of but I feel people do not do their bit to keep themselves mentally fit. Maybe because one can see the physical damage but on the other hand one hides their mental illness and even the world needs to be more open about the issues this world is facing in terms of general mental health. Around 45 days after American national John Allen Chau ventured onto the forbidden North Sentinel island and got killed by the reclusive and endangered Sentinelese tribe, the Andaman and Nicobar Police on Saturday formally introduced a new police unit exclusively for tourists. A helpline was also launched. Director-General of A&N Police, Dependra Pathak said that thousands of tourists including foreigners visit the islands every year and their safety and security have become a cause for concern after Chaus death. It was found during investigation that Chau had bribed some local fishermen to take him to North Sentinel which is legally off bounds for tourists and sailed at night to evade the coast guard. The youths body was spotted on the beach of the island on November 17 by one of the fishermen and never seen again. The new police force will sensitize tourists to local rules, restrictions on movement in certain areas, travel permits and social and cultural taboos. The force has been provided with patrol cars, beach bikes and motorcycles to maintain vigil. Also read | American killed in Andaman made notes of how Sentinelese tribe lives, interacts They were trained to interact with tourists and familiarised with local culture and history, Pathak said. The new unit will be stationed at Corbyns Cove Beach, Marina Park, Cellular ]ail, Chidiyatapu, Radhanagar Beach, Kalapathhar Beach, Elephanta Beach, Baratang Jetty, Limestone caves (Baratang Island) and Bharatpur beach (Neil Island). Other places will be added later. A day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the islands on Sunday, the police administration had also introduced on a counter-assault unit named Parakram. Read | American national John Allen Chau violated every rule in the book to meet the Sentinelese One of the more unlikely relationships between leaders on the international summit circle was the friendship between Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi. It certainly surprised Margaret Thatchers husband Dennis. During one of the couples visits to India he said to me, I cant understand it. They get on so well but she is a Leftie isnt she? As we look back this New Year on the recent state elections and look forward to next years general election we might consider why the answer to Dennis question is not as straightforward as he imagined, why even under Indira India was not divided between the left and the right. India has never had a right wing party for socialists to do battle with except for the comparatively short-lived Swatantra party. One obvious reason for this is the size of the poor vote. It is so large that it cannot be ignored. Its equally true to say that after Indira Gandhis socialist splurge, India has not had a doctrinaire socialist party. At the turn of the century, the economist, Pranab Bardhan, wrote an essay which suggests why this is so. He spoke of Indias passion for group equity, the aspiration to compensate for centuries of slights and indignities, and ventured to suggest that a large part of mass political culture in India can be broadly described as equity-centric and in this respect largely anti capitalist though not pro-socialist. The divisions in the poor vote created by the slights and indignities of he past, particularly the caste system, have meant there has been no coherent working class to fight for equity in accordance with socialist principles and policies . Not surprisingly many of the poor have chosen caste parties to unite them in their struggle against inequality and indignity. However it s not just caste which brings Indian voters together to fight against inequality. The demand of farmers for a fair reward for producing the nations food was the dominant economic issue of the State Elections and we will certainly hear a lot about them in the coming general election. The farmers came together as a group not as socialists and they were concerned only with their own issues. Governments tend to react with short term, ad hoc, measures to outbursts of Indias passion for group equity and ignore the underlying causes of the anger. Newly-elected Congress state governments have already responded to the political pressure from the farmers to waive their loans and three BJP governments have followed suit. If the history of waivers is anything to go by, politicians will hope this satisfies the farmers and continue to ignore the root causes of the farmers distress. The distress wouldnt exist today if governments had attended to basic problems such as prices, marketing, and storage. Because governments respond to group anger with ad hoc concessions, they ignore economic orthodoxy whether of the left or the right and often damage the economy. Waiving loans is not a sound economic policy because it goes against the fundamental tenet of banking that money lent will be repaid with interest. As a result it has adverse consequences for banks and their farmer borrowers. Waivers all too often encourage farmers to delay repayment of their loans in the hope they will be waived. The banks then react by being reluctant to lend, and farmers are forced to borrow from traditional lenders at exorbitant rates of interest. The economy suffers from the government bailing the banks out. So should India be socialist in practice not just in name? Maybe it would be a mistake to tie India too tightly to an economic doctrine. Indira Gandhis licence permit raj demonstrated the bureaucratic excesses that could gave rise to. But I do think whatever government comes to power next year should persevere with the implementation of some socialist policies such as raising the tax-GDP ratio to distribute wealth more equally, and with administrative reforms. They are necessary to improve the effectiveness and equalising effect of socialist-style welfare schemes which already exist like MGNREGA and Jan Dhan. The views expressed are personal Dr Manmohan Singh belongs to a select list of serious scholars who went on to become substantial politicians. They include Woodrow Wilson, who was President of the American Political Science Association before he became President of the United States; Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, a left-wing professor of sociology who promoted right-wing economic policies while occupying the highest political office in his country; Andreas Papandreou, who was chair of the Department of Economics at the University of California at Berkeley before becoming Prime Minister of Greece; and the first President of free Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta, who wrote a classic work of anthropology while his country was still under British colonial rule. I was born long after Wilson died, and have never visited the countries that Cardoso, Papandreou and Kenyatta worked in. But as an Indian I have been witness to the imprint of Manmohan Singhs policies for much of my adult life. Thus, when I found myself in Delhi on the day his Collected Works were being released, I made sure I was in the audience for the event. In the front row sat various former cabinet ministers; alongside me in the middle rows were a range of scholars, students, and professionals. Dr Singhs Collected Works run to six volumes in all. The first volume reprints his Oxford D Phil thesis, a precocious critique of export pessimism; the second and third contain his scholarly papers on trade, development, monetary policy, and the international economic order; the fourth principally contains the speeches he gave as the finance minister who oversaw the opening of the Indian economy; the fifth and sixth reprint a selection of his speeches and press conferences in his ten years as prime minister. The evening began with presentations by the volume editors, these being three Professors of Economics K Sundaram, C Rangarajan, and Nicholas Stern and one Professor of History Rudrangshu Mukherjee. Listening to them speak, it struck me that Dr Singhs economic philosophy synthesises the work of his two great contemporaries, Jagdish Bhagwati and Amartya Sen. Like Bhagwati, he strongly advocates a freer play of market forces and a greater integration with the global economy; like Sen, he strongly emphasises the importance of social equity with access to health and education for all. Dr Singh shares neither the archetypal capitalists contempt for the poor and vulnerable nor the archetypal socialists contempt for innovation and entrepreneurship. The phrase he made his own, inclusive growth, captures an approach to economic policy that is pragmatic without being dehumanising. After the editors had their say, Dr Singh ascended the stage, to be interviewed by his former Chief Economic Adviser, Professor Kaushik Basu. The conversation was both free-flowing and wide-ranging. Dr Singh spoke movingly about his early life and struggles; of how a child of Partition born in a modest home became a scholar. He remembered with particular affection his teacher in Hoshiarpur, S B Rangnekar, who urged him to go abroad for further studies; before paying his dues to his more famous mentors at Cambridge and Oxford; Nicholas Kaldor, Joan Robinson, John Hicks, and the like. The conversation then returned to India, to his years first as a teacher and then as a public servant. Here too, the generosity of spirit was manifest. He acknowledged the support to his work of the prime ministers he had worked with, cutting across party lines Indira Gandhi, Morarji Desai, Charan Singh and P V Narasimha Rao of his colleagues in the bureaucracy, and of younger associates who had provided key inputs into his policies. And he told many humorous stories, several aimed at himself. Through a long evening the audience sat silently listening, utterly absorbed. Dr Singh came across as a person of warmth and compassion. There were no boastful remarks about his contributions to the nation (or to the world of scholarship either). The tone was scrupulously non-partisan throughout, except at the very end, when, as he saw the compere come on stage to announce the events closure, he leant towards the microphone and said, I certainly was not a prime minister who was afraid of talking to the press, before outlining several instances of unrehearsed press conferences that he had held while occupying that office. This claim was reported widely in the press, as being aimed at the current prime minister, whose own conspicuous reluctance to be open to questioning in public is well known. On the other hand, it must also be said that Dr Singh was a Prime Minister who was afraid of the electorate. Before him, Indira Gandhi and Narasimha Rao had become PM unexpectedly and (as it were) accidentally, but had sensibly sought election to the Lok Sabha soon afterwards. Like them, Dr Singh should have fought and won a Lok Sabha election after becoming Prime Minister, and certainly when his party sought re-election in 2009. His reluctance or refusal to do so weakened him (and his office) considerably, in a symbolic as well as substantive sense. His inability to tame dissidence in his own party, to confront corrupt allies, and his perhaps excessively deferential behaviour towards the Congress president, are all owed in some measure to this failure. I am glad I was in Delhi on December 18. Given whose intellectual legacy was being discussed, it was, as it were, a historic occasion. Dr Singh has led an unusually interesting life in unusually important times. He is a good and decent man who has made fundamental contributions to public life in India. While we honour these contributions, we must not allow ourselves to forget the mistakes he made that hurt him, and hurt us too. Ramachandra Guha is the author of Gandhi: The Years That Changed The World. The views expressed are personal On a day when the temperature in Delhi plummeted to 2.6 degrees Celsius the lowest in the last four years a homeless woman was found dead on a pavement in the heart of the National Capital. A police patrol police team found the womans body under just one blanket on the pavement outside Lady Irwin College, close to the Mandi House Metro station, around 2.15am on Saturday. The night temperature had plummeted to 2.6 degrees Celsius around the same time, said Madhur Verma, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi). A packet of food, possibly given to the woman by someone, was found next to her body, said the DCP. Once the police shifted the homeless womans body to a hospital, another hungry homeless man quickly finished the food. There was some rajma mixed with groundnuts in the plastic container. I was very hungry, so I ate it, said Sandeep Kumar, the homeless man who claimed to have spoken to the woman a few hours before she was found dead. The body of the woman, who appeared to be in her 40s, also bore superficial burns, but DCP Verma said that the injuries seemed old and were unlikely to have contributed to her death. We will wait for the autopsy report, but the most likely reason for her death appears to be the biting cold. She could also have been ill, Verma said, ruling out any foul play. The officer said that the woman was probably a vagabond and was yet to bee identified. But Sandeep remembered her name as some Rajputi or Lajwanti who mentioned Palwal as her native place. This was her third night here. Earlier, she stayed under the Tilak Bridge or the ITO skywalk, but would keep shifting her sleeping spot due to construction works. I dont know how she earned money, but she would go across some railway tracks in the daytime, said Kumar, based on his brief conversation with the woman on Friday night. While speaking to me, she once held my hand and said I was like her son. I dont know if she was in her senses. Maybe she just wanted some new friends at the new place. She had no family, said Kumar, who has been spending his nights near the Mandi House Metro station for some time now with two-three other homeless people. The DCP said that the police patrolling teams look around for homeless people in New Delhi neighbourhoods and move them to the closest shelter homes. It was during one such patrolling session that a police team spotted the woman under a blanket. She seems to have died in her sleep. There were no signs of struggle, said DCP Verma. Kumar was woken up from his slumber by the same police team moments later. The police asked me to leave the place, saying they had to carry out some work. I saw them carrying a body on a stretcher. I moved to the pavement along the opposite carriageway and later got to know that the woman had died said Kumar, who hails from Gohana in Haryana and works as a casual labourer in Delhi. A 13-year-old boy, a student of class 6 of a private school in east Delhi, suffered multiple injuries after he fell down from the third floor of the school building Friday morning. He is battling for life in a city hospital. The incident took place around 8.30am, soon after the morning assembly prayers. The boy is currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital and is unfit for recording a statement. No case was registered in connection with the incident, the police said. The boys family blamed the authorities of the school for the incident. They alleged that no safety measures were in place at the school premises to avoid such an incident. The family also suspected foul play and demanded a probe to ascertain the circumstances under which the student fell off the building. The school authorities, on the other hand, ruled out foul play and said they were extending their cooperation in the police enquiry. A senior school administration official said the footage of the CCTV cameras was checked. The footage shows the boy having an argument with some fellow students after which he ran to the third floor and jumped. A staffer was present on the third floor but by the time she could stop him, the student had jumped. We rushed the student to the hospital, the school official said. Police said they have initiated an enquiry to ascertain whether the boy attempted suicide or accidentally fell off the building. The footage of the CCTV cameras is also being analysed. The statement of some students was also recorded, they added. The boy is still under medical observation. Once he is declared fit, we will record his statement to ascertain the exact sequence of events which led to his fall from the building, Ved Prakash Surya, additional deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara), said. The boy lives with his family in northeast Delhi. His family members said they dropped him off at the school around 7am as he had to appear in an internal science exam. I got a call from the school and they told me that my son was injured and admitted to a hospital. I rushed to the hospital and learnt that my son had fallen from the school building. He has suffered multiple fractures and head injuries, a family member of the boy said. Deepika Padukone made a statement in a beautiful sparkly dress by Atelier Zuhra in a new cover shoot for Filmfare magazines January 2019 issue. Deepikas fitted dress decorated with mosaic crystal embellishments is fun and flirty without being too over-the-top. Deepika Padukone let her striking dress do the talking by keeping her accessories to a minimum, apart from her bold eye make-up. Deepikas sultry statement eyes blend together silver, grey and mauve tones and gave her dress an elevated touch. Interestingly, actor Kareena Kapoor wore a silver version of Deepika Padukones festive dress in November for the Social Media Summit and Awards 2018. Kareenas spectacular design screamed maximalist glamour and like Deepikas shimmering dress featured Atelier Zuhras signature shattered mosaic crystal mirrors inspired by Barcelonas Gaudi architecture. Celebrities wearing sparkly dresses are nothing new. In fact, theyre pretty much a red carpet staple. However, Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoors looks show shiny dresses in a new light. Theyre flirtier and edgier, and a far cry from the floor-length red carpet glamour that were normally used to. Kareena and Deepikas dresses offer a minimalist vibe thanks to their high-neck design. As with any shiny dress, jewellery and accessories are best kept to a minimum; while Kareena paired her knee-length design with matching metallic heels from Aldo and some subtle diamond jewellery, on Deepika you can spot only a bright jacket for contrast. While Kareenas silver accessories anchor the outfit, the neon-streaked jacket from Scooter LaForge definitely gave Deepikas look that X-factor. If your a little preoccupied with nailing down your New Years look, add shimmer to your look by taking a cue from Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kapoors party-ready dresses. Even if you think sequins and sparkles arent for you, these glittering outfits will prove you wrong. If youre afraid of looking too festive, toughen up an elegant sequin dress like Deepika: Pair a tailored pieces a contrasting jacket with just one sparkly item a midi-length or shot dress. Or make like Kareena and hit a swanky bar or the dance floor with a silver stunner: Keep the metallic theme going with matching heels and one sparkly jewellery piece. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter India secured a place of pride and glory in the entire world: PM Modi Country secured a place of pride and glory in the entire world. The highest United Nations Environment Award Champions of the Earth was conferred upon India, says Prime Minister Modi. PM Modi announces launch of Sardar Patel Award Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch of Sardar Patel Award for national integration which will be awarded to those who will have contributed to national unity and integrity in any form. 2019 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi: PM Modi As 2019 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered the noble works of the leader as well as Nelson Mandela. FSSAI to initiate the Eat Right India health campaign soon: PM Modi On the occasion of Gandhis 150th anniversary, FSSAI will ensure safe and healthy habits through Eat Right India campaign in order to ensure food safety and to regulate healthy habits among people. FSSAI is doing the work of ensuring peoples health and reiterating the importance of this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked people to partake in the campaign to ensure good health. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa to be chief guest for Republic Day celebrations in 2019: PM Modi South African president Cyril Ramaphosa will be the chief guest for Republic Day celebrations in 2019, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi congratulates Hanaya for winning gold medal in Karate Championship 12-year-old Hanaya from Anantnag in Kashmir has won a gold medal in Karate Championship in Korea. She trained hard with perseverance and fervour, studied its nuances and proved herself. On behalf of all countrymen, I wish her a bright future, says PM Modi. PM Modi congratulates Rajni for winning gold medal in Junior National Women Boxing Championship There was a lot of discussion in media about a 16 year old daughter, Rajni who won a gold medal in Junior National Women Boxing Championship. When she expressed her wishes to learn boxing to her father, he did everything within his capacity and helped her. She had to start her practice with old gloves as her familys financial condition was not good. Despite that she didnt lose hope and continued boxing. She has also won a medal in Serbia. I congratulate her and thank her parents for supporting her, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi highlights free services given by Bijnor doctors Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlights the free services given out by doctors at Bijnor. He also said that over 100 people were benefitted by the free camps. PM Modi salutes services provided by young doctors Prime Minister Narendra Modi hails and salutes the services provided by young doctors who organizes free medical camps for poor patient. Kumbh is huge as well as divine: PM Modi Kumbh Mela is beginning from January 15 in Prayagraj. Kumbh is huge as well as divine. UNESCO listed Kumbh in Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last year, says Prime Minister Modi. PM Narendra Modi speaks about different websites which write on social stories Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks about different websites which write on social stories that include social entrepreneurship and other positive stories. He referred to websites such as betterstory.com, yourstory.com, sanskritbharati.in and positiveindian.com and asked people to share such positive stories in an effort to initiate positive discussions among people. In a first, government unfurls tricolour on 75th anniversary of Azad hind government at Red fort: PM On the 75th anniversary of Azad hind government, a tricolour was unfurled at Delhis Red fort for the first time, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi speaks of Swacchh Bharat missions success PM Modi speaks of how the cleanliness campaign Swacchh Bharat mission has become successful as 3 lakh people gathered to participate in a cleanliness drive. Hope Indias journey on the path of advancement and progress continues through 2019 too: PM It was during this very year that our country has successfully accomplished the Nuclear Triad, which means we are now armed with nuclear capabilities-in water, on land and in the sky as well. I sincerely hope that Indias journey on the path of advancement and progress continues through 2019 too. Taking her to newer heights with her inner strengths,says Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our daughters have made us proud in 2018: PM Modi Our daughters have made us proud in 2018. The 16-year-Rajni won the gold medal in Junior womens boxing Championship. Punes 20-year-old Vedangi Kulkarni has become the fastest Asian woman to travel around the world on a cycle. For 159 days, she used to cycle 300km each day. Her passion for cycling is commendable, says PM Modi. Electricity has reached every village of the country: PM Modi In 2018,health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat was launched. Electricity reached every village of the country. World agencies recognise that India is pulling its citizens out of poverty at a record pace, says Modi India is pulling its people out of poverty: PM Modi Worlds top rated agencies have accepted that, India is pulling its people out of poverty, says Prime Minister Modi. I hope in 2019 too, India will continue its journey of growth and development: PM Modi I hope that in 2019 too, India will continue its journey of growth and development, says PM Modi Happy to be connecting once again, thanks to Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi Happy to be connecting once again, thanks to Mann Ki Baat, says PM Narendra Modi The government is likely to introduce the Space Activities Bill, 2017, which will allow commercial use of space, in the budget session of 2019. Steps are being taken . So that the Bill could be possibly introduced during the Budget session 2019, according to an answer provided to a question posed in the Lok Sabha. After the draft of the bill was put in the public domain in November 2017, the government received 52 responses, of which 15 were from the general public. The rest were from the Indian aerospace industry and start-ups, law firms or lawyers, space experts and scholars, and satellite communication companies. Responses fall broadly under the category of seeking clarifications and suggestions on certain provisions, such as scope of space activities, regulatory mechanism, licencing and authorisation procedures, sharing of liability burden with a limit on damage costs, penal provisions, powers of Central Government, etc,. the reply stated. The bill is aimed at regulating space activities to ensure peaceful exploration and use of outer space. The bill requires licensed entities to carry out operations in a manner that prevents the contamination of outer space or damage to the earths environment. Space missions must not jeopardise public health nor compromise the security or sovereignty of India, according to the draft bill that had been put up in the public domain. This is much needed and much awaited. Allowing commercial use will increase the domestic capacity for launches. ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) is already hard pressed given the growing demand for communication, disaster management and several other national priority areas, said Rajeswari Rajagopalan, head of the nuclear and space policy initiative at the Observer Research Foundation. More launches would ensure that India remains competitive in the international market having already established itself as a low-cost, reliable launcher. However, now China is also emerging so we need to increase our capacity. The bill provides for imprisonment of up to three years and fine of over 1 crore if any activity is undertaken without prior licensing, false information is furnished, or if it pollutes earth, airspace, outer space or celestial bodies. The bill also states that any intellectual property right developed on board a space object in outer space will be the property of the Central government. The draft bill that was released proposed a model in which the government was responsible for setting the goals; the government will act as gatekeepers. Instead, everyone should be given a level playing field. The best example is NASA, its importance has not diminished just because there is a SpaceX, said Rajagopalan, referring to the US space agency and Elon Musks rocket company. Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday accused Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar of dividing people on basis of religion and caste and seeking votes on casteist lines in recently concluded mayoral elections in the state. Earlier they had divided Jats and non-Jats during the Jat agitatation in 2016 and now they were trying to divide Punjabis and non-Punjabis as the BJPs mayoral candidate in Karnal had issued advertisements in newspaper appealing the people of Punjabi community to vote for BJP, which has given a Punjabi CM, Kejriwal said addressing AAPs hospital and school rally here. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party, by dividing people on basis of religion and caste, was helping Pakistan, which was trying to divide India since 1947. Claiming that the people of other communities and castes were feeling cheated after this advertisement, Kejriwal appealed to people of Haryana not to get mislead by the BJP. We dont have any objections if Khattar saab works only for Punjabis, but what was the fault of others who had voted for him, he asked. Kejriwal, however, did not mention the arrest of party workers by the state police for allegedly circulating fake news about chief minister Khattar on social media but AAP state in charge Gopal Rai and Haryana unit president Naveen Jaihind slammed the state government on the issue. Kejriwal also slammed the successive governments and political parties for failure to provide better education and medical facilities to the people after 70 years of Independence. We have made all schools and hospitals of Delhi better in only three years rule, but the question is that why all these parties and previous governments failed to do so in past 70 years, he asked. Kejriwal said that AAP government in Delhi has done a lot for the people of Delhi and now he also wants to work for the people of Haryana, which is his motherland. I appeal the youths of Haryana to support the AAP in coming elections and would provide you jobs, better education and medical facilities to your children and family members, he said. AAP MP Bhagwant Mann entertained the gathering with his jokes and satirical attacks on the leaders of opposition parties. In his speech in Hindi, Mann targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and former Haryana chief minister OP Chautala. Har Har Modi slogan of the last election has now become Haar Haar Modi, Mann said alleging that Modis Make In India programme had fallen flat. Modi should now listen mann ki baat of people of country, instead of telling his mann ki baat to people, he said, referring to the prime ministers monthly radio show. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is weighing its options and looking beyond former chief minister Raman Singh to pick the leader of the opposition in Chhattisgarh, where it lost power to the Congress in recent assembly elections, three people familiar with discussion on the matter said. Raman Singh is not ruled out at this stage, but there are reasons to look beyond him this time, one of the three people said on condition of anonymity. First, BJP strategists believe that a shift of backward communities towards the Congress led to its crushing defeat in Chhattisgarh. They believe the party needs urgently to reach out to this social group because the parliamentary election is just a few months away. Other Backward Classes (OBCs) make up about 46% of the states population. If this sense influences the selection of the leader of BJPs legislature party in Chhattisgarh, then Singh, an upper caste Thakur , might have to make way for a leader from the OBCs. In order to counter the en masse shift of OBC votes to Congress , the BJP will prefer that the leader of opposition should be from OBC, Raipur-based political commentator Ashok Tomar said. The BJP ruled Chhattisgarh for 15 years, but the Congress stormed to power with a threefourths majority in the recent election to the 90-member assembly. A close aide to Raman Singh claimed he, too, was not inclined to take the leader of the oppositions post in the state assembly and would prefer to return to national politics. Singh was a junior minister for commerce and industry in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1999 and 2003, before becoming the chief minister. He got elected to the Lok Sabha from the Rajnandgaon parliamentary seat in 1999. Currently, Singhs son, Abhishek Singh, represents Rajnandgaon in the Lok Sabha. The former chief minister is likely to be the BJP candidate from Rajnandgaon in 2019. If he has to contest the parliamentary election, he will have to leave the LoPs position for some other leader, a second BJP leader said. Singh met BJP chief Amit Shah in New Delhi on December 27 to discuss appointment of the leader of the opposition and his role. Singh remains in contention as he is BJPs longest serving chief minister and the most prominent face of the party in the tribal-dominated state. That the party was reduced to just 15 seats in 90-member assembly under his leadership is working against Singh. A BJP leader in Chhattisgarh claimed former ministers Ajay Chandrakar and Braj Mohan Agrawal and state BJP president Dharam Lal Kaushik were in contention for the leader of the oppositions job, in case the party asks Singh to step aside. Kaushik and Chandrakar both belong to OBC communities and are considered to be close to Singh. Agrawal is a 7-term legislator, and is a known rival of the former chief minister. In a late night attack on Saturday, more than 50 heavily-armed suspected Maoists attacked the houses of BJP Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Rajan Singh and his transporter cousin Sunil Singh in Sudi Bigaha under the Dev police station area of Aurangabad district in south Bihar. Though Rajan Singh was not at home when the attack happened, his uncle Nagendra Singh, 65 who lives with him, was shot dead when he tried to prevent the Maoists from planting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) to blow up the houses that are adjacent to each other. In the attack, the attackers also blew up a community development building and fired several rounds on both the houses. They also torched seven vehicles - three buses, three tractors and a car - parked at the house and set ablaze the house of village chowkidar Dhananjay and carpenter Krishna Mistris shop at the village and at Dev Godam respectively. The Maoists had formed three groups to attack Sudi Bigaha and Dev Godam and cordon the two places located 300 meters apart, reports said. They had planted IEDs on all the incoming routes to damage police and CRPF vehicles. Superintendent of Police Aurangabad, Satya Prakash said that police have recovered and defused a huge number of IEDs and Kodex wire that had been laid on approach roads. Police and CRPFs 153 battalion, stationed at Dev, some two kilometres west of the village, reached the place around 10pm and fired 50 rounds, forcing the Maoists to retreat, SP Prakash - who reached half an hour later - claimed. Nobody on either side was injured in the firing. A similar attack had been carried out by Maoists on Rajan Singhs house in March 2013 too. In that attack, the assailants had shot dead Rajan Singhs cousin, Ajit Kumar Singh. Both the attacks were related to demands made of on MLC Rajan Singh, who is a big contractor in the area and on transporter Sunil Singh, who owns and runs several buses in the Maoist-controlled area. The Maoist attack was also an attempt to make their presence felt after the recent arrest of some of their senior leaders and the seizure of the property of Maoist commander, Sandeep Yadav by the Enforcement Directorate ( ED), SP Prakash said. Sandeep is a resident of Banka Bazar in adjacent Gaya district. The attack was planned and executed by commanders Sandeep Yadav, Vivek Yadav and Sanjit Yadav with the help of 25-30 guerillas, the SP said. Police, STF and CRPF had launched an operation against the Maoists and top police officers from Patna and Magadh. DIG Vinay Kumar had arrived in Aurangabad to monitor it. Genesis of Maoist attacks in Bihar December 20, 2017: Station master and four railway staff kidnapped after torching signal panel at Madhu Sudan railway station in Jamalpur-Kiul division. July 19, 2016: 10 CRPF men killed in encounter in forest near Dumri Nala on Gaya-Aurangabad border February 10, 2015: One jawan killed in landmine blast at Dumariya forests in Gaya July 4, 2014: CRPF coommander killed in encounter at Jamui April 10, 2014: Two constables killed in attack at Haveli Kharagpur April 7, 2014: Two killed in land mine blast at Dhibara December 3, 2013: 8 constables were killed and fire arms looted after their jeep was blown up in Tandawa police station area. Hours before the Triple Talaq Bill could be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Monday, the Upper House of Parliament was adjourned till 2pm after the Opposition created an uproar over various issues. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued a whip asking its Rajya Sabha members to be present in Parliaments upper house as it seeks to have the bill criminalising the practice of instant divorce among a section of Muslims passed on Monday. Lok Sabha cleared the bill on Thursday with 245 voting in its favour and 11 against it. The Congress, other opposition parties, and even the BJPs friendly party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, staged a walkout from Lok Sabha to protest against the bill. The fresh bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance or the executive order criminalising the practice. The ordinance was issued in September after the government failed to have an earlier version of the bill passed in Rajya Sabha in December last year. The fresh bill provides for a jail term of three years for a husband quality of pronouncing instant divorce. It supersedes the earlier bill, which sought to make instant divorce a punishable, cognisable and a non-bailable offence. Watch: Triple Talaq bill passed in Lok Sabha The government has brought some amendments, including the introduction of a bail provision, to make the bill more acceptable amid opposition to the bill. Opposition parties have suggested the bill be sent to a joint select committee for further review. In Kochi, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal told reporters on Saturday that his party would join hands with others to prevent the bill from getting passed in the upper house. He said 10 opposition parties come out against the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, when it was introduced in the Lok Sabha. Opposition leaders have claimed to have the support of 116 members in the upper house, which is enough to stall the bill where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government is still in a minority. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had underlined there was no politics involved in the bill and that it was not against any community. BJP chief Amit Shah called the passage of the bill in Lok Sabha a historic step towards ensuring equality and dignity for the Muslim women. He demanded an apology from the Congress for decades of injustice. Earlier this month, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor expressed doubt if Parliament had the competence and jurisdiction to bring such a law. Tharoor opposed the introduction of the fresh bill saying it has no procedural safeguards to prevent its misuse. He added the bill conflates civil law with criminal law by criminalising a wrong form of divorce and by criminalising an act which is already legally null and void. The Supreme Court banned the instant divorce, calling the practice unconstitutional in August 2017. Tharoor called the proposed law an attempt in creating class-specific legislation on the grounds of religion, instead of focusing on the larger issue of mistreatment and desertion of wives and dependents. With PTI inputs The driver of the private transport companys Volvo bus that rammed into two cars in the early hours of Saturday, leaving seven people dead and at least five injured, was arrested from Haryanas Shahbad on Sunday, police said. The vehicle that rammed into two cars as they were parked on the highway in the dense fog was identified as bus with registration number HR 38 AY 0099, driven by Vikrant Saklani, of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. Saklani, who had hastily driven off after the accident, was arrested from Shahbad where he was sleeping in the same bus near a roadside dhaba. Earlier on Sunday, Ambala SP Astha Modi had said that seven people were killed and five others were injured when two Tavera cars coming from Chandigarh were hit by an unidentified vehicle at 1 am. The incident took place when one driver was checking oil leakage in the car and another car was parked around 15 metres ahead of it. After that, an unidentified vehicle hit the second car, which rammed into the first one, she said. The deceased were identified as Asha Rani (45), Kavita Kapoor (36), her two daughters Harshita (9) and Ranjna (18), all residents of sector 30 Chandigarh of the same family. Apart from that, Piyush, a resident of sector 26 Chandigarh and both drivers Suresh (43) and Manoj (42) were also killed in the accident. A police officer pleading anonymity said that after the bus, coming from Mandi to Delhi, rammed into two cars, Saklani had shifted the passengers of the bus in another bus of same company, which was coming from behind, some distance before Shahbad., where he took rest there near a dhaba. Superintendent of Police, Ambala Sadar, Mehar Singh added that the accused will be produced in a court on Monday. The Coast Guard on Saturday morning arrested 14 illegal sand miners off the coast of Mumbai. The arrests were carried out during routine patrolling on Saturday morning and using a hovercraft - H194 - stationed at Dahanu. The arrests took place after a brief chase of six boats that were carrying the illegal sand miners. While the 14 men have been arrested, two boats have been seized. The other four boats managed to escape, Commandant Avinandan Mitra, PRO, Coast Guard confirmed on Sunday. The arrested men have been handed over to the Vasai Police and will be produced before the Vasai court on Sunday. The accused as well as the boats had no identification papers, no boat registration documents, color coding etc. The apprehended crew did not have any identification documents, biometric cards either. A statement by the Coast Guard stated that there was no communication equipment onboard the two boats and that the boats were fully laden with sand. The 14 arrested men claim to be from Murshidabad in West Bengal, and are not Bangladeshis as was claimed earlier, said Mitra. The boats were carrying illegaly mined sand from the seas and had no permission from the Revenue department to excavate sand. The 14 arrested men have been identified as Abil Shaikh (25), Shafigul (27), Ahajit (33), Moinuddin (45), Shahiful(27), Mondal(28), J Mullah(40), Islam (35), B Shaikh(22), Shoful(27), N Mullah(45), Rafigul(19), Pinal(38), Ibrahim Shaikh (25), said Vasai Gaon police sources. The owner of one of the boat is said to be one Michael. More details are awaited, said police sources. The rest of the accused in the four boats managed to escape in the thick mangroves near the Panju island police said. Search operations are underway to arrest the rest of them, said police. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh may review several schemes initiated by the previous Shivraj Singh Chouhan government to fund the partys promise to waive farm loans of up to 2 lakh, government officials familiar with the matter said. The agriculture department estimates the loan waiver to cost 35,000 crore. The first scheme to face the axe was the Deendayal Vananchal Yojna that provided health and education facilities to forest dwellers. On December 24, the Kamal Nath government issued an order scrapping the scheme on procedural grounds--the absence of approval from the finance department. The state spent about 5.50 crore in the last financial year on the scheme introduced in 2016, according to forest department officials. We are compiling all the schemes introduced by the previous government and the money spent on these schemes. The status report will be presented before the state cabinet to take a call, said a senior officer familiar with the matter who asked not to be named. The previous government introduced several schemes such as the Sambal Yojna, Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojna, Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojna, Ladli Laxmi Yojna, and Krishak Samridhi Yojna targeted at senior citizens, women, farmers, poor households and students. Under the Sambal scheme, the government provides electricity at a flat rate of 200 a month to labourers from the unorganised sector and farmers having up to five acres land; it reimburses the power distribution companies if the monthly bill is over 200. As a result, the government has to spend about 150 crore per month. At least 20 million people have registered for the scheme. There is concern of excessive consumption of power by beneficiaries. The new government will have to look into the same, said an official in the energy department who asked not to be named. Jayant Malaiya, finance minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party government, said: The schemes of the previous government may be affected as the new government may not have adequate funds after waiving the loans of farmers. If the loans are really waived, the government may not have money for other schemes and infrastructure of the state may also suffer. Government officials said the problem the new state government is confronting is that it may not be able to scrap or modify many of Chouhans schemes for fear of alienating people before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Principal secretary, finance, Anurag Jain declined to comment on how the government will meet its requirement of funds to waive the farmers loans. Economist Jayantilal Bhandari said, The government may scrap some of the previous governments schemes. At the same time, it may look into tourism, industries, skill and development to generate more funds. But given the huge amount of debt and lack of balance in income and expenditure, its a huge task in the governments hands at present to fulfil its promise. State Congress spokesperson Bhupendra Gupta said, There is no problem in arranging money for the loan waiver, though the previous government left the treasury empty. The previous government spent most of funds on rallies, events and advertisements. With fiscal discipline and revenue realisation, the government can manage the funds. If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unsettled by discordant voices from within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Congresss worries are about the moat of silence the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) have dug around their seat-sharing talks for the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh. The BSPs Mayawati and the SPs Akhilesh Yadav are incommunicado. Theres no communication or exchange of views between them and other potential allies, especially the Congress. The SP chief is more forthcoming among the two but has kept his distance from the Congress ostensibly to keep his secretive BSP counterpart in good humour. His no-show at the swearing-in ceremonies of three Congress chief ministers wasnt as much of his own volition as out of solidarity with Mayawati. When Akhilesh broke his silence after the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh it was to protest against the Congresss failure to accommodate his sole elected legislator in the council of ministers in MP. On the face of it, the SPs grievance is reasonable, the party having offered unconditional support to the Congress regime that was tantalisingly short of a majority. The BSP chief, two of whose MLAs are also backing the Kamal Nath government in Bhopal, has kept her counsel. But Akhilesh perhaps was speaking for both while maintaining that the Congresss lack of reciprocation cleared the way for his party to draw up its 2019 poll strategy. Its difficult to gauge whether the option underscored by him of joining the Federal Front promoted by Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was seriously thought through or was an act of brinkmanship. If it indeed comes about, the Front partners could collectively offset the Congresss projected single largest party-ranking on the Opposition spectrum. The federal idea was given a try but couldnt be taken to fruition in 2009 by the then Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat, who moved in tandem with the BSP. But this time around, it could have as its constituents, big regional players such as the Trinamool Congresss Mamata Banerjee, Biju Janata Dals Naveen Patnaik and KCR of Telangana Rashtra Samithi. If at all, the BSP-SP entry in its fold could alter radically the scenario, its strength on paper as formidable as that of the Opposition bloc anchored by the Congress. Barring Banerjee, who has a cordial equation with United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the possibility of the Congress entering into pacts with other prospective Federal Front allies is remote. But the partys state unit in West Bengal isnt keen on an understanding with the Trinamool. In Karnataka too, senior leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge are apprehensive of the Congresss junior partner, the Janata Dal (Secular) seeking more Lok Sabha seats than its actual ground presence. The call eventually will be of the central leadership that doesnt want to disturb the coalition it has with the JD (S) in Bangaluru. For their part, the Congresss political managers are hopeful of a deal with the BSP-SP combine. They reportedly expect a respectable double-digit share of seats in UP. A Left leader in the know of the thinking of the UP biggies said the Congress could be offered, if all goes well, eight seats including two where it won and six where it stood second in 2014. The partys share could be enhanced to double digit through quid pro quos in states where the Congress is the lead actor. The SP has one MLA in MP and the BSP two each in MP and Chattisgarh in addition to six in Rajasthan. The Congress can make up for the false start by offering them a share in power in accordance with their legislative presence in the three states. Thatll build a climate for state-level tie ups and the broader alliance its eyeing after the 2019 polls. For that to happen, the BSP-SP will have to lift the iron curtainand respond to the Congresss outreach. After all, it takes two to record a duet. A 19-year-old man who had unintentionally donated HIV positive blood died on Sunday at the Madurai general hospital. He had consumed rat poison on Wednesday after he got to know that his infected blood had been transfused to a pregnant woman at Tamil Nadus Sattur Government Hospital. Police sources at Kamuthi in Ramanathapuram, said that the man, driven the guilt of having donated HIV infected blood, had consumed the poison. He was fine but as he saw news that his blood was transfused to a pregnant lady, he thought he should not live and consumed rat poison, the 19-year-old donors mother said. Immediately after he had consumed the rat poison, his family had rushed him to the Ramanathapuram general hospital from he was shifted to Madurai Rajaji general hospital for treatment on December 27. Doctors at Madurais Rajaji Government Hospital, said the youth died on Sunday morning due to bleeding. Dr Shanmuga Sundaram, Dean, Madurai Rajaji Government Hospital, said, He died around 8am on Sunday due to bleeding complication. Also read | Pregnant woman, 24, given blood at govt hospital in Tamil Nadu; donor was HIV positive It might be recalled that the 19-year-old man, after getting to know that his blood had tested HIV positive, had informed the authorities of the hospital where he had donated his blood recently. When the officials tracked the donated blood, they found that it has been transfused to a pregnant woman in Sattur general hospital. The woman was then called back and informed about the issue following which a test had found her to be HIV positive. The woman is currently undergoing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Madurai Rajaji general hospital. The doctors said that they have been putting efforts to save the child, that is likely to born in January. We are toiling to protect the child from HIV infection. The Tamil Nadu health department will provide all the preventive medications and will take up the responsibility for the medical expenses, said J Radhakrishnan, Principal Secretary, Tamil Nadu health and family welfare department. TN Government has also announced free plot of land and greenhouse for the pregnant woman. Also read | Another woman alleges she tested HIV+ after blood transfusion in Tamil Nadu hospital Road safety experts and members of opposition in Parliament have called for early enactment of the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, 2017 fearing it may lapse if not passed in the current session of the Rajya Sabha. The amended Motor Vehicle Bill aims to usher reforms in the transport sector and would amend the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. It was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2017 and has been pending Rajya Sabha approval. The bill, referred to a 24-member Select Committee, is yet to get the Upper House nod. Given that Indian roads witness over 500,000 road accidents each year resulting in about 147,000 fatalities, the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill is an important step towards strengthening the legal framework for improving road safety in India. We urge the parliamentarians to pass the bill in the current session... The passage of Bill will help close major gaps in the legislative framework that governs road safety in the country, said KK Kapila, Chairman, International Road Federation (IRF), a global body working for better and safer roads worldwide, speaking at Road Safety legislation an multi-sectoral Action organised jointly by World Health Organisation, NITI Aayog, ministry of road transport & highways and ministry of health & family welfare. HT had, on December 14, reported that the Centre may not amend opposing clauses in the bill in the Upper House. ...We had proposed to the transport ministry to table a separate bill for road safety however that could not be implemented. There are still many clauses in the bill that do not address road safety issues and if the bill lapses we may propose a road safety bill again, said Piyush Tewari, CEO, Save Life Foundation. India is a signatory to the United Nations Brasilia Declaration with the target of reducing road fatalities by 50% by 2020. We are all for early passage and enactment of the amended bill...but the Rajya Sabha is not being allowed to function..., said Majeed Memon, National Congress Party MP. VP Singh, the son of the Uttar Pradesh police constable Suresh Kumar Vats, on Sunday said that the police is unable to protect its own people, what can the common man expect from them? Criticising the UP police, he said, Police apne logo ki suraksha nahi kar paa rahi hai, hum unse kya ummid kare (Police is unable to protect its own people. What do we expect from them?). Mourning the death of his father, Singh said, What will we do with the compensation? I lost my father. Earlier such incident occurred in Pratapgarh and Bulandshahr. Constable Vats, who had been part of the police force that had been deployed for PM Narendra Modis programmein Ghazipur died after suffering injuries in stone pelting by an angry mob. Additional Director General of police PV Rama Sastry said on Sunday that the police has registered an FIR against 32 persons by their name and another 80 unnamed people had been mentioned in the complaint in connection with the incident of stone pelting that had claimed the life of police constable Suresh Vats in Ghazipur on Saturday. Also read | Cop killed by stone-pelting mob in Ghazipur; second UP policeman to die in mob violence this month Addressing a press conference in Ghazipur, the ADG PV Rama Sastry said, An FIR has been registered in connection with the incident of stone pelting. As many as 32 persons have been named in the FIR. In it, 80 unidentified have also been mentioned. He said that according to the chief medical officer Ghazipur, the cause of Constable Vatss death is head injury. However, the police is waiting for the post-mortem report. He said that further investigation in the matter is on. ADG Sastry said the constable was part of the police team that had reached the place where Nishad Party members were staging a dharna. All of a sudden, the protesters began pelting stones in which the constable suffered injuries and later succumbed to his injuries enroute to the hospital. Read | UP CMs thok do mentality behind cops death in Ghazipur, says Akhilesh A passenger on-board the Air India flight IX-194 from Dubai to Lucknow left the crew and the other 150 passengers in shock when he began stripping mid-air. The male passenger in his mid-thirties then proceeded to walk up and down the aisle nude. One passenger who was on the flight and saw the entire incident said, As soon as the aircraft crew saw him walking nude, they pounced on him and wrapped him in a blanket. Initially, the man resisted but the staff managed to overpower him. Two crew members forcibly covered him and kept him seated at his seat while flight carried on towards Lucknow. Air India in-charge in Lucknow, Shakeel Ahmed, said, The man after being detained by the authorities revealed that he had been harassed by his Pakistani coworkers in Dubai who far outnumbered him as he was the only Indian there. He said he was mercilessly beaten by the Pakistanis and tortured to go back. In frustration, he had resigned and was returning to India. He said, The man later apologised for his act and his family members took him away after the Air India security verified his credentials. The passenger has now been put the watchlist of the airline. Indias invitation to Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologiesa company banned in the US, which has termed it a cybersecurity threat, and from building 5G networks in Australia and New Zealandto participate in 5G trials has aroused some concern in security and technology establishments. The move comes eight years after Indias home ministry raised concerns that imported telecom equipment could contain back doors and spyware that would allow foreign governments to snoop on Indians, intercept calls or remotely control networks, posing a security threat. Huawei was banned for eight months. Little has changed over the past decade. India still doesnt have sufficient safeguards in the telecom sector, which forms the backbone of the digital economy, top security and technology officials said on condition of anonymity. The only thing that has changed is the technology standard back then, the fear was of Chinese 3G equipment fitted with spyware; now it is Chinese 5G equipment. The security threat is inevitable: it is a feature of the current capitalist economy that operates through global supply chains and in which the components of a finished product are not manufactured in one location. If a company decides to insert backdoor into hardware productswhich is the concern being flagged over the invitation to Huawei to take part in 5G trialsit is difficult to protect ones telecom security. Experts point out two ways that governments can adopt to guard against the perceived security threat. One, set up auditing infrastructure to test and identify vulnerabilities in the telecom equipment before deploying it in the country. Two, develop the capacity to manufacture critical hardware components within the country. India has not made progress on either front, officials say, and the security threat is not limited to Chinese companies but applies to imported telecom equipment in general. The department of telecom and the department of IT (information technology) have failed in setting up credible and reliable security-testing infrastructure which has inspired confidence in foreign vendors in sending equipment to India. The policy exists on paper but has not been implemented, a top official in the security establishment with direct knowledge of the matter said. The telecom department promised to set up security testing labs by 2013 in order to test for bugs in network equipment, the official added, but they are still not in place. And India still imports 90% of its telecom equipment needs. Indias import of parts of mobile phones as well as telecom equipment from China increased from $1.3 billion in 2014 to $9.4 billion in 2017, according to a recent study by the ministry of commerce and industry. This places India on the back foot at a time when state-driven cyber warfare is no more a theoretical threat. An early 2018 estimate suggested that around 200 publicly known state-on-state cyberattacks have taken place over the past decade, according to David Sanger of The New York Times. Hardware security is the most difficult to track and find out. Even indigenous hardware doesnt give you a clean chit, said Sethumadhavan Srinivasan, former director of marketing strategy for Huawei Technologies in, India. It is important to understand that there does exist a possibility that you could plant some kind of microchips in hardware equipment that can be used as a key to enter the network, he added Why Huawei is controversial Huawei is the worlds largest manufacturer of core telecom equipment. Western intelligence agencies have for long feared that Huawei installs backdoors in its telecom hardware. The recent arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer (and daughter of the companys founder) in Canada on behalf of the US for allegedly violating sanctions against Iran, raised tension between the US and China. She was eventually released. Huawei says that the fears of secret interception by the Chinese government are unfounded as the company is privately run and is 100% employee-owned. On 18th December, to further alleviate global security concerns, Huawei announced that it will invest $2 billion over the next 5 years on cybersecurity. So many years, so many telecom operators, so many countriessomeone should have already found the back doors in our products, Huawei India CEO Jay Chen said in an interview. Chen said security issues over Huawei equipment have been raised by the US and its allies -- the so-called Five Eyes -- Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The current debate, he argues, is because of Huaweis dominance in 5G, a technology in which it is ahead of all Western companies. Huaweis operations in Germany, France and Japan is business as usual, he said. The ongoing controversy is only about politics. Not about technology, not about security, not about the commercial aspects. Just politics, Chen said. To build trust and infuse confidence among stakeholders over the last eight years, Huawei Indias Chief Security officer Debabrata Nayak said they had complied with each and every regulation as part of the telecom security policy issued by the Indian government and till date, not a single incident has been found where we have been caught in the wrong. The good thing is that this time, in India, the industry is much more mature. Because of our transparency, our security controls, and the efforts that we have put in, the Indian industry has the confidence in our company, Chen said. The security official cited above said India needs to be prepared for the security challenge irrespective of the source of telecom equipment. The American ban on the Chinese companies should be looked at in the larger context of the ongoing trade war between the worlds two biggest economies, the official said. From Indias perspective, the threat is not limited to Huawei or other Chinese companies. Issues have been discovered even with Cisco equipment as well, the official added. Installing backdoors and vulnerabilities in hardware equipment is an established practice by all countries. These backdoors act as silent and vigilant sleeper cells. India is neither capable of participating in building such equipment nor is it capable of testing whats coming into the country, the official added. Cisco could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts to contact them. Indias telecom service providers and local equipment manufacturers have diverging views on the issue. Last week, the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC), a government-promoted telecom equipment manufacturers group, requested national security advisor Ajit Doval to ban Huawei and other Chinese companies in the interest of national security. In response, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents telecom service providers, , defended Huawei and requested the government to not take any arbitrary action. We acknowledge and appreciate Huawei being one of the major companies at the forefront of 5G innovation. They are suitably equipped to prepare operators and industry to build 5G capabilities in operations, in organization, and most importantly, in the ecosystem, that they are fully compliant with all government requirements, Rajan S Mathews, the director general at COAI, said in a statement. Critics argue that Indian telcos support Chinese manufacturers as they provide cheaper equipment and other incentives and a ban will raise their costs. Overarching security of the network and cybersecurity is not possible unless we improve our technical prowess and manufacturing capability in this country which is only possible through the concerted effort of all agencies and we removing all bureaucratic strongholds in the Indian industry. Our thinking is not far-fetched, Ram Narain, who had charge of telecom security at the Department of Telecom (DoT) from 2007 to 2014, said in an interview. DoT functions under the ministry of communications. Why is India lagging? In 2007-08, there was hardly any awareness about the criticality of the telecom equipment, Narain said. We did not want a blanket ban right from the beginning. If you ban imports without creating adequate indigenous capacity, it will introduce a supply constraint, he explained. The challenge confronting us was how to take care of security while not disrupting the supply. The Indian government then devised plans for auditing telecom equipment and boosting indigenous manufacturing. Testing In May 2011, India issued comprehensive guidelines for telecom security. It was mandated that only those elements shall be inducted into Indias telecom network that have been tested according to Indian or International security standards. It was planned that until India gets an in-house testing infrastructure in place, we will rely on testing reports from other countries. But eventually, it is crucial that we test within India, Narain said. International testing was just an interim solution. But seven years later after the guidelines were formulated, India still doesnt have adequate testing equipment in place. DoT has failed in addressing emerging issues, known since 2011, the security official quoted earlier said on the condition anonymity. They promised to install infrastructure in 2013 but they kept on extending the dates. In December 2012, the then minister of communication and information technology Milind Deora told Parliament that from 1st April 2013 the certification [of telecom equipment] shall be got done only from authorized and certified agencies/labs in India. In December 2015, the ministry said that the date was set to April 2016. Most recently, in September, the government again extended the deadline from October 2018 to April 2019. On November 15, the government inaugurated the Security Standards Facility of the National Centre for Communications Security, Department of Telecommunication located in Bengaluru. This Centre will facilitate security testing and certification of equipment, security audits, threat intelligence and reporting of security incidents. Huawei executives said that the company is fully prepared for the testing process in the new lab . But the security official said the facility launched is mundane and doesnt meet Indias requirements. It is like setting up a primary health care centre at a time when we need hospitals with high-end diagnostic machines, the official explained. Narain, the former telecom security chief, said: Bureaucrats and politicians get influenced by people from Cisco, IBM and other vendors. They come and meet them to say that the requirement of security testing labs is unnecessarily creating barriers. DoT did not respond to HTs request for comment. Narain believes that the ultimate solution lies in boosting telecom manufacturing in India. However good labs you may establish, however good equipment you may have, it is impossible to screen out millions of equipment to test each and every one of them that no hardware or software bug is there. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The vice chancellor of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, has landed himself in a controversy by asking students to commit murder if they get into a fight. Addressing students at an event at a college in Ghazipur, Professor Rajaram Yadav, the vice chancellor, said, Yuwa chahta wahi hota hai jo chattano me pair marta hai to pani nikalta hai. Chhatra jo apne jeevan me sanklap leta hai aur use pura karta hai usi ko Purvanchal university ka chhatra kahte hai. (Youth student is the one who brings out water just by kicking a rock. The student who fulfils the resolution he takes in his life, is known as a student of Purvanchal University.) Continuing his speech, he said that if the students ever get into a fight, they should not get beaten up and go to him, instead, they should beat up the other person and if possible murder that person. Yadi app Purvanchal University ke chhatra hai to mere paas kabhi rote huye mat anna. Yadi kisi se jhagda ho jay to uski pitai karke ana, bas chale to murder karke ana, uske baad ham dekh lenge (If you are a student of Purvanchal university, dont come to me crying. If you get into a fight with someone, beat up that person. If possible murder him, we will take care of things after that.) Watch | Kill, Ill take care of it later: Purvanchal vice chancellor tells students Prof Yadavs speech came in for criticism from various political parties. Congress leader Shailendra Singh said that the position of a vice chancellor is an important one and a person holding such a post should not make such statements. What lesson does he want to give to the students by making such a statements?, Singh asked. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Manoj Rai Dhupchandi said, This is a highly objectionable comment. Vice chancellor motivates students to do well in education. But Purvanchal University VC is motivating them to get into hooliganism. This is very disappointing. Action should be taken against the vice chancellor. Polling to the seats of 8,913 sarpanches and 37,077 panches in Punjab began on Sunday across Punjabs rural belt . Voting is going on at 17, 268 polling booths through ballot papers till 4 pm. Of a total of 13,276 sarpanch and 83,831 panch seats, 4,363 sarpanches and 46,754 panches have been elected unanimously. The State Election Commission (SEC) officials said over 1.27 crore people are eligible to cast their vote in these elections. In some of the polling stations, enthusiastic voters were standing in long queues early in the morning. Pumps have arrived but generators havent, says engineer JS Gill, Engineer-in-chief, CIL (Retd): Navy divers have gone inside. Lets see what is recovered by them. If nothing is recovered, then we'll pump out the water.Pumps have arrived but generators haven't.After generators come,it'll take 5 days to pump out water. #Meghalayaminers pic.twitter.com/qUoLkC1wHm ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 Divers reach bottom of the pit for the first time Divers from the Indian Navy have entered the main pit of the flooded Ksan mine in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills,. Santosh Kumar Singh of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) told HT at the site that if divers manage to get to the bottom of the pit and find the number of lateral rat-holes there, it will be a major breakthrough. After the initial two days, we figured out that the water level was not going down and we could not go beyond 30 feet of the 70 feet of water. So if Navy divers get details of the bottom of the pit and the number of rat-holes, that will be very useful for the operation. Indian Navy diver, NDRF personnel enter mine shaft A team leader from the Indian Navy and NDRF personnel went inside a 370-foot-deep mine. The Navy divers and their equipment arrived at the site around 1.30 pm Sunday after which the Navy personnel started measuring the actual level of the water in the mine shaft. The 10 pumps brought by the rescue team from Odisha have been kept on standby. Meanwhile, the divers have also been kept on standby, the officials said. The rat holes are said to be at the bottom of the 350 feet main pit The rat holes are said to be at the bottom of the 350 feet main pit which was earlier filled with about 70 feet water. A 18 member navy team has come with equipment A navy diver at the rescue site who wishes to remain anonymous said the 18 member navy team has come equipped with diving sets, remotely operated vehicles, re compression chambers among other equipment. In these conditions we can dive up to 45 meters but it will be dangerous for us to get into rat holes at the bottom for sharp edges could damage diving suites, air pipes and put in danger the life of the diver, he said. As a first step, a boat has been lowered into the shaft. The navy personnel has put a 60 metre iron rope inside to measure the depth of the water, according to this navy diver. A 18 member navy team has come with equipment ( HT Photo ) Rescue operations have resumed Rescue operations have resumed. All 10 pumps have been put in place. Navy divers are suiting up to go in. Diving equipment to be brought to the site soon The IAF helicopter transporting sophisticated diving equipment of the Navy landed at a football ground here. The machines are to be shortly transported to the accident site, 37 km from here, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sylvester Nongtynger told PTI. Pumps cant be started before navy team dives: Odisha fire service officer Sukanta Sethi Odisha fire service officer Sukanta Sethi said pumps cannot be started before navy team dives because the pump may fill the pit with smoke. Once the divers come out, one pump will be lowered inside and two others on the surface. Its a very challenging and difficult operation:Station Officer Administration officials saying its a Sunday, fewer people are available. Its a very challenging and difficult operation says Tapan Kumar Mohanty. Odisha fire service demand carriage to help lower pump into the pit Tapan Kumar Mohanty, station officer says Odisha fire service have demanded a carriage from the district administration to help lower their pump inside the pit. The pump can work up to 21 feet above water and is not submersible. The carriage hasnt been arranged yet. Pumps havent started operating yet The water pumps have not yet started pumping out water as thee divers havent entered the pit. Water pumps have not started pumping out water yet. ( HT Photo ) NDRF trying to lower a boat inside the pit to use it as a platform for diving NDRF is trying to lower a boat inside the pit. The navy divers will use it as a platform for diving. NDRF trying to lower a boat inside the pit to use it as a platform for diving ( HT Photo ) Navy divers launch operation to rescue 15 miners Navy divers on Sunday launched an operation to find 15 men trapped for more than two weeks in a flooded rat-hole coal mine in remote northeast India, police said, reports Agence France Presse. A three-member team of Indian Navy visited the site yesterday: NDRF National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Assistant Commandant Santosh Kumar Singh, who is overseeing operations at the rat hole coal mine. said a three-member team of the Indian Navy visited the site. Neither Odisha nor Navy teams have arrived at the spot yet: NDRF Neither Odisha nor Navy teams have arrived at the spot yet, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Assistant Commandant Santosh Kumar Singh told Hindustan Times. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The rescue operations for the 15 trapped miners were delayed on Sunday morning as the Indian Navy divers and Odisha Fire Services teams were yet to arrive at the spot. Neither Odisha nor Navy has arrived at the spot yet, NDRF assitant commandant Santosh Kumar Singh told Hindustan Times. On Saturday, a three-member advance team of the Indian Navy had visited the site and had conducted a recce of the site and the mine. The three-member team included an officer and two clearance divers. A 21-member team from the Odisha Fire Service contingent had also visited the site. They did a recce of the spot, spent 30 minutes inside the main pit. They also held a meeting with us and are likely to start operations tomorrow. Now that they are here we will assist them, Santosh Kumar Singh had said on Saturday. Watch: India navy divers join search for trapped miners in Meghalaya He also said that the water level within the mine had not changed and was stable at 176 metres. While the Odisha Fire Service will help drain the mine, the Navy divers will enter the mine to look for the trapped miners. The rescue operations to help the miners had begun on December 14 but had to be stopped as the pumps that had been installed were not powerful enough to drain the mines. The state government had then sought help from the Centre following which high-powered pumps and a team was dispatched from Odisha. People from about 40 villages in Uttarakhands Pauri Garhwal district have threatened to boycott the 2019 Lok Sabha elections if water crisis in their area is not solved. The villagers from Kot block held a protest outside the district magistrates office on Friday, demanding a drinking water scheme. The villagers want a separate drinking water scheme for their area. They are now provided water under Ramkund drinking water scheme but that is not sufficient to meet needs of all the villages, said Pauri Garhwal district magistrate Sushil Kumar. The administration has sent a draft of the new scheme to the state government in November after changes in the initial draft; we are waiting for funds to be cleared. Shipal Singh Chauhan, a villager who participated in the protest, said their area has not been getting drinking water for months. We want work on Ramkund drinking water system to start at the earliest, he said. We met the district administration officials and they have assured us that our problems will be solved. But we are being given such false promises for a long time now. If our demand is not met, we might boycott the Lok Sabha elections. Minister for drinking water and sanitation Prakash Pant said poll boycott threat was only a way to pressure the government. We are working on the revised scheme as the initial draft was not as per the permitted per capita cost. The villagers are getting water even now, but there has been reduction in inflow of water from the source, Pant said. The project and the work will be finished by March 2019. As per the National Rural Drinking Water Programme, the per capita cost for such projects should be between 20,000 and 22,000. Passengers travelling from Dubai to Lucknow by Air India Express flight IX-194 on Saturday were in for a shock when a male flyer stripped mid-air and started walking down the aisle nude. The flight crew swung into action and wrapped the passenger in a blanket, sources in the airline told ANI. As per the direction of the captain of the flight, the passenger was handed over to airlines security at Lucknow Airport where investigation is underway, an Air India Express spokesman told ANI According to the sources, two crew members held him and kept him seated on the flight, which had over 150 passengers on board. The provocation for such an act by the passenger was not clear. The vice chancellor of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, found himself in the eye of the storm on Sunday after he was seen in a video allegedly asking students to beat up the other person if they got into a fight and, if possible, murder that person, instead of coming to him. As the alleged statement caused an outcry, Professor Rajaram Yadav, the vice chancellor, issued a clarification, blaming the media for distorting his statement. He said: My statement was intended at motivating students and boosting their confidence. I also tried to inculcate zeal and encouraged them towards their goals. Fighting for ones right, if he is correct, is not wrong. He should not pull back. I am firm on my stand. I will keep filling fresh zeal in the students to make them brave in order that they can deal with the odds and work hard for achieving their goals, Yadav denied saying, Dont come crying to me. In case of a fight with anyone, beat up him. Earlier in the day, Yadav was quoted as telling students at an event at a college in Ghazipur on Friday, Yuva chhatra wahi hota hai jo chattano me pair marta hai to pani nikalta hai. Chhatra jo apne jeevan me sanklap leta hai aur use pura karta hai usi ko Purvanchal university ka chhatra kahte hai. (Youth student is the one who brings out water just by kicking a rock. The student who fulfils the resolution and imbibes it in his his life, is known as a student of Purvanchal University.) Continuing his speech, he was quoted as saying that if the students ever get into a fight, they should not get beaten up and go to him, instead, they should beat up the other person and if possible murder that person. The video of his statement was widely shared on the social media on Saturday and the vice chancellor came in for sharp criticism from political parties. Congress leader Shailendra Singh said, The post of vice chancellor is a highly respected one. This is an offensive statement. What lesson he wants to give to the students by making such a statement. Congress leader Ajay Rai said that vice chancellor should be removed. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Manoj Rai Dhupchandi said, This is highly objectionable comment. Vice chancellor is motivating them for getting into hooliganism. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik on Sunday called for an explanation from vice chancellor of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, Professor Rajaram Yadav, said people familiar with the matter at the Raj Bhawan. Both the BJP as well as the Congress have issued whips to their MPs to be present in Parliament on December 31. While the BJP whip went out to its Rajya Sabha MPs, the Congress issued a three-line whip to its Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs asking them to be present in Parliament on Monday, ANI reported. A whip had been issued by the BJP on Wednesday as well, directing its MPs to be present in Lok Sabha on Thursday, when the Triple Talaq Bill was tabled in the Lower House. The Triple Talaq bill is listed in the Rajya Sabhas legislative agenda for Monday. It was passed in the Lok Sabha with 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it amid a walkout by the Opposition parties. The Congress has said that it will not allow the passage of the proposed bill in its current form. The BJP is in a minority in the Upper House and is likely to face difficulties in getting the bill passed. Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The opposition has demanded that the bill be sent to a joint select panel for review before it is passed by Parliament. The bill was passed in Lok Sabha on Thursday after the government rejected the Oppositions contention that it was aimd at targeting a particular community. Prasad had said there should be no politics on the bill, and had stressed that it was not against any particular community. Following grenade attack at Jammu bus stand on the intervening night on Friday and Saturday, suspected militants opened fire at an army camp in Ratnuchak area of Jammu on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday before fleeing from the spot. The army has launched a massive search operation in the area. In Ratnuchak Military Station, a suspicious movement was noticed by the sentry on duty around 0150 hours today (1.50 am on Sunday). The suspects were challenged but they did not stop, thereafter warning shots were fired by the sentry. The suspects fired back at the sentry and rushed out of sight. The search operation is still on, said Defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand. A grenade blast had rocked Jammu Bus Stand on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. Suspected terrorists had hurled a grenade near Bus Stand police station that exploded around 12:20 am on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday in the temple city, said a police official. Suspected militants have looted four rifles from the official residence of Congress legislator, Mohammad Muzuffar Parray in Srinagar after allegedly overpowering a security guard. The senior Congress leader, who was not present in the house then as he is in winter capital Jammu along with his family since a month now, said that Srinagars senior superintendent of police told him that the weapons were looted by unidentified persons from his official residence J- 37 at Jawahar Nagar and police had taken his personal security officers (PSOs) into custody for questioning. Sources said that one of the PSOs had told senior officials that unidentified gunmen came to the residence and took away four weapons, all AK 47 rifles, after overpowering him. I was informed by police about this incident. I dont know how security officials could be so irresponsible. They are even risking our life along with lives of our families by sending guards who are so irresponsible. The police should first do proper verification of their men and then send them for guarding the legislators and other leaders, said Parray. A senior police officer said the case is being investigated and PSOs are being questioned. We are looking into all the angles. This is the second time when weapons have been looted from the official residence of any legislator in the state. In September, seven AK rifles and a pistol were stolen by legislator Ajaz Ahmad Mirs PSO Adil Bashir from his official residence at Jawahar Nagar. Mir was also not present at the official residence and was in Jammu then. Later Bashir joined militant ranks and handed over all the weapons to them. Earlier in October, unidentified gunmen snatched two weapons from policemen guarding a retired police officers house in central Kashmirs Budgam district. On September 30, militants had managed to snatch an AK 47 rifle after attacking a police station in south Kashmirs Shopian district in which 23-year-old policeman, Saqib Mir, was killed. Government data presented in the state assembly in January this year shows that 149 guns and 102 tear gas shells and grenades were looted by militants in Jammu and Kashmir in the past three years out of which 76 were recovered. In May this year, Jammu and Kashmir police blamed the overuse of smartphones by its personnel for the rise in the number of incidents of weapon snatching across the strife-torn state and banned their use during duty hours, especially by sentries. The order issued by the additional director general of police (armed) had also introduced a number of dos and donts to be followed by policemen, including chaining their weapons to their belts. The guards were also required to introduce improvised alarm system and remain available round the clock in guardrooms in a state of alertness and in proper uniform during day-time. In another instance of mob violence against police in Uttar Pradesh, three policemen and an elderly woman were injured on Sunday as protests against the murder of a five-year-old girl allegedly by a minor in Lucknow turned violent. This was the third instance of policemen in the state being targeted this month. On December 3, police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was killed in mob violence triggered by the recovery of several cow carcasses in Bulandshahr district, while on Saturday, police constable Suresh Kumar Vats was killed and several others were injured as a protest by Nishad Party workers turned violent in Ghazipur, barely 15 kilometres from the venue of a rally addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same day. The girl, the daughter of a ragpicker-cum-scrap dealer, was murdered on Friday afternoon but her body stuffed in a sack and dumped in a drain in the Akbarnagar slums of Mahanagar area was found on Sunday morning, police said. A case was registered and the 14-year-old boy was taken into custody while his father and elder brother were arrested. The girls family alleged the girl was raped but no external injury was found on the private parts of the girl, the post-mortem report said. According to the report, death was caused due to throttling and laceration marks were also visible on the throat. Vaginal swab has been sent for test to confirm whether she was sexually assaulted, district police spokesman Anil Kumar Singh said. Protesting the incident, the girls family, along with other slum dwellers, blocked the Faizabad Road. The mob turned violent when police tried to disperse it. The protestors resorted to stone-pelting, injuring three police officers and an elderly woman after which the police carried out a baton charge. Police teams from at least 15 police stations were called to the spot to control the situation, police said. The road remained blocked for three hours and traffic was diverted to other routes. Circle officer, Mahanagar, Santosh Singh said the girl was last seen playing outside her house in the slum area at around 2pm on Friday and had been missing since thend. He said the girls family suspected the teenagers involvement behind the girls disappearance as he too was missing after the incident. He said the families of the girl and the boy stayed barely at a distance of 20 metres. The CO said the boy, along with his father and elder brother, turned himself in on Saturday evening and confessed to committing the crime. As per the teenagers statement, he strangled the girl in a fit of rage when she hit him with a stick while playing near her house. He stuffed the girls body in a sack and dumped it in the Kukrail drain flowing towards the Paper Mill Colony area and disappeared from his house, the police officer said. The police officer said initial probe suggested the boy was addicted to drinking cough syrups and the possibility of rape could not be ruled out . We have sought a specific opinion from a team of doctors about it and charges of sexual assault will be included in the FIR, if necessary, he said. He said the minor was booked on charges of murder while his father and elder brother, who were aware of the murder, will be booked for concealment of crime. Senior superintendent of police Kalanidhi Naithani too visited the spot to examine the situation and assured the girls family of stern action against the culprits. Even as the police arrested 11 people, the ruling BJP government in Uttar Pradesh came under criticism on Sunday morning in connection with the death of police constable Suresh Vats in stone pelting at Ghazipur on Saturday. Vats had been deployed at Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Ghazipur and was returning from the event when the incident took place. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the incident took place because the Yogi Adityanath government knows only one language, that of violence. Ye ghatna isliye ghati hai kyunki CM sadan mein ho ya manch pe ho unki ek hi bhasha hai thok do. Kabhi police ko nahi samjh aata kise thokna hai kabhi janta ko nahi samajh aata kise thokna hai (This incident took place because the CM, whether he is in the assembly or on a stage, he only talks about violence. Sometimes the police doesnt know who to beat up, other times the public doesnt know who to beat up, Yadav said. Meanwhile, the son of the slain police constable blamed the police for his fathers death. Venting his ire over the Uttar Pradesh Police, VK Singh, the deceased constables son, told ANI, If the police are not able to protect their co-workers then what sort of protection can a common man expect from them. Singh also said that none of the dignitaries who were present at the PMs rally came forward to help. A video of the incident was posted on youtube. One can see when the rally ended, the clashes broke out and near the incident spot several VIPs sitting in their cars were passing. Not even a single dignitary who was passing by stopped the car and tried to resolve the issue. Everybody was concerned about saving their own lives, he said. He further said that by merely giving compensation or providing a government job to the kin of the deceased is not going to curb the problems of crime and violence. Earlier, similar incidents took place in Bulandshahr and Pratapgarh. How can the government compensate for the lost lives? he questioned. Meanwhile, Additional Director General Varanasi Zone PV Rama Sastry said on Sunday that 11 people had been arrested in connection with the stone pelting incident in which police constable Suresh Vats died. Sastry further said that an FIR has been registered against 32 persons by their name and 80 unidentified persons in the incident. Earlier, police sources said that a case has been registered against 12 persons by their name and several unidentified men in connection with police constable Suresh Vatss death in the stone pelting at Kathwa in Ghazipur. Two civilians were also injured in the stone pelting. Taking note of the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced an ex-gratia compensation of 40 lakh for the wife of the deceased. He also directed the police officials and district magistrate to take strict action against the unruly elements and make an immediate arrest in the case. Vats is the second policeman to have died in mob violence this month. UP director general of police OP Singh has said that Saturdays incident had nothing to do with the PMs rally. Singh said the stone pelting was carried out by the Nishad Partys workers who were demanding the release of four of their workers who had been arrested on Saturday morning for blocking the road. Police arrested 19 people on Sunday after 32 protesters were named in a first information report (FIR) over the killing of a policeman during mob violence in Uttar Pradeshs Ghazipur, according to officials. Head constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats (48) was killed on Saturday when protesters threw stones at vehicles returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Vats was hit on the head by a stone when he went to clear a traffic jam. The protesters allegedly belonged to the Nishad Party, a two-year-old political group. They turned violent while demanding the release of four members of the party who were arrested over a blockade. The head constables son said on Sunday that the police were unable to protect their own. What should we expect from the police if there are not able to protect their own people? VP Singh said. What will we do with compensation? I lost my father. Such incidents have happened earlier in Pratapgarh and Bulandshahr. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state over the violence, saying law and order in the state had deteriorated. Whether in the House or on a dais at a public meeting, the chied minister always speaks the same language and gives the same message - thok do - (eliminate in an encounter), he said at a news conference. The incident comes less than a month after the killing of inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr district. He was shot dead during mob violence over alleged cow slaughter. The man who allegedly shot the Bulandshahr inspector was arrested last week. In another incident of mob violence in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, protestors threw stones at policemen, injuring three men in uniform and an elderly woman, after the murder of a five-year-old girl allegedly by a 14-year-old girl came to light in the Akbarnagar slums of Lucknows Mahanagar area. Apart from naming 32 protesters, the FIR in the Ghazipur violence also refers to 80 unidentified people for throwing stones during Saturdays violence. The death of Head Const. Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Gajipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will b taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law, UP director general of police OP Singh tweeted. Additional director general of police PV Rama Sastry said that according to doctors, the cause of the policemans death was head injury. However, the post mortem report is awaited. Union railway minister Piyush Goyal said the incident was unfortunate and that strict action would be taken against those involved in the incident. He said the law and order situation was at its worst during the Samajwadi Party rule in the state and it improved under the BJP regime. Superintendent of Police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh said the police were trying to identify other protesters by scanning video footage of the incident. Chief minister Adityanath has announced a compensation of ~40 lakh for the wife of Vats and ~10 lakh for his parents, the state government said. (With PTI inputs) The Congress on Sunday sought to turn the tables on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the AgustaWestland VIP helicopter deal, saying that it will investigate the alleged nexus between the company and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government when it comes to power in 2019. The opposition party alleged that it was the Modi government that removed AgustaWestland and its parent group Finmeccanica from the list of blacklisted companies and allowed it to bid for 100 helicopters for the Indian Navy. Today, the ED [Enforcement Directorate] may save the Modi government but when it is voted out of power in 2019, we are fully committed to investigating the nexus between Prime Minister Modi and his government, Congresss chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters. The remarks came a day after ED told a Delhi court that Christian Michel James, the suspected middleman in the AgustaWestland bribery case, was misusing legal access. He was handing his lawyers notes on how he should deal with questions on a Mrs Gandhi and a certain son of the Italian lady who could be the Prime Minister, ED said. The purported claim triggered a war of words between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the BJP alleged that the references were to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the Opposition party accused the government of misusing agencies to smear the Gandhi family. A statement made before police has no evidentiary value in the court of law. Secondly, we have nothing to do with a conversation between a lawyer and a client. If there is any evidence, why dont they [government] place that in the public domain? Why are they hiding behind fake innuendoes? Actually, they are hiding their own misdeeds and wrongdoings by such insinuations and innuendoes, Surjewala said. But they will face investigation and the link between Modi and AgustaWestland will be probed for sure when the government changes in 2019. In July 2018, he said media reports had elaborated as to how Christian Michels lawyer and his sister, Rosemary Patrizi Dos Anjos, revealed that the Indian Prime Minister and ED pressurised him to make false and fabricated statements against the Congress leadership while he knew nobody in the Gandhi-Nehru family. Former finance minister P Chidambaram also took a dig at the government, ED and the media over the new improved system of trying cases and pronouncing judgments without evidence. If the government, ED and the media have their way, in this country, cases will be tried on TV channels. Further, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act will not apply. What the ED says will be oral evidence, any piece of paper that the ED produces will be documentary evidence and what the TV channel pronounces will be the judgment, he said on Twitter. Even kangaroo courts hold trials in a courtroom. Our new improved system will surpass kangaroo courts and deliver justice on TV channels, he added. Surjewala alleged that the Prime Minister was trying to hide his own misdeeds as he is the protector, benefactor and promoter of AgustaWestland. We [UPA] initiated the investigation into the chopper deal in 2013. An FIR was also lodged. We were even ready for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe but the BJP backed out, he said. He said the Modi government permitted blacklisted company AgustaWestland to get clearances from Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) and permit its entry as partner or sub-contractor to various Indian companies. Surjewala said the ban on AgustaWestland and Finmeccanica was revoked by the Modi government despite a pending Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case and also the violation of the integrity clause, for which its contract was terminated. Not only this, Modi government sought a special opinion from its attorney general in July 2014 and permitted Agusta Westland/Finmeccanica to be part of Make in India and bid for 100 Naval utility helicopters besides clearing its investment proposals through FIPB for the manufacture of AW119 helicopters, he said. The Congress leader asked the Prime Minister how his government lost all the cases in international courts against AgustaWestland and why it did not file appeals. Members of the Amroha-based ISIS-inspired terror module used the pretext of charity and religious activities to collect funds for their nefarious activities, suggested initial probe by National Investigation Agency (NIA). The Lucknow-based woman, who was interrogated over terror funding, too revealed that she gave 2.5 lakh to terror module mastermind Mufti Mohammed Suhail in the name of the charity by selling her jewellery . A police official assisting the NIA in the probe confirmed that the module mastermind Mufti Mohammed Suhail and nine others arrested from Amroha, Hapur and Delhi collected funds from different people in the name of charity and helping poor people. He said Suhail and other members confirmed during interrogation that they visited different places and approached rich families to collect funds. He said more than five other people of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh were suspected of funding Mufti in the name of charity and other religious activities. The investigation agencies are verifying whether these people funded the terror module knowingly or unknowingly, he added. The official said the 45-year-old Lucknow woman who was quizzed with her 17-year-old son for hours twice on Wednesday and Thursday, had revealed during interrogation that she sold the jewellery in a shop near Akbari Gate in Lucknow to fund Mufti. He said Mufti had met the woman during his visit to the madarsa in Billauchpura locality of Lucknow where her son has been studying for the past few years. He said the mother and the son belonged to a rich family and had business of plastic and iron products in Yahiaganj locality. He said the woman denied having any knowledge of Muftis involvement into terror activities and gave him money only for charity. Although the woman is suspected of having knowledge of Muftis intention she was not arrested as there are no substantial evidences to establish it later in court, he stated. Other than the woman, one of the 10 arrested members, Anas had funded the module by stealing and selling jewellery of his family members, he said . The official said the arrested members revealed that their online handlers had told them that using charity money for other purposes and money earned with wrong means was not acceptable in their religion but it was justified if it was done in the name of Jihad . Mufti was arrested from a madarsa in Amroha after which three others were arrested from the same district, one from Hapur and five others from Delhi during subsequent raids at 17 places in UP and Delhi by the NIA and UPs Anti Terror Squad. He said the NIA had also seized over 7.5 lakh and a huge haul of objectionable items and explosives from their possession. The probe had revealed that a Pakistani named Huzaifa was the key handler of Mufti and other members of the Amroha-based terror module. A senior official said Huzaifa had only radicalised Mufti online by seeing his extremist posts on social media. He said the handler later shared terror literature and techniques to prepare pipe bombs and rocket launchers. Huzaifa gave them tricks to generate funds and other materials for their nefarious activities, he added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON For leather exporter Hemant Chabbra, 57, moving from Mumbai to Vikramgad in Palghar was an almost-overnight decision, in 2012. I had a farm there and I realised that I was restless and just not happy when I came back after my weekend getaways, he says. I woke up one morning and told my wife I wanted to shift. She didnt throw a fit or think I was crazy. So we decided to do it. The Chabbras now run a 5-acre organic farm where they grow rice, millets, mangoes, star fruit and vegetables and rent out a portion of their house as a B&B called The Hideout. Weve cut out all processed and packaged food, Hemant says. The idea was to surrender to nature and create a sustainable lifestyle. Of their three children, two live on the farm 9-year-old Ayana and Aditya, 26, who left his life as a hairstylist in Mumbai to move here last year. The biggest challenge, says Hemant, was taking the plunge, but it was also the most exciting part. Leaving everything behind and running a farm has been a journey of unlearning the city life. He and his wife now run a small business too, providing eco-friendly bags to fashion brands like FabIndia. That means I have to head back into the city, but I have fixed timings for phone calls and make sure I spend most of my time enjoying the company of my family in the lap of nature. After returning from studying the global waste problem at the World Health Organisation in Geneva, Sahar Mansoor decided to re-evaluate her life, and ended up making most of her consumer goods at home. She now runs a personal and homecare brand called Bare Necessities. In Bangalore, 27-year-old Sahar Mansoor was so dejected by the garbage problem she began to notice around her after she returned from studying the global waste problem at the World Health Organisation in Geneva in 2015, that she decided to slash waste and has ended up making most of her consumer goods at home. I felt like I need to change how I lived and was inspired by my grandmother, who could whip up everything from food to cosmetics in her kitchen, Mansoor says. She now makes her own toothpaste, shampoo and kohl and launched a personal and homecare brand called Bare Necessities in 2016. Its turned into a way of life for me, she says. I realised that I enjoyed slowing down, finding new alternatives for what I wore, used and ate. For Mumbai-based writer and voice-over artist Tanya Siqueira, 36, slowing down has meant ridding her life of clutter. I was shopping unnecessarily and hoarding things that I would never use. It had four or five closets of home linen, 10 sleeping bags between my husband and me, and over 100 pair of shoes, she recalls. Since August this year, Siqueira has not bought a single new garment or accessory. The idea is to change your lifestyle just enough to notice what you already have, she says. She has given away and recycled things she was not using, brought down the number of shoes to 20 pairs, and got rid of all but two handbags. In the beginning I would wonder whether I would be bored wearing the same garments over and over, and whether people would point it out to me. But heres what I have learntno one cares! she laughs. Its how society and peer pressure has caused to live under pressure to fit under a particular kind of label, but once you slow it down, you realize what really matters. A vegetarian sausage may seem a contradiction in terms to many, but not so for a Briton on holiday in India: he called up the British high commission in New Delhi to ask when the counter opens so that he could buy the delicacy. Nearly a million British nationals visit India every year for holiday and other purposes, but during 2018, the diplomatic mission in Chanakyapuri received what the Foreign and Commonwealth Office termed one of the oddest inquiries. Britons have passionate views on whether their embassies and high commissions abroad are helpful or not, but the unnamed citizen on a visit to New Delhi was most likely not amused at the response, given the rarity of the dish, if it exists at all. Since its the time of the year to compile lists, the Foreign Office released one comprising 10 most unusual inquiries its posts received from Britons abroad. And the request for vegetarian sausages that the Briton had heard the mission in India purportedly sold is right up there. A Foreign Office spokesperson took time off year-end revelries to say: I can regretfully confirm that the Foreign Office isnt able to offer advice on vampires or rogue stray cats. And our capacity to deploy veggie sausages remains sadly lacking. But in all seriousness, getting into trouble abroad can be daunting and upsetting. If you find yourself in an emergency in another country, contact the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate and our consular staff will do everything they can to help. Among the oddest inquiries Britons asked their missions abroad were: - A man requesting that British diplomats speak to a massage parlour in Bangkok on his behalf, as he fell asleep during a massage and felt he shouldnt have to pay for it. - A man asking where he should send a 5-foot piece of wood that hed found on a beach that he thought may be from a British warship from the 1700s. - A person in Italy asking the embassy to help arrange their wedding, recommend a florist and get them tickets to see the Pope. - A caller in the Canary Islands requesting that diplomats persuade his hotel to give him a different room as a stray cat had broken into his existing one and peed on his bed. - A man inquiring if there were vampires in Poland because a woman he met online asked what blood type he was before they met for their first date. - A man in Kuwait asking if any of the diplomatic staff wanted to adopt his puppies. - A caller asking if diplomats could provide a list of women in Argentina who he might be able to marry. During 2018, the spokesperson added that more than 330,000 calls were received from British people abroad who needed help, including over 3,400 people who had been hospitalised and 4,900 who had been arrested; 29,600 emergency travel documents were issued to those who lost their passports. Tropical Storm Usman, which entered the Philippines on Christmas Day, has killed at least 16 people as it churned across several provinces, triggering floods and landslides and forcing thousands to flee to safer grounds. The storm has displaced at least 17,000 people in the Bicol region in the southern part of the Philippines main Luzon island. Three died in Albay province due to a landslide, while seven more were killed in Masbate, most of them drowning, the regions civil defense office said in a statement. Six more deaths were reported from Sorsogon and Camarines Sur provinces. More than 6,600 people are stranded in various ports, while Cebu Air Inc. and Philippine Airlines Inc. canceled more than a dozen flights from Dec. 27 to 29. Pedestrians and vehicles move along a flooded street after a tropical depression descended upon Daet, Camarines Norte, the Philippines. (REUTERS) Usman hit Philippine waters on Dec. 25 and gathered strength as it moved slowly before making landfall in the central province of Eastern Samar. While the storm has been downgraded to a low-pressure system, monsoon rain may still trigger floods and landslides, the weather bureau said. About 20 cyclones pass through disaster-prone Philippines each year. President Donald Trump has come under criticism for blaming Democrats for the death of two migrant children in the custody of US authorities over the past few weeks as the partial shut down of the federal government entered the ninth with signs it is likely to continue into next year. The president also misrepresented the father of one the two children and blame him for the death. Earlier in the week, the president had cited the killing of an Indian-origin police officer Ronil Singh in California by an illegal immigrant for garnering support for a border wall, a dispute over whose funding, between him and Democrats has shut down a fourth of the federal government. Jakelin Caal Maquin, a 7-year-old girl from Guatemala, died December 6 in the custody of US border authorities just hours after being taken into custody along with her father for crossing into the United States illegally through the border with Mexico. Few days later, on Christmas Eve, Felipe Gomez Alonzo, an eight-year-old boy also from Guatemala, died in US custody. He and his father had been apprehended a week before. Authorities are investigating the deaths but have said, pending final outcome, Maquin was badly dehydrated and Felipe was diagnosed with influenza. The girls family has alleged that they had been denied water four hours while in custody, while border officials have disputed that account and said food and water were made available to them and the girl had had both after days of having none. As outrage swelled over the deaths, US authorities stepped up medical screening of children in their custody along the border. And the White House initially, after Jakelins death, dismissed any responsibility and sought to blame it on those undertaking the long and dangerous journey. Also read | How a UK plane spotter cracked the secret of Donald Trumps Iraq visit President Trump sought to blame Democrats in his first comments on the deaths. Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! he wrote on Twitter. In a continuing post he wrote, The two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadnt given her water in days. Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit! The presidents attempt to deflect blame was seen as politicizing the deaths, and Democrats responded angrily. Obviously nothing is too low or cruel for you, Senator Mazie Hirono, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter. A collective New Years wish: For the sake of our country, you can stop now. And US congressman Joaquin Castro, who is slated to take over the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, posted this on the microblogging site: You slander Jakelins memory and re-traumatize her family by spreading lies about why she died. You dont deserve to represent our nation at any level. The president and Democrats are in a stalemate on funding for the border wall that Trump had promised to build as a candidate. He has sought $5 billion, and is willing to come down, but Democrats want to allocate only $1.3 billion, for boosting border security, not the wall. The administration is not calling it a wall anymore though. Trump has said it will be made of steel-slats, and his outgoing chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview, the administration gave up on a concrete wall a long time ago. The president still says wall - oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended toward steel slats, Kelly told LA times. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. - we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. Read | Donald Trump tries to deflect blame for migrant childrens deaths, claims they were very sick Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte drew outrage Sunday after saying he touched his maid when he was a teenager, with womens rights groups accusing him of attempted rape and encouraging sexual abuse. Duterte frequently sparks uproar with his comments on women, including rape jokes and boasting about adultery. In his latest remarks, Duterte recounted a confession he had with a priest in high school, detailing how he had entered the room of his maid while she was sleeping. I lifted the blanket... I tried to touch what was inside the panty, Duterte said in a speech late Saturday. I was touching. She woke up. So I left the room. Duterte recounted telling the priest that he had then returned to the maids room and again tried to molest her. Womens rights political party Gabriela denounced Dutertes repulsive comments and called for him to resign, saying he had confessed to attempted rape. Rape does not happen only through penile insertion. If it is a finger or an object it is considered rape, said Joms Salvador, secretary general of Gabriela. Responding to the criticism, Dutertes spokesman said Sunday that the president had made up and added and spliced the story. He has made up a laughable anecdote to dramatise the fact of sexual abuse that was inflicted on him and his fellow students when they were in high school, said Salvador Panelo. Duterte, 73, made the remarks as he blasted the Catholic Church over allegations of sexually abusing children. The president, who brands the church the most hypocritical institution in the mainly Catholic nation, said Saturday that he and his classmates at school were molested during confession. It was his latest tirade against bishops and priests who have been critical of his drug war which has left more than 5,000 people dead, according to official figures. Duterte and his aides often dismiss his controversial statements about women as a joke or insist they are taken out of context. Duterte provoked fury in 2016 when during an election campaign speech he said he had wanted to rape a beautiful Australian missionary who had been murdered in a Philippine prison riot. Womens advocates said Dutertes latest comments endangered domestic workers. More than a million Filipinos work abroad as domestic workers, according to the labour ministry. Flaunting abusive practices encourages the rape culture and in this case, sexual abuse of domestic workers, said Jean Enriquez, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific. Police fired tear gas at yellow vest demonstrators in Paris on Saturday but the turnout for round seven of the popular protests that have rocked France appeared low. Several hundred people wearing the symbolic hi-visibility vests had gathered near the offices of several state-run television stations and the BFM TV channel in the centre of the capital shouting Fake news and calling for the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron. Protesters spilled onto tram lines and lobbed projectiles at police who replied with tear gas grenades and detained several people. Several cars were also set alight outside the offices of the Le Parisien newspaper, although a fire service spokesman said it was not clear if the blaze was linked to the protests. Tear gas was also fired in Nantes, western France, and protests were expected in Lyon, Bordeaux and Toulouse. In the southern city of Marseille, police said around 1,000 protesters turned out, amid cries of Macron out. The official turnout numbers have plunged with the passing weeks, with police saying some 12,000 had joined Saturdays rally by midday. The government recorded 38,600 demonstrators on December 22 compared to 282,000 for the first major demonstrations on November 17. But leading figures within the movement that has flourished outside of trade union and political groups, say the low numbers are due to the holiday season and January will bring a resurgence of the street protests. The focus of the protests has morphed from anger over fuel taxes to a broad rebuke of Macron, accused by critics of neglecting the rising costs of living for many in rural and small-town France. We want to get our purchasing power back and have a say in the decisions, said Priscillia Ludosky, who launched the yellow vest petition against fuel price hikes. Government tax concessions to boost disposable income among the low paid are not enough, Ludosky said in Marseille. The movement has increasingly targeted Macron and 40 yellow vests on Thursday tried to storm the medieval fort of Bregancon that serves as his official summer retreat on the Mediterranean before being turned back by police. Die-hard yellow vest supporters believe the movement will live on in 2019 and plans are underway for New Years Eve protests. Nearly 8,000 people are listed on Facebook as intending to attend, insisting it will be festive and non-violent. Paris officials said preparations would continue for a fireworks display and sound and light show on the Champs-Elysee, the epicentre of repeated violent action against the government, with the Arc de Triomphe ransacked on December 1. Tens of thousands of tourists and locals traditionally ring in the new year on the wide shopping boulevard, which rises to the Arc monument. This week two employees accused of racial profiling have been fired from their posts at a Portland hotel. It was last weekend at the city's DoubleTree by Hilton hotel that Jermaine Massey, a guest of the hotel, was kicked out after being confronted by two employees while speaking on the phone. Massey says that he had just returned from a Travis Scott concert and was attempting to return a missed call from his mother while downstairs in the hotel lobby. He stepped off into a secluded area in the lobby for privacy but was soon interrupted by hotel security. The guard, Earl Meyer, asked Massey if he was guest. Despite confirming that he was, Meyer asked Massey to leave the hotel citing a safety threat. Law enforcement was soon called on the scene and Massey was eventually escorted out of the hotel. According to Massey, the hotel manager called the police before he could even explain that he was a guest. "The manager who actually called the cops, 'Luis' actually asked me AFTER he called the cops, what happened?," Massy wrote in an Instagram caption. "They already had in their minds that they didnt want me there so I waited for the cops to show up and when they did, I explained my side of the story and they didnt want to hear it. They asked me if I had personal items in my room (which of course I did) and asked me to go retrieve them. They told me that since the hotel requested me to leave, that if I didnt I would be considered a trespasser and would be thrown in jail. I complied and cooperated and was not issued a refund for my room. I packed my stuff and went to another hotel." Shortly after the incident went viral, the DoubleTree Portland announced that they had terminated the two employees involved. "Their actions were inconsistent with our standards & values," wrote the hotel on Twitter. "We reiterate our sincere apology for what he endured & will work with diversity experts to ensure this never happens again." Kevin Spacey was spotted out in public for the first time in over a year on Friday just days after he was formally charged with felony sexual assault from an alleged incident that took place in 2016. The 59-year-old actor was spotted getting into a minivan while leaving a rehearsal space on Friday while wearing a scarf and beanie that covered most of his face. Image via Splash News It's the first sighting of the disgraced Oscar winner since November 2017. Earlier in the week, Spacey uploaded a video on his social media accounts in which he indirectly addressed his sexual assault allegations. Some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all, Spacey says in the video while bizarrely wearing a holiday-themed apron. 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? he adds. Only you and I both know its never that simple, not in politics and not in life. 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. His charges come one year after a former Boston TV news anchor accused Spacey of assaulting her son at a bar in July 0f 2016. In police reports, the now 20-year old man says that Spacey reached into his pants and repeatedly touched his genitals in a Nantucket bar. Spacey is set to be arraigned on January 7th on charges of assault and battery. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump issued an order Friday to freeze federal employee salary rates at current levels in 2019, although a chance remains that employees will still receive a raise. Trump's order was expected since he has advocated a freeze all year. It however was necessary under the complex law governing federal pay to prevent a large raise from taking effect by default, due to Congress not making a decision regarding a raise. The order comes as some 800,000 federal employees, out of a workforce of 2.1 million, are in unpaid status due to the partial government shutdown that now has lasted a week and is virtually guaranteed to last at least a number of days more. Of those, about 380,000 have been furloughed while the rest are still on the job, although without pay, due to the nature of their work. "This is just pouring salt into the wound," National Treasury Employees Union president Tony Reardon said in a statement. "It is shocking that federal employees are taking yet another financial hit. As if missed paychecks and working without pay were not enough, now they have been told that they don't even deserve a modest pay increase." Trump's order only applies to civilian workers. Military personnel, which are covered under a separate funding measure, will receive a 2.6 percent raise. The order is the latest in a long series of back and forth developments regarding a raise. After Trump's original proposal for a freeze in an early-year budget plan, the House passed a measure that in effect consented, by making no mention of a raise. But the Senate then passed a counterpart favoring an average 1.9 percent increase, with some variation by locality. Trump followed with a letter to Congress stating his intention to impose a freeze if legislators did not act by the end of the calendar year. For a time it appeared that the House would agree to the Senate's proposed raise, but the two chambers never produced a bill resolving the issue. Trump's order is not necessarily the final word, however. Even before the partial shutdown hit, one of the main Senate advocates for paying a raise, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., had raised the prospect of attempting to pass a raise early in the new Congress that convenes Jan. 3, saying that "it should be the first order of business when we return." Federal employee pay raises are effective with the start of the first full biweekly pay period of a year, which in this case will start Jan. 6, leaving little time for enactment of a raise by then. However, raises have been paid retroactively - most recently in both 2003 and 2004 when final agency funding similarly hadn't been resolved until past the start of the new year. In both cases, a raise had been paid by default in early January but was overridden by a larger one contained in a later full-year appropriations bill. The Senate initially approved a 1.9 percent raise for 2019 on a strong bipartisan vote although it rejected a bid by Van Hollen and others to include it in a measure to temporarily continue funding for agencies whose regular budgets have not been enacted. With Democrats set to take control of the House on Jan. 3, the House is considered more likely to back a raise than it had been under Republican control. However, the president would have to sign any measure containing a raise for one to take effect. Federal employees have received annual raises in the 1- to 2-percent range since a freeze over 2011 to 2013. Office of Personnel Management guidance on the new order says that employees would remain eligible in 2019, as they were in those years, for raises on promotion or on advancing up the steps of a pay grade. Under the General Schedule, the main pay system for white-collar employees below the executive level, employees move up a step every one, two or three years until hitting the top of a pay grade, where such increases stop. Employees also can be advanced faster than normal as a performance reward. Those "within-grade" raises are worth about 3 percent of salary. Career executives and other employees at senior levels are paid within a range, with raises based on performance ratings; they still could receive those raises in 2019, according to the OPM guidance. In addition, the guidance notes that a freeze that has remained in effect since 2013 on salaries for senior political appointees is due to expire on Jan. 5. Unless a law is enacted reinstating that freeze, they would be due for catch-up raises covering the intervening years, it says. That would result in a raise for Cabinet members, for example, of nearly $11,000 to $210,700. Emergency room physicians did not take kindly to being scolded last week by the National Rifle Association to stay in their lane and not get involved in the nations gun debate. As of Monday morning, 26,000 doctors, nurses, paramedics, social workers and other health professionals, including at least one in San Antonio, signed an open letter to the NRA, penned Friday night and headlined Gun Violence Is Our Lane. In addition, the hashtag #ThisISOurLane is spreading around the globe. Dr. Ronald Stewart, a trauma surgeon at University Hospital who treated people injured in the Sutherland Springs First Baptist Church mass shooting last year, was one who signed. He said he was shocked when he saw the NRA's response, adding that it seemed insulting to medical professionals who deal with the physical toll of gun violence daily. Stewart said he has treated hundreds, if not thousands, of patients with gunshot wounds. It struck such a nerve because when youre caring for the patients and when youre helping them and youre dealing with their grief and pain and dealing with the problems that are entailed, its unbelievable for somebody to say, Stay out of this, this is not in your lane, he said. Stewart, who chaired the committee on trauma for the American College of Surgeons until earlier this year, said the organization has tried to be inclusive in its approach to reducing firearm injuries and deaths, one he said starkly contrasts with the gun lobbys reaction. Tackling the complex public health crisis requires putting aside philosophical differences, he said. As somebody who has called for everyone to work together, it was incredibly disappointing, Stewart said. Its not about getting rid of guns at all. Its about making firearm ownership safer for those who own guns and those who dont. The NRA did not respond to an emailed request for comment Monday. The dust-up began Oct. 30 after a position paper by doctors was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, an academic medical journal published by the American College of Physicians. The physician authors called for gun violence to be treated as a public health crisis and urged what they called reasonable restrictions on gun purchases as well as more governmental study. They also asked for the freedom to speak to patients about gun safety. Three days later, the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action responded with its own position paper that began: Everyone has hobbies. Some doctors collective hobby is opining on firearms policy. Things really heated up last Wednesday when the NRA, in promoting its paper, tweeted: Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane. And with that, it was on. Doctors around the country quickly slammed the NRA, carrying #ThisISOurLane into battle in the newly declared Twitter war. Do you have any idea how many bullets I pull out of corpses weekly? This isnt just my lane. Its my (expletive) highway, a San Francisco pathologist tweeted. Other doctors began posting their blood-splattered faces after treating gunshot victims. Then hours after the NRA sent its tweet, a gunman opened fire at a bar in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Thirteen people were dead, including a police officer and the shooter. Many others were wounded. One of the dead had survived the mass shooting in Las Vegas just a year before. The notion that doctors who spend careers trying to save shooting victims should keep quiet infuriates Rhonda Hart, a Texas mother whose 14-year-old daughter, Kimberly Vaughan, died May 18 in the Santa Fe High School massacre. The short answer is the NRA needs to shut up, Hart said Monday when asked about the battle between the doctors and the gun lobby. The longer answer is I think the doctors are right. They have probably the best perspective on this, except for maybe family members. So far this year there have been 12,626 deaths and 24,533 injuries involving guns, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit research group that produces an online tracking of incidents collected from thousands of news media, law enforcement records and government sources each day. Advocacy groups say gun death and injury numbers are difficult to tally. The gun lobby has argued that the data is one-sided and does not include evidence that guns can help thwart violence. Still, research has been in short supply for more than two decades, ever since in 1996 it mostly ground to a stop after Congress threatened to strip Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding unless it halted studies on firearm injury and death. Earlier this year, though, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said he favored restarting the research. Dr. Megan Ranney, a Rhode Island physician and chief research officer for AFFIRM, a national nonprofit organization that studies gun violence, wrote the doctors letter to the NRA in response to the rapidly escalating events and, in part, out of frustration. With each time, we say this is the tipping point, she said Monday about mass shootings. The letter describes how even if a victim survives a shooting, there is a lifelong toll, both physical and psychological. Stitching up a wound in an operating room is not the end, but the beginning, it said. On Monday she admitted she was surprised by the number of doctors who have signed on for the fight and the attention it is stirring. She said she was scheduled to be interviewed by the BBC later in the day. I think the time is here, she said. Staff Writer Lauren Caruba contributed to this story. jenny.deam@chron.com lcaruba@express-news.net Back from the Brink More than a year after the Sutherland Springs church massacre, an injured 6-year-old fights for recovery. Back from the Brink More than a year after the Sutherland Springs church massacre, an injured 6-year-old fights for recovery. Ryland Ward reluctantly proffered his arm as his sleeve was rolled up. Below the crook of his left elbow, it looked as if a chunk of muscle and flesh had been scooped away. A bumpy mesh pattern extended across the scar tissue, remnants of the skin graft that had covered a gaping gunshot wound. Another jagged scar extended down Rylands forearm to his wrist. Until this moment, the 6-year-old had happily engaged with his occupational therapists while they tested his use of his left arm and hand. But now he rubbed his eye and put his head down on his right arm. His smile had disappeared. Ryland's Recovery Express-News reporter Lauren Caruba and photographer Lisa Krantz charted Ryland Wards recovery from devastating gunshot wounds with cooperation from his family and his treating physicians. The journalists observed Ryland receiving occupational therapy at the Childrens Rehabilitation Institute TeletonUSA in San Antonio, and Caruba interviewed his surgeon, child psychiatrist and rehab physician as well as his family members. Occupational therapist Rudy Cardenas looked over to Rylands father, Chris Ward, and gave instructions for home care. He told Ward to continue with scar massages and pressure garments. Then he turned back to Ryland. "Your arm looks good," Cardenas said. With the sleeve back in place, Ryland's smile returned. Ryland's playfulness doesn't hint at what he has endured. He was just 5 years old when a gunman opened fire at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017. Twenty-six people died that day, including two of Ryland's sisters. His stepmother died trying to shield him. SEVEN MINUTES OF TERROR: Survivor recalls church massacre Ryland was struck by multiple high-velocity rounds. He was hospitalized in San Antonio for more than two months. He needed two dozen surgeries to repair injuries to his arm, leg, pelvis and abdominal organs. The bullets wreaked such havoc on his small body that doctors cannot be sure exactly how many times he was shot. After leaving the hospital, Ryland went through intensive physical and occupational therapy at a rehabilitation facility for children to regain the use of his left arm and left leg. He met with a child psychiatrist who helped him process the ordeal. Now almost 7, he is the same ball of energy he was before the shooting. Sometimes he walks so fast that a slight irregularity in his left leg lingering evidence of a shattered femur is almost indiscernible. But fleeting moments serve as reminders of what Ryland went through that day, and of the work he has put in every day since then to heal. His recovery, his doctors say, has been remarkable. It was made possible by Rylands resilience and a multi-disciplinary team of specialists from across the San Antonio area. It literally took an entire hospital system to save his life, said Dr. Lillian Liao, a trauma surgeon at University Hospital who operated on Ryland. Luck was on his side, too. Stop the bleeding Ryland was the first victim of the massacre to arrive at University that day. Because of the severity of his injuries, he was transported by helicopter. Tourniquets stanched the bleeding from wounds to his left arm and leg. They had been applied by a volunteer firefighter who pulled Ryland from the bullet-riddled church. Physicians surveyed the damage. High-velocity rounds had blasted away tissue and muscle on Rylands left arm, damaging a radial artery and nerve and leaving a craterous wound. A large section of his left thigh bone was splintered, and his pelvis was fractured. Bullets had burrowed into Rylands abdomen, injuring his bladder and intestines. Blood had pooled in his lower abdomen. Bullet fragments peppered his pelvis and abdomen. Doctors estimated that Ryland had lost at least half the blood in his body. Most child gunshot victims treated at the hospital have suffered a single wound, often the result of an accident. Ryland had been shot multiple times in multiple areas. His wounds looked like those inflicted in war zones. RELATED: A day of death and heroism in Sutherland Springs On a typical Sunday at University, two trauma surgeons and a team of specialists would have been on call. But that Sunday, the full trauma leadership team including seven surgeons were at the hospital, reviewing the results of an accreditation visit by the American College of Surgeons. The timing proved fortuitous as the hospital shifted into mass casualty response. In addition to Ryland, University received eight patients from the church shooting, on a day of the week that is usually the busiest for trauma-related injuries. Eight other gunshot victims were sent to Brooke Army Medical Center, the regions other Level 1 trauma center. The extent of Rylands injuries called for damage control resuscitation, in which doctors seek to control bleeding and stabilize a patients vital signs. Decades ago, surgeons performed continuous surgery on patients like Ryland, keeping them in the operating room for hours on end. Liao, the hospitals pediatric trauma medical director, and her colleagues knew from research that too many surgeries early on could be detrimental. And so the surgeons goals in those initial hours were simple: Stop the bleeding and the leaking from his intestines. Help him to the point where he could be sent to the intensive care unit to rest. While a fellow surgeon tried to repair wounds to the boys organs, Liao went to work on his arm. The pulse in Rylands hand was faint. An artery had been injured. Liao cleaned the wound and searched for the two ends of the radial blood vessel. To rejoin them, she inserted a shunt, a narrow plastic tube, to restore blood flow to Rylands hand. It was the same technique used for soldiers wounded in combat. Liao cut away dead tissue and covered the wound. Orthopedic surgeons did what they could to stabilize Rylands left hip and leg, which was now missing a huge section of bone. Ryland had made it through the first set of surgeries. By that point, his surgeons knew that, based on statistics, he had a good chance of survival. I saw God While Ryland lay in a medically induced coma, his family members had to contend not only with the enormity of his medical needs, but with crushing grief. They had lost Rylands stepmother, Joann Ward, and her daughters, Emily, 7, and Brooke, 5. Many other Sutherland Springs residents, who in some cases were as good as family, were also gone. READ MORE: Keeping Faith: Sutherland Springs relies on church to cope with shootings aftermath At the hospital, Sandy Ward, Rylands grandmother, wondered about the fate of friends and neighbors she had yet to hear from. She resolved not to give up hope, not to assume the worst. She approached Rylands condition the same way. When doctors emerged with updates, at one point expressing uncertainty about how much use he would have of his left leg, she kept up the same refrain: Just have faith. Hes going to be fine. That faith would become ever-present at the hospital. When Ryland was roused for the first time, the first thing he told his dad was that hed seen God, Sandy said. He told his dad, I saw God and he told me it wasnt my time yet, that I had to go back and take care of my dad. Other astonishing moments unfolded in the operating room, where Ryland returned every few days. Wounds from high-velocity weapons can worsen in subsequent days, so surgeons combed the blast areas on his arm and leg for dead tissue. They also reattached severed pieces of organs. Weeks after the shooting, Liao and two other surgeons watched intently as an interventional radiologist, Dr. Jorge Lopera, attempted to place a stent to repair Rylands injured ureter, the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder. Repairing the area through surgery could have caused scarring, doing more harm than good, so Lopera had agreed to try to place the stent using wires and catheters, a delicate procedure with little margin for error. He got it on the first try. Look how far I walked To oversee Rylands rehabilitation, Liao reached out to Dr. Cynthia Riley, chief medical officer for Childrens Rehabilitation Institute TeletonUSA, an outpatient facility in northeast San Antonio. When Riley met Ryland for the first time, he was in critical condition and undergoing surgeries. His left leg and pelvis were enclosed in external fixators, cage-like metal structures that held his broken bones in place. Doctors hoped the large gap in his femur could be bridged by the formation of calcium deposits into a bony growth called a callus, as part of the natural healing process. Tubes were connected to his kidneys and he was hooked to a colostomy bag to protect his still-mending large intestine. He had endured excruciating pain as his wounds were washed to ward off infection. Watching him suffer made his grandmothers heart hurt. Rylands rehab sessions with Riley began the day after Christmas. He struggled at first. Even simple tasks like sitting up for five seconds left him in tears. Sometimes he would cry through entire sessions. Ryland was required to complete three hours of rehab a day, six days a week. Those appointments had to be scheduled around surgeries and medical procedures, nursing care, time with family, psychotherapy and lessons with a teacher who visited Ryland at the hospital. Once Ryland got over his initial fears, he progressed quickly. Sometime around the New Year, Ryland took his first steps after being bedridden for weeks. Riley remembers the boy calling to his father as he rounded a corner. Look Dad, look how far I walked, he said. As he began to walk, Ryland had to compensate for his injured leg. The external fixators had allowed cortical bone to grow on both ends of the shattered femur, but the healed section had become compacted, making his left leg slightly shorter than the other. Ryland celebrated his sixth birthday in the hospital, on Jan. 5. In a video posted online that day, Ryland took tiny shuffling steps, guided by two therapists who anchored him to a small walker. Good job, Ryland, several voices encouraged him. Throughout Rylands hospital stay, gifts, money and cards arrived almost every day. His doctors tried to set boundaries. Still, when Ryland was finally discharged on Jan. 11, the last Sutherland Springs victim to leave the hospital, he went home in a fire truck. Conquering fear Again and again, the scene was the same. A hurt child was riding in an ambulance. At the hospital, or on the way there, a bad guy started shooting. Everyone had to hide. In their early sessions, Dr. Donna Roybal, a child psychiatrist at UT Health San Antonio, watched Ryland repeat this scenario, using toys she had provided. It can be difficult for young children to articulate their feelings about traumatic incidents, so mental health professionals employ play therapy. Roybals tools could be found in any childs toybox puppets, dollhouses, cars and ambulances. When Roybal first met Ryland, she found him sweet, but quiet. Afraid. She did not have to explain to him that his family members had been killed. He understood that early on. He also knew that the man who had hurt him was gone. On ExpressNews.com: The Gunmans Wife But he was still afraid. During their early appointments, Ryland gravitated toward the ambulance. He played aggressively with cars or animals, in ways that often ended with a play figure getting hurt. When Roybal asked him if he knew what happened to the bad guy, Ryland would answer, Hes still out there. Once, Ryland dropped the ambulance from a height. He told Roybal the people in the ambulance were fine, even though the toy had fallen apart. On a chart with faces indicating different emotions, Ryland pointed to those for sad and angry. It was a breakthrough. Ryland was comfortable enough to tell Roybal how he really felt. Regaining what was lost As Roybal tried to tease out Rylands emotions, Riley and a team of specialists at the Childrens Rehabilitation Institute, or CRIT, worked with him three days a week on his physical recovery. Ryland had aquatics therapy in a specialized pool. He underwent training for walking and moving his hip and did strengthening exercises for his hand and leg. Rylands father, Chris, learned how to care for Rylands wounds, massaging the scar tissue and applying lotion. He had to rein in his rambunctious son to prevent further injuries. As Ryland improved, his appointments became less frequent. Over the summer, his colostomy was removed. In September, he graduated from physical therapy. Four days before the one-year anniversary of the shooting, Ryland walked through the doors of CRIT with his father, a smile on his face. He wandered over to the front security desk before taking the hand of Katherine Garcia, a student with UT Health San Antonio who would work with him that day alongside Cardenas, the occupational therapist. They walked the halls of the facility, where colorful patterns and shapes adorn the floors, walls and ceilings. Ryland sat at a table in a small room filled with rehab equipment. He pointed at what resembled a treadmill and said, I want to do that. Cardenas and Garcia refocused the boys attention on a black case containing devices that would measure the strength of both hands. After pressing a metal button with his thumbs and index fingers, Ryland screwed up his face in concentration, sticking out his tongue as he gripped a black bar with his hands. Garcia and Cardenas brought out a red box with holes on each side and a solid top that obscured Rylands view. While Garcia held up sheets of paper with different shapes, Ryland tried to find the corresponding shape inside the box, an exercise that tested his sensation and object recognition. When Ryland was prompted to find a cross-shaped block, he immediately located it. Hey, were you peeking? Garcia asked. Ryland smirked, shaking his head. I did not peek, I promise you, Ryland said as he fumbled in the box with his left hand. Next, they ushered Ryland to a chair in front of a computer screen, where his left arm was strapped to a mechanical arm and his hand controlled a black joystick. Another screen displayed a diagram of Rylands arm as he played a series of games, including one where he tried to catch jelly fish with a net. How many points did I do? Ryland asked. As Riley watched the muscles fire on the injured arm, she marveled at his recovery. When Ryland first came to CRIT, his hand hung limp from the damage to his radial nerve. To prevent his wrist muscles from losing elasticity, he had worn a wrist-hand orthosis, a custom-molded splint that he hated. Initially, Riley and her team worried the nerve might be injured beyond repair, or completely gone. Occupational therapy helped him regain hand function. Ryland sorted, stacked and connected objects. In sensory exercises, he touched and handled objects with varying textures, sizes and temperatures. The injured nerve had started working again. He looks great In Rileys office, Ryland flopped down on a padded exam bench. Riley tickled his stomach to get him to sit up, eliciting giggles. Sit up for me. Youre being silly now, Riley said. Can you sit up the whole way? Criss-cross applesauce? Ryland sat up but refused to cross his legs. He slumped back onto his side. Where are you going, Ryland? I just want to see your arm, Riley said. She helped Ryland off the bench, sitting on a chair as he stood next to her. While she felt his arm and moved it in different directions, Ryland played with a toy truck. Palm up, like youre getting some money from dad, Riley told Ryland, who smiled. His father chuckled. Riley asked Ryland to make a fist, but his attention was on the truck, which he rapidly drove across the bench. I have a Batman helicopter, Riley said to get his attention. Rylands face lit up. He excitedly looked at his dad. Does it fly? he asked. Well, kind of. We can make it fly. Riley coaxed Ryland to make a fist with his left hand and give a thumbs up. She held his left elbow against his torso and instructed him to raise his wrist. It barely moved. So thats still pretty weak, Riley said, looking over at Chris. What I want him to do is a lot of digging, kind of reverse digging. I know he loves to be outside. I want him to scoop kind of backwards. Anything that can make his wrist go back, because we need to strengthen that muscle. While Ryland played with a box of toys, Riley sat down at her desk across from Chris. He looks good. His rehab in the arm and the leg is remarkable, she told him. So anything you can do. Hes almost got full strength back. He doesnt quite have wrist extension, the one where it goes back. Hes doing well in school? Good? No problems? Riley asked. No problems, Chris said. Excellent, Riley said. He looks great. Were really super happy. An astonishing recovery Ryland has made progress in his sessions with Roybal, too. During a recent appointment, he talked about his friends and acted out scenarios from his school, Floresville South Elementary, where he is repeating kindergarten after missing so much of the last school year. He no longer goes for the ambulance first, suggesting that the events of last year are less prominent in his mind. But Roybal still wants to get Ryland to a point where he can resolve his fears. In her experience, that can take much longer than physical healing. Because of the complexity of his case, physicians at University will follow Ryland into adulthood. He will be at risk for chronic bone infection in his leg and arthritis in his hip. When Riley ponders how far Ryland has come, a word comes to mind. Miracle. Sandy, his grandmother, feels the same. During a recent trip to Dairy Queen for a treat after Ryland went to art and music therapy in La Vernia at the Center for Healing and Hope of South Texas in the Ecumenical Center, Sandy watched him speed around the restaurant and climb on furniture, chocolate smeared on his chin. You dont believe in miracles? Sandy said. Look at Ryland. Because there is no way that that boy is not a miracle. 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 Lisa Krantz is a staff photographer for the San Antonio Express-News. Did Felipe Gomez Alonzo think about Santa Claus before he died? It was Christmas Eve when the 8-year-old Guatemalan passed away in a New Mexico hospital. Even in the freezing hieleras where Central American migrants are kept after being detained by U.S. border atrol, or at roadside checkpoints like where Alonozo was held, wed like to believe that children still dream of sugar plums and a jolly old elf. Its a dream, after all, that sent Alonzo and his father on such a perilous journey from their violence-plagued nations to the United States a dream of a better life. For generations that promise of America has led immigrants to our shores, and this wave of Central Americans is no different. Like in decades past, the journey can be perilous, whether across oceans or deserts. Whats different this time is that were seeing people die not only along the way, but once they get here. Alonzo was the second child in U.S. custody to lose is life in less than a month. Jakelin Caal Maquin, 7, died under similar circumstances. Both were in New Mexico. Both had come from Guatemala. The facts around both deaths remain hazy. We know that Alonzo and his father had been held for six days double the Border Patrols own recommended limit. Before these two, no child had died in border patrol custody in more than a decade. So what has changed? The American people deserve to know the truth deserve to know how the public servants of the border patrol are treating children. Documented or otherwise, the United States assumes responsibility for these kids once they come under our care. When they die, it inflicts an irreparable wound on our national soul. Their deaths mark a moment of deep shame in our shared history. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long warned that the overcrowded detention facilities were only intended to handle adults and could pose a danger to children. That danger has become real. It doesnt have to be like this. Democrats and Republicans including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz have called for our immigration process to be bolstered with additional judges who could quickly and more effectively adjudicate asylum claims. Immigration activists have pointed out the United States has previously relied on alternatives to detention that effectively track migrants without keeping them locked up. Even the head of Customs and Border Protection is calling on Congress to give that agency better resources to handle an ongoing humanitarian crisis. We need to budget for medical care and mental health care for children in our facilities, CBP Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan told CBS This Morning on Wednesday. For the Trump administration, policy at the border isnt about due process, humanitarianism or even rule of law. As the administration has stated time and again, the goal is to discourage people from making the journey here in the first place. How many more kids have to die until President Trump feels people have been properly discouraged? The courts are trying to restrain Trumps pain-first agenda. Earlier this month the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an order from a California judge that prohibited the administration from denying asylum claims made by people entering the United States outside official ports of entry. U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar said the president cannot rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden. Last week, a New York judge ordered a bail hearing for an Ivory Coast citizen held for three years after requesting asylum at an El Paso border crossing. The judge said the migrant could not merely be detained indefinitely. This nation prides itself on its humanity and openness with which it treats those who seek refuge at its gates, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein wrote. By contrast, the autocracies of the world have been marked by harsh regimes of exclusive and detention. Our notions of due process nourish the former spirit and brace us against the latter. Halfway into his first term, Trump continues to lay siege against the guardrails of democracy and hes starting to rack up a body count. The newly elected Democratic majority in the House needs to tie the hands of an administration for whom dead kids are treated like an acceptable loss and thoroughly investigate these childrens deaths. Congressional leaders must prove to the world and the people they represent that American ideals of humanity and openness arent just some fairy tale we tell children. 2020 is a year away, and we dont expect major changes in the energy markets. However, the forces already driving toward 2070 will be more entrenched - the displacement of coal by natural gas, liquified natural gas exports stabilizing the world market for natural gas and displacing oil in the developing world, and a growing confidence that evolving technology will accelerate the use of wind and solar. 2020 is an election year, and local and state governments across the nation if not the federal government will continue to implement policies for carbon reduction. DEMOGRAPHICS 2020: A changing population raises challenges to future prosperity DOWNTOWN 2020: Finally, an intentional design ECONOMY 2020: Prepare for fundamental shifts MUSEUMS 2020: Expect a Museum District transformed PARKS 2020: Investments will start paying off TRANSPORTATION 2020: From freeways to scooters, transit will get disrupted In 2020, the volatile price of oil will still depend on geopolitical events and manipulations by OPEC in concert with Russia. The threat to Houston is that increased world oil production will again endanger offshore oil, shale plays and the Permian Basin. Sustained oil prices through to 2020 will require OPEC and Russia to continue to cede market share. Furthermore, with oil priced above the equivalent of cleaner natural gas, OPEC and Russia will cede oils market share to cheaper natural gas around the world. By 2020, the costs of that strategy will be apparent, and lower oil prices will be in the offing. For Houston in 2020, continued low-cost natural gas will produce the electricity to charge electric vehicles around the nation and provide the feedstock for continued growth of petrochemicals, plastics and fertilizers. Electricity development in the United States and around the world will rely more on micro grids, which provide greater operational reliability for assimilating renewable energy and energy storage technologies. Even today, wind and solar electricity coupled with available energy storage techniques are on a trajectory to be cost-competitive with legacy electricity generation. As the hub for energy technology research and development, Houston will continue to draw employment and energy investment capital in 2020. When it comes to impaired driving, Houston truly is the city with No Limits. The citys nine-county region is the single most dangerous place for drivers, passengers and pedestrians in the United States. This month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a report finding more people have been killed in Texas by an impaired driving crash than in any other state every year for the last six years in a row. Texas and specifically Houston are receiving special focus in the national Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibilitys efforts to reduce impaired driving. A recent Houston Chronicle analysis called Houston ground zero for drunken and drugged driving. December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and New Years Eve is notorious for drunk driving, so theres no better time to ask what can be done to end this devastating loss of life. The majority of fatal crashes are caused by a very specific group of people: those who repeatedly drive impaired and with a blood alcohol content at or above .15 nearly twice the legal limit of .08. Luckily, we have an effective program for stopping their dangerous behavior: DWI court. These specialty courts recognize that impaired driving is a symptom of a bigger, underlying problem: addiction. They hold repeat DWI offenders accountable, supervise them closely and connect them with evidence-based treatment. Studies show that participants in DWI courts are up to 60 percent less likely to reoffend than those sentenced to jail or standard probation. DWI courts also cost far less than jail or prison. The Houston region has made progress implementing DWI courts, but access remains uneven. Some counties have no specialty court programs at all; some have drug courts that will accept DWI offenses; some have DWI court programs that accept only misdemeanors (one or two DWI convictions), while others accept only felonies (three or more). Just one county, Brazoria, accepts both misdemeanors and felonies. Making Houston a safer place for everyone will require a focus on both public safety and public health. The National Center for DWI Courts recommends two strategies to accomplish this: Expand DWI courts to all nine counties. A line on a map shouldnt determine who receives accountability and treatment and who doesnt. Not only is this unequal justice, but its a disservice to the public, whose lives are once again in danger as soon as repeat impaired drivers are released from jail or prison without treatment. By ensuring access to a DWI court for all Houstonians, the justice system will be far more fair, effective and efficient. Enhance existing DWI courts to accept all eligible repeat DWI offenses, whether misdemeanor or felony. Most drivers who get their first DWI will never get another; it scares them straight. But those who repeatedly drive impaired are the most serious threats to public safety on our roads, and DWI courts can break the cycle before someone gets injured or killed. Take Blaine Boudreaux. He had a history of at least three prior drunk-driving arrests when, in April 2015, he drove impaired yet again with tragic consequences. In October, he was sentenced to 80 years in prison for killing Leonard Batiste, a 61-year-old veteran, and six-year-old Joshua Medrano. After his arrest, Boudreaux tested positive for prescription drugs. While most Americans do not misuse prescriptions, in the 15 months leading up to the crashes police said that Boudreaux had obtained more than 64 prescriptions for painkillers and other drugs through 17 different pharmacies across Houston and Tulsa, Okla. Clearly, Boudreauxs actions were not just poor decision-making; they were driven by addiction. Had Boudreauxs history of destructive behavior been recognized for what it was substance use disorder a DWI court could have intervened earlier and provided treatment. It might have prevented the senseless deaths of Batiste and Medrano. And like the 700-plus DWI courts across the country do every day, it might have returned Boudreaux to life as a responsible citizen, husband and father rather than spending the rest of his life behind bars at great expense to taxpaying Texans. Houston has a lot to offer but leading the nation in fatal crashes is one top honor that it urgently needs to relinquish. Expanding and enhancing DWI courts will help. Eberspacher is the director of the National Center for DWI Courts. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. 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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. Imperial Valley News Center Better mouse model built to enable precision-medicine research for Alzheimer's Washington, DC - Incorporating genetic diversity into a mouse model of Alzheimers disease resulted in greater overlap with the genetic, molecular and clinical features of this pervasive human disease, according to a study funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The study also suggests that adding genetic diversity may be key to improving the predictive power of studies using mouse models and increasing their usability for precision medicine research for Alzheimers. This research comes out of the newly established Resilience-Alzheimers Disease Consortium (Resilience-AD) and was published online December 27, 2018 in the journal Neuron. This is the first study to show that you can replicate many of the molecular features of Alzheimers disease in a genetically diverse mouse model, said NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D. It points to a strategy for better use of mouse models for precision medicine researchboth basic and translationalfor Alzheimers disease. Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out simple tasks. As many as 5.5 million Americans age 65 and older are estimated to be living with Alzheimers disease, the most common form of dementia. A key tool among the multiple efforts to find a treatment or cure for Alzheimers, mouse models allow researchers to explore genetic, molecular and even behavioral aspects of disease that cant be done in humans. The researchers, led by Catherine C. Kaczorowski, Ph.D., an associate professor and Evnin Family Chair in Alzheimers Research at the Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, and her graduate student, first author Sarah Neuner, noted that mouse models with Alzheimers mutations are important for defining high-risk as well as protective genes and disease mechanisms, and to efficiently test new potential interventions and therapeutics. In this study, the researchers tested the idea that including more real-world genetic variation into a mouse model of Alzheimers would improve the translatability of the modelmeaning that findings would be more likely to parallel the many complex features of the human disease. To do this, they combined a well-established mouse model of familial Alzheimers (5XFAD) with a genetically diverse set of mice. All members of this family of transgenic mice therefore carry the high-risk human familial Alzheimers genes but otherwise have very different genetic make-up. The detailed analysis of this new panel of mice (referred collectively as AD-BXD), showed a high degree of overlap with the genetic, molecular, pathologic and cognitive features of Alzheimers. Moreover, in the presence of identical Alzheimers risk genes, the differences in genetic background led to profound differences in the onset and severity of the pathologic and cognitive symptoms of Alzheimers. Through a series of comparative analyses, the research team also discovered that one mouse strain, C57BL/6J, commonly used to generate Alzheimers transgenic mouse models, harbors resilience factors that lessen the impact of Alzheimers risk factor genes. This new finding has two important implications. First, it suggests that Alzheimers mouse models with this genetic background may not be suitable for testing of novel therapeutic agents and may explain the poor predictive power of drug screening studies using the current Alzheimers transgenic mouse models. Second, by using the AD-BXD panel, the protective genes from the C57BL/6J strain and their mechanisms can be precisely identified leading to new candidate targets for Alzheimers prevention. The authors noted that the AD-BXD panel represents a new tool for better understanding the heterogeneous nature of normal aging and Alzheimers, and for precisely identifying molecular factors that lead to resilience to genetic and environmental disease risk factors. The ability to model genetic diversity and its impact on multiple aspects of disease risk and resilience in transgenic mice in a robust and reproducible way will enable the research community to learn a lot more about the complex nature of Alzheimers a lot faster, said Suzana Petanceska, Ph.D., program director in the NIA Division of Neuroscience, who oversees the Resilience-AD program. This new resource adds to the series of new NIA/NIH programs generating data, analytical and research tools needed to enable more efficient and predictive drug development for Alzheimers. Kaczorowskis team is one of 10 multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research teams supported through the Resilience-AD program, one of a series of NIA-supported open-science consortia. Resilience-AD, launched in 2017, aims to address why and how some individuals remain dementia-free despite being at high genetic or biomarker risk of Alzheimers. The program was developed to generate deeper mechanistic understanding of how genetic and environmental factors interact and lead to cognitive resilience in individuals who are at high risk for Alzheimers disease and to identify novel therapeutic targets for pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic prevention strategies. This study was funded in part by NIH grants R01AG054180, R01AG057914, F31AG050357, and R01DK102918. CBP Shares Additional Information about Recent Passing of Guatemalan Child Washington, DC - An eight year-old Guatemalan national, previously apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, died shortly before midnight on December 24 at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Consistent with CBPs commitment to accountability and transparency, CBP is releasing a timeline reflecting a current understanding of key events that occurred prior to the childs passing. These updates are based on initial operational reporting. The following statement is attributable to Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan, Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection: This is a tragic loss. On behalf of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, our deepest sympathies go out to the family. Deaths in CBP custody are extraordinarily rare. In light of recent events, the Commissioner has directed the following actions: U.S. Border Patrol is conducting secondary medical checks upon all children in CBP care and custody, including children arriving as part of Family Units (FMUA) and Unaccompanied Children (UACs), with a focus on children under 10 years old; U.S. Border Patrol is engaging U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement regarding available surge options for transportation to Family Residential Centers and/or supervised release. CBP is also reviewing all available custody options to relieve capacity issues in Border Patrol stations and checkpoints in El Paso Sector, including any options identified by NGOs and/or local partners for temporary housing that can safely accommodate those in our custody; CBP is considering options for surge medical assistance from interagency partners, including receiving support the U.S. Coast Guard, and potentially requesting further aid from the Department of Defense, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Health and Human Services to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with supplemental medical capabilities. CBP is coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control on the numbers of children in custody as well; and CBP is also reviewing its policies with particular focus upon care and custody of children under 10 both at intake and beyond 24 hours in custody. The following timeline, based on an understanding of the facts at this stage, is in local time, Mountain Standard Time. On December 18, at approximately 1300 hours, an eight year-old child was apprehended with his father at 3.29 miles west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas for illegal entry. Driving distance from that apprehension location to Paso Del Norte Port (PDT) is less than 15 minutes; however, groups may be detained in the field until transportation becomes available. On December 18, at approximately 1639 hours, the father and child were transferred to the PDT processing center. While detained at PDT, the child and his father were provided hot food, snacks, juice, and water, and the agents logged six welfare checks. On December 20, at 1200 hours, the child and his father were transferred to El Paso Border Patrol Station (EPS). From December 20 to December 22, the child and his father were provided with showers, food, juice, and water, and the agents logged 17 welfare checks. On December 22, at approximately 2317 hours, U.S. Border Patrol transferred the child and father to the Alamogordo Border Patrol Station (ALA) to finalize processing. The child and his father were transferred because of capacity levels at the El Paso Station. On December 23, at approximately 0108 hours, the child and his father arrived at the Alamogordo Station. Upon arrival, the child and his father were provided with personal hygiene products and meals, and they received several welfare checks. On December 24, at about 0539 hours, a placement request for the child and his father was e-mailed to Immigration and Customs Enforcements Enforcement and Removal Operations family placement inbox. On December 24, at approximately 0900 hours, a processing agent noticed that the child was coughing and appeared to have glossy eyes. On December 24, at approximately 0930 hours, based on the agents observations, the child and his father were transferred to GCRMC with possible influenza symptoms. On December 24, at about 1130 hours, hospital staff conducted several tests on the child for strep throat. On December 24, at about 1245 hours, the child was given a diagnosis of common cold and given Tylenol. On December 24, at about 1320 hours, the child was evaluated for release and found to have a 103 degree fever and was held for continued observation. On December 24, at about 1450 hours, the child was released from the ER with a prescription for amoxicillin and Ibuprofen. The child and his father were transported to temporary holding at the Highway 70 checkpoint. While at the checkpoint, the child and his father were offered and accepted a hot meal. At about 1700, agents provided the child with a dose of the prescribed medication as ordered by the medical staff and agents conducted several welfare checks that evening. On December 24 at 1900 hours, the child appeared to be nauseous and vomited. Agents were aware of this and helped clean up the vomit. His father declined further medical assistance as the child had been feeling better. On December 24, at about 2200 hours, the child appeared lethargic and nauseous again. As no EMT was on-duty, out of caution, agents made the decision to return the child and his father to GCRMC. On December 24, during transportation to the hospital the boy began to vomit and he lost consciousness. At 2307 hours, radio traffic indicated that the agent had arrived at GCRMC where he was met by hospital staff. The GCRMC staff were unable to revive the child and pronounced him deceased at 2348 hours on December 24, 2018. The childs body will be transported to Alamogordo Funeral Home pending transfer to Albuquerque for autopsy. The Guatemalan Consulate was contacted at 0740 hours on December 25, 2018. The father is currently detained at the Alamogordo Station pending transfer to ICE ERO. He has spoken to his spouse in Guatemala and the Guatemalan Consulate. *Welfare check definition: Agent directly observes all detainees are safe and secure, and attends to any issues observed or relayed by those detained. Guatemalan national passes away at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center Alamogordo, New Mexico - An eight year-old Guatemalan national previously apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection was died shortly after midnight on December 25 at Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo, New Mexico. According to initial reporting, while in CBP custody earlier on December 24, a U.S. Border Patrol agent noticed that the child showed signs of potential illness. The father and his son were promptly transferred to the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center. The child was initially diagnosed by hospital staff with a common cold, and when evaluated for release, hospital staff found a fever. The child was held for an additional 90 minutes for observation and then released from the hospital mid-afternoon on December 24 with prescriptions for amoxicillin and Ibuprofen. The evening of December 24, the child exhibited nausea and vomiting and was transferred back to the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center for evaluation and treatment. The child passed shortly after midnight on December 25. The official cause of the childs death is not known. Consistent with CBP policy, CBPs Office of Professional Responsibility will conduct a review. The Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General has been notified. The Guatemalan government has been notified and is currently engaging the father and any family members in Guatemala. CBP has also made the appropriate Congressional notifications consistent with CBPs Interim Procedures on Notification of a Death in Custody. CBP will release more details as available and appropriate, and will ensure an independent and thorough review of the circumstances. DHS has continued to see a dramatic increase in unaccompanied children and family units arriving at our borders illegally or without authorization. Consistent with existing law, these individuals are held at federal facilities pending their removal or release into the interior of the United States with a notice to appear at a court hearing. During their period of detention they received medical screenings and further treatment as needed. Department of Homeland Security Issues Travel Advisory to the Republic of the Philippines Washington, DC - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the determination that aviation security at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), which serves as a last-point-of-departure airport for flights to the United States, does not maintain and carry out effective security consistent with the security standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). This determination was based on assessments by a team of security experts from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In view of this finding and effective immediately, airlines issuing tickets for travel between the United States and MNL are directed to notify passengers in writing of this determination. The Secretary has also directed this advisory be displayed prominently at all U.S. airports that provide regularly scheduled service to MNL and that it be published in the Federal Register, pursuant to sections 114 and 44907 of Title 49 of the United States Code. In coordination with the Department of State and the Department of Transportation, TSA representatives have been working with the Philippine government to assist airport and transportation authorities in bringing MNL up to international security standards. TSA will continue to work with the Philippines and assist its aviation authorities with correcting the security deficiencies at the airport. In addition, TSA will continue to assess security measures at the airport and take appropriate actions as warranted. Under section 44907 of Title 49 of the United States Code, DHS is charged with the responsibility of assessing security at foreign airports with direct service to the United States to ensure they meet international standards as set by ICAO. Secretary of State Pompeo's Trip to Brazil and Colombia Washington, DC - U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Brazil and Colombia from December 31-January 2. From December 31-January 2, Secretary Pompeo will lead the Presidential Delegation to Brasilia to attend the inauguration of Jair Bolsonaro, President-elect of Brazil. In addition to joining inauguration-related events, he will participate in a bilateral meeting with incoming President Bolsonaro and Foreign Minister Araujo to reaffirm the strong U.S.-Brazil partnership in promoting prosperity, security, education, and democracy. While in Brasilia, Secretary Pompeo will also participate in bilateral meetings with Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On January 2, Secretary Pompeo will travel to Cartagena, Colombia, to meet with Colombian President Ivan Duque. He will underscore U.S. support for shared goals, such as counternarcotics efforts, peace accord implementation, trade, and responding to the regional crisis perpetrated by the disastrous policies of the Maduro regime in Venezuela. Remote areas were described as unused and/or underperforming in a 2017 address by internationally renowned architects Rem Koolhaas and David Gianotten of OMA. Similarly, a 2004 territorial study of Switzerland by ETH Studio Basel, led by architecture firm Herzog & De Meuron, painted the entire country as an urban landscape except for the most remote alpine regions. These were classified as fallow land and/or quiet places. It follows that building policies typically centralise decision-making, resources and projects in the largest population centres, irrespective of population distribution or remote community needs. The urban perspective through which building policies are largely determined fails to assess the value of remote regions beyond market-oriented economics. For remote-dwelling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the land, or Country, is entwined with spiritual and cultural identity. It cannot be valued in market terms. A regional approach to building could meet remote community needs and bring about local economic development. It would also reinforce the United Nations-recognised right of indigenous peoples to maintain cultural connections to Country. Whats different about remote Indigenous settlement? Remote Australia cannot be viewed through the same lens as rural Australia. For a start, it has distinct settlement patterns. These are characterised by the presence of large numbers of Indigenous people, a widely dispersed population and, as population geographer John Taylor describes it, a frequent and circular internal mobility. While just 1.4 per cent of Australias population lives in remote areas, 18.4 per cent of indigenous people do. In remote areas, Aboriginal people are more likely to have experienced histories that enabled them to maintain connections to traditional country. This has resulted in a proportionally greater recognition of aboriginal land tenure under either the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 or the Native Title Act 1993. Northeast Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory is typical of this pattern. It is extremely remote and has a largely Indigenous population, with 67 per cent identifying as Yolngu. The stage structure at Baniyla Homeland is used as a house due to overcrowding (Hannah Robertson) There are three main settlement types: a largely non-Indigenous mining town of 2,500 people, Nhulunbuy; a mostly Indigenous ex-mission settlement of around 850 people called Yirrkala; and more than 30 homelands across the territory located on traditional family clan lands with populations of up to 150, but typically fewer than 50 people. The people move often from place to place due to seasonal and cultural obligations and/or availability of access to services. Challenges of building remotely Physical distance and political marginalisation make it difficult and costly to advocate for building in remote regions generally, but Australias remote Indigenous regions face further challenges. Restrictive Aboriginal land tenure limits opportunities for building and/or economic development. For instance, there is no housing market due to the inability to buy and sell recognised Aboriginal land. This means that, unlike in the rest of Australia, buildings do not represent an economic improvement to the land. Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Show all 16 1 /16 Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Ash Whitney stands atop a tree as he cuts off branches to feed his cattle Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A cow walks away from a water tank near the town of Tamworth in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Scott Cooper drops hay for his cattle next to a dried-up creek on South Park farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Tyre tracks from farmer Jimmie McKeown's truck can be seen on his drought ravaged land near the town of Walgett in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Dead trees on Scott Cooper's South Park farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Ash Whitney stands on the back of his truck as he feeds his cattle on his land near the town of Gunnedah in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms An irrigated paddock can be seen next to a ploughed paddock on a farm located on the outskirts of the town of Mudgee in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A windmill and solar panels on Scott Cooper's South Park farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms An old bus used for storing farming equipment stands on farmer Ash Whitney's land near the town of Gunnedah in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A kangaroo casts a shadow as it drinks from a water tank on Ash Whitney's farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms An old Sydney tram sits on Jimmie and May McKeown's land near the town of Walgett in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Patterns created by a plough can be seen on Ash Whitney's farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Farmer Ash Whitney stands in the middle of a dried-up dam Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms Sheeps eat grain on a farm near Tamworth in New South Wales Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A road can be seen next to tracks leading to a water tank on Ash Whitney's farm Reuters Australia's drought the cancer eating away at farms A lone tree stands near a water trough on Jimmie and May McKeown's farm Reuters Furthermore, in Yirrkala, no houses were built in the first five years of the federal governments Strategic Indigenous Housing Infrastructure Programme (Sihip) Rirratjingu clans traditional ownership of parts of the township, which delayed decisions on where houses could be built. Economic development and job opportunities are also limited. A special agreement is required to establish an economic venture on Aboriginal land. Obtaining permission is costly and the process slow as extensive legal and anthropological work is required. The result has been a dearth of local material and construction industries, and jobs, on remote Aboriginal land. Building materials are generally shipped in. Collectively, these factors contribute to a reliance on government for investment in building. In Northeast Arnhem Land, the Australian or Northern Territory governments provide 95 per cent of building funds. Centralisation model dominates The policy position of Australian, state and territory governments has long been one of centralisation. Funding is concentrated on the largest population centres where there is a perceived availability of jobs and economies of scale. Government-funded housing under construction by DRG, Gunyangara (Hannah Robertson) This position is upheld irrespective of identified building needs. For instance, in 2015 Nhulunbuy had 250 vacant houses after the Gove alumina refinery closed. There were shortfalls of 56 houses in Yirrkala and 81 houses across the Laynhapuy homelands. Yet 90 per cent of government investment in building was in Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala, despite negligible need in Nhulunbuy and extensive need on the homelands. The Northeast Arnhem Land experience aligns with that of other remote Indigenous regions. Homelands, in particular, have been chronically underfunded. After the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was abolished in 2005, state and territory governments largely assumed responsibility for infrastructure and services on homelands without allocating further funds for new housing. The Northern Territory government formalised this position in its Homelands Policy and amendments to it in 2013. The situation is unlikely to change. If anything, it has intensified. In 2016, threats from the Western Australian government extended from ending new construction to ending basic services to between 100 and 150 of its smallest homelands (more commonly known as outstations in WA). Government building projects in remote Indigenous Australia have not only failed to align with needs but also have limited local economic development. Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) Queensland Research Centre reports criticised the alliancing procurement methodology used in the Sihip programme because it allocated risk to the contractor. This knocked small-scale local contractors out of the tender process and resulted in limited use of local labour and materials. Four steps to better building policy Policy reforms could stimulate building in remote Indigenous regions. Reforms should focus on increasing local Indigenous input into decision-making. This is critical for identifying and responding to local needs. From the most difficult to the easiest to enact, reform options could be: alignment with the Uluru Statement from the Heart, treaty or constitutional amendment to give Indigenous people their rightful place, as Gough Whitlam put it, at a national level with statutory decision-making authority over their lands amend legislation to devolve decision-making to Indigenous people at a local regional level, as occurred in 2017 amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 devolving these powers from the Northern Land Council to the Tiwi Land Council, Ngarrariyal Aboriginal Corporation and Baniyala Nimbarrki Land Authority, for self-determination of townships on their lands restructure Regional Development Australia agencies to align with recognised territorial regions, as opposed to general population distribution, to foster best building practice and advocacy for local needs do nothing but favour the specification of local suppliers (such as through the Supply Nation network), materials (in Northeast Arnhem Land the Delta Reef Gumatj have begun building with locally made concrete blocks and timber trusses) and labour (through slow builds and the use of semi-skilled technological systems) at a project-by-project level. These policy options are not necessarily mutually exclusive: where practicable they could be conducted in tandem or implemented in part. The shift to a regional building approach does not require revolutionary change. Rather, it builds upon a remote regions existing practices, knowledge and organisational systems by decentralising decision-making. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Building is not the panacea for the economic development challenges of remote Indigenous regions it cannot employ every job seeker. But if building policy decision-making is regionally determined it can better align with community needs and contribute to local industry. Hannah Robertson is an innovation fellow and lecturer at the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture at Monash University. This article first appeared on The Conversation (theconversation.com) T is for... Tolerance The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman World were considered by the people as equally true, by the philosophers equally false and by the magistrate as equally useful. And thus toleration produced not only mutual indulgence but even religious concord. Edward Gibbon You and I may view toleration and the granting of civil equality to all, irrespective of their religious convictions, as the bedrock of a free society. But we should remember they have come slowly, haltingly, and disturbingly recently to our world. Yet, in 27 BCE, Marcus Agrippa designed the Roman Pantheon as a home for all gods. But when it was dedicated in 609 CE as the Church of the Santa Maria Rotonda, the gods were driven out, replaced by the One God. It seems that pagan tolerance was swept away by monotheistic intolerance of other gods. Farmers and herders once lived harmoniously on Nigerias bucolic central plateau, but when Amos Lenji, a farmer, caught a young herdsman grazing cattle in his cornfields this October, he feared for his life. His fear was rooted in a massacre that took place in June. More than 200 people, mostly farmers, were slaughtered by a gang of masked men dressed in black who marauded through the county of Barkin Ladi. Although no one was apprehended, the killers are suspected to be herdsmen. It was the biggest bloodbath yet in a cycle of retaliatory killings between farmers and herders competing for space across Nigerias hinterlands. At least 1,300 were killed in just the first six months of 2018, according to the International Crisis Group. That is more than six times as many as were killed in Nigeria in the same period by Boko Haram, one of Africas deadliest terrorist groups. When you get into trouble abroad, you can ask the British consular services to step in and help. But some travellers do not quite understand what situations warrant such a request. Providing insight into the plot of Mel Gibsons 1995 film Braveheart, for example, is perhaps beyond their remit. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has included this query in its list of the oddest requests it received in 2018, to highlight what it can and cannot do to help Brits in sticky spots. Ten of the more unusual enquiries included: 1. A caller in the USA asking which contestant had been voted off Strictly Come Dancing the previous night. 2. A man asking where he should send a 5ft piece of wood he had found on a beach, which he thought may have come from an 18th-century British warship. 3. A caller in the Netherlands who had just watched Braveheart and had some questions about the plot. 4. A person in Italy asking the embassy to help arrange their wedding, recommend a florist and get them tickets to see the Pope. 5. A caller in the Canary Islands requesting that the Foreign Office persuade his hotel to give him a different room as a stray cat had broken into his existing one and urinated on his bed. 6. A man enquiring if there were vampires in Poland because a woman he had met online asked what blood type he was before they met for their first date. 7. A man in New Delhi asking what time the British High Commission opened, as he had heard it sold vegetarian sausages and wanted to buy some. 8. A man in Kuwait asking if any staff wanted to adopt his puppies. 9. A caller asking if the office could provide a list of women in Argentina he might be able to marry. 10. A man requesting staff speak to a massage parlour in Bangkok on his behalf, as he had fallen asleep during a massage and felt he should not have to pay for it. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The Foreign Office said while it was unable to help with the types of problems listed above, staff can help British people in trouble while they are abroad in a number of ways. These include: Getting in touch with family or friends if you cant contact them yourself; Providing details of local services such as lawyers, interpreters and doctors; Offering information on how to transfer money if you need to make payments; Issuing emergency travel documents; Visiting those who have been hospitalised or imprisoned. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: I can regretfully confirm that the Foreign Office isnt able to offer advice on vampires, rogue stray cats or Strictly contestants. And our capacity to deploy veggie sausages remains sadly lacking. But in all seriousness, getting into trouble abroad can be daunting and upsetting. If you find yourself in an emergency in another country, contact the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate and our consular staff will do everything they can to help. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The FCO said it received more than 330,000 calls from British people who needed help in 2018. This included more than 3,400 who had been hospitalised and 4,900 who had been arrested. More than 29,600 emergency travel documents were issued to help those who had lost their passports make onward journeys. A farmer who runs an animal sanctuary says he has been the victim of countryside terrorism following an arson attack on his property days after he clashed with hunters. Paul Chant blames hunt supporters after finding one of his cars and sheds on fire at his Somerset farm. It happened within hours of attending an anti-hunt protest and days after he says he discovered hunt hounds on his land. Mr Chant, who had to be treated in hospital for inhaling smoke from the blaze, warned of civil war in the countryside between hunters, their supporters and opponents. A civil war is about to kick off this has got to stop, he said. Im ashamed to be a farmer I dont feel like a farmer any more. They think theyre above the law, they think they can come here and arson on me just because I stand up against the local hunt. The 56-year-old said tensions with pro-hunt farmers had escalated, leading to violence and people setting fire to his property in Priddy, near Glastonbury. Police said they were appealing for witnesses. The incident is being treated as suspicious, a spokesman said. Mr Chant said: All of us here are animal lovers who look after a large range of animals that have been rescued and we now have to endure the hunt coming up to our land. Paul Chants car was wrecked by the flames (SWNS) Their hounds were out of control in our animal sanctuary, growling and snarling at us. He added: We had the hunt all over our land and surrounding land that is privately owned, terrorising our animals, hounds loose and growling and snarling at us My landlord and neighbour were assaulted by these scum who thought they were being hard when there were over 20 of them going against two. Mr Chant says he tried to stop them being pushed around and he was himself shoved. The Hunt Watch group said he had had no end of hassle and intimidation. Mr Chant said he had invested in CCTV to ensure the security of his farm buildings and had given up his guns. The powers have gone crazy. Ive handed all my guns in to the police as Im scared that they could be stolen and used against me. All they are doing is saying look at my big tractor, look at my big Range Rover Paul Chant Weve got a fox shortage now, soon well have no animals left, what the hell are these arrogant stupid farmers doing? he told Somerset Live. How dare they try and kill the sanctuary? The real, sustainable farming is not going on; all these farmers are doing is saying look at my big tractor, look at my big Range Rover. Its all about the money to them. Theyre hunting all the animals into extinction with their sprays and with their guns. He added: Theyre unsustainable farmers, we all need to pull our weight to survive for the generations that follow us. He said he had gone to Priddy to peacefully demonstrate against hunting. The very next morning the car was set on fire. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events When contacted by The Independent, a spokeswoman for his local hunt declined several times to comment on supporters behaviour. Additional reporting by SWNS The recent rise in migrants crossing the Channel illegally on small boats is being blown out of proportion as the numbers arriving constitute a tiny proportion of people coming to Britain to seek asylum, lawyers and campaigners have warned. The Home Office has declared a recent surge in clandestine arrivals on dinghies, which has seen more than 220 people cross from France to the UK since November, to be a major incident and national media outlets have devoted lengthy coverage to the crisis. The recent arrivals included six men, all Iranian nationals, who were found on a beach at Kingsdown in Kent on Sunday morning, while a further 12 men were intercepted in two separate boats off the Kent coast on Friday morning. But immigration lawyers and charities said that while there had been a spike in predominantly Iranian nationals reaching British shores by boat, this was not unheard of or unprecedented amid a continuous flow of people reaching Britain illegally. Government figures show there were an estimated 1,832 clandestine entrants including people arriving on small boats as well as in ferries and in the back of lorries to UK south coast ports in 2017/18. This marked a decrease of 23 per cent on the year before when it stood at 2,366. Recommended Javid agrees deal with France to curb migrant Channel crossings The number of asylum seekers applying for sanctuary in the UK was meanwhile just under 28,000 last year down from 34,000 at the height of the migrant crisis in 2016. Meanwhile, 16,600 refugees and migrants crossed the Mediterranean Sea from north Africa and Turkey in the first three months of 2018. There are currently around 69,300 displaced people in Greece, many of whom are living in overcrowded camps. Leading immigration and asylum barrister Colin Yeo said accused UK politicians of ramping up the issue of migrants crossing the Channel, saying: The numbers seem pretty low there have been plenty of arrivals previously. Its not exactly a new thing. Its dangerous for the refugees concerned I dont want to downplay that, but this isnt a major incident when it comes down to it. Its been turned into a big news story when theres really not that much to see here. Mr Yeo added: Over the past 20 years, you see politicians thinking that theyve got to talk tough on immigration in order to assuage public concern. But what they actually do by ramping up the rhetoric is create and feed public concern, and it then gets out of their control and there is nothing that they can do at that point to meet the demands theyve created. Maddy Allen, field manager for Calais-based charity Help Refugees, said the invasion rhetoric behind the rise in migrants crossing the Channel was diverting attention from a crisis in Britains asylum system affecting hundreds and thousands of people of which those making desperate journeys by boat constitute a tiny proportion. She added: A lot of people have crossed on boats in recent months and theres been a spike in the Iranian population doing this, but this is not unheard of, its not unprecedented in any way, and people are continuing to cross in the ways that they have done previously, on lorries and through other forms of getting to the UK. It seems this is a very specific route thats opened up, but its not a scale that requires being declared as an emergency or a crisis in this way. We have to keep some kind of scale of proportion on whats happening, because the numbers in northern France are relatively small. Ms Allen said that while she was concerned about the safety of those attempting the dangerous crossings, this was nothing particularly new and there had not detected any dramatic spike in the number of displaced people sleeping rough in northern France. Its frustrating that we deal with this day-in-day-out. For us its kind of business as usual. Theres no crisis happening people are getting across and they always have. But all these images of border force in the Channel is putting a different and unnecessary spin on the situation, she said. Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France Show all 10 1 /10 Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France The morning after a stay under a highway bypass Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France Discarded clothes are the remnants of previous missions Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France Abdullhai is helped by a friend Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France Resting up after a long section of the crossing Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France The group trudge through the unfamiliar terrain Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France The group preserve energy, while warming up their hands and shoes Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France The travellers pray for good luck throughout their journey Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France The group walk past an Italian man on an afternoon stroll Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France Abdurahman steps through the snow Reuters Migrants risk death crossing Alps to reach France Having finishing their walking for the day, the group stay in a Tous Migrants (All Migrants) shelter to sleep and ready themselves for the journey ahead Reuters The migration human flow on the move is huge across the globe, and in Europe a tiny, tiny percentage of these people are in northern France. It gets blown out of proportion in this kind of situation, and you end up with a news agenda thats incredibly imbalanced. It comes after the UN accused tech companies of failing to crack down on people-smugglers using their platforms to lure migrants to their deaths with promise of safe passage to Europe. A spokesperson for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) told The Independent social networks such as Facebook and WhatsApp were enabling criminal activity by traffickers who entrap victims who are unaware of the dangers they face. Crowds gathering for new year celebrations can expect a dry and mild night, rounding off the UKs second-sunniest year on record, according to the Met Office. As people head to celebrations to see in 2019, such as Edinburghs Hogmanay and Londons fireworks display, they should expect temperatures between 5C and 7C. Meteorologists said 2018 would be either just inside or just outside the top 10 all-time hottest years on record UK, with a mean temperature of between 9.4 and 9.5C. Becky Mitchell, a Met Office forecaster, said: A lot of places will be dry and mild. Although winds will be quite strong across parts of Scotland, which may affect some Hogmanay celebrations. Anyone attending outdoor events for the new year should wrap up warm, but it is not expected to be especially cold. Its not going to be particularly chilly in the evening for this time of year, Ms Mitchell said. Most places should stay dry, but we could see some rain across parts of Scotland, she added. The forecast follows mild weather over Christmas Day. However, the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for wind in the Shetland Islands, northern Scotland, with gusts of 60 to 70 mph expected. Those on the islands should expect delays to road, air and ferry transport, and the possibility of some short-term loss of power. New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Show all 27 1 /27 New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Chinese people celebrate the New Year in Beijing Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks illuminate the city's skyline during New Year's Eve celebrations of 2018 in Indonesia Getty Images AsiaPac New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures This illustration taken with a long time exposure and with zoom effect on in Budapest, Hungary, shows the year "2018", painted with a flashlight in front of a Christmas tree AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Victoria harbour during New Year celebrations in Hong Kong AFP/Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People perform a fire dragon dance in a shower of molten iron sparkling like fireworks to welcome the new year in Taierzhuang ancient town in Zaozhuang, east China's Shandong Province Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People wait for the New Year in downtown Shanghai Rex New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People release balloons as they take part in a New Year countdown event in celebrations to ring in 2018 in Tokyo REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour during New Year's Eve celebrations EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Children wear "2018" glasses as they wait for the New Year fireworks in Hong Kong Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A picture taken with a fish-eye lens shows a fireworks over the world's fifth 123-storey Lotte World Tower during the New Year celebrations in Seoul, South Korea EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A couple takes part in a mass wedding organised by the city government as part of New Year's Eve celebrations in Jakarta, Indonesia Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures An Indian youngster celebrates and welcomes the New Year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Some of the thousands of performers parade through the streets as part of the annual Joburg Carnival, in South Africa. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures A handmade puppet is seen along a highway, ready to be burned at midnight on December 31 as a way of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new in San Juan, Nicaragua Reuters New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures People watch fireworks in the rain at the Marina Bay ahead of the New Year in Singapore REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Palestinians dressed as Santa Claus ride a red car to welcome the new year, in the streets of Gaza City New Year celebrations Rex Features New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Torchlight Procession which marks the opening of New Year celebrations, makes its way through Edinburgh. Torchbearers blazed through the city accompanied by a cast of pipers and drummers with the procession starting at St Giles cathedral and making its way down the Royal Mile towards Holyrood Park, passing Scottish Parliament and the Palace of Holyrood House. PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Swimmers bath in the 5 degrees cold Moossee (Lake Moos) near Moosseedorf, Switzerland. Several dozens people gathered for the annual swimming on New Year's Eve. EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks from Salisbury Crags at Edinburgh's Hogmanay The Corner Shop/PA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls welcome the new year in Amritsar EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Over 5 minutes of fireworks from the Sky Tower welcomes in the new year in Auckland, New Zealand Getty New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Up Helly Aa vikings from the Shetland Islands hold axes and lit torches during the annual torchlight procession to mark the start of Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh REUTERS New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Balinese take part in a cultural parade during a festival to mark the New Year in Denpasar on Bali island AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks light up the sky from building rooftops along the Yarra River in Melbourne AFP/Getty Images New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Indian girls pose for photographs with lighted candles during celebrations to welcome the new year in Bhopal EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures The Taipei 101 tower displays a dog, the word 'GO' and the Chinese name of a man called Wu Jian-sheng who wishes Taiwan happiness before setting off fireworks to welcome 2018 EPA New Year's Eve celebrations as world welcomes 2018: in pictures Fireworks burst over the skyline during an hourly display leading up to the final countdown for the New Year 2018 celebrations in Singapore AFP/Getty Images If 2018 does make it to the list of top 10 hottest years ever, every one of those 10 will have been in this century, according the the Met Office. Forecaster Simon Partridge said: High pressure is going to be in charge of the UK [weather] like it has been for the last week. It will be a little bit windy in the far north but mostly dry. Although rain is not expected, he predicted the most likely places to see rain as the clock strikes midnight are Northern Ireland and western Scotland. He told the Press Association that Edinburgh and London, two of the biggest cities for New Years Eve celebrations, will be cold but dry. London will be dry and cloudy, with temperatures expected to be as low as five or six degrees, he said. Take a coat if youre going to be watching the fireworks on the Thames. He added: Edinburgh will be mainly dry, but there is a chance of rain; a slim chance, but there is that risk. The Scottish capitals traditional new year event will see performances by bands Franz Ferdinand and Metronomy, alongside fireworks at Edinburgh Castle. Londons fireworks display along the Thames will be broadcast live on BBC1 and will celebrate our relationship with Europe. While 2018 was a drier than average year, it has not been exceptional, with close to 90 per cent of average annual rainfall. Agencies contributed to this report Angry protesters have clashed on one of South Africas most popular beaches after private security guards allegedly ordered black visitors to leave. The row erupted when the guards and police were called after reports that two teenage girls had been raped at the Cape Town attraction. The guards, said to have been hired by local residents, were accused of clearing the Clifton 4th beach of all tourists. Anti-racist demonstrators accused them of targeting black people. But the row then escalated when the demonstrators staged a cleansing ceremony slaughtering a sheep on the beach and were challenged by mostly white animal welfare protesters. The security company denied closing down the beach, saying it was acting with police to protect residents from crime. Cape Towns mayor, Dan Plato, said the guards had asked people of all races to leave and had not targeted black people specifically. The Black Peoples National Crisis Committee, which arranged the protest march, said the beach clearing had echoes of South Africas apartheid era, when black and white people were segregated in public areas. Western Cape police confirmed to the countrys News24 that they were investigating reports of attempted sexual assault around Clifton 4th beach three days before Christmas, in which beachgoers apparently intervened. The following evening, the PPA security firm was accused of asking people to leave the beach. Police said preliminary findings indicated that no rape was registered but they had information suggesting there had been an attempt to sexually assault a 15-year-old girl, which was prevented by visitors. We were requested to accompany law enforcement as our tactical officers are highly trained and skilled professionals, PPA chief executive Alwyn Landman told News24. If anyone claims they were on the beach and chased away they would have seen that it was absolute mayhem and that law enforcement were really doing a great job to stabilise the situation. "We did not close the beach. But campaigners disagreed. These private security guards ... are actually briefed to not allow black people who appear to look like they are from the townships on to the beach, local activist Chumani Maxwele told the News 24 website. The row spread on social media under the #ReclaimClifton slogan. Mr Plato said the security firm had no authority to ask anyone to leave the beach. We will not allow any private organisations to limit access to our public spaces, he said in a statement. The anti-racism protest started peacefully but a row began as locals and animal-rights activists opposed the sheep slaughter in the ceremony to cleanse the area of prejudice. The offering of the sheep is calling on our ancestors to respond to our trauma at the hands of white people over the years, activist Chumani Maxwele told News24. Residents said no permits had been granted for the slaughter. Black and white people were seen in footage arguing and in one case pushing one another. Later, though, people of all colours were seen dancing together in a show of solidarity. Detectives are investigating the death of a TV news presenter in a hotel room in Los Angeles. Chris Burrous, 43, was found lying unconscious in a room at the Days Inn in Glendale in the early hours of 27 December. Officers were told by a male friend Mr Burrous had possibly overdosed on drugs and was not breathing. Mr Burrous, a morning presenter at the KTLA television station, was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital. He is survived by his wife Mai and their young daughter. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Burrous family, said KTLA president Don Corsini and news director Jason Ball in a statement. Chris loved sharing the stories of Southern California and connecting with our viewers. He will be remembered as a great journalist and a wonderful friend to many. He brought a kindness to his work and will be deeply missed by the entire KTLA family. Fellow presenter Lynette Romero said Mr Burrous had made me laugh until I cried in a tribute on Twitter. During his career at KTLA he became known for his Burrous Bites feature on local restaurants. More recently he was part of the team that covered the California wildfires and the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. Glendale Police Department said in a statement detectives were awaiting a report on the cause of death from the Los Angeles County Coroners Office. The force said: On December 27, 2018, at 1.14pm the Glendale Police Department received a call from a male that said that an individual he was with had passed out and was possibly not breathing. The caller indicated he was at the Days Inn in Glendale. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The Glendale Fire Department responded to the scene and found a man down inside a room suffering from a medical emergency. The man was not breathing and CPR was administered as paramedics prepared to transport him to the hospital. The man was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The deceased has been identified as Chris Burrous, a 43-year old man from Porter Ranch. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The original call to the Glendale Police Department indicated the deceased had possibly overdosed. Glendale detectives are currently investigating the case and are thoroughly examining the unfortunate circumstances surrounding his death. Following an autopsy on Friday, the Los Angeles County Coroner deferred a decision on the cause of death pending further investigation. A hotel has sacked two employees after they asked a black guest on the phone in the lobby to leave and called the police on him. Jermain Massey, whose video of the confrontation has been widely viewed on Instagram, accused The DoubleTree Hotel in Portland of racially profiling him after a security guard told him police were on their way to escort him off the property. In a series of Instagram videos recorded by Mr Massey and seen by CNN, he is heard asking the guard, But why? But Im staying here. The security guard, who has been dubbed Hotel Earl on social media, replies: Not anymore. Mr Massey then told a member of staff who worked on the hotel desk he was taking a personal phone call in the lobby when the guard began to question why he was there. At one point in the footage, he shows the two men his keycard envelope with the room number and date written on it. Hotel staff contacted the Portland Police Bureau and asked an officer to speak with the Washington state resident after employees asked him to leave the property, according to a police statement. Police said the officer then escorted Mr Massey back to his room to gather his belongings and offered him assistance to a different hotel but he declined. The hotel has now said their treatment of Mr Massey did not tally with the hotel chains standards and ethos. We have terminated the employment of the two men involved in the mistreatment of Mr Massey, they said on Twitter. Their actions were inconsistent with our standards and values. We reiterate our sincere apology for what he endured and will work with diversity experts to ensure this never happens again. Hotel management previously said the incident was due to a misunderstanding between Mr Massey and the employees saying the business does not engage in discrimination. Safety and security of our guests and associates is our top priority at the DoubleTree by Hilton Portland, the hotel said in a statement. This unfortunate incident is likely the result of a misunderstanding between our hotel and guest. We are sorry that this matter ended the way it did. We are a place of public accommodation and do not discriminate against any individuals or groups. On Friday, it put the employees on leave during an investigation and said it would take the appropriate measures to ensure this does not happen again. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Footage of the encounter showed Mr Massey questioning why the guard was ringing the police on him. An explanation for his removal is not provided. They already had in their minds that they didnt want me there so I waited for the cops to show up and when they did, I explained my side of the story and they didnt want to hear it, Mr Massey wrote on Instagram. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said it was deeply troubling to hear about Mr Masseys experience with discrimination. No one should be treated this way, and I hope this serves as a catalyst for necessary changes that address the systemic nature of discrimination of all forms, he tweeted. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds The saga was the latest high-profile incident in which black people have been removed from businesses. Police in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland helped the owner of a frozen yoghurt shop kick out a black man because employees said they felt uncomfortable last month. In April, police arrested two black men at a Philadephia branch of coffee chain Starbucks after a manager called police to say they refused to make a purchase or leave. Build the wall! Build the wall! was the auditorium-filling chant which soundtracked Donald Trumps 2016 election campaign. But the US presidents core electoral promise of a concrete border wall, paid for by Mexico to keep out the bad hombres, will be neither paid for by Mexico nor a wall even if funding for it is eventually approved by Congress. And Mr Trump has known this since early on in the administration, according to outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly. To be honest, its not a wall, Mr Kelly told the Los Angeles Times this weekend, in a wide-ranging interview published a day before his departure. The president still says wall. Oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it, Mr Kelly said. Recommended Vladimir Putin sends new year letter to Donald Trump When he previously clashed with Mr Kelly over the nature of the wall in January, Mr Trump angrily took to Twitter, writing: The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it. But the same month, Mr Trump described a 32-foot high concrete wall during an interview with the Wall Street Journal. If you have a wall this thick and its solid concrete from ground to 32ft high, which is a high wall, much higher than people planned. You go 32ft up and you dont know whos over here, he said. And as recently this weekend he described the proposed barrier as the Wall on Twitter in a rant blaming Democrats for the deaths of children at the border. Mr Kellys comments come as Mr Trump presides over a federal government shutdown now entering its second week after Democrats refused to sanction specific spending on the $5bn (4bn) wall, although they have indicated they would be open to funding border security in general. As a result, hundreds of thousands of public workers have downed tools or are working unpaid as the dispute holds up an agreement on the federal government spending bill in the last days of the Republican monopoly on power in Washington. Fifteen government departments and dozens of agencies have been forced to close temporarily. The president has rejected the Democrats offer to keep border security funding at current levels including $1.3bn (1bn) for fencing, but not for the wall. He responded to their stance with a stream of furious tweets blaming the party the for deaths of children detained at the border, and by threatening to close the southern border entirely. Speaking about the controversial policy of separating children and parents at the border, Mr Kelly blamed US attorney general Jeff Sessions for the implementation of the policy. What happened was Jeff Sessions, he was the one that instituted the zero-tolerance process on the border that resulted in both people being detained and the family separation, Mr Kelly said. He surprised us. However, the former marine general has frequently mentioned the policy as an intentional deterrent, even as early as March 2017. 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 He also suggested the issue of migration was not solvable only at the border itself. If you want to stop illegal immigration, he said, stop US demand for drugs, and expand economic opportunity in Central America. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Support free-thinking journalism and subscribe to Independent Minds Mr Kelly was known to tell aides that he had the worst job in the world, and frequently told people Mr Trump was not up to role of president, according to two former administration officials quoted by the New York Times. Officials are investigating allegations of vote-rigging in a general election in Bangladesh marred by deadly clashes and claims of a crackdown on the media. An Election Commission spokesman said: Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation. Local reports said 10 people have been killed in violence after an election campaign rife with allegations the prime ministers opponents had been taken to prison. High-speed mobile internet services and a leading television channel were shut down for polling day in an apparent attempt to prevent people organising rallies. The parliamentary elections are being seen as a verdict on what critics call prime minister Sheikh Hasinas increasingly authoritarian and undemocratic rule. But Ms Hasina, 71, has promoted her ambitious programme of reforms including power generation and infrastructure projects which have propelled the countrys economic growth. On election day, the countrys telecoms regulator ordered mobile operators to close high-speed mobile internet until after polls had shut, and the private Jamuna TV said it had been taken off air with no explanation. Those killed had reportedly been involved in clashes between rival political groups and police in six districts across Bangladesh. Dozens of people who said they were opposition supporters complained of intimidation and threats, and being forced to vote in front of ruling party men inside polling booths. Some stray incidents have happened. We have asked our officials to deal with them, said KM Nurul Huda, Bangladeshs chief election commissioner, as he cast his vote in Dhaka. The election campaign was marred by the jailing of what the opposition says were thousands of Ms Hasinas opponents, including six election candidates. Ms Hasinas main rival is former prime minister Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, whom a court deemed ineligible to run because she is in prison for corruption. Supporters claim the charges were politically motivated. Ms Zia and Ms Hasina, who is seeking a third consecutive term, have been in and out of power and prison for decades. To stand in for Ms Zia, opposition groups have formed an alliance headed by Kamal Hossain, 82, an Oxford-educated lawyer who helped write the constitution. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty About 600,000 security officials were deployed across the country in an effort to contain violence. Minutes before polls opened, a BBC correspondent saw filled ballot boxes at a polling centre in the city of Chittagong. The presiding officer declined to comment. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Additional reporting by agencies The Italian parliament has approved the governments 2019 budget days before the year-end deadline following a lengthy standoff with the European Union over spending. Leaders of the countrys ruling populist coalition had been forced to pledge to cut the deficit next year to 2.04 per cent of GDP after Brussels rejected an original target of 2.4 per cent, saying it broke EU fiscal rules. However, a raft of expensive flagship policies, including a basic citizens income for some of the poorest in Italian society and a reduction in the retirement age, remain in government spending plans. The budget, which overcame its final hurdle on Saturday in passing a vote in the Chamber of Deputies by 327 to 228, had prompted concern when it was first presented in October. The European Commission baulked at the costly policies Italy looked to introduce despite having proportionally the second highest public debt in the Eurozone after Greece, taking the unprecedented step of asking Rome to redraft the plan. But the Italian government, led by the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and far-right League party, struck a late deal with the Commission last week to force though the spending plan, agreeing a number of measures including lowering its seemingly unrealistic growth forecasts. The budget will still see the introduction of a basic payment of around 780 (700) a month for those on low incomes, a policy for which the government has set aside somewhere in the region of 10bn (9bn). The retirement age will also be lowered from 67 to 62 for millions of people who have paid into the Italian pension system for at least 38 years. Meanwhile, the government has also agreed to introduce a string of tax cuts for individuals, including relief for self-employed people earning less than 65,000 (58,500) a year. Tax has, however, been increased for banks, insurers and gambling companies. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte described the budget on Saturday as the first step of a broad and ambitious plan of reform which would turn Italy inside out like a sock and finally boost its chronically sluggish economic growth. But, in an acrimonious debate before the measures passed, opposition politicians complained the last-minute nature of the deal with Brussels had given them little time to assess the impact of amendments to the budget. Several hundred supporters of the centre-left Democratic Party had also staged a protest outside parliament. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The partys MPs inside the chamber held up banners accusing the government of increasing taxes and cutting pensions as a result of their budget. Italian financial markets have welcomed the end of hostilities with Brussels, and Italys benchmark bond yields hit a three-and-a-half month low on Friday after a successful debt auction. Seven months after coming to power, the government remains popular, with the two ruling parties backed by around 60 per cent of Italians, according to opinion polls. Additional reporting by Reuters Thousands of Serbians protested against the countrys president Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling party at a demonstration in downtown Belgrade. They chanted Vucic theif as they marched peacefully through the centre of the Serbian capital on Saturday, the fourth such protest in as many weeks. Demonstrators demanded media freedoms, as well as an end to attacks on journalists and opposition politicians. Backers of the Alliance for Serbia, an opposition grouping of 30 parties and organisations, say Mr Vucic is an autocrat and his Progressive Party is corrupt, which its leaders vehemently deny. The president claimed in an interview with pro-government Studio B TV during the protests he was ready to meet with opposition leaders to discuss their demands. I am ready to look at what causes dissent of the people, he said, after being jeered by a group of protesters as he entered the television station building. The overtures marked a change in tone for Mr Vucic, who had earlier suggested he was willing to test his party's popularity in a snap vote. Vuk Jeremic, a former foreign minister and the head of the small People's Party, part of the alliance, said the opposition would boycott any election. There will be no legitimate elections in Serbia with the participation of the opposition until after normal conditions for elections and living are created, Mr Jeremic said. According to a poll by the Belgrade-based CESID election watchdog in October, Mr Vucic's party enjoys the backing of 53.3 per cent of electorate, leaving other parties trailing far behind. If the opposition ran as an alliance, rather than individual parties, they could only be expected to count on around 15 per cent of the vote. Their joint participation in a vote has also yet to be agreed. The Progressive Party-led ruling coalition has a comfortable majority of 160 deputies in the 250-seat parliament, with the next national election not due until 2020. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Major opposition protests have been relatively rare in Serbia since the popular unrest that ousted former strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. Most of current opposition leaders served in successive pro-Western coalitions that led Serbia between 2000 and 2012 when the Serbian Progressives forged a coalition with Milosevic's Socialists and came to power. A nationalist firebrand during the violent collapse of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Mr Vucic later embraced pro-European values and set Serbia's membership in the European Union as the country's strategic goal. He also maintains close ties with Russia and China. Additional reporting by Reuters Footage has emerged of a helicopter on a rescue mission crashing near the worlds longest zip line in the United Arab Emirates. All four crew members on board were killed in the accident on Saturday, the countrys National Search and Rescue Center said. Witnesses said the helicopter clipped the zip line before diving into a tailspin. The Civil Aviation Authority said the Agusta 139 crashed during its mission at around 5.50pm local time near the UAE's highest mountain, Jebel Jais in Ras al-Khaimah. Videos posted online by stunned onlookers show it spinning before crashing and bursting into flames in the valley of a rocky mountain. The helicopter had been on a mission to rescue an injured man, according to reports. Ras al-Khaimah's ruler, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, ordered an immediate investigation into the crash near the site of the world's longest zip line, which is 2.83km (a mile and three-quarters) long. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The zip line opened in February as part of an effort by the smaller, lesser-known emirate of Ras al-Khaimah to attract more tourists and residents from neighbouring emirates such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Additional reporting by AP A Swiss national has been arrested in connection with the murders of two Scandinavian women hiking in Morocco. The man, who has not been named, was allegedly associated with the killers and taught them archery and social media skills, according to the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ). He is the 20th suspect to be arrested by investigators following the discovery of the bodies of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, in the Atlas Mountains on 17 December. The four main suspects reportedly pledged allegiance to Islamic State in a video made three days earlier. However police spokesman Boubker Sabik has described the killers as lone wolves and claimed the crime was not coordinated with Islamic State. Recommended Suspects in killing of tourists in Morocco pledge allegiance to Isis The latest suspect held both Swiss and Spanish nationality and was resident in Morocco. He is also accused of involvement in recruiting Moroccan and sub-Saharan nationals to carry out terrorist plots in Morocco against foreign targets and security forces in order to take hold of their service weapons. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The remains of Ms Jespersen and Ms Ueland were found by French tourists in a tent at a campsite near Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains. They were reportedly on a month-long hiking trip. Maren Ueland, 28, of Norway, (left) and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, of Denmark, were found dead in Morocco on 17 December 2018 (Facebook) Im going to Morocco in December, Ms Jespersen wrote on her Facebook page 21 November. Any of you guys whos around by then, or any mountain friends who knows something about Mount Toubkal? Despite producing a large contingent of Isis recruits, terrorist attacks are relatively rare in Morocco, a struggling kingdom of 36 million people dependent on remittances from immigrants in Western Europe, tourism, phosphate exports and European investment. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The area has had little militant activity since a 2011 bombing attack on a popular cafe killed 17 people. Marrakesh recently hosted a number of high-profile conferences and hosted this months UN global summit on migration. Additional reporting by Reuters The Government has set aside funding to help couples who struggle to conceive with the costs of IVF (PA) The Irish Government has set aside funding for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment for couples unable to conceive, the Taoiseach has confirmed. But Leo Varadkar said not all couples will receive funding as they will have to meet certain criteria. IVF treatment is currently available only to private patients who struggle with fertility. Mr Varadkar added that new legislation to introduce regulatory measures in the sector is behind schedule and getting it enacted by next year would be a challenge. Couples who need IVF face very high costs and wed like to be able to assist them in some way.Leo Varadkar Around one in four couples in Ireland struggle with trying to have children, while it can cost thousands of euro for private IVF treatment. Mr Varadkar said those working on the IVF legislation are also working on abortion laws and guidelines, which led to the delay. He said: When it comes to legislative priorities in health in the new year, setting up the CervicalCheck tribunal and Brexit legislation will be prioritised in the first quarter, so I expect to get that (IVF) legislation into the Oireachtas next year, (but) getting it enacted next year will be a challenge. So we are examining mechanisms by which we could help couples who need IVF or AHR (Assisted Human Reproduction) to meet some of those costs. We have set aside some funding for next year to do that. It is the case that we already provide some assistance through the tax system, you can write off 20% of the cost against tax, and the medicines are covered under the DPS scheme. Expand Close Leo Varadkar said work is under way to legislate in the IVF sector (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leo Varadkar said work is under way to legislate in the IVF sector (PA) But couples who need IVF or need AHR do face very high costs and wed like to be able to assist them in some way. He said the Government has set aside money to assist couples but it will be means-tested and they will have to make a contribution. He added: Obviously, you are going to prioritise somebody who has no children over somebody who already has children, and you are going to prioritise maybe younger women who for medical reasons cant conceive as opposed to somebody who is in their 50s and 60s who wants to have a child, so there will have to be criteria and there will still be an out of pocket contribution, but we have set aside some funding next year to get that started. You dont necessarily need the legislation to be passed because the treatment is available in Ireland, it is not illegal, so it will be funded. JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER has called on the United Kingdom to "get your act together" over Brexit, branding some Britons "entirely unreasonable" for expecting Brussels to put forward a solution. The European Commission president also rejected claims of a plot to keep the UK in the EU "by all possible means" and revealed he fears the majority of MPs "deeply distrust" both the EU and Theresa May. The top Eurocrat's comments to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag were published as British Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox said the chances of Britain leaving the European Union will be little more than "50-50" if the British Prime Minister's deal is rejected by Parliament. Britain's International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be "incendiary" and said it was "a matter of honour" for them to support the PM. MPs are due to vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in the week of January 7 after Mrs May, facing the prospect of a significant defeat, pulled the original date of December 11. However the bid to buy more time to secure key concessions on the Irish backstop, the key flashpoint for DUP and Brexiteer detractors of the deal, appeared to falter when her fellow leaders refused to change the legal text of the agreement. Expand Close Liam Fox. Photo: AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Liam Fox. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Mrs May said talks would continue, although the EU has repeatedly warned negotiations over the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. Should MPs reject it when they vote in the coming weeks it could raise the prospect of no-deal and with it the risk of heavy economic consequences for the UK and EU, or a second referendum on Brexit. Mr Juncker said: "It is not us who are leaving the United Kingdom - it is the United Kingdom that is leaving the European Union. "I find it entirely unreasonable for parts of the British public to believe that it is for the EU alone to propose a solution for all future British problems. "My appeal is this: get your act together and then tell us what it is you want. Our proposed solutions have been on the table for months." Mr Juncker said it was up to the British to decide if the final decision is put back to the people in a second referendum or so-called People's Vote. However he said he was "working on the assumption that (the UK) will leave, because that is what the people of the United Kingdom have decided". "I have the impression that the majority of British MPs deeply distrust both the EU and Mrs May," Mr Juncker added. "It is being insinuated that our aim is to keep the United Kingdom in the EU by all possible means. That is not our intention." Liam Fox told the Sunday Times that Brexit will only be "100% certain" if the House of Commons backs the Prime Minister's deal in a crunch vote next month. The International Trade Secretary warned fellow MPs that failure to pass Mrs May's deal would be "incendiary" and said it was "a matter of honour" for them to support the PM. Having given the public the right to decide on EU membership in a referendum, "Parliament cannot now, with any honour, renege on that result", said Dr Fox. "Were they to do so, I think you would shatter the bond of trust between the electorate and Parliament. And I think that would put us into unprecedented territory with unknowable consequences." Campaigners for a second EU referendum seized on the International Trade Secretary's comments, saying that polls suggested that fewer than 50pc of Britons now want to leave the EU. It is well recognised that Irish dairy farmers are among the most environmentally sustainable food producers in the world, according to William Burchill. The Teagsac/Dairygold Joint Programme Manager said that despite this, recent revisions to both Irelands national greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia emissions targets will create a significant challenge to the Irish dairy sector going forward, he said at the National Dairy Conference. Agriculture accounts for 32pc of Irelands national GHG emissions and virtually all national ammonia emissions (>98pc), he said. Agricultural GHG and ammonia emissions have increased in recent years and are projected to increase further in the future, he added. It will be ultimately up to individual farmers to come together as a sector to confront this challenge, he said at the conference. As a result, steps will need to be taken within the Irish dairy sector to reduce GHG and ammonia emissions while maintaining and improving profitability, he explained. What are the sources of GHG and ammonia emissions on Irish farms? The majority of GHG emissions come from methane gas produced by cattle, he said, adding that the remainder is associated with nitrogen fertiliser use and the management of livestock manures. The sources of agricultural ammonia emissions differ to GHG, he said. The majority of agricultural ammonia emissions arise from cattle housing, cattle yards, slurry storage and application of livestock manure to land (92pc), he explained. He said that nitrogen fertiliser use accounts for the remainder of agricultural ammonia emissions. What can be done to reduce emissions? A large range of options are available to reduce GHG and ammonia emissions and several are linked to the technical efficiency of the farm, he noted at one of the workshops at the conference. Options that have the potential to improve farm profitability, while reducing GHG and ammonia emissions at the same time include; increasing the length of the grazing season, improving animal performance (through genetics and management), improving nitrogen efficiency (fertiliser timing, place, type and rate), altering the timing of slurry application from summer/autumn to spring time to reduce ammonia emissions is cost beneficial, the use of low emission slurry spreading techniques (trailing shoe or dribble bar) is a more expensive way to reduce GHG and ammonia emissions but has other benefits including reduced slurry contamination of grass and odour. He also noted that recent research has shown that using protected urea instead of CAN and urea will reduce emissions while giving similar annual grass dry matter yields but may increase farm fertiliser costs depending on the relative price of protected urea. It's the last 'The Communicator' column of the year, folks, and I'm typing to you from my seat aboard a lovely Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi. The trip is for a little work and, heck, yes, a little sun. As you loyal readers already know from my writing, I'm certainly a fan of mixing business with pleasure. Since I'll be there to ring in the New Year and they're four hours ahead of Ireland, I'll cross into 2019 before you. As I'm flying ahead in time, let me provide you an exclusive peek into the future by exploring the important trends in business communications you can prepare for. But before I do that (and as my flight attendant, Jod, brings me a glass of champagne), let's first recline into our comfortable seat with the tray table down and look back on the year that was. For me, it was one of change and opportunity. After months and mountains of paperwork, I finally got official approval from the Government to formally base my international business here in Ireland. I also packed up my bags from my first Irish love of Cork and relocated to Dublin - creating business and marketing plans, projections, searching for a school for my young daughter, and for a new place to call home. It wasn't easy. But it was worth the effort. What have your challenges been? Where are you on your journey? And speaking of moving and journeys, as I type on this plane, it certainly reminds me that this year was also a big year of travel for me. Expand Close Corporations are following a policy of nurturing positive values in contrast to the hard line of the current White House administration / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Corporations are following a policy of nurturing positive values in contrast to the hard line of the current White House administration In addition to all over Ireland and the United Kingdom, I've been to Italy and Hungary, Sweden and South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and of course, the United States and now the United Arab Emirates, working with an inspiring range of professionals about the power and purpose of intentional communications. In stark contrast to the fearmongering nationalism and divisive communications coming from the White House and a few other notably unsettling governments, I have found corporations doubling down on their efforts to establish and nurture positive values by applying more strategic approaches to intentional internal and external communications. It's what you say and how you say it. Words matter. So, now, let's sit back up with your tray to its full, upright and locked position and look ahead to next year. 1 A Professional Development Spike: As I've written before, we are headlong into the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Digital everything demands that employees and executives alike better be continually learning and upskilling. The demand for this culture of continuous and measurable learning will sharply increase in 2019. To help keep your team nimble and agile, your HR and communications departments should be working hand-in-hand on programmes that create real transformational opportunities and provide rewards and recognition for efforts and accomplishments. Communications skills underpin any development programme. Reinvigorate your employee engagement by increasing your investment on communications training in a variety of areas. Bonus: fold in diversity and inclusion training as part of any and all comms programmes. 2 A Mobile Momentum: On my last flight (just two days ago before Christmas), the woman beside me was beside herself. She had lost her phone and was frantically flinging everything out of her enormous handbag in desperation. She ultimately found it, but her search reminded me how addicted we are to our phones. We can't live without them. We're communicating on a variety of platforms in a variety of styles. Looking at the camels on the wall of Etihad's airplane, I think of the little camel emoji I used to punctuate my texts to friends - bragging about where I'm heading. Your company must adapt its communications to suit in much the same way. For instance, do you have an easy-to-use app for customers? How about one for employees? Mobile device channels with simple, direct and informal language can go a long way to engaging them both. 3 A Video Wave: If your business didn't use video last year, I'll wager you're planning on doing so in the New Year. A client I'll be working with in January tells me their multinational company is so committed to improving communications that their CEO had a state-of-the-art new video production studio built at their Ireland offices. Remember, when you present on video, the camera catches everything. From social media outreach, to internal web-conferences, to website stinger videos explaining your company's story, service or product, it's high time you become camera-ready. That doesn't mean just a couple of official spokespeople. With social media, every employee is a broadcaster. Help them help you. 4 An Improved Look at Performance Management: Real-time performance feedback tools are the newest use of data to be sweeping across progressive companies in 2019. Toss out those outdated annual evaluation, tick-box forms that don't accurately capture anyone's entire year of performance. The more managers and employees can have an ongoing, tech-supported, understanding of expectations and inputs, the better the outputs will be. Now, as I take another sip of champagne, let's prepare for landing. Here's to arriving in the New Year with more purposeful and productive communications. Kingspan CEO Gene Murtagh has managed to keep the companys share price broadly stable in what has been a tumultuous year for Irish-listed companies Irish equity analysts have tipped homebuilders Glenveagh and Cairn Homes to arrest their share-price slides and become the country's best-performing stocks in 2019, according to the annual Sunday Independent analysts survey. Both companies suffered heavy losses to their valuation during 2018, with shares in Cairn plummeting by 44pc to 1.05 and dropping by 42.9pc to 67c in Glenveagh. Almost a third of analysts quizzed predicted Cairn to be the best stock next year, while 10pc picked Glenveagh. Earlier in the year, Glenveagh's chief executive Justin Bickley robustly defended the company's slide in value, insisting that money was going to "different segments" and that it was "no view on the company". Cairn Homes has continued to build and secure further planning permissions, with boss Michael Stanley lamenting the pace of office construction in comparison to that of apartments during a capital markets day presentation in November. One in four analysts surveyed tipped troubled Swiss-Irish bakery Aryzta to turn it around in 2019 and to be the best Irish stock of the year, despite crowning the company's chief executive, Kevin Toland, the "worst CEO of the year". In November, Aryzta completed a 790m rights issue to pay down debt and strengthen its balance sheet. The move caused hundreds of long-term investors in the business to lose 90pc of their stake. When issued, the new shares cost around one Swiss franc, or 88c, significantly lower than the ChF9.34 it was trading at prior to the issue. Toland's Aryzta is also engaged in a legal battle in the US with Tennessee-based McKee Foods. Elsewhere, 35pc of Irish brokers named Kingspan's Gene Murtagh as the best-performing CEO of the year, with real estate investment trust Yew Grove's Jonathan Laredo and hotel group Dalata's Pat McCann following in second and third respectively. The Cavan-based insulation maker reported a very strong start to the year, with record-breaking revenue of more than 2bn in the first six months. Kingspan also posted a 10pc boost in profits, rising to 195.3m. Murtagh has also managed to keep the share price broadly stable in what has been a tumultuous year for Irish-listed companies. Respondents to our survey - who were granted anonymity to encourage candour - also named Greencore's Patrick Coveney, Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, and Paddy Power Betfair's Jonathan Hill as among the worst-performing chief executives. Coveney, second-only to Toland, received 30pc of the votes. He pulled the plug on the sandwich-maker's US experiment with the $1.1bn sale of its American business to rival Hearthside. Coveney insisted the deal would provide "real value" to shareholders but the company's stock price plummeted shortly after. O'Leary's struggles with unions continued well into 2018, with numerous flights grounded due to strikes across Europe. Analysts had vastly different expectations for the value of sterling at the end of 2019, with many of them citing the ultimate outcome of Brexit as a difficult factor. The most common estimate was a strengthening of the Pound to 85p. On average, the analysts predicted the Iseq would improve next year to 5,982 from just over 5,300 last week. A new subsea electricity line between Ireland and France could cost as much as 180m more than previously estimated, the Commission for Regulation Utilities (CRU) has said. Transmission system operators in both countries - including EirGrid - have estimated that the proposed new Celtic Interconnector would cost 930m. The link would be capable of carrying approximately 700 megawatts of electricity in either direction, enough to power 450,000 households. Project promoter EirGrid - the State agency that operates Ireland's electricity grid - expects it to be completed in 2025 or 2026. But a high-level assessment of the Celtic Interconnector's technical parameters and costs by CRU found costs may be up to 20pc more than an earlier 930m estimate. The link will bring benefits to Irish and French energy consumers but only if further renewables projects are rolled out, it said. CRU's modelling indicated that the interconnector would drive benefits for both Irish and French consumers. But it questioned whether security of supply benefits predicted by EirGrid and other project backers would be as high as had been stated. British politics is also likely to play its part, with the regulator stating that development of a new interconnector between Ireland and Britain would significantly reduce the benefits from the Celtic Interconnector. "Depending on the form of Brexit, it could be even more beneficial for both Ireland and France to become interconnected," it said. But Ireland may end up bearing up to 70pc of the costs of the project and a grant of more than 400m would be required "to mitigate the risk of a negative consumer impact in case the benefits from the project turn out to be significantly lower than expected". Following its assessment, CRU said that a potential split of Celtic's costs, reflecting each country's forecasted benefits, could range from anything between a 50:50 split in the best-case scenario for Ireland, to a 70:30 split in the worst-case scenario. Celtic's regulatory model in Ireland, as proposed by EirGrid, is very light on detail at this stage. Further work is required to fully understand its potential impact on consumers, including whether, and to what extent, any cost overruns would be shared between EirGrid and consumers. EirGrid welcomed the launch of stakeholder consultation on the proposed project and said that CRU's paper "endorses the view that the interconnector would drive benefits for both Irish and French consumers". EirGrid chief executive Mark Foley said that the grid operator was "obliged to explore and develop opportunities for interconnection for Ireland". "We have, and continue to carry out rigorous studies and assessments on opportunities for connection, and are confident that the Celtic Interconnector will bring benefits to Ireland," he added. Approval of the investment request will pave the way for the continued development of the project "facilitating the Irish energy industry to play its part in the creation of a future low-carbon, secure energy network throughout the EU", said a statement from EirGrid. The grid operator pointed out that once Britain leaves the EU, the Celtic Interconnector, if built, would be the only direct Irish energy connection to another member state. In September, EirGrid and its French counterpart submitted an investment request for the development of the Celtic Interconnector to CRU and the Commission de Regulation de l'Energie. Possible financial assistance from the EU's Connecting Europe Facility, which backs major energy investments such as Celtic, may be available to cover up to 75pc of project costs. Bank of England governor Mark Carney, three of whose grandparents hailed from Mayo, has held Irish citizenship for almost three decades. Photo: Bloomberg A decade ago, at the height of the global crash, Ireland faced its biggest crisis since the foundation of the State. As the world's financial systems went into meltdown, it seemed we were alone and friendless. With the major economies scrambling to protect their own interests, the stability of our small, necessarily open economy seemed far down the list of global priorities. But there was one country - a G7 power - prepared to stand with Ireland and help it make its case to the IMF, the World Bank, European Union and beyond. Ten years on, the story of the role Canada played in backing Ireland can finally be told. A decade ago, as each day brought fresh, doom-laden headlines, Canada's support for Ireland went almost unreported. The Canadians, perhaps characteristically, did not seek to make a big deal of it. Two of the key players were hugely influential Canadians with strong Irish heritage. One, Canadian finance minister Jim Flaherty, sadly passed away in 2014. The other, Mark Carney, was the governor of the Bank of Canada in 2008 and is now governor of the Bank of England. Carney comes from a staunchly Irish-Canadian background (three of his grandparents hailed from Mayo), has held Irish citizenship for almost three decades, and counts the late Irish attorney general and WTO director general Peter Sutherland as an important early mentor. Both men had strong working relationships (and personal friendships) with Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan that were central to what proved to be crucial support for Ireland as we struggled to right the ship. As Noonan says today: "Canada gave us great backing when we needed it. They were in our corner." Deirdre Giblin is co-vice chair of the Irish Canadian Business Association (ICBA) and has a long interest in Irish-Canadian links. But even with her knowledge of the relations between the two countries, the story of Canada's support for Ireland in the months and years after the global crash was a relatively recent revelation. "I got involved with the ICBA in 2013 and, of course, I was well aware of the historic connections between our two countries," says Giblin. "But on the more recent history, how Canada played such a big role in supporting Ireland during the financial crash, I only really started to hear about that when I started attending ICBA events and heard politicians and business people who were there at the time, talk about this very important partnership between Michael Noonan and Jim Flaherty." In January 2015, Giblin heard Noonan speak at Iveagh House in Dublin at an event to commemorate the life and work of Jim Flaherty. Mark Carney also made a flying visit to Dublin to speak in memory of his late friend and colleague. Noonan explained how Ireland was - fortuitously - grouped in the same "constituency" as Canada as members of the IMF in 2008. This meant that Canada, as leader of our constituency, effectively spoke for us at the IMF. "I got to know Jim Flaherty and Mark Carney, I used to go to the annual IMF meetings in Washington and we would talk in detail about the difficulties facing Ireland," he said. "They were very open to representing Ireland's needs in the meetings of the IMF in particular but also with the World Bank. "Once I got to know them personally, I found them to be very pro-Ireland, very open to hearing about what we were facing. There was a kind of chemistry there." So what did the support Canada offered to Ireland in the months after the crash entail? Michael Noonan points firstly to Mark Carney's work on designing the alternative promissory notes which allowed Ireland to reposition our debt. Carney was able to use his considerable contacts and influence at the very highest levels on this crucial matter. "We had convinced the majority at the European Bank in Frankfurt that they should do something along the lines of our proposals," said Noonan. "But it wasn't unanimous. It needed to be. And Mark Carney used his contacts to help ensure that we got it through." In 2010, when Standard & Poor's downgraded Ireland's credit rating, Flaherty very publicly defended Irish government policies and said the ratings agencies had to realise that countries like Ireland had taken major steps to fix their public finances and financial systems and needed the time and support to carry through their work. In more general terms, when it came to dealing with the IMF and World Bank, Irish officials including Noonan (who became Finance Minister in 2011) were able to talk to their Canadian counterparts about the best way forward - and could count on steadfast Canadian support in negotiations. "Mark Carney was very respected in central bank circles, which are very rarefied and which I, as minister, would not have had access to," said Noonan. Jim Flaherty, he spoke well of us when it counted. Especially on the credit rating issue. He told those that mattered that we were serious people who were doing a serious job. And that we would come out of it." Giblin says it's clear from everyone she has talked to that Canada's support for Ireland was strong, significant and steadfast. "When it came to looking for support, it was the Canadians - and especially Jim Flaherty and Mark Carney - who were prepared to stand up and say 'Do you know what? Ireland is doing the right thing. They need support on this'." The months and years after the initial crash were a difficult and dangerous time for Ireland and as Giblin says: "We didn't have a lot of friends in the world at that time. "I do think personal relationships made a difference in Canada deciding to back us up with the IMF. And I don't think it was because of Jim Flaherty's Irish roots. "There was already a strong, personal relationship. There was trust in Michael Noonan as an elder statesman, who was there to get the job done, to do what needed to be done. "Canada was the country that proactively did the most for us. As a G7 nation, they were prepared to stand beside us at the IMF and say 'listen to the Irish' and particularly to say 'listen to Michael Noonan' and that counted. It counted in a big way. "It was a moment in time - a very difficult and dangerous moment for our country, when we did have friends, when we were able to call on a deep and historic connection, and on personal relationships, to help us state our case and get a good hearing from the people who mattered." The Ireland Canada Business Association, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, is continuing to build strong trade links between the two countries, welcoming new members and fostering ever stronger transatlantic partnerships. Patrick Haughey is MD of Haughey Media and communications adviser to the Ireland Canada Business Association Dame June Whitfield has been remembered for her kindness and generosity by a host of stars (PA file) Dame June Whitfield has been warmly remembered for her kindness and generosity by stars sharing their experiences of meeting and working with her, often early in their careers. The veteran actress, who has died aged 93, was described as humble, a friendly goddess and having the warmest heart by a string of big names including Emma Bunton and Miranda Hart. Spice Girl Bunton, who appeared alongside Dame June in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in 2016, said her late co-star was such an incredible lady. I was so nervous working with her but she had a way of making you feel comfortable and special. Thank you Dame June Whitfield, she said on Twitter. So sad this evening. Such an incredible lady with the warmest heart. I was so nervous working with her but she had a way of making you feel comfortable and special Thank you Dame June Whitfield https://t.co/fBl0wlTLZR Emma Bunton (@EmmaBunton) December 29, 2018 In a touching tweet, Hart recalled meeting Dame June, who once took a chance on the future award-winning comedian by backing one of her shows. She wrote: I once sent a letter to many actors as a budding (I mean desperate) comedy actor to ask for sponsorship for the Edinburgh Festival. Dame June replied. Fifteen years later when I met her she had all my letters and the notes of the show she sponsored. I cried then too. So very sad. I once sent a letter to many actors as a budding (I mean desperate) comedy actor to ask for sponsorship for the Edinburgh Festival. Dame June replied. Fifteen years later when I met her she had all my letters and the notes of the show she sponsored. I cried then too. https://t.co/oaGXd7ick4 Miranda Hart (@mermhart) December 29, 2018 Fellow BBC comic Katy Brand shared an anecdote of meeting Dame June in unusual circumstances while working as an 18-year-old runner on a television show. She wrote on Twitter: I had to check her dressing room was ready. Being an idiot, I barged in without knocking. She was standing in her underwear, mid-change. She winked at me. She didnt get me sacked. RIP. Video of the Day Writer Jack Monroe remembered working with Dame June for the dramatisation of her first book, A Girl Called Jack, on Radio 4. She tweeted: She played my Nan. She had no airs nor graces, arrived on public transport, and her only rider was a bag of ready salted crisps. She was kind and humble and generous and warm. x They were among a stream of stars posting tributes to Dame June, whose career in acting spanned eight decades. Jane Horrocks, who starred alongside her on Ab Fab, remembered a versatile, funny and generous actress. Grew up on #TerryAndJune and had the pleasure of working with June on #AbsolutelyFabulous. She was a wonderful lady. Versatile, funny and generous. Much loved and will be much missed Jane Horrocks (@janehorrocks_) December 29, 2018 Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth said he was heartbroken by the death of his friend, adding on Twitter: There was no one nicer. Comedian Jenny Eclair tweeted simply: Beautiful, funny June Whitfield- a friendly Goddess. Norah Casey and Curtis Pritchard on RTEs Dancing with the Stars. Picture: Kyran O'Brien Thalia together with dance partner Curtis Pritchard wow the audience on 'Dancing with the Stars'. She admits that she found practising the sensual rumba 'mortifying' when her boyfriend was watching Norah Casey and Curtis Pritchard on RTEs Dancing with the Stars. Picture: Kyran O'Brien RTE yesterday confirmed that professional dancer Curtis Pritchard will miss the start of Dancing with the Stars in January after he was seriously assaulted on St Stephen's night. The 23-year-old dancer, who partnered Norah Casey in the last series, was with his brother AJ (24) when they were set upon by thugs in a nightclub in northern England. AJ is also a professional dancer who features on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Their family issued a statement yesterday confirming that Curtis received a serious knee injury, saying: "AJ and Curtis were assaulted whilst on a night out with two friends on December 27 in an unprovoked attack in Nantwich, Cheshire. "Curtis is due to undergo an emergency operation in the next few days to correct the damages he has sustained to his knee, he is also recovering from injuries to his eye and face. Expand Close Punched: Dancer Curtis Pritchard is facing surgery / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Punched: Dancer Curtis Pritchard is facing surgery "AJ received bruising to his face, arms, body and legs. "Statements have been given to Cheshire Police and they are currently conducting an investigation." Police in Cheshire also released a statement: "Shortly after 2am on Thursday, December 27 officers were called to reports of an incident at a nightclub on Welsh Row, Nantwich. "Officers attended the scene and found that four men, three aged 22 and one aged 24, had been assaulted. "The victims sustained a number of injuries as a result of the incident and were taken to Leighton Hospital for treatment. All of the men have since been discharged. "Enquiries in relation to the incident are ongoing and officers have arrested a 20-year-old man from Crewe on suspicion of assault; he has since been released under investigation pending further enquiries." Expand Expand Previous Next Close Thalia Heffernan dancing with Curtis Pritchard during the Second live show of RTEs Dancing with the Stars. Picture: KOBPIX Norah Casey and Curtis Pritchard on RTEs Dancing with the Stars. Picture: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Thalia Heffernan dancing with Curtis Pritchard during the Second live show of RTEs Dancing with the Stars. Picture: KOBPIX Video of the Day Yesterday Norah Casey joined a number of celebrities who wished the brothers a speedy recovery. "I am so sorry to hear this terrible news about Curtis and AJ. Curtis is such a kind and gentle person. He wouldn't hurt a soul. They are in our thoughts and, hopefully, will make a quick recovery." UK reports said the two brothers had been socialising and posing for photographs with fans. But they were then set upon by eight men, who started to circle them. "Curtis had fallen to his knees and was being punched in the face and body," a witness said. "They were also punching AJ in his face, in his ribs and legs." AJ (Alex Joseph) partnered British paralympian Lauren Steadman, on this year's BBC series of Strictly Come Dancing. On RTE's Dancing With the Stars, Curtis danced with Norah Casey but they were the first couple eliminated from the second series of the hugely popular show. Yesterday RTE issued a statement confirming Curtis would miss the start of the new series. "Dancing with the Stars pro-dancer Curtis Pritchard was involved in an incident on December 27, 2018. "As a result of the injuries sustained, he will not have recovered in time for the launch of the new series, which will air January 6, 2019. Dancing with the Stars wish Curtis a speedy recovery. "A replacement for Curtis on the show is currently being arranged by [producers] Shinawil and we look forward to welcoming Curtis back when he recovers," the RTE statement added. It's that time of year when it's not quite clear what day it is, or even the time. For those who are still enjoying putting their feet up over the festive period before returning to work this week, rest assured that the good folks at Netflix have you covered. Each year, the streaming service amps up its offerings and takes advantage of the world's collective laziness during this time: in 2015, it was Making a Murderer, in 2016, The Crown and thanks to its ever-growing subscriber base and budgets (not to mention our unquenchable appetite for content), there are three worthy additions this year. YOU Since Gossip Girl wrapped in 2012, Penn Badgley hasn't exactly set Hollywood alight, but his turn as a psychotic stalker in YOU, his meatiest role on the small screen, is just the cure for your post-Christmas blues. It maintains the trashy glamour so beloved about his turn on the Upper East Side with the right amount of excitement, earning cult status quickly. The 10-episode show, also starring Elizabeth Lail, originally aired on cable network Lifetime in the US, but Netflix snapped up its second season, presumably after seeing its high viewing numbers. Bird Box Expand Close Sandra Bullock in Bird Box / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sandra Bullock in Bird Box Bird Box, the post-apocalyptic thriller is largely carried by Sandra Bullock's no-nonsense lead, but there's a reason this film was the most watched original debut on the service (ever). 45 million people tuned in over seven days to see an Oscar winner navigate the world with her two children, mostly blindfolded, thanks to an ominous enemy that, when looked at directly, causes mass suicides. Critically, its reviews have been mixed, but Netflix doesn't need prestige when it has viewer numbers that studios would give their right arms for. The comparisons to the brilliant A Quiet Place and the terrible The Happening were inevitable, but it's still a worthy watch that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch Expand Close Black Mirror: Bandersnatch / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Black Mirror: Bandersnatch Black Mirror, arguably the most inventive show on television is back, but this time with a feature length film with a choose-your-own-adventure-style plot format. The story follows a gamer in 1984 trying to create a computer game based on the familiar trope called Bandersnatch, which he loved as a child. When viewers interact after watching one ending, the permutations are endless and social media is going wild. In better news, show creator Charlie Brooker confirmed there will be another six-part series next year. New Years Festival in Dublin. The Custom House, Dublins iconic landmark, is thecentre for NYF Dublins countdown and New Years Day celebrations. Photo: Allen Kiely / Failte Ireland TEMPERATURES almost double the average for this time of year will continue across the country into early this week - but a colder spell is expected early in the New Year. A white Christmas was never on the cards this year as Ireland enperienced extremely mild conditions with temperatures reaching the teens, double the 5C to 6C average for December and January. According to Met Eireann, this spell of warm weather will continue into Monday but colder, more normal temperatures will prevail from Tuesday. Liz Gavin, a forecaster for the meteorological service, said that high pressure causing the warmth will remain in place, leaving settled weather until midweek. We have high pressure situated nearby so much of the coming week is to remain settled, she said. We will have dry weather. There will be a little light rain or drizzle at times, particularly in the North or North West, but generally our weather is going to continued settled for much of the week ahead. Were looking at temperatures today and tomorrow around 9C to 11C. There is however little sunshine predicted, while colder conditions will move in from 1 January 2019. The weather will remain dry according to Mrs Gavin, however frosty conditions are likely overnight. We will see our temperatures taking a slight step back for Tuesdays and the further into Wednesday, She said. Were looking at temperatures by Wednesday of 5C to 8C and maybe a degree colder on Thursday. We will see some overnight frost from Tuesday night onwards but a lot of dry weather for the week ahead but turning colder from midweek. There is no snow expected at the moment, in the week ahead a lot of dry weather, maybe some patchy rain. Deborah Girvan, President of the European Columban Way, outside Saint Columbanus Ballyholme Parish Church in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire A near-2,000 mile pilgrimage by an Irish missionary could become a recognised European cultural route and trigger a tourism bonanza, campaigners said. A satnav map of the evangelising journey of Bangor monk St Columbanus from Ireland to modern-day Italy in the early days of Christianity has been created. It follows a donation from French benefactors. Europe's leading human rights organisation has been urged to bestow official status on the saint's route in the month ahead. Deborah Girvan, president of the European Columban Way, said: "This is escalating, it is growing, there is huge momentum behind this. "Regardless of the outcome of Brexit, this is an era of intolerance and uncertainty. Expand Close A stone with a bronze cast dedicated to Saint Columbanus which sits at the entrance to Bangor Abbey in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A stone with a bronze cast dedicated to Saint Columbanus which sits at the entrance to Bangor Abbey in Bangor, Northern Ireland. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire "The hope is that this can become a symbol of peace and understanding and it could see a platform for significant educational and cultural exchanges. "It has potential to unite Europe and not disunite it." Columbanus's peregrination from Ireland to Bobbio in what is now northern Italy, where he set up a monastery, is celebrated as a golden age for Irish influence and learning in Europe. Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the European Union, said Columbanus was an inspiration for the modern Europe. He travelled more than 3,000 kilometres across Ireland and Europe at the end of the 6th and the beginning of the 7th century. Columbanus was born on the Wexford/Carlow border and became a monk in the monastery at Bangor, Co Down, under the abbot St Comgall for more than 20 years. He crossed the Irish Sea with 12 companions, among them St Gall from whom the city St Gallen in Switzerland takes its name. The saint founded monasteries in Annegray, Fontaine-les-Luzeuil and Luxeuil-les-Bains in the foothills of the Vosges mountains in eastern France, in Bregenz on the banks of Lake Constance in Austria and in Bobbio near Milan. His journey forms the basis of the pilgrimage route called the Columban Way beginning in Bunclody, Wexford, where he was born and ending in Bobbio, where he died. A stone from Bangor outside a church in Bregenz represents the post-Second World War rebuilding of Europe. Kenneth Irvine, from the Friends of Columbanus Bangor, said a satellite navigation system paid for by the French had been a major advantage for tourism. A phone app contains all the monastic sites, places to stay and eat and other places of interest. Mr Irvine said he hoped it would become a cultural route of the Council of Europe, a post-Second World War human rights organisation which pre-dates the EU, but that needed a lot more planning and work. He added: "The potential for tourism and bringing people is significant." A Co Down tour guide has suggested there are 18 million faith tourists in the US who are interested in how Christianity started and the monastic movement. Some of the the alleged texts and the coverage in the magazine Some of the the alleged texts and the coverage in the magazine SCANDAL: Andrew Broad, a senior minister in the Australian cabinet, resigned after a magazine published allegations that he was involved in a sexting scandal with an Irish woman. The father of the Irish woman at the centre of an Australian government resignation scandal has spoken to defend his daughter. He said his daughter would never contemplate blackmail. She had a good job and could never be considered to be in any way involved in sex for sale. The 25-year-old Dublin woman told a magazine in Australia that a married government minister behaved inappropriately on a dinner date in Hong Kong arranged through a website which brings together "generous sugar daddies" and "attractive sugar babies". Andrew Broad (43), assistant minister to the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, resigned his ministerial job after the matter became public and announced he will not be seeking re-election. He declared he had let down his family, his staff, and his political party. The Dublin woman went to the magazine after the politician refused her request for the payment of "an allowance" for meeting him. She had walked out on him during their dinner date because she became uncomfortable with his behaviour. In a message she sent to the politician later that night, she told him to pay her "the allowance" of 8,000 Hong Kong dollars (890) into her Paypal account or else she would go public, adding: "I'm fully aware of how much more I could get if I went public to the papers with my story." The Nationals Party MP later referred her message to Australian police who said the matter was outside their jurisdiction. The woman, who comes from South Dublin, achieved a first class honours master's degree and now works for a reputable company in Hong Kong. She has done volunteering work in South America and also does charity work in Hong Kong, said her father. Her 55-year-old Irish father, when approached by the Sunday Independent, invited this newspaper to his office yesterday to speak of the matter. He said he had spoken to his daughter about what happened and she had acted like a "bloody eejit". But he was proud that she had walked out of the restaurant when she did. "There was absolutely no question of blackmail," he said. He sought to explain her demand for "the allowance" from the politician. She had been introduced to the activities on the SeekingArrangement.com website by new friends she had made after she was transferred to Hong Kong by her company, he said. "As I understand it, they go out with wealthy men. They have dinner in a restaurant they probably wouldn't eat in themselves and then at the end of the night they get enough for a nice bag or a purse or a scarf or whatever it is. "Obviously, there's a fee to the agency and herself but why anyone would do it is beyond me," he said. He referred to the reports that said she became uncomfortable by his behaviour in the restaurant. "That inappropriate behaviour commenced in a restaurant and she terminated it there and then. "If that doesn't tell you what her intention was for the night ?" he said. He said she met up with friends afterwards and they drank a lot of wine after which she sent "a drunken text" seeking the allowance payment. She said she had been new to Hong Kong and dating websites were how people meet. "She was new to Hong Kong. Dating websites are how people meet and how people set up meetings." Her new friends, who were now ''former friends'', said that these dinner dates would just consist of having nice dinners. The dismayed father said: "She is well educated to master's level. She has made many a mistake. She is 25. I am proud of the way she left the restaurant. "I am proud of her all the time. I love her to bits, and always will. She is as naive as they come, at times. "But I am glad that she did what she did at the restaurant. But do I think she covered herself in glory afterwards? Absolutely not. I thought she was a bloody eejit. An absolute idiot. "Of course, she is not going to go back to that website again or any other for that matter. She now has zero online presence and so it shall remain," he said. He said he could not definitely say why his daughter decided to expose the activities of the married politician. "I do know she thought he was a creep and she thought he should never be in power," he said. He said her actions were "complete and utter stupidity". "She has a good job as I understand it to be. She is working away. She has the full support of the company who obviously do not wish to be named. "She's a good person who did something stupid. She made two big mistakes except she's a bloody eejit for making them. "She is not a lady of the night by any manner or means. Not even remotely," he said. Reports of the political scandal stated that the Irishwoman used the online alias ''Sweet Sophia Rose''. It is alleged she told the magazine Mr Broad boasted about being in an important position in the Australian government. She claimed he then began acting inappropriately which made her feel uncomfortable and she told him she was leaving and left the restaurant. He had sent her a number of seedy text messages which were published in the Australian media. Mr Broad told journalists he did not pay her any money. One of the texts to her before their date stated that he knew "how to ride a horse, fly a plane and f*** my woman". Another message to her allegedly stated he had booked "a flashy room to seduce you back to". Mr Broad resigned from the front bench after her interview was published. In a statement, he said that "after recent media stories about my private life" voters in his rural electorate in the state of Victoria would be better served by another Nationals party politician. On Friday, the Sydney Morning Herald reported the office of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was made aware of the allegations in early December, but it is not clear when Mr Morrison himself was informed. Mr Broad is then believed to have first approached his party leader Michael McCormack, telling him what had happened. Mr McCormack has since confirmed he knew of the meetings and allegations made in early November and he said he rejected Mr Broad's offer to resign at the time. The controversy continues to rock political life in Australia with questions being asked about who knew what and when. Some claimed it was a scandal that threatens to derail the Australian Government. A man has appeared in court charged in connection with a raid on a family home. A mother and her 10-year-old son suffered injuries in the attack which took place at the their home in Balreask Village, outside Navan, Co Meath on Friday. The woman answered a knock at the door at around 8.45pm. But when she opened the door two men barged their way into her home. She suffered head injuries while her son received an injury to his shoulder. It is understood there were other younger children in the house at the time. The alarm was raised be a neighbour who told the Irish Independent he heard some sort of disturbance which escalated into smashing and shouting. He said gardai were on the scene quickly. The gardai said they were on their way and in fairness they were here in around four minutes, the man explained. Gardai arrested a 19-year-old man and he was brought to Navan Garda Station for questioning. He was brought to Trim District Court on Saturday morning in relation to the incident. The man was charged with a number of offences including theft, criminal damage and trespass. Gardai objected to bail and he was remanded in custody. A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to other more serious charges. The woman and her son were brought to hospital for treatment. While their injuries are not life threatening, neighbours said they were left very shaken and frightened after their ordeal. The estate where the incident happened is a quiet mature one around 2km from the town of Navan. Local Fianna Fail councillor Padraig Fitzsimons said the incident was a shocking one, and he appealed to people to be careful opening doors to anyone, particularly at night time. High-end Irish art sales soared this year with paintings changing hands for prices not seen since the height of the boom. The total for Irish art sold at Sothebys in London came to 6.7m the highest aggregate the auction house has achieved for Irish art in a single year since 2001. Dublin fine art auctioneers Whytes had an even better result, raising 7m more than any year since 2007. Managing Director Ian Whyte believes art sales follow the property market. He said: Sales have been doing well for the past two or three years, but this year was really hectic. Highlights in Whytes sales room include William Scotts Blue Still Life, which sold for 400,000; Le Brocquys Image of Samuel Beckett, which fetched 200,000; and two Jack B Yeats paintings Man With Wrinkled Face sold for 245,000, and Pilot Sligo River for 340,000. Adams Fine Arts Auctioneers sold a Walter Osborne painting called Counting the Flock for 165,000; and a sculpture by FE Williams called Woman of Belfast for 28,000. Their most expensive item was a table made in 1588 from wood taken from the wreck of a Spanish Armada ship, which sold for 360,000. Adams MD James OHalloran said: The market is as strong as it has ever been. Irish people love Irish art. The total raised at Sothebys in London was helped by a single collection which reached a record 3.7m. The 100 oils, watercolours and sculptures by influential Irish artists were amassed by American entrepreneur Brian P Burns. At Sothebys November auction, bidders chased one of six Rowan Gillespie sculptures which had graced Mr Burnss Californian home. The most costly proved to be The Settlers, which sold for 73,000. Roderic OConnors Romeo and Juliet sold for 408,412 the highest for this artist in 10 years. Charlie Minter, head of Irish Art at Sothebys, said: There was international bidding from new and established collectors with strong prices for the great names of Irish art, including OConnor, Yeats, Lavery, Orpen and Osborne as well as new records for lesser-known artists such as James Gore and Lillian Davidson. An important private collection held by Joseph and Brenda Calihan, from Pittsburgh, USA, raised a total of 3m. The September Sothebys auction saw two Jack B Yeatss paintings top the sales, with Sunday Evening in September going for 441,000, while Early Sunshine sold for 237,851. An Irish bidder paid 237,851 for Gerard Dillons Lobster Pots, a record for this artist. Two Paul Henry oil paintings, Windy Day, and Evening on Killary Bay sold for 223,860 and 104,934 respectively. Head of Sothebys Ireland Arabella Bishop said: We have seen some spectacular results. We are getting exciting new, young buyers in their 40s coming into the market looking for alternative investments to property. We saw a similar peak in 2000, but growth this time has been more gradual so hopefully it will have longevity. The primary art market, where contemporary artists sell through galleries, has also had a good year. The Irish Coast Guard saved more than 400 lives this year - an increase of almost a fifth on the 340 lives saved in 2017. In an annual review the Coast Guard, which has three rescue coordination centres based in Dublin, Kerry and Donegal, reported an increase in the number of people - classed as 'Lives Saved' - who would have died or were at serious risk of loss of life if it had not provided assistance. In total the three centres managed some 2,650 incidents this year, up from the 2,503 incidents recorded in the previous year. The Coast Guard is tasked with responding to emergency incidents on Irish waters but also provides assistance on land and to organisations including the HSE and An Garda Siochana. With a fleet of helicopters based in Dublin, Shannon, Waterford and Sligo the Coast Guard dispatched the aircrafts on over 670 missions this year. Some 119 of those dispatches were sent on behalf of the HSE which calls on the Coast Guard for medical transfers while they also provide round the clock evacuation assistance to offshore islands. The past 12 months has seen the number of call outs from the islands to the mainland for medical assistance reach 102, an increase of more than a half on the previous years figure of 67. A nationwide network of volunteer Coast Guard units with around 1,000 members provided assistance in boat rescues, cliff rescues and shoreline searches, as well as helping communities during extreme weather events. Coast Guard director Chris Reynolds described the members of the vital emergency service as the eyes and ears who liaise with the three operation centres. In addition to the three core services that they provide they are an integral part of community resilience and continually act as the Eyes and Ears of our RCCs in assessing and responding to any coastal emergency, he said. In the past 12 months, the Dublin Coast Guard centre which receives emergency satellite transmissions from boats and aircrafts, received 137 electronic transmissions although many proved to be false alarms. Along with Irish Water Safety, the RNLI and the Irish Sailing Association, the Coast Guard said it would be taking measures to promote water safety in 2019 including a relaunch of the Safety on the Water website which provides tips and guidelines on how to stay safe on Irish waters. A man has died after his car crashed through a fence and ended up in a field on the outskirts of Cork city. The accident occurred overnight and was detected when another motorist noticed the smashed fencing just off the R639 road some 2km from Glanmire. It happened not far from Junction 18 on the main M8 Dublin-Cork road. Emergency services rushed to the scene and the damaged vehicle was discovered in the nearby field. The vehicle is believed to have been travelling towards Cork city, just off the old Dublin-Cork road, when the driver apparently lost control and struck the fence. The man was the sole occupant of the car. His vehicle, after leaving the road, then ploughed through a patch of scrub ground before ending up in the field. Two ambulances, five fire brigade units from Midleton and Cork as well as Gardai attended the scene. They were supported by a critical care doctor. Tragically, desperate attempts to revive the man failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Gardai are working to confirm the man's identity but he is believed to be from the Cork area and aged in his late 30s. The entire scene has been sealed off by Gardai to permit a detailed examination by technical experts. Motorists have been warned to avoid the area given that diversions will be in place with the northern exit ramp from Junction 18 closed to facilitate the work of accident scene examiners. At this stage, Gardai do not believe any other vehicle was involved but will be keeping an open mind on the tragedy. "Shortly after 7am Gardai and Emergency Services attended at the scene of a single car crash on the Old Dublin Road (R639) near J18 (Sallybrook /Glanmire) off the M8 motorway," a garda spokesman said. "The sole occupant and driver of the car, a man understood to be in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene. Its understood the car he was driving left the road and struck a fence. "The road is currently closed and traffic diversions are in place. Garda forensic collision investigators are examining the car and the crash site. The deceased, who has yet to be formally identified, was removed to the mortuary at Cork University Hospital and the local Coroner has been notified. "Investigating Gardai are appealing for witnesses to come forward." CCTV footage from nearby towns including Glanmire and Watergrasshill will also be examined to determine the precise movements of the vehicle involved. Gardai have launched an investigation after a 20-year-old man was hospitalised with serious head injuries after an assault in Dublin on Friday night. The man was discovered in the area of Ballyowen Lane and Ballyowen Shopping Centre in Lucan between 11pm and midnight on Friday night. Gardai suspect the culprits fled, leaving the victim behind. He was brought to Beaumont Hospital for treatment and gardai last night said he was still receiving care for "serious head injuries". A Garda spokesman appealed for witnesses yesterday. "Gardai wish to appeal for witnesses or anyone with any information, particularly to anyone who was in the vicinity of Ballyowen Lane or Ballyowen Shopping Centre between 11pm and 12 midnight on December 28, to contact them at Lucan Garda Station, 01-6667300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station," he said. A Government minister has said there are geographical clusters around the country where a culture of claiming compensation is more prevalent than in other areas. However, Minister of State Michael DArcy, who is overseeing reforms of the insurance industry, said the main challenge he faces is the emergence of honest people making exaggerated claims which are driving up premiums. Speaking to the Sunday Independent, the Wexford TD said: There is a certain culture and there are some areas worse than others [and] some geographical areas where there is a compo claim culture. But its everywhere now, that is the issue. The best of people are exaggerating claims; you know, honest people. The minister said he only has anecdotal evidence which suggests there are certain areas of the country where there is a higher level of compensation claims than others. Mr DArcy said he wants a complete clampdown on fraudsters staging car accidents to make claims against insurance companies. However, he said the main focus of his reforms will be on reducing the number of lower-level exaggerated claims. For every staged fraud there are multiples of claims where somebody is actually injured through no fault of their own but they are exaggerating their claim, and for every one of those there are multiples of people getting high awards, he said. Central to the ministers insurance reforms is recalibrating the Book of Quantum, which provides guidelines for judges making awards in compensation cases. Mr DArcy said his main gripe with the judiciary is the number of judges ignoring the amounts set out in the Book of Quantum. Its incredible that judges are ignoring the guidelines, he said. On so many occasions the guidelines are ignored and then there is uncertainty, and the insurance companies have to reserve more because of the uncertainty and that pushes up premiums. A small but significant change to the rules governing the book will be changing legislation to say judges shall rather than may have regard to the compensations guidelines when making awards. The book itself will also be reviewed and new rates will be set. The minister hopes if he reduces the awards for less serious cases it will make the market less lucrative for solicitors who specialise in personal injury compensation claims. On average, 40pc of any award is paid to a claimants legal team. The real damage is being done by the lower-threshold claims, so if you reduce the amount down, a lot the lawyers are not going to be chasing those, he said. Payouts for personal injuries in Ireland are on average 4.4 times higher than in the UK, according to analysis carried out by the Governments Personal Injuries Commission. Whiplash accounted for a massive 80pc of all motoring-related personal injury claims taken in Ireland. The average payout in Ireland for a whiplash injury is 15,000 per case, compared with 5,000 in the UK and 3,000 in France and Spain. The total annual amounts the High Court has awarded in personal injury cases has increased from almost 22m in 2007 to 147m in 2016. Similarly, Circuit Court payments increased from 13.5m in 2007 to 17.4m in 2016. There has also been a significant increase in the number of people taking a personal injury case during this period. However, the average High Court personal injury award has increased from 165,000 in 2007 to 377,000 in 2016. Guidelines of payouts in the UK are also significantly smaller than for the equivalent injury in Ireland. Mary Mitchell O'Connor has revealed her interest in swapping Leinster House for Europe, contesting the Dublin MEP seat being vacated by her party colleague Brian Hayes. The Minister of State for Higher Education, who holds a seat at the cabinet table, told the Sunday Independent that she has "heard her name mentioned" in connection with the European elections in May and has been "encouraged to explore the possibility". "It's an intriguing prospect that deserves due time, thought and attention. "However, I want to spend some time talking to family, supporters and constituents and will discuss it with An Taoiseach and party colleagues," she said. Ms Mitchell O'Connor, who represents Dun Laoghaire, is the first senior Fine Gael figure to reveal an interest in running for Europe. She said she believes Fine Gael "needs a high-profile party figure who has experience at the highest level, domestically and internationally. One who understands the importance of the EU to Ireland, and how Europe works. "We cannot take the EU for granted. FG has a proud track record of sending senior and high-calibre FG members to the European Parliament. This reflects FG's position as the true party of Europe. This is an approach which has benefited Ireland greatly in recent times and is one that must continue." Brian Hayes, a long-standing Fine Gael politician, is bowing out as MEP to take up a post in the private banking sector next year. Mary Hanafin, a former Fianna Fail minister, announced earlier this month that she is seeking Fianna Fail's nomination to contest the seat in Dublin. In an interview with the Sunday Independent today, Ms Mitchell O'Connor also outlined her plans for educating students about sexual consent, as research revealed alarming levels of inappropriate behaviour in colleges. Under new plans to be unveiled early next year, third-level institutions will be required to run workshops on consent for first-year students, but the minister is expected to row back from making the classes compulsory. The workshops are expected to be built into orientation programmes designed to introduce new students to college life. "I am awaiting my expert report back," she said. "I want safe campuses for our students. I think we are coming up with something very innovative." The minister also revealed plans to advertise the first of the 45 women-only professorship posts in third-level institutions in the first quarter of next year. The minister said that universities and colleges will have to apply for the posts, and argue the case for a gender-specific job in their universities. The Higher Education Authority will decide. In another initiative, Ms Mitchell O'Connor said she wants apprenticeships to be included on CAO forms for students alongside third-level institutions. "I think that would be the really empowering message, first of all from the department that it is a recognised qualification, and then for students and parents that it's just as valid as any other CAO course," she said. Read the full interview in the Sunday Independent Two Irishmen have been charged with a brutal assault on a 66-year-old man in Australia. The victim is understood to be fighting for his life following the attack in Sydney on Saturday. Two Donegal men have appeared in court charged in connection with the alleged attack. Christopher McLaughlin, 24, and Nathan Kelly, 21, were charged with grievous bodily harm and affray after the man was found with critical injuries on the side of the road in Summer Hill. McLaughlin is from Malin and Kelly is from Glengad, both on the Inishowen Peninsula. News of their arrests has shocked locals in Donegal where they are both well-known. Both men only arrived in Australia a few months ago. Neither have applied for bail in the case. The victim, who has not yet been named, was treated at the scene for his injuries. He was then taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where he has been described as being in a critical condition. McLaughlin and Kelly were arrested a short time later by police. The pair appeared in Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday and didn't apply for bail. They are set to appear at Burwood Local Court on January 9. Elected politicians are being given the run-around by the promoters of large public capital projects. The political decision-makers have been solemnly approving major schemes based on cost estimates which bear no relationship to the bill which is ultimately presented. This is not just a threat to the sustainability of the State capital programme - even if you believe that the scarcity of public resources has magically been abolished - there is no democratic accountability when sheepish ministers are reduced to mumbling acquiescence as the costs escalate. There have been regular controversies in Ireland about costly public capital projects over the past few years, including the proposal to spend 3bn on a single tram line in Dublin, the MetroLink project, and the long-running saga of the National Broadband Plan, supposed to cost 500m but now due to cost a large, and still undisclosed, multiple of the initial estimate. Neither scheme has commenced. But it has just been revealed that the National Children's Hospital (NCH), already under construction on a brownfield site in the inner city of Dublin, will cost almost double the figure on which Government approval was based just two years ago. For a small country, Ireland displays an impressive willingness to dispense public capital money on a prodigious scale. I am reminded of a county council chairman many years ago, cheerfully allocating the county road improvement grant to purely political priorities, explaining that "... you can get away with anything in this country provided you call it capital". In his case, the amounts were in the tens of thousands, and at a time when the country was solvent. The current public investment splurge is overseen by a State which is heavily over-borrowed and when the mistakes to be avoided run into the billions. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin described the latest over-run as "beyond comprehension". Mr Martin is mistaken on this point: cost over-runs on State capital projects are all too easily comprehended, the rule rather than the exception. In Dublin alone, the five major projects completed in recent decades - the Red and Green Luas lines, the Cross-city line, the Port Tunnel and the M50 widening - all cost well in excess of the figures on which the political go-ahead was based. The total over-runs on these projects would more than pay for the long-delayed M20 motorway connecting Limerick and Cork. These persistent cost over-runs are not some kind of victimless crime and, contrary to Mr Martin's comment, news that a large scheme had been delivered under budget would be a national sensation. The NCH qualifies, since it now costs in excess of a billion, as a 'megaproject' in the language popularised by the Oxford economics professor Bent Flyvbjerg. This Dublin experience would not have surprised Professor Flyvbjerg. With his associates, he has studied cost over-runs on hundreds of similar projects around the world and has enunciated what he calls the Iron Law of Megaprojects: they end up "over budget, over time, over and over again". Studies stretching back to the 19th Century have documented a consistent pattern: large one-off public projects almost always cost well in excess of the initial estimates on which the political decision was based. Where estimates of project benefits are prepared, the benefit estimates regularly exceed what is eventually delivered. This is not just an Irish problem, although Ireland appears to be afflicted with a particularly virulent strain of the virus. Flyvbjerg has conceded the inherent difficulty in estimating the out-turn cost for big one-off projects: this is not as easy as doing costs-per-kilometre for roads, or costs-per-classroom for schools, repeat projects where experience builds up and errors should be eliminated. But a century is a long time and there appears to have been no historical improvement in cost estimation for megaprojects. And there is hardly any evidence of under-estimation. If the task was merely difficult, but undertaken with candour and honesty, there would be under-shoots as well as over-shoots. Since there are hardly ever any under-shoots, hence no evidence of learning from mistakes, Flyvbjerg is forced to conclude that the source of the problem is not its inherent difficulty, it is the deliberate deception of decision-makers by the project promoters. The people making the misleading cost estimates must be doing so consciously. Given the record of repeated over-shoots on major projects and the failure to improve cost estimation over time, you would imagine that embarrassment alone would have encouraged politicians to address the problem. To the extent that they have, their efforts have made no difference whatsoever. Ireland is in the happy position of possessing a splendid official statement of national policy on the evaluation and management of capital projects. It is called the Public Spending Code and covers all the bases. Its genesis goes all the way back to the early 1980s when the Department of Finance first became alarmed about cost over-shoots. The most recent iteration of the Public Spending Code requires that a full cost-benefit study be prepared for all publicly financed projects costing 20m or greater. This requirement is being enforced, at considerable cost and inconvenience, for some of the smaller projects but is being blithely ignored for the larger ones. For the National Broadband Plan, there has at no stage been a public figure available for project benefits and there is currently no definitive figure for costs. Nonetheless, the Government has recently re-committed to proceeding with the plan. The case of the NCH is exceptional even by Irish standards. According to Paul Cullen and Martin Wall, writing a week ago in The Irish Times, the cost will likely reach 2bn, twice the figure on which the Government signed off two years ago and treble the figure of 650m agreed as recently as 2012. Hospitals internationally have been costing about 1m per bed, so the 650m budget should have been plenty for the 500-bed project. But the constricted site chosen in the inner south city, as well as offering poor access for a national facility, appears to be a factor in the near-vertical cost escalation. Campaigners for alternative and more accessible greenfield sites warned about costs to no avail. Important projects elsewhere will now have to be scrapped or delayed, unless the Government has received secret permission from the European Central Bank to print euros. The Government's capital spending plans for the next few years already look rather ambitious and the NCH has just blown a large hole in the available budget. Cullen and Wall described the cost over-run as "a scandal in the making", which is far too kind. This is already a scandal fully-formed, the biggest and quickest over-shoot in Irish history. The Public Spending Code should either be formally withdrawn to end the pretence, or placed on a statutory basis, with defined accountability for cost estimation and consequences for misleading the Government. The signal from above, yet again, is that misleading cost estimates have no personal consequences for anybody. The National Broadband Plan should be put immediately on hold pending a serious estimate of benefits and costs. It's too late the stop the NCH but a week is enough to find a judge for the sworn inquiry. Since the start of the year the number of people living in extreme poverty across the world has fallen by almost 25 million. This is an enormous number of human beings. Happily, humanity's progress in 2018 was not a one-off. Since 1970, when the global population explosion of previous decades began to slow, extreme deprivation has been on the decline. According to the World Poverty Clock*, the share of the planet's population suffering extreme poverty fell below 8pc for the first time in 2018. It was twice as high as recently as 10 years ago. With health and education outcomes globally also continuing to improve, human progress is real and meaningful for anyone interested in seeing it. This, in my view, was the most important development of the past year, and indeed of recent decades. But because progress tends to advance gradually and in billions of tiny steps, it often goes unnoticed. More noticed than the gradual march of progress are setbacks and reversals. They make headlines because they noticeably jerk people and societies backwards. Ireland's crash of a decade ago was one example. Venezuela's continued implosion in 2018 is another example. Yemen's on-going war and descent into humanitarian crisis is yet another. We Irish share the global tendency to concentrate more on what goes wrong than on progress and achievement. Take healthcare. The past year has had more than its fair share of bad news stories. With almost daily coverage of what is going wrong in Ireland's health system, one might be forgiven for thinking that is going from dysfunction to disaster. Such a conclusion would, however, be wrong. Last week's provisional figures from Department of Health showed that in 2017 the death rates from all the big killers combined - cancers, strokes, heart attacks and respiratory conditions - had fallen by 15pc since 2008. There are serious issues around the functioning of the health system in Ireland, around spending over-runs and - ultimately - around the unwillingness of successive governments to take on the sector's vested interests in the interests of patients. But despite these issues, improvements are being made: as a result of new medicines and technologies; more efficient work practices; and additional resources. Better health outcomes are not the only evidence of progress on the home front. Just before Christmas, the State's annual survey on quality of life issues was published. It showed that life in Ireland is getting better by almost every measure. The CSO's Survey on Incomes and Living Conditions found that in 2017 the deprivation rate - the proportion of people unable to afford everyday goods and services - fell yet again. Other measures of poverty also continued to trend downwards. Incomes from most of the many groups measured rose, too. Income equality in Ireland was - yet again - little changed on the previous year. While there has been an increase in inequality in some western countries in recent years, Ireland has not been among that group, recording a remarkably stable income spread over the decades. Currently, Ireland ranks around the average among our European peers. It is worth noting that as Europe is the region of the world with the smallest disparities between those with the most money at any given time and those with the least, Ireland ranks as one of the most equal countries on a global basis. Progress at home and abroad is important for consideration of what might happen in 2019. One prediction that can be made with a fair degree of confidence is that in 12 months' time, millions more people will have crossed the threshold out of extreme poverty and that the sustained advance in global human development will have been extended by another year. It would take a worldwide economic shock greater than the Great Recession of 2008-09 to halt the juggernaut of progress. Could that happen? The answer is that although it probably won't, it certainly could. History shows that sudden and big reversals often interrupt the positive longer-term trends. More specifically, the conditions currently exist in the global economy for things to go wrong in short order. As Ireland is highly vulnerable to any international downturn, unlike relatively self-sufficient developing countries such as India, which is fast reducing extreme poverty, I would not be so confident that the Irish economy will be in a better place at the end of 2019 than at the beginning. Start with a risk that, while of limited significance globally, would have a major impact on Ireland: a no-deal Brexit. The first weeks and months of 2019 will be dominated by Britain's withdrawal from the EU, scheduled for the end of March. Hopefully, the British will swallow the withdrawal agreement that is on the table, including the Irish backstop. An even better outcome from the perspective of this island would be for the British to delay or abandon Brexit. But while these outcomes are possible, it appears more likely at this juncture is that the British political system will not be able to agree to any of these options. If by early March the choice for Leo Varadkar and his Government is between backing down on the backstop or a no-deal Brexit, which would be the worst possible outcome and include a hard border, the logical decision would be for him to swallow his pride and to take the backstop off the table. Reason and politics, however, don't always sit comfortably together. We might see that up close in Ireland in 2019. The unreason of Italian politics has been the biggest foreseeable risk to European prosperity since a government came to power in that country last spring, promising among many other things, not to be dictated to by Brussels and Berlin. The populist administration believes foreigners have been humiliating Italy for too long. For them, national pride is at stake. This only increases the chances of things going wrong. Since the fragility of the euro emerged almost a decade ago, when Greece went into crisis, I have believed that if there is an end point for Europe's single currency it will be in Rome, not Athens or elsewhere. That is because Italy, a giant economy with dangerously high levels of public debt, is only a few steps away from going Greek. If Italy's political system was more effective, this problem might have been addressed long ago. But Italian politics is going from bad to worse and beyond. If Italy's economy was dynamic it could grow out of its debt problems. But economic growth has been anaemic for two decades. Worse still, over the course of 2018 the economy slowed to a halt. If it tips into recession the country's debt dynamics could quickly spiral out of control, something a populist government would be particularly ill equipped to deal with. A rising threat of sovereign default would cause the Italian financial system to go into cardiac arrest. That would trigger a wider European crisis. This is a real prospect for 2019. The other big foreseeable risk to progress comes from the US. While the American economy is nothing like Italy's, how US President Donald Trump might react to a downturn is as unpredictable as how he might behave in a myriad of other situations in the year to come. The year just ending has seen Trump become more willing to pick fights with other countries. He has pushed China hardest and relations between the two superpowers are deteriorating rapidly. There is growing talk among scholars of international affairs of military conflict breaking out. The consensus remains that reason will prevail. Both sides have too much to lose from war. But reason doesn't always prevail. When the pride of individual leaders or entire nations becomes the driver of events, bad things can happen. Let's hope that reason prevails over pride in 2019. *https://worldpoverty.io/ It was the year when it became acceptable to hate the English once again, but this time it's not drunken woollybacks down the pub singing rebel songs, but nice middle-class Irish people dismayed by Brexit who are leading the charge of the Anglophobes. The Irish Times has become their official Brit-hater in chief. Last year began with the self-appointed newspaper of record denouncing Brexit as a "collective English mental breakdown", and ended with a London-based writer of Irish extraction describing her encounter at the Tory party conference with a "man in a boater hat and cravat, drinking champagne and smoking a cigar" as he "ignored a homeless woman asking for change and then chided me when I gave her some". What bizarre wormhole has the country fallen down where this histrionic representation of a neighbouring island of some 66 million people is taken seriously, rather than derided as childishly superficial? Some of the stuff being churned out in that quarter is now the 21st-century Irish equivalent of those infamous Punch cartoons in Victorian times which reduced the inhabitants of this island to dehumanising caricatures. As late as 1921, the magazine was still printing cartoons in which an Irish woman on her knees begs St Patrick to rid the country of the new snake of political violence. His unsympathetic reply: "The saints, my daughter, help those who help themselves." That's not much different in tone between that and Irish portrayals of the Brexiteers. In The Irish Times, Britain has even been compared to a drunk trying to whip the cloth from a table and leave the crockery intact. Brexit has been put down to "pig ignorance - of the genuine hallmarked, unadulterated, slack-jawed, open-mouthed, village idiot variety". Drunk, stupid, possibly mad - does none of this sound vaguely familiar to opinion formers in The Irish Times? There is undoubted satisfaction in this role reversal, but the sybaritic anti-English sentiment which has become commonplace in the Irish media is still founded on a stereotype, as hackneyed, stale and potentially pernicious as all the rest. It's blackly comic that we've gone in one step from being the victims to some of the worst offenders. What's even more bewildering is that the English stand condemned as 2018 ends for not understanding Ireland. When did they ever? More to the point, why should we expect them to understand us? Big countries never take much notice of smaller ones. Writing a few years ago, a former Singapore diplomat lamented the failure of even his educated, well-meaning Chinese friends to understand the asymmetric nature of the relationship their country had to its nearest neighbours, noting: "They may intellectually grasp the difference, but do not emotionally empathise with small countries." God knows, it's exasperating, and any Irish person with half an eye on the British media could, within seconds, draw up a long checklist of similar cliches, inaccuracies and misrepresentations that have been perpetuated down the years. Partly that's why the Irish are so favourably disposed towards the EU. Membership allows us, for once, to be the larger country. Much of the commentary on Brexit this year has illustrated that dynamic to a tee. English resentment at Ireland's influence within the EU, and Ireland's pride in the same, are a classic big country v small country drama, only with the roles reversed. From a psychological point of view, it's been fascinating to see how that change in fortunes resulted in the almost immediate adoption of an attitude of innate superiority in those who now have the upper hand. Politically, the greater interest is in how that led, arguably, to Ireland making the same strategic mistakes that all big countries make. The aforementioned South Asian diplomat quotes the Chinese philosopher Mencius, who said that, when dealing with small countries, big countries need to show magnanimity, and small countries, when dealing with big countries, need to show wisdom. Whichever part in the ongoing drama one ascribes to Ireland and the EU on one side, and Britain on the other, neither quality has been to the fore. A far bigger, and more worrying, source of wonder than Britain not understanding Ireland, or Ireland not understanding Britain, is that the Irish don't really seem to understand each other. The North doesn't understand the South. The South doesn't understand the North. Worse, neither seems to care that much about plugging the knowledge gap. This is our shared history - supposedly - but there's a hard border of misunderstanding running through the middle of this small shared space. It's been made more toxic by Brexit, but it wasn't created by it; but as with the Anglophobia of old, it's not as if we can pretend not to know where it can lead. In State papers released last week under the 30-year rule, former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is recorded in 1988 telling then Taoiseach Charles Haughey "the world's harshest battles are... between people who are like each other and who live beside each other, like the Greeks and Turks, Sikhs and Hindus, Arabs and Israelis". Whatever one might think of Thatcher's hostile and condescending attitude to Irish unity, she wasn't wrong about that. At least Haughey and Thatcher recognised that they didn't understand one another and needed, at the lowest point in relations between the two countries, to continue efforts to overcome their mutual incomprehension. Right now, everyone appears convinced they're justified in perpetuating such a low and facile opinion of those who represent the Other. It wouldn't matter so much if the exclusive target of this disdain was Home Counties toffs in tweeds, but the arguments in favour of Brexit are not being made on this island by arrogant English incomers, but by unionists in Northern Ireland in their own land who are bound to feel these blasts of ideological hauteur from Dublin as an icy cultural wind. If thoughtless British disregard for Irish history is frustrating, this deliberate Irish disregard for our own history is unforgivable. Last January, the playwright Colin Murphy, in an essay about the danger of consensus, quoted George Orwell: "At any given moment there is an orthodoxy, a body of ideas which it is assumed all right-thinking persons will accept without question. Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds himself silenced with surprising effectiveness." Backing up the backstop is the biggest national orthodoxy of my lifetime. Ironically, one of the most effective enforcers of the national consensus on the issue is columnist Fintan O'Toole, assistant editor at The Irish Times and winner of the Orwell prize for journalism on Brexit. Challenging a consensus shared by almost all commentators - the two exceptions being Dan O'Brien and Peter Cassells - is not for the faint-hearted. But a few weeks ago, I braced myself to argue that were we wrong to use the backstop to back the British towards a crash exit that might take us with them, and argued that Enda Kenny and Bertie Ahern would have done better than Leo Varadkar. Just before Christmas in a piece titled, 'The British should know their place on Brexit', Fintan O'Toole togged out for the Taoiseach and the consensus. At the risk of breaking the Christmas truce on Brexit that Fintan O'Toole refers to, but in the interests of a healthier democratic debate, I propose to take some of his key points, with ample quotes, followed by my comments on them - admittedly a bit anoraky but necessary for fairness. FO'T: "Before we declare a Christmas truce in the Brexit wars, let's clear away one large piece of debris. In Britain, and even in Ireland, a narrative has taken hold: the Border problem was not a big issue until Leo Varadkar replaced Enda Kenny as Taoiseach in June 2017." EH: But Varadkar's own biographers state that the hard line was a conscious decision by Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney, not a reaction to external necessities. In their biography, Leo Varadkar: A Very Modern Taoiseach, Philip Ryan and Niall O'Connor say that the policy shifted in July 2017, one month after Kenny was ousted, when Varadkar and Foreign Minister Simon Coveney agreed to "adopt the most hardline stance possible in relation to the Border". FO'T: "And both sides fully understood that dealing with the Border in the context of the peace process meant one thing above all: no physical infrastructure." EH: But the Good Friday Agreement says nothing about tariffs and customs along the Border. It is an international treaty which aims to facilitate political cooperation between one sovereign state, and one special region of another sovereign state. For sure, economic cooperation is one part of a broader political settlement, but it is a subsidiary concern relative to the core constitutional issue. The logic of O'Toole's implied claim would lead us to believe that NI disintegrated in 1969 because you needed to go through border customs. But the Provisional IRA campaign was not a protest against customs barriers. In essence it had little to do with the fact of the Border itself. It was a product of what the historian FSL Lyons called "anarchy in the mind and the heart, an anarchy which forbade not just unity of territories, but also 'unity of being'". The core unionist problem with the backstop is the implied refusal to accept the logic of the declaration the Irish Government made in the Good Friday Agreement. The GFA marked the formal acceptance that "the present wish of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland, freely exercised and legitimate, is to maintain the union and, accordingly, that Northern Ireland's status as part of the United Kingdom reflects and relies upon that wish". This means us accepting that NI is actually part of another country, and it is not for us to tell another sovereign state what to do, not least a neighbour which has spent blood and treasure keeping the peace in NI. But let's move to his next charge against the Brits. FO'T: "The staggering fact is that even though they knew that the Border was the key to Brexit, they left it out of their Brexit planning." EH: This omits that fact that Varadkar and Coveney shut down all the preparations that Kenny had authorised. As the Financial Times noted last October, while Kenny was Taoiseach Barnier did actually explore various technological approaches to the Border, including trusted trader schemes systems to minimise regulatory checks at the Border. True, May threw a spanner in the works with the hardline Lancaster House speech in January 2017. When she announced she wanted the UK to leave both the customs union and the single market, Kenny began to lose faith in technology - but Varadkar dropped the whole thing entirely. The FT quotes one British official: "The shutters came down in Dublin." Stephen Donnelly, former Brexit spokesman for Fianna Fail, says that relations after that became "more antagonistic". And he added: "The official level antagonism was an instruction from Government to cease engagement with British officials." In sum, even though the technological approach (which I have always favoured) would have been difficult and complicated, Kenny at least tried and who knows what would have happened later in 2017 after May lost her majority. Kenny's instinct might well have been to try again. But Varadkar refused. In fairness, can O'Toole criticise the UK for failing to plan for something the Irish side wouldn't even discuss? FO'T: "So how could any Irish Government of any hue simply take it on trust that the British would keep the commitments they had so freely given?" EH: There was no basis for thinking the British would double-cross us on the Border after they had given a voluntary pledge to keep the Border open. As Tony Blair said last week, the need to keep the Border open was one of the stated aims of the British side. They never once hedged on that after the referendum result. Why would they? They would have to police a hard border, having already bore the brunt of the IRA campaign in Northern Ireland where 1,400 British military personnel died keeping the peace. Why on earth would they want to double-cross us? FO'T: "If the British either would not or could not come up with credible proposals to deal with what they knew to be the single biggest obstacle to Brexit, there were only two things any Irish Government could do. It could ask for a legally binding assurance. Or it could shut up about its own vital national interests." EH: Or we could have avoided the backstop. Is keeping the Border with NI free of physical structures really a more vital national interest than maintaining our economic lifeline with our biggest single trading partner, the UK, which is on the verge of staggering into the WTO morass, dragging us with them, and endangering 400,000 jobs and Irish-UK trade worth 65bn a year - compared with the relatively small 1bn in our NI exports? Heresy? Well, at least it's in the spirit of Orwell. Imagine Robert Emmet, standing in the dock in 1803, about to be sentenced to death, after he'd made the famous speech in which he justified his failed rising. And imagine that he, in some magic way, travelled forward in time by 150 years and arrived in the Ireland of 1953. Emmet's rising was foolish and inept, but he was no Little Irelander motivated by a dour grudge against the Brits. Though he died at just 25, he had travelled abroad, he had opinions on France and on the revolutionaries in the American colonies. He had a concept of human freedom. In the epic speech, he insisted that his epitaph must not be written until "my country takes her place among the nations of the Earth". That notion, of an independent Ireland, free of the shackles of empire, standing as an equal with the other nations of the Earth, inspired generations, including the one that fought the war of independence. So, imagine Emmet checks out the Ireland of 1953. By then, the 26 independent counties had had 30 years to develop. Within the limitations of the time, it was what it wanted to be. The Ireland that emerged into independence, though, had little interest in taking its place among the nations of the Earth. We repelled cultural differences. We didn't aspire to be equals - we, in our ignorance, believed we were morally superior to the "pagan" countries. By 1953, Ireland was a shambles, but we clung to our alleged moral superiority. I suspect that as soon as he returned to 1803 Robert Emmet would have sought out his fellow revolutionaries and said: "Ah, here, you know what, lads - on second thoughts..." Our surly little country gloried in its parochial isolation, in its petty notions of holiness, and it remained unashamedly savage in its harsh, mean punishment of transgressors - be they troubled young men, "loose" women or "illegitimate" children. Meanwhile, barely out of sight, the obscene abuse of the vulnerable continued. How did Ireland become such a bitter place? Well, maybe it was affected by the utter pointlessness of the Civil War, the hatred and the resentment and the misshapen politics it bred. Or maybe the country being cut into two parts left both of them dysfunctional. Some of the most imaginative and courageous leaders died in the fight for independence, and the leadership passed to lesser figures, conservative to the bone. The new country did some great things. The Shannon Scheme, rural electrification, repeated achievements in housing its people. And in other circumstances such work could stand as a monument to the new free State. But the realities of the new State were the rivers of tears that surged from the likes of the Artane Industrial School in the east, to the Tuam mother and baby home in the west, via the Magdalene laundries all over the damn place. The young girls imprisoned, the young boys cast into a lifetime of guilt, the babies officially designated to be without legitimacy. Great efforts were applied by church and State to suppressing natural feelings, and to outlawing unapproved thoughts. Deceit and cover-up, censorship and shame were baked into every layer of society. Given by history the task of saving a unique language, with a literature linked to ages past, the grim new State stocked up on bamboo canes and leather straps. In its schools it used them unsparingly on children, often for minor failings in struggling with a language they ordered us to love. Every blow from cane or leather made more adamant our rejection of the language and all it stood for. Even as it gloried in its own piety, the new State rejected Christianity. The priests and nuns who abused the children knew this was a foul business. The bishops who protected the abusers knew these were acts of facilitation. But this was an acceptable price to pay to maintain the pure reputation and the political power the Catholic Church enjoyed. The rejection of Christianity went further, though. At the heart of most of the world's ancient religions is hospitality towards strangers. The light in the window, the welcome to the traveller, a duty of succour to the refugee. Even without the religious element, these were among the widespread, liberating beliefs that laid the basis for civilisation. Christianity put a revolutionary human relationship at the heart of its beliefs - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The great test for this country came mid-century, when the Jews fled the Nazis executioners. We turned the Jews away. When a TD praised Hitler and slagged the Jews he got an increased vote. Fine Gael later put him in the Cabinet. That pinched-faced, self-praising, pious and unchristian State limped on, leaving behind a widening stain of sin. But the 1950s was the last decade in which that version of Ireland reigned unchallenged. The following decade saw seeds sown by feminists and Travellers and gays and others with radical politics. Gradually at first, much of the abuse, violence and injustice was drained away. New generations saw that the realities of their lives and their nature were not reflected in the laws of the country, and they moved to change them. The dominant political parties still carry within them ideas held dear in the old Ireland. An attitude to immigrants, for instance, that mirrors a previous generation's attitude to Jews. International obligations mean today that they can't send them back to their executioners, but they imprison them in Direct Provision for years. Some claim the support for Peter Casey's attack on Travellers came from people weary of being treated with contempt by the political establishment. I don't buy that. There were other candidates, more intelligent, who could have articulated such a protest. They got no spike in support. Casey hadn't the ability to make coherent proposals about Travellers - for good or for ill. He merely slagged them off in the hackneyed language of the pub bore. And, instantly, 342,727 aggressive fists punched the air, 342,727 surly voices, familiar from countless "comments" sections, roared: "Me too, Mr Casey, sir!" A week ago, Michael D Higgins made a Christmas speech in which he asked that we ensure there is "room at the inn" for "our fellow citizens across the world who live in the dark shadows of conflict, persecution, violence, injustice and poverty". We live on a rock around which winds of fortune and pain randomly blow, and we all move where we must, to survive or to prosper. The Irish have moved around that rock as much as anyone. Higgins never hid his views. He made a similar speech a month before the election - explicitly linking support for both Travellers and migrants. He won the election by a landslide. There's enough remaining of the old Ireland to guarantee a role for a Casey type. But Higgins's message of respect and support got a massive 822,566 votes. If Emmet could see us now. Outside on the streets, the people are no longer all white; the languages are varied. We're still getting used to it all, but that's what a country looks like and sounds like when it's taking its place among the nations of the Earth. Davina McCall and ex-husband Matthew Robertson arrive at the National Television Awards held at O2 Arena on January 20, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images) TV presenter Davina McCall and husband Matthew Robertson arrive at The Pioneer British Academy Television Awards at the Theatre Royal on April 17, 2005 in London. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images) Davina McCall, one of the most outspoken presenters on television, won't be drawn on one topic - her divorce. The former Big Brother host (51) announced last year that she and husband of 17 years Matthew Roberston would be parting ways and for the sake of their three children - Holly (17), Tilly (15) and Chester (12) - she will remain uncharacteristically mum about the split. In addition to her broadcasting work, McCall has earned legions of fans thanks to her candour when discussing her previous drug addiction and more recently, her delightfully defiant attitude in response to trolls on Instagram. "OK, you think I'm too thin? I'm going to post a lot more pictures of myself in bikinis. That's what I'm like. Tell me not to do something and I'm going to do it," she told the Mail on Sunday's YOU magazine. "I think when you're in your 20s and 30s, you're thinking, 'I want to wear a strapless dress and for my arms to not wibble wobble'. When you get to 50 it's more, 'I don't want to get heart disease, I want to keep my cholesterol low, I want my blood pressure to be good.'" Expand Close Davina McCall and ex-husband Matthew Robertson arrive at the National Television Awards held at O2 Arena on January 20, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Davina McCall and ex-husband Matthew Robertson arrive at the National Television Awards held at O2 Arena on January 20, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images) But she is cautious when it comes to her family life and said she is "really conscious of the fact that Matthew isn't famous" and likely won't be given an opportunity to share his side of the story, should he be interested. "There are so many positive things that I could say but I just can't talk about it because of our kids," she said. "And also I'm really conscious of the fact that Matthew isn't famous. So I could be shooting off willy-nilly about stuff, but where's he going to vent his feelings? It's not really fair on anyone. And my truth isn't his truth and his truth isn't my truth. And more than anything, with a 17- and a 15-year-old they read stuff and they are aware of it and I just don't want them to have to see that." She went on to say that when considering a future partner, her main focus will be on friendship. "I've had my kids. I've done that. If I choose a mate now, it isn't to procreate, it's for companionship and a deep and meaningful relationship," she said. "Matthew and I made three great kids. But I've done it now, so you start looking for something completely different. So you're not thinking about beauty as far as attracting the father of your children any more. "I mean, on a purely selfish level I guess I'm just thinking about what makes me feel good. Which is so nice, right?" Expand Close Ab fab: Davina McCall was criticised for posting her bikini-bod picture / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ab fab: Davina McCall was criticised for posting her bikini-bod picture Paula Gannon and PJ McCabe were crowned the winners of the Savills Style Awards Paula Gannon (r) pictured with the other finalists at the Savills Style Awards It was fashion-forward art teacher Paula Gannon who won in the style stakes on the third day of the Leopardstown Races today in the Savills Style Awards. The Roscommon mum-of-two designs headpieces during the school holidays, with her own creation ensuring she was crowned most stylish lady among racegoers today. With judges keeping an eye out for Irish design on the day, Paula ticked all the boxes in a purple Vivienne OConnor two-piece outfit, complimented by jewellery from Katie Mullally a gift from Paulas husband, Seamus. She said they were looking forward to enjoying her winnings together, which included an over-night stay in Shelbourne Hotel and a years supply of hair-dressing at Peter Marks. It wasnt Paulas first win when it came to her chic wardrobe, scooping best-dressed lady at Kilbeggan twice before. Its my first win here in Leopardstown so I am very excited. I have won a couple before and I am just so excited. I design head-pieces part-time, Im an art teacher. This is one of my designs and I am wearing Vivienne OConnor, an Irish designer, she said. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Winner Carita Conway, centre, 2nd place Emer Kilroy, left , and 3rd place Paula McCormack, right, from at the best dressed ladies competition at the Christmas Racing Festival - Limerick Racecourse Picture: Caroline Quinn Paula Gannon (r) pictured with the other finalists at the Savills Style Awards Catherine MCCloskey pictured at The Leopardstown Christmas Festival of Racing PIC COLIN ORIORDAN Laura Hanlon and Grace Ryan pictured at The Leopardstown Christmas Festival of Racing PIC COLIN ORIORDAN Paula McCormack at the Christmas Racing Festival - Limerick Racecourse, Co. Limerick Picture: Caroline Quinn Kate OConnor and Aisling Curley pictured at The Leopardstown Christmas Festival of Racing PIC COLIN ORIORDAN Paula Gannon and PJ McCabe were crowned the winners of the Savills Style Awards Stacey O'Leary, Tasha O'Connor, and sister Jordana Lambadarios at the Christmas Racing Festival - Limerick Racecourse, Co. Limerick. Picture: Caroline Quinn Winner of the Best dressed ladies competition: Carita Conway, from Castleconnell, Limerick. Christmas Racing Festival - Limerick Racecourse Picture: Caroline Quinn Aaron O'Connor at the Christmas Racing Festival at the Limerick Racecourse Picture: Caroline Quinn Among the thousands: Left: Julia Kaulsay and Grainne Hutchinson at the festival yesterday. Photos: Bryan Keane/INPHO Lisa Morrison with Jean Burlington and Shauna Carbery at the races yesterday / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Winner Carita Conway, centre, 2nd place Emer Kilroy, left , and 3rd place Paula McCormack, right, from at the best dressed ladies competition at the Christmas Racing Festival - Limerick Racecourse Picture: Caroline Quinn It is nice to be able to win in Irish and I am so chuffed to win here today because the style is amazing and the prize from Savills is just outstanding so really looking forward to our overnight in the Shelbourne. Read More She explained she had decided on her outfit last month, going for a mix of designer and high-street pieces, her camel coat something she picked up in Zara. My earrings were a gift from my husband, she added. While she doesnt make hats very often other than for a few local weddings, she said there was nowhere better to display her work than at a racing meet such as Leopardstown. Expand Close Paula Gannon and PJ McCabe were crowned the winners of the Savills Style Awards / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Paula Gannon and PJ McCabe were crowned the winners of the Savills Style Awards Video of the Day The best place to showcase them is the races. Im an art teacher Monday to Friday, September to June and then during the summer I do a few pieces I dont work a lot but I do bits and pieces, she said. Its really just me and my sisters. It was also important to the Athlone woman to wear Irish brands at the races racing is a tradition she considers fabulously Irish. Irish love to support Irish and this is a wonderful place to be able to do it, she said. Meanwhile, it was PJ McCague, from Co Monaghan, who walked away with the mens title. Unlike Paula, his win was a first and completely accidental. I never even came with the intention of entering it I am here babysitting my grandson and I was made tidy myself up before I came and this is what happened. Ill take it, he said. The Clones man looked dapper in a tweed suit with blue shirt and orange tie and matching handkerchief. Its a McGee suit and I have it a long time, it never fails thats why you should invest in McGee, he added. The third day of the festival was attended by 15,559 racing fans with another great day for bookmakers, with over 1mil wagered again today. Sustainability is central to artist/designer Helen Steele, whose 'Cora' bubble dress features her new SS19 'Daije' print, in silk with silk-satin ruffles, 725, from Costume, Castle Market, Dublin 2, available from the second week of January Joanna Kaminska's 'Daily Mantras' hand-rolled deep-orange silk crepe de chine scarf, available in two sizes, 180 and 240, from jokamin.com; Atrium, Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, Dublin 2, and Sevenoaks and Steele Design Workshop, Bray. Print painted in Cork and printed on silk in Italy Highly collectible vintage is a key pillar of the slow fashion movement. This illustration by the legendary Hollywood costume designer Edith Head was her design for Audrey Hepburn in Billy Wilders Sabrina (1954) New Year, new you, and there's a fresh new Pantone Colour of the Year for us to contemplate. Ever worn a shade of deep orange before? No, neither have I, but chances are we will in 2019, as 'Living Coral' has been chosen as the new Pantone colour du jour. This orangey/peachy/coral hue will be popping up in fashion, interiors and home furnishings everywhere. Why the fuss, you ask? Over the past 20 years, the Pantone Colour of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries - from fashion to industrial design as well as product-packaging and graphic design. Praised for its "optimism", the new colour is, according to experts, a "life-affirming coral hue with a golden undertone that energises and enlivens with a softer edge". Expand Close Two models seated on a wicker basket at the beach, published in Vogue in 1959 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Two models seated on a wicker basket at the beach, published in Vogue in 1959 Big sell, indeed, but it certainly works well if you are chasing megawatt impact. Bravehearts will favour a statement head-to-toe approach, but I think we can learn a lesson or two from style icons of the past who explored such hues by working them with tone-on-tone 'sister' colours, like brick, peach and terracotta - which comes with its own innate sophistication - all of which featured in this striking fashion image (right), published in Vogue in 1959. For me, the stunning photograph captures the style essence of a time when quality construction and fabrication plus attention to detail reigned supreme. But what is most compelling for me about the image is reflecting on how much our consumption of fashion has changed between then and now. Starting into a new year, and the close of the second decade of the 21st century, I think we owe it to ourselves and future generations to pause a moment and reflect on our consumption habits - and the consequences of those for our environment. Those ladies back in the 1950s had two fashion seasons a year. While nowadays we still have Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter, just as they did, we also have Pre-Season, High Summer and Cruise. We buy way more clothes than our grandmothers and their mothers did, and, just as the arrival of cheaper, ready-to-wear collections triggered the demise of the designer couturier houses in the 1950s and '60s, nowadays fast fashion has invaded our hearts and our wardrobes - but at what cost? Retail is tough. The landscape is extremely competitive and the battle for value has never been harder fought, but one thing is for certain: the buy-and-chuck strategy of today would never have crossed the minds of our fashionable forebearers, who kept a vigilant eye on quality, not quantity. Just look at their closets. They usually had one, even shared one - none of the wall-to-wall storage modern-day consumers require now for their "stuff". Video of the Day Fast fashion imitates styles and trends seen on the runways and recreates them at a low price to sell to the mass market. True, it has brought a certain democratisation to the rag trade, but quality matters - and what happens to all those affordable interpretations of designers looks? The infamous three-wears-before-it-shrinks T-shirt may be affordable for the consumer but it brings a much bigger cost for society - way beyond the original price tag of 5-10. The desire for fast fashion has escalated the supply chain, and experts calculate that 25pc of fashion nowadays ends up in landfill. On the cusp of an exciting new fashion season, we welcome newness, and we need to support an important industry which employs so many people across production, wholesale and retail. The latter has found itself in a state of flux as shoppers move across platforms, from traditional bricks and mortar to e-commerce, and into the mix go the added pressures of flash sales, promotions and advanced analytics. However, before we start introducing new elements into our closets for 2019, shouldn't we really take a hard look at what we already have, and adopt a responsible approach as we thin out hanger space to make room for incoming pieces? It's never too late, and 2019 is an ideal time to really address the issue of sustainability. The best advice is to buy less and buy well. When it comes to emptying out the contents of our own closets, don't dump - gift. Share with friends, sell on or, better again, send to charity shops that can take advantage of your largesse. Save the good pieces which will be the vintage of the future and don't regard vintage and charity stores as "niche". They are not: they have a very relevant place in the sustainable fashion conversation. Recently, vintage queen Breda Casey, from the legendary Miss Daisy Blue vintage specialist shop in Cork's Market Parade, was invited by Brown Thomas to be part of their Marvel Room experience. This was in recognition of the fact that vintage jeans and accessories, like old-school vintage scarves, have a place in the modern-day marketplace as shoppers increasingly buy between decades. The slow fashion movement has long made a case for buying fewer garments at higher quality and seeking out goods made from more sustainable processes - where there is an emphasis on the art of clothes and the skills of the people who made them. Sustainability and transparency sat at the forefront of every decision Katie O'Riordan made when she launched her new Irish brand, Theo & George (theoandgeorge.com), in September 2017. She focused on making ethical and smart decisions about both the companies she partnered with and the products she sold. "Sustainability has its complexities, as it's not only about the materials we source, but also about the human side of the business. We don't work with sweatshops - most of our factories only employ 10-15 people. We use natural fibres like cotton, cashmere, modal and bamboo, and we partner with factories that are transparent so we can trace our products back to the raw materials. Plus, we don't overproduce - so we aren't disposing of clothes that we can't sell," says Katie. The concept has paid off and it's clear to Katie from a survey Theo & George carried out with customers this month that this commitment to quality and sustainability is important. "The key trends we are seeing for 2019 are sustainability, high-quality garments, colour and a desire for luxurious essentials that can be worn as part of a capsule wardrobe." Artist-designer Helen Steele (whose new SS19 dress is pictured on page 23) works in natural fabrics and keeps the carbon footprint of her range to an absolute minimum. The Daije print was hand-painted at her studio in Emyvale, Co Monaghan, last summer, based on a chromosome idea. The silk was printed in the Netherlands and all her dresses are handmade in Dublin. She recently collaborated with the artist Maser and, in February, they are launching a limited-edition collection of Hawaiian shirts and dresses. Jean McCabe - who won the coveted National Store of the Year prize in the recent Retail Excellent Awards - is all about colour in her two Willow stores, in Ennis and Galway. It's hard not to think beyond dark winter days when you see the vibrant colours in her Exquise buy. 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. Scores of polling centres in the Democratic Republic of Congo have failed to open on time for people to cast votes in the presidential election. The electoral commission chief faced shouts of we wanted to vote and frustrated people walked away after delays at one polling station in Kinshasa. Problems were reported in other voting centres in the capital and other parts of the vast country. The election is DR Congos first chance to have a peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence in 1960 as long-time President Joseph Kabila steps aside. Expand Close President Joseph Kabila casts his vote in Kinshasa (Jerome Delay/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Joseph Kabila casts his vote in Kinshasa (Jerome Delay/AP) DR Congos electoral commission chief said that 49 voting centres in Kinshasa were still waiting for voters lists. We have printed lists for 29 of them and the rest are being printed right now, Corneille Nangaa said while hurrying from centre to centre, at times handing out the lists himself. Hundreds of people waited at the Saint Raphael centre in the Limete neighbourhood of Kinshasa. We are waiting to know who is supposed to vote where, polling official Christian Mwangalay said. At least 6,000 people were expected to vote there. Expand Close Congolese voters wait to cast their ballots (Jerome Delay/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Congolese voters wait to cast their ballots (Jerome Delay/AP) At stake in the election is a country rich in minerals including those crucial to the worlds smartphones and electric cars, and yet DR Congo remains desperately underdeveloped. Corruption and insecurity are widespread. Unrest had been feared after a last-minute decision to bar an estimated 1 million people from voting because of a deadly Ebola virus outbreak in the east. The decision has been widely criticised as threatening the credibility of the election. In Beni, where voting was postponed until March, long after DR Congos new leader will be inaugurated in January, a few hundred protesters staged mock elections. People cast paper ballots and many sang in Swahili: Voting is our right and nobody can stop us. Beni residents said they and others barred in Butembo city should have the right to have their votes counted. Jacob Salamu, 24, and others washed their hands before voting as a protection against Ebola, which is spread via infected bodily fluids. We do not have Ebola. Kabila is worse than Ebola, Mr Salamu said. They will send their voting results to the electoral commission, he said. The delay has been widely criticised as undermining the credibility of the election, while some health workers have said it politicises the outbreak and puts them in danger. Some protesters in Beni have attacked Ebola facilities. Two main opposition candidates, Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi, are challenging Mr Kabilas preferred successor, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is under sanctions from the European Union. A rainstorm began voting day in the capital, flooding some streets. Mr Kabila and Mr Shadary voted together at the central Gombe Institute polling station. My message today to my compatriots is to come and vote for their candidates and brave the rain, Mr Kabila said. Mr Shadary called for peace and calm, adding: I am very confident in victory. Leading opposition candidate Mr Fayulu voted at the same polling station. Today, we are writing the end of Kabila, the end of misery for Congolese people, he said as he cast his ballot. Congo will stop being the laughing stock of the world. Although electoral officials have estimated that people could vote in one minute, the process was taking several minutes per person, causing concern. People are supposed to take one minute to vote, we cannot afford this, said Francoise Tshiela, chief of the Gombe centre. Congos 40 million registered voters are using electronic voting machines with touch screens for the first time amid opposition concerns that the results could be manipulated. Some Congolese observers have said voting materials did not reach some polling stations in time. One polling official in Kinshasa worried that the voting machines will run out of battery. Troubles and confusion were being reported around the vast country on Sunday. We came to vote and there is nothing. May (President Joseph) Kabila go to hell, said voter Elvis Bolungu. Crisis: Migrants aboard a rubber boat after being intercepted by French officials off the port of Calais on Christmas Day British home secretary Sajid Javid is cutting short a family holiday to deal with the "major incident" of a rising number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel by boat, immigration minister Caroline Nokes has said. Speaking during a visit to Dover, Ms Nokes said: "I can't comment on his whereabouts for security reasons, but he is on his way back and he will be at his desk on Monday. Expand Close British home secretary Sajid Javid. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp British home secretary Sajid Javid. Photo: PA "He is taking control of the situation and I am in regular contact with him, and we had a conference call just yesterday." Last Friday night, Mr Javid resisted calls for more patrol boats to be deployed to the Channel to tackle the migrant crisis despite declaring it a "major incident". The home secretary broke off from his holiday to "take control" of the situation as a further 12 migrants landed in Dover, bringing to 90 the number rescued since Christmas Day. But yesterday it was revealed he was heading back to Westminster to take command. Despite pressure from Tory colleagues, French politicians and the military, Mr Javid is reluctant to order additional boats to the Channel, for fear it could encourage more migrants to attempt the crossing. A Home Office source said: "We believe we have enough boats operationally to deal with it. The bigger issue is to prevent the migrants coming in the first place by targeting the people smugglers." It was unclear on Friday night, however, what further action the Home Office planned to take, beyond the current sea patrols and ongoing joint Anglo-French operations involving the National Crime Agency (NCA). As he declared the crisis a "major incident", Mr Javid, who is seen as a potential successor to Theresa May, appointed a "Gold Commander" to oversee the situation and was briefed by officials from the Border Force, NCA and Immigration Enforcement. He was planning to hold talks this weekend with his French counterpart, interior minister Christophe Castaner, to establish how joint operations could be extended and what more could be done to stop the traffickers. In response to calls for extra boats in the Channel, Mr Javid has commissioned the Border Force to review options and decide "whether this is likely to encourage more people to try to make the crossing rather than act as a deterrents". Telegraph Word on the streets - now is a good time to go Word is spreading in Calais that now is a good time to make a move. Since Christmas Eve, 90 migrants in 10 different boats have attempted to cross the English Channel. Some 71 people have made it to the UK, either by navigating the busy waterway, or by being picked up in British waters by border force patrol boats. Since the start of November, 280 people, mostly Iranian, have been intercepted by authorities on both sides of the Channel with the British picking up 201 and the French, 79. It is believed at least 60 people have made it to the UK undetected. The surge in numbers over Christmas has been blamed on mild weather, calm seas and smuggling gangs seeking to exploit the holiday period, where border agencies may be short-staffed. Inside the migrant camps in Dunkirk and Calais, French police are applying physical and psychological pressure on migrants by raiding camps and dispersing the inhabitants, sometimes using tear gas and batons. In July, there were just 11 camp raids in Calais. In October, that number had increased to 78. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Politicians in Northern Ireland have paid tribute to former British Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown, who died aged 77 last 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. "Paddy was a great friend to Northern Ireland, having grown up here, and a strong supporter of our peace process. 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 on February 27, 1941. Daniel O'Connell 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. Paddy 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, including being involved in the arrest at one time of the future SDLP leader John Hume. In 1971, he transferred to the Foreign Office, spending five years as First Secretary at the UK Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, much later disclosing an MI6 connection. 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." His background and linguistic skills proved useful to the Heath government as it sought to re-establish relations with China. But after five years he took the "crazy, irresponsible, naive" decision to quit the service and move to Yeovil, his wife's home county. Ashdown worked first for Westland, then for Morlands, makers of sheepskin coats, until made redundant. After six months on the dole - "nothing I have ever done was as hard as that; it unmanned me" - he found a job with Dorset County Council. Originally a Labour supporter (from the shock of discovering that the men he commanded did not share his public-school outlook), he now threw himself into Liberal politics. Within a year of settling there, he fought Yeovil in 1979, reducing the majority of the Conservative, John Peyton. Liberals nationally started to take notice, and by the 1983 election he was being rated as leadership material if he could get elected. While the Alliance's hopes that year were frustrated, Ashdown had worked the constituency hard, and he captured the seat he would hold for 18 years. Lord Ashdown was credited with making the British Lib Dems a significant third force in politics during the 1990s. Nicknamed 'Action Man', he added steel to a traditionally undisciplined force, reviving its fortunes by leading it from the Left as the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major became increasingly unpopular. His strategy paid dividends: over two elections Lib Dem strength in the Commons increased from 22 to 46. Friends attributed Ashdown's somewhat introverted nature to his experiences as a commando. One observed: "A lot of his life has been about finding a framework for his own unruly passion... a fairly raw young man attempting to impose discipline on himself." Ashdown himself said: "If I have a strength, it is enthusiasm. If I have a weakness, it is impatience." His reputation did not suffer lasting damage when, shortly before the 1992 election, an affair five years before with his former secretary, Patricia Howard, was revealed. Ashdown's wife had forgiven him; bizarrely it came to light after a burglary at the offices of Ashdown's solicitor. Though the publicity was traumatic for Ashdown's family, he survived The Sun christening him 'Paddy Pantsdown', and he went on almost to hold the ground won by the Alliance five years before. Ashdown's keenest policy interest was the tragedy that unfolded in Bosnia as Yugoslavia disintegrated. He demanded intervention by the EU and Nato to halt "ethnic cleansing", mainly by the Serbs, and in the first two years of Blair's government paid several visits to Kosovo. After leaving Parliament at the 2001 election, he went to Bosnia as the international community's viceregal "high representative", maintaining the settlement reached at Dayton in 1995 and banging heads together when necessary. He was later proposed as Nato's envoy to Afghanistan, but his appointment was vetoed by President Karzai and influential warlords. Paddy Ashdown married in 1961, Jane Courtenay, cousin of a fellow officer. She and their son and daughter survive him. Tributes are placed in memory of two Scandinavian university students (Thomas Sjoerup/Ritzau Scanpix/AP) Moroccan prosecutors have filed preliminary terrorism charges against 15 people who are suspected of links to the killing of two Scandinavian women in the Atlas Mountains. Moroccos public prosecutor said in a statement the charges include forming a gang to prepare and commit terrorist acts and premeditated murder. Expand Close Moroccans hold a candlelight vigil outside the Norwegian embassy in Rabat (Mosaab Elshamy/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Moroccans hold a candlelight vigil outside the Norwegian embassy in Rabat (Mosaab Elshamy/AP) Three of the suspects face additional charges for allegedly urging the others to commit acts of terrorism. The women, one from Denmark and one from Norway, were found dead in a remote mountain region on December 17. Authorities have described the slayings as an alleged attack by followers of the Islamic State group. The 15 suspects were referred on Sunday to an investigating judge who handles terror-related cases. More suspects are expected to be charged in the coming days. The boss of Britains oldest peer-to-peer lender has revealed aims for a future stock market float under plans to take on the major high street banks. (Zopa/PA) The boss of Britains oldest peer-to-peer lender has revealed aims for a future stock market flotation under plans to take on the major high street banks. Zopa boss Jaidev Janardana told the Press Association the group would consider the move in two or three years time to help it expand after securing a banking licence from the City watchdog. He wants to become a major force in retail banking, with the peer-to-peer pioneer taking its ethos of market disruption into the sector dominated by the major high street lenders. I'd be very disappointed if we're not a top 10 player in the next three to four yearsJaidev Janardana, Zopa Mr Janardana said while Zopa has been funded by equity investors and venture capital until now, an initial public offering (IPO) would be a natural next step to help fund its banking ambitions. It comes after the group recently raised 60 million in its biggest funding round to date. He said: Now we are entering the banking business, thats a lot more capital intensive and well be raising a lot more money. In the short-term, we will continue to be privately funded, but in two or three years time, the public market would be something we would consider. He added while the group is focusing its initial attentions on credit cards, fixed-term savings and a money management app, it would also be interested in moving into mortgages eventually. The recent success in being awarded a banking licence, with restrictions, from the Financial Conduct Authority means it can now begin to test its products before being given the full approval by the regulator. Zopa, which was created 13 years ago, will start to roll out new products next year with the aim to provide an alternative offering that uses tech innovation to its best advantage and offers more control and a better service to customers. The group will not have introductory offers or penalise existing customers, Mr Janardana stressed. It also wants to integrate its peer-to-peer offering with the banking proposition, where practical, for example by allowing credit card customers to convert their debt into a pay-down loan on the peer-to-peer platform. Mr Janardana said Zopa can offer a better alternative to the major players by cutting out product complexity. We want to keep our core design simple, he said. Product complexity is a source of consumer dissatisfaction and distrust. The group believes it is also at an advantage by having its own purpose-built IT systems, helping it avoid some of the embarrassing service woes experienced this year by the likes of TSB. Being small and new is a huge advantage, Mr Janardana said. Were not dealing with legacy systems that were built sometimes in the 1970s and 1980s and werent designed for the internet. The company joins other banks challenging traditional high-street lenders for a share of the retail banking market, such as mobile-only firms Monzo, Starling and Atom. Zopa wants to draw on the success of its peer-to-peer loan and investment offering, having approved nearly 4 billion in personal loans and notching up 500,000 customers since its launch in 2005. It has lent 1 billion in the last 12 months alone. Id be very disappointed if were not a top 10 player in the next three to four years, said Mr Janardana. Our aim is to be the largest bank in the UK, in terms of happy and satisfied customers. While the killing of UP Police Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh during Bulandshahr violence earlier this month had triggered a massive political row with opposition cornering BJP government in the state, another cop was killed on Saturday by protesting mob in Ghazipur. The protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the venue where PM Modi had addressed a large gathering. Constable Suresh Vats (48) was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end the traffic jam. Though 11 people have been held, the death of the second cop on duty in UP speaks a lot about the state's deteriorating law and order situation. The deceased cops son also spoke to media and said that the compensation is only of a little help and also questioned the state government. According to news agency ANI, VP Singh, son of slain cop said, "If police are not being able to protect its own co-worker then what sought of a protection a common man should expect from them." According to the superintendent of police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh, the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue. "When the Prime Minister had left Ghazipur, the party workers blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue," he told PTI. "He was immediately taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the SP said. VP Singh, son of deceased constable Suresh Vats who died in Ghazipur in a stone pelting incident y'day: Police is not being able to protect their own. What can we expect from them?What will we do with compensation now?Earlier,similar incidents took place in Bulandshahr&Pratapgarh pic.twitter.com/2xgarpIDXB ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018 Around 15 party workers have been detained and the rest of the protesters are being identified with the help of videography, he added. The constable was from Raniganj in Pratapgarh district. Music can do wonders and this was recently proved right when doctors pulled out a woman from coma using music. Two young doctors at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata used music as adjunctive therapy and woke up a woman from coma. 21-year-old Sangita Das woke up from coma after almost 25 days. The college pass out was discharged from hospital on December 27. I remember being taken to the municipal hospital in Naihati. I cant recall anything after that. I woke up to find myself in another hospital, Das told The Times of India. She had slipped into coma due to hemorrhagic dengue. She was brought to SSKM Hospital on November 3 and by then she was already in coma. Representational Image We were trying hard to bring this patient out of coma, when Sandeep suggested that we use music therapy, Rajat Choudhury, associate professor of anesthesiology and ITU in-charge told TOI. Sandeep Kumar Kar, a cardiovascular anaesthetist and a violinist, suggested the use of Raga Darbari Kanada. Kar chose the violin rendition of the raga played by renowned violinist N Rajam, which he had used during his study. The therapy was started on November 15. Initially, Das was made to hear it only once a day. The doctors gradually increased the frequency to thrice a day, said the report. Gradually, Das showed signs of improvement. Her family said that the way doctors have pulled Das out of coma is nothing short of magic. AFP The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), which got a shot in its arm with the approval of Rs 10,000-crore budget for the human space mission on Friday, has a long way before executing the mission, with crucial human-rating of systems, including the rocket, yet to be achieved. Read more Here's more top news of the day: 1) Days After Bulandshahr Incident, Another Cop Killed In Mob Violence In Uttar Pradesh; 11 Held Representational Image While the killing of UP Police Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh during Bulandshahr violence earlier this month had triggered a massive political row with opposition cornering BJP government in the state, another cop was killed on Saturday by protesting mob in Ghazipur. Read more 2) Aerial Bomb Weighing 453 Kilos From World War 2 With US Army Markings Unearthed In Kolkata A 4.5-metre-long aerial bomb was unearthed in Kolkata during routine dredging operations. The 1,000-pound aerial bomb dating back to the World War-II has US Army markings. Read more 3) How Music Helped Doctors Pull A Woman Out Of Coma After 25 Days In Kolkata Representational Image Music can do wonders and this was recently proved right when doctors pulled out a woman from coma using music. Two young doctors at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata used music as adjunctive therapy and woke up a woman from coma. Read more 4) Terminally-Ill Boy Dies After Meeting Yemeni Mother Who Sued The US To Meet Dying Son AP The boy was separated from his Yemeni mother until she successfully fought the Trump administrations travel ban to see him in the United States. His father laid his body to rest after he was taken off life support at a hospital in California. Read more 5) Meet French Baba AKA Bhagwan Giri Who Is A Star Attraction At Kumbh Mela In Prayagraj A French man draped in bhagwa attire has become an instant hit ahead of Kumbh Mela. The man dressed as sadhu is grabbing eyeballs in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj ahead of the Kumbh Mela that begins in two weeks. Read more A French man draped in bhagwa attire has become an instant hit ahead of Kumbh Mela. The man dressed as sadhu is grabbing eyeballs in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj ahead of the Kumbh Mela that begins in two weeks. Daniel, a converted Hindu, is associated with the Anand Akhara (a monastic centre). He is now called "Bhagwan Giri" by his fellows. Hes been living in India for over 30 years and has learnt broken Hindi. "I love sanatan dharma. It is very peaceful. We believe in one God. There is only one spirit that has many names," said Daniel Bhagwan Giri. "Prem hai to sab aanand hai (If there is love, there is joy)," he told ANI. Follower of Devgiri Baba Maharaj, Daniel Bhagwan Giri wears saffron clothes and turmeric paste on his forehead. He eats with his fellows, whom he calls "gurubhai", and lives the "sadhu way of life" (monk-like life). Laxman Giri, his fellow at Anand Akhara, told ANI that his daily routine involves practising yoga, dhyaan and bhajan. While the death of another police in Uttar Pradesh has triggered massive debate over the law and order situation in the state, a controversial statement from the Vice Chancellor of Jaunpur University has initiated another debate that law and order isnt the only thing which is not right in the state. In a video that has gone viral on social media avenues, the VC Veer Bahadur Singh Purvaanchal Universitys vice-chancellor Raja Ram Yadav is seen telling the students not to hesitate in murdering someone who argues with them. "Agar aap Purvanchal Vishwavidyalaya ke chhatra ho to rote huye kabhi mere paas mat aana. Agar kisi se jhagda ho jaye to uski pitayee karke aana, agar tumhara bas chale to uska murder karke aana, baad mein hum dekh lenge (If you are a student of Purvanchal University never come to me crying. If you get into a fight with someone, beat him, even kill him if you can, and then come, we will handle the matter)," Yadav can be heard saying. #WATCH Purvanchal University Vice-Chancellor Raja Ram Yadav at a seminar in the University in Ghazipur: If youre a student of this University, never come crying to me. If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, well take care of it later. (29.12.18) pic.twitter.com/omFqXN55z9 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018 The controversial statement was allegedly made at a function held in Satyadev College in Ghazipurs Gandhipuram. He was appointed as the VC by UP governor Ram Naik last year. Abdullah Hassan, a terminally ill two-year-old boy, died two days after meeting her mother in California, where he was being treated. The boy was separated from his Yemeni mother until she successfully fought the Trump administrations travel ban to see him in the United States. His father laid his body to rest after he was taken off life support at a hospital in California. Under a cloudless winter day, Ali Hassan carried his sons small body to bury at an Islamic cemetery in Californias Central Valley. Im a US citizen; my son is a US citizen, the 22-year-old father told mourners at a service before burial. The Muslim ban kept my wife from coming to the US for over a year. It forced me to choose between my sons health and keeping our family together. We are angry, but we know our son did not die in vain. The childs distraught mother mourned privately at home. AP Abdullah Hassan died Friday at UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital in Oakland, where his father brought him in the fall to get treatment for a degenerative brain condition. He had been on life support when his 21-year-old mother, Shaima Swileh, arrived last week. Hassan spent his youth in Californias central valley after his family immigrated there from Yemen. During a trip to the warn-torn country in 2016, he fell in love with Swileh and married her that same year. Because she is Yemeni, Swileh was restricted from traveling to the United States under the White House travel ban thats keeping citizens from Yemen and four other mostly Muslim countries from entering the country. Swileh tried to obtain a waiver to that ban, which would allow her a visa to travel with her family to the United States to receive medical treatment for the boy. However, she was repeatedly denied travel documents. AP When Abdullahs health worsened, Hassan went ahead to California in October to get their son help. As the couple fought for a waiver, doctors put Abdullah on life support. My wife is calling me every day wanting to kiss and hold her son for the one last time, said Hassan, choking up at a news conference earlier this month. He started losing hope and was considering pulling his son off life support to end his suffering. But then a hospital social worker reached out to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which sued on Dec. 16, said Basim Elkarra, executive director of the advocacy group in Sacramento. The State Department granted Swileh a waiver the next day, and she has since received a visa to stay in the country. She was pictured cradling her son in the hospital 10 days ago. In a heartwarming gesture, a Dubai church has cut down their golden jubilee celebrations and donated all that money to the Kerala flood victims. St Thomas Orthodox Cathedral in UAE celebrated its 50th anniversary on December 28 where they announced that they had decided to cancel all the events in the year-long celebrations. The church donated Rs 1 crore to the Kerala flood victims after the state suffered the worst floods in a century on August 9, 2018. Facebook Most of the devotees have come forward to provide aid and financial support, the churchs management will donate Rs 200,000 to the Kerala Chief Ministers Distress Relief Fund. In total, we have spent Rs 10 million for Kerala flood relief, said vicar Fr Ninan Philip Panackamattom. The vicar of the cathedral told Asia News that the sum raised by the faithful, together with that saved by the ecclesiastical authorities that cancelled some events planned for the anniversary, directly helped 130 families suffering from the flood. Most of the beneficiaries had their homes destroyed . What a beautiful, heartfelt and humane gesture. A male passenger on an Air India flight from Dubai to Lucknow stripped naked mid-air and began strutting in the aisle in that state. The cabin crew quickly wrapped the man in a blanket and he was made to sit down on, reported ANI. After the flight landed at Lucknows Chaudhary Charan Singh airport at 12:05 pm, the passenger was handed over to the security. ANI One passenger who was on the flight and who saw the entire incident said, As soon as the aircraft crew saw him walking nude, they pounced on him and wrapped him in a blanket. Initially, the man resisted but the staff managed to overpower him. Air India in-charge in Lucknow, Shakeel Ahmed, said, The man after being detained by the authorities revealed that he had been harassed by his Pakistani coworkers in Dubai who far outnumbered him as he was the only Indian there. He said he was mercilessly beaten by the Pakistanis and tortured to go back. In frustration, he had resigned and was returning to India. Read More: Major Collision Averted As Three Foreign Planes Almost Hit Each Other In Delhi Airspace He also added, The man later apologised for his act and his family members took him away after the Air India security verified his credentials. The passenger has now been put on the watchlist of the airline. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Manchester City warmed up for Thursday's pivotal Premier League battle with Liverpool by coasting past 10-man Southampton 3-1 at St Mary's. David Silva and Sergio Aguero struck for City, with James Ward-Prowse's own goal also helping Pep Guardiola's men get back to winning ways. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg fired a fine first-half goal for Saints, only to be sent off late on for a two-footed tackle. City hit back from defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester with ease, reclaiming second place and cutting Liverpool's Premier League lead to seven points. The travelling City fans chanted "We'll fight to the end" in a warning to Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp to avoid any premature title expectations. And this comfortable south-coast victory now hands the reigning champions the chance to test Liverpool's resolve when the league's top two teams meet at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday. Hojbjerg's rifled goal had City sweating when Saints equalised at 1-1, but straight after Ward-Prowse was rightly denied a penalty, the home winger put Raheem Sterling's low cross through his own net. Aguero's facile header had City 3-1 to the good, and that enticing title fight with Liverpool looked even more exciting come half-time. The fit-again Fernandinho solidified City's shape, helping Guardiola's men take the first step towards exorcising the memory of those costly consecutive defeats. The excellent Alex McCarthy denied David Silva at point-blank range from the off, after Sterling picked Jack Stephens' pocket in the area. Charlie Austin spurned a gilt-edged chance with a heavy touch when clean through on goal after Mohamed Elyounoussi's ball over the top. David Silva made no mistake with his second chance though, tapping home after his namesake Bernardo sneaked round the back and flicked a cross into the centre. Riyad Mahrez fired wide after a fine field-length City move, then McCarthy produced another fine reaction stop, this time from Aguero. Austin drew a smart save from Ederson as Saints finally rallied - and then the hosts equalised. Hojbjerg mugged the sloppy Oleksandr Zinchenko before striding into the box and lashing a rising drive past the stunned Ederson. Zinchenko's torrid afternoon continued unabated but the City full-back avoided conceding a penalty despite a clumsy challenge on the fast-advancing Ward-Prowse. The luck stayed with City as the visitors broke and in a flash Ward-Prowse had turned Sterling's cross into his own net. City then glossed the half-time scoreline as Aguero escaped the struggling Jan Bednarek to nod home the visitors' third. Sterling drew another close-range save from McCarthy as City resumed brightly, though this time the Saints keeper deflected the ball with his head. Aguero's rasping shot on the turn struck the angle of post and bar, before Mahrez shot straight at the onrushing and alert McCarthy. Hojbjerg's red card cut through a low-key last half-hour where City merely conserved energy, knowing full well the real battle awaits on Thursday night. Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load 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. PARADISE, CA-- Pacific Gas and Electric could be charged with implied-malice murder and involuntary manslaughter if the company is found to have caused the Camp Fire. The announcement came in a brief a federal judge asked the AG for while overseeing PG&E's probation case regarding the 2010 San Bruno gas line explosion. Jamie Ramey a Camp Fire survivor says, "my friends are safe, my family is safe. our house burnt down." Ramey and her two daughters are still counting their blessings they escaped the Camp Fire with their lives. Ramey says, "the morning of the fire we were concerned but we've seen fire in that area all the time. Nothing really triggered me myself to panic. My dad basically saved our lives." For the 86 other people who were not so lucky California's top prosecutor says Pacific Gas and Electric could in theory, be charged with their deaths. Mike Danko an attorney at law says, "the district attorney or the attorney general generally does not charge a company. The reason is because you cant put the company in jail." Attorney Mike Danko's firm represents around 900 clients who lost their homes to the Camp Fire in and around paradise. He is suing PG&E. He explains Attorney General Xavier Bacerras announcement came from a recently submitted brief which details multiple possible consequences PG&E could face under state law. That document was requested by a federal judge overseeing PG&E's probation in a criminal case regarding the 2010 San Bruno gas line explosion. Danko says, "the judge asked the attorney general to explain to the court what the law is as far as criminal liability." As part of this probation hearing, PG&E must also submit what role it played, if any, in starting the Camp Fire. A request the judge has given the company to do by this Monday, New Years Eve. Danko says, "They really have to own up to them or else its going to be big trouble for PG&E." That document is one Danko says could expedite his lawsuits. If we asked PG&E tell us what your role was. It would take months and months to get to the bottom of it." Meanwhile Ramey tells us she's unsure if PG&E should be charged with anything. Ramey says, "honestly I hadn't heard anything about that until right now, I'm kind of still processing that, I don't know. There were a lot of lives lost." PG&E did release a statement regarding its probation. Which reads in part quote: "PG&E's most important responsibility is public and workforce safety. Our focus continues to be on assessing our infrastructure to further enhance safety and helping our customers continue to recover and rebuild." That rebuilding continues to happen in paradise as many PG&E crews continue working to restore infrastructure. 99 Shares Share The term physician compensation could be among the top phrases in health care this year. Though its always been a hot topic, it got hotter when the Trump administration announced a proposal that would affect nearly 40 percent of Medicare payments. That plan would replace a fee scale that compensated doctors more for seeing sicker patients with a flat-fee model that reimburses them at the same or similar rates regardless of the condition being treated or complexity of the visit. In various spheres of health care, from private equity investors pricing out purchases of physician practices to specialists negotiating salaries or recruiters seeking to draw the best talent to their practices, compensation is often a big lever to pull. To better understand the compensation landscape, we scoured MGMAs 2018 Physician Compensation and Production Report based on 2017 data from 136,000 providers working in small and big practices across the country for anomalies that might be instructive. Non-metro areas rule. Salaries are higher in big cities, so the thinking goes, than they are outside of them. Thats not always the case in health care. Take anesthesiologists as an example. In our data, the median income for a metro-area anesthesiologist was $444,846. In non-metro areas (defined as areas with populations of 50,000 or fewer), the median anesthesiologist income was $469,057. An extra $25,000 a year sounds pretty good even more so if that anesthesiologist is residing where the cost of living is likely lower than it is in the nearby metro area. Theres a good reason for the bump: When trying to attract specialists, health care companies and organizations have to pay more to get the good ones. Of course, there are anomalies within the anomaly. This trend doesnt hold true for every specialty rural cardiologists make about 10 percent less than their urban colleagues but we found it was true for the majority of them. Quality is still ignored. Value-based care and quality incentives are supposed to be the future of physician compensation. While that may eventually be the case, at least 80 percent of compensation plans in 2017 did not include quality incentives. Productivity remained the core metric when it came to pay. The inclusion of quality incentives in compensation plans depended on practice size: Independent and smaller practices were much less likely to provide any kind of quality incentives, while larger providers and hospitals were more likely to include them. Compensation flattens over time. In most industries, workers earn more as their careers progress. Physicians can throw that notion out the window. For primary care physicians, the upward trend holds true for the first few years. But under current compensation models, most max out sometime around year eight. Why? In their first years on the job, primary care physicians are building their base of patients. Their compensation grows with the size of their patient panels. But there are only so many patients a physician can see in a day or week or year, and sooner or later he or she will max out. At that point, compensation in primary care tends to level off. The compensation trajectory looks different for specialists, and tends to follow a bell curve. We looked at orthopedic surgeons, who start off in years one to two making an average of $543,000 per year. That number tops out at $750,000 in years 13 to 17, then drops back down to $530,000 after 23 or more years of practice. The gender gap. Theres a massive difference in physician compensation between men and women. But, as with many things in health care, this anomaly is more complicated than what you see on the surface. Looking at male and female doctors in years one to three who are working in the same specialty, the compensation difference can be quite large. Male orthopedic surgeons, for instance, make more than 40 percent more than their female counterparts. The salary gap between men and women in pediatrics, meanwhile, is just 2 percent. And, much like the technology field, the health care industry isnt always good at keeping women working after theyve taken maternity leave. Knowing that women might be offered less money to start and face greater challenges staying in the field while growing a family will, we hope, empower women to seek equitable compensation early in their careers. Achieving equitable pay with male counterparts at the outset of their careers seems to be an essential strategy for narrowing disparities later on. Its possible, of course, that this gender gap will look completely different 20 years from now, if the trend holds that more women than men enroll in medical school. Productivity and RVUs. Medicare pays physicians for their work based on what it calls relative value units (RVUs). These are an attempt at valuing the productivity that has been assigned to more than 7,500 services that physicians provide. To calculate an RVU, Medicare determines how much work a physician puts into delivering the service, the expenses of the physicians practice, and professional liability insurance. Medicare then calculates a fee by multiplying the RVU for a service by a dollar conversion factor. On average, physicians are typically paid $42 per RVU performed. A physician who performs 3,000 RVUs in a year should make about $126,000. If only it were that simple. Look at a physician whos just embarking on her career. Perhaps she is working with a guarantee of $200,000 per year. But since she is just getting started, she might complete only 1,000 RVUs during the year. That means she is getting paid $200 per RVU. Fast forward to a more productive time in her career. She is now completing 10,000 RVUs a year. As a more productive and more experienced clinician, she should be earning more compensation per RVU, right? But crunch the numbers and it turns out she isnt even earning the average. The most productive physicians are actually making closer to $37 per RVU. Its a strange mathematical anomaly, but one that will hold true as long as current compensation models remain in use. What does it all mean? These anomalies arent just odd data points that make you say, Huh. They are important for anyone who wants to better understand physician compensation, which is far more than just a number. Salary figures can do everything from help push medical students to the right school why pay more in tuition than youll make once you graduate? to providing material proof that some practices are more successful than others. They can start and steer a career, make the difference between a practice that thrives and one that struggles, and provide that extra layer of certainty needed before making a big decision. These five anomalies might not make or break physicians lives in medicine. But as with anything else in such a complex field, its always better to have a little more information at your disposal. Halee Fischer-Wright is president and CEO, and Todd Evenson is chief operating officer, both at MGMA. This article originally appeared in STAT News. Image credit: Shutterstock.com EUGENE, Ore. -- Three people were arrested Friday after items were stolen at a Eugene Walmart and Target. Police said Friday afternoon, Michael Handy, 32, walked out of the Walmart on West 11th Avenue with a backpack carrying stolen merchandise from both stores. They said he ran off into a nearby field and dropped the backpack. A responding officer left the backpack on the ground to run after Handy. More officers arrived and they arrested Handy for two counts of theft and interfering with a police officer. Meanwhile, back at the Walmart, police said a Eugene couple watching the incident unfold pulled up to the backpack the officer had set aside, picked it up and drove off. A helpful bystander had taken note and contacted officers. Police went to their home and arrested Lucy Rubio, 18, and Conner Cargil, 20. Both are being charged with second-degree theft tampering with physical evidence. April 2018: Sponsored by Callan Co-Op, local woman Laura Foley was crowned the Rose of Callan in a ceremony in Steppes Bar this month. Local mother Roseann Brennan launched her book, Mammy, I Dont Want to Die, the heartbreaking tale of the life and death of the late Jake Brennan, who died when he was hit by a car in the Lintown housing estate. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald was among those to speak at the launch in Langtons Ballroom. Students from Ormonde College of Further Education took to the catwalk this month for a special fundraiser in aid of local homelessness services. Two of Kilkennys finest buildings both picked up honours in April. The Medieval Mile Museum won a Judges Silver Award at the Irish Construction Excellence Awards, while Butler House was Highly Commended at the Georgina Campbell 2018 Awards. There were heated scenes as more than 100 people attended a meeting in O Loughlin Gaels on the proposed new mosque for the Hebron Road. The meeting was attended by the Imam, local residents, a number of local representatives and other interested parties. Also in this month, local farmers were expressing concern about the fodder crisis going forward, following the wettest March on record here. In County Hall, Kilkenny County Council agreed to seek legal advice after a number of discussions on the Vacant Site Levy and those affected by it. Local councillors also spoke of their concerns over proposals for the expansion of the power station at Hinckley Point in the UK. Local man Jim Kavanagh of the Kilkenny Chernobyl Outreach Group set off on his 63rd humanitarian trip to Belarus, at the helm of a lorry packed with supplies and aid. In this month also, the Kilkenny Peoples new Yesteryears glossy was published. MASON CITY, Iowa People are bowling in Mason City this weekend, but not just for fun. Theyre bowling in honor of a late Clear Lake High School teacher, and raising scholarship money in his memory. Theyve given out 73 scholarships, $37,000 worth of scholarships, Brett Lobdell told KIMT. Those scholarships have provided for both Clear Lake and Belmond students and its all in the memory of Blake Lobdell. Blakes older brother, Brett, says Blake loved teaching and bowling and the sport just isnt the same without him. Blake and I did everything together, said Lobdell. We bowled together, we bowled league together, and we bowled tournaments together and its been really hard for me to continue to bowl. Blake suddenly passed away at the age of 50 in 2011. The Mystic Lanes bwling alley is honoring his memory this weekend with two game for only $10. Half of that money goes toward the scholarship fund that benefits a handful of students each year. Theyre $500 scholarships so its a nice scholarship that helps with books and what not, said Lobdell. Bowling for Blake is from 12 PM-12 AM on Saturday, and 11 AM to 4 PM on Sunday. ROCHESTER, Minn.- Anti-government protest in Sudan is hitting close to home in Minnesota. Saturday afternoon, there was a protest at the Masjed Abubakar Siddiq Mosque downtown. Community members were calling for peace and change in Sudan. Our people back home are getting killed at this age are getting killed for asking for basic rights, said Mohammed Gaafarelkhalifa. He is one of the lead organizers who say the president of the country is killing innocent protesters for speaking up against injustice. President Omar Al-Bashir must step down. He's been Sudan's President for nearly 30 years. In Sudan, dozens of people have tear gassed and killed protesting President Al-Bashirs treatment of people. When people go out in the streets to protests such a thing they get shot so we're at a point where people are dying, said Razan Gaafarelkhalifa. The crowd shouted for the government to stop killing innocent lives in Sudan. People are fed up with this people cannot take it no more and it has just became feeling between everyone that we cannot be silenced forever, said protester Mutasim Makeen. Razan tells KIMT that she is in contact with an outreach coordinator for Senator Amy Klobuchar. She adds they will assist in getting their message to people in higher positions. Dr. Terry Gaff is a physician in northeast Indiana. Contact him at drgaff@kpcmedia.com or on Facebook. To read past columns and to post comments go to kpcnews.com/columnists/terry_gaff. NORRISTOWN A second man was arrested Friday in connection with a November 2020 shooting in Lansdale that left a woman dead, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele. Chong Dan, 50, of Philadelphia, was charged with a host of offenses including first- and third-degree murder, and conspiracy to commit murder, according to court papers. Dan was arranged late... Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Some clouds. Low near 30F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds. Low near 30F. Winds light and variable. The 13th National Boscoree began with great pomp and fanfare with 4058 scouts-guides and 477 officials and dignitaries gathered on the Father Sean McFerran Parade Ground, Divyadaan. The solemn inaugural ceremony began at 14:00 hours and showcased varied cultural performances portraying the grace and colour of the different regions of western India, particularly from the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The scouts and guides from Dakor, Ahmednagar and Kawant enthralled the gathering with their spirited enthusiasm swaying to the beats of the dhol, the lezim and the cymbals. The Salesian students of Divyadaan Salesian College of Philosophy enhanced the ceremonial extravaganza with their polished band pieces. The percussionists from Sacred Heart School, Nashik provided the local flavour with the feisty rhythmic Nashik Dhol. Further on, the ceremony struck a solemn note as the dignitaries were escorted by the colour party to the stage at the call of the bugle. This was followed by the flag break, the national anthem and the scout prayer song. Immediately thereafter, 17 groups representing the scouts and guides from the different Don Bosco and Auxilium schools participated in a brilliant and highly disciplined march past to the beats of Colonel Boogey. The Chief Guest, Ms Ann Choi, the Deputy District Commissioner of the Scout Association of Hong Kong took the salute. A serene and synchronized prayer dance by the students of Kilbil School, Nashilk was then followed by Father Ian Doulton, the Boscoree Camp Chief welcoming the gathering and encouraging the scouts to be strong and self-reliant. Scouting is a way of life that reminds you that today you are a young citizen of this great country but before long you will be a full-fledged adult citizen of India. said Father Doulton. The Boscoree Souvenir was released by Ms Choi, and a few of the eminent dignitaries addressed the camp. These were Sister Rita Dora the Provincial of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians of the Mumbai Province; Father Godfrey Dsouza, Salesian Provincial of Mumbai; Father Robert Simon - the Don Bosco Youth Association Delegate for South Asia; Bishop Lourdes Daniel of the Diocese of Nashik; Dr. Ravindra Singhal, Commissioner of Police, Nashik City and Ms Ann Choi. We need you to be ambassadors for Scouting, said Choi as she encouraged the scouts to continue the scouting legacy of instilling leadership, character and service and declared the 13th National Boscoree open. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of the I Love Boscoree selfie point by the Chief Guest. The installation is sure to be a fascinating crowd magnet over the next 2 days. The inaugural ceremony concluded with a performance of the Boscoree 2018 theme song with Father Doulton, the Camp Chief dispersing the gathering. The students of Don Bosco and Auxilium, Savedi, Ahmednagar, staged a brilliant dance performance of Maharashtrian culture. They combined traditional folk dances of the farming and fishing communities and finished off with the famous film song Malhari. The over 40 strong dance troop shook the ground with their electric performance, much to the audiences amusement. The students of Don Bosco Dakor put up a medley of Gujrati folk dances. The couples were clad in bright and shiny cultural costumes and gyrated to the tunes of folk songs. The students of Don Bosco Kawant showcased their Ratwi culture in true Ratwi spirit with live music and a dance performance that proved to be a visual spectacle. Besides their periodic yelling and feet-tapping music, they entertained the crowd with the spectacular dance formations which demonstrated excellent balance and skill. Camp Chief Father Ian Doulton welcomed all the Scouts and Guides who had come from all over India and Nepal, for the 13th National Boscoree. He quoted Lord Baden Powell, We ought to strive to leave this world a little better than we found it, to inspire the young Scouts and Guides to give their best not only during the Boscoree but even in the events of daily life. He went on to give a succinct explanation of the theme of the Boscoree namely, Health, Harmony and Holiness. He indicated "...the connection between good physical health and a good all-round personality is very crucial and important as is harmony. It is the need of the hour of today and holiness can be achieved in the simple events of life." Nashik City Police Commissioner, Dr Ravindra Kumar Singhal, who was the Guest of Honour, delivered a fiery speech to the assembly. He congratulated the organizers saying, "I commend the discipline of the students and the helpfulness of the Salesians in educating the school students across Maharashtra. You students , scouts and guides, with your disciplined lifestyle and example can do whatever you set your mind to, provided you are willing to work hard to achieve it." Ms Ann Choi, the Deputy District Commisioner of Scouts and Guides, Hong Kong, stressed the relevance of the theme. She spoke of the benefits of health, harmony and holiness and how the Scout and Guide Movement is directed towards achieving them. Fr Godfrey DSouza, Provincial of the Mumbai Province, used the story of the good wolf and bad wolf to drive home the point that good must be done and evil must be avoided at all times. He encouraged the students to take the first step in this direction during the Boscoree and carry forward all that they learn here to the places they come from. Sr Rita Dora, Provincial of the FMA province of Mumbai, informed the gathering of the excitement that has been steadily building up among the organizers over the past 18 months. She encouraged the participants saying, "make the best of the opportunities that will come your way over the next few days." Fr Robert Simon, National Delegate for Groups and Movements, congratulated both participants and organizers for making this mega-event a reality. He emphasized the cultural dimension of the Boscoree and indicated its potential to help all the participants to grow in Health, Harmony and Holiness. Bishop Lourdes Daniel, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nashik, extended a warm welcome to all those gathered, saying, "I am very happy seeing so many people from all over the country and beyond. I ask you Scouts and Guides to live up to the promises you made at your initiation." - Dr Obafemi Hamzat, APC deputy governorship candidate in Lagos, says he rejected an alleged bribe of $5 million from ex-president Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 - Hamzat says he refused the alleged bribe because he was thinking about the future and did not want to ruin his reputation - The deputy gubernatorial candidate says the country was destroyed by previous administrations from 1999 to 2015 The Lagos state deputy governorship candidate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, has said he rejected alleged bribe of $5 million from former president Goodluck Jonathan during the electioneering campaign in 2015. The disclosure was made on Friday, December 28, at the launch of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat Advocates held at Fidimaye Hall, Oko-Oba, Abule-Egba area of Lagos state, The Nation reports. Legit.ng gathers that Hamzat, who contested the governorship ticket of APC with the incumbent governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, said he refused the alleged bribe because he was thinking about the future and did not want to ruin his reputation. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He said: I contested with the current Governor, Akinwumi Ambode for the Governorship ticket of the party and as we all know how it went, the then President Goodluck Jonathan offered me bribe of $5miillion and I refused it. "Some of you here are my witness, I mean some of you that were sent, are here to testify. I refused because I was thinking about the future and I dont want to spoil my name. Let us remain calm, our turn will come. Our work as Nigerians is simple and our campaign will be very easy because PDP destroyed this country for 16 years. They spent N1.7trillion on power for 16 years and they were unable to give the country just 2,950 megawatts. He said the opposition party had destroyed the country, adding that from 1999 to 2015, federal government did not finish any road project except the Lagos-Abeokuta road. According to him, the Buhari-led administration inherited 206 road projects that were incomplete. He said 84 of these roads had been completed in three years. He added: In 1999, when Asiwaju became Governor, Lagos State was a pariah state, it could only generate N600million monthly and the salary of civil servants was N1.2billion and they have to borrow to pay salaries but today the state is generating close to N35billion monthly. Our party (APC) will make Nigeria great, the party is making Lagos a better place and is poised to do more to make Lagos progress to the next level. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app However, in an update, the Nigeria's former president has denied the claim by the Lagos gubernatorial candidate that he offered him money in the run-up to the 2015 election. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had also previously reported that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos state, Jide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday, December 2, said he chose Dr Obafemi Hamzat as his running mate because he would make a capable deputy. Sanwo-Olu said Hamzat is a man with high level of knowledge and skills that would help make the difference in the state. The governorship candidate said: Femi and I, we have been friends for well over 15 years. I know his strength and I know he is a capable man, and I know he is a competent individual. I know his pedigree, the value, the level of integrity, knowledge and skills that he has. Im not in any doubt that he would not only be a strong supporter of my campaign and programne, but he will be a capable deputy that will help make a difference in Lagos." NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Lagos Governor: Is Sanwo-Olu a better candidate than Ambode? - on Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian Air Force locates compound suspected to be used by armed bandits as a camp from where they reportedly launch attacks on innocent civilians - A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, confirms the presence of bandits armed with high calibre weapons at the location - An Alpha Jet aircraft was dispatched to strike the compound resulting in significant damage to the structures and neutralisation of some bandits The Nigerian Air Force said the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Diran Mikiya has successfully neutralised an armed bandits hideout at a compound West of Tsamari in Birnin Magaji local government area of Zamfara. Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF director of public relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, December 30, in Abuja, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. He explained that the attack was conducted at dawn on December 28, following intelligence reports indicating that the compound was being used by the armed bandits as a camp from where they launch attacks on innocent civilians. READ ALSO: I rejected $5m bribe from Jonathan in 2015 - Hamzat Accordingly, the ATF detailed a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, which confirmed the presence of bandits armed with high calibre weapons at the location. Consequently, an Alpha Jet aircraft was dispatched to strike the compound, recording direct hits on the target area and resulting in significant damage to the structures and neutralisation of some bandits. This was later confirmed by credible human intelligence sources, he said. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Daramola said surface troops later invaded the compound and recovered some motorcycles abandoned by the fleeing criminals. The ATF working in concert with surface forces and other security agencies, will continue to conduct reconnaissance and air interdiction missions with a view to restoring normalcy to the affected states in the North-west. Below is a video of the air operation: Following the recent crisis, which claimed scores of lives in Zamfara state, Dennis Amachree, a former assistant director of Department of State Services (DSS) said the disagreement among the cartels involved in illegal mining, among others, is responsible for the lingering killing in the state. Amachree, who was a guest on a television programme on Channels TV, disagreed with a position that the crisis is as a result of inter-communal disagreement and attacks from the cattle rustlers, Vanguard reports. Legit.ng gathers that the lingering killing, according to the former DSS boss, is as a result of illegal mining of minerals and bad government. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. Nigerian Air Force vows to apprehend Badeh's killers | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng A second Friendlys restaurant shut down just a day after the Phillipsburg Mall eatery announced it was closing the eatery on its property. Alyssa Stevens, a spokeswoman for Friendlys, confirmed Sunday the location at 1491 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township near the Lehigh Valley Mall closed Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. Stevens said operations ceased immediately and didnt have further information about what led to the closure. Stevens said patrons can visit the next closest restaurant at 1836 Catasauqua Road in Allentown. The move follows the closure of the Wendys restaurant, also outside the Lehigh Valley Mall, in March 2018. That restaurant relocated to a sleeker new design at 2741 MacArthur Road, Whitehall Township. Troy Valenti, who owns Harrisburg-based Valenti Development Group, had said the former Wendys location by the mall had poor visibility. The new layout includes a fireplace, several flat-screen televisions, digital menu boards, a full kitchen, lounge seating, bar top seating and other amenities. Nothing has since replaced the former Wendys site at the Lehigh Valley Mall. The day prior to the Friendlys closure in Whitehall Township was the shut down of the Friendlys outside the Phillipsburg Mall, at 1186 Route 22 at the border of Lopatcong and Pohatcong townships. Similar to the announcement of the Whitehall Township closure, patrons were invited to visit the Friendlys along William Penn Highway in Palmer Township, the next closest location to the Phillipsburg Mall. Stevens also did not provide a reason for that closure. However, Friendlys has had its share of financial woes in recent years. In 2011, the Associated Press reported the parent company of Friendlys filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, closing 63 of its stores. Each store employed about 20 people, so about 1,260 jobs were lost at the time. Friendlys had said the economic downturn coupled with higher costs and high rents drove it to file for bankruptcy protection. Friendly Ice Cream Corp. later announced it secured $70 million in financing and that its 424 remaining restaurants would stay open and pay its estimated 9,000 employee salaries and benefits as it reorganized under bankruptcy protection, according to the Associated Press report. The restaurant at the Phillipsburg Mall was a fixture since at least 2011-2012. The mall itself opened in 1989. It was the latest business to announce its closure among several other businesses shutting down in the vicinity of the mall. Fashion store H&M will close its gates for the last time on Jan. 12, a manager there confirmed in recent weeks. The Hallmark store also posted signs saying it will close up shop Jan. 28. Old Navy left the mall in September for the Pohatcong Plaza, less than half a mile down Route 22. The mall also lost its anchor stores -- Bon-Ton announced in February it would shut down and the mall lost Sears in January. Its unclear the future of the Phillipsburg Mall. Owner Mason Asset Management, based in Great Neck, N.Y., in February said the company was exploring alternatives for the site, including redevelopment. The Friendlys chain was established by two brothers who opened the first Friendlys ice cream shop in Massachusetts in 1935. The name, "Friendly, was a promise that the small ice cream shop would be a friendly place for families to enjoy a meal together, according to the chains website. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Two victims in separate incidents in Bethlehem were scammed out of more than $2,000 combined by someone claiming to be with PPL, city police said this week. At about 4:15 p.m. on Dec. 26, a male victim reported to police that he provided $1,378.63 in MoneyPak prepaid cards to an unknown person claiming to be a PPL employee, police said. Then about 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 28, a female victim reported to police she was scammed out of nearly $800 by an unknown person claiming to work for PPL. PPL Electric Utilities is a subsidiary of Allentown-based PPL Corp. and provides electricity transmission services to Bethlehem and the surrounding region. Police said investigations remained open into the cases. The incidents were among several apparent scams reported to area police in recent days. In Lower Macungie Township, a 40-year-old female victim told investigators about noon Dec. 21 she had received an email she thought was from the CEO of the company she works for. She was told to buy $400 worth of iTunes gift cards and send photographs of them, which she did, according to Pennsylvania State Police at Fogelsville. Also in Lower Macungie, a 38-year-old female victim told state police about 12:10 p.m. Dec. 22 she thought she was speaking to a representative of PayPal about a recent transaction when she was scammed, according to police. "The victim retrieved an unsafe phone number from the internet that was not associated with PayPal," police wrote in a news release. "The individual on the phone told the victim to send photographs of $4,000 worth of gift cards, which the victim did." The website of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro offers numerous consumer advisories on how to avoid falling prey to multiple types of scams. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A teen driver trying to park in the lot of Lower Nazareth Commons Saturday crashed into the front wall of The Vitamin Shoppe when she hit the gas pedal instead of the brake, police said. Colonial Regional Police said the the female juvenile, who was not identified, was entering the parking lot at 3862 Dryland Way just before noon when she accelerated instead of stepping on the brake pedal. The vehicle traveled over a curb, through the parking lot and crashed into the business' front window, police said. The teen and her adult female passenger both escaped serious injury. No one in the parking lot was injured, nor were employees or patrons of the Vitamin Shoppe. The building sustained minimal damage and the business was able to continue operating, according to police. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The to-do list for the Pennsylvania Legislature in the coming session is long and already contentious. Heres our compilation of law-making priorities for the New Year. First, a preamble: Unless the Republican leadership in the House and Senate loosens up the rules for debate and votes at the committee and floor levels opening the process to the rank and file in both parties the law-making process will continue to be commandeered by a cabal of leaders and committee chairs. The current system allows them to suppress hearings, debate and analysis, and bring preferred bills to the floor at the last minute, robbing members of the time needed to read and absorb them. Without rules changes, other attempts at reform will be knee-capped. Well be treated to another four years of stalemates between Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and his GOP adversaries on the big issues. 1. Redistricting reform. This is at the top because, like rules changes, it speaks to the manipulation of the democratic process by the party in power. Democrats indulge in it too, when given the chance, but majority Republicans perfected the art of gerrymandering in the last decade. This year the Legislature missed the deadline to amend the state Constitution in time for the 2021 remapping, but theres still a pressing need to switch to a less partisan citizens commission. 2. Pension reform would go a long way toward another goal getting the state budget on a more solid, year-to-year footing without resorting to debt, gimmicks and vice taxes. The unwieldy future demands of state and municipal pension funds threaten to make huge tax demands on every Pennsylvanian. 3. Continuing the fight against opioid abuse. Wolf has made a promising start. Addiction treatment, education and prevention programs, attacking the sources of supply. Pennsylvania led the nation on overdose deaths in 2017. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs charity recently donated $10 million to help the state reduce opioid deaths. 4. Education funding reform and property tax reform go hand-in-hand. Pennsylvanias funding of school districts creates wide disparities in programs and opportunity. Previous attempts to lessen the school tax burden on low-income homeowners have been half-hearted and ineffectual. 5. Prison and criminal justice reform, building upon newly enacted federal legislation, would put common sense back into sentencing laws and reduce the taxpayer bill for incarceration. 6. Electronic voting machines should be upgraded to ensure the 2020 election will be hack-proof. Make voter registration and early voting easier. 7. Lets shrink the size of the Legislature and its support staff. Two hundred and three House members? Unfortunately, a bill to cut that number to 151 was thwarted in September by a bipartisan group in the House that insisted on an amendment to shrink the 50-member Senate. The poison pill is alive and well. 8. Infrastructure. Pennsylvanias roads, bridges and public transit systems were bolstered by successive fuel tax hikes approved by former Gov. Tom Corbett and the GOP-led Legislature. But one look around the Lehigh Valley tells you that commercial, housing and traffic growth is constantly raising the stakes. 9. Campaign finance. The system is still broken, with no limits on contributions and easy evasion of disclosure of the sources of big special-interest money. Thats it. If youre wondering why privatization of state liquor stores didnt make the cut, well, Pennsylvanians seem to be mollified by the freedom to buy beer and wine at supermarkets and convenience stores. And it makes the dysfunction in Harrisburg a bit easier to swallow. For many years Athy native Colm Walsh would tell friends that some of the worlds greatest rock stars came from Athy, or at least their mammies did. All that time it was a great yarn to tell, a you learn something new every day moment. But this year he decided to do something about it, and from that germ of an idea grew a wonderful project that sought to celebrate those links, and create a compelling tourism trail in the meantime. A total of 24 people will be honoured by the time it is finished, with Johnny Cash who played a gig in the Diamond Ballroom in Athy in 1963 being the first to be honoured. But it was the pairing of Johnny Marr of The Smiths and Mani of The Stone Roses that really caught the imagination. Their mothers were neighbours on the same tiny rural roadway in Maganey, who both emigrated to Manchester. Anne Patricia Farrell was Manis mother and Francis Doyle, was Johnny Marrs mother. Johnny Marr was the guitarist and one of the main songwriters in The Smiths, along with Morrissey. The bands career was reasonably short but their influence, and especially Marrs guitar playing defined an era for many. Mani was in The Stone Roses, another band that defined an era, before moving to Primal Scream and Ocean Colour Scene. Next came the turn of Bill Hughes, a television and radio producer whose plaque unveiling was visited by Panty Bliss and U2s drummer Larry Mullen Jnr. Bill first came to public attention when he was a producer on MT USA, a weekly music television show that brought the American charts into Irish living rooms for the first time ever in the 1980s. Mr Hughes noted that he was returning to his home town with his husband and contrasted that with a time when he was growing up when being gay was far more difficult. Erin Antilla (nee Koivisto) is a Finnish pop star that Mr Walsh met when he lived for a time in Helsinki. She was part of a band called Nylon Beat that was top of the charts in Finland for much of the late 1990s before embarking on successful a solo career. Her mother Christine, was the daughter of Paddy and Molly Cullen of Rathconnell, Fontstown. Christine met Erins father, Pertti Koivisto, a Finn who had emigrated to London. A plaque was erected in her honour outside Paddy Dunnes Pub, picked, she said, because it was where my father and grandfather used to drink together. Liam Og OFlynn, the piper was also commemorated, outside Clancys pub, which was his local for many years. Unfortunately, Liam Og passed away earlier this year, but his widow Jane was present for the unveiling. From Kill originally, Liam was one of the founding members of Planxty and considered to be one of the most significant figures in traditional Irish music. Other artists to be honoured will include Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy, Aldo Nova (songwriter for Celine Dion) and of course local man Jack Lukeman. Despite the cheerful and celebratory nature of the plaque unveilings, it was an emotional occasion for all those honoured thus far. We all want to feel a part of a community of sorts, said one person familiar with the project. There is a tremendous sense of homecoming for many of them, a sense of renewed belonging. All those who spoke to the Leinster Leader were moved by the whole experience. Archaeologists working on a site at Mullamast, south of Kilcullen discovered the remains of a medieval village and significant evidence that it was a centre of horse breeding, making it the oldest known stud farm in the county. The excavation was conducted in advance of the construction of the M9 motorway in 2007. In early December, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and Kildare County Council launched a book of the findings of the archaeologists, called Colonising a Royal Landscape the History and Archaeology of a Medieval Village at Mullamast. The excavations covered 2.3 hectares, estimated to be only 10% of the overall area of the village. It is the largest excavation at a deserted medieval village site to date in Ireland. Approximately 90% of the village remains relatively undiscovered on either side of the motorway, so it is undoubtedly a subject for future archaeological study. The village is described as an Anglo-Norman village at Mullamast, close to Ballitore village. Knowledge of the village had been documented in historical sources, but its precise location was not known. Geophysical surveys and archaeological test excavations had identified the potential location, before excavation. The distinguishing feature of the settlement was the unusually high proportion of small horses remains, corresponding in stature to a hobby, which is a small, agile horse, prized and bred for raiding and scouting in times of war, and the specialist light cavalry called hobelars, who rode them. They were bred, trained and exported from Ireland for use in military campaigns abroad. The village of Mullamast may well be the first stud farm in the long history of horse breeding in Kildare and a place where the villagers specialised in horses bred for warfare. The village was possibly founded by Walter de Ridlesford, a grandson-in-law of King Henry I. Its location may have been deliberately chosen, as it lies in the shadow of the ridge of Mullamast, capped by the Royal fort of Maistiu. A pillar stone from Mullamast is now housed in the National Museum of Ireland and bears very fine sixth-century decoration. A silver penny of King Edward 1, minted in Canterbury between 1294 and 1299 was found And most unusually, a fourth-century AD Roman coin, possibly of Constantine the Great, was found in the foundations of a building, perhaps inserted there for good luck by a returning pilgrim. Mullamast flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries. Like other settlements, its decline probably resulted from a combination of factors, such as climate deterioration, geography, the Bruce Invasion in 1315, the Black Death and a resurgence of the native Irish. The highly popular annual Manorhamilton IFA Branch New Years Day Charity Tractor Run takes place on Tuesday, January 1 commencing at 2pm at Manorhamilton Mart, writes PJ Leddy. The proceeds from this New Years Day IFA Tractor Run will be donated to aid the support fund for young local man, Michael Gilgunn who was very seriously injured in a road traffic accident near Manorhamilton on Saturday, September 30, 2017. The 2019 Manorhamilton IFA Tractor Run will be the eight annual such event that has been organised in that period to aid different local charities, like the North West Hospice, the Alzheimers Society of Ireland, Our Ladys Day Hospital and a number of other most worthy causes. All drivers that will be participating with their tractors in the Tractor Run are asked to assemble at 1.30pm on Tuesday afternoon at Manorhamilton Mart, so that the event can get underway as planned at 2pm sharp. Motorists who will be travelling on the N16 from the Kiltyclogher/Glenfarne and Blacklion direction, as well as motorists who will be travelling on the N16 from Sligo and Glencar direction, are asked to note that the Tractor Run will be in progress from 1.30pm on Tuesday afternoon in Manorhamilton and on part of the road to Glenfarne. When the 2016 New Years Day Manorhamilton IFA Tractor Run took place over 60 tractors participated. It is expected that more tractors will participate this year; so it is important that all motorists exercise extreme caution when travelling anywhere along the Tractor Run route and particularly in the vicinity of Manorhamilton Mart at the event commencement time. All donations to the Tractor Run fund on the Tuesday will be most welcome and members of Manorhamilton IFA Branch will be at Manorhamilton Mart with buckets to accept contributions. In addition contributions can be made to the fund in a number of local outlets who have a document available that people can sign their name on and make a donation. Local Manorhamilton IFA members will also accept contributions to the fund over the next number of days from anyone who wishes to support the Tractor Run event. Explaining how the initiative of organising a New Years Day Tractor Run originally came about Manorhamilton IFA member Liam Gilligan said this idea was sparked because of a former chairperson who had Alzheimers. He used to go into a day-care service in Sligo. As a group, we thought it would be nice to organise something to offer our assistance and support. Since that time the Tractor Run has received widespread local support from members of the local community over the years. The large amountof funding the Tractor Run has brought in has helped many people from the area with the provision of essential treatment for them. A SENIOR manager at a multinational company based in Raheen orchestrated the fraudulent payment of more than 300,000 for overtime which was never carried out, a court has heard. Brendan Sheehan, aged 44, of Skoolhill, Fedamore who was a project manager at Flextronics has admitted multiple theft offences which were carried out to fund a chronic gambling addiction. Three other men have also pleaded guilty to theft charges relating to the fraudulent payment of overtime on various dates between December 2009 and April 2014. They are Tom Collins, aged 59, of Danesfort, Corbally; his son Alan Collins, aged 32, also of Danesfort, Corbally and Laszlo Szlatki, aged 36, of Holycross, Bruff. During a sentencing hearing, Detective Garda Fiona OConnell said following a lengthy garda investigation, a total of 190 charges were preferred by the Director of Public Prosecutions relating to payments totalling 362,081. She said the company launched an internal investigation in April 2014 after rumours began circulating within the Raheen facility and that a formal complaint was made to gardai some time later. She told John OSullivan BL, instructed by State Solicitor Padraig Mawe, that all four defendants were employed by Irish Express Cargo a subsidiary of Flextronics to support the activities of one its biggest clients medical devices manufacturer Stryker. Mr Sheehan, who was in charge of Project Stryker was responsible for approving all overtime payments. During the garda investigation, it was established that he had orchestrated the payment of overtime to ten employees who then handed him a cut of the monies. The payments averaged in the region of 400 to 600 per week, said Mr OSullivan who told the court that while minimal overtime was carried out, it was not possible to establish exactly how much. Detective Garda OConnell said while seven other employees also received payments, gardai are satisfied they did not retain any of the monies for themselves as they gave it all to Mr Sheehan. None of the ten were aware that others were also in receipt of fraudulent overtime payments. Judge Tom ODonnell was told all four defendants were dismissed by Flextronics in November 2014 and that the company, which is headquartered in Singapore, repaid 274,202.81 to Stryker in January 2016. Detective Garda OConnell said all four defendants were interviewed by gardai in 2016 and that all four made full admissions. She said Mr Sheehan, who broke down on several occasions, was interviewed for more than 18 hours on nine consecutive days and that it was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders afterwards. The married father-of-four, who is heavily involved in the GAA, was earning more than 70,000 at the time and was a well respected and trusted employee. However, he told gardai he suffered from a chronic gambling addiction and that things had spiralled out of control and that he was living in a fantasy world. It was accepted the defendant told gardai he had never intended for his offending to be a long term thing. Lorcan Connolly BL told the court that since his dismissal, his client has attended a residential treatment centre and has completed courses at both LIT and UL and is now helping other gambling addicts to address their problems. He said that he has secured employment at a company based in Shannon and continues to be heavily involved his local community and the GAA. Lawyers representing the other three defendants asked the court to note that there was an element of coercion and that all had lost their jobs. Their admissions and guilty pleas were also highlighted. Pat Whyms BL said Tom Collins suffers from stress and anxiety and is unlikely to ever work again given his age. Eimear Carey BL said Laszlo Szlatki had been promoted to team leader a short time before the offences took place and she asked the court to note there was some pressure from his immediate supervisor. Michael Collins SC said his client Alan Collins was a foot soldier on the factory floor who was taken advantage of. He said he felt targeted and manipulated and that what happened has had a profound effect on him. Adjourning the matter to February, Judge ODonnell said the case is one of the most bizarre he has come across given the period of time involved and the enormity of the payments. A CHARITY which has helped more than 100 Limerick children has received a much-needed Christmas boost. AIB has presented the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation with a cheque for 11,050. The donation will provide over 680 home nursing hours for children under five who have a significant neurodevelopmental delay involving severe learning difficulties, all across Ireland. Support is also offered by Jack and Jill to all families whose child is at End of Life regardless of their diagnosis. Since it began in 1997, the Jack and Jill Foundation has helped 110 children in Limerick, and AIBs donation will continue to support children in the county. The funds are a surplus from the AIB GAA home insurance offering that will now go to support the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation. It saw AIB pay 50 to a member or supporter of any GAA club nationwide when he or she purchased a new home insurance policy. The offer ran from October 2016 to October 2018, with an overall investment of 140,000 from AIB funds into grassroots clubs, as well as 12 clubs benefitting from a 1,000 voucher for jerseys. As its Christmas time, AIB, with help from AXA, decided to donate the remaining surplus of funds to Jack and Jill. Helen Carberry, AIB head of resources, investments and insurance said: AIB is delighted to be able to contribute funds that will help The Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation continue to expand the amazing work that they do, providing care for sick children across the country. Carmel Doyle, the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation Interim chief executive added: This donation from AIB will give sick children and their families the gift of time, time to do the normal things that we take for granted, like getting a nights sleep, bringing the healthy siblings to see Santa, or simply doing the grocery shopping. This contribution will make a real difference to our families helping to keep their little ones at home, where they do best, especially at Christmas time. Photo: Contributed As 2019 creeps closer, it looks like we can expect clear skies for New Year's Eve celebrations. Environment Canada is calling for a ridge of high pressure to move into the Okanagan after a Pacific front moves out today. "It does seem like we get into a drier period and a ridge of high pressure building in, with some cool dry air in place, so we are not expecting any snow for New Year's Eve," says Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon. Revellers can expect some valley cloud and temperatures just slightly below normal for the fireworks celebrations around the Okanagan. One of the largest celebrations will be at Stuart Park in Kelowna, with a free family New Year's Eve celebration that kicks off at 6 p.m. The event is timed to coincide with New York City's famous Times Square "ball drop," and the local celebration will be capped off with a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Shot from the northwest point in City Park, the show will be visible along the waterfront from The Sails to Kelowna Yacht Club. "Now in its seventh year, our all-ages New Years Eve celebration is a great way for our community to gather, ring out 2018 in style, and welcome 2019, says Renata Mills, executive director with Festivals Kelowna. Photo: Oliver Daily News Oliver fire crews responded to the scene of a two-vehicle collision early Saturday morning near Leighton Crescent. The pair of cars had crashed head-on around 5 a.m., with two people in one vehicle and a third in the other. "One vehicle did end up on the side of the road, the other was pushed down an embankment into a thicket," said Oliver Fire Department spokesperson Rob Graham. Crews attended the scene expecting to have to perform an extrication from one of the vehicles, but discovered the door opened easily. None of the three people involved were seriously injured, and were escorted from their vehicles by members of the fire department to ambulance personnel. RCMP took over at the scene from the fire department. Slurpee waves (Image credit: Jonathan Nimerfroh/jdnphotography.com) The cold that gripped the U.S. East Coast this past winter created a gorgeous phenomenon along the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts slurpee waves. As if frozen mid-break, these waves were surfable, according to photographer and surfer Jonathan Nimerfroh, who captured the surreal photos. Bomb cyclone A rotating winter storm that churned its way across the U.S. East Coast in January made for some stunning satellite images, like this one captured by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's GOES-East satellite. The storm was also an opportunity to learn about a phenomenon described by some pretty cool words bomb cyclone and .... wait for it, bombogenesis. A bomb cyclone occurs when the atmospheric pressure inside a weather system drops rapidly, causing that system or storm to rapidly increase in strength; the result can be hurricane-level winds and heavy snow over a broad area. And the process that creates the wicked storms is called bombogenesis. Creepy viper fish (Image credit: Hsuan-Ching Ho) Hello, nightmares! Scientists pulled up this rare shark known as the viper dogfish (Trigonognathus kabeyai) during a routine fish survey off the Taiwanese coast in January. The ink-black sharks have gnarly needle-like teeth; creepy, glass-like eyes; a glowing belly and a potentially extendable jaw. The species wasn't discovered until 1986, and even today, so little is known about these alien-like creatures that scientists are unsure whether they're endangered or just incredibly hard to find. Birds of paradise (Image credit: BBC) Black doesn't get much blacker than the plumage of male birds of paradise, and this year, a new study revealed how these birds pull it off. It turns out that the jet-black feathers of these rainforest birds are differently shaped, on a microscopic level, compared with regular black feathers. That unique nanostructure of the feathers makes them particularly prone to scattering and reabsorbing light, and that in turn makes them not only black, but so black that they appear suck light away. Pelican spider assassins (Image credit: Hannah Wood, Smithsonian) As Live Science reported in January, this spider is likely the weirdest assassin you'll ever see. And assassin it is: Rather than spinning webs, at night, this spider stalks the silk left behind by other spiders, slowing scuttling (often upside down) on its back six legs while its two front legs sweep through the air feeling for prey. Once it arrives at another spiders web, this assassin can wait for hours for the perfect moment to strike and use its beak-like pincers called chelicerae to impale the unwitting spider. When not in assassin mode, the spider tucks its pincers against the long, neck-like appendage that connects the arachnid's head to its body pelican style. Spiral bee hive (Image credit: Tim Heard) The Australian stingless bees (Tetragonula carbonaria) in this image, captured by entomologist Tim Heard and posted to Reddit in January, worked together to build this spiral nest that looks delectable enough to eat (or maybe not). The spiral-shaped towers are called brood combs, and they link together hundreds of egg chambers, forming a staircase of developing young. "A fully developed nest consists of 10-20 layers. Each layer is one circle of a continuous spiral," Heard, of The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, told Live Science. Mohawk fish (Image credit: Auscape/UIG/Getty) In January, divers discovered a new population of rare, Mohawk-wearing fish that appear to walk on the seafloor. The fish, called red handfish Thymichthys politus), are extremely endangered. Previously, scientists only knew of one population of between 20 to 40 of the punkish-looking swimmers, which live off the southeastern coast of the island of Tasmania. The new population lives nearby, but researchers stayed mum on the exact location, in order to protect the fish. The discovery essentially doubles the number of red handfish scientists think are left on the planet. WWII motorcylce cemetary (Image credit: Tobias Friedrich/UPY 2018) An undersea "graveyard" of British World War I motorcycles is both haunting and beautiful. The image earned photographer Tobias Friedrich the top prize this year in the Underwater Photographer of the Year (UPY). In the image, derelict Norton 16H motorbikes recline in the foreground on the deck of a British munitions ship that German bombers sank in the Red Sea on Oct. 6, 1941. The seemingly perfectly-aligned cycles, which were part of the ship's lost cargo, had long captivated Friedrich, who painstakingly figured out how to capture the entire deck in one image. Baby antelope (Image credit: Courtesy of the Joint saiga health monitoring team in Kazakhstan (Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity, Kazakhstan, Biosafety Institute, Gvardeskiy RK, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK)) In May of 2015, in a matter of three weeks, 200,000 endangered saiga antelope dropped dead. That was 62 percent of the world's saiga population that had just keeled over. It wasn't until this year that scientists pinpointed the culprit: A bacterium that usually lives (without causing any problems) in the antelopes' guts, but warm, moist weather triggered its overgrowth. That's how Pasteurella multocida found its way into the antelopes' bloodstream and killed them. Shown here, a totally adorable newborn antelope resting in a scientist's arms. Nervous system (Image credit: Museum of Osteopathic Medicine) Ever wonder what you'd look like as just a nervous system? Wonder no more: Back in 1925, two medical students in Kirksville, Missouri -- M.A. Schalck and L.P. Ramsdell -- took on the challenge of dissecting the body's nervous system in one piece. Their work is still on display at the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine at A.T. Still University in Missouri, and a photo of it went viral on Reddit this year. Super blue blood moon (Image credit: VCG/Getty) A Super Blue Blood Moon lunar eclipse graced the heavens and dazzled Earth-bound humans during the early morning hours of Jan. 31, an event that hadn't happened in 152 years. Here's what that mouthful of a night-sky event means: A supermoon, which is a full moon at a time when the orb is near perigee, or at its closest point in its orbit to Earth, occurred at the same time that the moon passed through the Earth's shadow (a lunar eclipse). This was also the second full moon in January, meaning it's called a blue moon. Rather than appearing a blue hue, though, the moon shone a reddish color due to how the sun's reflected light gets filtered by our atmosphere. As the 2019 year begins, roughly 700 Katy Independent School District elementary students will be reading brand-new books courtesy of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. Christmas came early for children at Bear Creek Elementary School when it became the first Katy ISD selected as recipient of the My Home Library initiative; Just days before the holiday break, the school received an estimated 3,000 books. Thats six new books for each child. Principal Dr. Lorena Zertuche, whos been the principal for five years, said she felt like a trailblazer. She hopes other schools in Katy ISD can benefit from the program, she said. Its awesome being the first, Zertuche said. It just feels like someone made a huge investment in our school and that our kids are in good hands. To know that we have those strong partnerships from the community its a very huge lasting legacy of Barbara Bush and her commitment to literacy. We are very fortunate to be recipients of that legacy. Each year, the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation through its My Home Library program donates thousands of brand-new books to children in need at Houston area schools in low-income neighborhoods. In 2018, the organization helped create more than 10,669 home libraries for Houston children. President Julie Finck said Bear Creek Elementary became a candidate for the program when a volunteer - former principal Mrs. Sandra Schenkir - informed the organization that hundreds of books were lost when students homes were destroyed in the floods that devasted most of Bear Creek Village following Hurricane Harvey last fall. She brought it to our attention that some of the schools (in Katy ISD) were impacted in Harvey and that Bear Creek specifically has over 70 percent of students who are economically disadvantaged, Finck said. We made the decision that we really wanted to serve that school this year. Book Desert The organization contacted Zertuche and her staff to learn about how the school was helping students rebuild their at-home libraries. Years ago, Zertuche made it a personal goal to increase the literacy of children at Bear Creek Elementary School. We are basically considered to be in a book desert, meaning there are less than 100 books found in the home, Zertuche said. When we realized this I said, Well we have to get out of the desert. We have to empower our kids with the tools they need. For five summers, staff at the elementary school put books in the hands of students in an effort to build their home libraries. But tragedy struck when Harvey filled the Addicks Reservoir and floodwaters submerged hundreds of homes in the area. While the school itself didnt flood, Harvey flooded the houses of 70 percent of Bear Creek students, some having to be rescued from the second story of their homes. Students felt the loss of having their home libraries thrown away because they were flooded or washed away, Zertuche said. When the school librarian created an Amazon wishlist after Harvey, the school began receiving thousands of used books from all over the world. This past summer, Bear Creek Elementary School faculty was able to distribute books to students a total of seven times with each student receiving at least five used books. A literate community We have just been handing books out at every library night, every spirit night, every family engagement night, Zertuche said. We just continue to put books in their hands because thats one of our goals. To be a literate community and to have a culture of reading and of learning. Its a story that inspired organizers at the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation. Through a special relationship with several book publishers, the organization can purchase books anywhere between 40 to 80 percent off list price, Finck said, adding that for a school the size of Bear Creek Elementary, it spent about $21,000 on books or $30 per student. The organization receives it funding through donors, who can either sponsor an individual child or donate a lump sum to the organization itself who then uses the money to purchase books for the schools in its database, Finck said, adding that once a school gets on the list, it stays there. Anna Baker, a library media specialist at the elementary school, said the entire process, which included students, faculty and parents, took about six weeks from selecting the books to their arrival in students homes. Everybody was excited from the very young kindergartners to the 5th graders when they received their books, Baker said. Literacy is important because it is a gateway to everything else. It is the gateway into exploring and to build your knowledge, not only in reading but in all areas, whether its science or history or the arts. Literacy allows the child to use their imagination. Bear Creek is predominantly Hispanic with 73 percent of the population economically disadvantaged, according to a 2015-2016 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) by the Texas Education Agency. About 480 students at the school are Hispanic, 84 are Black/African American and 96 students are White, according to demographics provided by the district. What they are doing at the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation is just amazing and an honor to Barbara Bush, Baker said. For everything that she has done for literacy in the Houston area and beyond. Its amazing. I wish you could see the kids reaction. michelle.iracheta@chron.com Donna Rivenburg carries her only daughter with her everywhere she goes in locket-sized photos of Amanda as a toddler, a little girl, an elementary schooler, hanging around her neck. Inside her lawyer's office, Rivenburg sat beside a recent photo of Amanda with the same round face and sweet grin as her younger self, only her blonde hair darker with age. She's now frozen in time at age 29 when she died in the Schoharie limousine crash. "It's a nightmare I will never wake up from," Rivenburg said, her voice noosed with tears. "It will never get better." When a limousine carrying a birthday party careened through a stop sign, into a car, and ended in a ditch in front of the Apple Barrel Country Store on Oct. 6, 20 people including Rivenburg's daughter were killed. It was the most devastating transportation disaster in the U.S. in nearly a decade. In an instant, the lives of countless people who knew the victims were shattered. For the families who loved them best, a seemingly senseless tragedy on a Saturday in Schoharie started an endless journey of incalculable grief. As time passes, it doesn't get easier, they say. Each is grappling with grief in their own ways as they try to get through the holidays. For some, it's solidified into depression. For others, it's fueled rage on a crusade for justice. Rivenburg said that for the first month she didn't leave the house, barely ate and would sleep for only an hour at a time. Mary Ashton, whose son Michael Ukaj died, has stopped wearing makeup because she cries every day and struggles to get out of bed. Kim Steenburg, whose husband Rich was killed, set a place for him at the holiday table and will take his ashes on a cruise they'd scheduled for their honeymoon. More Information This is the final installment in the Times Union's review of the top stories of 2018. See More Collapse All want answers, although they know it won't bring their loved ones back. More than two months after the tragedy, there is still little official information about what happened and why as State Police continue their investigation into the crash. There's no timetable for when it will be done, a police spokesman said. The National Transportation Safety Board criticized State Police and Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery for lack of responsiveness and not giving the federal agency access to the limo to investigate. Times Union reporting has revealed failure upon failure to prevent the tragedy: the stretched limousine operators kept the limousine in service despite serious mechanical issues and the state failed to follow through on its own safety enforcement efforts. The vehicle failed inspections by the state Department of Transportation and received an inspection sticker from a Mavis Discount Tire store that wasn't qualified to give it. The limo company's insurance was canceled six times in the nine months before the crash. The driver didn't have the right license to operate the vehicle. The limo owner, Shahed Hussain, was an FBI informant whose role in a sting operation led to prison sentence for two Albany Muslims. He had a checkered past, swindling former business partners and making questionable insurance claims. He's now believed to be in Pakistan. His son, Nauman Hussain, has been charged with one count of criminally negligent homicide. Donna Rivenburg and her ex-husband, Thomas Rivenburg, were the first victims' family members to file a lawsuit against Prestige Limousine Company and to implicate the state in a separate legal filing. "There's going to be questions that are never answered because the kids are the only ones who know that," Rivenburg said. "This should have never happened and it should never happen again. No one should ever have to go through this." 'A piece of me is gone' Mary Ashton, whose son Michael died, said the tragedy has been the hardest thing that has ever happened to her. "I've been through a lot in my life and this is the kicker. This tops them all," she said, weeping over the phone from her home in Maine. "How can such a tragedy take place? It's unfathomable. I don't know. I cry all the time. Michael was my heart." What weighs heavily on her now, she said, was that the last time she saw her son was before she became gravely ill in 2012. She said she was just starting to feel better, thanking God she could start calling the kids more and maybe visit Michael in New York. He was killed on his 34th birthday. The next time she saw him was in the funeral parlor. "I went in and I said goodbye. I told him to wake up and he didn't. Why should he listen to me in death, he didn't listen to me in life," she said with a laugh despite her tears. "I'm just so heartbroken, I feel like a piece of me is gone." Ashton said she has no idea what's going on with the State Police investigation. "We're not in New York. We're not being deliberately left out of the loop, I was given a number I could call if I wanted to get information if I wanted, but I have no idea," she said. She's been in touch with the other families and talked to lawyers but hasn't been motivated to file a lawsuit yet. "Whether we do or we don't, if I got 12 million dollars, is that going to replace my baby? No, nothing will, he's gone, no amount of money can replace him, and it's just not fair," she said. "Even when we find out what happened, will it change anything? I just know that I can't see my baby again until I die, and hopefully it'll be a long time I have to wait that long." Saving seats at the table For Kim Steenburg, who lost her husband Rich, Saturdays - the day of the crash - are especially bad. She tried going back to work on the two-month anniversary but couldn't, she said. Her workplace has been understanding. In November, Steenburg went for the first time to the site of the crash. She sat on a rock by the creek for a couple hours to talk to Rich. She remembers it was a cold and gloomy day, but when the sun came out and she looked up, through the trees, it looked like the shape of a heart. "It was really hard but it was really sweet," she said over the phone. This year, the Steenburgs were supposed to go to Rich's brother Axel and his wife Amy's house for Thanksgiving. After Axel and Amy were killed in the crash along with Rich, Kim Steenburg hosted Thanksgiving with a small crowd including Rich's parents, her parents and her sister's family. They saved seats for Rich, Axel and Amy and will do the same at Christmas. Steenburg said she wouldn't even want to celebrate if it weren't for her two kids. "We wouldn't have the tree. It's hard to walk in a store. I'm picking things out for Rich," she said. In November, Steenburg moved into a new house she'd picked out with Rich. There, she keeps the ashes of him, Axel and Amy, and she'll take them with her on a cruise all four had scheduled for their honeymoons in January. Now, Kim's going with her sisters and Amy's best friend and her husband. Steenburg is working with a lawyer to sue. "I think everybody is going forward with a lawsuit," she said. "A part of me died with her" Kim Bursese, whose daughter Savannah was the youngest killed in the crash, wrote in an email that her daughter was a loving, caring and sensitive person who found good and beauty in everything around her. She was saving money to buy a house and move to Texas with her boyfriend, Matt, who was also killed in the crash. She would finish up her law degree and one day marry and have a family, according to her mom. "The day my daughter died a part of me died with her. I not only lost my daughter that day I lost my friend. It saddens me greatly that all those young lives were lost doing the right thing," Bursese wrote. "There are so many questions we all have and want answers to and one day hopefully after all the investigations are completed we will have those answers. For now we are leaving it up to the appropriate agencies to do their jobs without interference so justice can be served." Who's to blame? A father who asked that he not be named remembered his daughter and her friends who died as credits to New York society. "She was a good kid. It hurts," he said over the phone. "Day by day I'm starting to get stronger. I don't have as many weak moments as I did." As more time has passed with little official information released, he rages at those he sees as responsible for his daughter's death. "I'm extremely disgruntled about the proceedings via the U.S. government. I'm just not happy," he said. "I can clearly say by being a parent, they dropped the ball on 20 souls." He blamed the state Department of Transportation and Department of Motor Vehicles that didn't take the vehicle off the road after it repeatedly failed inspections. He also questioned the FBI's involvement since the limo owner, Shahed Hussain, was a confidential informant. "If any one of these institutions did their job, my daughter would still be alive from the FBI to the DOT to the DMV. Was my daughter slated for death? So many things bypassed the law. If we did these things, we'd be crucified," he said. "My gut feeling is that the FBI told them to smooth it over." He filed a notice of intent against the state, his lawyer said, and plans to sue the limo company as well. "I'm not looking for more money, I'm looking for justice. I don't want my daughter to die in vain. I want to see a change not in my daughter's name but in the names of the 20 people," he said, referring to state laws overseeing limousine services. As Donna Rivenburg looks ahead to her own lawsuit, she said she hasn't gotten to the point of being angry yet. "It happened and I have to believe there was some reason for it," she said, her voice tightening with tears, before she exhaled, weary. "People make mistakes. They need to find out why these mistakes were made and make sure they don't happen again." Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is eyeing Baltimore or Atlanta as a possible base of operations for her likely 2020 presidential bid and is close to bringing on a top aide to run her campaign. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has completed a detailed review of her writings and political record to identify potential vulnerabilities, and her aides have been scouting headquarters near Boston. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., has been interviewing possible campaign managers, as well as strategists who could run his Iowa caucus effort. And Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has been reaching out to more women than men for campaign roles, though she is expected to pick a man her current top aide to manage a campaign likely to be based near her upstate New York home. These four high-profile Democratic senators are poised to enter the 2020 presidential race in the next several weeks, advisers and people briefed by their associates say, after spending December finalizing the outlines of their political operations, selecting top campaign staff and conducting research into their own political weak spots. In some cases, they may first announce the creation of presidential exploratory committees to ramp up their fundraising and hiring efforts, before launching their candidacies more formally. The speed of the senators' efforts reflects intense political pressure to establish themselves as leading candidates in a Democratic field that could get crowded, fast. All four are likely to spend considerable time and money in 2019 competing with one another to answer the strong yearning from Democrats for new leadership, and they don't want to lose a step to a rival fresh face, such as Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the former Texas Senate candidate who has been the focus of intense speculation in recent weeks as a potential presidential candidate. "Between the first of January and the middle of February, it would not surprise me for us to see six to eight people say, 'I'm jumping in,'" said Jaime Harrison, a former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman who now serves as associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee. For the Senate foursome, moving quickly into the race is also a pre-emptive effort to undercut the early advantages of a duo of universally known contenders, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who may enter the race in the coming months. Biden and Sanders would start off with important advantages, including networks of support among early-state activists and party donors, and the stature to generate impressive displays of support at early rallies. But as white men, Biden, Sanders and O'Rourke do not reflect the gender and racial diversity of many Democratic candidates and swaths of the electorate that dominated the 2018 midterms. Harris, Warren, Gillibrand and Booker, by contrast, would instantly make the 2020 Democratic field the most diverse array of presidential candidates in history. And they might well scramble the early polling leads held by Biden and Sanders, who benefit from strong name recognition but would be in their late 70s by Election Day 2020, at a moment when some in the party are agitating for generational change. The four senators hope jumping into the race early will give them some organizational advantages in a contest that will almost certainly grow to more than a dozen candidates. Already, at least two of the senators have nearly settled on close political lieutenants to serve as campaign managers, turning to male aides with whom they have deep and trusting personal relationships. Gillibrand is eyeing Jess Fassler, her current top aide, who is leaving his role in the Senate early in 2019, as a leading contender to manage her campaign. Harris is expected to name Juan Rodriguez, who helmed her campaign for the Senate in 2016, as her manager. In a further sign of how developed her plans are, Harris' aides are close to selecting Baltimore or Atlanta for her headquarters, according to people who have met with her team. She is likely to maintain a sizable office on the West Coast, perhaps in her native Oakland, but her political advisers have concluded that for practical reasons it is essential that she have a base in the Eastern Time zone. Warren is expected to install Dan Geldon, her former chief of staff, in a senior role directing campaign strategy. She has a head start on staffing: During the midterm campaign, Warren deployed staff to the four early primary states and a number of general election battlegrounds to elect other Democrats. Many of those organizers stayed involved after her re-election, leaving her with a staff of several dozen total. To keep those staffers employed into 2019, Warren needs to raise campaign dollars a situation that places pressure on her to quickly jump into the race. Like Warren, Harris has completed a substantial research project into her own political vulnerabilities, people in touch with their advisers said. Booker and his chief of staff, Matt Klapper, have interviewed a number of potential campaign managers in recent months, according to people who have spoken with his team. Addisu Demissie, who managed Booker's first Senate race and led Gavin Newsom's campaign for governor of California this year, is most widely mentioned as a presidential campaign manager, and has been advising Booker on other potential hires. Booker's team has also been in touch with Democratic operatives in Iowa for leadership roles there. He's expected to base his campaign in Newark, N.J., where he served as mayor. Steve Phillips, an influential San Francisco-based Democratic donor, says he's already collected $4 million to fund a new super PAC to boost Booker's expected campaign. The number of male operatives under consideration for campaign manager posts has raised concerns among some female Democratic strategists who hoped the diversity of the 2020 field would prompt more hiring of female and minority staffers for senior roles. "You have to have a diverse leadership team, and that, more than anything, is something that these campaigns have to be paying attention to," said Anne Caprara, a Democratic operative who is now working as chief of staff to incoming Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, after running his campaign. "When it comes to women and women of color, so many of them are going to want to see that the candidate is not just hiring women but really paying attention to them when they're giving advice." The focus on staff diversity reflects not only the influence of the #MeToo movement on Democratic politics but the demands of a party that has shifted to the left during the Trump era, as well as a changing primary map. While the predominantly white states of Iowa and New Hampshire will still technically host the first nominating contests, an increase in the popularity of early voting means Democrats will begin casting ballots in more diverse states like California and Georgia during those early elections. Those close to the four senators caution that no decisions on hiring and organizing will be made until the politicians make a final call about jumping into the race. MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa - Matthew Whitaker was in his third year as U.S. attorney in Iowa when he learned that hundreds of undocumented immigrants might be working at a meat-processing facility in Marshalltown, an hour's drive from his Des Moines office. Whitaker, declaring he was "shocked," said he decided to take action. What followed became one of the highest-profile and most controversial actions of Whitaker's five-year career as a prosecutor. Federal agents in 2006 raided the plant, arresting nearly 100 workers, resulting in some being deported, immigrant advocates said. Whitaker brought charges of harboring undocumented immigrants against a company personnel manager and a union vice president. One case resulted in probation and the other was dismissed, according to court records and interviews. Whitaker's aggressive actions foreshadowed the role he is now playing at the highest levels of the Trump administration. While attorney general nominee William P. Barr waits for his Senate confirmation hearing, Whitaker is using his remaining time at the helm of the Justice Department to promote President Trump's hard-line immigration policies. As acting attorney general, he unveiled a new rule making it harder for immigrants to seek asylum. Earlier this month, Whitaker delivered a blistering speech in Austin praising the border crackdown and declaring that "massive illegal immigration makes all of us less safe." Whitaker touted the administration's effort to end what he called "President Obama's unlawful DACA program," which allows undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to remain under certain conditions. To many in this city of 27,000, Whitaker's embrace of immigration crackdowns is misguided. The 2006 raid did not bring more security to their community, they said, but rather upended a community in urgent need of workers for local pork-producing facilities and other companies. "We're still trying to recover from it," Police Chief Michael Tupper said of the raid. "I think that there's just a lot of fear that it could happen again. It was a very traumatic experience for our community. Not just for the families and people that were directly impacted, but for our school system, for our local economy, for our community as a whole. It was, in many ways, a devastating experience." Mayor Joel Greer, a Democrat, said he has "concerns about the enforcement of the immigration policy that Mr. Whitaker espouses." "Every large employer in town is having trouble finding workers," Greer said. "If I had the magic wand, I would wave it and stop the ICE raids and figure out how to let people come in as immigrants legally and fill our plants." Whitaker did not respond to a request for comment. After serving as U.S. attorney, Whitaker based a 2014 run for the U.S. Senate in part on the actions in Marshalltown, foreshadowing the way Trump sought the presidency with anti-immigrant rhetoric. During the campaign, he highlighted his role in the arrests of a company official and union worker, telling the Cedar Rapids Gazette that "in Marshalltown, I pursued those who hired illegal immigrants." Having visited border areas in Texas and California as U.S. attorney, Whitaker told the blog Caffeinated Thoughts, "I was able to see what our border looks like and the fact it is under assault on a daily basis from people trying to bring illegal people and illegal drugs into our country." He said he would not support amnesty for undocumented immigrants, which was being discussed at the time, "because the American worker who currently cannot find a job, if we legalize 11 or 12 million people, that will put them under tremendous pressure in their job search and on their wages." As U.S. attorney, Whitaker claimed credit for initiating a six-state raid in 2006 that was designed to be one of the largest crackdowns of undocumented workers at the time. He said he decided to take action when he said he learned that as many as 664 potential undocumented immigrants were working at the Marshalltown plant - about a third of the workforce. Whitaker told NPR at the time that when he learned that so many undocumented immigrants were believed to be working at the plant, "it shocked my common sense and reason." Whitaker told the Associated Press that after he was alerted to the situation by immigration authorities, "I determined that something had to be done." A former federal official with direct knowledge of the raids confirmed to The Washington Post that significant elements of the operation were run out of Whitaker's office. The former official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation, said he twice briefed Whitaker on the raids. He said Whitaker was strongly supportive and signed off on the effort. Such raids, the former official said, have to be undertaken with careful consideration because "they devastate the town. You have kids left behind" when parents are deported. "They are part of the community, so any raid of that size in a small community is definitely controversial." The morning of Dec. 12, 2006, began festively, as many migrants throughout the city prepared to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint. Roses were arranged at the Catholic churches, where parishioners offered prayers of devotion and patriotism. More than 1,000 people headed to their shift at the plant, ready for another day of the difficult work of butchering thousands of pigs. Federal agents arrived and asked workers for identification papers, according to news accounts. The workers were asked whether they had children; if they did, one parent would not be immediately deported and was supposed to be allowed to stay with them in Marshalltown, according to Sister Christine Feagan, the director of Hispanic ministries at Saint Mary Catholic Church. But Feagan said many immigrants feared that if they revealed that they had children, then their sons and daughters would face deportation. "They separated the men and the women, and then they were asked if they had any kids," Feagan said. "They thought that meant that [the agents] would be taking the kids. And so they said, no, they didn't have any kids." When some of those parents were deported, their children were left behind, she said. The psychic wounds from that day remain so raw that many here "still wake up in the middle of the night, afraid," Feagan said. One woman said she fears her parents, who are undocumented, could be swept up in another crackdown. Her mother has already been deported once and returned to Marshalltown to temporarily work at the pork-processing plant, she said. "At any time, they could come and take them," she said, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of worry they could be targeted. The raids in Iowa and five other states took place at plants owned by Swift & Co., a Colorado-based firm. They resulted in 1,297 arrests, about 10 percent of the company's employees, according to news reports. A number of those arrested were found to have used fake names and identification papers, according to contemporaneous news reports, but it is not clear how many were deported. At Marshalltown, 99 people were arrested, far fewer than Whitaker expected. "All I know is that we did not encounter as many as we had expected when we went in there last week," Whitaker said at the time. In the years that followed, Whitaker's office focused on prosecuting two cases related to the raid. Braulio Pereyra-Gabino, a union vice president at the Swift plant, was arrested on charges of harboring undocumented immigrants. He had been secretly recorded by an immigration agent advising Spanish-speaking workers what to do if approached by government authorities. Pereyra-Gabino's attorney, Keith Rigg, argued that his client was merely giving a speech to workers, not harboring undocumented immigrants. Pereyra-Gabino declined to comment. "This case was big because they prosecuted somebody for giving a speech," Rigg said. "It is one of the most important cases I've ever done in my career. If they want to prosecute you for what you say to people, you need to fight that back with every breath you have." Pereyra-Gabino was acquitted of charges of identity theft and Social Security fraud, but he was convicted on the harboring charge in May 2008 and sentenced to one year and one day in prison, along with a $2,100 fine. But an appeals court sent the matter back to the lower court, and the case was dismissed in 2009 after prosecutors decided not to pursue it. In the second case, a Swift human resources official, Christopher Lamb, pleaded guilty to hiding an undocumented immigrant and was sentenced to probation and a $200 fine. Lamb could not be reached for comment. Today, large numbers of undocumented immigrants continue to live in Marshalltown, according to advocates and city officials, although exact figures are impossible to verify. At the Abarrotes La Salud grocery store near the plant, co-owner Silvestre Vargas said many migrants like himself had come from the Mexican state of Michoacan. With plenty of job opportunities at the local plants and in construction jobs to repair damage from a tornado that hit in July, "a lot more" immigrants would come if they were allowed, Vargas said. The Swift plant eventually was bought by a company called JBS, and it is thriving, according to city officials, who said they believe the operation would expand if it could find more workers. The company declined to comment, but a notice for an October job fair posted on the company's Facebook page said the starting wage for maintenance workers is $18.80, far above Iowa's minimum wage of $7.25. Whitaker, in his Dec. 11 speech in Austin, associated illegal immigration with crime, drugs and gangs. The United States "spends billions of dollars on illegal aliens" that "could be spent on Americans," he said in his prepared remarks. But city officials said immigrants have helped their community thrive. "The reality of it is that immigrants are less likely to commit crime than our native population," said Tupper, the police chief. "Our immigrant community here is in many ways the backbone of our community." - - - The Washington Post's Alice Crites contributed to this report. Rare Bird Alert: December 28, 2018 Noteworthy rarities continuing into the past week in the ABA Area include the Great Black Hawk (ABA Code 5) in Maine, Pink-footed Geese (4) in New York and Colorado, the Golden-crowned Warbler (4) in Texas, the Fieldfare (4) in British Columbia, and a Red-footed Booby (4) in California. There were no big ABA Area rarities seen this week, but Christmas Bird Counts seem to have resulted in a nice mix of local rarities seen across the continent. There was one 1st record to report, in North Carolina, where a Golden-crowned Sparrow in Currituck will represent the 1st for the state. And if that wasnt enough, the states 3rd record of Black Guillemot was seen in nearby Dare. Also good for the Carolinas, a Common Eider is hanging out in Charleston, South Carolina. For the 4th winter running, a Brown-crested Flycatcher is present in St. Bernard, Louisiana. Good for Tennessee, a male Eurasian Wigeon was seen at Tennessee NWR. Virginia had a Says Phoebe in Amherst this week. In Maryland, a Varied Thrush is present in St. Marys . Notable in the east, a Townsends Solitaire is being seen in Indiana, Pennsylvania. In Massachusetts, a Boreal Owl was found dead in Nantucket, but a living Tufted Duck (3) has been seen near Wilmington. CBCs were quite productive in Rhode Island, where the states 6th Eared Grebe was found near Westerly, and a Magnificent Frigatebird made a flyby at Point Judith. Ontario also had a Townsends Solitaire this week, in Kitchener. And Wisconsin had a Townsends Solitaire as well, in Brown. Noteworthy anywhere in the Lower 48, a Yellow-billed Loon was found this week in Sully, South Dakota. Colorados 3rd record of Slaty-backed Gull was found at a landfill in Larimer, also in the same flock was a young Glaucous-winged Gull. In Idaho, a Red-shouldered Hawk was seen in Lewiston, the first for the northern part of the state. Nevadas 8th record of Rusty Blackbird was represented by a pair in Clark. In California, a young Slaty-backed Gull (3) was seen in San Mateo, and a Blue-footed Booby (4) on Southeast Farallon Island. And in Arizona, a young Black-legged Kittiwake was photographed in Maricopa. ===== Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any please message blog AT aba.org and I will try to fix them as soon as possible. This post is meant to be an account of the most recently reported birds. Continuing birds not mentioned are likely included in previous editions listed here. Place names written in italics refer to counties/parishes. Readers should note that none of these reports has yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial committees. For full analysis of these and other bird observations, subscribe to North American Birds , the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA. Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer UPDATE: 10 a.m. A priest at a Penticton Sikh Temple has allegedly left the temple and a suit against him has been dropped, according to a member of the congregation on Sunday. The Penticton Sikh Temple and Indian Cultural Society filed a civil claim against an employee, saying that though the man was fired, he has refused to leave his residence in the temple. One of the congregation members said the suit against the former priest has been dropped. The entire congregation was notified by the Executive Committee Members, he said. ORIGINAL: 5 a.m. The Penticton Sikh Temple and Indian Cultural Society have filed a civil claim against an employee, saying that though the man was fired, he has refused to leave his residence in the temple. The civil claim, filed in Kelowna Supreme Court on Dec. 28, names Jasbir Singh as the defendant, and describes him as "a priest formerly employed by the [Penticton Sikh Temple and Indian Cultural Society]." According to the claim, Singh was first employed as a contract employee in 2015 but was upgraded to a regular employment position in 2016. As part of his position, he was granted a small sleeping room to live in in the temple, and use of the communal kitchen though he was not required to take advantage of either. His responsibilities included leading services at the Temple at dawn and dusk, and acting as a spiritual leader and counsellor for the roughly 640-member congregation. Additional duties included Diwans on Sundays, which are prayer meetings lasting from roughly 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and conducting birth ceremonies, baptisms, weddings, funerals and the like. In July 2018, alleges the claim, the Society began having issues with Singh's performance of these duties. He was given a disciplinary letter in November, which they claim had no effect. Then in December, a member of the congregation alleged Singh had "began a tirade against him which included a profanity and a threat." On Dec. 17, Singh was fired, and notified immediately. However, the civil claim alleges Singh has refused to move out of the temple, and continues to insist on performing his daily duties. The claim is seeking interim and permanent orders that Singh vacate the temple and remove his belongings, cease interfering with operations of the Society and provide costs to offset the legal proceeding if he chooses to oppose the suit. The Society's lawyer, Alfred Kempf, provided his argument of legal basis in the claim, saying that Singh is "trespassing" in this case since the lodging was provided on the basis of employment, and adding that the Residential Tenancy Act does not apply in this case because Singh did not have his own premises, only a sleeping room. Castanet has been unable to reach Jasbir Singh for comment at this time. None of the above allegations have been proven in court. The arrest Friday of a man in the shooting death of a California police officer has renewed criticism of sanctuary laws, with a local sheriff suggesting that the state's efforts to protect undocumented immigrants could have contributed to the killing. Gustavo Perez Arriaga, a 32-year-old undocumented immigrant, was charged with homicide in connection with the shooting death of 33-year-old Newman police officer Ronil Singh, according to law enforcement. Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson assailed sanctuary laws that limit state and local governments' cooperation with federal immigration agents, but he did not detail how those rules applied to Perez's case or how they would have prevented Singh's death. He said Perez Arriaga publicized his gang affiliation and had been arrested twice for driving under the influence, but did not provide additional details about those arrests. "Law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws, and that led to the encounter with Officer Singh," Christianson said. "I'm suggesting that the outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasn't restricted, prohibited or had their hands tied because of political interference." California's sanctuary laws contain exemptions for serious criminals, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should receive notification of any arrest, as well as fingerprints if an individual is booked and fingerprinted. Without more details, it is unclear how sanctuary rules would have applied in Perez Arriaga's case. ICE did not immediately respond to an email request Saturday for information on Perez Arriaga. Singh, a native of Fiji who joined the Newman police department in 2011, was killed after he stopped Perez Arriaga in Newman early Wednesday morning on suspicion of drunken driving. The officer called out "shots fired" over the radio, police say, and was found at the scene with gunshot wounds. Singh was pronounced dead at a hospital, sparking a multiagency manhunt for his killer. "Ronil Singh was my older brother. Yes, he's not coming back, but there's a lot of people out there that misses him," Singh's brother, Reggie, said during a Friday news conference. He added of the suspect's arrest, "I was waiting for this to happen. . . . Thank you for working day and night to make this happen." Christianson said Perez Arriaga had illegally entered the United States at the Arizona border and was trying to flee to his home country, Mexico, when he was apprehended at a residence in Bakersfield, Calif. In addition to Perez Arriaga's arrest, Christianson said that Perez Arriaga's brother, 25-year-old Adrian Virgen, and a co-worker, 27-year-old Erik Razo Quiroz, were arrested Thursday for allegedly helping Perez Arriaga escape after Singh was shot. Virgen and Quiroz are also in the country illegally, Christianson said. Also arrested on charges of aiding and abetting were Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, 59, Erasmo Villegas, 36, and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, the Kern County Sheriff's Office said. They were arrested inside the residence where Perez Arriaga was apprehended. On Friday afternoon, the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said it had arrested two more people for allegedly aiding Perez Arriaga in his attempt to escape: his girlfriend, 30-year-old Ana Leyde Cervantes, and another of his brothers, 34-year-old Conrado Virgen Mendoza. "Anyone who aids and helps this criminal was going to go to jail," Christianson said. Christianson's criticism of sanctuary laws echoes sentiments often leveled by President Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with California over the enforcement of immigration rules. On Thursday, before the arrest was announced, Trump tweeted about the case: "There is right now a full scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop. Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!" In the past, the president has invoked the case of Kate Steinle to justify his attempts to withhold federal assistance to sanctuary cities. An undocumented immigrant was acquitted in Steinle's death. While Trump has suggested that sanctuary cities "breed crime," there's little research on the connection. "Why are we providing sanctuary for criminals, gang members?" Christianson said. "It's a conversation we need to have." CHICAGO - Mayor Rahm Emanuel's decision not to seek a third term has given this city something it has never seen in its 181-year history: an election dominated by women of color. A record 21 people - mostly Democrats - have filed petitions to succeed Emanuel. Among the top-tier candidates in the Feb. 26 election are five women of color, including the two front-runners: Cook County board President Toni Preckwinkle and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza. Preckwinkle, a former alderwoman, is the first black person to chair the Cook County Democratic Party and the first woman to head the county board. Mendoza, the daughter of Mexican immigrants, grew up in Little Village, a primarily Hispanic neighborhood besieged by gangs, an experience that she says gave her a close-up view of the city's gun violence problem. Both candidates have made addressing street violence central to their platforms, an issue that has sparked protests during Emanuel's two terms in office. "People in Chicago are looking for candidates with new voices and fresh perspectives who might be doing things differently than what was done before," said Debbie Walsh, director of Rutgers University's Center for American Women in Politics. "Clearly the narrative with Rahm Emanuel is that he has been out of touch and not connecting with these communities. A woman mayor of color could really be that kind of change people are looking for." The wave of female candidates in Chicago mirrors the November midterms, in which a record number of women, spurred by a sense that political leaders are mishandling issues important to them, ran for Congress. In Chicago, tensions have boiled over between communities of color and Emanuel, who is white, over his perceived favor for downtown development at the expense of the historically marginalized neighborhoods on the South Side and West Side. An epidemic of gun violence, an unprecedented number of school closings and an ongoing police reform crisis galvanized a protest movement that has put Emanuel on continual defense. Maze Jackson, the morning host of WVON, a news radio station focused on Chicago's black community, said the potential for a black or Hispanic woman running Chicago would be "game-changing," which is why he predicts that the run-up to the February election is going to get ugly. "This thing is going to get so tribal," he said. "This will be an exciting time in Chicago." Gender and racial allegiances have become central in the heated election. When Preckwinkle challenged the legality of other candidates' petitions earlier this month - a common move in Chicago's mayoral elections - Mendoza accused her of being anti-woman. Five of the petitions that Preckwinkle contested were for female candidates. "It's shameful that the chair of the Cook County Democratic Party, the highest-ranking woman in county government, in the Year of the Woman and the age of Trump, would try to silence the voices of five women of color," Mendoza said in a statement. Preckwinkle dropped the challenge two days later. After opponents criticized her for receiving campaign donations from Ed Burke, a longtime city councilman whose offices were recently raided by the FBI, Preckwinkle announced plans to hand over the $12,800 in donations to two Latino organizations. Mendoza gave her $10,326 in Burke donations to the families of three Chicago police officers who were killed in the line of duty. Chicago voters broke the glass ceiling for women in 1979, when Jane Byrne was elected the first female mayor of a major city in the country. Byrne, who was white, endured sexist remarks and attitudes from all sides, said her daughter Kathy Byrne, a Chicago attorney. Her victory "was quite a shock to the establishment," said Kathy Byrne, who co-chairs Mendoza's campaign. "It was article after article about her hairstyle and her clothes. She'd be at City Hall until 3 in the morning working on preventing a schoolteacher strike, but the next day, all they would say was how she had gray circles under her eyes." Byrne lost her bid for a second term in 1983, and Chicago has not had a female mayor since. But nationwide, the number of female mayors has been rising, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics. As of August, 23 of the 100 largest cities in the country were led by women, 10 of them by women of color: seven blacks, one Latina, and two Asian Pacific Islanders. That's an increase from two years ago, when 19 of those cities were led by women. In addition to Mendoza and Preckwinkle, three other women of color are among the top-tier candidates in Chicago: former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot, community activist Amara Enyia and Cook County Circuit Court clerk Dorothy Brown. They are in a field that includes Bill Daley, son of former mayor Richard Daley, who was also chief of staff under President Obama; former Chicago Public Schools chief executive Paul Vallas and former Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. A poll conducted for the Chicago Federation of Labor this month showed Preckwinkle and Mendoza leading the field with 21 percent and 16 percent support, respectively. Chicago's election rules demand that the winner receive more than 50 percent of the vote, meaning a runoff is likely. Mendoza and Preckwinkle have ties to the city's political establishment: Preckwinkle as a five-term alderwoman who now leads the county's Democratic Party, and Mendoza serving in various elected positions for nearly two decades. They have bashed each other as establishment hacks who are attached to the political machine responsible for ushering most of Chicago's male mayors to the executive office for decades. But Becky Carroll, a Chicago political consultant, said the time is ripe for a more diverse pool of candidates because "the traditional machine politics don't exist in the same way that it once did, where you had to know someone who knew someone to get in line for running." Both candidates' platforms tout their ties to the city's minority communities. Preckwinkle has promised to address the street-violence problem holistically, providing more "compassionate policing," affordable housing and social services. She blasted Emanuel's decision to slash mental health clinics early in his tenure as a "shortsighted" cost-saving measure. "People who don't have access to mental health services end up in the county hospital, in the emergency room or in jail because they acted out," she said in an interview with The Washington Post. Mendoza also believes that dealing with the violence will require a suite of answers. She wants to increase the number of detectives, turn underused schools into community centers and expand mentoring and job training programs. She distances herself from Emanuel, stressing that her position as city clerk during his administration was an elected one, and that she often clashed with the mayor during his first term. She said she refused his 2011 directive to raise city vehicle stickers by $60 each and got him to agree to a $10 increase. "I'm not the establishment," she said. "I'm someone who came from no political pedigree and worked hard to build relationships. . . . I'm really proud of that." It signals a possible shift in the allegiances of Chicago's electorate. In the 2015 election, Emanuel received more support in majority-black areas than millionaire Willie Wilson, who is black, and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, who is Hispanic. During a runoff with Garcia, Emanuel won in majority-black precincts by 57 percent, according to a post-race analysis by the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. (Garcia won the much smaller Hispanic vote.) Other women of color in the mayoral race have positioned themselves as outsiders with no allegiance to establishment politics. Lightfoot criticized her competitors' early silence on the FBI raids on Burke's offices, saying that their lack of response reflected the false choice voters have with Preckwinkle and Mendoza. "It speaks to a broken political machine and status of the status quo," she said. When Preckwinkle withdrew her challenge to Lightfoot's petitions last week, Lightfoot used the opportunity to emphasize her outsider status. "We beat the machine," she said, "and we made history, too. I'm proud to be the first LGBTQ+ person ever to make the ballot for mayor of Chicago." Enyia said her work as a community organizer in embattled West Side neighborhoods Austin and Garfield Park, where she lives, gives her a real-world understanding of the streets. At 35, she is the youngest of the female candidates and her solutions to address city problems are unconventional, including establishing a public bank to generate revenue for the city. Her campaign also has a jolt of millennial energy with the endorsements of Chance the Rapper and Kanye West, both from Chicago. She compares her candidacy to outsiders' like those of Stacey Abrams, who narrowly lost the governorship of Georgia in November, and Ayanna Pressley, who became the first black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts last month. "We definitely connect with that movement," she said. "The links that connect all of us is we are not viewed as the same old." Marshall quarterback Grant Wells was injured in the second quarter and Western Kentucky scored 47 points in the second half en route to a 53-21 win over the Herd in front of 19,134 fans at Joan C. Edwards Stadium on Saturday. Photo: Contributed The federal Liberal party has selected the owner of a daycare business as its challenger against NDP leader Jagmeet Singh in an upcoming byelection in the Lower Mainland. Karen Wang, who owns Angels Playhouse and previously ran in the 2017 provincial election with the B.C. Liberals, was named the Liberal candidate at a nomination meeting in Burnaby on Saturday. She defeated biotechnology scientist Cyrus Eduljee, who is product manager for Stemcell Technologies, after 123 members cast ballots. "I'm so excited and I am so honoured to be selected by you here," Wang said, before reading a poem she said was written by a Chinese poet. "My eyes are full of tears because I love this land so deeply," the poem began. Wang told reporters she believes she has what it takes to take on Singh, because she has lived in the riding for 20 years and has strong connections in the community. "He's not from our local community. He cannot represent you, represent us," she said. "I believe we will have a good chance to win in Burnaby South as I believe right now I'm very familiar with our community. I'm one of the people here." Wang said her top three priorities would be improving housing affordability by increasing supply, creating more jobs and improving public transit. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not yet set a date for the byelection in Burnaby South, which was vacated by former New Democrat MP Kennedy Stewart, now Vancouver's mayor. Trudeau is expected to call byelections for the Burnaby South, Outremont, Que., and York-Simcoe, Ont., ridings early in the new year. The byelection, expected for February, marks Singh's biggest political test to date, while he also tries to calm party fears about fundraising, slumping polls and a growing list of veteran MPs who say they won't run in 2019. Singh has said he plans to focus on campaigning in the riding over the next month, so he can check "elected" off his to-do list for the critical campaign year ahead. In the 2015 federal election, the NDP won Burnaby South by just over 500 votes. A party leader who can't win a seat customarily steps aside, although that hasn't happened in a byelection since the 1940s. Singh won't say what he'll do if he loses. Corporate lawyer Jay Shin is running for the Conservatives in the byelection, while Green party leader Elizabeth May has said the Greens won't field a candidate. Maxime Bernier's People's Party of Canada plans to name a candidate in the next two weeks, spokesman Martin Masse said. Because the party is so new and only recently established electoral district associations in the riding, the candidate won't be selected through a typical nomination voting process. They came from four continents to celebrate the legacy of the novelist, writer, child philosopher and educationalist Maria Edgeworth on this the 250th anniversary of her birth. Four of Irelands leading institutions, all of whom had close connections with her, The Royal Irish Academy, Trinity College, The National Library of Ireland and the RDS all came together to host a wonderful series of events as the final celebration in this her anniversary year. The weekend of events got off to a wonderful start on Thursday evening when the Royal Irish Academy hosted a four-woman panel discussion on the legacy of Edgeworth as novelist, playwright, social reformer and feminist. The panel consisted of writers, Claire Kilroy and Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Playwright Marina Carr and poet Eilean Ni Chuilleanain and was chaired by Margaret Kelleher, Professor and Chair of Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama UCD. There was a full house with the academy hosting a post event reception in the splendid rooms of the academy. This event preceded a two-day conference in Trinity College Dublin, the conference covered many aspects of the life and legacy of Maria Edgeworth. There were thirty speakers who travelled from Canada, North America, Japan, China, Japan, South Korea and many European countries. On Saturday morning guests and participants visited the National Library where they had the opportunity to view rarely-seen Edgeworth manuscripts which according to library staff are part of our National Treasures. This was followed by an awe-inspiring talk by Dr Susan Manly. Susan lectures in English at St Andrews University Scotland and is currently working on a major work on Edgeworth due for publication in 2019. Throughout the weekend, the RDS displayed a wonderful Edgeworth exhibition which was on display at its library in Ballsbridge through the months of October and November. Coinciding with the event Radio Producer Claire Fitzpatrick recorded the events which will go out on RTE in 2019. Part of the documentary was recorded in Edgeworthstown on Sunday last and featured Camilla Kelly and Peter Costello who performed recently in the very successful production of Castle Rackrent at the Backstage. It was also appropriate that Maria Edgeworth should be remembered one hundred years after women received the vote as she was a pioneer in championing the place of women in society. Seventy five years earlier she was accepted into the Royal Irish Academy as an associated member and one of the first women to be allowed into the Academy. Matt Farrell of the Edgeworth Society took the opportunity of the conference to thank the organisers of the event under the direction of Professor Jarlet Killeen TCD and to all the speakers who travelled from all parts of the world to participate. This ends the celebrations for 2018 which included the publication of 'Letters from Ireland' by Valerie Pakenhan, the publication of a National Supplement, various conferences around the world and of course the local production of Castle Rackrent performed in the Backstage and supported by Creative Ireland Longford. The Society are now looking forward to the building of the new Community Library in Edgeworthstown and the enhancement of the 1840 Schoolhouse which is one of the attractions on the Edgeworth Heritage Trail. A 24-year-old man was arrested in Revere Saturday after police allege he shot one man and stabbed another during a violent encounter in the city. Hector Emilio Hernandez was arrested on charges of attempted murder and unlawful possession of a firearm following the alleged early Saturday morning attack, Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk County District Attorneys office said. Revere police responded to 16 Pleasant St. at about 1:45 a.m. and found a 27-year-old man of Chelsea suffering from gunshot wounds, and a 23-year-old man from Chelsea with stab wounds. The older man was taken to Massachusetts General hospital for treatment of his multiple gunshot wounds and the 23-year-old man was taken to Beth Israel. Both are in serious condition, Wark said. The injured men have not been identified. The Suffolk County State Police Unit responded to the scene and is assisting police. The relationship between the parties involved remains under investigation, as do the circumstances surrounding the violent encounter, Wark said in a statement. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Revere Police Criminal Investigation Division at 781-286-8340 or the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit at 617-727-8817. Hernandez is expected to be arraigned on the charges Monday in Chelsea District Court. AMHERST - Interested in learning about your ancestry or further investigating what you already know? The Jewish Genealogy Resource Fair organized by the Western Massachusetts Jewish Genealogical Society may be able to help. The first-time event will be held Sunday, Jan. 6, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Jewish Community of Amherst, 742 Main St., and is free to the public. Eight tables of experienced researchers will be available to talk to visitors about how to trace ancestors in Central or Eastern Europe and track relatives in America through online resources and DNA testing as well as how to organize and share data. Resource materials will also be available. Organizers of the fair say it is designed to specifically help individuals with Jewish roots, but that the genealogy research information offered could be useful to anyone and note that "many folks getting their DNA analyzed find they have a little Semitic ancestry." The society, which was founded in 2002 regrouped in the fall of 2017, and has held several events including speaker presentations. Through the financial support of the Agawam-based Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the society has created a resource collection at Forbes Library in Northampton. This collection, in the library's reference section, includes books as well as on-line access to the databases JewishGen, AncestryPlus, and HeritageQuest. For further information about the Jan. 6 event, contact Nina Sitron, society president, by email at wmjgs2@gmail.com or call (413) 268-2147. Police in one Massachusetts community arrested a driver Saturday night after they found a car on the railroad tracks. According to Monson police, the driver rode on the railroad tracks off Belmont Avenue Saturday night. Police did not release the drivers name as of Sunday morning, but said the person was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and negligent driving. Friends of the 24-year-old woman who was attacked by her Tinder date outside a Cohasset home last week started a fund to help her with medical bills after she was stabbed and slashed several times. A GoFundMe page was started for Maegan Tapley, who was identified by family and friends as the woman who was attacked by 25-year-old Erich Stelzer Thursday night. On Thursday December 27, Maegan Tapley fell victim to a domestic violence dispute that could have ended her life, if not for the heroic efforts of the Cohasset Police Department, the fund reads. Maegans injuries are extensive and will require many surgeries. Her recovery will take a very long time. The person who started the fund is a longtime friend of Tapleys mother. Tapley is the youngest of four siblings who worked as a veterinary assistant in Saugus, her sister told Boston 25 News. The sister told the television station that Tapley will have a long recovery. Tapleys mother, Susan, told NECN her daughter had several injuries. The Norfolk District Attorneys office said the woman sustained extensive stabbing and slashing injuries. "She's going to mend, she's going to be alright. It's going to take time to recover," Tapleys mother told the television station. "She'll need plastic surgery and an eye specialist. Cohasset police were called to a home on Church Street around 10 p.m. Thursday and found Tapley, who was able to escape Stelzer, according to the district attorneys office. The Boston Globe reports the two met on Tinder, a dating app. In an effort to rescue the victim and disarm Stelzer, Cohasset police officers used tasers to subdue Stelzer, the district attorneys office said. EMTs provided Stelzer with medical attention, but he became unresponsive on the way to the hospital. He then died, authorities said. Family of Stelzer said in a statement released by a lawyer that they noticed a decline in his mental health and asked police to intervene. He was experiencing delusions, erratic behavior and extreme paranoia, Philip G. Cormier, a lawyer for Diane Keiran, Stelzers mother, wrote in a statement Saturday. He had been receiving treatment for an unspecified mental illness in the month leading up to the attack and, during a Christmas evening at a family gathering, it became clear that his needs were not being met, Cormier wrote. The family called Cohasset police and EMTs to perform an assessment on Stelzer on Dec. 25. The EMTs determined he did not need assistance, the statement from Stelzers family said. The family of Erich Stelzer wishes to express its deepest sympathy for the victim and her family. They are without words to adequately communicate their grief and sorrow at the events that transpired, the physical and mental pain caused to the victim, and the loss of life of a young man who was someones little brother and someones son, Cormier wrote in the statement. Although Candy Glazer is stepping down as Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee chairwoman after more than 20 years, the longtime activist stressed that she has no intention of scaling back her political work at the local, state and federal levels. I dont plan to go anywhere, she said in an interview, noting that her priority will still be to ensure the Democratic Party remains strong in Western Massachusetts. Glazer helped make the LDTC one of the most active and visible town committees in the state since taking control in 1995. She told The Republican in a recent interview that while she decided it was time to pass the torch on to new leadership, she will continue to guide the panel as its chair emeritus. The Democrat said she will continue to lead state Sen. Eric Lessers campaign committee and remain a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, as well as work to help Democrats win upcoming elections I would love to see Democrats take over the governors office. ... Id like to play a role in the party here. But Id also like to take some of my experience and some of the relationships that I have with so many people and really see if we can have a Democratic president also in 2020, she said. Glazer has been involved in Massachusetts Democratic politics since the 1960s. She cast her experience as the classic baby boomer story, noting that she first became interested in activism while living in Newton during John F. Kennedys presidency. It was such an exciting time, she said. Growing up in the 60s, it was such a politically active time I sort of came of age then. And the Kennedys made it seem like politics really was, without being dramatic, a noble profession a great way, if you care about something, to get involved. Glazer said she made her first foray into politics as a teenager by addressing postcards for Ted Kennedys first campaign. From there, she got involved with campaigning for Democratic Party issues and candidates, especially after moving to Longmeadow in the late 1970s. Longmeadow was kind of a Republican town ... and I joined the LDTC, but really kind of moved quickly through the ranks and just became very, very involved, she said, pointing to her work to campaign for Michael Dukakis, John Kerry and Barack Obama, among several other Democrats over the years. Glazer said she strived to grow the committee and elevate its work by hosting guest speakers at all meetings, holding panel discussions and other events, and engaging with up-and-coming candidates at all levels. Those efforts, she said, helped the LDTC grow to more than 100 members and made the committee a must-stop destination for all aspiring Democratic politicians. The candidates know this is the place to come and people know this is a great place to find them. Everyone comes to our Democrat of the Year brunch, which has sort of become the political event to see because elected officials and candidates know they will see people from all over Western Mass and the state, she said. Steve Grossman, a former Massachusetts treasurer and past chairman of the Democratic National Committee, agreed. While Longmeadow is smaller than several other communities in the western part of the state, he said, Glazer made the LDTC a central address for politics" in the region. If you wanted to build relationships in Western Massachusetts, you could think Springfield, you could think Chicopee, you could think Holyoke, you could think Westfield, you could think Pittsfield, but you had to go to Longmeadow, he said in an interview. Speaking at her events and being honored as Democrat of the Year was a singular honor, and my guess is that even prominent Democrats whove been honored many times will all look back on those annual events as being a really high point. Grossman lauded Glazer for not just elevating the LDTCs profile, but also building a team of local activists and volunteers to support the committees work and build on her legacy. Offering that its important for leaders to recruit and train their successors, he added that Glazers decision to remain active as the LDTC chair emeritus remind him of a quote from ancient Jewish text: We are not required to finish the task nor are we permitted to desist from it." The job is never done. When Candy steps down, its not like the job of organizers is complete. It starts the next day, the next week, the next month with new candidates, he said. Candy will continue to play a role as chair emeritus of the local party, but she will give her successor wide berth to do his own thing. She will not be a controlling person, shell be a participant and shell stay involved. Lesser, a longtime LTDC member, added that Glazer not only helped put Western Massachusetts on the political map, she also played a significant role in his own decision to run for office. I think that theres a high likelihood I never wouldve gotten into politics without Candy, because from the time I was really young she mentored me and gave me the encouragement and the confidence as a young person to get involved, and I know that Im not alone, he said in an interview. Shes mentored dozens of activists, volunteers, staff members and candidates themselves across Western Mass. And a lot of the people shes worked with have gone on to work all over the country. Lesser called Glazer the gold standard of what we all aspire to do in local politics," offering that shes community-focused and understands the importance of working from the ground up. The state senator added that he believes she will continue to play a major role in Democratic politics. If anything, she might even have more time now to plow into those efforts, he said. Shes going to remain a major force and a major presence in Western Mass. politics." U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, a Springfield Democrat who was recently named Ways and Means Committee chairman, said he cant imagine Candy stepping back, despite what she might say. I know her, he said in an interview. Shes been invaluable to me over the years and I think that shell always make sure that her perspective is acknowledged. Massachusetts Democratic Party Chairman Gus Bickford said Glazer literally is a model that is going to be really tough to replicate. What she means to Western Mass., frankly, is what she means to the Democratic Party statewide. There are very few Candy Glazers and Im not sure I could name someone else that has replicated this model in the rest of the state," he said. In addition to leading the Longmeadow Democratic Town Committee for 23 years, Glazer has been a member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee for more than two decades, serving on its executive and rules committees. She has also been a delegate at Democratic state conventions for more than 30 consecutive years and attended the last seven national conventions as either a volunteer, elected delegate or alternate. The Massachusetts Democratic Party selected Glazer to be a state elector to the Electoral College in 2012 an experience the outgoing chairwoman said gave her a literal front-row seat to history. Glazer never threw her own hat into the political ring despite her years pushing for Democratic candidates and causes. She attributed that decision to, among other things, her belief that seeking office is just one way a person can serve his or her community. President Kennedy (said), One person can make a difference, everyone can try. ... I think Ive hopefully made that difference. I certainly had a wonderful, wonderful experience and such amazing relationships along the way, she said. When someone can no longer pay their mortgage, Eagle Home Buyers steps in. The Holyoke-based real estate company buys properties from distressed homeowners, rehabilitates the buildings and sells them. One way Eagle Home Buyers finds clients is by making public records requests to city governments, seeking lists of homeowners who have not paid property taxes and whose homes are near foreclosure. "If a person is tax delinquent and also in pre-foreclosure, it's an indicator they're in financial difficulties and may not know how to get out of that difficulty, may not know they have options," said Stephen White, who works in acquisitions for Eagle Home Buyers. Look through any city or town's public records log, and it is likely that many of the public records requesters are not journalists or advocates. They are businesses, looking to drum up clients or to compile databases that can be purchased by other companies. While the commercial use of public records has sometimes been criticized by privacy advocates, others say it is part of having transparent government. Richard Varn, executive director of the Iowa-based Coalition for Sensible Public Records Access, which is backed by businesses that collect large amounts of data, said the collection of public data allows for a range of commercial transactions, whether buying a car or house or checking credentials of a daycare provider. He compared it to an Uber driver making money using public roads or a bottling plant making money bottling public water. "We don't understand why people pick on public records, don't treat public records like they treat every other thing people use to make money," Varn said. Business requests are common in a city like Worcester, where records access officer Joshua Martunas said businesses, lawyers and journalists are the most common requesters. Martunas said businesses often contact the city looking for people with unclaimed money, unpaid taxes or code violations. That information gives businesses a list of potential customers they can contact to issue loans, offer to buy a property or sell property cleaning services. Martunas said most requests by businesses can easily be turned around within the 10 days allowed by state law, and most do not incur charges. Under state law, up to two hours of work responding to a records request must be provided free. "The majority of records requests that come are in relatively straightforward," Martunas said. "I don't think the requests coming in are any kind of burden on myself or the departments I work with." Jeffrey London wrote to the city of Newton earlier this year requesting information about checks issued by the city that were stale or outdated and were never cashed. London owns Parr Recovery in Newton. The company requests lists of outdated checks from public agencies around the country, then contacts the person or company the check was made out to. Parr Recovery will offer to represent that company and get the check reissued, and Parr Recovery gets a percentage of the check. "I wouldn't be in business without public records," London said. One common request by businesses is for lists of pet licenses. Ted Teller, the owner of Above and Beyond Pet Services in Belmont, which provides dog walking and pet sitting services, asked Belmont for a list of 2018 dog and cat licensees, according to that community's public records log. Teller declined to comment. Brian Olney, who lists his profession on LinkedIn as a marketing professional for the New York-based Fi - HQ, which provides "technology for dogs and their humans," made a similar request to Belmont. Public and Private Sector Solutions, of Michigan, is a public procurement company. Governments hire it to help agencies get better deals negotiating technology prices. A Public and Private Sector Solutions representative in June asked Massachusetts' environmental agency for purchase orders and quotes for any personal computers, laptops or tablets bought within 30 days. Senior procurement consultant Greg Faremouth said Public and Private Sector Solutions uses public records requests to get information about prices paid for technology by governments around the country. That helps agencies negotiate better prices. "We can understand more about the competitiveness that public institutions enjoy or don't enjoy so we can help them in the future," Faremouth said. "A lot of times, they don't have the right information and don't understand what others paid for like deals." "The public records law allows us ... to generate the information so we can share it with others," Faremouth said. "So when they go to the negotiating table with the vendor, (they can say) this is what someone else paid, why wouldn't I enjoy the same type of pricing?" Kade Crockford, who works in technology and privacy policy at the ACLU of Massachusetts, said "data brokers" have for years relied on government and court records to collect information that is public but not easily accessible. The brokers turn those records into files that they sell. "That's entirely legal because Congress has completely failed to regulate the data broker industry," Crockford said. Crockford said she sees data brokers as "problematic" because consumers do not know how their information is being used, and because it makes the information accessible mainly to people who have money to pay data brokers. For example, companies can hire data brokers to collect court data and conduct background checks on employees. Or, marketing agencies can target divorcees with ads for Realtors. Crockford said some of these listings could be made available to everyone. "I do find it troubling to some degree that information that's ostensibly public and could be available to everyone on the internet is collected by private companies and then sold at the same time," Crockford said. At the same time, she thinks government should do a better job telling people what information is public. "One thing governments could do to inform the public conversation about privacy in the era of big data and automation would be to disclose on public records websites information that's been released to corporate entities," Crockford said. But Varn says data brokers are actually a democratizing force, since smaller companies can buy information that previously only large companies, who had their own data troves or had the ability to make hundreds of records requests, could access. Varn said there are lots of "beneficial and legal purposes" the data can be used for -- such as seeing if a company has been fined, or better understanding a market. Varn noted that businesses pay for the records. "They aren't getting them free," Varn said. "You pay the cost of the record just like everyone else does." A candidate for Framingham state representative was seeking a list of all city voters who applied for absentee ballots. A reporter wanted information about Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer's expenses. Insurance companies are asking for police records of clients' car accidents. The city of Framingham posts on its website a log of public records requests, along with the documents that were provided -- such as a list of absentee voters or building project files. "If it's not private information they're requesting, if it's basic public records they're entitled to, they can search our database before logging a request," said Mike Tusino, the records access officer for Framingham. "It's a great log of what's been done and a good resource for the community." Framingham is not alone. Since Massachusetts updated its public records law last year, an increasing number of city and town clerks have been using computer software for the first time to manage public records requests. One side-effect of that shift is that more of these requests are becoming fully public on the internet, making it easier for people to search for information about city and town affairs. "The current public records process reflects an earlier era, where documents were on paper -- and you wouldn't allow a member of the public to go through your filing cabinet and take what they want," said Tamara Manik-Perlman, CEO and co-founder of NextRequest, which sells software to manage public records requests. "As more records are digital ... for many categories of public information and data, there's no reason people should not be able to access them directly." In June 2016, Gov. Charlie Baker signed the first major overhaul of the state's public records law in 40 years, which went into effect in 2017. The new law set concrete timelines for public agencies to comply with records requests and limited how much money public agencies can charge for copies. Cities and towns must now appoint a single records access officer who is responsible for overseeing requests. In a city like Framingham, which received more than 2,000 public records requests last year, Tusino said, "We needed the software to just manage everything we were doing and stay compliant with the law." Framingham started using the platform of a company called FOIA Direct when the new law went into effect. FOIA Direct, the only Massachusetts-based company to provide public records management software, officially launched in January 2017 to coincide with the new law. The company has 30 municipal clients so far, according to president and CEO Herbert Myers. Myers said previously, public records requests "were getting lost in the mix." With the new law allowing for financial penalties if the law is not followed, communities want to make sure public records requests are responded to properly. California-based NextRequest, which offers similar software and also lets municipalities make records requests public online, has 11 paying municipal customers in Massachusetts, with the first one signing up in 2016. The software lets requesters direct public records requests to a specific agency, then provides tools for city officials to track requests. While there are differences between the companies, the basic benefits are similar. The software tracks how many days a city has left to respond to a request and notifies officials about deadlines. It lets different departments upload information and provides a simple way to issue an electronic response. It can be used to generate reports, determine fees and collect payments online. It can offer automated replies for particular requests. Newton City Clerk David Olson said in a large city like Newton, where documents are scattered across state government, "The software makes it easy for the employees to communicate and make sure requests are getting to the right place, and that we're keeping track of getting them done within the time frames we have to supply public records." Newton adopted NextRequest in early 2017, soon after the new law went into effect. "Prior to that, it was individual departments doing their own thing, and it was very rarely pulled together into one complete record," Olson said. Newton makes public those requests that do not include personal information and that city officials think will attract wider interest. Most of the requests on the city's website relate to information about specific properties -- for example, documents about underground tanks or hazardous material. Manik-Perlman, of NextRequest, said the option to make requests public came from a recommendation by the Obama administration. "One of the things they identified as an opportunity for transparency and efficiency was a 'release to one, release to all' policy," Manik-Perlman said. Manik-Perlman said if a record does not contain personal or sensitive information, making it public on the web makes it easier for people to get that information and limits the time government officials have to spend duplicating responses to requests. However, not all towns want this option. Some smaller towns have found different solutions to managing public records requests. The Rhode Island-based LL Data Designs customizes public records software for clerks in around 45 small Massachusetts towns. The software is not web-based, so records cannot be shared between departments or published on the internet. But it does track and organize requests and produce reports. LL Data Designs owner Lisa Pagano said she gives small town clerks a "cheaper alternative" to the larger web-based companies, and she customizes the software to meet their needs. Pagano charges around $2,000 for her software, with a $500 annual maintenance fee. FOIADirect generally charges $3,000 to $10,000, depending on the size of the city, while the paid version of NextRequest starts around $5,000 and varies based on agency size and request volume. NextRequest also offers a free version. Springfield paid $9,600 in June 2018 for GovQA's public records platform, according to the city's open checkbook. Pagano said she has been customizing municipal software for decades, but her work on public records management in Massachusetts only started after the 2017 law change. "When the law first came out in Massachusetts, everybody was like, we have to get something, we have to get something," Pagano said. Great Barrington town clerk Marie Ryan, president of the Massachusetts Town Clerks' Association, said LL Data Designs lets her track requests and pull reports more quickly and easily than using an Excel spreadsheet, which she did until 2017. Ryan said before the law change, town departments would give people copies, without keeping track of requests. The new law required her to start tracking requests, centralizing them and meeting deadlines. Some clerks, however, still say they do not need specialized software. Marlborough City Clerk Lisa Thomas, president of the Massachusetts City Clerks' Association, said all records requests come through her office, other than those that go to the police. When a request comes in, she logs it in an Excel spreadsheet and sends it to the legal department, which forwards it to the appropriate department. The relevant department keeps track of the timeline and produces the documents. Then, Thomas makes a pdf and responds. Thomas said she thinks clerks often need software if they have a weak information technology department. "I know what I'm doing, so save the money," Thomas said. "We've not had any complaints." In the week before Erich Stelzer died in police custody, after officers said they found him stabbing a 24-year-old woman, his family noticed a decline in his mental health and asked police to intervene, according to his mothers lawyer. He was experiencing delusions, erratic behavior and extreme paranoia, Philip G. Cormier, a lawyer for Diane Keiran, Stelzers mother, wrote in a statement to sent to MassLive on Saturday. Stelzer, 25 of Cohasset, had been receiving treatment for an unspecified mental illness in the month leading up to the alleged attack, Cormier wrote in the statement. On Christmas evening at a family gathering it became clear that his needs were not being met, Cormier wrote. His family called Cohasset police and EMTs to perform an assessment on Stelzer on Dec. 25. They believed he was having a psychotic break and needed to be hospitalized, Cormier wrote in the statement. The assessment by the EMTs was that he did not need assistance due to the fact that he was lucid enough to know his own name and the date, Cormier wrote in the statement. The family was surprised and unsure how to proceed. The next day Stelzers family hired a professional intervention team to help bring the 25-year-old to an inpatient facility for treatment, the lawyer said. Unfortunately, the events of Thursday night transpired before the intervention could be implemented, Cormier wrote. Police were called to Stelzers home on Church Street just before 10 p.m. Dec. 27 for a report of a disturbance. When they arrived police said Stelzer was assaulting a 24-year-old woman with weapons, including a knife. A law enforcement official told The Boston Globe that Stelzer and the 24-year-old woman, who survived the attack, met on Tinder, a dating app, earlier in the week. The Norfolk County District Attorneys office said the woman sustained extensive stabbing and slashing injuries. The womans mother told NBC 10 her daughter would need plastic surgery and an eye specialist. In an effort to rescue the victim and disarm Stelzer, Cohasset police officers used tasers to subdue Stelzer, the district attorneys office said in a statement Friday. EMTs provided Stelzer with medical attention, but he became unresponsive on the way to the hospital, authorities said. The family of Erich Stelzer wishes to express its deepest sympathy for the victim and her family. They are without words to adequately communicate their grief and sorrow at the events that transpired, the physical and mental pain caused to the victim, and the loss of life of a young man who was someone's little brother and someone's son, Cormier wrote in the statement. Cormier said his firm was hired to assist...in whatever facets we can. It is not clear if the family plans to take legal action. Cohasset police referred all questions about the incident to the Norfolk District Attorneys office. The district attorneys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Stelzers familys claims on Saturday. All Tribune Publishing newspapers were impacted by the malware, with the South Florida Sun Sentinel, for example, unable to produce its paper in time for Saturday delivery. Those newspapers will be delivered on Sunday, the company said. Bier concedes that Malorie is really harsh with the kids, but this is a natural response to the threats that face them. Bier herself admits to occasional displays of aggression and defensiveness when she feels her own children are at risk. I think there is that sort of aggressive forcefulness (in motherhood) that hasnt been shown (in movies) a lot, she says. What is the reason for this omission? Well, partly because men had the platform to show what (motherhood) was, and supposedly that was not how they wanted to see it. Maybe it is a slightly scary image. Being forceful might not be as cute, she says. Coast Guard service members will receive their paychecks Monday despite an earlier announcement saying they'd miss out due to the federal government shutdown, officials said Friday. "I am pleased to announce the Administration, the Department of Homeland Security and the Coast Guard have identified a way to pay our military workforce on 31 December," Coast Guard Vice Commandant Adm. Charles Ray said in a message to service members. Earlier in the week, a Coast Guard spokesman indicated that pay would stop during the shutdown, which began Dec. 21 and shows no signs of ending soon. "I recognize that this changes course from previously provided guidance on military pay, however, this is outstanding news for our military workforce," Ray said. Although the other military service branches -- Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines -- are part of the Department of Defense, which has been unaffected by the shutdown, the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security, one of several federal agencies whose budget was not approved beyond Dec. 21. There are about 42,000 active-duty Coast Guard members. In addition, about 7,400 civilian Coast Guard employees are on furlough and another 1,300 are continuing to work without pay. The Coast Guard's one-time action applies to servicemembers who were on active duty in December and reservists who drilled before the lapse in appropriation, Ray said. Information posted on the Coast Guard's official website says the service generally lacks the authority to pay its members during a government shutdown. However, research and legal analysis determined that it can execute pay and allowances for December. "If you were an active duty military member in December, then you will receive your monthly paycheck on Dec. 31, 2018. That paycheck will include all of the normal pay and allowance benefits," the website says. "If you were a reservist that served on active duty during the month of December, you will also receive your monthly paycheck ... if you were a reservist that conducted reserve training prior to Dec. 21, 2018, then you will receive the appropriate pay and allowance entitlements on Dec. 31, 2018," it adds. However, the website warns that service members' Jan. 15 paychecks are not guaranteed. "Meeting active duty and reserve military payroll for January 2019 will require a fiscal year 2019 appropriation, a continuing resolution, or passage of an alternative measure," the website says. An agreement to end the shutdown hangs on a standoff between the White House and Democrats on Capitol Hill over funding for a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. President Donald Trump has said he will not sign a spending resolution without border wall funding. Congressional Democrats are refusing to relent to the president on this issue. Many day-to-day operations continue at Coast Guard facilities, with some exceptions. The service's Facebook page isn't getting updated frequently because the civilian employee tasked with social media at the Coast Guard's public affairs headquarters in Washington, D.C., has been furloughed, said Chief Warrant Officer Chad Saylor, a Coast Guard spokesman. Furloughed civilians also handle purchasing for the office, so supply orders must wait. Saylor also said maintenance to navigation aids, such as buoys, is on hold, as is credentialing and merchant documentation. Some routine maintenance and training will also hold until the shutdown ends. In Houston, where about 15 civilians are furloughed, another impacted operation is fishing enforcement patrols, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Johanna Strickland, a spokeswoman with the Coast Guard's Public Affairs Detachment Texas. Security, though, remains mission essential, she said. The Coast Guard is providing service members with financial counseling and employee assistance programs, Saylor said. An internal messaging network is keeping service members informed of the shutdown and its impact to pay and operations. "They're reminded to take account of what bills they'll have and what their financial obligations are and to meet them," he said. Leadership within Sector Houston-Galveston of the Coast Guard is keeping lines of communication open among its 350 service members, Strickland said. "All supervisors in departments have been in touch with their members," she said, including information about Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, which offers assistance for everyday essentials to service members during financial hardship. A welcome message on the program's website addresses concerns caused by the shutdown and asks service members to reach out to their banks, landlords and creditors who "can often help keep the ship afloat while the emergency situation recedes." During any single pay cycle, about $150 million is required to pay all Coast Guard military and civilian employees, the program's welcome message says. But the program does not have the resources to help everyone and the goal is to assist at least the 21,000 service members ranked E-5 and below, said retired Rear Adm. Cari Thomas, chief executive officer for Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. "Our mission is to care for our own," she said. "It is hard when the Coast Guard that you love doesn't have the ability to pay you. It impacts you, your family, and your home. I have lived through earlier government shutdowns, and know first-hand how much life at home impacts your life at work. That is why we help those who help the public." Retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal said Sunday that the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis should give Americans pause about the direction of the nation under what he termed the "immoral" leadership of President Donald Trump. "I don't think he tells the truth," McChrystal said in a blistering critique of Trump and the planned withdrawal of the estimated 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria in an interview that aired Sunday on ABC-TV's "This Week" program. ABC co-anchor Martha Raddatz then asked "Is Trump immoral, in your view?" McChrystal replied: "I think he is." McChrystal, who served as the head of the Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008 and took command of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan in 2009, said he would not go so far as to tell Trump supporters that "they are wrong," but he made clear that they should question his leadership. "What I would ask every American to do," he said, "is stand in front of that mirror and say, 'What are we about? Am I really willing to throw away or ignore some of the things that people do that are -- are pretty unacceptable normally just because they accomplish certain other things that we might like? "If we want to be governed by someone we wouldn't do a business deal with because their -- their background is so shady, if we're willing to do that, then that's in conflict with who I think we are. And so I think it's necessary at those times to take a stand." McChrystal's interview aired a day before Mattis' resignation will officially take effect at midnight Monday. Mattis' authorities will transition to Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive, who has agreed to serve as acting Secretary until Trump settles on a permanent replacement. In his stunning resignation letter, issued a day after Trump announced the Syria withdrawal via Twitter, Mattis said that national security interests were best served when the U.S. worked with allies and partnered local forces. He said Trump deserved a Defense Secretary whose views were more aligned with his own. McChrystal said Americans should "pause and say, wait a minute, if we have someone who is as selfless and as committed as Jim Mattis resign his position, walking away from all the responsibility he feels for every service member in our forces and he does so in a public way like that, we ought to stop and say, 'OK, why did he do it?'" McChrystal said potential successors to Mattis should consider whether they would have to compromise their own principles to serve under Trump. "I would ask [potential candidates] to look in the mirror and ask them if they can get comfortable enough with President Trump's approach to governance, how he conducts himself with his values and with his worldview to be truly loyal to him as a commander in chief and going forward," McChrystal said. McChrystal also argued against the Syria withdrawal of all U.S. forces and the potential withdrawal of about half of the estimated 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. "If you pull American influence out, you're likely to have greater instability, and of course it'll be much more difficult for the United States to try to push events in any direction. There is an argument that says we just pull up our stuff, go home, let the region run itself. That has not done well for the last 50 or 60 years," McChrystal said. McChrystal himself resigned in 2010 after 34 years of service when he faced possible firing by President Barack Obama over disparaging comments in a Rolling Stone article about then-Vice President Joe Biden and other administration officials. He later went on to work with former First Lady Michelle Obama in her "Joining Forces" initiative to aid troops, veterans and military families. McChrystal's remarks were possibly more blunt than those of other retired military officers who have been critical of Trump since Mattis announced his resignation, but Trump also has his defenders in the retired ranks. Under the headline "We Succeeded in Syria. Now It's Time To Leave," retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, now an adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, wrote that "We face larger existential threats to our nation in the form of a resurgent Russia, expanding Chinese interference and the continued threat from North Korea." "These threats to our nation are clear, while protracted wars of the Middle East are a drain on our national blood and treasure," Kellogg wrote. Kellogg, who backed Trump during his campaign for the presidency, was considered to be on the short list as a possible Defense Secretary before Trump nominated Mattis. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. 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 Yasmani Grandal entered free agency as the clear-cut best catcher on the open market, but he remains without a job nearly two months after the offseason began. Part of that seems to be Grandals own doing, as the longtime Dodger reportedly turned down a generous proposal from the Mets a four-year, $60MM offer. In the wake of Grandals rejection, the Mets pivoted to the No. 2 catcher in free agency, Wilson Ramos, whom they reeled in on a two-year, $19MM guarantee. At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR predicted Grandal would score a four-year, $64MM contract and listed the Mets, Nationals, Rangers, Twins, Red Sox, Astros, Angels, Phillies, Braves and Rockies as potential suitors. The Twins, Red Sox, Astros, Philllies and Rockies could still be in the mix for the 30-year-old Grandal, though at least some of those teams may prefer to swing a deal for Marlins trade chip J.T. Realmuto. Its doubtful the other clubs are in on Grandal, on the other hand. The Nationals have already added Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki this winter, thus taking them out of the running for free-agent catchers who will garner major league contracts and Realmuto. The Rangers could still use a catcher, having parted with Robinson Chirinos at the start of the offseason and signed the offensively challenged Jeff Mathis, but it would be surprising to see the rebuilding franchise spend big on a 30-something player. The Angels showed interest in Grandal earlier this month, but they may be out of the equation after signing free agent Jonathan Lucroy on Friday. The Braves, meanwhile, re-signed Tyler Flowers toward the end of last season and then reunited with Brian McCann on a $2MM guarantee in free agency, giving them a pair of respected veterans. While at least a few of the above teams may be eyeing Grandal, the only ones that have actually shown reported interest in him this winter have been the Dodgers, Reds, White Sox and the aforementioned Mets, Astros and Angels. It doesnt appear Grandals going to return to the Dodgers in 2019, though, considering multiple reports have indicated they arent keen on bringing him back on anything other than a short-term deal. The White Sox have signed James McCann since they were first publicly connected to Grandal, and they also have capable veteran backstop Welington Castillo on hand. Cincinnati, which selected Grandal 12th overall in the 2010 draft, may still be a candidate to sign him, but it has a passable, low-cost starter in Tucker Barnhart and seems more focused on upgrading its rotation than its situation behind the plate. The Dodgers already tried to bring Grandal back in 2019 on a $17.9MM qualifying offer, but he declined it, meaning it would cost a team significant major league payroll space, a draft pick and international bonus pool allotments to sign him. Grandals status as a QO recipient takes away from his appeal to some degree, yet he has nonetheless been among the majors most accomplished catchers over the past several years. Since 2014, which he spent with the Padres, the switch-hitting Grandal ranks top five at his position in home runs (104; third), wRC+ (115; third) and fWAR (12.2; fifth). And while Grandal had some well-documented problems as a defender in the 2018 postseason, hes still a highly regarded pitch framer who has thrown out a roughly league-average percentage of base stealers in his career. Clearly, then, Grandal shouldnt have trouble finding a lucrative contract prior to next season. But its an open question whether he erred in saying no to the Mets $60MM offer. (poll link for app users) Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Although Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray reportedly isnt on the block, hes nonetheless drawing trade interest, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Both the Astros and Phillies are very interested in Ray, Cafardo writes. Arizona made one notable future-oriented move earlier this offseason when it traded superstar first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to St. Louis, though indications are the Diamondbacks arent set to rebuild. As a result, the club may keep Ray and other valuable veterans with the hope that itll bounce back from an 82-win 2018 next season. Its clear, though, that Ray stands out as one of the D-backs most appealing trade chips. Just 27 years old, Ray is fresh off his fourth straight productive season in the desert, where he has posted a 3.84 ERA/3.81 FIP with 11.03 K/9, 4.00 BB/9 and a 42.5 percent groundball rate in 587 2/3 innings since 2015. Ray did experience some travails in 2018, an injury-shortened season in which he logged an ugly walk rate (5.09 per nine), a low groundball percentage (39.2) and an unspectacular FIP (4.31) over 123 2/3 frames. At the same time, though, Ray managed a respectable ERA (3.93) and, among hurlers who threw at least 120 innings, finished fifth in K/9 (12.01), 17th in swinging-strike rate (12.9 percent) and 26th in infield fly percentage (11.9). Because Rays a proven, in-his-prime starter with two years of affordable control remaining hell make a projected $6.1MM in 2019 its likely he has garnered interest from several teams besides Houston and Philadelphia this offseason. Regardless, the fact that those two clubs are eyeing Ray makes sense. While the Astros starting unit features three established veterans in co-aces Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole and solid mid-rotation arm Collin McHugh, theyve already said goodbye to Charlie Morton in free agency, and Dallas Keuchel may be next to sign elsewhere. Further, before free agency commenced, the Astros lost Lance McCullers Jr. for 2019 on account of Tommy John surgery. As a result, their rotation has two question marks in it heading into next season, and each of Verlander, Cole and McHugh are slated to hit the open market a year from now. Ray would help cover for their potential 2020 exits to some degree. The Phillies rotation isnt facing as much upheaval over the next year as the Astros, though Philly could cut ties with Jake Arrieta next winter. For now, Arrieta and ace Aaron Nola are entrenched in the Phils rotation going into 2019, with Nick Pivetta, Vince Velasquez, Zach Eflin and Jerad Eickhoff currently looking like the favorites to battle it out for the remaining three spots. Pivetta, Velasquez and Eflin had difficulty preventing runs in 2018, however, while Eickhoff totaled a mere 5 1/3 innings in the bigs on account of serious injury issues. FLINT, MI -- Plea agreements for two state officials charged with Flint water crisis crimes have reduced the number of pending cases to nine and the first of those is scheduled to restart in the first week of 2019. Attorneys for Michigan Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Nick Lyon and special prosecutors are expected to argue whether the case was mistakenly bound over for a jury trial in Genesee Circuit Court on Jan. 4. Lyon is the highest-ranking of the nine remaining Flint water defendants, facing charges that include two counts of involuntary manslaughter, but his attorneys -- including former state solicitor general John J. Bursch -- say prosecutors failed to produce required proof during his preliminary examination that the director committed the crimes hes charged with. Oral arguments on their motion to quash the lower courts decision are set for Jan. 4 before Circuit Judge Joseph Farah. Preliminary examinations are scheduled to continue for a current and former employee of the state Department of Environmental Quality on Jan. 7, but the Genesee District courtroom will be less crowded for Liane Shekter-Smith and Patrick Cook. Two other DEQ officials -- Stephen Busch and Michael Prysby -- who had been sharing the examination with Shekter-Smith and Cook -- took plea deals this week, agreeing to plead no contest to misdemeanors in exchange for their testimony in other cases. Special prosecutor Todd Flood has said he plans to ask Judge Jennifer Manley to bind over Shekter-Smith on charges including involuntary manslaughter. Cook is charged with misconduct in office and willful neglect of duty. Preliminary exams for former Flint emergency manager Darnell Earley and former Flint Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft are set to continue Feb. 25 before Judge Nathaniel Perry. Only one witness has been called to testify in that exam so far. Gerald Ambrose, another former emergency manager, is scheduled for a status review before Farah on March 5, but Flood and attorneys for Ambrose have been working on a plea agreement for months and said this moth that they prefer to keep the case on a back burner until the examinations for Earley and Croft are complete. Flood has said hes offered a deal to Ambrose that would require him to cooperate in other Flint water criminal cases, including those of Earley and Croft. Its uncertain when other individuals charged with Flint water crimes will return to court. Dr. Eden Wells, the states chief medical examiner, was bound over for a jury trial earlier this month but her first appearance in Circuit Court has not been scheduled. Facing charges including involuntary manslaughter, Wells' case is also assigned to Farah. Her attorneys have indicated they -- like Lyons attorneys -- will file a motion seeking to reverse the bindover decision. Continuation of preliminary exams for two other DHHS officials -- Nancy Peeler and Robert Scott -- were scheduled to resume Dec. 19, but were postponed. No new court dates for Peeler and Scott had been set as of Friday, Dec. 28. MT. MORRIS TWP, MI The Westwood Heights School District is looking to fill a board seat left vacant following the November election. No candidates appeared on the Nov. 6 ballot for the partial term Board of Education seat running through Dec. 31, 2020. Those looking to apply for the seat must be a resident in the school district boundaries, at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of the state of Michigan for at least 30 days. Letters of interest and resumes with qualifications must be submitted no later than 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18 to the superintendents office, 3400 Jennings Road. The applications will be reviewed and interviews scheduled with selected candidates. The interview time will be posted and open to the public, according to a statement on the districts Facebook page. Pete Toal, superintendent of the Westwood Heights School District, and school board president Dewayn Allen are available by appoint to discuss the requirements of the position with those interested in the seat. ALLENDALE, MI - Victim advocates, law enforcement officers and prosecutors work together better now to best serve the needs of sexually assaulted Grand Valley State University students, officials say. Unfortunately, in many communities, those entities do not work as effectively together, according to Capt. Mark Bennett with the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. He said too often there can be a misunderstanding about each others roles, miscommunication, or different expectations. But, since 2017, a Criminal Case Review Team has focused on working collaboratively. The group holds monthly meetings to rigorously review rape and other sexual assault allegations such as fondling and molestation, to improve the response to and experience of GVSU survivors of sexual assault. Even though we all have different jobs in the process, the goal is service to the survivor, Bennett said. We all strive to do whats best for the victim/survivor. We have a greater understanding and appreciation of each others focus and respect that focus. The team was created in the aftermath of four highly publicized sexual assaults near campus reported over four weeks in August and September of 2016, and criticism and concern raised by Ottawa County Prosecutor Ron Frantz. Frantz said assault reports were coming into authorities too late, hindering investigations and prosecution, and he wanted advocates to have more of a sense of urgency. The review team includes an assistant prosecutor, the victim advocate from Grand Valleys Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender, and representatives from the sheriffs department, and GVSUs Department of Public Safety. WHAT A SUCCESSFUL CASE IS Ottawa County Sheriffs Detective Sara Fillman said they reviewed 39 cases their first year. She said they keep a case on their agenda to discuss the progress monthly until the case is closed - charged or denied by the prosecutor, trial, etc. Not all the cases deemed successful result in a charge, she emphasized. Fillman said success is the outcome the victim/survivor has expressed, so they are not tracking progress based on convictions. Some of the victims do not want to criminally charge but may decide to do so later. Sometimes they just want the person suspended from school, counseling, or just to let law enforcement know in case they do it again, she said. For example, in October 2016, a male GVSU student was investigated on allegations that he had groped the breasts and genital area of a female student while on the dance floor at a fraternity party. The victim in this case filed a Title IX investigation but initially did not want a criminal prosecution. However, when the investigating detective contacted her in 2017, after another alleged sexual assault involving the same male, she decided to pursue a criminal investigation and he was charged and convicted of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct. The main focus of the multidisciplinary team is to assist local law enforcement to ensure the investigation is done properly and that the level of communication is appropriate when dealing with these cases, said Jake Jenison, an assistant Ottawa County prosecutor, about not keeping a running total of cases and outcomes. We want to make sure the victim/survivors are protected, and the community is protected. These cases are difficult to prosecute. The more evidence we can gain, even if a small tiny detail, can be the difference between charging and not charging. Jenison said understanding what's behind the scenes in team meetings, versus just reading it in a police report, is incredibly important when you are prosecuting cases. 'COMPLETELY THEIR CHOICE GVSU Victim Advocate Krystal Diel said she is a voice and resource for students impacted by sexual assault. She said as a team member she represents their voice and asks questions on their behalf. My goal is to make sure that the person feels safe and supported, regardless of what options they choose, said Diel, about whether students seek criminal charges or chose another option. It Is completely their choice, so whatever they feel most comfortable with is what we will do. Diel said victim/survivors are benefiting from the better working relationship and understanding between the agencies to better support victim/survivors. It is very important that they know all the options to make the decision that is going to be best for their own healing and well-being, Diel said. Law enforcement has been very willing to go at pace that make victim/survivors feel comfortable. That said, Fillman said she carefully and sensitively explains how important it is to collect information in a timely manner, especially physical evidence in cases of rape before it is destroyed. I let them know that they do have a choice about what they want to happen to the information, but it is so important that it gets collected in a timely manner so that all options are available, she said. Diel said it has been helpful to have a relationship with Detective Fillman to be able to call her over to the Womens Center to talk with a student, so it is not so scary, or ask for update for anxious student. Jenison said he, Fillman, Diel and other team members serve as a sounding board for one another on cases to ensure everything has been done or considered. For example, identifying other investigation strategies to help strengthen a case. The review team will hear what evidence has been collected for the cases under review, and what interviews have been done with the alleged victim and any witnesses. GVSU Police Chief Brandon DeHaan said the collaboration component in the groping case mentioned or additional strategies employed to be able to charge a non-student with assault with intent to commit penetration are examples of what's been occurring with the team. MOVING CASES FORWARD DeHaan said one of the biggest disconnects and challenges is about why the prosecutors office isnt charging, if the survivor wants to move forward. He said it simply comes down to, Is there enough evidence to prove the case? The collaboration, cooperation and communication of the this team has been very important in moving cases forward, he said, noting the Criminal Case Review Team has only enhanced whats been a solid relationship between agencies. What this has really created is the opportunity to go to the next level of that relationship. DeHaan said campus police and the sheriffs office have increased their engagement and dialogue with students, noting hes teamed up with Bennett on occasion to answer questions at events. Fillman has also joined forces with campus Title IX officials at events and conferences on sexual assault. This semester the university issued a safety alert in August regarding a sexual assault near campus. The most recent federal crime statistics show Grand Valley had three rapes in 2017 on the Allendale campus and four fondling offenses. However, a 2017 MLive investigation found that experts say there is a nationwide discrepancy in what colleges and universities report annually about their sex offenses under the Clery Act and the higher numbers recorded by campus institutions such GVSUs Women Center. For example, federal statistics cite three rapes and seven fondling incidents in 2016 at GVSU but the Womens Center data cited 41 alleged sexual assaults 12 rape and 29 sex offenses such as fondling. Critics complain that Clery underrepresents campus crime numbers citing limitations under the law such as the geographic boundaries it sets for which on- and off-campus crimes can be included. In November, the state announced Grand Valley will receive $248,039 to support efforts to reduce and/or eliminate sexual assault on campuses. A total of $1 million in grant funding was awarded to 22 colleges and universities through Michigans Campus Sexual Assault Grant Program. Grand Valleys funds will help maintain and expand peer education work and support a new initiative focused on men and masculinity. It will also fund security upgrades. Man feared to be Gacy victim found alive in Montana after 41 years Map of travels of man who went missing in 1972 and was feared to be one of John William Gacy's victims. (Bing maps) The Hutton family may spend their first holiday season together in 41 years after Robert Hutton, whose family feared he might have been a victim of John Wayne Gacy, was reunited with his father and sister through an investigation to identify the serial killer's unnamed victims, the Cook County sheriff's office announced Thursday. Hutton was reported missing in 1972, when he was 21 years old, after telling his mother he was traveling from New York to California. His family never heard from him again, and law enforcement agencies closed the missing-person case after several years of trying to locate him, the sheriff's office said. Advertisement Hutton and his family declined to comment, according to the sheriff's office. Attempts to reach the family were unsuccessful. In February 2012, Hutton's sister heard the sheriff's office was trying to identify seven of Gacy's victims who were still unidentified. Gacy was convicted of 33 murders in 1980 and executed in 1994. His victims, all young men, some of whom he tortured for hours, were killed between 1972 and 1978, and many of their bodies were hidden in the crawl space under his home in suburban Norwood Park. Advertisement Like many of the victims, Hutton was a young man hitchhiking and traveling by bus who likely would have passed through Chicago, said detective Jason Moran, who leads sheriff Tom Dart's Gacy investigation. Hutton also worked in construction, and Gacy was known to lure victims by hiring them to do similar work, Moran said. The sheriff's office traced a man named Robert Hutton to Colorado but found he'd moved to rural Stevensville, Mont. In April, investigators confirmed it was the same Hutton who disappeared in 1972, Moran said. "I sensed a little bit of regret when I was speaking to him," Moran said. "He said he just got caught up in the '70s lifestyle, and after years went by he became embarrassed he hadn't had contact with his family and that made it easier to dismiss them," Moran said. Hutton said he tried to contact his family in the '80s and '90s but had trouble tracking them down, Moran said. He never knew that the owner of a bar just a few miles from his home was his stepmother's brother, Moran said. They'd spoken several times but never exchanged last names. Hutton's family was "ecstatic" to find him, Dart said. Hutton first reunited with his father in June and has visited him at his home in Washington state several times, Moran said. His father, Chuck Hutton, is in his mid-80s and in poor health, and said he was very happy he was able to reunite with his son before he passed away, Moran said, adding that Robert Hutton said he plans to visit his sister soon. Since the sheriff's office began investigating unidentified Gacy victims in 2011, 150 families like Hutton's provided leads, Dart said. Just one of Gacy's victims, William George Bundy, was identified, but seven missing-person cases have been closed. Five, like Hutton, were found alive and two died of natural causes, Dart said. Moran said he is still investigating about 40 leads. Advertisement All seven unidentified victims have had their DNA tested, which wasn't done at the time of their discovery, Dart said. "If nothing else were to come of this, if everyone who had concerns about missing persons would get their DNA swabbed and put in a national database, you'd be amazed how many could be solved," Dart said. Finding Hutton, however, required only standard detective work, using tools that weren't available at the time, Moran said. In the early 1970s, missing-person case records were often poorly maintained and there were no computers linking law enforcement offices and records across the country. "Cases like Gacy changed how missing persons are done," Moran said. The sheriff's office asks anyone who believes their family member may have been a Gacy victim to call 708-865-6244. lzumbach@tribune.com dawilliams@tribune.com COLDWATER, MI Michigan State Police are searching for a suspect in an overnight hit-and-run crash that left at least one person injured early Sunday morning. The crash occurred around 1:23 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 30, on northbound I-69 near Branch Countys Girard Township, according to a news release issued by the MSP Marshall Post, Coldwater Detachment. Witnesses described the suspected vehicle as a large truck, which troopers believe may be a semi tractor-trailer, the release reads. The vehicle likely sustained front-end damage from the collision. At least one person was injured in the crash. Troopers responded Sunday morning on a report of a personal injury crash. Upon arrival, troopers determined that a 2005 Honda Accord carrying three occupants had been rear-ended by another vehicle. Troopers were unable to locate the large truck after a sweep of the area, the release reads. The collision injured a 46-year-old woman from Battle creek, one of three passengers traveling in the Honda Accord. Her injuries included loss of consciousness from the collision, the release reads. She was treated on scene by medical first responders but was later taken to ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital for further treatment. Anyone with information on the suspected vehicle or the crash is asked to contact the MSP Marshall Post at 269-558-0500 or Silent Observer at 269-964-3888. GRAND HAVEN, MI Grand Haven police arrested a man accused of vandalizing a Grand Haven church and planting jumbo M5000 firecrackers in and around the building, according to the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety. The incident occurred shortly after 7 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 30, at Saint Patrick Saint Anthony Parish, 920 Fulton St., according to a news release issued by Director of Public Safety Jeff Hawke. Police have evacuated the church and 11 a.m. mass has been cancelled, Hawke wrote. The parishs 9 a.m. mass was cancelled, as well. Officers responded to the church on Fulton Street on a report of a disorderly person inside the building. Upon further investigation, officers found that the man had vandalized the church and broke a TV in the process. The sanctuary area of the church was not damaged, however, Hawke wrote. Police also believe the suspect placed M5000 firecrackers in and around the building. The devices are commercially available and are commonly ignited using a fuse. A Michigan State Police explosives K9 unit was on scene attempting to locate firecrackers but did not find any other explosives, according to police. Police cleared the scene around 1 p.m. The unnamed suspect is being lodged at the Ottawa County Jail, according to a final update issued by Grand Haven police. Several victims from August approached by the Tribune were reluctant to speak to a reporter. Many asked not to be named because of fears for their safety. One said he avoids contact with Chicago police at all costs he fears getting into their databases, even as a victim, can bring hassles later. He said he felt fortunate to have survived a serious shooting and just wanted to move on. Halliburton said it wasnt the first time hes saved a dog; he had a similar call in the Jasper area a few years back, he said. Though he visits animal control a few times a week to feed and pet the dogs, he hasnt yet taken one home. The youngest of his three daughters, now a sophomore in high school, has been begging for a dog, and Halliburton said he expects hell cave by the time he hits his 20-year anniversary with the department next summer. But at the core of Kelly's comments was the same thing: a top Trump administration official suggesting that the political novice in the White House makes decisions with his gut and without much regard for the information that the smart people around him try to give him. The idea that Kelly regards his biggest success as standing in Trump's way is a pretty strong indictment of Trump as a person and of his presidency. It is also perhaps a warning of what's to come as Trump is increasingly surrounded by yes-men and -women. There is not enough analysis data for Greenkraft. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes Greenkraft has received 76 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Greenkraft has received 36 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Greenkraft has received 67.86% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Greenkraft and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe GKIT will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe GKIT will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Nifty and Sensex each gained a percent in the last week. Global rally on easing tensions between Federal Reserve and White House and likely positive talks between US and China lifted investors' sentiment. The Nifty has been swinging in a 500-point range for around a month now. Whenever the index goes to near 10,900 or psychological 11,000, it sees some profit booking which pulls it down to around 10,500. The consolidation may break out strongly on either side once the market starts pricing in October-December quarter earnings which will start in the second week of January, experts said. Futures and options data suggests, the index has strong resistance at 11,000 and support at 10,500. "The domestic sentiment remained optimistic with reports that the government is contemplating several incentives for farmers ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Investors will closely track global economic outlook, movement in crude oil and currency along with Q3FY19 earning season due in January," Hemang Jani, Head - Advisory, Sharekhan told Moneycontrol. He believes long-term investors can use volatility in the market to their advantage and maintain a stock-specific approach. "For the coming week, 11,040, which is 38.2 percent retracement projection of previous week range, will act as a major resistance level and decisive breakout could further strengthen the bulls till 11,218 and 11,316," Manali Bhatia, Senior Research Analyst at Rudra Shares & Stock Brokers said. On the other hand, support for the week exists at 10,715 and 10,540, she added. The broader markets also traded in line with benchmark indices in the last week of the year, with BSE Midcap and Smallcap rising around 0.9 percent each. In the past week, 300 stocks out of BSE 500 closed in the green. Moreover, 200 stocks gained more than 1 percent and top 10 stocks registered a double-digit return. Ruchi Soya, Arrow Greentech, Indo Rama Synthetics, Selan Exploration, CMI, Nitin Spinners, Ruby Mills and Mohota Industries were amongst top 10 stocks, which rallied between 10-39 percent during the week. The trading volume is likely to be thin in the coming week as FIIs, institutional investors and traders generally go on a holiday to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Globally it is going to be a truncated week as markets will be closed on January 1, but Indian markets will remain open for the entire week. "After a highly volatile December expiry, the focus will shift on macroeconomic data and developments in the winter session of parliament which ends on January 8," Rahul Sharma, Senior Research Analyst at Equity99 told Moneycontrol. He said market participants would look forward to auto sales numbers for the month of December 2018 next week as that will be a key indicator of an economic slowdown. "Monthly sales numbers will also be crucial because of a tepid festive season for four-wheeler industry." Nikkei Manufacturing PMI and Nikkei Services PMI for December will also be announced in the coming week. The first half of 2019 is likely to be volatile due to Lok Sabha elections, but the second half is expected to be driven by earnings and macro factors, experts said. They further expect it to be the year of midcap and smallcap after correction of 15 percent and 25 percent in 2018 respectively. "Midcaps and smallcaps have seen a sharp correction in 2018 and several companies with solid fundamentals are available at much more reasonable valuations now. Given the overall robustness in earnings recovery, 2019 could well be a year of midcaps and smallcaps," Harendra Kumar - Managing Director, Institutional Equities at Elara Capital said. Benchmark indices gained a percent in the last week with the 30-share BSE Sensex closing above 36,000 levels and Nifty50 settling tad above 10,850. The market is expected to consolidate in the coming week and the focus will gradually shift to earnings, experts said. "The domestic sentiment remained optimistic with reports that the government is contemplating several incentives for farmers ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Investor to closely track global economic outlook, movement in crude oil and currency along with Q3FY19 earning season due in January," Hemang Jani, Head - Advisory, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas, told Moneycontrol. He believes long-term investors can use volatility in the market to their advantage and maintain a stock-specific approach. The broader markets were mixed during the week as the BSE Midcap index gained 0.7 percent while Smallcap fell 0.2 percent. The trading volume is expected to be thin at FIIs desk in the coming week as generally it is a holiday season due to Christmas and New Year celebration. It is going to be a truncated week for global markets as they will be closed on January 1, 2019, but Indian markets will remain open for the entire week. Macroeconomic data and developments in the winter session of Parliament, which ends on January 8, will also be closely watched. Here are 10 key things that will keep traders busy next week: Earnings The market's focus will gradually shift to December quarter earnings in coming month, which will be closely watched after mixed performance in July-September quarter. Smallcap firm GM Breweries will be the only company to announce its Q3 numbers on January 3. "As per our estimates an earnings growth of 16 percent is required for industries other than financials to be in-line with their FY19 target. Earnings recovery in financials will be key and with increasing credit growth, we expect banks and financials to register a good Q3FY19," Harendra Kumar - Managing Director, Institutional Equities at Elara Capital told Moneycontrol. Crude Oil prices fell for the third consecutive week and traded near to the lowest levels of 2018 amid global growth concerns. International benchmark Brent crude futures slipped around 3 percent to close at $52.20 a barrel after falling briefly below $50 during the week while US crude lost half a percent to $45.12 a barrel. Brent crashed more than 39 percent from October highs ($86) while it lost 17 percent year-to-date, and is heading towards lower close for third straight month on demand worries. Analysts expect the Brent to form bottom around $50 levels given the implementation of output cut from January 2019. "Meanwhile, the UAE and Russian energy ministers have said they may call an emergency meet if WTI prices fall further. Hence, there is a lower possibility of a further downtick in January," Ravindra V Rao, Head - Commodity Research & Advisory at Anand Rathi Commodities, told Moneycontrol. Rupee The Indian rupee settled the passing week at 69.93 a dollar, up from previous week's closing of 70.17 amid weakness in American currency, positive trend in equity markets and fall in crude oil prices. The US dollar weakened against global currencies due to market volatility, uncertainties related to US government shutdown, weak global growth prospects and renewed fears of US-China trade tensions. Year-to-date, the rupee declined 9.5 percent against the US dollar but gained around a 6 percent from historic low of 74.45 hit in October. "Given the domestic and global situation, importers may rush to cover their unhedged position. Hence the eventually, the rupee may swiftly move towards 71-72 levels and stabilise around those levels in coming sessions," Rushabh Maru - Research Analyst, Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers told Moneycontrol. He said there is lot of uncertainty and volatility in the global markets due to global economic growth slowdown, trade tension, tightening of monetary policy etc while domestically, political risk is rising for the market. Auto sales December auto sales data, which has been weak especially for four-wheeler industry during festive season, will be closely watched by the Street as it will be a key indicator of an economic slowdown. Higher cost of ownership, postponement of purchases during elections and selective financing by NBFCs have impacted festive season sales especially during October and November. In comparison, dealers are witnessing some improvement in December 2018 volumes, led by new products, pick-up in Kerala state volumes, continuing uptrend in rural sales, fall in fuel prices and higher discounts, Emkay said. The research house believes new products remain a focus area for OEMs, as they support replacement demand and market share gains. "Products such as Maruti Ertiga/WagonR, Hyundai Santro/QXI, Mahindra S201, and Tata 45X are expected to aid volume ahead. Further, a pick-up in Kerala volume, which contributes around 8 percent to domestic demand, should aid overall growth." Macro data On December 31, infrastructure output for the month of November and external debt data for December quarter will be released while on January 2, Nikkei Manufacturing PMI will be announced. Nikkei Services PMI data will released on January 4 while in the evening, bank loan & deposit growth for the fortnight ended December 22 and foreign exchange reserves data for the week ended December 29 will be announced. FIIs flow Foreign institutional investors net bought around Rs 440 crore worth of shares in the week gone by, taking total monthly inflow to around Rs 3,500 crore in December. This was an addition to Rs 10,563 crore inflow in November. But year-to-date, they were net sellers to the tune of around Rs 25,000 crore after net buying nearly Rs 50,000 crore in 2017. On other side, mutual funds were net buyers to the tune of around Rs 1.12 lakh crore in 2018, following Rs 1.17 lakh crore buying in previous year. Technical Outlook In the truncated week, the Nifty50 after hitting weekly low of 10,534.55 rebounded to trade higher for last three consecutive sessions and hit a weekly high of 10,893.60. The index closed 1 percent higher at 10,859.90 and formed bullish candle on the weekly scale which resembles a Hammer kind of pattern. "Ending the week with a Hammer candle implies strength. Hence, current bullish momentum may help the benchmark index challenging higher resistances placed around 10,940 and 10,980 levels," said Jaydeb Dey, Technical Analyst at Stewart & Mackertich Wealth Management. He further said weakening global trend is pointing towards the Nifty may continue facing resistance on rise around 10,940 and 10,980 levels. On an extended note, Nifty broader trading range for the coming week is expected to be 10,980-10,600, he added. Chandan Taparia, Associate Vice President | Analyst-Derivatives at Motilal Oswal Financial Services said the Nifty now has to continue to hold above 10,750-10,777 zones to extend its move towards crucial hurdle at 10,985 and above that only a fresh leg of rally could start while on the downside support exists at 10,777 then 10,650 zones. F&O Outlook Maximum Call open interest was seen at 11,200 strike followed by 11,000 and 10,900 strikes and significant Call writing was seen at 11,200 strike followed by 11,400 strike. Maximum Put open interest is at 10,500 followed by 11,000 and 10,800 strikes and Put writing is at 10,800 followed by 10,900 and 10,500 strikes. "Maximum Call open interest (OI) shifted from 11,000 to 11,200 strike which is giving the hope to move beyond 10,985 zones to head towards 11,176 levels," Chandan Taparia said. Amit Gupta of ICICIdirect also said the pullback may extend beyond 11,000 as positions of Put writers are higher at 11,000 strike, which is almost equal to Call options. "Thus, higher Put options in in-themoney strike indicates towards increasing bullishness in the market. Nifty future has seen rollover of 74 percent with Roll cost of 0.28 percent. Rollover are slightly higher than last 3 months average. Bank Nifty has seen Rollover of 64 percent with Roll cost of 0.57 percent. "Rollover data suggests that positive momentum is seen but short are also intact in the system which is going to restrict momentum in the market. However a lower volatility with higher shift in change in Call OI congestion is slightly indicating for positive market stance," Taparia said. Corporate Action Global Cues Christian Michels extradition from UAE in Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper deal (Image: Reuters) Accusing the government of carrying out a malicious propaganda, the Congress on December 29 referred to AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel's statement before his extradition that Indian probe agencies were pressuring him to name a member of the Gandhi family and alleged it was a "fixed match". Congress Spokesperson RPN Singh, during a press conference, said that in Dubai, when journalists had talked to Michel's lawyer, he had given a statement about how government agencies were trying that he name a particular family. Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said that in fact Michel had said before his extradition "on record in court that he was being pressured to name a member of the Gandhi family and that is what they were planning and have done". "The motive is clear. What he said is prophecy and this has happened. This is an outright fixed match fraudulently aimed at planting something on the Gandhi family," Vadakkan said. Michel was produced before a special court Saturday which extended his ED custody by seven days. Asked about the development, Singh said, "We have seen what the BJP has been doing in this matter." On the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) claim that Michel had spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he was going to become the next prime minister of the country, he said, "The BJP scriptwriters are working overtime." Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal, Singh said action should be taken against him as there was "complete proof". He alleged that the Modi dispensation was "trying to pressure government agencies to name a person". "But the person who has done the biggest 'chori' (theft) cannot be spared," the Congress leader said, in an apparent reference to the opposition party's allegation against Modi of corruption in the Rafale deal. "We know that elections have come and they (BJP) do not have any issues, so through the ED, they are trying to put pressure on people," he said. Slamming the government over the issue, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters that, "The Modi government is guilty of a malicious and vicious propaganda." "There is brazen and shameless abuse of agencies of the state," he said. Voting began in Bangladesh on December 30 amid tight security following a weeks-long campaign marred by violence and allegations of a government crackdown against opposition activists. Tens of thousands of people, including women, stood in long queues outside the polling booths as the voting started at 8 am (local time). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was the first voter at the Dhaka City College centre in the capital where her lawyer nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "People will cast their vote for Awami League to ensure the win of pro-Liberation forces," Hasina said. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex-premier Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards have been deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people are eligible to vote. Security agencies have been asked to keep an extra vigil on religious minority communities as media reports said at least three Hindu households were set on fire by miscreants between December 16 and 26. Bangladesh's telecoms regulator also ordered the country's mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest during the election, the 11th since Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Thirteen people have been killed and thousands injured in clashes between supporters of Hasina's ruling Awami League and activists of main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of Zia in pre-poll violence. Hasina, who is seeking to return to power for a third consecutive time, on Saturday expressed fears that the opposition could boycott polls in the middle of voting as part of a "political trick" to evade a "humiliating defeat". "I want to caution all about the character of (main opposition) BNP...they may say in the middle (of the elections) that we are boycotting the polls," she said. "In that case (opposition boycott) I will ask our candidates and other contenders to continue polls until the voting is ended," 71-year-old Hasina said. Her comments came as the BNP is contesting the polls in a state of disarray in the absence of 73-year-old Zia and her fugitive son Tarique Rahman who is the acting party chief. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while Rahman is living in London ostensibly to evade the law as a court has sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack on a rally in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists. The BNP has stayed out of parliament since 2014 when it boycotted the last election over its demands for a poll-time non-party government. It has returned to parliamentary politics as part of a new alliance - National Unity Front (NUF) - that was cobbled together three months ago with eminent lawyer Kamal Hossain as its convener. Reacting to Hasina's remarks, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said "There is no dispute in our party about taking part in the polls". "But what we see, there is no festive mood anywhere and rather a sense of fright is prevailing across the country due to government intimidation," he said. The Election Commission last week also allowed hardline Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, a crucial ally of BNP, to contest the election, two months after it scrapped the fundamentalist party's registration. BNP earlier accused the election commission of being biased during the poll campaign, a charge rejected by Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda. Huda acknowledged a media report about arrests of some polling agents of BNP candidates and called such action "unwanted". "Unless someone is wanted under certain case, police must not arrest anyone...maintain utmost neutrality in discharging your duties," he said. "No member of law enforcement will arrest or harass polling agents of any candidate unless there are specific allegations against them," he said in a directive which he issued in a pre-poll press conference in Dhaka. The opposition parties have alleged that thousands of their leaders and activists have been arrested. The CEC's comments came as BNP expressed doubts about credibility of Sunday's election alleging their supporters were intimidated and arrested while their agents too were being harassed to keep them away from polling centres. Later BNP's Alamgir said "Now we've no expectation over the election. This election has become a complete mockery....the state, the government and the Election Commission are working together to turn it into a mockery. There's no question of win or defeat since it is not an election at all as a particular party is trying to snatch election victory by force and using the state machinery". Alamgir, however, asked his party candidates to stay in the race until the voting ended while NUF convenor Hossain urged voters to "restore democracy" and exercise their franchise. Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed urged voters to exercise their franchise without any fear saying more military personnel would be called out if required. I, along with every other member of the anti-war movement, applaud President Trump's decision to withdraw the remaining 2,000 U.S. soldiers from Syria. We're not holding our breath, however, that he will actually complete this small step of ending an immoral, illegal and criminal U.S. military intervention. Trump has reneged on doing what he announces, whether good or bad, more times than can be counted. The pushback from the GOP has been ferocious. Military, media and congressional hawks are trumpeting doom and gloom as if the sky is falling from this proposed pullout. Back in 2013 the U.S. ratcheted up its involvement to prevent Syrian President Bashar Assad from defeating the rebels. We cared not a whit for the Syrian people. We cared about deposing Assad in our proxy war against Syria's allies, Iran and Russia. Instead of being a peacemaker, America dragged out the war for years. The GOP is loath to remove a single soldier from any country where we inflict mayhem. Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia and Niger are just the ones we know of. The resignation of hawkish Defense Secretary James Mattis within hours of the troop withdrawal decision, citing policy differences, does not bode well for completion of the announced troop withdrawal. But we peaceniks will, like Camus' figure in The Myth of Sisyphus, keep pushing that boulder of peace up the mountain from which it always rolls back down. 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. He said an afternoon express from those three stops to Chicagos Union Station will also be added. That one will leave Lake Forest at 5:30 p.m., Deerfield at 5:36 p.m. and Lake Cook Road at 5:39 p.m. making only one other stop before getting to Union Station at 6:22 p.m. That state law gave home rule municipalities like Deerfield 10 days to pass an assault weapons ban or they would lose the right. At the time, Deerfield enacted an ordinance regulating the storage and transportation of assault weapons, believing the village could later amend the legislation to ban the guns. Those challenging the law say Deerfield went too far. Associated Press Writer Robert Angleton had a dry mouth and an upset stomach as he made his break for Europe. He nearly threw up on the way to the airport, and his armpits were soaked. When the plane left an hour late, he worried that authorities had discovered his plans to leave the United States days before his federal murder-for-hire trial in his wife's killing. "Can't be too obvious, but preparing for a guilty verdict needs almost same prep as fleeing," Angleton, a former millionaire bookie, scrawled in a 10-page diary as he made his way from Houston to Amsterdam in 2003. Prosecutors submitted the journal as evidence in their passport fraud case against Angleton. He pleaded guilty in December to passport fraud, but not to fleeing to escape the murder-for-hire charge. He faces up to 35 years in prison when he is sentenced for the passport fraud charge in March, but first he faces trial Feb. 22 on a tax evasion charge. He's accused of taking more than $64 million in bets in the mid-1990s but reporting only $2.6 million. Angleton and his brother, Roger, were charged in state court with capital murder in the 1997 shooting death of Doris Angleton. She was found shot 13 times in the couple's home in Houston's tony River Oaks neighborhood. Robert Angleton was acquitted in 1998 after Roger Angleton killed himself in jail. Roger Angleton left a suicide note taking responsibility for the slaying and said his brother was innocent. During his murder-for-hire trial, prosecutors claimed Angleton, a former police informant, plotted his wife's slaying, promising his brother $1 million to carry out the hit. Defense attorneys said Roger Angleton carried out the murder to extort money from his brother, who was credited with helping police break up one of Houston's largest and most sophisticated illegal gambling operations. Shortly after Angleton's acquittal, a federal grand jury began investigating and in 2002 indicted the oddsmaker on murder-for-hire and a firearms charge. About 18 months later, in the days leading up to his federal trial, Angleton headed to Europe. He indicated in his journal he didn't like his chances in federal court. "Going to jail for life is a for sure dead end," he wrote. "So this is the only choice. The way I've lived for the last year has felt like I'm decaying inside." The journal details Angleton's concerns, uncertainties and his desire to communicate with his twin daughters, who are now 20. He made notations about discarding "suicide notes" and interviews with an author writing a book about his case. He also left behind instructions to erase the hard drive on his laptop computer. He worried his luggage might be lost. "That would be 90k down the toilet," wrote Angleton. "As it turns out I should have kept it on me. Cross my fingers about a lot right now." During his trip, Angleton, 56, wrote of how his passport didn't read correctly at one checkpoint. An agent told Angleton there was something sticky on it. Angleton wrote that it was probably the cheap glue he used to put the passport together. "He rubbed it and rubbed it," Angleton wrote. "I'm thinking, 'I'm caught and off to the hooscow for me.' Then he shrugs and tells me to have a good flight." Angleton wondered if he should grow facial hair to disguise himself. "It only takes one to recognize me," he wrote. "I could hide in Greece because I speak the language, but Europe overall is too expensive. South America looks attractive. Mmm. Well, one day at a time." He didn't make it beyond The Netherlands, where authorities stopped him because of the altered passport. He remained in Dutch custody for more than a year before he was extradited. A Dutch court found that double-jeopardy clauses in the 1983 extradition treaty and European law prohibited Angleton's extradition on the murder-for-hire charge because he had been cleared in state court. But the Dutch court ruled Angleton could be returned to face the passport fraud and tax evasion charges. Angleton tried to get the federal murder-for-hire charge thrown out by claiming double jeopardy. But a judge ruled that federal and state governments can each try a defendant if the act violated federal and state laws. That ruling was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite the Dutch court's finding that the federal murder-for-hire charge constitutes double-jeopardy, Angleton's defense attorney has said the extradition agreement allows prosecutors to pursue the murder-for-hire charge 30 days after he completes any sentence he receives in the passport fraud and tax evasion cases. Federal prosecutors say the law does not allow them to try Angleton on the murder-for-hire charge now, but they could prosecute it later. There is no statute of limitations in murder cases. "Imagine trying to prepare your life for the possibility that you'll never (get) to hold or hug your children, your friends again," Angleton wrote. "Never to write a check, never to choose the channel on a TV, never to just be done and relax, never to feel safe, never plunge into the ocean, never to just pick up a phone, never to make a sandwich the way you want, never to truly laugh "All this we take for granted," he wrote. "After one year locked up, I learned what freedom really is. It's an inner feeling and not something that is given to us by the politicians but by God." Five people were in custody in Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday on charges involving an alleged scheme to distribute cocaine and marijuana from the Houston area to Memphis. Rodney McChristian and brothers Ronnie R. Woods, Bernard Woods, Steve Woods and Donnell Woods were among 10 people named in an indictment unsealed in Lufkin. The names of the other five were not released Thursday. In the first count of a nine-count indictment, Ronnie R. Woods, Bernard Woods, Steve Woods, Donnell Woods and Rodney McChristian are accused of conspiracy to possess and distribute five kilograms of cocaine and distributing and possessing with intent to distribute at least 100 kilograms of marijuana. The indictment alleges the conspiracy occurred from early 2000 through the fall of 2003. Ronnie Woods, Bernard Woods and Steve Woods are also accused of transporting hundreds of thousands of dollars from Memphis to Houston to buy cocaine in 2002. McChristian is accused in two counts of traveling in interstate commerce to distribute a mixture containing cocaine. The men made an initial court appearance in Memphis on Thursday and were being held in jail there Thursday night. The Commercial Appeal in Memphis reported in its Friday editions that Drug Enforcement Administration agents searched a Memphis nightclub in connection with the investigation. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Saturday politicized the deaths of two immigrant children who died while in custody of the Department of Homeland Security in his latest bid to score points against Democrats in his fight for border wall funding. In a pair of midday tweets, Trump asserted that the children, both from Guatemala, were already ill before being apprehended by federal authorities, even though the circumstances remain under investigation. He called the deaths of children at the border the "fault" of Democrats because of their "pathetic immigration policies" - even though his administration created new policies to slow the ability of immigrants to seek legal paths into the country. "Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end," Trump wrote. The tweets marked Trump's first public comments about the deaths of the children, and he offered no empathy to the families and took no responsibility for the government's handling of their cases. The deaths of Jakelin Caal, 7, on Dec. 7, and Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8, on Dec. 24, have raised questions about the care of immigrants who are in U.S. government as the Trump administration has toughened rules for those entering the country without authorization, including families with children. The administration has sought to limit the ability of immigrants to seek asylum protections and has worked with Mexico to create a new program in which migrants, most from Central America, must remain in that country as their asylum cases are processed. Trump's tweets came amid a standoff with Democrats over a funding bill that lapsed eight days ago, forcing a partial government shutdown. The president has refused to accept a bill that does not include at least $2.5 billion for the border wall, but Democrats have said they will not go above $1.3 billion for border security provisions that do not include a wall. "The fact that the president is blaming Democrats or blaming anybody illuminates that this is a political game that he is playing and it is not an issue where he is really concerned at all for either American security or the protection of a highly vulnerable population," said Gregory Chen, government relations director at the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "He's not trying to solve a problem, he's trying to enact political gain." Chen added that "the lack of preparation rests right at the feet of DHS and this administration for not devoting more resources to the migrants in the caravan and ensuring these families are screened for asylum." Having canceled a planned vacation at his Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida to remain in Washington during the shutdown, Trump has spent the past three days mostly sequestered inside the White House, taunting his rivals on social media. Most members of Congress of both parties have left town for the holidays and a deal to reopen the government does not appear possible before they return after New Year's Day. In one missive, Trump said he was waiting for Democrats "to come on over and make a deal on Border Security." Alluding to plans by House Democrats to launch investigations into Trump's policies, personal finances and other matters once they assume control Thursday, Trump added: "From what I hear, they are spending so much time on Presidential Harassment that they have little time left for things like stopping crime and our military!" Rep. Will Hurd (R-Texas), one of eight Republicans who voted against a spending bill approved by the House that included Trump's initial demand of $5 billion for the wall, said in an interview Saturday that fixing the problems of illegal immigrant is "going to require us to start thinking about long- term solutions and not trying to score political points by finger-pointing." "When the deaths of children are involved, or the death of anybody is involved, we should be making sure that we're taking all of the steps necessary to prevent this," said Hurd, who represents the largest border area of any Congress member. "And I think this is an example of how the hard-working men of Border Patrol are faced with challenges they have not been prepared for or don't have the resources to deal with." The deaths of the two migrant children have sparked outrage among Democrats and immigrant rights groups. Investigations into the incidents are ongoing, and the official cause of death in both cases has not been announced. Jakelin Caal and her father, Nery Gilberto Caal Cruz, were not provided water when they were held for eight hours at a border station in New Mexico, the family's attorney said, and the young girl began vomiting during a 90-minute bus ride. Her condition rapidly deteriorated and she died of dehydration and shock, authorities said. Customs and Border Protection officials disputed the father's account, saying water and food were available and that the girl had consumed both after having had no food or water for days. Felipe Gomez Alonzo and his father were held at a facility in Alamogordo, N.M., on Christmas Eve after days of being shuttled from one Border Patrol facility to another. They expected that the U.S. government was about to release them to await a deportation hearing, just as the smugglers had promised. Instead, the boy vomited and spiked a fever; he died at a New Mexico hospital. He has tested positive for influenza B, officials said. With her agency facing increasing criticism, Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen announced the new medical screenings for immigrant children and she embarked Friday on a two-day tour of border facilities in Texas and New Mexico. "We have to put a stop on this. We cannot lend ourselves to wishing it would go away," Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, said of the children's deaths at a news conference in El Paso on Saturday after touring the border patrol facility where Felipe Gomez Alonzo and his father were initially detained. She was speaking along with Rep.-elect Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) at an Annunciation House shelter, one of a series that have been housing more than 2,000 migrants a week released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the El Paso area in recent weeks. The pace of the release is expected to double in coming days as federal authorities seek to minimize stays in small holding cells that weren't designed for families. Jackson Lee said she saw "children coming in. They're coming in every day. Just making an announcement they should stop, or saying you should have a wall, is not going to stop this humanitarian crisis." "This fixation on the wall is such a distraction from real solutions," Escobar said. Trump asserted in his tweets that Democrats support policies that "allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They can't. If we had a Wall, they wouldn't even try!" U.S. law allows migrants to seek asylum protections and, in most cases, win the right to a hearing before an immigration judge. The immigration court system has lengthy backlogs, and migrants are often released into the country to wait for their hearings. The Trump administration has sough to close what they call legal "loopholes," detain immigrants longer and speed up deportations. Democrats have said any such changes should be part of a more comprehensive overhaul of immigration laws and they have opposed rolling back due process rights for migrants. - - - Moore reported from El Paso. A man is in stable condition after police say he was shot in the leg Saturday night on the Northeast Side. Bexar County deputies say two men were walking down the sidewalk on the 6800 block of Neston Drive when two black men walked up to them and shot one in the leg. Count three times during the day: morning, noon and evening. It takes only 15 minutes. If you see two female red cardinals in the morning and then two females at noon, don't count four, just two, because they are probably the same birds. If you see a male later, then you would add it, Greenberg said. POLICE in Mutare have arrested five illegal fuel dealers and recovered 2 000 litres of both diesel and petrol that had been channelled to the black market in an operation that is also closing-in on service station managers who are allegedly conniving with the suspects. George Muchinjiko (28), of House Number 160 Area 13, Dangamvura, Mountford Sibale (36) of 514 Area 14 Dangamvura, Wilbert Shungu (37) of 9204 Dreamhouse, Freddy Charamba (40) of 4062 Chikanga 2 and Admire Rakabopa (27) of Number 79 Chisamba Singles, Sakubva are expected to appear in court today (Friday) for contravening Section 29 (1) of the Petroleum Act Chapter 13:22 which prohibits the selling of fuel without a licence. The arrest of the suspects follows the execution of a successful operation in which police intelligence operatives disguised themselves as desperate motorists looking for fuel and hit the illegal dealers at various hideouts in the city. Muchinjiko was arrested at Clan Garage which is situated at Number 24 Simon Mazorodze Road. He was found selling petrol for $4 per litre. Police recovered 100 litres of fuel which was stored in a room. Sibale and Shungu were arrested along Riverside Road selling diesel at $2,60 per litre, while Charamba was nabbed at Nyika Garage situated along Glasgow Road with 800 litres of diesel and 20 litres of petrol. He was selling petrol at $3,40 per litre and diesel at $4 per litre. Rakabopa was arrested at Fashu Garage. He had 400 litres of diesel which he was selling at $5 per litre. During interrogations and interviews done with the suspects police discovered that the illegal fuel dealers were conniving with service station managers and fuel attendants to divert fuel to the black market. Manicaland police spokesman Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa said the long arm of the law will catch up with the culprits who are supplying the illegal dealers with the fuel. He said the police is duty bound to protect innocent civilians from unscrupulous dealers who are cashing in on the fuel crisis. ManicaPost Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Our Bulawayo reporter sat down for an interview with Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (Galz) director Chesterfield Samba, to find more about the operations of this organisation which for years has somehow operated underground owing to the homophobic climate in the country. Q: Who is Chesterfield Samba? A: Chester was born in Gweru Zimbabwe, several years ago, being the first in a family of four. As a gay activist, he is involved in advocacy and ensuring Galzs visibility in a number of sectors. He spends his time analysing as far as possible, political developments and their implications on citizens with particular interest in LGBTI communities. He has become the Galz face and voice in the media and ensures continued visibility of Galz nationally and internationally as a legitimate player in the human rights arena. Q: Tell us more about Galz A: Galz exists primarily to provide a service to lesbian women, gay men, bisexual, transgender and transsexual men and women, and intersex persons (LGBTI persons). Galz provides practical support, guidance and assistance to the LGBT community in relation to various matters, including (but not limited to) law, security, health and general wellbeing. Galz supports and exercises direct action, when required, to protect members of the LGBTI community in Zimbabwe. Galz strives for the fullest participation of all members of the community in influencing policy making, achieving equity and attaining full and equal human, social and economic rights in all aspects of life for LGBTI persons. Membership of Galz is open to anyone who is interested and committed to the achievement of its objective and is willing to abide by the rules of the organisation provided that the individual has attained the legal age of majority and has been accepted as a member. Q: How did you become a member of Galz? A: Wow, I reached out to an LGBTI organisation in the UK which linked me to Galz, I had been linked to this organisation by a penpal that I confided in; at the time I had a strong interest in letter writing. Q: How did you rise to become the director of the organisation? A: I signed up to volunteer at the 1995 Book Fair stand, unfortunately due to a ban, I did not get an opportunity to volunteer at this event, when I moved to Harare in 1996, I took an active interest in supporting Galz, In 2001, I became an administrator with Galz and rose through the ranks. In 2010 I was appointed director after the death of Keith Goddard Q: There is a belief among many that there is lots of money circulating in the gay community which has seen some joining for the sake of money, can you elaborate on that? A: This remains a perception that people have and is one of the stereotypes that we try to correct and have society understand that as in every society we have different classes of people, the membership of Galz is also drawn largely from high-density and peri-urban areas. As with the general population, many have been adversely affected by the on-going Zimbabwean crisis and are unemployed, sometimes homeless. But they also live with the additional social stigma of being gay, lesbian or trans. We do not have high-ranking people in our membership for the obvious reasons of fear of association and the prevailing climate of homophobia in Zimbabwe. It would be difficult for them to come out in support of Galz as they have so much to lose at the end of the day. Q: How have your members managed to survive in an environment where they are seen as outcast due to their sexual orientation? A: Matters of health, rights, physical and emotional wellbeing for LGBTI are a central focus within Galz. Galz has designed programmes to support its membership and the community to cope. We believe the programming is important in a country where there is strong prejudice against LGBTI people. Galz Affinity Group Programme: caters for members in areas where there is no Galz office. Affinity Groups provide essential services such as counselling, and organise events such as workshops and social events Q: For years under former President Robert Mugabe, you operated under cover as he didnt tolerate your existence, how did that affect you as an organisation? A: Mugabes pronouncements against LGBT people have, to a large extent, defined the enduring public discourse regarding homosexuality among Zimbabwean citizens, and for LGBT people, the effects of his statements remain palpable. Mugabe has proscribed the environments and attitudes of the nation towards LGBT people. The former presidents statements, as well as statements by other political and religious leaders, resulted in placing homosexuality in the public domain in a manner that even if Galz had set out to create public awareness, it would not have been able reach. Q: Mugabe once described gays as worse than pigs and dogs, what do you make of this statement? A: The double standards of naming the universality of human rights in the same breath as denying others the right to freedom of expression was laid bare when Mugabe made his infamous dogs and pigs speech, a statement that still haunts the community to this day. Until that moment, Galz had failed to get even a counselling advert into a State-controlled newspaper and ironically, it was Mugabe who launched the gay rights movement publicly in Zimbabwe. Even with the best of resources, Galz would never have been able to bring so much attention to the situation of LGBT people in Zimbabwe in the way Mugabe had done. For LGBT people in Zimbabwe this meant another strategy in State-sanctioned homophobia. We continue to advocate for the eradication and outlawing of hate speech. Q: Would you mind comparing Mugabe and President Emmerson Mnangagwa with regards to the way gays are treated in Zimbabwe A: I wouldnt want to compare the two but would hope that the actions of the past administration stay in the past and that the president understands that we have suffered a history of purposeful discrimination. This discrimination embodies a gross unfairness that is sufficiently inconsistent with the ideals of equal protection in Zimbabwe. Q: Lately, gays have been venturing into spaces trying to create widespread accommodation into the society how far have you gone in that regard? A: LBGTIs are subject to the same rights and duties as every other citizen in Zimbabwe. The Constitution generally does not distinguish citizens on the basis of sexual preference or orientation. The only such distinction is with respect to marriage. Assuming that there are gay rights is misleading as it suggests a rights regiment for LGBTIs that is different from all other rights holders. This is not the case; we thus should actively participate in rebuilding Zimbabwe as equal citizens Q: What kind of laws do you want created, to accommodate the gay community? A: We do not demand greater rights than the heterosexual community. We simply want equality of treatment. Q: Over a month ago Galz signed a Mou with Zuj, to recognise the work of journalists covering LGBTI issues, what influenced such a decision? A: We would want to continue to find ways of working together with the Media. Media is an important partner to our work hence we recognise the work of media professionals, sometimes in difficult circumstances they have managed to amplify our voice. Q: About two months ago, we saw a St Johns deputy head being forced to resign after he came out publicly that he was gay, whats your view on that? A: With the intense climate of homophobia existing in Zimbabwe and the restrictive legislation that makes it difficult for LBGTI people to be open about their sexuality and to use public space in safety, coming out is a display of immense courage and boldness. We salute those that are brave to come out and hope that such incidents will inspire us all to come out and celebrate our lives despite the very difficult circumstances we live in. All LGBTI people in Zimbabwe must be allowed to exercise their constitutional freedoms and rights within the provisions of laws that are compatible with democratic principles. Q: Lastly, what are your wishes as an organisation? A: Like I said earlier, our wish is to have a repeal of section 73 of the criminal code and we will propel our efforts towards making this a reality and creating a society where LGBTI people lead a respectable and dignified life without fear. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News (Natural News) Democrats are so opposed to President Donald Trumps push to build a border wall along most of the U.S.-Mexico border they are willing to deny his funding requests and allow the government to be shut down. But it wasnt always like this. In fact, once upon a time when nearly all Washington politicians could agree on the benefits of border security, Democrats were on board supporting tough new barriers as a way of reducing illegal immigration and drug smuggling. And Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-.NY., was among them. In fact, as The Daily Wire notes, in 2009 Schumer said that building hundreds of miles of fencing along the border with Mexico made the U.S. far more secure because of the significant barrier to illegal immigration it created. The first of these seven principles is that illegal immigration is wrong, plain and simple, Schumer told attendees of the 6th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference at Georgetown University when discussing the seven principles he said comprised an immigration reform bill he sought to pass. When we use phrases like undocumented workers, we convey a message to the American people that their government is not serious about combating illegal immigration, which the American people overwhelmingly oppose, he added. People who enter the United States without our permission are illegal aliens, and illegal aliens should not be treated the same as people who entered the United States legally, Schumer continued. Any immigration solution must recognize that we must do as much as we can to gain operational control of our borders as soon as possible. The New York Democrat further explained that building significant barriers make the border regions much safer as well because of the difficulty migrants would experience in trying to gain access illegally to the U.S. The American people need to know that, because of our efforts in Congress, our border is far more secure today than it was when we began debating comprehensive immigration reform in 2005, Schumer said. Between 2005 and 2009, a vast amount of progress has been made on our borders and ports of entry. This progress includes construction of 630 miles of border fence that creates a significant barrier to illegal immigration on our southern land border, he added. Democrats just dont want Trump to succeed Per The Daily Wires Ryan Saavedra: Chuck Schumer in 2009: -Americans don't like illegal immigration -"Illegal immigration is wrong" -People illegally in the U.S. are "illegal aliens," not "undocumented" -Border fence made the southern border "far more securecreated a significant barrier to illegal immigration" pic.twitter.com/zoVyEgdrTC Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) December 28, 2018 As the Boston Globe reported, Democrats were also supportive of the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which passed. The law authorized (and funded) the construction of substantial fencing along roughly 700 miles of border. The paper said the legislation passed into law with the support of 26 Democratic senators including party leaders like Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and Chuck Schumer. In the House, the paper noted, 64 Democrats supported the legislation which passed 283-138. But now that the president is Donald Trump, Schumer and Co. have all changed their tune; denying him a political victory has become more important than border security, including a wall/fence/barrier. (Related: Illegal immigration costs U.S. taxpayers $155 billion per year building a wall could pay for itself almost immediately.) Before Christmas, the House passed a bill containing $5.7 billion in wall funding the president had said he wanted at least $5 billion but Schumer declared it dead on arrival in the Senate, where Republicans control but would need Democratic support to overcome the 60-vote filibuster threshold to pass anything. The bill thats on the floor of the House, everyone knows will not pass the Senate, said Schumer. Everyone knows it cant pass the Senate. Its a cynical attempt to just hurt innocent people and do just what President Trump wants even though they probably know its bad for the country, he added. In less than a decade, Schumer has gone from full-throated advocate of border barriers and security to declaring that both are bad for the country. Read more about Democratic open borders policies at OpenBorders.news. Sources include: TheHill.com BostonGlobe.com DailyWire.com TheNationalSentinel.com (Natural News) Thousands of patients may have contracted HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C or possibly all of the above while being treated at HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, shocking new reports indicate. A lengthy investigation by the New Jersey State Department of Health has revealed that the ambulatory surgery center in question continually failed to utilize proper sterilization procedures on the premises, resulting in at least 3,778 patients who were admitted there being potentially subjected to contaminated surgical equipment. The department announced that HealthPlus had allowed lapses in infection control in sterilization/cleaning instruments that resulted in the injection of medications that may have exposed patients to bloodborne pathogens. Beyond failing to properly sanitize surgical equipment, faculty at HealthPlus further failed to comply with regulations pertaining to the dispensing and storage of medication, as well as infection control planning and procedures which, as we reported earlier, appears to be a common problem at many other hospitals as well. Although the risk of infection is low, out of an abundance of caution, HEALTHPLUS and the New Jersey Department of Health recommend patients get blood tests for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, reads a warning announcement issued by the health department. For more related news, be sure to check out MedicalViolence.com. HealthPlus closes facility for three weeks to perform massive pathogen purge In response to these damning findings, HealthPlus decided to close its entire facility for three weeks beginning on September 7, during which time new staff members were brought on and others were retrained in proper sanitation procedures. The facility was also thoroughly cleaned, reports indicate, in order to bring all medical equipment up to pristine condition. 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, reads an official statement from the surgery center. As a result, we have made significant improvements to ensure our patients safety and good health. Despite the warnings issued to the potentially infected patients, the surgery center insists that everyone is probably fine because there allegedly havent been any reports of infections or illness related to the investigation. Still, its a good idea for people to get tested, officials warn. It is important to note that to date, there have not been reports of any infections or illness related to the investigation, announced HealthPlus Surgery Center Administrator, Betty McCabe. However, HealthPlus and the New Jersey Department of Health are recommending that those patients get tested as soon as possible. We recognize that this may be upsetting to our patients, and we are taking this matter very seriously and taking steps to assist them during this process. CDC: Some people with hepatitis B dont show symptoms Its important to keep in mind, though, that according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), acute hepatitis B is a short-term illness that can take up to six months to manifest following exposure. Symptoms also vary from person to person, with some people showing few or no symptoms to a serious condition requiring hospitalization. Hepatitis C infection, which usually occurs from the sharing of drug needles, is similarly short-term, but does often become a long-term, chronic infection in as many as 85 percent of people who become infected with it. There are an estimated 850,000 people living with hepatitis B; an estimated 2.4 million people living with hepatitis C, the agency states. 3 in 4 people with hepatitis C were born from 1945-1965. For more news about the filthy conditions that plague many Western hospitals, be sure to check out Outbreak.news. Sources for this article include: NBCNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) You dont have to go back that far actually, only a little over a century, to find out when cancer was bred in the United States as a form of income for insidious tyrants of the medical industry. Forget about conspiracy theories and lets talk facts in fact, a whole barrage of them that reveal a dirty path of corruption and planning. Well start this off with the year 1905, when the American Medical Association (AMA) hired thugs to run what they called the Department of Investigation (DOI) to hunt down doctors who were using natural remedies and shut them down. This would ensure the rise of AMA profits. The DOI kept files on anyone who was cured of cancer by natural medicine. The DOI also kept notes about health foods and vitamins. A crook heading up the AMA at the time, Morris Fishbein, was an extortionist who required large payments to the AMA by pharma companies for the AMAs golden Seal of Acceptance (sounds like todays Fast Track drug approvals), even though the AMA didnt have any facilities to test the highly experimental, chemical drugs. It was a huge scam, but no medical doctors in America were privy to it. At the same time, all nutrition education was covertly removed from medical colleges, and chemical drugs were the only legal medicine. The tsunami of preventable diseases would ensue, including Alzheimers, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and cancer. Before the early 1900s, barely a case of preventable disease and disorder existed. The infamous AMA we know today started it all and theyre still working hard today to perpetuate the nightmare. What exactly is cancer? Cancer is the uncontrolled division, multiplication and spread of mutated and warped cells that attack healthy cells and organs. Most cancer stems from the consumption of chemicals that cause an acidic body to be deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Though cancer was not literally created in the United States, the toxic food and medicine environment that catapults it was, so lets take a look at how we got to where we are today, where one in every three Americans gets cancer in their lifetime, and half of those unfortunates are terminated by it. Timeline of cancer propagation in the United States 1900 Cancer (especially lung cancer) is rare. Only about 90 people out of every 100,000 are diagnosed with it. 1905 The AMA begins suppressing known natural cures for ailments of all sorts and removes nutritional education from medical college curriculum. 1930 Any scientists and physicians who discover cures for cancer find their labs destroyed or materials confiscated, then theyre arrested, silenced or murdered (this is still happening today, by the way). 1930s FDA, AMA, and CDC suppress and deny natural cures and prevention strategies for cancer. 1930 Microbiologist Dr. Royal Rife proves that if microbes inside cancer cells are killed, the cells revert back to normal ones. 1931 Doctors from around the country join Dr. Raymond Royal Rife, who invented the first high-powered microscope that could directly observe bacteria and viruses, as he isolates a filterable virus of carcinoma and succeeds in destroying the typhus bacteria, not to mention the herpes virus and even strains of polio. 1937 The AMA indicts Dr. Rife for fraudulent medical practices. 1938 The AMA visits all doctors who support Dr. Rife (and those who use his instrument inventions) warning them that if they continue they will lose their medical license. 1939 The AMA and the FDA destroy Dr. Rifes lab (and attempted to destroy all of his research, including his academic committee records) because his cancer cure rate was 100 percent among his patients. 1939 The AMA literally pays a cancer researcher, Dr. Arthur Kendall, over $250,000 (that would be worth about $5 million today) to stop working on cancer cures and retire in Mexico, where he owned land. 1944 Dr. Kendall dies of mysterious, unknown causes. 1940s Lung cancer is scientifically discovered to be caused by smoking cigarettes, yet the AMA and 20,000 doctors endorse cigarettes as healthy and good for digestion for thirty more years. 1945 The auspicious beginning of water fluoridation begins in Grand Rapids, Michigan just as WWII ends. Hitler had previously used the same type of fluoride in the drinking water in concentration camps to weaken the Jews to keep them from rebelling. 1950 Post WWII food factories and plants begin processing American food in cans, adding cancer-causing chemical additives and chemical preservatives. 1955 Dr. Jonas Salk removes kidneys of rhesus monkeys, injects them with three different strains of polio and incubates them to stimulate growth of the virus. Then he dilutes the combination of strains with formaldehyde to weaken the virus, then injects it into live monkeys, mice and rabbits and claims, along with CDC, the new miracle vaccine of the century! has been discovered and that its safe, potent and efficient. Fake polio vaccine cure is shipped in vials all over the world. The false herd theory is invented. Late 1950s Polio vaccines given to nearly 100 million Americans contaminated with hidden leukemia and SV40 cancer viruses (it was all admitted and recorded by Merck scientist named Dr. Maurice Hilleman, who was there at the time and witnessed it all). Hes now called the Forgotten Hero. 1963 Researchers inject cancer cells into 19 elderly, debilitated patients at a Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. The pharma-funded experiment was carried out on blacks and Jews that were prisoners because they were cheaper than chimpanzees, according to pharma industry officials. 1970s Invasive medical procedures become the norm for treating cancer, including surgery, radiation, mammograms, chemotherapy and other dangerous toxic pharmaceuticals. 1971 President Nixon declares the fake War on Cancer by launching the National Cancer Act while dishing out a cool $100 million to front groups, including NCI (National Cancer Institute) funds for promoting toxic chemotherapy. 1970s Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski finds an advanced, cutting edge and non-toxic gene-targeting cure for even the most lethal forms of cancer (such as brain cancer and tumors on the spines in children). 1977 The FDA raids Dr. Burzynskis clinic, steals his patented formulas, seizes 12,000 patient records, purposely dilutes the most important ingredients of his neoplastons formula, then claims it doesnt work after running tests (Dr. Burzynski is still curing people of cancer today at his clinic in Texas). 1980s Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) introduced to corn and soy across USA. Genetically engineered and mutated produce in America would now be infected with insecticides and herbicides from the inside out. 1980s Komen Foundation, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, Karmanos Cancer Institute, and many more front groups all raise money (for administrative salaries and costs mainly) while pretending to search for cure for cancer. 2010 Google, YouTube and Social Media controllers begin massive purge of all information about curing cancer, natural remedies, CBD oil, hemp, etc. 2012 National Cancer Institute (NCI) spends over $1.2 billion annually to bury natural cures. 2018 Mercury is still used in vaccines, including flu shots, while CDC lies and says that it is not. There is no safe level of mercury, formaldehyde or aluminum that can be injected into a human. 2018 Toxic sodium fluoride is still insidiously dripped into municipal tap water for the majority of Americans to consume. Cancer cures are still being buried by the FDA, CDC, and the cancer industrial complex of the USA. Where should you begin to find answers? Consider the information shared in the video below by Dr. Leonard Caldwell. Cancer is a chemically-driven disease that dies in an alkalized body For more information about how America literally breeds cancer with chemically-altered foods and lab-made medicines (think prescription medications and chemotherapy), visit Cancer.news and learn not only the truth about cancer, but how to prevent and beat it. Seek organic food and natural medicine. Look into NaturalPedia.com for nutritional information, natural remedies and herbal medicine. Also check out the top 25 most amazing facts about the hidden history of medicine. Sources for this article include: NaturalPedia.com NaturalNews.com TruthWiki.org NaturalNews.com Cancer.news HealthNutNews.com NCBI.nlm.nih.gov HealthFreedoms.org TruthWiki.org CancerAtlas.Cancer.org (Natural News) Crammed into a small building in Idaho Falls, Idaho, a group of about 50 cyber security experts and researchers are working around the clock to protect American infrastructure from debilitating attacks. As The Associated Press reports, much of what goes on at the Idaho National Laboratory, once known as the countrys primary nuclear research facility, isnt discussed. But what is known is that those who fill the dimmed rooms full of wires, cables, computers, and detection gear are diligently trying to guard against the unthinkable: Attacks on power grids, water treatment facilities, financial institutions, and even traffic lights that could bring large sections of the country to a standstill. Followed by chaos. The labs director of cybersecurity, Scott Cramer, admits that the task at hand is a difficult one and that the United States is playing catch-up, of sorts. He describes the cybersecurity work as bolting on protections for infrastructure control systems that are decades old with the belief that many of them have already been infiltrated by malicious actors nation-states and non-state actors alike who are waiting for the time to launch attacks. This is no joke there are vulnerabilities out there, Cramer told the AP. Were pretty much in reaction mode right now. Thats not hyperbole. A recently released report from the Presidents National Infrastructure Advisory Council lays out a similarly dire warning. After interviewing dozens of senior leaders and experts as well as conducting an in-depth review of existing studies and statues, the NIAC found that existing national plans, response resources, and coordination strategies would be outmatched by a catastrophic power outage, the report noted. This profound risk requires a new national focus, the councils report emphasized. The panel concluded that significant action in the public and private sectors is required without delay to both prepare for a catastrophic power grid outage that would last for weeks or months and to recover from such an event. Were not just talking about a solar storm here A large-scale outage from a cyber attack, an electromagnetic pulse caused from a nuclear detonation or a major solar storm, or other natural disasters could leave the large parts of the nation without power for weeks or months, and cause service failures in other sectorsincluding water and wastewater, communications, transportation, healthcare, and financial servicesthat are critical to public health and safety and our national and economic security, the NAIC report found. (Related: Healthcare industry next to be targeted by massive cyber attacks via the Internet of Things.) Potential natural disasters in addition to solar storms include a large-scale wildfire or massive earthquake, the report found. Acts of war such as direct cyberattack are also possible, as Cramer and his cybersecurity program participants are well aware. In fact, the risk is so serious that the government is building a much larger facility called the Cybercore Integration Center near the Idaho Falls building that will house 20 labs and 200 workers in 80,000 square feet of space. Another 67,000-square-foot building will house the Collaborative Computing Center featuring one of the countrys fastest and most powerful supercomputers. Both facilities are expected to cost a combined $85 million. They are scheduled to open in the fall of 2019. The AP noted: The labs focus is on what are called critical infrastructure control systems, as opposed to cybersecurity systems intended to protect information, such as banking or personal health records. Cyber workers at the lab are also looking to prevent threats like one that occurred to the controls of a dam in the New York City suburbs in 2013. The Justice Department said seven Iranian hackers gained access to the controls, but they were disconnected at the time because of maintenance. The risk posed by a catastrophic power outage, however, is not simply a bigger, stronger storm. It is something that could paralyze entire regions, with grave implications for the nations economic and social well-being, the NIAC report noted. Read more about the constant threat of cyberwar at Cyberwar.news. Sources include: APNews.com DHS.gov Actor Kevin Spacey is trying to avoid going to Nantucket for his arraignment, according to a report from the Boston Globe. The Oscar winner is charged with sexually assaulting the 18-year-old son of a former Boston TV news anchor at a bar in Nantucket in 2016. His legal team has asked the judge to excuse him from the Jan. 7 arraignment, according to the Globe. The hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. in Nantucket District Court. The actor was first publicly accused in November 2017 by the victim's mother, former WCVB-TV news anchor Heather Unruh. She said her son was sexually assaulted by Spacey inside Nantucket's Club Car Restaurant. "The victim - my son - was a starstruck, straight 18-year-old young man who had no idea that the famous actor was an alleged sexual predator or that he was about to become his next victim," Unruh said in November 2017. "I want to make it clear - this was a criminal act," Unruh said. "It harmed him, and it cannot be undone." A public show-cause hearing was held on Dec. 20 where a criminal complaint was issued against Kevin S. Fowler, also known as Kevin Spacey. The Boston Globe was the first to report that a criminal complaint had been filed. "The complainant has shown a tremendous amount of courage in coming forward," Mitchell Garabedian, attorney for the accuser, said in a public statement in response to the filed complaint. "Let the facts be presented, the relevant law applied and a just and fair verdict rendered." Minutes after news of the charge went public on Christmas Eve, Spacey tweeted a link to a YouTube video showing a monologue of himself apparently as Frank Underwood, the fictional character he once played in the series, "House of Cards." Spacey was removed from the cast amid other allegations of inappropriate behavior by the actor. "If I didn't pay the price for the things we both know I did do, I'm certainly not going to pay the price for the things I didn't do," Spacey says in the monologue. It remains unclear if the social media posts have any connection to the latest charge. Spacey hasn't responded to a request for comment. Rivera attended sessions on the first and final day of the three-day conference, but said none of the sessions on the second day seemed beneficial to him. Instead, he said he stayed in his room reading the materials he had received the first day. Jairo Morales just couldn't say no to that face, especially on Christmas Eve. Morales was taking his own dog for a walk Monday when he noticed a small dog limping in the street. He noticed the dog was a Shih Tzu -- just like his dog, Princess. "She had mud all over her face -- she was dirty," said Morales. "She came running immediately and limping. "When I saw her, I saw my own dog's face. I didn't have the heart to leave her there, just on the street." Morales' compassion for the lonely little dog set in motion a chain of events that brightened the holidays for a Valencia, California, family. He scooped her up, took her home and, with animal services closed for the holiday, spent Christmas Day with the dog and Princess. He even gave her a red collar. The next day, Morales took the dog to Roxford Veterinary Clinic to see whether she had a microchip -- a chip about the size of a grain of rice that's injected between a dog's shoulder blades. Each chip has a code that's entered in a national database, allowing animal organizations and vet clinics with scanners to locate owners. "I grabbed the (chip) scanner, and as soon as I lifted that scanner close to the dog's body it went off," said Tania Hernandez, a vet assistant at the clinic. They had just solved the mystery of Shawnee -- a dog who vanished from the Culberhouse family's home about four years earlier. The family was in Arizona when they learned their dog had been found, but they turned around, stopping at their hotel to collect their belongings before heading home. "The moment they answered the phone, I said I was calling about my dog that was found," said Joyce Culberhouse. "They knew her name, and they knew my name. We knew they had actually found her microchip and they had her." Another clinic employee kept Shawnee until at her home, texting photos to the family during their drive back to Southern California. The happy reunion was captured on video. "She is a Christmas miracle, and so is Jairo for bringing her to us," said Hernandez. The Culberhouses said they aren't sure where Shawnee was for the past four years, but added that they didn't give up hope. "I just had to keep the faith that she was alive, she was out there, and she was waiting for me to find her," said Culberhouse. Morales said he was pleased to help provide the family with a beloved gift. "It was just nice know that after so many years, they were finally able to have their connection again," said Morales. Click here to learn more about microchipping services. The father of a 2-year-old boy who was separated from his Yemeni mother until she successfully fought the Trump administration's travel ban to see him in the United States laid his body to rest Saturday, a day after the child was taken off life support at a hospital. Under a cloudless winter day, Ali Hassan carried his son's small body to bury at an Islamic cemetery in California's Central Valley. "I'm a U.S. citizen; my son is a U.S. citizen," the 22-year-old father told mourners at a service before burial. "The Muslim ban kept my wife from coming to the U.S. for over a year. It forced me to choose between my son's health and keeping our family together. We are angry, but we know our son did not die in vain." The child's distraught mother mourned privately at home. Abdullah Hassan died Friday at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, where his father brought him in the fall to get treatment for a degenerative brain condition. He had been on life support when his 21-year-old mother, Shaima Swileh, arrived last week. Hassan spent his youth in California's central valley after his family immigrated there from Yemen. During a trip to the warn-torn country in 2016, he fell in love with Swileh and married her that same year. Because she is Yemeni, Swileh was restricted from traveling to the United States under the White House travel ban that's keeping citizens from Yemen and four other mostly Muslim countries from entering the country. The family stayed in Cairo, Egypt, while Swileh tried to obtain a waiver to that ban, which would allow her a visa to travel with her family to the United States to receive medical treatment for the boy. But she was repeatedly denied travel documents, Hassan said. When Abdullah's health worsened, Hassan went ahead to California in October to get their son help. As the couple fought for a waiver, doctors put Abdullah on life support. "My wife is calling me every day wanting to kiss and hold her son for the one last time," said Hassan, choking up at a news conference earlier this month. He started losing hope and was considering pulling his son off life support to end his suffering. But then a hospital social worker reached out to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which sued on Dec. 16, said Basim Elkarra, executive director of the advocacy group in Sacramento. The State Department granted Swileh a waiver the next day, and she has since received a visa to stay in the country. She was pictured cradling her son in the hospital 10 days ago. "With their courage, this family has inspired our nation to confront the realities of Donald Trump's Muslim Ban," said Saad Sweilem, a lawyer with the council who represents the family. "In his short life, Abdullah has been a guiding light for all of us in the fight against xenophobia and family separation." Hassan said he hopes his family's struggle will lead to policy changes and families like his will not have to separate. San Francisco police on Sunday arrested the suspect who was wanted in connection with the brutal beating and robbery of a man in the Tenderloin District. Melton Earl Kelly, 25, of Oakland was arrested along the 300 block of Ellis Street following the violent attack, which broke out around 5 p.m. Friday near Cyril Magnin and Eddy streets, according to police. Kelly was booked at San Francisco County Jail on multiple felony charges, according to police. Those charges included attempted murder, robbery, mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting/delaying/obstructing peace officer duties and narcotics-related charges. Friday's violent attack was captured on video. Footage showed the victim, who appeared to be unconscious, on the ground and the suspect punching and kicking him multiple times. The suspect also robbed the victim before taking off from the scene. The victim was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. He is still recovering as of Sunday morning. The dispute between the two men may have developed over items the two men took in a theft, according to a police source. Kelly was employed as a temporary 90-day worker with Glide, according to the community church, which released a statement about the attack: "We at Glide abhor violence and make it clear to our staff, whether permanent or temporary, that violence is totally unacceptable. "We recognize that violence is a societal issue that we all have a role in helping to solve. There is, however, never an excuse for violence. At Glide we strive to build alternatives and solutions to the violence that unfortunately permeates our society. "Our thoughts and our loving prayers are with the victim and his family. We also sincerely wish that Melton finds the help, hope and inner strength to cultivate the better nature we all have within us." What to Know Polls conducted around the midterm elections suggest more voters are choosing climate change as their top priority. A corps of young people are demanding action from politicians. Even among Republican millennials, a third say the Earth is warming because of human activity. Going into the midterm elections, few candidates made the warming planet a keystone of their campaigns despite devastating fires and storms that scientists say have been worsened by carbon pollution. Climate change has typically been low on voters lists of priorities. But as a new Congress comes into power in January, that indifference could be changing. Surveys conducted for the midterms found that between 7 and 9 percent of the electorate named climate change or the environment as the top issue facing the country. Typically, the number lags around 2 percent, environmentalists say. Thats a green wave, said Nathaniel Stinnett, the founder of the Environmental Voter Project, a three-year-old organization that is dedicated to getting environmentalists to vote. Americans continue to voice more concern about health care, immigration, the economy and jobs, and depending on the poll, gun policy or federal taxes and spending. But with a record 113 million people voting in this years elections where Democrats retook control of the House, that could mean that up to 9 million named the environment their primary concern. Thats an enormously powerful constituency and I think youre going to see more and more politicians trying to appeal to these environmental voters, especially among those running in the [2020] Democratic presidential primary, Stinnett said. The surveys -- one around Election Day called AP VoteCast and two conducted for NPR and PBS NewsHour by the Marist Poll, in October and after the election -- are just one indication that climate change is taking on urgency with voters, particularly young voters. Also pointing to the increased seriousness with which the issue is being treated: differences between millennials and older Americans, demands from newly elected politicians and worry about the damage that climate change is already doing to communities from Miami to Los Angeles. A confluence of factors is driving the new attention to the devastation threatening the environment. Repeated natural disasters have brought havoc to parts of the United States, from deadly fires in California to destructive hurricanes sweeping over Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas and the Carolinas. Warnings about the worlds need to curb the use of fossil fuels come as younger people more convinced of the scientific consensus on climate change become old enough to vote. Going into the New Year, there will be more pressure on Congress to tackle the greenhouse gases that are raising temperatures. Heres a breakdown of the polls. AP VoteCast found that more of the electorate, 26 percent, choose health care as the number one issue facing the country than any other issue while 7 percent picked the environment. The Marist Poll in October recorded 7 percent of registered voters choosing climate change as the most important factor in deciding their vote and earlier this month, 9 percent saying that it should be Congress' top priority. Economy and jobs was the most important for the most voters, with 20 percent in October and 17 percent this month. Stinnett said that how much change was occuring would become clearer as more data becomes available about voters and the midterm elections. if("undefined"==typeof window.datawrapper)window.datawrapper={};window.datawrapper["j6PVO"]={},window.datawrapper["j6PVO"].embedDeltas={"100":555,"200":410,"300":381,"400":352,"500":352,"700":323,"800":323,"900":323,"1000":323},window.datawrapper["j6PVO"].iframe=document.getElementById("datawrapper-chart-j6PVO"),window.datawrapper["j6PVO"].iframe.style.height=window.datawrapper["j6PVO"].embedDeltas[Math.min(1e3,Math.max(100*Math.floor(window.datawrapper["j6PVO"].iframe.offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"!=typeof a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a.data["datawrapper-height"])if("j6PVO"==b)window.datawrapper["j6PVO"].iframe.style.height=a.data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"}); Youth Demand Action on the Environment Young people are particularly engaged in confronting climate change, a crisis that has gathered momentum throughout their lives and which threatens to leave the Earth a much less hospitable place in the coming years. A pre-election survey from Tufts University that focused on young people and politics found that 59 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds support or are an active part of the environmental movement, up from 42 percent in 2016. Numbers were even higher among Democrats, and particularly those who said they were likely to vote, according to the September poll by the universitys CIRCLE, or The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. The polls director, Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, said political engagement was more common among young people now than two years ago, with triple the number saying they attend marches and demonstrations up from 5 percent to 15 percent. Part of the change can be traced to the activism of students from Parkland, Florida, which encouraged other young people to be a part of political causes, including the environmental movement, she said. It wasnt drowned out by gun violence, for example, which is a big player this year, but just as many people if not more young people said, Its a really important issue that Im actively engaged in, she said. The Sunrise Movement is a corps of young people working to make climate change an urgent priority across the country. As they prepared to launch, a core challenge was how to make climate change an urgent priority in the United States. They helped Democrats to take the House and now are determined to keep the issue at the top of lawmakers agendas. In November, 150 members of the Sunrise Movement and Justice Democrats held a sit-in at House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis office on Capitol Hill to demand action on climate change. They were joined by newly elected Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, who has been pushing for a Green New Deal to promote green energy and jobs and cut carbon emissions. "She was elected as part of the movement, she intends to govern as part of the movement," Corbin Trent, a spokesman for Ocasio-Cortez, said at the time. She thinks there is no other priority that we should be focused on and supports the Sunrise Movements call for Democrats to create a plan to transition the economy to a zero carbon economy so we have that ready to go when we take back the presidency in 2020." The activists were criticized for targeting Democrats, who support taking on climate change, but they say they know that if they do not push Democrats they will not get the action they need. We targeted the Democrats because we believe in them, said a spokesman for the group, Stephen OHanlon. We dont think were going to get anywhere by calling on Donald Trump to stand up to fossil fuel lobbyists. They believe that as young people they have leverage over Democrats because it was young people turning out in record numbers that helped Democrats win the House majority. If Democrats are to win the presidency and the Senate in 2020, they will need young people again to turn out in record numbers, OHanlon said. [[C, 503157721, 620, 413]] So many politicians and especially establishment politicians think about the range of political options as whats currently politically possible and oftentimes with climate and a lot of other issues too thats just radically from what we need to give our generation a livable future, he said. And we made the choice when we launched to push for solutions that are actually in line with what we need. Generational Divide in GOP Republicans have been the most resistant to believing that climate change presents a critical danger. A Pew Research Center poll done before the midterms found that 72 percent of registered voters supporting Democrats thought climate change was a very big problem compared to only 11 percent of those backing Republicans. But other Pew surveys found wide differences within the GOP. About a third of Republican millennials say the Earth is warming because of human activity, double the share of Baby Boomers and older, according to a May survey. Forty-five percent of millennials say they are seeing some effects of global climate change in their communities, compared with a third of older Republicans. But they also are in agreement with older party members that policies aimed at reducing climate change effects would make no difference. Sara Blazevic, a co-founder and managing director of the Sunrise Movement, said the organization was made up of young people angry and frustrated after having watched a lifetime of political inaction, of witnessing hurricanes and other disasters getting worse but the environmental movement stagnating. Looking at some of the data a few years back we called this the urgency gap, she said. Because there actually are a super majority of Americans who understand that climate change is happening, is real, believe that its happening already because they can see with their own eyes and want something to be done about it. Other Pew research ranks the publics policy priorities for the president and Congress. Protecting the environment has risen from 44 percent in January 2010 to 62 percent at the beginning of this year. Dealing with climate change similarly rose from 28 percent to 46 percent. In December, nearly 200 countries met in Poland for the U.N.s 24th annual climate change conference and agreed to rules for curbing greenhouse emissions, but delayed a decision on creating a market in carbon credits. The meeting follows a series of reports, among them the National Climate Assessment and one from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, warning of irreversible environmental damage absent quick action to rein in carbon emissions. Environment Gains Prominence in the Midterms During the midterm elections, ads highlighting global warming began appearing in races across the country, a phenomenon that was new. The League of Conservation Voters through its Victory Fund was among environmental groups that spent heavily to elect green candidates, in its case $80 million. Pete Maysmith, its senior vice president of campaigns, said that the more environmental issues were localized, the more voters responded. So were talking about environmental issues that are directly impacting peoples lives, and doing that in the context of the election, he said. It motivates them and it impacts their vote choice. In southern New Jersey, the organization matched environmental concerns with what it knew would be the top issue of the elections, health care, then targeted what it viewed as an important bloc of swing voters, suburban women. In a tight race, Democrat Andy Kim, a former national security aide in the Obama administration, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur, who had tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act. When you pair the issue of pollution, whether its water or air pollution so youre talking about healthy drinking water, youre talking about concerns around asthma and other illnesses, other disease and then link that into the health care debate, that again is a very powerful motivator, he said. The League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund and the Environmental Defense Fund Action connected the health impact of MacArthurs record of gutting environmental protections and allowing more toxic pollution into our air to his efforts to eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions, according to post-election analysis. In another race in California, the League teamed up with Michael Bloombergs Independence USA PAC to defeat 30-year congressman, Dana Rohrabacher. One ad juxtaposed Rohrabachers statement that global warming is a fraud with black smoke and wildfires in the background. Democrat Harley Rouda, who called out Republican leaders for denying the threat of man-made climate change, ousted Rohrabacher Maysmiths colleague, Tiernan Sittenfeld, the senior vice president of government affairs, said of the 62 new members of the House of Representatives, 55 of them have committed to trying to bring about 100 percent clean energy by 2050. She said the organization was looking at opportunities for a green infrastructure package from the Democrat-dominated House and oversight as the Trump administration tries to roll back public health and environmental protections. Its especially exciting because there are so many of these new members for whom the environment and addressing the climate crisis is really an enormous priority and central to who they are and in many case part of why they decided to run, she said. The AP VoteCast survey replaced exit polling that The Associated Press had participated in with the television networks. It was conducted for the AP and Fox News by the non-partisan research organization NORC at the University of Chicago. The AP VoteCast also found that significant numbers were concerned about the effects of climate: 70 percent of all voters were very or somewhat concerned versus 29 percent who were not too or not at all concerned. Democrats were more worried than Republicans. This years exit polling, which NBC and other networks continued separately, did not ask voters across the country to rate the environment among their top issues, but it did ask voters in Florida about climate change as it had done in 2016 and in both years, 66 percent said climate change was a serious problem. Over the last decade, the environment has historically ranked low among voters priorities. Polling that the Environmental Voter Project did of likely voters in the 2016 presidential election found that only 2 percent listed the environment as their top priority, with another 2 percent setting it as their second highest priority. 'Politicians Go Where the Votes Are' This is why its so hard to get politicians to lead on climate and lead on environmental issues, Stinnett said. Because politicians go where the votes are, thats what they do. Politicians are in the business of winning elections and if voters dont deeply care about a set of issues, its really hard to get politicians to care about those issues. The Environmental Voter Project targets environmentalists who dont vote or who seldom vote to convince them to change their behavior. It focuses on the 18- to 24-year-olds and to a lesser extent 25- to 29-year-olds who are disproportionately likely to care deeply about environmental issues. Blacks and Hispanics and those who make less than $50,000 a year and who have a higher chance of being victims of environmental racism are also in their sights. Stinnett estimates that the non-profit has turned more than 100,000 non-voting environmentalists into consistent voters since it started. It began in Massachusetts, in 2017 moved into Georgia, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania and expects to expand further into about 20 states where it has identified large populations of non voting environmentalists. It does not spend money on changing minds, just getting people to the polls. Politicians care about winning elections and so theyre going to follow the voters, Stinnett said. I think this change will happen very quickly once environmentalists start voting. I just cant tell you when that number in the electorate will get big enough that it forces change. But its getting bigger, its definitely getting bigger. This electorate might not force change as quickly as we want it to, but somethings happening, something is absolutely happening and politicians are beginning to pay attention, Stinnett said. President Donald Trump exposed the faces of members of U.S. Navy SEAL Team 5 during his surprise trip to Iraq this week, and one expert said it could possibly put them in danger, NBC News reported. During his post-Christmas visit to troops in Iraq, his first trip to a combat zone since he was sworn in last year, the president and first lady Melania Trump met with about 100 troops at a dining hall at the Al-Asad base west of Baghdad Wednesday. U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kyu Lee told Trump he is the chaplain for SEAL Team 5. Lee later said Trump told him, "Hey, in that case, lets take a picture." Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Malcolm Nance, an intelligence consultant for U.S. special operations forces, said by email that the presence of SEAL Team 5 members should not have been revealed. "The fact is they are a special operations force in a combat zone with a combat role," said Nance, who has also served as a counter-terrorism analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. "The reason their identities are protected is in case of capture." The office of the secretary of defense said in a statement no rules were violated by the ensuing photos and video. Special education students in Texas are more likely to receive some of the harshest punishments in the classroom, according to an analysis of state education data. Experts say that tracks with other estimates nationally that find disabled students disproportionally represented in the juvenile justice system. The Houston Chronicle reports that roughly 1 in 10 students were listed as special education in the 2016-17 academic period. But that same year, special education students accounted for nearly one-fifth of students who were sent to alternative education programs, which are run by local juvenile justice departments. Other punishments including expulsions, out-of-school suspensions and in-school suspensions were also given to special education students at the second-highest rate, behind only African-American students, the newspaper reported. Texas is far from the only state that disproportionately sends its students with disabilities into the juvenile justice system. But the numbers are hard to measure, with most studies putting the number of disabled youth in juvenile justice systems nationally at about 33 percent, said Meghan Burke, an associate professor of special education at the University of Illinois. "The estimates can vary widely -- the only agreement is that they're disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system," Burke said. "For why that's happening, it could be several things, but we don't really know why." There are some theories. Students with some mental disorders struggle with appropriate decision making and may be taken advantage of by trouble-makers. Experts say disabled students often struggle to get services that best suit their needs, or to receive special education services at all, which can lead to outbursts in class. The Texas Education Agency says the state is aware of disproportionate rates of punishment for special education students and is working to address the issue. "The TEA has a number of ongoing initiatives that are focused on ensuring students are not subject to practices that lead to disproportionate representation in special education and/or disciplinary placements," agency spokeswoman DeEtta Culberson said in a statement. Among the initiatives is a monitoring system that will show how disproportionately each district disciplines students of different racial and educational backgrounds. But that system is still being developed. Cities across North Texas will enforce fireworks bans over New Year's weekend, while also reminding residents to refrain from firing guns into the air to celebrate the start of 2019. Collin County It is legal to discharge a firearm in the unicorporated areas of the county as long as not in the suburbs. Legal fireworks on the unincorporated areas as long as it is on private property (ex: cannot do it on the side of the road). It is a Class C misdemeanor if this is not followed. In Frisco, it is unlawful to discharge or possess fireworks in the city. Violators can be fined up to $2,000. Dallas County According to the county fire marshal, fireworks are permitted in unincorporated parts of the county as long as the property owner has granted permission and as long as there is no burn ban in effect. There is currently no burn ban in effect in Dallas County. The Dallas police and fire departments will work together from Saturday, Dec. 29 to Monday, Dec. 31 to monitor the possession and use of fireworks, deploying teams that consist of one police officer and one Dallas Fire Rescue fire inspector. The city is reminding residents that fireworks are illegal in Dallas. The city of Dallas also warned against shooting firearms in celebration of the new year. Violators could be fined up to $4,000 and a year in jail for having and discharging fireworks and up to $10,000 and 10 years in jail for reckless discharge of a weapon. Police in Garland posted on Facebook to remind residents how dangerous celebratory gunfire can be. Bullets fired into the air can reach heights of up to 10,000 feet, and the wind could take them in unpredictable directions, the Garland Police Department wrote. The bullets that come down could have deadly results. Grand Prairie police, while wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year, remind "What goes up must come down! Please don't ring in 2019 by firing a gun in the air!" Celebratory gunfire is illegal and may have deadly consequences. Denton County Fireworks are permitted in the unincorporated areas of Denton County as long as there isnt a burn ban. Firearms are also permitted but strongly discouraged because they can cause serious bodily injury or death. The person discharging the firearm is responsible for causing injury or death. Tarrant County Fireworks are illegal in Arlington. By ordinance, the possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling and use of fireworks are prohibited and violations can result in a fine up to $2,000 In Fort Worth, fireworks are prohibited and Fort Worth Fire will be out with police issuing citations. Discharging a firearm in city the limits is also prohibited and individuals could be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting a spike in flu cases, saying 11 states are now seeing widespread cases of the virus. While Texas isn't among them yet, doctors in DFW said it's the rapid increase in the number of cases that has them concerned. At Trusted E.R. Hillcrest, Dr. Gorav Bohil said while they haven't been overwhelmed with flu patients yet, the number theyve seen seems to double by the week. He has watched CDC data that shows the states with widespread cases closing in on Texas. Andrea Cruz/NBC 6 "It's definitely coming. Again just taking you back looking both east coast, west coast it continues to come and it continues to be a significant increase widespread activity," Bohil said. Last year's flu season went down as one of the most deadly, stretching late into the spring. Bohil said it's too early to know whether that will be the case this year, but he said numbers show North Texas could be in for a high number of cases. In Texas, the CDC shows the number of reported cases around Thanksgiving close to 75. That number doubled the next week and doubled again the week after that. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Bohil said this year's flu seemed to bring traditional symptoms. "As far as symptoms go, it's very classic this year: high fevers, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, people are just feeling run down, feeling ill," Bohil said. And unless patients get in within 48 hours, there's little that can be done to help. In that case, he said they could be in for two weeks of illness. It's also too soon to know how effective this year's flu vaccine will prove to be, though doctors still recommend everyone get one. They also remind it's never too late to get one. A Georgia sheriff says the bodies of two children have been found buried behind a Guyton home. Effingham County sheriff's officials tell news outlets the children's father, 49-year-old Elwyn Crocker; stepmother, 33-year-old Candice Crocker; stepgrandmother, 50-year-old Kim Wright; and Wright's boyfriend, 55-year-old Roy Anthony Prater, have been arrested on charges including child cruelty and concealing a death. Sheriff Jimmy McDuffie says deputies were told Wednesday night that 14-year-old Mary Crocker was feared dead. He says deputies arrived at the girl's home and were told conflicting stories about how she lived elsewhere. He says deputies searched the property and found the bodies, which are believed to be Mary and her brother, 14-year-old Elwyn Crocker Jr. Mary hasn't been seen since October, and the younger Elwyn hasn't been seen since November 2016. Sen. Jon Kyl, appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by John McCain after his death earlier this year, is resigning from Congress at the end of the month, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said on Friday. Senator Kyl didnt need to return to the Senate. His legacy as one of Arizonas most influential and important political figures was already without question. But he did return, and I remain deeply grateful for his willingness to step up and serve again when Arizona needed him," Ducey said in a statement. Kyls resignation letter was delivered to Duceys office on Thursday afternoon, NBC News reported. Ducey's office said that a replacement to the seat will be announced in the near future. "It has been an honor and a privilege to again serve the people of Arizona," Kyl wrote. "When I accepted your appointment, I agreed to complete the work of the 115th Congress and then reevaluate continuing to serve. I have concluded that it would be best if I resign so that your new appointee can begin the new term with all other Senators in January 2019 and can serve a full two (potentially four) years." Once again, I am filing a proposal to allow for same-day voter registration in Indiana. Requiring Hoosiers to register to vote 29 days before an election is an unnecessary obstacle for people to exercise their constitutional right to vote, Lanane said. I hope that in the upcoming legislative session, Indiana can join the 17 other states as well as the District of Columbia that allow individuals to register to vote the same day as Election Day. It is time we start stripping down the countless barriers that exist in Indiana that keep people from being able to get to the polls. KTLA-TV Channel 5 weekend anchor Chris Burrous was found unconscious in a motel room in Glendale Thursday afternoon and later died at a hospital. Burrous, 43, joined KTLA in 2011. He is survived by a wife and 9-year-old daughter. Police received a call at about 1:15 p.m. from a man who said a man at the Days Inn, located at 450 Pioneer Drive, had passed out and was possibly not breathing, according to Sgt. Dan Suttles of the Glendale Police Department. Glendale firefighters responded to the scene and found Burrous inside a room and not breathing, Suttles said. CPR was administered and he was taken to a hospital where he died. The original call to police stated Burrous may have overdosed, but detectives will await the Los Angeles County coroner's office report for a determination of the cause of death, Suttles said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Burrous family," KTLA President and General Manager Don Corsini and news director Jason Ball said in a joint statement Thursday. "Chris loved sharing the stories of Southern California and connecting with our viewers. He will be remembered as a great journalist and a wonderful friend to many. He brought a kindness to his work and will be deeply missed by the entire KTLA family." His weekend co-anchor, Lynette Romero, tweeted a picture taken of herself and Burrous smiling on set, with a Christmas tree in the background. "There are no words," Romero wrote. "When we took this picture during our show I had no idea it would our last time together. You made me laugh until I cried. My tears now are for your sweet little girl, your wife Mai and your dear parents. We will miss you so..." Burrous graduated from Chapman University in Orange with a degree in broadcast journalism and began a two-decade career in news starting at KCKC-AM and KCXX-FM in San Bernardino while he was still in school. He moved on to KNTV-TV and KLIV-AM in San Jose, then KEVN-TV in Rapid City, South Dakota. He joined KGET in Bakersfield in 1999 as a morning news anchor. Burrous' career led him to KGPE in Fresno, KMAX in Sacramento and KTLA sister station WPIX in New York City. He told the New York Daily News he asked for a transfer to Los Angeles so his daughter could grow up near her grandparents, according to Channel 5. His weekend "Burrous' Bites" segments highlighted hole-in-the-wall eateries in Southern California. Here are the 6 things to know for Sunday, December 30th Weather wise, expect partly cloudy and muggy conditions. Highs will reach the upper 80s. No. 1 - New Years Eve Preparations Underway in South Florida Preparations are underway in South Florida for New Years Eve in Downtown Miami and Downtown Fort Lauderdale. There will be lots of activities to ring in the New Year. Admission is free to watch the fireworks at both locations. Remember, police will be out in full force. No. 2 One Gunshot Can Ruin the Party Remember with tomorrows New Years Eve festivities, its important to note that if you plan on carrying a gun, its illegal to shoot it in the air. No. 3 Cars Stolen From Neighborhood in Doral Police in Doral are asking neighbors in the community to be on the lookout after surveillance video caught two young thieves stealing two cars from a familys driveway. Anyone with information on this incident is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. No. 4 Government Shutdown Its officially week two of the government shutdown. The Smithsonian Museums will officially close on Wednesday, along with the National Zoo. On Thursday, the new Congress will come in and Democrats will take control of the House. No. 5 Flu is on the Rise: CDC The Centers for Disease Control is reporting that the flu is on the rise, including here in Florida. If you or your child havent already been vaccinated, officials are urging that people get the shot. No. 6 RX Protein Balls Being Recalled Two types of RX Bar protein bars have been recalled due to an undeclared ingredient. The recall affects their chocolate sea salt and coconut chocolate flavors. Anyone who has purchased this product is urged to throw it away or return it for a full refund. Heres a look at last weeks top stories: New Surveillance Video Shows Deadly Shooting at Ft. Lauderdale Gas Station Fort Lauderdale police have released surveillance video from a murder that took place at a gas station on Christmas Day in hopes that the suspect can be identified. The suspect arrived at the gas station a short time prior to the victim and waited in his car until the victim arrived. Once the victim arrived, the suspect got out of his car at the same time as the victim and followed him into the gas station while shooting him. Click here for the full surveillance video. New surveillance video shows moments before a gunman fired at a man in a shooting at a Fort Lauderdale gas station on Christmas Day. NBC 6s Nathalia Ortiz reports. City Officials Urge Residents Not To Shoot Guns On New Years Eve Firing gunshots into the air to celebrate the New Year can be deadly. The City of Miami is reminding the public of how dangerous the activity can be. City and county law enforcement officials gathered to get the message out to put the gun down. Click here for the full message. The City of Miami is warning residents that one bullet kills the party this New Years Eve, saying celebratory gunfire can result in tragedy and dangerous situations. If you shoot a gun in the air, we will find you. We will identify where you are and you will be held responsible, the mayor said. South Florida Man Poses as Homeless Man, Gives $100 to Those Who Stop to Help A meaningful gesture became even more meaningful for some South Florida shoppers who offered to help a homeless man on Christmas Day. A content creator was at a Plantation Target when he dressed as a homeless man. When people stopped to help him, thats when he gave them $100 in return. Click here for the full video. A South Florida man pretended to be homeless outside of a Target in Plantation, Florida, and decided to pay it forward to generous shoppers who stopped to give him change. Lawsuit Says Theme Park Should Put Warning Signs in Spanish A lawsuit brought by a Guatemalan family against Universal Orlando Resort says they should post warning signs about a rides potential dangers in Spanish. The familys father suffered a heart attack and died two years ago after going on the Skull Island: Reign of Kong attraction. The man had prior heart problems and didnt speak English. The family says Universal was negligent by not displaying warning signs in Spanish. Click here for the full story. 2018 in Florida: Mass Shootings, Hurricanes, Election Sagas In 2018, Florida saw a horrific school shooting, a devastating hurricane that ravaged parts of the states Panhandle region and a contentious election that dragged on for weeks. Heres a look back at some of the biggest events that affected Florida. Preparations are finishing up in South Florida for big New Years Eve festivities. Crews across South Florida are hard at work in Bayfront Park where Pitbull will be hosting a big New Years Eve concert. Nearby, the traditional big orange will make its reveal as the clock ticks closer to midnight at the Intercontinental Hotel. At the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, they will be hosting another major event featuring artists like Nicki Minaj and Alesso. Big crowds are expected in South Florida Monday night and law enforcement officials say they will be in full force too. Theres going to be hundreds of people on the streets driving and thousands downtown at events, at parties. So we are going to have extra patrol and the chief has made it very clear that were going to have zero tolerance for any shooting up in the air, said Freddie Cruz of the Miami Police Dept. There will also be free New Years Eve festivities in Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Their steel anchor is illuminated with more than 10,000 LED lights for a midnight drop 100 feet in the air. The family friendly fun begins at 4:30 p.m. There will be an early kid countdown at 7:00 p.m. Due to these events, Ft. Lauderdale announced that several roads will be closed or restricted. On Miami Beach, Ocean Drive is closed to vehicular traffic and will reopen at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. There will be a fireworks celebration at midnight on Ocean Drive viewable between 5 to 15th streets. Miami Beach is also offering a complimentary trolly service that will operate until 2 a.m. Click here to view the routes. Three confidantes of President Donald Trump, including his departing chief of staff, are indicating that the president's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would not be fulfilled as advertised. Trump sparked fervent chants of "Build that wall!" at rallies before and after his election and more recently cited a lack of funding for a border wall as the reason for partially shutting down the government. At times the president has also waved off the idea that the wall could be any kind of barrier. However, White House chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of "a solid concrete wall early on in the administration." "To be honest, it's not a wall," Kelly said, adding that the mix of technological enhancements and "steel slat" barriers the president now wants along the border resulted from conversations with law enforcement professionals. Along the same lines, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway called discussion of the apparent contradiction "a silly semantic argument." "There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements," Conway told "Fox News Sunday." ''But only saying 'wall or no wall' is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border." Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is close to the president, emerged from a Sunday lunch at the White House to tell reporters that "the wall has become a metaphor for border security" and referred to "a physical barrier along the border." Graham said Trump was "open-minded" about a broader immigration agreement, saying the budget impasse presented an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. But a previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of "Dreamers" young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Graham said he hoped to end the shutdown by offering Democrats incentives to get them to vote for wall funding and told CNN before his lunch with Trump that "there will never be a deal without wall funding." Graham proposed to help two groups of immigrants get approval to continue living in the U.S: about 700,000 young "Dreamers" brought into the U.S. illegally as children and about 400,000 people receiving temporary protected status because they are from countries struggling with natural disasters or armed conflicts. He also said the compromise should include changes in federal law to discourage people from trying to enter the U.S. illegally. "Democrats have a chance here to work with me and others, including the president, to bring legal status to people who have very uncertain lives," Graham said. The partial government shutdown began Dec. 22 after Trump bowed to conservative demands that he fight to make good on his vow and secure funding for the wall before Republicans lose control of the House on Wednesday. Democrats have remained committed to blocking the president's priority, and with neither side engaging in substantive negotiation, the effect of the partial shutdown was set to spread and to extend into the new year. In August 2015 during his presidential campaign, Trump made his expectations for the border explicitly clear, as he parried criticism from rival Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor. "Jeb Bush just talked about my border proposal to build a 'fence,'" he tweeted. "It's not a fence, Jeb, it's a WALL, and there's a BIG difference!" Trump suggested as much again in a tweet on Sunday: "President and Mrs. Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their D.C. mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The U.S. needs the same thing, slightly larger version!" Aside from what constitutes a wall, neither side appeared ready to budge off its negotiating position. The two sides have had little direct contact during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington until Thursday, to keep Congress in session. Talks have been at a stalemate for more than a week, after Democrats said the White House offered to accept $2.5 billion for border security. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told Vice President Mike Pence that it wasn't acceptable, nor was it guaranteed that Trump, under intense pressure from his conservative base to fulfill his signature campaign promise, would settle for that amount. Conway claimed Sunday that "the president has already compromised" by dropping his request for the wall from $25 billion, and she called on Democrats to return to the negotiating table. "It is with them," she said, explaining why Trump was not reaching out to Democrats. Democrats maintain that they have already presented the White House with three options to end the shutdown, none of which fund the wall, and insist that it's Trump's move. "At this point, it's clear the White House doesn't know what they want when it comes to border security," said Justin Goodman, Schumer's spokesman. "While one White House official says they're willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5 billion for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times." After canceling a vacation to his private Florida club, Trump spent the weekend at the White House. He has remained out of the public eye since returning early Thursday from a 29-hour trip to visit U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldn't deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. "For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us "NONE" for Border Security!," he tweeted. "Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown." Democrats have vowed to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that won't accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. The shutdown has forced hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking contributed to this report. What to Know The driver of a car that fell about 30 feet off a ledge near a suburban New York train station has died The Journal News reports that the accident happened late Saturday afternoon near the Mount Vernon East Metro-North station The MTA said in a statement that it is working with Mount Vernon police to investigate the death The driver of a car that fell about 30 feet off a ledge near a suburban New York train station has died. The Journal News reports that the accident happened late Saturday afternoon near the Mount Vernon East Metro-North station. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas said on Facebook that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority should fortify the fence along the tracks to prevent another tragic accident. The MTA said in a statement that it is working with Mount Vernon police to investigate the death. Spokeswoman Nancy Gamerman says the results of the investigation will inform decisions about safety improvements that are already planned for Mount Vernon. No other details about Saturday's accident were available. The driver's identity was not released. What to Know For the first time, a police drone will be keeping watch over the New Year's Eve celebration in New York's Times Square About 7,000 police officers will be on duty for Monday night's festivities in Times Square Above it all, a remote-controlled quadcopter will be giving police a unique view of the merriment and any potential mayhem A rainy New Year's Eve in New York has some Times Square revelers ponying up to keep dry, while police are scrapping plans to deploy a drone to keep watch over the crowd for the first time. Monday's damp, but mild weather saw people paying up to $10 for the kind of plastic ponchos that sell for less than $2 at Walmart. Larissa Duke, of Ontario, Canada, went for a more frugal option. The 22-year-old college student wrapped herself in a garbage bag and placed the top of an umbrella on her head to stay dry. Umbrellas were banned from the celebration, so Duke had to discard the shaft of the umbrella at a security checkpoint. "I was here last year and loved it so much I had to come again," Duke said. "The energy here is really just what keeps you going." Last year's celebration was one of the coldest on record at 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12 Celsius). This year, the temperature will be in the high 40s (7-10 Celsius), but rain is expected to linger into the first few hours of 2019. Spectators started assembling late Monday morning for the latest rendition of the made-for-TV extravaganza. Justine Brenkel, 26, from Lyon, France, said being in Times Square on New Year's Eve was on her "bucket-list." ''It's unique. It's magic. It's New York," she said - but the hours of waiting were turning it into a bit of a disappointment. "When we watch it on TV, it looks so much fun, there's so much animation," said Brenkel, who was attending the festivities with two friends. "But we're waiting for the show to start." Snoop Dogg, Sting and Christina Aguilera are scheduled to perform, followed by the traditional crystal ball drop, fireworks and a blizzard of confetti. This year, the ball is a 12-foot (3.5-meter) diameter geodesic sphere covered with 2,688 Waterford crystal triangles lit by 32,256 LEDs. The numerals "2019" will burst into light at midnight accompanied by pyrotechnics and the release of 3,000 pounds of confetti. As has been the case for years, the celebration is taking place under tight security, with partygoers being searched for weapons at checkpoints and herded into pens, ringed by metal barricades, where they wait for the stroke of midnight. "It seemed like airport security," said Lisa Carron, a 39-year-old preschool teacher also from Ontario. "That should keep us safe." Thousands of police officers will be on hand to provide security, with the help of bomb-sniffing dogs, 1,225 security cameras and 235 "blocker vehicles" used to stop any potential vehicle attacks. Police had planned to send up a drone to keep an eye on the festivities, but officials scrapped that idea due to the rain. Dan + Shay, Bastille and New Kids On The Block will perform medleys of their hit songs on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," and singer songwriter Bebe Rexha will perform John Lennon's "Imagine" before the 60-second countdown to the midnight ball drop. People arriving early enough to grab a standing spot in Times Square itself may have a good view of the stages where the entertainers perform. The rest of the throngs, stuffed into pens stretching several blocks north toward Central Park, will be able to follow the action on viewing screens. There are no public toilets in the pens, backpacks are banned and there are no garbage cans either, so picnicking for the event can be rough. But revelers will have plenty of companionship, though experts say probably well short of the 1 million to 2 million spectators claimed by city officials and organizers. Husband and wife Bobby, 36, and Shivaraj Dhillon, 35, from Watford, England, waited in the rain and cold for more than 10 hours but kept their spirits high and bodies warm by dancing to music playing over loudspeakers. Shivaraj said she had a serious medical operation this year and that she and Bobby are planning on starting a family soon, making this New Year's Eve a perfect chance to do something adventurous. "This is probably up there with my wedding day," Shivaraj said. What to Know A lawsuit claims NYC sent dozens of young Rikers Island inmates to an upstate jail where they've been brutalized A complaint filed Friday accuses the city of using jail transfers to punish inmates and circumvent its solitary-confinement rules The suit alleges the Albany County jail staffers unjustly beat the young men and forcibly conduct rectal searches New York City has sent dozens of young Rikers Island inmates to an upstate jail where they have been brutalized and held in solitary confinement, despite a city policy barring such confinement for anyone under 22, a federal lawsuit has alleged. A complaint filed Friday accuses the city of using jail transfers to punish inmates it deems undesirable many have been charged with assaulting Rikers guards and to circumvent its solitary-confinement rules. The Albany County jail staffers have unjustly beat the young men and forcibly conducted rectal searches, the civil rights suit says. "It is time for the torture to stop," lawyers Katherine Rosenfeld, Douglas Lieb and Steven Goldman wrote in the suit. It was filed on behalf of four current and former Rikers inmates sent to the Albany County jail while awaiting trial. Two were under 22 at the time; the others were older. The New York Times, which first reported the suit, said city mayoral spokesman Eric Phillips said the jail transfers were for the inmates' own security. "For an extremely small number of young detainees facing credible safety threats in our jails, the safest option is a transfer to another facility," he told the newspaper. The Associated Press sent Phillips an email seeking comment Saturday. Messages were also left with the Albany County Sheriff's Office and a county official. Under state law, county jails can transfer inmates for reasons that include threats to their own safety. Young Rikers inmates have been taken to Albany without notice and greeted by what's dubbed the "Green Team," guards in paramilitary uniforms and riot gear with a leader who warns: "This isn't Rikers. ... We do what we want here," according to the suit. The guards issue puzzling commands - "face the wall with your right foot behind your left and your right hand higher than your left," for instance - and punch and beat the inmates for flubbing, the suit says. It alleges they are then body-scanned for concealed contraband and, regardless of whether anything is found, are often subjected to searches by guards who insert fingers and sometimes batons into the young men's rectums. Then the inmates are almost always put into solitary confinement, the suit says. It seeks unspecified damages and court declarations that the practices at issue are unconstitutional, among other requests. What to Know A Long Island family has recovered the body of their husband and father from the Chinese government Lt. Col. Norman Easy, a National Guard veteran, died on a plane to Shanghai while on a business trip as a health care executive China had refused to return his body unless the family signed a waiver; Easy's family said "something is off" A Long Island family has recovered the body of their veteran husband and father from China after he mysteriously died on a flight there from New York, following weeks of fighting Chinese government red tape. The family of retired Lt. Col. Norman Easy received his body on Saturday. Services are expected to be held this coming Friday. On Dec. 7, Easy, a health care executive, boarded a China Eastern Airlines flight at JFK Airport and headed to Shanghai for a business trip. He traveled frequently, according to his family, but wife Nixtia panicked when the father of four didn't let her know he'd landed in China. "He always communicates with us, and I didn't hear nothing from him," said Nixtia in an interview earlier this month. When he didn't show up for a meeting that following Monday, his company dispatched a team to find him. "One of the police officers who happened to be at the airport when he died [also] happened to be at the police station when the team got there," his son Marcus told News 4 New York. What the officer told the team was devastating. "He said that someone matching my dad's description passed away on the plane," Marcus said. "They weren't allowed to verify that it was him but they're 100 percent sure it was him." Family members had said they were told that Easy's wife had to sign a waiver saying she doesn't object to anything in the police report -- a report she said she hasn't even seen -- before China would return his body. Regrets, on the other hand, have a way of clinging to us like barnacles on the underbelly of an old ship. They painfully remind us what should have been in our life. Or what could have been if we did this, or if we did that, or if we did anything at all. The shooting death of a California police officer has reignited the debate over sanctuary laws, with a sheriff all but blaming the statewide immigration policy for the killing as he announced the arrest of a man living in the U.S. illegally. A two-day statewide manhunt ended Friday with the arrest of Gustavo Perez Arriaga, who came out with his hands up as a SWAT team prepared to raid a home in Bakersfield, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of where Cpl. Ronil Singh was shot in the small town of Newman before dawn Wednesday. Perez Arriaga was captured while planning to flee to his native Mexico, authorities said. Sheriff Adam Christianson, who led the investigation, blamed California's sanctuary law for preventing local authorities from reporting Perez Arriaga to U.S. immigration officials for deportation after two previous drunken driving arrests. "We can't ignore the fact that this could have been preventable," Christianson told reporters, asking why the state was "providing sanctuary for criminals (and) gang members. It's a conversation we need to have." The laws are a flashpoint between jurisdictions that say they allow immigrant communities to report crimes without fear of deportation and the Trump administration, which has vowed to crack down on such cities and states. President Donald Trump tweeted about Singh's killing Thursday by saying it was "time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!" The immigration fight has intensified as Trump pushes for funding for a border wall that congressional Democrats oppose, forcing a partial government shutdown. Perez Arriaga crossed the border in Arizona several years ago and had worked a variety of jobs as a laborer, including at several dairies. The 33-year-old had gang affiliations and multiple Facebook pages with different names, Christianson said. An email to a sheriff's spokesman asking whether Perez Arriaga had a lawyer who could speak on his behalf wasn't returned and a phone call rang to a voicemail that was full. California's sanctuary law includes more than 800 exceptions for violent crimes and felonies and bars police from asking people about their citizenship status. Gov. Jerry Brown has said the law strikes a balance between protecting families and ensuring consequences for serious criminals. His spokesman said Friday that if the suspect was a known gang member, police could have informed federal authorities. "California law fully permits the sharing of information on dangerous gang members," spokesman Evan Westrup said. Former state Sen. Kevin de Leon, the Democrat who wrote the legislation, said it's "highly irresponsible" to blame the law for the officer's death. "The type of tone and attitude that Sheriff Christianson has taken instills fear and panic in all immigrant communities" that could make people afraid to report crimes, de Leon told KNX-AM radio in Los Angeles. Cpl. Singh had pulled over a suspected drunken driver in Newman when he was fatally wounded, and he managed to fire back but didn't hit the attacker, authorities have said. A resident who saw the driver get behind the wheel flagged down Singh and heard the gunshots minutes later, Stanislaus County sheriff's Sgt. Tom Letras told the Modesto Bee newspaper. Authorities have arrested seven other people, including Perez Arriaga's brothers, 25-year-old Adrian Virgen and 34-year-old Conrado Virgen Mendoza; his girlfriend, 30-year-old Ana Leyde Cervantes; and a co-worker, 27-year-old Erik Razo Quiroz, authorities said. Three people were arrested at the home near Bakersfield. All are accused of helping Perez Arriaga, who's expected to be arraigned on charges Wednesday, authorities said. Singh, 33, was also an immigrant, coming legally from his native Fiji to fulfill his dream of becoming an officer, authorities said. Singh had a newborn son and joined the 12-officer Newman police force in 2011. Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson called him a patriot. "This is a man that loved his country. This is a man that worked hard for what he believed in. He believed in this community," the chief said at a candlelight vigil that hundreds attended Friday night to honor Singh. "Ronil loved his job," Reggie Singh told the crowd, holding his brother's 5-month-old son. Associated Press writers Daisy Nguyen, Amanda Lee Myers and Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this report. Nancy Pelosi isn't speaker of the House just yet, but her path back to the gavel is now firmly in sight. Pelosi was overwhelmingly nominated to become House speaker in an internal Democratic caucus vote Wednesday. The final tally, 203-32, puts her within range of the 218 threshold needed in January to be elected speaker when the new Congress convenes. She's not quite there. Her actual support is at 200, adjusting for delegates who can't vote in the full House and one supporter who missed the caucus session. But without a challenger and with several weeks to dole out or withhold favors, Pelosi is not too far from returning to the speaker's office. "Are there dissenters? Yes," the California Democrat told reporters as the ballots were being counted. "But I expect to have a powerful vote going forward." Pelosi entered the caucus election in an unusual position running unopposed for the nomination despite the clamor by some Democrats for new leadership. They worry about their re-elections when Pelosi appears as a punchline at President Donald Trump's rallies and in countless Republican-fueled TV ads against them. But Pelosi has been deftly picking off opponents including nine who announced their support Wednesday as voting was underway a trend she'll need to accelerate in the weeks ahead. A deal was reached with the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group whose nine Democratic members were withholding their support as they pushed for rules changes to allow a more open legislative process. Another group, led by Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio and Rep. Kathleen Rice of New York, left the leader's office empty-handed. They asked Pelosi to publicly release her plans to transition out of leadership before the end of the next term in 2020. She declined, they said. "There has to be some succession plan," Rice said. As House Democrats met in private in the Capitol, they faced a simple "yes" or "no" choice on Pelosi for speaker. Those trying to oust Pelosi say they always knew the internal caucus election would fall in her favor. She only needed a simple majority of Democrats, who have a 233-seat majority with several races still undecided, to win the nomination. But in January she'll need closer to 218 votes, half the full 435-seat House, if all Republicans vote against her, as is likely though she could win with fewer votes if some lawmakers are absent or vote present. Opponents insist there will be more than enough votes to stop Pelosi at that time. Organizers say only with a floor fight in view will new leaders emerge. They say plenty of Democrats could step up to the job. "The battle is the floor," said Rep. Linda Sanchez of California, among those who signed a letter calling for new leadership. But the strength of Pelosi's candidacy was shown in the long line of those nominating her, starting with Rep. Joe Kennedy of Massachusetts, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, and no fewer than eight colleagues seconding the choice, including Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the civil rights leader, and three newly elected lawmakers. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, who is set to chair the Intelligence Committee when Democrats take control next year, choked up with emotion, according an aide in the room granted anonymity to discuss the private meeting. "I ask you to support her for this," Schiff told his colleagues. "Everything we care about is now at risk. Families desperate to obtain health care for their families. Children desperate to be reunited with their families, auto workers being laid off. The gap between rich and poor exploding. The press characterized as the enemy of the people. The independence of our justice system being undermined." Pelosi's ability to stand unopposed Wednesday showed the staying power of her brand of machine politics. She was the first female speaker, from 2007 to 2011, until Republicans took control, and hopes to return to a role few men have reclaimed most recently, legendary Speaker Sam Rayburn a half-century ago. She lost fewer votes than she did during a leadership challenge two years ago, and fewer than retiring Republican Speaker Paul Ryan faced in his internal caucus election for the job. "The reality is there is no alternative," said Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., who had signed on opposing her but reversed course. In fact, Democrats voted to return their entire top leadership team, including Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland in the No. 2 spot as majority leader and Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina in the No. 3 spot as whip. They were running unopposed. Down-ballot was where the House Democrats pushed a new generation of leader to the forefront. They elected Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York as caucus chairman, elevating the charismatic 48-year-old from the Congressional Black Caucus. The No. 4 slot as assistant leader went to Ben Ray Lujan, 46, who helped lead Democrats back to the majority as campaign chairman. Between now and January, those who oppose Pelosi will face internal pressure to reconsider their options. Colleagues will be asking if they really want a stalemate on the House floor as the first act of the new Democratic majority. And Pelosi will work the levers of power by doling out the many committee seat assignments, subcommittee chairmanships and other perks as incentives. "She's making a lot of headway," said Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, an ally. "Has she negotiated and given them some of the things that they want? Yes. But she's only giving things to people who can deliver." What to Know Wolf said Wednesday that he is replacing the people atop his departments of state and aging. Wolf will nominate Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne to the Civil Service Commission and replace her with Robert Torres. The shakeup comes ahead of a report on the Department of Aging's oversight of elder-abuse investigations. Gov. Tom Wolf is reshuffling his cabinet as he prepares for a second term. Wolf said Wednesday that he is replacing the people atop his departments of state and aging, the latest changes the Pennsylvania Democrat has announced ahead of his inauguration on Jan. 15. Wolf's office said the move will take effect Jan. 7. The shakeup comes as Wolf's Office of State Inspector General wraps up a report on the Department of Aging's oversight of elder-abuse investigations by 52 county-level agencies tasked with fielding and responding to complaints that can involve physical abuse, self-neglect or financial exploitation. Frustrated by shortcomings it had identified in elder-abuse investigations, the department last year began grading counties on a more aggressive compliance schedule after telling some they had failed, sometimes repeatedly, to meet regulations and expectations. Wolf's office said the forthcoming inspector general's report has nothing to do with the personnel change. Wolf will nominate Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne to the Civil Service Commission and replace her with Robert Torres, who has been acting secretary of state since Wolf forced out Pedro Cortes in October 2017. If confirmed by the Senate, Torres would become the first secretary of aging in eight years who did not come from one of the 52 county-level area agencies on aging that the department oversees. Kathy Boockvar, an elections adviser at the Department of State, will succeed Torres at an agency that oversees elections, campaign finance regulations and professional licensure. Boockvar previously was the executive director of Lifecycle WomanCare, a birth center in suburban Philadelphia, and chief counsel at the Department of Auditor General after starting her career in public interest law. Her appointment comes as Wolf's administration presses every Pennsylvania county to buy new voting machines that leave a paper trail in time for the 2020 presidential election. The price tag could come to $125 million, but Wolf says the move is crucial to giving voters confidence in elections. With a large number of voting machines that do not create an auditable paper trail, Pennsylvania is viewed as one of the most vulnerable states after federal authorities say Russian hackers targeted it and at least 20 others during the 2016 presidential election. An Arlington newborn baby boy is breaking records and melting hearts. Ali James Medlock was born on Dec. 12 at Arlington Memorial Hospital. At 21.5 inches long, Baby Ali weighed 14 pounds, 13 ounces. Alis parents, Jennifer and Eric Medlock, are both music teachers in the Arlington Independent School District. Jennifer says the hospital told them their son was a record breaker for Arlington Memorial and the biggest baby their doctor delivered in his 30-plus-year career. Baby Ali had to remain in the NICU for a week due to his size his blood sugar and platelets were too low according to his mother. He also experienced rapid breathing. Fortunately, Baby Ali has improved since his stay in the hospital. Ali James has a big sister named Annabelle, who weighed 9 pounds, 10 ounces when she was born, according to mom. A former Imperial Beach PTA treasurer is wanted for allegedly embezzling as much as $40,000 from funds meant for students, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The sheriff's department issued a warrant for the arrest of Kaitlyn Birchman on Dec. 20 for allegedly stealing money from that Imperial Beach Charter School's PTA fund. The money was supposed to fund student field trips and other student activities, but instead, Birchman allegedly spent the money on herself and her family, the current PTA leadership said. NBC 7 first reported about the alleged embezzling in August. The current president and current treasurer of the Imperial Beach Charter School PTA estimate Birchman took between $25,000 and $40,000. No one knows exactly how much money is missing. Amber Vissuet and Elizabeth McKay, the current president and treasurer of the Imperial Beach Charter School's PTA told NBC 7 in August during an 18-month period Birchman allegedly lied about the group's finances, emptied out its bank account, collected money from members for bills but failed to pay invoices, and spent the PTA's money on personal items and on family trips. The I.B. Charter School PTAs current treasurer said the real victims are the children, who missed out on field trips and back-to-school events typically funded by the PTA. I think that was the saddest part because the suspect had two children who went to school there, McKay told NBC 7 in August. A former Coronado police detective, McKay spent months analyzing bank statements and financial records. Its a hard lesson to share with your kids that adults you trust and you think are good people are capable of doing something like this, she said McKay became aware of some discord in the PTA at the very first meeting she attended as a member. At that March meeting, people were asking the PTA president some very pointed questions about the groups lack of funds, and the presidents answers were to the 19-year veteran detective not making sense. She was saying things like I kept the money in bags in my closet,' McKay said. Okay, well, do we need to go over to your house and get the bags of money out of your closet then? McKay later went with the current president Amber Visseut to the bank where the PTA kept its account and began looking over bank statements. She matched cash ATM withdrawals made near Disneyland with times and dates the former president posted to her Facebook page she was at the amusement park with her family. I spent over 60 hours and put together a three-ring binder, McKay said. McKay handed her findings over to the financial crimes unit of the sheriffs department. The leaders are stressing the loss of funds was solely the responsibility of one person, something the sheriffs department said they cannot yet confirm at this stage in the investigation. McKay wants justice for the children and to see the former PTA president held accountable for her actions, something she thinks may be unlikely to happen. Its frustrating because I get [the authorities are] used to dealing with crimes of embezzlement of $100,000 to millions of dollars, and I understand that its not the crime of the century to them, but to us, it is, she said. Officials say another Maine State Trooper has been injured when his cruiser was struck from behind by a vehicle along I-95. A Maine Public Safety Department spokesman said the crash Friday evening was the second in a week in which a cruiser with flashing lights was struck while stopped alongside a road. Police say a car driven by 22-year-old Nancy Colson of Topsham lost control and hit the back of the cruiser, forcing it into the guardrail. Both Colson and Trooper Ryan Keller were taken to Central Maine Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The crash happened in the same area where Trooper John Davis was injured when his cruiser was struck by a tractor-trailer a week earlier. Boston Police have arrested a suspect after he allegedly stabbed a man near Chinatown Saturday evening. Valenz Joisil, 24, of Lynn, Massachusetts was arrested Sunday morning at a local hospital and charged with attempted murder and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon in connection with the stabbing, according to police. Around 8:46 p.m. on Saturday, an officer discovered a victim believed to be in his late twenties suffering from multiple stab wounds. Medical staff at a local hospital later confirmed that the man had several non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the stabbing, authorities say. After conducting an investigation, officers named Joisil as a suspect in the incident, placed him in custody, and recovered a knife from his coat. Joisil is expected in Boston Municipal Court but the date of his court appearance has not yet been released. It is unclear whether he has an attorney. But planning inspectors says council must pay some of developers costs PLANS for an excessive housing development in Hermitage have been refused on appeal but West Berkshire Council still has to pay some of the developers costs. The council turned down the proposals from CALA Homes for 36 dwellings on land off Charlotte Close. The site was listed as a preferred site for approximately 15 homes in the local authoritys Development Plan Document (DPD). However, CALA challenged the councils refusal of its scheme and took it to appeal. While that appeal was rejected, the planning inspector Michael Hetherington ruled that the council had unreasonably objected to one particular part of the scheme. Mr Hetherington said the developer had incurred unnecessary expense and as a result ordered the authority to provide compensation. He disagreed with CALAs description of the site as urban fringe and that the proposed housing would have a neutral impact. The presence of housing within the appeal site, together with the suburbanising effects of roads, driveways, fences and ancillary domestic buildings, would act to generally detract from the sites rural character, he said. The appeal scheme would result in material harm to the sites landscape character, would create a harmful visual impact in respect of views from Charlotte Close and Station Road and would materially harm the natural beauty of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. While accepting that the site was identified for development, Mr Hetherington said that a scheme more than double the councils estimation was too much. He said that the density of the site would be high and that adequate public open space would not be provided with a 36-home scheme. CALA had proposed building 40 homes, but then reduced the number to 37, eventually dropping it to 36 during the appeal. Mr Hetherington added that although the development would not harm, and could indeed enhance, the biodiversity value of the southern hedgerow, it would fail to provide adequate protection for the sites reptile and great crested newt populations. In its reasons for refusal, the council said the schemes size, scale, extent and density would have a detrimental effect on habitats and species on site. But the lack of clarity over which species would be affected led Mr Hetherington to say it was unreasonable for the council to seek to introduce new arguments about the suitability of a reptile receptor site at the appeal. I therefore consider that the council behaved unreasonably in respect of its objection to the identified reptile receptor site. This has led to the appellant incurring unnecessary expense in respect of pursuing the matter at appeal. The council has been ordered to pay costs to CALA Homes and the amount must be agreed between the two parties. In a statement, the council said: The appeal decision supports and upholds the councils refusal in respect of the excessive development and its impacts on this allocated site. However, the council is disappointed by the award of partial costs, even though it only relates to one element of the councils ecology case, which in turn was just one of the may areas of concern with this proposed development. After going to two Christmas festivities this weekend, I conclude all sane Americans want the wall that our president is asking for. I am not happy that Chuck Schumer shut down the government to avoid the same wall he preached for four years ago he said we badly needed it then. That's before Donald got on the bandwagon. Most people think a shutdown is a fair price to get the wall, especially when you think that the wall will more than justify itself the first year. BRIDGEPORT Homicides in Bridgeport dropped to 11 in 2018, down from 23 the year before. But the percentage of those killings that police say have been solved also declined. At the close of 2017, 19 investigations into that years homicides had led to arrests or closed cases a clearance rate for the year 82.6 percent. Another arrest was made in 2018, leaving 20 of the 23 cases closed. This year, however, detectives have made arrests in only four (36.4 percent) of 2018s homicides those of Francine Nyanzanika, Willie Nance, Emily Todd and Clinton Howell. Nationwide, the homicide clearance rate jumped up from 59.4 percent in 2016 to 61.6 percent in 2017, according to data from FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Of the solved 2018 cases, Police Chief Armando Perez said, There were a lot of factors. We were pointed in the right direction quickly. And we just have some really, really good investigators that deployed every technology available to get these arrests to bring justice and maybe a little peace to the families. The citys detectives say they also have some strong leads in most of the unsolved killings. Shootings in the city have actually declined. As of Thursday, 97 people had been hit by gunfire in Bridgeport in 2018, down from 110 in 2017 and 132 in 2016 (when there were 10 homicides), according to Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald. The numbers are good, Perez said. Heading into the fall, the city was on track to have fewer than 10 homicides, which police said has not happened in Bridgeport at least since the department started actively recording and saving such data in 1976. In March, April, June, July and September this year there were no homicides in the city. There were two in January and again in February, one each in May, August and October and then two homicides each in the months of November and December. In all but one case, the deaths were caused by gunfire. Nyanzankia, 15, was stabbed to death in February. Her uncle murdered her, Perez said. That really tugged at our hearts. About Bridgeports 23 homicides in 2017, Perez said, We had more domestic violence incidents that turned fatal. Then we had a neighbor dispute over a parking lot and then co-workers fighting over money. Those really inflated the number last year. This year, Perez said, the city has seen younger people getting their hands on guns and committing crimes, including murder. We need some intervention, he said. We have to do something in the schools, in churches. But its got to start at home. The average age of this years 11 murder victims rounds out to 26. The youngest was the most recent, Howell, at the age of 12, while the oldest was Alfanso Anderson, who was 48 when he was shot dead in February. Andersons death remains among the unsolved. Three arrest warrants have been submitted for the people police say are responsible for his at his death at the Sunnyside Inn on Feb. 26, but those warrants havent been approved by the states attorney, Perez said. We just need a little bit more evidence, more proof, the chief said. In the case of Eric Heards killing on Jan. 31 and Len Allen Smiths murder on Aug. 13, police said they have some insight into who might be involved. Theyre solid leads, Perez said, but not enough for warrants. When it comes to Jawuan Greens death, Edwin Jeremy Manguals murder and the double killing of Myoshi Bagley and David Belle, investigators are hoping something will come up to help identify suspects. Perez said Manguals murder was most likely a case of mistaken identity and that Bagley was an unintended target. Perez said said Smith was minding his own business and never had a problem with anybody when he was shot in a car outside a deli near Stratford and Union avenues. The suspects in that killing have some criminal affiliations, the chief said. Weve been very aggressive with getting illegal guns off the streets, Perez said, adding that the department has confiscated over 200 this year. He said a lot of shootings are committed by people in possession of guns they shouldnt have. The cases 1. Jan. 16: Jawaun Green, 21. Shot at The Snack Shop on Newfield Avenue. No arrests have been made. 2. Jan. 30: Eric Fetti Heard, 19. Shot in the head on Price Street. He was on life support at the hospital, but died on Jan. 31. No arrests have been made. 3. Feb: 19: Francine Nyanzanika, 15. Stabbed to death in an apartment on Fairfield Avenue. Her uncle, Richard Segabiro, 31, was charged. 4. Feb. 26: Alfanso Anderson, 48. Shot in a room at the Sunnyside Inn on Lake Street. Arrest warrants are in the works for three suspects. 5. May 24: Willie Nance, 26. Shot near the intersection of Asylum and Plymouth streets. Died after hours in surgery at St. Vincents Medical Center. Shardel Ragin, 30, was charged. 6. Aug. 13: Len Lx Allen Smith, 25. Shot in a drive-by shooting on Union Avenue near Stratford Avenue. No arrests have been made. 7. Oct. 31: Myoshi Bagley, 41. Unintended target shot on Howard Avenue. No arrests have been made. 8. Oct 31: David Belle, 28. Shot repeatedly on Howard Avenue. Likely the intended target. Died in the hospital on Nov. 6. No arrests have been made. 9. Nov. 27: Edwin Jeremy Mangual, 30. Shot in the torso and neck on Laurel Avenue. Likely a case of mistaken identity. No arrests have been made. 10. Dec. 8: Emily Todd, 25. Shot in the head near the Seaview Avenue boat launch. Her body was found the next day. Brandon Roberts, 26, was charged. 11. Dec. 18: Clinton Howell, 12. Unintended target in a drive-by shooting in front of his Willow Street home. Tajay Chambers, 18, Alexander Bolanos, 16, a 14-year-old and a 12-year-old were charged. Contributed Photo / Derby Fire Department / Contributed Photo DERBY Units were on scene Friday night for roughly an hour after a car went off the highway and crashed, sending the driver to the hospital. Units responded to Route 8 north near Exit 16 for a report of a crash around 7:40 p.m. Ultimately, two fire engines and four additional fire trucks from Derby responded to the call. The Community Culinary School of Northwestern Connecticut, based in New Milford, is accepting applications for its next session. The next 12-week program will start Jan. 7 at St. Johns Episcopal Church along Whittlesey Avenue. If you love to cook and are interested in an exciting new career opportunity, you may be a good candidate for the Community Culinary School, said Dawn Hammacott, executive director of the school. The New Milford/Danbury area has more than 500 businesses that employ food service personnel, Hammacott said. The industry is always in need of reliable, trained employees, she said. The school trains people ages 18 and older for jobs in food service. Instructed by chef Chef Blythe Roberts, the students will learn a range of cooking techniques in a full-scale kitchen. The school also arranges internships for all students, trains them in the life skills necessary to getting and keeping a job and assists with job placement. Additionally, the meals students prepare are distributed to those in need through the New Milford Food Bank. Tuition is free for qualifying candidates. The school was established in 2007 to provide unemployed and underemployed men and women with the skills they need to find jobs with career paths in the food service industry. Classes will be held Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Johns Episcopal Church, 7 Whittlesey Ave. The school is modeled on the Community Kitchen program of the anti-hunger organization Feeding America. It relies largely on donations and grants, and has received support from the Connecticut Community Foundation, the Harcourt Foundation, the Meserve Memorial Fund, Union Savings Bank, Savings Bank of Danbury, Diebold Foundation, Womans Club of Danbury/New Fairfield, and other area foundations and civic organizations. For more information, call Dawn Hammacott at 203-512-5791 or email culinaryschool@sbcglobal.net. Foxconn, a key contract manufacturer of Apple Inc, is planning to open assembly lines for high-end iPhones in India, according to media reports. Foxconn will be assembling the most expensive models, such as devices in the flagship iPhone X family in India, Reuters reported Thursday, quoting unnamed sources. The manufacturer, who is already making phones for Xiaomi Corp, will expand its plant in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Local officials expect the investment to bring as many as 25,000 jobs. The Hindu newspaper also reported that Foxconn would begin manufacturing various models of iPhone in its Indian plant. The Foxconn unit in Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu, will start manufacturing all the models of iPhone depending on its demand, the newspaper reported. Apple currently only assembles two low-cost older models in India. It has been slow to move production to India in stark contrast to other major global smartphone makers, such as OnePlus, Samsung, Oppo and Xiaomi, who have invested heavily in their Indian plants. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Friday that he felt "proud of the progress" the company has achieved in 2018, despite having gone through a tumultuous, scandal-plagued year. Zuckerberg said in a year-end post that Facebook has "fundamentally" changed to focus on keeping its services safe and protecting them against manipulation and misinformation. "We're a very different company today than we were in 2016, or even a year ago. We've fundamentally altered our DNA to focus more on preventing harm in all our services," Zuckerberg said. He admitted that for the past year, his company has been grappling with a host of tumultuous incidents and challenges that have put the world's largest social media network under close scrutiny of U.S. legislators, regulators and the public. Those challenges ranged from the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections, the April scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm that was accused of illegally harvesting the private data of about 87 million Facebook users without their knowledge, to an October hacker attack that exposed the email accounts, phone numbers and birthdays of more than 30 million people. "Addressing these issues is more than a one-year challenge," Zuckerberg said. To ensure Facebook's services are safe, Zuckerberg said that his company has deployed 30,000 people to work on the social media giant's safety and invested billions of U.S. dollars in security every year. "That doesn't mean we'll catch every bad actor or piece of bad content, or that people won't find more examples of past mistakes before we improved our systems," said the Facebook CEO. He disclosed that Facebook has "built some of the most advanced systems in the world" for identifying and detecting those problems. In order to stop the spread of harmful content, "we've built AI systems to automatically identify and remove content related to terrorism, hate speech, and more before anyone even sees it. These systems take down 99 percent of the terrorist-related content," Zuckerberg said. "I'm also proud of the rest of the progress we've made this year. More than 2 billion people now use one of our services every single day to stay connected with the people who matter most in their lives," he wrote in Friday's post. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Dear Newsie Readers, Newsie has now permanently ceased it's services as of Friday 20th December 2019. Newsie has been an owner-funded operation since day one. Coming up to three years old, while we still firmly believe Newsie has a place in the New Zealand media landscape, the cost in both time and money has become too burdensome for the owners to continue alongside other ventures. With the current government looking to restructure public broadcasting, and seemingly supporting NZME buying a ring-fenced Stuff, the time seems right to call it a day. Should it happen, the combination of NZME and Stuff will ensure New Zealands national media will die a death by a thousand opinion-based articles. Newsie has always tried to stick to balanced news, to inform readers of the facts of a situation, amid being largely ignored by government. Hopefully, one day someone else will take up the challenge to fight the good fight. The good news, however, is that there were no job losses as a result of Newsie closing. Thanks to careful structuring, everyone involved in Newsie will retain their current positions. We hope you all have a happy Christmas and new year. Stay safe, and stay out of the news. The team at Newsie Following the announcement that UCAR Group and Borgward have entered a strategic partnership to jointly develop a new automotive retail model, Bruno Lambert, former president of Magna Steyr Asia, has been appointed as the global president of Borgward. Jason Yang, the former president of Borgward, has transferred to the Foton Group as vice president. Mr. Lambert has 20 years of automotive industry experience. As Magna Steyr's Asia President, he managed a team of 900 engineers across 7 locations in China, India and Japan, delivering consulting, complete vehicle development and localization services to major OEM's. He relocated to China in January 2011 when assigned to the position of General Manager for Magna Steyr China Engineering and led this division through a period of outstanding growth (600% in 4 years) to become the biggest Automotive Engineering Services provider in China. After receiving a Master in Mechanical Engineering from one leading French Engineering University, "Ecole Centrale Nantes", Mr. Lambert obtained an MBA in the Sorbonne University, Paris. In his previous role, he led new energy vehicle brand, ICONIQ Motors, as CEO. During his 18-month tenure he oversaw the development of ICONIQ's first fully electric vehicle, targeting the premium, smart passenger car market. After developing a strong foundation for ICONIQ Motors, Mr. Lambert saw a unique opportunity, to develop the Borgward brand and contribute to UCAR/Borgward alliance. Borgward Background The Borgward brand was re-established in 2015, and has been operating in several markets including China, Germany, Russia, India, Brazil, and Mexico. At present, the company has nearly 5,500 employees, including more than 2,300 top global engineers from 16 countries and 12 automobile brands. Borgward has full, in-house, engineering capability for complete vehicle, engine and New Energy Vehicles. It also has an intelligent, Industry 4.0, vehicle and engine manufacturing plant with flexible production capability for 8 models. Borgward holds manufacturing licenses for both NEV and ICE Vehicles. Intelligence driven, Innovation leads the future By bringing together the world's top talents, Borgward has established R&D centers in Stuttgart, Beijing and Silicon Valley and has created a dedicated and outstanding engineering and operations team. The current product range covers both ICE vehicles, under the BX series, and New Energy Vehicles, under the BXi series. The BX (ICE) series includes BX7, BX7 TS, BX5, and BX6 models while the BXi (NEV) series features the pure-electric BXi7. There are also several other new models currently in development, including a comprehensive line up of NEV models, which will be launched from 2019 onwards. With its international team of world class engineers the Borgward brand will continue to develop high quality and more emotional products for its customers. A powerful, strategic alliance UCAR and Borgward alliance brings together a unique combination of expertise in mobility services and high quality vehicle manufacturing. By utilising its vast customer resources, its digital capability and its mobility services expertise, the alliance will leverage its respective competencies to provide a unique customer proposition in the Digital Mobility value chain. New Delhi: In yet another tragic incident, three people were dead and one other injured after their motorcycle collided head-on with an SUV in Maharashtra's Parbhani district on Sunday, according to police. The injured has been shifted to a nearby hospital and currently undergoing medical treatment. The mishap took place at around 1:30 am near the Parbhani-Selu Road when four persons on a motorcycle were returning after a visit to the Babasaheb Maharaj Mandir in Selu. Speaking to the news agency PTI, the police official said, "The motorcycle collided with a Mahindra Scorpio coming from Parbhani. Three of the persons on the two-wheeler died instantly while the fourth has been admitted to a nearby hospital with severe injuries". Read | 9 dead, 25 injured after bus plunges into river in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur The deceased have been identified as Sidharth Dawande (28), Avinash Makasre (28) and Shidharth Magar (30). The police have registered a case into the matter and a preliminary investigation is underway to ascertain the reason behind the incident. (With inputs from agencies) New Delhi: Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone have been shelling out major couple goals ever since they got hitched in a lavish wedding at Lake Como, Italy. After sending shock waves to the entire country with their beautiful wedding pictures, the lovely couple is headed out on a honeymoon finally. Twinning in black, the couple was spotted walking hand in hand at the Mumbai airport. Deepika looked gorgeous in a black turtle-neck pullover with leggings layered with a skirt and a pair of black boots. She accessorized her look with a handbag and black tinted cat-eye sunnies. On the other hand, Ranveer looked suave dressed up in a black jacket, which he paired with black pants and a pullover. Though the wedding destination theyare headed to is yet not known but fans are gushing after the coupleas well-deserved vacation. Check out the pictures and videos here: While planning for their vacay, Ranveer did not let his work take a backseat. The Padmaavat actor was spotted at a dubbing studio just hours before being spotted on the airport with his wife, Deepika. According to the reports, Ranveer had to postpone their honeymoon as he was gearing up for Simmbaas release. The Rohit Shetty film, also starring Sara Ali Khan as the female lead, garnered a massive opening of Rs 20 crore. Meanwhile, on the work front, Deepika Padukone will soon start the shoot of her upcoming film Chhapaak. The film will be directed by Meghna Gulzar and will also star Vikrant Massey.A For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A 450-kilogram aerial bomb dating back to the World War-II era has been unearthed at a dock in Kolkata during routine dredging operations. The area was cordoned off following the discovery of the bomb Friday and the police, Navy and the Army duly informed, Kolkata Port Trust Chairman Vinit Kumar said. "The 4.5-meter-long aerial bomb was located around 2 pm yesterday during dredging operations at Netaji Subhas Dock berth II. Initially, we thought it was a torpedo, but the Navy has confirmed that it is a bomb," news agency PTI has quoted him as saying. ALSO READ | Gaganyaan Mission gets Modi Cabinet's nod: 10 things you want to know The explosive is likely to be defused with the help of officials from the Ordnance Factory, he added. Commodore Suprobho K De, naval officer-in-charge, West Bengal, said the bomb does not pose any risk as it has several security locks affixed to it. "It is a 450-kg aerial bomb fitted with brackets to attach with fighter planes. There seems to be no threat from the bomb as it has locks affixed to it. Also, aerial bombs have to be dropped from a certain height to make an impact," he explained. Commodore De said there is not much that the Navy can do about the device. "I hope the KoPT will seek help from the Ordinance Factory, which has expertise in making ammunition. If needed, we may contact Vizag naval base for assistance," Commodore De said. Netaji Subhas Dock, on the east bank of Hooghly river, was extensively used by the US Navy during World War II for its operations. ALSO READ | Mann ki Baat Live: Modis monthly radio address to begin soon World War II also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. World War II was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by 50 to 85 million killings, most of whom were civilians in the Soviet Union and China. It included massacres, the genocide of the Holocaust, strategic bombing, premeditated death from starvation and disease, and the only use of nuclear weapons in war. World War II changed the political alignment and social structure of the globe. The United Nations (UN) was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Congress termed the Enforcement Directorate an "embarrassing disaster" under the current dispensation on Sunday, a day after the investigating agency told Delhi's Patiala Court House that Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal, had named 'Mrs Gandhi', but did not specify in which context the reference was made. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party is fully committed to probing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government's "collusion" with AgustaWestland if it comes to power in 2019. "The ED may save the Modi government today, but when it is voted out of power in 2019, we are committed to fully investigate PM Modi and his government's collusion with AgustaWestland," Surjewala told reporters, adding that "under Modi, the ED has become an embarrassing disaster." Also Read | AgustaWestland | Christian Michel's letter reveals how he mounted pressure on Manmohan Singh: Report On Saturday, the ED also told the special court that Michel had spoken about "the son of the Italian lady" and how he is going to become the "next prime minister of the country". ED's lawyer said Michel has spelled out how state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was removed from the deal and how it was offered to Tata instead. Surjewala alleged that the Centre was mounting pressure on Michel to make "false" statements against the Gandhi family and dared it to place in the public domain any such evidence it has against the Congress leadership. "They are using Christian Michel as a sounding board to defend its own wrong doings and misdeeds. Panicking and running scared, PM Modi and his government are now raking up controversies to hide its own government's connivance," he said. "It is now clear that the 'chowkidaar is daagdaar' (the watchman is tainted)," he alleged. Hitting the Congress back, the BJP accused the Rahul Gandhi-led party of "defending" Michel and asked why it was "scared" of an investigation into the case. Also Read | AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel takes names of Mrs Gandhi, 'son of Italian lady': ED to court The ruling party also condemned the Congress for allegedly giving a political colour to the issue and asked why the name of a Gandhi family member cropped up whenever a foreigner was caught for corruption. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi alleged that the Congress was "jittery" since Michel's extradition and its fears were evident as it sought to provide cover to him in court. "Ever since Michael was brought back to India, the Congress expectedly is nervous and jittery and that is coming to the fore, as was evident at its press conference today," Trivedi told reporters. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh police on Sunday arrested two out of the six accused who allegedly abducted a real-estate businessman from the Deoria and thrashed him inside the Deoria jail. The complainant. Mohit Jaiswal, has accused jailed former parliamentarian Atique Ahmed, his son Umar and his five aides of kidnapping and assaulting him. The Uttar Pradesh government has sought a report from the ADG Prison by Monday in this regard and said it will initiate action after examining the report. Narrating his ordeal to news agency ANI, Jaiswal said on December 26, aides of Ahmed forcibly took him to Deoria jail where the former parliamentarian along with his son and 10-12 other men were present. "I was thrashed inside the jail by the accomplices of Atique Ahmed. Forcefully, my four companies were transferred in the name of two associates of Ahmed. I was also made to sign on 15-10 plain papers and they also made me leave my Fortuner vehicle in the jail," reads the first information report (FIR) filed by the complainant. He has also alleged that accomplices of Ahmed have also threatened him and his men of dire consequences. "We had registered the case and had dispatched a team which recovered the vehicles. In the overnight operation, two people who had abducted the businessman have been arrested. Special teams have been formed to arrest the other accused, SSP, Lucknow, Kalanidhi Naithani told ANI. Some high profile 'criminals' including Ahmed, former Samajwadi Party district panchayat chairman Ram Pravesh Yadav and history sheeter K D Singh are lodged in Deoria jail, making it a sensitive prison. Facing more than 40 cases of various heinous offences, 55-year-old Ahmed is currently lodged in the jail for assaulting the faculty members of an agricultural institute in Allahabad in 2016. Having the capacity to house only 5,870 prisoners, the Deoria jail has around 1,600 inmates lodged in it. (With agency inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The man, who had allegedly donated HIV-infected blood to a pregnant woman at a government hospital in Tamil Nadus Virudhunagar district recently, has committed suicide, according to news agency ANI. The Ramanathapuram police said the 19-year-old blood donor had attempted suicide on Wednesday. He was doing fine but when he saw the news that his blood was transfused to a pregnant woman, he consumed rat poison, said the mother of the man. Three lab technicians have been suspended after the gross medical negligence came to light. The woman was allegedly given the HIV-infected blood, which was brought from the Sivakasi Government Hospital, on December 3. The lab technicians at the blood bank in the hospital failed the due diligence. They didnt inform either the donor or the patient about the HIV status of the particular unit of blood. It took more than two years before this shocking lapse could be unearthed. HIV blood transfusion case of Madurai: Person who allegedly donated HIV blood to pregnant woman commits suicide. Donor's mother says, He was fine but as he saw news that his blood was transfused to a pregnant lady, he thought he should not live & consumed rat poison. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/ZKVXD5TiGJ ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 The probe revealed that a man had donated blood at the government hospital in 2016. The hospital failed to inform him that he was detected HIV-Positive. Two years later, the same man again donated blood on November 30. It was around this time that the man went for a series of medical check-ups for his job application abroad. The tests revealed that he was HIV-Positive. He went for another blood test to confirm the HIV status. In between all this, the pregnant woman was given the same blood brought from the Sivakasi government hospital. The probe began only after the donor told the hospital about the HIV status. The state government said it will bear all the medical expenses of the woman. The woman is being counselled for the HIV treatment. While the first level of inquiry has been conducted to identify where the mistake took place, we will conduct further investigations to identify all loose ends, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Suspected terrorists looted four AK rifles from the residence of Congress legislator (MLC) Muzaffar Parray from Jawahar Nagar area in Srinagar. The police have filed a case and sounded an alert in Srinagar. Visuals from Srinagar: Suspected terrorists looted four AK rifles from the residence of Congress legislator (MLC) Muzaffar Parray from Jawahar Nagar area, earlier today. Police have filed a case and an alert sounded in Srinagar.#JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/r8qovXEuAx a ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range, SP Pani confirmed that four rifles were missing. In a similar incident in September, a special police officer looted seven rifles and a licensed pistol from the residence of a PDP leader in the same locality. Later, the SPO, identified as Adil Bashir Sheikh, had appeared in a picture along with a group of terrorists.A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lucknow : Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has hit out at the Uttar Pradesh government saying law and order was never as bad as it is under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He made this comment while reacting to the incident of stone pelting in Ghazipur, which led to the death of constable Suresh Vats. The SP chief claimed that the incident has happened because of Chief Minister who keeps on saying 'thok do' (shoot them).A "Ye ghatna isliye ghati hai kyunki CM sadan mein ho ya manch pe ho unki ek hi bhasha hai athok doa. Kabhi police ko nahi samjh aata kise 'thokna' hai kabhi janta ko nahi samajh aata kise 'thokna' hai. (The incident has happened because of CM who always speaks the language of shootout. Sometimes police is confused regarding whom should they shoot, on other occasions, people are unable to understand who is the target)," the former chief minister said. He also said in the garb of taking action against the culprits, some innocent persons are being harassed. Akhilesh Yadav, SP on Ghazipur stone pelting incident where a policeman died: Ye ghatna isliye ghati hai kyunki CM sadan mein ho ya manch pe ho unki ek hi bhasha hai athok doa. Kabhi police ko nahi samjh aata kise 'thokna' hai kabhi janta ko nahi samajh aata kise 'thokna' hai. pic.twitter.com/0eQCbhGhJe a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018 "The stone pelting incident yesterday in Ghazipur was a failure on the part of the administration. The administration and the intelligence department knew who is protesting and where. Despite this, the unfortunate incident took place," Yadav added. Rebutting Yadav's allegations, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said that prima facie it is the NISHAD workers who are emerging in the case and NISHAD party is in alliance with Samajwadi Party. "Prima facie it is the NISHAD workers, who are emerging in the case. And, while levelling allegations against the state government, Akhilesh Yadav must peep inside himself, as the SP and the NISHAD party are in alliance with each other," media coordinator Rakesh Tripathi of the BJP's Uttar Pradesh unit said.A A A Tripathi added that all the possible angles in the case will become clear in the probe. The police have so far arrested a total of 19 people for allegedly pelting stones which led to the death of Vats. Cops have registered the first information report (FIR) against 32 people and detained several others for questioning.A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: At least 11 people have been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police in connection with the killing of Ghazipur cop by a stone-pelting mob. In the second such incident of mobocracy in the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, a police constable, Suresh Vats was killed in the stone-pelting by protesters. Vats was attacked when he was returning from his duty at Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Ghazipur. The police team was asked to control a mob allegedly from the Nishad community demanding reservation by blocking a highway. The police team was attacked with stones by the protesters when they tried to disperse them. He died on the spot. The police have registered the first information report (FIR) against 32 people and detained several others for questioning. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of the constable. "CM Yogi Adityanath has taken cognizance of the unfortunate death of Constable Suresh Vats in Ghazipur in a stone-pelting incident," the chief minister office said. Also Read | Bulandshahr Violence: Man who allegedly shot SHO Subodh Kumar Singh arrested The Opposition Congress slammed the Uttar Pradesh government over the death, alleging that in Yogi Adityanath's "jungle rule" neither the people are safe, nor the police. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed: "In Adityanath's grand jungle rule, neither the people were safe, nor the police." "Today in Ghazipur after Modi ji's rally, a mob mercilessly killed police constable Suresh Vats," he tweeted. "Democracy in BJP rule=mobocracy," he added. Meanwhile, son of the deceased policeman expressed his anguish towards the department for not being able to protect "one of their own". "Police are not being able to protect their own. What can we expect from them? What will we do with compensation now? Earlier, a similar incident had taken place in Bulandshahr," VP Singh, son of Suresh Vats, said. Also Read | Bulandshahr Violence: My government should be 'thanked, praised', says Yogi Adityanath On December 3, a mob of some 400 people rampaged through a village in Bulandshahr district apparently after cow carcasses were found in a jungle nearby. During the violence, police inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and a 20-year-old man Sumit Kumar died of gunshot wounds. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) closed its bimonthly session Saturday, adopting a revised law on contracting rural land and arrangements on the NPC's annual plenary session in 2019, among others. Presiding over the closing meeting, Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, highlighted that about one-third of the subjects covered in this session were closely connected to China's reform. He stressed the standing committee's duty in implementing reform and ensuring that all major reform measures are taken in accordance with the law. He also called on the NPC and its standing committee to perform due diligence to improve the NPC system and the performance. Before the closing meeting, Li presided over a chairpersons' meeting of the NPC Standing Committee. NEW LAWS AND REVISIONS At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt revisions to the law on contracting rural land to better protect the rights of farmers who have migrated to urban areas. They also passed two new tax laws on farmland occupation and vehicle purchases to replace their respective interim regulations. In addition to revisions to the civil servant law, a package of revisions on 17 laws, including the Product Quality Law and the Electric Power Law, were also adopted to facilitate institutional reform and improve the government's service. MAJOR DECISIONS A decision on the second annual session of 13th NPC was adopted at the closing session, which set March 5, 2019 as the starting date of the annual session. Moreover, lawmakers approved the extension of a trial project in 33 county-level areas concerning the adjustment of laws related to the use of rural land and authorized the State Council to speed up local government bond issuances before the approval of the annual fiscal budget. They also ratified the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Convention on Countering Extremism and approved five reports on the handling of NPC deputies' bills during the March session. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS During the weeklong bimonthly session, NPC Standing Committee deliberated a number of newly submitted drafts, including the draft foreign investment law, draft sections of the civil code and draft revisions to the patent law. Lawmakers also deliberated reports on the implementation of the law on the protection of marine environment, healthcare spending, mid-stage evaluation of the implementation of the 13th five-year plan (2016-2020) and the results of the 2017 central budget spending audit, among others. New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation in 51st edition of his monthly radio show Mann ki Baat at 11 am on Sunday. The years last edition of PM Modis Mann ki Baat will be broadcast on All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan. The monthly radio show, where the prime minister shares his thoughts can also be heard live on the official Narendra Modi App. The program will also be live-streamed on the Youtube channels of the Prime Ministers Office, AIR and DD News. Last month, the Mann ki Baat radio show had completed 50 episodes. In the first 50 episodes, the prime minister has spoken about a bunch of issues of public interest. During the last episode, Modi had emphasised the role of radio as a mighty means of getting across. From remote villages to Metro cities, from farmers to young professionals the array just prompted me to embark upon this journey of Mann Ki Baat, he had said. Here are the live updates of PM Modi's Mann ki Baat radio show: 11:35 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Visuals of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath listening to PM Modi's 'Mann ki Baat'. 11:28 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Much emphasis is being laid on cleanliness during Kumbh. If during course of this event sanitation prevails along with reverence, then it will lead to a positive message reaching far and wide.This time every devotee will be able to have darshan of pious Akshayavat after holy dip. 11:27 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Gudi Padva, Chettichand, Ugadi and others are all celebrated according to the lunar Calendar, whereas Tamil Putandu Vishnu, Baisakh, Baisakhi, Poila Boisakh, Bihu are all celebrated in accordance with solar calendar: PM Modi 11:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Great example of interconnection between us and Nature is the calendar based on our festivals. It comprises festivals all around year as well as the movements of the celestial bodies. This traditional calendar depicts our bonding with natural and astronomical events. Great example of interconnection between us and Nature is the calendar based on our festivals. It comprises festivals all around year as well as the movements of the celestial bodies. This traditional calendar depicts our bonding with natural and astronomical events. #PMonAIR pic.twitter.com/AavmPk3U1h All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) December 30, 2018 11:25 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Sun enters Uttarayan due to Northward movement of earth on celestial sphere and enters Makardasha. It is during this period that days begin to lengthen and winter harvesting of our crops begins. Best wishes to our food providers, the farming brothers and sisters. 11:25 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In On occasion of these festivities,length & breadth of India will be replete.. with verve of traditional dances at places, embers of Lohri symbolizing joy of bountiful harvest at others. Skies dotted with colourful flying kites, elsewhere funfilled air of mela. 11:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In If your resolve is strong, if your fervor, your enthusiasm is without bounds, all your hurdles halt in their tracks. Hardships can never turn into obstacles. When we come to know of such examples, we too feel inspired every moment of our life. If your resolve is strong, if your fervor, your enthusiasm is without bounds, all your hurdles halt in their tracks. Hardships can never turn into obstacles. When we come to know of such examples, we too feel inspired every moment of our life. #PMonAIR #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/bqSGVK96Jz All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) December 30, 2018 11:17 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In 2018, health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat was launched. Electricity reached every village of the country. World agencies recognise that India is pulling its citizens out of poverty at a record pace: PM Modi 11:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Today, Im saying it with pride that it was collective efforts that made the Swachch Bharat Mission a successful campaign. I was told that a few days ago, in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, over three lakh people came together to work for the sanitation campaign. 11:12 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In It was during this very year that our country has successfully accomplished the Nuclear Triad, which means we are now armed with nuclear capabilities-in water, on land and in the sky as well. I sincerely hope that Indias journey on the path of advancement & progress continues through 2019 too. Taking her to newer heights with her inner strengths. 11:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In It is easy to spread negativity. But a lot of positive work is also taking place in our surroundings, says PM Modi. 11:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Happy to be connecting once again, thanks to Mann Ki Baat, says PM Narendra Modi as he begins the 51st edition of his monthly radio show. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Andaman and Nicobar today where he made some big announcements like the renaming of three islands, released a commemorative postal stamp and a coin and hoisted a 150-feet-high national flag at Port Blair to mark the 75th anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. Amid all these things, the one thing which caught all the eyeA balls were the prime minister's new look. He shared his 'new look' on official Instagram account with a caption - aA morning in scenic Port Blairaan early sunrise and traditional attire. Thinking about the brave heroes of our freedom struggle, who gave their lives for our freedom.a In the pics, shared by PM Modi, one can see him sporting a traditional mundu - mostly worn in South India - and a kurta with a customary white Uttariya (traditional scarf). Soon, the post went viral with people complimenting him for his latest look.A While being in Andaman and Nicobar, PM Modi announced setting up of a deemed university after Bose. He also said that his government was working to ensure that no corner in the country and its people are deprived of development. Earlier, Modi visited the Marina Park and hoisted a national flag on a 150-feet high mast. He also paid floral tribute at Netaji's statue in the park. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Ghazipur: The vice chancellor of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, has sparked a controversy with a piece of insane advice for his students. VCA Raja Ram Yadav has apparently asked students to commit murder if they get into a fight. "If youare a student of this University (Purvanchal University), never come crying to me. If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, weall take care of it later," he said while addressing students at a seminar in the University in Ghazipur. #WATCH Purvanchal University Vice-Chancellor Raja Ram Yadav at a seminar in the University in Ghazipur: If youare a student of this University, never come crying to me. If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, weall take care of it later. (29.12.18) pic.twitter.com/omFqXN55z9 a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018 His speech has landed him in a hot water with people now demanding action against him. "A Vice-Chancellor of Purvanchal University advising students to beat up or even Murder. This is the Kind of Education implanted in our Universities Today," a social media user said. "VC of Purvanchal University is asking students to commit violence, even murder, to settle quarrels. Same VC embraced CM Yogi's 'suggestion' to organise Ram Kathas on the campus to teach students 'sanskar'.A Will any channel identify him as 'Tukde Tukde Gang' or 'Urban Sanghi'? (sic)" Kavita Krishnan,A an activist with the All India Progressive Womenas Association,A tweeted. "Social engineering. Abetting offences including heinous crime. He ought to be immediately suspended and served show cause notice to explain why he should not be removed from the post (sic)," reads a tweet on microblogging site. Meanwhile,A Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh slammed Raja Ram Yadav for his statement and said that the VC of such mentality has no right to stay in his position. "It was wrong, he canat make such comments. He should teach students the way of peace but heas doing agunda raja, VC of such mentality has no right to stay in his position. I hope Deputy CM will take appropriate action," Singh was quoted as saying by ANI.A For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The much-anticipated trailer of The Accidental Prime Minister has led to a heated argument between the Centre and opposition parties ever since it emerged on the internet. Meanwhile, giving a further boost to the controversy, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday said the BJP's attempt to criticise former prime minister Manmohan Singh shows their desperation and frustration in the face of imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha election 2019. Starring Anupam Kher in the lead role, The Accidental Prime Minister is based on a controversial piece by former prime minister Manmohan Singh's media advisor Sanjaya Baru. In a statement, Singh further alleged that the BJP's attempt to project Manmohan Singh as a "weak and docile" prime minister is "not only childish but brazenly politically motivated". It is a mere political stunt by the party and a "desperate" effort to undermine the Congress ahead of the general elections next year. Showing confidence in BJP's defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the chief minister further said the BJP needed to accept that they had lost the support of people and it cannot be earned back by doing "cheap politics". Read | Anupam Kher on Manmohan Singh film: This film deserves Oscar nomination "Even the worst critics of Dr Singh could not find fault with him and the BJP was merely using the movie ... as a pawn in a futile attempt to undermine the Congress in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections," Singh was quoted as saying in the statement. Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh: Trailer of #AccidentalPrimeMinister which was tweeted from BJP's official twitter handle & promoted by its leaders to criticize Dr Singh clearly shows their desperation & frustration in the face of imminent defeat in upcoming Lok Sabha elections pic.twitter.com/tDggMxmIbb ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 Reacting strong to the controversial storyline of the biopic, the Congress leader said he himself was a witness to the "total independence" Manmohan Singh received from then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, "who did not believe in interfering in government matters". The trailer of "The Accidental Prime Minister" suggests that Manmohan Singh was a victim of the Congress's internal politics ahead of the 2014 general elections. Read | The Accidental Prime Minister Trailer: 5 dialogues that will blow your mind "Unlike the BJP, the Congress believed in allowing its leaders and members to run their own affairs as they deemed fit," Amarinder reiterated. "This was particularly true in the case of Dr Singh, whose elevation to prime ministership was in itself an indication that the party had complete faith in his abilities and capabilities," he added. On Manmohan Singh, Amarinder said the former prime minister is a "great economist, an independent thinker and decision maker, who had created a niche for himself as one of India's most intelligent and visionary leaders". Manmohan Singh is a "world-class leader in his own right. The nation will forever remain indebted to the former prime minister for leading it to new heights of global eminence through his far-reaching decisions. If India became a global economic superpower, the credit goes to Dr Singh", the Punjab chief minister concluded. Read | On Congress Foundation Day, Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh's 'sweet' moment steals the show Apart from Anupam Kher, The Accidental Prime Minister starts several other well-known figures of the industry, including Akshaye Khanna, Suzanne Bernert, Aahana Kumra, Arjun Mathur in pivotal roles. Helmed by Vijay Gutte, the political drama is scheduled to hit the theatres on January 11, 2019. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: Bees can solve seemingly clever counting tasks with very small numbers of nerve cells in their brains, according to a study. In order to understand how bees count, the researchers at the Queen Mary University of London in the UK simulated a very simple miniature 'brain' on a computer with just four nerve cells - far fewer than a real bee has. The 'brain' could easily count small quantities of items when inspecting one item closely and then inspecting the next item closely and so on, which is the same way bees count. ALSO READ | Cutting down on alcohol may help quit smoking: Study This differs from humans who glance at all the items and count them together. In the study, published in the journal iScience, the researchers propose that this clever behaviour makes the complex task of counting much easier, allowing bees to display impressive cognitive abilities with minimal brainpower. Previous studies have shown bees can count up to four or five items, can choose the smaller or the larger number from a group and even choose 'zero' against other numbers when trained to choose 'less'. They might have achieved this not by understanding numerical concepts, but by using specific flight movements to closely inspect items which then shape their visual input and simplifies the task to the point where it requires minimal brainpower. This finding demonstrates that the intelligence of bees, and potentially other animals, can be mediated by very small nerve cells numbers, as long as these are wired together in the right way. The study could also have implications for artificial intelligence because efficient autonomous robots will need to rely on robust, computationally inexpensive algorithms, and could benefit from employing insect-inspired scanning behaviours. "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," said Vera Vasas from the 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. This scanning streamlines the visual input and means a task like counting requires little brainpower," Vasas said. Brain size matters a lot when it comes to bees. They have only one million nerve cells in total, so they have precious little brainpower, and must implement very efficient computational algorithms to solve tasks. ALSO READ | Alien spotted in Pune? Man claims he saw extra-terrestrial object In comparison, humans have 86 billion nerve cells which are responsible for receiving information and sending commands. To model the input to the brain, the researchers analysed the point of view of a bee as it flies close to the countable objects and inspects them one-by-one. The results showed the simulated brain was able to make reliable estimates on the number of items on display when provided with the actual visual input that the bee is receiving while carrying out the task. For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dhaka: Will Sheikh Hasina retain power for the record fourth consecutive term? That is the big question as Bangladesh goes to polls on Sunday amid massive security arrangements. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards have been deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people are eligible to vote. Security agencies have been asked to keep an extra vigil on religious minority communities as media reports said at least three Hindu households were set on fire by miscreants between December 16 and 26. Bangladeshs telecoms regulator also ordered the countrys mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday to prevent the spread of rumours that could trigger unrest during the election, the 11th since Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls will be held at 40,183 polling stations. Thirteen people have been killed and thousands injured in clashes between supporters of Hasinas ruling Awami League and activists of main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia in pre-poll violence. Hasina, who is seeking to return to power for a third consecutive time, on Saturday expressed fears that the opposition could boycott polls in the middle of voting as part of a political trick to evade a humiliating defeat. Also Read: Bangladesh Army warns of propaganda against military ahead of general elections I want to caution all about the character of (main opposition) BNP...they may say in the middle (of the elections) that we are boycotting the polls. In that case (opposition boycott) I will ask our candidates aher contenders to continue polls until the voting is ended, Hasina, 71, said. The premiers comments came as the BNP is contesting the polls in a state of disarray in the absence of Zia, 73, and her fugitive son Tarique Rahman who is the acting party chief. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while Rahman is living in London ostensibly to evade the law as a court has sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack on a rally in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists. The BNP has stayed out of parliament since 2014 when it boycotted the last election over its demands for a poll-time non-party government. It has returned to parliamentary politics as part of a new alliance - National Unity Front (NUF) - that was cobbled together three months ago with eminent lawyer Kamal Hossain as its convener. Reacting to Hasinas remarks, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said: There is no dispute in our party about taking part in the polls. But what we see, there is no festive mood anywhere and rather a sense of fright is prevailing across the country due to government intimidation, he said. The Election Commission last week also allowed hardline Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, a crucial ally of BNP, to contest the election, two months after it scrapped the fundamentalist partys registration. BNP earlier accused the election commission of being biased during the poll campaign, a charge rejected by Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda. Huda acknowledged a media report about arrests of some polling agents of BNP candidates and called such action unwanted. Unless someone is wanted under certain case, police must not arrest anyone...maintain utmost neutrality in discharging your duties, he said. No member of law enforcement will arrest or harass polling agents of any candidate unless there are specific allegations against them, he said in a directive which he issued in a pre-poll press conference in Dhaka. The opposition parties have alleged that thousands of their leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. The CECs comments came as BNP expressed doubts about credibility of Sundays election alleging their supporters were intimidated and arrested while their agents too were being harassed to keep them away from polling centres. Also Read | Bangladesh Army warns of propaganda against military ahead of general elections Later BNPs Alamgir said Now weve no expectation over the election. This election has become a complete mockery....the state, the government and the Election Commission are working together to turn it into a mockery. Theres no question of win or defeat since it is not an election at all as a particular party is trying to snatch election victory by force and using the state machinery. Alamgir, however, asked his party candidates to stay in the race until the voting ended while NUF convenor Hossain urged voters to restore democracy and exercise their franchise. Streets in major cities including capital Dhaka wore a deserted look by late Saturday as authorities enforced a restriction on vehicle movement as part of security vigil calling out military troops in aid of civil administration. Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed urged voters to exercise their franchise without any fear saying more military personnel would be called out if required. They (military) are conducting constant patrols to ensure that nobody attempts to terrorise or cause unrest. They are also working to ensure that voters are safe," Ahmed said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Pakistan has drawn up an ambitious plan to procure close to 600 battle tanks including T-90 tanks from Russia, primarily to bolster its military might along the border with India, intelligence sources said Sunday. Most of the tanks Pakistan was procuring will be able to hit targets at a range of 3 to 4 km, the sources told PTI. Apart from battle tanks, Pakistan Army is also procuring 245 150mm SP Mike-10 guns from Italy out of which it has already received 120 guns, they said. The sources said Pakistan was eyeing to buy from Russia a batch of T-90 battle tanks- the mainstays of the armoured regiments of the Indian Army - and that the move reflects Islamabads intent to forge a deeper defence engagement with Moscow. Russia has been Indias largest and most trusted defence supplier post-Independence. The sources said as part of the mega plan to significantly revamp its armoured fleet by 2025, Pakistan has decided to procure at least 360 battle tanks globally besides producing 220 tanks indigenously with help from its close ally China. Pakistan Armys move to enhance its armoured corps comes at a time when the Line of Actual control in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed growing hostilities in the last one year. The Indian Army has been strongly retaliating to every unprovoked firing by Pakistani side.? But, when the Indian Army is focused on counter-terror operations, the Pakistan Army was fast reducing its gap with Indian forces in fighting a conventional war, sources said. Also Read | Pakistan gets powerful missile tracking system from China: Report The Indian Army had drawn up a mega plan to modernise its infantry and armoured corps. However almost all the procurement projects including the Rs 60,000 crore Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme are stuck due to a variety of reasons.? At present, Indias armoured regiments, comprising mainly T-90, T-72 and Arjuna tanks, have much more superiority over Pakistan, but sources said Islamabad was seriously planning to bridge the gap at the earliest. As against around 67 armoured regiments of Indian Army, the number of similar regiments in Pakistan Army is around 51, the sources said. They said, at present, over 70 per cent of the tanks in Pakistans armory have the capability to operate during night which, they said, was a matter of concern. Besides eyeing to procure T-90 tanks, Pakistan Army is also in the process of inducting Chinese VT-4 tanks as well as Oplod-P tanks from Ukraine, the sources said. Trials for both Oplod and VT-4 tanks have already been conducted by the Pakistan Army. At present, Pakistan is learnt to have around 17 units pf Chinese origin T-59 and T69 tanks, which comprise 30 per cent of its total tank strength, the sources said.? It also has 12 regiments of Al-Zarar tanks, which makes 20 per cent of the tank fleet while Ukrain origin T-80-UD and T-85 UD, as well as upgraded version of T-59 tanks, comprise the rest of the 50 per cent tank fleet, they said. Also Read | Watch: Indian Army targets Pakistan military administrative HQ in retaliation to shelling The Pakistan Army is carrying out modernisation of its armored regiments in a calibrated and time-bound manner which is not the case in India, said an expert, who wished not to be named. He said it was a matter of concern the way Pakistan was modernising its tank fleet. The Indian Army has also raised an independent tank brigade which is stationed in Ladakh but it is not enough, the expert added. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Russia and Turkey on Saturday agreed to coordinate ground operations in Syria after last week's shock announcement of a US military withdrawal, Moscow's top diplomat said. "Of course we paid special attention to new circumstances which appeared in connection with the announced US military pullout," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in Moscow. "An understanding was reached of how military representatives of Russia and Turkey will continue to coordinate their steps on the ground under new conditions with a view to finally rooting out terrorist threats in Syria," Lavrov said. ALSO READ | How a bird watcher broke the news of Trumps Iraq visit Cavusoglu confirmed the two countries would coordinate Syria operations, adding they also discussed plans to help refugees to return home. "We will continue active work (and) coordination with our Russian colleagues and colleagues from Iran to speed up the arrival of a political settlement in the Syrian Republic," he said in remarks translated into Russian. Besides Lavrov and Cavusoglu, Russian and Turkish defence ministers Sergei Shoigu and Hulusi Akar also attended the talks. Last week, Trump surprised the world and his country as well when he suddenly announced that the US is pulling out its troops from Syria. "In Syria, Erdogan said he wants to knock out ISIS, whatever's left, the remnants of ISIS. And Saudi Arabia just came out and said they are going to pay for some economic development. Which is great, that means we don't have to pay. We are spread out all over the world. We are in countries most people haven't even heard about. Frankly, it's ridiculous," Trump added. 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. ALSO READ | US-Mexico wall row: Trump blames Democrats for border deaths 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. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed opposition Democrats for the death of two immigrant children who died in US custody. Taking to micro-blogging website Twitter, he wrote, Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They can't. If we had a Wall, they wouldn't even try!". His comments came after the separate deaths of two Guatemalan children, aged seven and eight, who crossed the border illegally with relatives who were taken into custody by US Border Patrol. ALSO READ | Watch: Pervez Musharraf seeks covert US support to regain power Earlier, threatened to "entirely close" the Southern border with Mexico and change the immigration laws if the opposition Democrats did not agree to his demand of funding for a border wall. The Trump administration is seeking more than US dollar 5 billion for the construction of the border wall. Trump also threatened to end all US aid to three Latin American countries--Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras-- arguing that these nations have done nothing to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the US. Donald Trump made a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking a key campaign promise in the 2016 election when he said it would be paid for by Mexico. "We will be forced to close the Southern Border entirely if the Obstructionist Democrats do not give us the money to finish the Wall & also change the ridiculous immigration laws that our Country is saddled with. Hard to believe there was a Congress & President who would approve," Trump said in a series of four tweets. "The United States looses soooo much money on Trade with Mexico under NAFTA, over 75 Billion Dollars a year (not including Drug Money which would be many times that amount), that I would consider closing the Southern Border a 'profit making operation'," the US President tweeted. "We build a wall or close the Southern Border. Bring our car industry back into the United States where it belongs. Go back to pre-NAFTA, before so many of our companies and jobs were so foolishly sent to Mexico. Either we build (finish) the Wall or we close the Border..," Trump said. ALSO READ | Michelle Obama tops Hillary Clinton as America's most admired woman Democratic leader, Nancy Pelosi, who is the Speaker-designate to the House of Representatives beginning January 3, said that her party which will have a majority in the lower chambers next year will vote for a responsible end to the ongoing government shutdown. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Issuing the first cold weather warning in winter this year, the Home Affairs Department of the government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Saturday opened 18 temporary shelters for people in need. The temperature dropped sharply across Hong Kong on Saturday with the minimum temperature at 11 Celsius degrees in the urban areas and a few degrees lower in other areas. The average temperature of winter in Hong Kong this year was around 20 Celsius degrees. According to the Hong Kong Observatory, cold weather will persist for over a week with winds and rains, and is expected to continue over the New Year holidays. Amid the cold weather, three seniors were sent to hospital on Saturday. Fewer people appeared on the street even though it was weekend. "It was a little bit late to issue the cold weather warning this year as it is supposed to be issued in early December," said Shun Chi-ming, director of the Hong Kong Observatory. "Because of El Nino, it will be warmer in Hong Kong following the rising global temperature." A shocking murder/suicide involving incest and storm that walloped the Danbury area were the top news stories of the yearbut certainly not the only news. Click through to see the top stories of 2018. In April, New Milford and Dover, NY communities were rattled when a North Carolina man who fathered a child with his biological daughter shot and killed her and her adoptive father in Gaylordsville. He then took his own life in Dover, N.Y., as police closed in. Meanwhile, authorities visiting the man's home outside Raleigh found the body of the child, who was also dead. Police in Knightdale, N.C., identified the shooter as Steven Walter Pladl, 45, the slain woman as his biological daughter, Katie Rose Pladl, 20, and the slain man as her adoptive father, Anthony Fusco, 56. The baby was Walter and Katie Padl's son. Katie Pladl was adopted at an early age by a family in Dutchess County, N.Y., and graduated from Dover High School. When she turned 18, she found her birth parents through social media. She went south to meet them, the reports said, and she eventually became sexually involved with her father and bore him a son.Steven and Katie Pladl were charged with incest in February. They had told authorities they planned to marry. In May more than 39,000 people remained in the dark 48 hours after Connecticut was hit with three tornadoes and a macroburst. Two people in the Danbury area were killed. A woman in New Fairfield was killed when a tree fell on her car. A toddler who was also in the car survived the accident, authorities said. A man was killed while doing yard work at his home in the Candlewood Lake area. The man went into his truck while doing yard work and a tree fell on the truck. In Brookfield, weather service officials examined severe damage on the ground and determined it likely was not a tornado. The worst damage was most likely caused by an intense downdraft of air known as a macroburst, the weather service reported. There is about 70% support among Americans to use human gene editing to cure or correct diseases. The support among people in China for using human gene editing to cure disease was similar in a recent poll. The US support has increased about ten percent from a 2016 Pew Research poll. The Chinese poll of people living with HIV and Aids showed support of 95% for using human gene edit for HIV prevention. The Chinese poll of the general public showed 75-80% support for human gene editing to treat genetic heart disease or to extend life. The Chinese poll had 30% support for human gene editing to increase intelligence or physical capabilities. The US poll showed 12% support for human gene editing to increase intelligence. There was also 19% who were neither for or against human gene editing to increase intelligence. Chinas support or undecided combined levels for human gene editing to increase intelligence or physical capabilities is likely over 50%. Nextbigfuture is pretty sure that the support for human gene editing for a specific disease that is an imminent threat to the person being asked will be about 95%. Nextbigfuture is pretty sure that the support for human gene editing for life extension will be over 90% as this is shown to clearly be effective and safe. The support will also be high if the gene editing life extension reverses aging to enable people to have less aging damage. As Vladimir Putin's tool, President Donald Trump has destroyed our allies' trust in America. After Trump's wavering commitment to defend NATO, both French President Emannuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel started advocating for independent European defense forces. Recently, Trump suddenly gave Putin, Iran, Hezbollah, ISIS, al-Qaida and the Taliban huge gifts that jarred our allies, as well as our own defense and diplomatic leaders.He ordered a full U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria and ordered dramatic troop cuts in Afghanistan. Quickly, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis resigned. He understood that Trump's impulsive and uninformed decision bushwacked our allies. Throughout Europe, this created fear. It isolated Israel, strengthened Iran and set the stage for Syria and Turkey to slaughter thousands of Kurds. As for Syrian refugees? Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin's headline screamed death: "Trump is leaving 50,000 Syrian civilians to die." As Trump will clearly do almost anything to distract from his numerous political and judicial defeats and investigations, the stock market collapse, and his border crisis, our allies would be foolish to trust him. How can they trust a president who has threatened to cancel our nuclear arms treaty with Russia, begun withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change and implicitly supported Saudi Arabia's murder of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi? Trump has taught tyrants that he's "for sale," that he's unthinking, easily manipulated and full of bluster, not substance. No wonder Kim Jon Un announced that for North Korea to start denuclearizing, the U.S. must first eliminate its nuclear threat to his country. By isolating the United States, showing the world he can't be trusted and readily jumping through Putin's hoops -- to ultimately have his name on a Moscow Trump Tower, perhaps? -- he's increased the likelihood of war, perhaps nuclear war. The situation is dire. Only powerful, persistent and focused public pressure on Congress can improve the situation. Howard Margolis, Voorhees Township Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com Cumberland Regional High School assistant principal Terence Johnson has been chosen as New Jersey State Assistant Principal of the Year for 2019 by the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA)/National Association of Secondary School Principals. Johnson was recognized for his work with the CRHS Freshman Seminar/Senior Mentoring program, along with the positive relationships he has built over the years with his students. The Freshman Seminar/Senior Mentoring program, established at Cumberland Regional under Johnsons leadership during the 2010-2011 school year, partners at-risk ninth-graders with role model senior mentors to work together during and outside of class time on character and leadership development, the promotion of positive school culture, and setting and progressing toward the achievement of goals for academic success. Johnson will be honored in Boston, Mass., this summer as one of the 50 Assistant Principals of the Year from throughout the nation, and also will be recognized at the NJPSA State Convention in October, where he will be presented with a $7,000 check for CRHS. In response to Luis Perez's recent letter, "A wall works in Israel, why not here?" I say: Give it a rest. The disingenuous argument from the right -- if you don't support President Donald Trump's plans for a border wall, you want "open borders" -- is nothing more than propaganda. We do not need a monument to Trump's ego to protect our southern border. We have 21st century technology that would be far more effective in securing the border than a 14th century solution like a wall. A wall will not solve our immigration problems. Almost half the people who are in this country illegally came here legally and overstayed their visas. The majority of drugs smuggled into this country come through legal ports of entry. How will a wall stop this? The short answer is: It won't. The wall is just a simple solution from a simple mind. The problem is far more complex and requires comprehensive actions. There are some places on our border where a wall would be effective, and others where drone technology would be a better solution. Also, creating an easier path to citizenship for asylum seekers and migrants would reduce the count of undocumented persons in our country. Then, there is the idea of prosecuting those who hire undocumented workers. So, quit the rhetoric. I do not want open borders, and neither do most of my fellow Democrats. The bottom line is that the wall is all about Trump's inflated self-worth, and has nothing to do with solving the real issue. William Roth, Pitman Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com Jersey City and the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association (POBA) have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract that would increase the starting salary by $4,000, the city announced Friday. The city, which had made major gains in an arbitration award in 2017, said it will re-open the last two years of that contract for a series of changes in the pact, including an increase in starting salary, modifications to health care benefits, work rule changes and a four-year extension to the contract. The agreement must be approved by the POBA membership and then would go before the City Council for final approval. Effective Jan. 1, the starting salary for police officers would increase to $41,000. The city would also restore two pay steps that the new officers lost in arbitration and restore longevity payments to officers hired after Jan. 1, 2013. Over the last five years, our administration has hired hundreds of officers and today is another validation of our commitment toward our police department and safety of our residents, Mayor Steve Fulop said in a statement. Im glad that the administration was able to work with the Jersey City POBA to find common ground. Additionally, the city would increase the salary at top pay during the last two years of the arbitration award. These are the last two years of service for the three large classes of officers who have served for 23 years. This tentative agreement comes from many, many hours of, at times, tenuous discussions and will now be brought back to the nearly 700 members of the JCPOBA so that their voices can be heard," said JCPOBA President Carmen Disbrow. Changes to health care policies would be phased in over the next two years and and longevity payments would be eliminated for new hires under the new contract. City officials said these changes are important for the citys fiscal health now and in the future. Previous contracts cut starting salaries and put the savings into top pay; the $4,000 increase for new officers is over 10 percent and sorely needed as they start their careers, said Police Director Tawana Moody. We were also able to increase flexibility for our police chief, who is implementing innovative crime fighting and community relations programs. BAYONNE Frank Perrucci loved his family, his country, his adopted hometown of Bayonne and most of all, people. Whether it was fighting in two wars, or fighting for the underprivileged in his community, Perrucci was there, and always giving. The 91-year-old, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, died on Thursday, leaving a legacy few can match. Its a sad day for Bayonne, said Third Ward Councilman Gary La Pelusa Sr. Frank Perrucci who served in World War II and the Korean War died on Thursday. Though his passing has taken a toll of the town, theres no doubt his name will live on through his work. His name will never die in the city of Bayonne, said Councilman-at-Large Juan Perez. I mean, the guy was great. I have tremendous respect for the man. In August, Perrucci was awarded the San Sebastian Award, which is a lifetime achievement award and is dedicated to the service of veterans and their Catholic faith. Perrucci served as a member of the U.S. Merchant Marines and later in the Army, where he received the American Campaign Medal and WWII Victory Medal. In 2016 he was also awarded the Field of Heroes award at Bayonne High School; and also received a medal from Hudson County in 2014. Perrucci was active and charitable to the community. The 91-year-old was part of the Concerned Citizens of Bayonne as well as the Bayonne chapter of Sons of Italy, to which La Pelusa also belongs. Additionally, Perrucci was the chairman of the Sept. 11 Bayonne Remembers Committee and actively advocated for the 9/11 Teardrop memorial. When special memorial bricks were being removed for a cruise port project, Perrucci was the first one to make sure they were saved. But his work wasnt just for the older generation. In 2012, the Concerned Citizens of Bayonne opened the Frank P. Perrucci Concerned Citizens of Bayonne Scholarship, which is worth $1,000 and open to any high school senior in Bayonne. 'Mr. Selfless,' I have always felt best described Frank Perrucci, said former Jersey Journal reporter and Guttenberg Mayor Peter Lavilla in a statement. He, and the civic organization that bears his name was always there to help those in need -- not always around holidays -- but always when necessary. Perrucis wake will take place next Wednesday at the Migliaccio Funeral Home, according to La Pelusa Sr. JERSEY CITY The idea first cropped up in Michael Markmans head around 2004. But it took some help to bring it to life. Markman, 55, an art teacher, husband and father of two, illustrator, childrens book author and artist, first found the inspiration for his newest comic book Arthman, the story of a time traveling creative superhero, from a nickname his students used to call him. My younger (students) used to call me Art man, and thats when the idea first popped up, the Jersey City School 5 art teacher said. And I started developing the idea, just fooling around with it, and its sitting there in my mind for years. I couldnt get it out of my head. So he asked his son, Tariq a writer himself for assistance crafting the story. Then he got support from two of his former students: Lily Yang, 27, a former student of Junior High School 56 in New York City when Markman worked there, and Daniella Coca, 21, a former student at School 5 in Jersey City. The two co-illustrated many of the pages in the book. He also received editorial assistance from Jersey City teachers Omar Alvarez, Shazia Faisal, Ahmed Hassanein, as well as coloring from Gregory Charles all award-winning teachers in the district. "I'm really, really proud of this, because I'm not a comic book artist by nature. But I could not have done it on this level without them, no way," he said. Markman has published "Surviving the Storm," a comic book inspired by Hurricane Sandy that details the importance of disaster preparedness, and also wrote and illustrated the children's book "Path an Adventure in African History." His new work chronicles a hero "who comes from ancient times and travels throughout time, protecting creativity," Markman said. "There is a villain called the Dissuader who wants to gather some of the creative powers that Arthman has, which are embedded in this creation stone which is an ancient stone," Markman said. "He travels through time as well and possesses people who feel insecure and that insecurity allows him to come in and take over their mind and spirit and try to use creativity for selfish reasons." The comic book, published under Markmans own company, MBS publishing, is for sale on Amazon as well as at the Manifest Comic Store in Bayonne. New issues of the superheros journeys are also in the works. Markman said he hopes readers will walk away with a better appreciation of the power of art, and "what art can do, and how it can promote not only creativity but courage, as Matisse said." Its not easy for anyone to create, and its also not easy to stand up for whats right. So were combining both of those things: standing up for whats right and using art to make a statement and stand up against oppression, selfishness, sexism, racism, etc., he said. State Cemetery Board officials said it would look into the massive removal of trees at a cemetery in North Bergen after visitors expressed outrage. Now another state agency has stepped in and ordered the work be halted. Grave stones knocked over, freshly cut trees stacked on a hillside and freshly dug holes in the earth is what visitors are greeted by when they enter Weehawken Cemetery, located at 4000 Bergen Turnpike. It looks like a war zone," said Frank Ciappi, who has family members buried there. Its extremely sad and disturbing that they would desecrate a cemetery for no valid reasons ... except maybe for monetary reasons to put additional grave sites," he added. The cemetery manager told The Jersey Journal in an email that the trees are being removed as part of a long term maintenance plan." We have professionals removing the trees so it is being managed and nothing is dangerous, said the cemetery manager Michael Baratta. He also said that the grave stones that had been covered by brush and bushes, which were toppled during the work, would be re-installed when the work is complete. Matthew DAlessandro, the assistant manager of the Hudson Essex Passaic Soil Conservation District, inspected the cemetery on Friday after receiving a complaint from a North Bergen resident, he said Monday in an email to The Jersey Journal. I confirmed [on Friday] there was a soil disturbance taking place greater than 5,000 square feet without a valid Soil Erosion and Sediment Control certification required by the Soil Erosion and Sediment Control Act of NJ," DAlessandro continued in the email. The District which addresses storm water, soil erosion and sedimentation issues that result from land disturbance activities cited soil erosion risks that come with chopping down so many trees on a hillside and issued a stop work order effective Dec. 29. Some who complained about the tree-cutting project said they believed the cemetery owners were looking to make room for more graves, although Baratta said no new plots on the now-cleared hill have been sold. The cemetery could face fines of up to $3,000 a day if the work continues, according to a letter from the state. And the cemetery owners may also have to answer to the state Cemetery Board, which oversees and regulates non-religious cemetery companies. The Board is looking into the matter and will take appropriate action, if necessary, said Lisa Coryell, a public information officer at the state Attorney Generals office, which oversees the board. Joe Romano, whose grandparents and aunt are buried at the cemetery, said there have been many times he could not get into the cemetery because the gate was closed, which Coryell said is a violation of Cemetery Board regulations. I was really disappointed. In the 30 years weve had people there, it was never like this, said Romano, who noted that the pathway to where his family is buried is extremely difficult to navigate. The condition is disgusting. He said while he understands the cemetery is a business and is probably clearing the trees to make room for additional grave sites, the cemetery should not be left in its current poor condition. It upsets me that I think of (my family) like theyre in the dug-up ... its like a junk yard, Romano said. We paid for perpetual care for these plots, and theres no care there. Editors note: An earlier version of this story indicated that a patient tested positive for hepatitis C. That was incorrect; the patient tested positive for hepatitis B. The former director of nursing was not fired but rather resigned. The North Jersey surgery center that possibly exposed thousands of patients to HIV and hepatitis B and C responded on Saturday to the release of a state report that blasted the facilitys past infection control practices. Representatives of the HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook said at a press conference that of the 3,778 patients possibly exposed to the dangerous diseases by lapses in sterilization procedures, just 186 have been tested so far. Of the patients that have been tested, one has tested positive for chronic hepatitis B. It is unclear if that patients hepatitis B was a preexisting condition, or if the patient contracted the disease after being exposed at HealthPlus according to Mark Manigan, a lawyer representing the surgery center. Manigan said that the New Jersey Department of Health will handle the investigation to determine whether or not HealthPlus caused the patient to contract the disease. Manigan added that it may take weeks or months for the state health department to make that determination. The state health department maintains that the risk of exposure for the affected patients is low. Letters to affected patients were sent out earlier this month. Manigan emphasized that it is up to the patients to decide whether or not to get tested. Meanwhile, HealthPlus is being taken to court in a new class action lawsuit filed in Bergen County Superior Court on Friday. Lauren Marrero and Julio Marrero, a married couple living in Bloomingdale, filed the lawsuit against the HealthPlus. According to Michael Maggiano, the couples attorney, Lauren underwent a spinal epidural, a pain management procedure, under anesthesia at HealthPlus in April. Now, Maggiano says, the Marreros are struggling with the possibility that Lauren may have contracted a life-altering disease from the surgery center during her operation. The attorney described his clients, and all the patients affected by HealthPluss missteps, as regular people that are devastated by the emotional trauma of the potential exposure. The Marreros, and any other patients who join their lawsuit, are seeking a jury trial and requesting that the jury award them damages. Maggiano said that he currently has three clients for the lawsuit and that he expects that number to grow. Manigan had no comment on the lawsuit. The HealthPlus press conference came after the state health department released on Friday a Sept. 7 report detailing infection control shortcomings at the facility. Manigan emphasized that state-approved corrective actions have been taken to address the issues identified by the state. I think patients can rest assured that the New Jersey Department of Health did a thorough investigation, Manigan said. The response to that [investigation] was thorough, comprehensive and robust. The situation is being monitored very closely, and if the Department of Health and the State of New Jersey puts their imprimatur on a facility after an event like this, I think anyone can feel safe about coming here. The lack of proper sterilization and the improper use of multi-dose medicines at HealthPlus were compounded by the fact that patients with preexisting cases of HIV and hepatitis B and C were operated on at the facility, according to Manigan. That meant that the diseases were introduced into the surgery center, and the lack of sterilization potentially allowed them to hang around and infect other patients. The state report also found that controlled substances, particularly opioids like fentanyl, frequently went missing from HealthPlus. Manigan said that the people believed to be responsible for the missing medicine are no longer associated with the surgery center. Manigan added that an internal investigation into the missing drugs was conducted to determine where they were going, but he said the investigation was inconclusive. Someone was either throwing out the medication, or it was being stolen, Manigan previously told NJ Advance Media when asked about the missing opioids. HealthPlus was closed by the state immediately after the Sept. 7 inspection. In the aftermath of the inspection, HealthPlus took state-approved corrective actions to address the problems that had been found. As part of this, HealthPlus fired two employees that were involved in sterilization processing and the facilitys director of nursing resigned, then hired new people to fill those three positions. The surgery center reopened on Sept. 28. But those changes have provided little comfort to already affect patients, according to Maggiano, who added that the lack of changes in management raises doubts about whether or not the corrections will be enough. Nothing this massive over such a span of time happens just because of two low level employees," Maggiano said. "This was a system failure, and we know that system failures happen at the top. The owner of HealthPlus, Long Island real estate millionaire Yan Moshe, was not at the press conference. Besides HealthPlus, Moshe also owns Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus and Dynamic Surgery Center in Hackensack. Dynamic was last inspected the by state in June; the inspection report is not currently available online but Manigan said the facility passed with flying colors. HealthPlus has created a website, www.healthplusnj.com, dedicated to the situation that Manigan said will post updates going forward. Those affected can call 1-888-507-0578 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to schedule a test at Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus, or at LabCorp locations in New Jersey or New York. Read the Marreros complaint against HealthPlus below Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. By Janna Chernetz As transit advocates and NJ Transit commuters ourselves, we of Tri-State Transportation Campaign have a front-row seat to riders frustrations and we saw them only grow over the course of the Christie administration, which was an eight-year rampage of budget cuts, service cuts, patronage hires and just plain neglect. We also know many people hoped that things would turn around on Day 1 of the Murphy administration. However, Rome wasnt built in a day and neither shall NJ Transit be restored to a national leader in a year. The reality has been far more complicated. Between October 2016 and August 2017, state Sen. Bob Gordon, Assemblyman John McKeon and Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg held hearings to get to the bottom of the problems at NJ Transit. Testimony revealed an agency crying out for reform after being beset by funding gimmicks that crippled the agency, leadership struggles, vacancies and brain drain, service problems, repeated safety violations and low employee morale. Unfortunately, it was loud and clear that nothing would happen during the remnants of the Christie administration. As we are closing in on the first year of Phil Murphys governorship, its important to take a moment to applaud his administrations accomplishments, but to also be reminded that there is still much more work to be done. Trentons sleeves were rolled up and ready to work on addressing a number of fundamental underlying deficiencies that led NJ Transit to this place. Much as one cannot build a home without first laying the foundation, so too was the crisis at NJ Transit so dire that the agency required rebuilding from the bottom up. Some of this groundwork has been mostly invisible to riders. Seven days into his administration, Murphy signed Executive Order No. 5, which launched a comprehensive audit of NJ Transit, a critical step we not only supported but called for during the Christie administration. The results were released in October and confirmed an agency in dire need of overhaul while providing much needed direction for correction. Murphy, with the support of the Legislature, moved forward with some financial relief under his first budget as governor, announcing a multimillion-dollar funding increase for NJT. While more is needed, it was a welcome reversal from years of financial starvation. A new executive director, Kevin Corbett, was also appointed and his first mission was to ensure the agency fully complied with positive train control requirements from the Federal Railroad Administration. PTC is an emergency safety system designed to automatically stop or slow down a train to avoid collisions. It is also an unfunded Federal Railroad Administration mandate that required work to be completed by Dec. 31. After an all-hands-on-deck approach and some tough and unpopular decisions, PTC installation is now complete and the agency is on track to meet the final deadline for being fully operational by December 2020. With all signals from Trenton indicating real intent to move forward with reforming NJ Transit, Tri-State Transportation Campaign released a report this summer detailing the structural and composition deficiencies of NJ Transits board and identified it as an outlier compared with similar transit agencies. The report recommended the board be expanded to include a diverse swath of expertise and geographic requirements and also require rider representation to bridge a noticeable disconnect between riders and agency leadership. When boards are weak, as was NJ Transits, they become merely a rubber-stamping body that leads the agency astray in serving riders needs. Case and point, NJ Transits board voted against management only twice in 38 years. After two years, bill sponsors Weinberg and McKeon were able to successfully work with an administration that finally takes significant steps toward reforming NJ Transit. A comprehensive reform bill was signed into law before the holiday break. In addition to board restructuring, under this new law, riders can expect more mandated public hearings triggered for proposed schedule changes, expanded public disclosure requirements and oversight, which, if properly implemented, will ensure that the agency does not go down the wrong road again. More public hearings before schedule changes are implemented will provide early feedback to the agency regarding real-life impacts. Whats next for 2019? Theres one more piece of legislative relief available to commuters that our elected officials just need to give the final push to implement, and that is the Commuter Tax Benefit. This bill allows employees to put money aside pretax to help reduce the cost of commuting to work. For those using transit, this could translate to a savings up to $900 annually. Perhaps riders will see this benefit become a reality in the first weeks of 2019. We also hope Trenton takes an early look at two big issues in 2019: bus service and dedicated funding for operating. After five fare hikes since 2000, NJ Transit riders pay some of the highest fares in the nation and have been unfairly burdened with bearing the responsibility of providing roughly 50 percent of operating revenue, which is much higher than comparable agencies. The administration has already promised no fare hikes through June 2019, but any fix to NJ Transits budget woes cannot be on the backs of riders. NJ Transit should also make 2019 the Year of the Bus: long procurement and construction timelines mean it may take a long while to improve train service, but bus service can improve by leaps and bounds much more quickly and cheaply. NJ Transit reform will require riders patience and our elected officials dedication and commitment over the coming years, but as longtime advocates for better transit, we are confident the wheels have been set in motion for meaningful change at the ailing agency. It is now up to Murphy and the Legislature to maintain that momentum. Riders expect and deserve nothing less. Janna Chernetz is director of New Jersey Policy at Tri-State Transportation Campaign. On bustling Park Avenue in Weehawken, you will find what can only be described as a cozy, country-style church: Good Shepherd Lutheran. Its so small, it could be mistaken for a combination dining/living room, which isnt far from the mark. But theres no mistaking it for anything other than a church when you gaze on the radiant stained glass windows that date back 100 years. They are nice, diffused light with considerable depth to them, said Denis Finnin, director of the photography studio for the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, who photographed the stained glass windows for the parishs 2019 calendar. Each photo complements a feast that is celebrated that month. And for Finnin, it is also an act of faith since he has worshiped at the church almost as long as Pastor Birgit Solano, who has led it since 1995. Four of the windows were done by Joseph G. Lamb, whose J&R Lamb Studios is Americas oldest continuously run decorative arts company, having been established in 1857 by brothers Joseph and Richard Lamb. The remaining eight windows were done by A.L. Brink Studios, founded in 1926. Both studios were in New York City. Good Shepherd is thriving today because of the pastoral style of Solano, a native of Germany, who also speaks fluent Spanish. Finnin, who was raised Catholic and attended a high school seminary, found Good Shepherd after he grew disillusioned with Catholicism and went church shopping. He and his wife, Margery, wound up going to the church two doors from their home on Columbia Terrace. The clincher for him: Solanos warmth. The church attracts about 40 worshipers at the Sunday English service and 60 at the Spanish-language one. It attracts people who hail from 25 countries, including Finland, Iceland and India, Solano said. The church developed bi-lingual liturgies at Christmas, Easter and for the summer. If not, we are two communities sharing the same building, said Solano, who is also a member of the board of PERC, the north Hudson shelter for the homeless. The parish also runs a state-approved daycare, Little Lambs, for 60 children, which is always at capacity, and serves sandwiches every morning for the homeless. Solano is strong on protecting and helping immigrants, since she is one herself. She recounts numerous stories of children afraid their parents will be taken from them and advises and helps parents to be prepared. She describes Good Shepherd as a safe haven, a fitting image of its namesake. Solano is the parishs only paid employee and relies on parishioners and neighbors to pitch in, which they do. They are inspired by her unconditional love for all who enter the doors of Good Shepherd, which calls them before every service by the manual ringing of bells in the choir loft. Finnin and his wife restored those bells and are thrilled to ring them and welcome everyone into the quaint church bathed in the light of stained glass with a lot of feeling, said Finnin. Like the pastor and community. The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, 07030, FAX: 201-659-5833; Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken. Details ... Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is located at 98 Columbia Terrace, Weehawken, NJ 07086. Sunday services (September-June) are in English at 10 a.m. and Spanish at 11:45. Sunday school is offered at 11:45 a.m. For information, call (201) 863-2029 or e-mail buenpastornj@aol.com. To purchase a calendar, send a check or money order for $15 to the church address. By Michael Reagan The liberal media are up to their usual dirty immigration tricks. This time, they're exploiting the death of a second Guatemalan child who died while in the custody of the Border Patrol at the southwestern border. As usual, the liberal media didn't blame the parents for irresponsibly dragging their eight-year-old son across Mexico with the hope of illegally sneaking into America. As usual, they didn't blame Democrats in Congress for refusing to help President Trump secure the border properly in order to dissuade illegal immigrants from Central America from trekking to our border in the first place. As usual, the liberal media and their Democrat friends blamed the Border Patrol for the tragic death of a sick child. It doesn't fit into the liberal media's false narrative that the men and women of the Border Patrol have been overwhelmed by an unprecedented invasion of illegal immigrants from Central America. It doesn't matter that the Border Patrol and other federal agencies are trying to process, house and care for the 14,000 unaccompanied children that are among the 140,000 illegal Central American immigrants seeking asylum who've been detained in the last two months. Of course, the ultimate bad guy in this tragedy - as the liberal media never tire of telling us - is President Trump. According to the liberal media, the boy and the seven-year-old Guatemalan girl who also died in Border Patrol custody in early December perished because Donald Trump's cruel and heartless administration insists on enforcing our immigration laws. As USA Today's lopsided "news" article spun it, the back-to-back deaths of the children "prompted an outcry from immigration activists, politicians and human rights groups and raised questions about the Trump administration policies that have separated children and parents and filled detention centers." Others in the liberal media shamelessly pushed the same theme, turning the two children into martyrs and innocent patron saints for the open borders movement. Of course you'll never see the New York Times devote so much tearful front-page attention or significance to the deaths of Americans murdered or harmed by illegal immigrants. Those innocent victims, and their grieving families, don't count as martyrs to the Times or CNN because they don't fit the liberal media's two major agendas - opening up our borders and destroying Donald Trump. And unless you watch Fox or listen to conservative talk radio, you're not likely to hear those five-year-old soundbites from hypocritical Democrats like Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, who were advocates for strong border-fences and tougher laws against illegals until President Trump promised to actually implement them. According to Democrats and the liberal media, enforcing immigration laws as they were written by previous administrations is now un-American and immoral - mainly because it's being done by President Trump. Building a fence - or a wall or a barrier or whatever it's called - to protect America's border is now considered to be a crime against humanity, a joke, a waste of taxpayer money. But if all that's true, why do we have so many gated communities? Why is there an iron fence around the White House? Why do I have a gate in front of my house? Why? Because they work, and sensible people who aren't playing partisan politics know it. So why not live in a gated country? Why not put a strong fence with a gate at our country's southern border? In the end it's up to Congress to fix immigration. If the Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate really want to stop more kids from dying in the arms of Border Patrol agents, they have to secure the border, pass comprehensive immigration reform - and do it now. If they won't do it, then it's time for us to begin working to send every one of them home in the next election. I can't think of a better New Year's resolution for the whole country. Happy New Year. Michael Reagan is the son of President Ronald Reagan, a political consultant, and the author of "Lessons My Father Taught Me: The Strength, Integrity, and Faith of Ronald Reagan." Send comments to Reagan@caglecartoons.com. The following is brief history of President Trump's signature issue, the southern border wall. The idea for a wall traversing the southern border of the nation is birthed in the midst of the campaign by alt-right/actual trolls like Steve Bannon and Steven Miller (sans aerosol hairpiece). The wall is launched as a major policy initiative in a campaign that doesn't know what that is. The incredibly dumb idea carries an estimated initial price tag of $25 billion. The president successfully employs "the wall" to rile up the froth-mouthed xenophobes attending his campaign rallies. The excitement culminates in chants of "Build The Wall!" followed by chants of "Lock Her Up!" and some misdemeanor assault. Donald Trump wins the election, loses the popular vote and the zombie apocalypse inches ever closer. The wall remains a racist fever dream, until Democrats, in an effort to preserve DACA, offer to fund the very dumb idea. In a truly remarkable self-own, the president refuses. Time passes. Nothing good happens except for the Great British Baking Show and the Philadelphia Eagles winning the Super Bowl. Go birds. The Democrats retake the House The president, facing the certainty of congressional investigations and the looming specter of Bob Mueller, tries to reinvigorate his base with renewed pledges to build the wall. Wounded and lacking any leverage, the president lowers his ask from $25 billion to $5 billion and says that the wall he promised is actually some fencing and a bunch of metal slats. The Democrats, and Mexico, refuse to fund the slats. The president throws a tantrum and shuts down the government, depriving government employees of their paychecks during the holidays. This is all so dumb. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. In April of 1998, troopers with the New Jersey State Police fired their guns at a van carrying four young men, all of them unarmed, and all of them African-American or Latino. Three were hit, but by some miracle, none were killed. That shooting decisively tipped the balance in the long argument over racism in the State Police, their well-documented habit of pulling over black drivers for the sin of being black. It led to a decade of federal oversight that created real change. Cameras were installed on cruisers, training was revamped, minority troopers were hired and promoted, and internal affairs started cracking down. "They had great success," says the Rev. Reginald Jackson, who led the political campaign demanding change as head of the Black Minister's Council. "But the local police were always worse. The State Police got the attention." Twenty years later, it's time for Round Two. And this fight, against racism in local police departments, is going to be much tougher for several reasons we'll discuss below. But let's start with the facts. A 16-month investigation by NJ Advance Media for NJ.com produced hard data, collected by police themselves, showing that African-Americans are far more likely to be punched, kicked, pepper sprayed, or struck with a baton. They are more than twice as likely to be shot. It's not just that blacks are arrested more often. Among those arrested, blacks are 38 percent more likely than whites to face violence at the hands of local police, according to data gathered by police from 2012 to 2016. And that is despite the fact that white people are more likely to threaten police, and to attack them with a car, knife or gun. Black people are more likely to run away, the data shows. Facing the hard facts is the first step towards reform. It's true, as police union leaders point out, that data itself does not prove misbehavior. It is a warning flag only. But given America's long and undeniable history of racist violence, often fortified today by video, it takes willful blindness to ignore the extreme likelihood that bias is at work. At a minimum, the data demands a deeper dive into police behavior, and the kind of vigorous oversight we saw with the State Police. And the fight to reform local police will be a much steeper climb. New Jersey has more than 500 police departments, and some are bound to resist. Two years ago, the police chief in Wyckoff, Benjamin Fox, was forced out after he encouraged his officers in an e-mail to target African-American drivers based solely on race, saying black gangs in nearby Teaneck were committing burglaries in town. How would a chief like that react to a reform ordered up in Trenton? In Millville, where blacks are seven times as likely as whites to be subject to police force, Chief Jody Farabella sees no need to dig deeper. "It doesn't concern me," Farabella said. "We don't have any complaints about it." The state attorney general doesn't have the resources to adequately oversee all local departments, a pinch made worse in recent years by the fiscal crisis in Trenton. "The attorney general can put out guidance and triage emergencies, but I frankly don't think they have the kind of funding even I had to oversee local police and prosecutors," says John Farmer, who was attorney general when he welcomed federal oversight in 1999. "That makes the job a real challenge." And unlike 1998, there is no grand political push to get this done today. Racial profiling was a core political issue in 1998, a top subject in political debates, and a key goal of civil rights groups. Will this new data kick off an equally determined drive? The biggest change today, though, is that President Trump has abandoned efforts to reform state and local police departments, explicitly ruling out federal interventions like the one that reformed the State Police two decades ago, and the one that is reforming the Newark Police Department today. In those cases, the Department of Justice sent crews to oversee reform, based on plans approved by federal judges, who regularly checked progress. All that's gone now, as long as Trump is with us. We've lost the heavyweight player in this fight. "We are the only game in town now," says former U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, whose 2014 investigation of Newark led to the federal intervention in 2016. For Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, this will be a legacy issue. They have both expressed deep concern about the data, while both have emphasized that most police officers do good work and deserve the public's support. But at some point, a vigorous reform effort is almost certain to provoke opposition from politically potent police unions. So, the real test for Murphy and Grewal has yet to come. Will they start to collect this data on their own, rather than rely on the media? Will they provide the resources needed to do this job right -- to establish best practices, to put supervisory teams in troubled departments, even to help locals buy body cameras and computers? Local governments need to step up as well. In Newark, Mayor Ras Baraka and Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose have both embraced the federal intervention, and all sides say that improves the odds of success dramatically. Will political leaders and police in other New Jersey towns treat a reform drive coming from Trenton with the same respect? We face a daunting task. But with this data as a starting point, New Jersey could break new ground on police reform and set a model nationally. Here's to fighting Round Two with unrelenting vigor in 2019. More: Tom Moran columns Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. The MLB free agency market for relievers is moving slowly. Joe Kelly has signed a three-year, $25 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Andrew Miller has agreed to a two-year, $25 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. However, the best reliever available is taking his time to sign. Former Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel initially had been seeking a contract worth as much as $100 million. But Kimbrel reportedly lowered his target price to the $86 million the Yankees gave closer Aroldis Chapman. Kimbrels decision-making process could be holding up where some of the second-tier relievers sign for 2019, including ex-Yankees David Robertson and Zach Britton. The Red Sox have been linked to both relievers. The Boston Globes Nick Cafardo reports on where things stand between Robertson and the Red Sox: Robertson, who represents himself, isnt tipping his hand on what hes looking for, but hes likely seeking at least in the Andrew Miller range of two years at $25 million total. Robertson, who lives in Rhode Island, has been linked to the Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies, but there are several other teams who have inquired and made offers. The Red Sox are trying to get a veteran reliever on a one-year deal. They feel there will be enough top-shelf veterans they can sign under those terms. MLB Networks Jon Morosi reported this week that the Angels could also be in the mix for Robertson: Free-agent reliever David Robertson has made it known that he would prefer to sign with a team in the Northeast. But there are a couple of factors that may give the Angels a shot at bringing him to Anaheim, as MLB.coms Jon Paul Morosi reports: Robertson knows the clubs general manager, Billy Eppler, from their days with the Yankees, and Robertson wants to be a closer, a role the Halos could offer the right-hander. Aaron Broussards government attorney might get $30,431 from the former Jefferson Parish presidents ex-wife after all. Thats because the 5th Louisiana Circuit Court of Appeal has breathed new life into the lawsuit filed by Tom Wilkinson, the former parish attorney who went to court to collect the money from Karen Parker. Broussard, Wilkinson and Parker were among five defendants who pleaded guilty in federal court to political corruption charges in a scandal that toppled the Broussard administration in 2010. As part of their sentences, they were ordered to pay restitution to the parish government, and were made jointly responsible, along with chief administrative officer Tim Whitmer, for $160,430 of the repayment. But the federal orders did not apportion the amount, leaving it to the four defendants as to who would pay what. Wilkinson says he paid more than his share, and Parker less than hers, so he sued her. Aaron Broussard's parish attorney loses lawsuit for money from former president's ex-wife In June, Judge Scott Schlegel of the states 24th Judicial District Court ruled against Wilkinson. He agreed with Parker that his state court lacks authority to alter the federal courts orders. Now the 5th Circuit disagrees. In an opinion written by Judge Ricky Wicker and joined by judges Jude Gravois and Marc Johnson, the court said Thursday (Dec. 27) that Wilkinson may seek to assert any rights he believes he is entitled to in the state court. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Still, the appeals court did not rule on Wilkinsons basic request: We express no opinion as to the merits of appellants claim. It sent the case back to Schlegel for further proceedings. 71 Louisiana politicians who were sentenced to prison or probation Read the 5th Circuit decision: . . . . . . . Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and education, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach. The Android One program is becoming increasingly popular due to the apparent certainty of two years' worth of regular updates for the phones sold under it. Recently, however, Google has removed the text to this effect from the Android website, leading to user fears that this pledge was being rescinded. However, the company has asserted that this is not the case. 4 Reviews , News , CPU , GPU , Articles , Columns , Other "or" search relation. 3D Printing , 5G , Accessory , AI , Alder Lake , AMD , Android , Apple , ARM , Audio , Business , Camera , Cannon Lake , Cezanne (Zen 3) , Charts , Chinese Tech , Chromebook , Coffee Lake , Comet Lake , Console , Convertible / 2-in-1 , Cryptocurrency , Cyberlaw , Deal , Desktop , E-Mobility , Education , Exclusive , Fail , Foldable , Gadget , Galaxy Note , Galaxy S , Gamecheck , Gaming , Geforce , Google Pixel , GPU , How To , Human 2.0 , Ice Lake , Intel Evo / Project Athena , Internet of Things (IoT) , iOS , iPad Pro , iPhone , Jasper Lake , Lakefield , Laptop , Launch , Linux / Unix , Lucienne (Zen 2) , MacBook , Mini PC , Monitor , MSI , OnePlus , Opinion , Phablet , Radeon , Renoir , Review Snippet , Rocket Lake , Rumor , Ryzen (Zen) , Science , Security , Single-Board Computer (SBC) , Smart Home , Smartphone , Smartwatch , Software , Storage , Tablet , ThinkPad , Thunderbolt , Tiger Lake , Touchscreen , Ultrabook , Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR) , Wearable , Windows , Workstation , XPS , Zen 3 (Vermeer) Ticker Google's Android One-branded phones are gaining popularity in many countries, the United States included. This is mainly because One offers devices with 'vanilla' software for decent prices. Furthermore, they also often arrive with up-to-date versions of Android (e.g. Oreo 8.1 to Pie 9.0), and are associated with a promise of 2 years' worth of timely updates. This circumvents the normal constraints placed on update times through the need of individual OEMs to adapt their own custom skins to the latest versions of the OS. A Reddit user recently pointed out that Google had removed the text referring to this 2-year pledge from its website for Android One. This led to worries that the company was backing away from its explicit promise to support devices sold under this program for that length of time. India Today online even picked up this story, while also incorporating speculation that the OEMs who make Android One devices were finding the update structure unfeasible, and would prefer to market new devices rather than provide new updates. However, Google subsequently responded to this article with the following statement: "We confirm that our promise to provide 2 years of updates on Android One devices still stands and our website design does not impact the promise of this program". Therefore, it seems that the deletion of the update-specific text is not as significant as some may have thought. It is also true that the Android One landing page appears to have been re-designed recently. Then again, the written guarantee of updates has not been restored to it. The announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan shows that the time has come to heal the two country's long festering wounds. As 2018 recedes into history, it will be remembered as the year that witnessed the defeat of Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria. The group suffered a series of calamitous setbacks, resulting in their expulsion from almost all the territory, cities and towns they had occupied since erupting onto the scene in 2014. No single country can claim credit for decimating the jihadists; the U.S., Russia, Syria, Iran, Turkey and many other nations all played a critical role in dismantling Islamic State. The troop withdrawal hopefully signals the beginning of a process to end the wider Syrian civil war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of civilians and uprooted many more. Peace in Syria can be achieved in 2019, provided genuine efforts are made to find a political solution. To start the process, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should extend an olive branch to the opposition groups. There should be general amnesty for those who participated in the fighting. Second, a workable peace formula should be chartered out in coordination with the UN in order to protect political opponents of the regime. There is no harm in ceding some power if it brings stability in the country. However, whether Assad and his forces, now sensing victory after eight years of conflict, can be trusted to do this remains to be seen. The situation in Afghanistan also looks set to conclude after 17 years of the conflict. The Taliban know that they cannot achieve or retain power without the support of the international community. However, they have proved their determination in the battlefield despite heavy odds and now control vast areas of Afghanistan. They are enjoy good communication with Iran, Russia and other nations. The time is appropriate for them to seek a political solution as the U.S. has announced to pull out half of its troops. The meeting held in UAE is just the beginning of a long process that can be successfully concluded in 2019. The direct talks between the U.S. and the Taliban are the result of a broad-based effort to stabilize Afghanistan. IS extremists have been able to reorganize amidst the ongoing carnage in Afghanistan, worrying regional neighbors. The group has a strong presence in Afghanistan and has been involved in some of the deadliest attacks inside the country. IS poses a threat to the entire region, including Russia and the countries of Central Asia. The group's resurgence has helped create a sense of urgency for peace in Afghanistan. The end of Syrian and Afghanistan civil wars will beckon major reconstruction opportunities and help speed up the global economic growth; multi-billion dollars investment will be required to rebuild the two war-torn countries. There are positive signs that 2019 can be a year of peace for the people of Syria and Afghanistan. It will have cascading effect on other nations, as we live in a globalized world where everything is intricately connected. These days, calamities triggered by man-made wars or natural disasters travel indiscriminately across the borders and unsettle countries far off from their epicenters. Conversely, the same is true for peace and stability, which when achieved in one nation can positively impact other regions and nations. With this in mind, the leading powers should work for the collective welfare of the mankind and try to resolve the differences that have so far hampered efforts for peace in Syria and Afghanistan. Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Updated Jan. 1 Kelly Clarkson. Snoop Dogg. Dua Lipa. And Lester Holt? Television viewers on New Years Eve tune in for performances by the latest hitmakers and nostalgia acts. This time around, 11 journalists ranging from familiar faces like Martha Raddatz of ABC to behind-the-scenes editors like Karen Toulon of Bloomberg News shared the Times Square limelight, part of an effort by organizers to recognize the erosion of press freedoms at home and abroad. The journalists were tasked Monday with pressing the crystal button that initiates the minute-long descent of the New Years Eve Ball, a prime moment on a night that attracts tens of millions of viewers. Just before they pressed it, the journalists gathered around the button, cheering and waving to the crowd before bringing the ball down. Among those invited was Karen Attiah, who edited the Washington Post columns of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi dissident and American resident who was murdered in Turkey this year by Saudi agents; Mr. Holt of NBC; Alisyn Camerota of CNN; Vladimir Duthiers of CBS; and Jon Scott, a weekend anchor on Fox News. You are here: World Flash Russian and Turkish military will continue to coordinate their steps to eradicate terrorism in Syria after the withdrawal of U.S. troops, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday. He made the remarks at a press conference following talks attended by his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, defense ministers and intelligence chiefs of both countries. The parties agreed to continue work in strict compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2254, including unconditional respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, Lavrov said. They also outlined concrete measures to intensify joint work aimed at creating conditions for more Syrian refugees to return to their homes, he said. Cavusoglu added that the parties discussed steps to implement the memorandum on the creation of a demilitarized zone in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. In September, Russia and Turkey decided to set up a demilitarized zone between the armed opposition and the government troops in Idlib bordering Turkey. The deal was partially implemented in terms of reducing the rate of violence and the withdrawal of heavy weapons of the rebels from the designated zone, but some ultra-radical rebels refused to comply. The online editions of the news organizations were not affected, and Tribune Publishing said no data about its subscribers was compromised. Every market across the company was impacted, Marisa Kollias, a spokeswoman for Tribune Publishing, told The Los Angeles Times. The Tribunes remaining publications include its flagship, The Chicago Tribune, and newspapers in Florida, Hartford and Maryland. It also owns The Daily News in New York. Missing from Tribunes statements were any details about the nature of the malware or evidence for its assertion that the attack originated overseas. Anonymous sources cited by The Los Angeles Times suggested that the malware may have been a form of ransomware a pernicious attack that scrambles computer programs and files before demanding that the victim pay a ransom to unscramble them. Even if the attack was the work of foreign hackers, that does not necessarily mean it was backed by a government. Ransomware attacks are frequently the work of criminal groups, with three notable exceptions: a huge attack by hackers in North Korea in 2017, an attack months later against Ukraine by Russian hackers and, more recently, attacks against American hospitals and even the City of Atlanta by hackers in Iran. Those latest attacks were believed to be the work of individuals and not directed by Tehran. Neither Tribune Publishing nor The Los Angeles Times said the attack was linked to a ransom demand. But a news article in The Los Angeles Times, and one outside computer expert, said the attack shared characteristics with a form of ransomware called Ryuk, which was used to target a North Carolina water utility in October and other critical infrastructure. Some experts have linked that malware to a sophisticated North Korean group, but CrowdStrike, a security firm that has been tracking the group behind Ryuk, said it believed cybercriminals in Eastern Europe were responsible. Charlotte Anne Williamson and Michael David Croteau were married Dec. 29 at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Newton Lower Falls, Mass. The Rev. George R. Stevens, an Episcopal priest, performed the ceremony. The couple met at Bowdoin College, from which each graduated, the groom magna cum laude. The bride, 25, is a fourth-year medical student at Tufts. She will be pursuing a residency in emergency medicine upon graduation in May. She is a daughter of Sarah K. Williamson and Mark N. Williamson of Weston, Mass. The bride's father works in Boston as a managing partner at Calera Capital, a private equity firm based in San Francisco. The brides mother is the chief executive of FCLTGlobal, a nonprofit organization in Boston that encourages firms to have a longer-term focus in business and investment decision-making. The bride is a maternal granddaughter of Nannerl Keohane, who was the former president of Wellesley College and Duke. Katherine Indira Duceman and Bryan James Plummer were married Dec. 29 at the Arnold Arboretum in Boston. Rick Michalka, a friend of the couple, received temporary permission from the State of Massachusetts to officiate. The couple met at Columbia, where the bride received a master's in public administration and the groom a master's in international affairs. The bride, 29, is a senior associate at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship in Chestnut Hill, Mass. From 2011 to 2013 she worked in the Obama White House as a staff assistant in the Office of Public Engagement. She graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., and also holds a master's in public affairs from Sciences Po Paris. She is the daughter of Dr. Arlene Indra Ramsingh and Dr. Barry W. Duceman of Miami. The brides father, who is retired, was the director of biological science for the New York State Police in Albany. Her mother, also retired, was a senior research scientist at the New York State Department of Health in Albany. What began as a bat mitzvah project has turned into multiple visits a month to the center, where Alexa puts on activities like craft projects and board games. The work has meant so much to her that she now leads 15 teenage volunteers and has convinced her mom to come and help too. Alexa has rarely missed a visit in 5 years. I need to teach them about trust, she says. If I say Im going to be here, Im going to stick to my word. The center is run by JCCA, formerly the Jewish Child Care Association, a beneficiary of UJA-Federation New York, which receives funds from The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund. Founded in 1911, The Timess fund raises money for people of all ages and backgrounds. She wanted a cigarette, Ms. Goodson recalled. I said, Youre in the hospital, you cant have a cigarette. She said, Ma, please. So I gave her the cigarette. But I didnt light it. And she was happy with that. Later, she offered her daughter a final reassurance: I said: Dont worry, just go to sleep, and Ill be with you when you wake up. And she went to sleep in my arms. Knowing how proud her daughter had been that she had gotten clean intensified Ms. Goodsons desire to make a positive impact on the world. She returned to school with the desire to help others with addiction and mental illness, eventually joining a nonprofit service organization as a counselor. When I got sober, I wanted everybody to get sober, Ms. Goodson said. Her familiarity with addiction sharpened her ability to spot danger signs. From someones eyes or tottering movement, Ms. Goodson could tell if a patient was intoxicated and having people lie to her was disheartening. Sometimes she would argue vehemently against a patients discharge, certain that relapse was imminent, and be proven right weeks later. The knowledge that she could not protect everybody was demoralizing. With time, Ms. Goodson has accepted that she is not responsible for everyone; she often recites the Serenity Prayer. So in August 2015, her mother decided to send a letter about the plaques to Hudsons Bay, the Canadian retailer that had acquired Lord & Taylor in 2012. My daughter and I had been shopping for hours, taking advantage of the sales, she began. It was Memorial Day, and not even one flower was placed there to honor them. They were completely forgotten. The sale was the thing. It was shameful. I want these honor rolls moved to a prominent location, perhaps near the first floor elevator bank. If there is no wall space then build one. Mrs. Robinson told her daughter to print it and send it. I didnt, she said. By then, her mother was frail she had cancer. Every so often, she would ask about the letter to Hudsons Bay. I didnt have the heart to tell her I didnt do it, Ms. Robinson explained. More than once, she simply said she had not received a reply. If Mrs. Robinson saw through her daughters prevaricating, she did not let on. Just before Christmas, the daughter went through Lord & Taylor for a last look at the plaques. There was also some reminiscing about shopping trips with her mother and about how shopping has changed. Why go to stores these days, anyway? It did not help that Lord & Taylor had aged, maybe too gracefully. It lacked the trendsetting appeal of, say, Bloomingdales in the 1970s and 1980s. Lord & Taylor was the last of the stores that didnt have loud music, Ms. Robinson said. It wasnt blaring noise. It wasnt so hipster. Lord & Taylor had long since dropped its everything-under-one-roof strategy, and departments like the cut-flower and plant section and the piano section disappeared. But some throwbacks remained. Ms. Robinson remembered Lord & Taylors coat check, and she remembered checking more than a coat. Larry led us to uncover potential that we never would have seen had he not pushed so hard for increased functionality, said Vinton G. Cerf, Googles chief internet evangelist and a graduate student in computer science at the University of California, Los Angeles when Dr. Roberts was overseeing the building of the Arpanet. He pushed all of us to find ways in which we could make good on the promise of resource sharing. He was also a serial entrepreneur and corporate executive. After leaving ARPA in 1973, Dr. Roberts founded or co-founded a half-dozen companies focused on computer networking. Lawrence Gilman Roberts was born on Dec. 21, 1937, in Westport, Conn., the youngest of three children. His parents, Elliott and Elizabeth, were both chemists who had met in the Yale University chemistry department while pursuing their doctorates. As a young child, using his fathers chemistry books and chemicals, Dr. Roberts built a series of rockets and bombs. He recalled that one of his youthful experiments produced a chlorine gas byproduct, which put me in the hospital under an oxygen tent because I sniffed it to see what was happening, he said in an interview for this obituary in May. When he was in sixth grade, he built an elevator to ascend an oak tree in his yard. He was sitting in it one day when a connector broke. He fell to the ground and broke his neck. They were quite used to me in the hospital, he said. But it was electronics that eventually captured his attention. I wanted something new, not old like chemistry, he said. He received his bachelors degree in electrical engineering from M.I.T. in 1959. That year he married June Stuller, a computer programmer. They divorced in 1974. Three subsequent marriages also ended in divorce. When Nancy Grace Roman was 11 years old, her family was living in Reno. She was enthralled by the stars in the clear night skies and joined with friends in forming an astronomy club. It was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with the cosmos. When she died on Christmas Day in Germantown, Md., at 93, Dr. Roman was remembered as the mother of the Hubble. As NASAs first chief of astronomy and the first woman in a leadership position at the space agency, Dr. Roman oversaw the early planning for the Hubble Space Telescope, which began orbiting Earth above its atmosphere in April 1990 to capture an unobstructed view of the universe. Placed into orbit from a manned Discovery shuttle and named for the pioneering American astronomer Edwin Hubble, it became the first large optical telescope in space. It has enhanced knowledge of distant galaxies as well as planets in our own solar system by transmitting images that would have been distorted if it were operating from within the Earths atmosphere. To the Editor: Re College Isnt for Everyone, by Oren Cass (Op-Ed, Dec. 12): I was somewhat saddened to read this Op-Ed, which seems to be saying that college is valuable only as it relates to earning power. Of course, having employment and making a decent living wage are important for everyone. But theres more to college than that. Being exposed to somewhat higher levels of learning a little literature, slightly advanced sciences, a dash of humanities are equally important to earning power. I believe that every high school graduate should have free community college, at least. Some of them will go on to four-year colleges, some will go on to a job, some will probably drop out, but a lot of them will gain something they never experienced before. Looking back, I think my first two years of college opened more windows for me to a broader look at the world and my place in it than probably any other two years of my life. Lets give everyone a chance to have at least a little of the brain-opening experience that college can be. Carol S. Friel Cincinnati To the Editor: Oren Cass is absolutely correct that college is not for everyone. Over my 42 years of teaching undergraduates I estimate that at least a third of my students should not have been in college. Either they were not prepared academically, were too immature or were simply not suited for it. Mr. Casss idea of providing better options supported by vastly increased public funding would do these students far more good than failing or dropping out of college heavily burdened by debt. Those who want to defend liberal democracy seem not to notice that their weapons have been blunted. Poland, of course, is not alone. The government of Viktor Orban in Hungary is described as totalitarian; President Trump is repeatedly called a fascist. Across the West, as a new generation of populist politicians rises, liberal democrats have been quick to sound the alarm. Accompanying this alarmism is an equally dangerous phenomenon: a feeling of fatalism. The truth is, of course, far more complicated. This fall, for example, a young opposition candidate for a mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, trounced his Law and Justice opponent. Liberals won similar victories in many other cities. Public protests continue, and sometimes liberals have secured some victories, such as the Court of Justice of the European Union preventing a package of reforms that would have destroyed the independence of the Supreme Court of Poland. In other countries where populist nationalists have won elections in recent years, the picture is also far more complex. So why the despair? In a 1946 essay, George Orwell wrote about a new intellectual phenomenon that he was observing: catastrophic gradualism. This is the belief that history proceeds by calamities, and each succeeding age is as bad or nearly as bad as the previous one. In the 21st century, catastrophic gradualism often takes the form of a belief in the inevitability of illiberal democrats victory. As a result, their liberal opponents start to adhere to a black-and-white vision of politics that narrows possible interpretations of any given phenomenon to either good or bad. Liberals perceive themselves only positively, as if they never made mistakes. Moreover, this way of thinking makes the illiberal populists more influential in defining areas of the political divisions. They are always more radical, for example, in naming the groups responsible for political crises or suggesting the existence of hidden agendas. When such strong divisions are drawn, the liberals usually find themselves in a reactive position, unable to propose new subjects and agendas. Flash U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the Democrats shall be blamed for the latest deaths of the two children over the execution of U.S. immigration policy. "Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally," he tweeted. "They can't. If we had a Wall, they wouldn't even try! The two ... children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol," he added. "Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end." An 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died in government custody in the U.S. state of New Mexico early Tuesday, and a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died earlier this month after being apprehended by border agents. Trump on Friday has threatened to close the southern border, accusing Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador of "taking advantage" of his country for years. He further complained that the opposition party shall take responsibility for the current partial shutdown of the U.S. government. Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, tweeted Thursday, "Democrats have offered Republicans three options to re-open government that all include funding for strong, sensible, and effective border security", but not the president's wall. The U.S. Senate convened briefly Thursday afternoon before adjourning until next week, with no signs of a deal to end the budget impasse that has shut down a quarter of the federal government. In 2015, a NASA spacecraft snapped spectacular photographs of Pluto, forever changing humanitys view of that world. On Tuesday that same probe, New Horizons, will provide a closeup of the farthest object ever visited. New Horizons will speed past an object nicknamed Ultima Thule at 31,500 miles per hour and pass within 2,200 miles of the surface, seeking clues to the earliest days of the solar system. Ultima Thule is four billion miles from the sun, in an area where many astronomers within recent memory believed there wouldnt be much that was worthy of study. [READ: How to follow the New Horizons flyby of Ultima Thule.] It was once a common view that all of the solar systems big, interesting things the sun and the nine planets had been found. When NASAs Pioneer 10 spacecraft crossed the orbit of Neptune in June 1983, some newspaper headlines declared that it had left the solar system. (Pluto was still a planet then, but it was at the innermost part of its orbit and closer to the sun than Neptune.) Thirty-five years later, the Kuiper belt the region Pioneer 10 was just entering and that New Horizons continues to explore and the spaces beyond are perhaps the most fascinating parts of the solar system. In their vast, icy reaches are clues about how the sun and planets, including ours, coalesced out of gas and dust 4.5 billion years ago. Last spring, soon after Facebook acknowledged that the data of tens of millions of its users had improperly been obtained by the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, a top enforcement official at the Federal Trade Commission drafted a memo about the prospect of disciplining the social network. Lawmakers, consumer advocates and even former commission officials were clamoring for tough action against Facebook, arguing that it had violated an earlier F.T.C. consent decree barring it from misleading users about how their information was shared. But the enforcement official, James A. Kohm, took a different view. In a previously undisclosed memo in March, Mr. Kohm echoing Facebooks own argument cautioned that Facebook was not responsible for the consulting firms reported abuses. The social network seemed to have taken reasonable steps to address the problem, he wrote, according to someone who read the memo, and most likely had not broken its promises to the F.T.C. The Cambridge Analytica data leak set off a reckoning for Facebook and a far-reaching debate about the tech industry, which has collected more information about more people than almost any other in history. At the same time, the F.T.C., which is investigating Facebook, is under growing attack for what critics say is a systemic failure to police Silicon Valleys giants and their enormous appetite for personal data. After working several scenes and breaking for hand-rolled cigarettes Take 10 minutes. American minutes, not Palestinian minutes, Mr. Zuabi called after his departing actors they sat in a rough circle with Ms. Aron and discussed the particular challenges the play presented. Two years ago, Ms. Aron, a producer and director who first learned of the Palestinian theater scene while directing in Israel in the mid-90s, and Mr. Zuabi began to talk about a commissioned piece. It would explore, Ms. Aron said, this question of what influence the U.S. has had on Palestine, on thinking and consciousness and not in just a political way. Dont get arrogant, Mr. Zuabi chided. Its not a one-way relationship. (As he later explained in an email: Our land has produced the foundation blocks of Western civilization. The idea of one god was hatched in our neck of the woods.) There were straightforward ways to approach this relationship. Youre aiding our occupiers with lots of money and weapons, Mr. Zuabi said. But while he isnt shy about articulating his politics Im very anti-Israel, Im occupied and I dont like it polemics dont interest him artistically. He began to think instead about the 1969 moon landing. Its a moment that encapsulates all of the American values, he said, adding, the bravura, the nothing-is-impossible attitude, the technological superiority. Its almost a reversal of who we are, he said. So what would it mean for a Palestinian man to attempt it? Beginning in December 2016, Mr. Zuabi began workshops and structured improvisations in Haifa, Bethlehem, Jenin and Ramallah with the explicit goal of finding a diverse group of Palestinian actors. Once a shortlist of actors had been assembled, the visa process to come to the United States began. WASHINGTON As a 12-year-old refugee from Somalia adjusting to life in the Virginia suburbs, Ilhan Omar fended off bullies who stuck gum on her scarf, knocked her down stairs and jumped her when she changed clothes for gym class. Her father sat me down, and he said, Listen, these people who are doing all of these things to you, theyre not doing something to you because they dislike you, Ms. Omar recalled in a recent interview. They are doing something to you because they feel threatened in some way by your existence. Now Ms. Omar is Representative-elect Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota, and her fathers words still hold. Nearly a quarter-century later, as Democrats prepare to assume control of the House with an extraordinarily diverse freshman class, she is perhaps Washingtons most glorified and vilified newcomer a vehicle for the hopes of millions of Muslims and others touched by her life story, and for the fears of those who feel threatened by her. When she is sworn in on Thursday, Ms. Omar will take her place in the history books as one of the first two Muslim women in Congress and the first to wear a hijab, or head covering, on the House floor. Her push to change a 181-year-old rule barring headwear in the chamber which Democrats are expected to immediately adopt has drawn fire from a Christian pastor, who warned that the floor of the House is now going to look like an Islamic republic. The concrete border wall that President Trump has repeatedly called for as a signature campaign promise is not actually a wall and has not been since early on in the administration, the outgoing White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly, said in an interview published Sunday. The comments further muddy the administrations position as Mr. Trump demands that Democrats provide $5 billion in funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, an impasse that has led to a partial government shutdown after the president abruptly pulled out of a compromise deal to keep the government funded through February. They were also notable given Mr. Trumps insistence for most of his term that the border would have a wall, not the steel slat barrier he has pivoted toward in the past few weeks. To be honest, its not a wall, Mr. Kelly told The Los Angeles Times. Mr. Kelly, whose last day in his role is Monday, said he had sought advice from Customs and Border Protection officials early in 2017, when he was the homeland security secretary. Mr. Kelly said he was told that we need a physical barrier in certain places, we need technology across the board, and we need more people. He went on: The president still says wall oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. Long-anticipated elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, already delayed by two years and a week, finally got underway on Sunday, but they were deeply flawed, with more than a million voters excluded from casting their ballots, most of them in opposition strongholds. Across the country, many voters arrived at polling places only to find that their names were not on electoral rolls. Some voting centers opened seven hours late, partly because of a storm and also because electoral rolls had not arrived in time. Voting machines, in use for the first time, malfunctioned in a number of polling places. The landmark vote is the countrys first transfer of power through the ballot box since it gained independence in 1960. It was supposed to mark the end of President Joseph Kabilas nearly 18-year rule, although he recently insinuated that he was open to returning to power later. BEIJING The American ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, wanted to make what in most nations would have been a routine trip. One of his favorite schools, Iowa State University, had opened a center to promote American culture in an inland Chinese province, and the laid-back former governor of Iowa was eager to take questions from Chinese students. The centers program, largely financed by the State Department, was deliberately benign so as not to offend Chinese government sensibilities. Politics was off the agenda. English lessons focused on fashion, music and sports. An essay-writing contest was called Bald Eagle & Panda after well-known fauna in both countries. But Henan Normal University, a campus set on the Yellow River with a prominent statue of Mao Zedong out front, denied Mr. Branstad permission to visit the center this fall and offered no explanation. BUCHAREST, Romania The government of Romania is on a collision course with the European Union at the very moment it is scheduled to take a leadership role in the organization. The presidency of the Council of the European Union the body through which the blocs 28 member states help guide legislation and coordinate policy moves from one country to another every six months. On Tuesday, it will be Romanias turn for the first time since it joined the union 12 years ago. At the same time, however, the government in Bucharest is pressing ahead with changes to its justice system that have been strongly criticized in Brussels, and top officials in the country are defending the governments position with increasingly Euroskeptic language. The left-wing government has moved assertively to rein in the independence of the judiciary setting off street protests and political upheaval and is now considering a decree granting amnesty to people convicted of corruption. Last week, Romanias justice minister officially requested the dismissal of the countrys top prosecutor, an outspoken critic of the governments moves. The partners plan, McKinsey noted, was to respect traditional bureaucratic process including use of bribes. McKinsey also wrote that the partner had identified eight key Indian officials named in the PowerPoint slide whose influence was needed for the deal to go through. Nowhere in the slide did McKinsey advise that such a scheme would be illegal or unwise. McKinsey declined to provide The New York Times with its full report or any evidence that it had objected to the paying of bribes. But the consultancy denied recommending bribery or other illegal acts. For his part, the Ukrainian oligarch, Dmitry V. Firtash, denies that he paid or recommended bribes, or had any dealings with McKinsey or knowledge of the document. The story of McKinseys role in the episode has remained hidden from public view for 12 years. Even today the firms ultimate recommendation and how its client, Boeing, responded remain something of a mystery, cloaked in the secrecy of grand jury proceedings. But McKinseys reference to illegal acts has thrust the firm into a tangled international battle over the extradition of Mr. Firtash, who has been charged in the United States with bribing Indian officials in anticipation of getting titanium for Boeing. Should he be brought to trial, McKinsey, and the document it produced, stand to play a major role in the outcome a well of potential embarrassment that underscores the risks that McKinsey and other American consulting firms face as they, and clients like Boeing, do business in countries where ethical standards and practices diverge from those at home. McKinsey initially refused to confirm that the report even existed. But after learning that The Times had obtained a copy, the firm issued a statement acknowledging that McKinsey employees had indeed written it. Neither McKinsey nor Boeing agreed to an interview. [gunfire] We are learning more about a young Palestinian nurse killed on Friday while A young medics final moment: Rouzan al-Najjar races to help an injured Palestinian protester. On June 1, 2018, an Israeli soldier shot into a crowd of protesters in Gaza, killing a volunteer medic named Rouzan al-Najjar. There has been a huge reaction across Gaza to the death Her death sparked outrage and grabbed the worlds attention. She is the latest victim of Israeli gunfire. The U.N. and human rights groups have accused Israel of using disproportionate force. Israel says it uses live fire only as a last resort. We have a very specific record of every shot. Israel only targeted people who were actively engaged in violence. And we only use live fire in a measured and surgical way. But what about Rouzan? Israels army said it would investigate her death, but they offered us little explanation. We dont know exactly how and what happened. The adverse results are clear. Wed met and interviewed Rouzan weeks before she was killed. We returned to Gaza to investigate her death and found that virtually every minute of the day she died was filmed by journalists, medics and protesters. We analyzed over 1,000 of their photos and videos, frame by frame. We mapped the protest area. And with the agency Forensic Architecture, we made a precise 3-D model of it. We studied ballistics evidence and autopsy records. And our reporters reviewed the visual evidence with more than 30 key witnesses. Our investigation reconstructs what happened that day. It reveals how Rouzan was killed, and shows how Israel used lethal force to control the protests, often in a way that has led to tragic consequences. Rouzan was already somewhat of a local celebrity by the time we met her in May. Rouzan al-Najjar. She was known for being the first woman to volunteer as a medic when protests began. By volunteering, Rouzan broke Gazas rigid gender norms. She wasnt a doctor or a nurse. She told us she just wanted to help the wounded. Gazans had been coming to the boundary line with Israel since March. They wanted to protest the blockade imposed by Israel since Hamas seized power in Gaza 11 years ago. [chanting] Thousands came in peace to highlight their grinding poverty and isolation. But Hamas which calls for Israels destruction saw a chance to ride the wave of anger. They backed the protests, and urged participants to break through the border fence. [chanting] Some protesters threw stones, or flew burning kites into Israel. Others cut openings in the fence, one that was built only to detect intrusion, not stop it. To Israel, breaching the fence amounted to an imminent threat to rural communities a few hundred yards from the Gaza side. I can only, you know, use what they publish here. And you can see here, Nahal Oz. This is Gaza. Nahal Oz is 700 meters. Taking no chances, Israel warned that its army would use lethal force against anyone who approached the fence, and it did. On the worst day of violence in May, it shot over 1,000 people. I dont know of any army that would do anything differently if you had to protect your border against people who say, Were going to destroy you. But its soldiers also shot even after violence had passed, and toward nonviolent protesters and bystanders who were far from the fence. [gunfire] And thats what happened on the day Rouzan was killed. Well take you through her final hour. But first, well map out the area around the fence, because the position of soldiers and protesters that day is key to understanding what follows. This is the fence that separates Israel and Gaza. On the Israeli side, snipers in jeeps are positioned here. Around 40 yards into the Gaza side are long coils of barbed wire. And for most of the afternoon, protesters and onlookers are here, about 100 yards back. And what keeps the protesters back there, and away from the fence, is tear gas. As protesters approach the fence throwing stones, the Israel Defense Forces, the I.D.F., repels them with gas. [shouting] Its a scene that replays over and over, and it keeps Rouzan and the other medics busy. As a means to keep back protesters, tear gas is working. But in the 15 minutes before Rouzan is killed, the protesters move closer toward the fence. There are three separate incidents by the barbed wire, and the I.D.F. begins to fire live rounds. The first incident happens here, and it draws the medics in. Two protesters are injured on the ground, and Rouzan leads the medics to rescue them. She waves at soldiers not to shoot. Medics are protected by international law, but the I.D.F. fires a warning shot near them. The medics see a soldier emerge from behind a jeep, his rifle leveled at them. Rouzan is the last to pull back. This is the first time that medics are taken out by gas that afternoon. Back among the protest crowd, Rouzan catches her breath. But the violence around her intensifies. The second incident happens far upfield, about 200 yards from the main protest area. A group of protesters splits off and digs in at the barbed wire. The I.D.F. is caught off guard. They race up in jeeps. The protesters throw stones and firebombs. The I.D.F. responds again with a barrage of gas, pushing many of the protesters back. The I.D.F. told us firebombs escalated matters. After theyre thrown, snipers get ready atop this berm, near where the medics and soldiers were face to face moments earlier. Well come back to these berms, shortly. The third incident happens here, to the other side of the medics and protesters. Protesters attach a hook to the barbed wire and start pulling a segment away. Lamiaa, a medic who was standing with Rouzan, senses danger. Again, the I.D.F. launches gas. The rope pullers tug away a small coil of wire and run off. Much of the crowd follows along. By now, Rouzan and Lamiaa are walking back through the crowd, far from the fence. We spot them in this blurry Facebook Live video. For a moment, the violent protesting seems to be dissipating. [gunfire] Its 6:31, the fatal shot. Three medics fall Mohammed, Rami and Rouzan. Doctors in a nearby field clinic fail to resuscitate her. Shes rushed to a hospital, but its too late. At 7:10, Rouzan is pronounced dead. How did Rouzan die that day? Well freeze that fatal moment in time. Heres the shot. In the distance are the three medics who are hit. Heres Rami, holding his thigh. Theres Mohammed. And here, to the left, is Rouzan, partially obscured. Shes actually one of eight medics in this particular frame. We worked with the research agency Forensic Architecture to create a 3-D model of the protest field from multiple cameras. Here are the medics in white, and Rouzan in orange. Where did the shot come from? We drew a line through Rouzan and Rami, the two medics who were directly hit by the bullet. Allowing for a margin of error, we traced the bullet back to the same sand berms where the medics stood opposite Israeli soldiers minutes earlier. How did one bullet hit two medics and injure a third? The snipers are aiming almost parallel to the ground and firing a large battlefield bullet. Former snipers told us that a hefty round like this could easily skim like a stone off the rocky soil, endangering everyone in its path and that appears to be what happened. Heres another angle [gunfire] the shot. [shouting] Theres Rami and Mohammed, with only his legs visible. Lets rewind. [gunfire] Notice, two people point. They told us they saw where the bullet hit the ground, just a few feet from the medics. The bullet continued onward . Heres Rami. The bullet grazed his thigh. Theres Mohammed. The bullet sprayed his torso with debris, including the copper jacket of the bullet. And thats Rouzan. The bullet pierced her chest and severed her aorta. Two fragments came out through her medics vest. We asked Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus how the I.D.F. decides to shoot live rounds. It would be a very precise identification of a target where the sniper asks for permission. The officer would grant that permission and then the sniper would execute that order. But that, that target has to have been himself or herself has to have been doing something violent that poses a threat? Yes. Whenever there was a situation where we would have rioters cutting the fence, throwing grenades and being able to breach inside, those were the situations where we took action against. A senior I.D.F. commander told us that soldiers shot four protesters that day. All of them, he said, were acting violently. We found the first and third targets in the group that broke upfield. The first fell around 50 or 60 yards from the fence. We saw the third target throwing stones a few minutes before he was shot. The fourth target appears to have been alone when he was shot, around 150 yards from the fence. We dont know what he was doing. What about the second shot the one that killed Rouzan? Who was acting violently at that time? We analyzed videos taken from several angles before the fatal shot, frame by frame. We focus in on the space between the medics and the soldiers at the fence, and we dont see a single protester or violent threat within 100 yards of the fence. Remember, the I.D.F. says it uses live fire only as a last resort. So why take that shot? We know it was fired at 6:31 p.m. Right before this video clip. The senior I.D.F. commander told us that at that time, they shot a protester in a yellow shirt who was pulling at the fence and throwing stones. We reviewed multiple videos and found a few men wearing yellow shirts, but only one near the bullets path. The man in yellow wasnt acting violently in the minutes before the shot, and he couldnt have been an imminent threat. Hes too far from the fence. He also wasnt shot. And most importantly, behind him were the medics in white coats. Really, the question is, even if you had a legitimate target with medics right behind, why would you take that shot? Its very difficult to say. Very difficult to say. I mean, I think its I mean, isnt it reckless? No, I wouldnt say so. But the soldier fired through a group of medics. We talked to a ballistics expert, and former I.D.F. and U.S. army snipers. They told us its a shot you dont take. In public, Israel says it uses lethal force as a last resort against imminent threats to Israeli life. But at the border fence, we found it took a more permissive approach. It treated the crowd of protesters itself as an imminent threat and allowed soldiers to shoot pre-emptively at targets within it to prevent a breach. That often meant putting nonviolent protesters, bystanders and medics at risk. [shouting] According to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli soldiers have shot over 6,000 Palestinians in the protests of 2018. In Gaza, we saw many with life-changing injuries. More than 180 have been killed. They include a journalist who was filming the protests, a 15-year-old shot in the chest, a 16-year-old who had his arms raised and a young man shot in the back while carrying a tire. And off-camera in August, a senior Israeli commander told us that by then, 60 to 70 Palestinians were killed unintentionally. Israel has opened criminal investigations into three cases, including Rouzans. But its done nothing to adjust its policy on the use of lethal force. For now, Israel says that protecting its border is a complicated business. Unfortunately, yes, in a situation like that, accidents happen, and unintended results happen. ASHDOD, Israel As dusk fell in a port city in southern Israel, Roman Kaminkers neighborhood pop-up shop twinkled with a bountiful display of Santa dolls and synthetic spruce trees adorned with tinsel and baubles. Mr. Kaminkers store in Ashdod was catering to those shopping for Novy God, the Russian end-of-year celebration when families traditionally gather before midnight on Dec. 31 to feast on delicacies from the old country like herring, caviar and jellied calfs foot, and toast in the New Year with vodka and bubbly. This has no connection to religion, declared Mr. Kaminker, 39, who emigrated from Moldova in the mid-1990s, and was eager to avoid any misunderstandings that his shop was somehow linked to Christmas. You wont find any Marias or crosses here, he added. That wasnt allowed in the Soviet Union. Nearly 30 years after the start of the great wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union, which began in 1989 and brought nearly a million Russian speakers to Israel by the end of the 1990s, the Novy God holiday has become something of a barometer to gauge the place of these immigrants in Israeli society. A handshake, a note on handling Mrs Gandhi queries: ED on AgustaWestland middleman Michel India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 30: The Enforcement Directorate has said that alleged AugustaWestland middleman had passed a note to his lawyer asking how to tackle questions on Mrs Gandhi. The ED explained before a court that Michel was transferring the note to his counsel. During his medical examination, Michel stood up and held out his hand towards his lawyer, who was standing next to him, in the way of a handshake. It was noticed that Michel secretly handed over a folded paper to his counsel. The counsel was carrying his mobile phone under which he hid the paper and put the folded paper discreetly in the pocket of his jacket, the ED also said. "Persual of the folded paper revealed that it pertained to a set of questions with regard to follow up questions on Mrs Gandhi. It is clear that there is conspiracy to shield and/tamper the evidence that could be brought forth from the questioning of the accused," the ED told the court. Michel took name of Mrs Gandhi, context unknown, ED tells court While seeking custody the court was told that Michel had taken the name Mrs Gandhi and the son of an Italian lady. The agency produced Michel before the court on Saturday where it said that the accused "has taken the name of Mrs Gandhi but in what reference can't be said right now." The ED also told the court that Michel had identified how HAL was removed from the deal. The ED also sought to ban Michel's lawyer's access to him alleging that he was being tutored from outside. AgustaWestland: ED tracks money trail, but yet to identify bribetakers The court ordered Christian Michel's lawyers to maintain a distance while meeting him. The court restricted the time limit of lawyers to meet Michel to 15 minutes every morning and evening. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 8:23 [IST] What makes Kerala a hub for radicalisation India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Kochi, Jan 1: The increased incidents of radicalisation in Kerala have always been a concern. Several incidents of people being radicalised and joining terror groups such as the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State have been reported off late. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that the recent incident where nearly 17 persons went missing only to be found later at an ISIS camp in Afghanistan is a huge wake up call. Such incidents could only increase, if not acted upon urgently the official also said. The radical hub: Kerala has been a hub for Islamic radicalisation and this has been proven in a number of cases that have been reported from the state over the past decade. The politics of the state, the social fabric among a large section in the Muslim community have made the state a happy hunting ground for jihadis. No story on this subject would be complete unless one speaks about a terrorist from Kerala who fought in Kashmir. This is important because this Kerala resident was the first non-Pakistani, non-Kashmiri terrorist who fought in Kashmir. Sutli bombs: To stay off radar, terror has gone from conventional to unconventional While the state has over the years seen the influence of terror groups such as the Students Islamic Movement of India, Indian Mujahideen, Base Movement (Al-Qaeda's local chapter), today there seems to be more affiliation towards the Islamic State. Over the past three years nearly 54 from Kerala went off the radar one day and further investigations went on to suggest that they had joined the Afghan chapter of the Islamic State. While the Indian Intelligence Bureau has always warned about the lurking danger of radical groups, now a study in Pakistan too has identified Kerala as the state which has the most affiliation towards the ISIS. A study titled 'Prospects of Daesh's Expansion in South Asia,"conducted by Abdullah Khan, the managing director of the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies says that Wilayat-e-Hind is the new chapter of the Daesh which is quickly attracting educated youth in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It says the Indian citizens, especially from Kerala find the Islamic State more attractive than another group. This observation comes in the wake of 54 people from Kerala joining the ISIS in the past three years. The affiliation towards radical and terror groups in Kerala stems out of several factors. This is the state where radical groups such as the PFI and SDPI are extremely strong and enjoy a large amount of political patronage. These groups have played a major role in radicalisation of the youth, which in turn led to the major Wahhabi influx into the state from Saudi Arabia. Hurriyat fades in the Kashmir Valley as Al-Qaeda ideology gains steam Wahhabism: Several 1,000 Wahhabi preachers came into the state, spread their ideology, pumped in money and then left. They funded the construction of new Mosques heavily, with an intention of ensuring that the ideology was preached from these places of worship. The newer Mosques that are coming up in Kerala are also constructed in the manner in which they done in Saudi Arabia. This is just one small indicator of how much people of the state are willing to follow the radical style preached by the Wahabi scholars. Moreover the inflow of funds into Kerala from Saudi is the highest when compared to any other part of the country. It was in Kerala that one got to see posters mourning the death of Osama Bin Laden and also a prayer for Ajmal Kasab after he was hanged. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that a large number of youth appear to be attracted to this radical style of Islam, but also add that there are some elders who are trying to oppose it. Several Muslim youth in Kerala got together and started an outfit called the Ansar-ul-Khilafa KL. This was the feeder outfit for the ISIS and its job was to identify people and send them to the ISIS. AgustaWestland: After saying witness may have died, ED cites a little birdie to say he is alive BJP carrying out politically-motivated probe into AgustaWestland case: Congress India pti-PTI New Delhi, Dec 29: Accusing the government of carrying out a malicious propaganda, the Congress on Saturday referred to AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel's statement before his extradition that Indian probe agencies were pressuring him to name a member of the Gandhi family and alleged it was a "fixed match". Congress spokesperson R P N Singh, during a press conference, said that in Dubai, when journalists had talked to Michel's lawyer, he had given a statement about how government agencies were trying that he name a particular family. Congress spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said that in fact Michel had said before his extradition "on record in court that he was being pressured to name a member of the Gandhi family and that is what they were planning and have done". "The motive is clear. What he said is prophecy and this has happened. This is an outright fixed match fraudulently aimed at planting something on the Gandhi family," Vadakkan said. Michel was produced before a special court Saturday which extended his ED custody by seven days. Michel took name of Mrs Gandhi, context unknown, ED tells court Asked about the development, Singh said, "We have seen what the BJP has been doing in this matter." On the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) claim that Michel had spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he was going to become the next prime minister of the country, he said, "The BJP scriptwriters are working overtime." Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jets deal, Singh said action should be taken against him as there was "complete proof". He alleged that the Modi dispensation was "trying to pressure government agencies to name a person". "But the person who has done the biggest 'chori' (theft) cannot be spared," the Congress leader said, in an apparent reference to the opposition party's allegation against Modi of corruption in the Rafale deal. "We know that elections have come and they (BJP) do not have any issues, so through the ED, they are trying to put pressure on people," he said. Slamming the government over the issue, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters that, "The Modi government is guilty of a malicious and vicious propaganda." "There is brazen and shameless abuse of agencies of the state," he said. Michel was arrested in the UAE and extradited to India on December 4. PTI Chandrababu Naidu calls PM Modi a 'blackmailer' India pti-PTI Amaravati (AP), Dec 30: In his second attack on Narendra Modi in a week, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday dubbed the Prime Minister as a "blackmailer" who "threatens" everybody to make them fall in line. Last Sunday, Naidu had termed the prime minister a "hollow man" who had "done nothing" for the country. Addressing a press conference here, Naidu also launched a scathing attack on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for "conspiring" against Andhra Pradesh with the objective of stalling its growth. "Modi is a blackmailer. He gets cases foisted (against someone) and later bails him out. He then blackmails that person. That's what he's doing," the chief minister alleged. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director himself had said that Modi got a case filed against Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, he claimed. Modi also bailed out Telangana chief minister in a corruption case related to ESI Corporation, Naidu alleged. "Both Modi and KCR do not want AP to develop. So they want to destabilise me. Here (YSR Congress president) Jagan wants to win (power), so he is taking their support. If it is not conspiracy, what's it," Naidu asked. KCR fears that his "hollowness" would be exposed if Andhra Pradesh gets developed, he said. "The prime minister also fears that he will get exposed because he didn't do anything in the last five years. So, he is getting me abused by KCR," the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief alleged. The chief minister asserted that Andhra Pradesh would definitely develop "if not today, tomorrow". "Definitely, we will create wealth. We have a vision and we will work hard. But Modi and KCR don't like wealth creation," he added. He also took a strong exception to the "language" used by KCR against him on Saturday. "Decency is important in politics. Is it the language a person occupying the CM's position should be using (against his counterpart)? He is talking in an uncivilised tone," Naidu lamented. On KCR offer to write a letter to the prime minister seeking grant of special category status to Andhra Pradesh, Naidu said it was a strategy. "May be he is preparing ground along with Jagan to come and work here. All of them want to finish off Chandrababu Naidu. This is what politics is," he said. PTI Counsel for panel probing Jayalalithaas death flags 'serious issues' in her treatment India oi-PTI Chennai, Dec 30: A petition has been filed before a Commission of Inquiry probing the death of former chief minister J Jayalalaithaa by its counsel, raising serious medical issues regarding her treatment at the Apollo Hospital. The hospital has, however, strongly refuted the allegations against it raised in the petition. Commission sources said the plea filed by the standing counsel for the commission seeks to implead Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan and former chief secretary P Rama Mohana Rao over their statements and depositions. Jayalalithaa's hospital bill: Rs 6.85 crore spent on treatment, Rs 1.17 crore on food A statement issued Saturday night by Apollo Hospital said it was served a copy of the petition dated December 27. "It is surprising that the commission is itself filing this petition against other parties," the hospital said, adding that the proceedings before the inquiry panel cannot be "accusatorial" in nature. The hospital said the plea before the panel referred to three senior doctors advising an angiogram on Jayalalithaa. "This is incorrect. It was only a single external doctor who on November 25, 2016 visited the late CM for a few minutes and suggested immediate angiogram without going into all the other co-morbidities, including her compromised respiratory condition, which could have potentially inhibited the desired outcome," it said. The hospital said its team of doctors and Richard Beale, a UK-based specialist, did not think it was wise to do angiogram based on the medical opinion of that doctor who wanted to "perform the procedure and leave immediately out of the country with no commitment to her follow-up care." Citing medical evidence in the form of depositions of multiple doctors, and related medical reports including echocardiogram and blood tests, the hospital asked why was the "commission choosing to ignore the material evidence in this regard". CCTV cameras were off while hospitalising Jayalalithaa: Apollo Hospital Also, the hospital said the petition wrongly spelt 'sternotomy' as "stenotomy". Complicated medical terminologies in English have been incorrectly translated into Tamil and the context and meaning of medical facts have been lost in interpretation and translation, the hospital alleged. "This petition only strengthens our case for the immediate appointment of a medical board who will understand the complexities of the late CM's treatment," he said. The hospital argued that without a medical board no finding of the panel would be "complete" or based on medical science. "The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that a judge cannot substitute a medical specialist's opinion with his own," it said. Jayalalithaa had died on December 5, 2016. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 9:21 [IST] Driver of opposition alliance wagon doesnt even have learners licence: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi India oi-PTI New Delhi, Dec 30: Taking a swipe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his efforts to form a front to take on the BJP in 2019 polls, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said Sunday that the driver of the opposition alliance wagon doesn't even have a learner's licence and could drive it into a ditch. Naqvi also said it was out of compulsion that some opposition leaders, even the experienced ones, are backing Gandhi. "On one hand there is Narendra Modi and on the other is Rahul Gandhi, who works for four days and then he is on a picnic for four months, while Prime Minister Modi, in the last four years, has not taken leave even for four-and-a-half hours. This is the difference," he told PTI in an interview. Talking about the opposition alliance, the Minority Affairs Minister said a big coalition was being formed against the BJP and he has been told that National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah is coordinating it. Rahul Gandhi has all qualities to make an excellent PM: Shashi Tharoor Naqvi said the NC chief is an experienced politician and senior people should understand that the "person sitting on the driver's seat of the alliance's wagon does not even have a learner's licence and (therefore) whether this wagon will be driven into a ditch or dumped elsewhere, the experienced people should know". "Itne khiladi ek anari ke peeche chal rahe hain toh hum kya kar sakte hain (so many experienced people are walking behind a novice, so what can we do)," the 61-year-old leader said. Naqvi also exuded confidence that the performance of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will match the 2014 showing. "Last time we fought the election on Narendra Modi's 'naam' (name), this time we are fighting the polls on his 'kaam' (work)," the Rajya Sabha MP said. Asked if there was any merit in the opposition argument that the BJP lost the polls in the Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh due to agrarian distress, Naqvi said the BJP did not lose any vote percentage and its seats have also not been drastically reduced. "However, in the states we have lost, we will take a feedback and act," he said. As far as agrarian issues are concerned, the first budget of this government had the theme of 'mera gaon, mera desh' whose focus was on farmers, Naqvi pointed out. "From insurance scheme, soil health cards and neem-coated urea to MSP increase, several steps have been taken in the interest of the farmers. In the coming days we will do more," he said. Asked about incidents of lynchings creating insecurity among minorities, the Minority Affairs Minister said that they should be seen as criminal incidents and not as communal incidents. "This is not only a crime but a heinous crime. State governments also deal with them as criminal incidents and take action against the culprits," he said. Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate? Mamata Banerjee remains non-committal Naqvi emphasised that in the last four years, no big communal riot has taken place in the country. "Another important thing is that in any part of the country, no terrorist attack, blast or such activities, have been successful. I am saying this because when a terrorist activity takes place, people get killed, which is very sad, but innocent minorities and people from the Muslim community also suffer. "In the last 10 years (before the NDA government), wherever there has been a blast, young people (from minority community) were arrested and the innocent ones are now being let off by courts under this government," he said. Minority communities, especially Muslims, are staying in the country fully secure and with a lot of freedom, he said. Naqvi alleged that there were "political forces" in the country that keep running a campaign of misinformation and fear. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 14:56 [IST] Congress has formed 'radical syndicate' with Jamaat-e-Islami, PFI; RJD also its part: BJP Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to be deputy leader of House in Rajya Sabha No point raising Pegasus; Opposition should not link Parliament session with polls: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Educational empowerment for weaker sections need of the hour: Naqvi India oi-Madhuri Adnal Mumbai, Dec 30: Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Saturday called for "educational and social empowerment" of the weaker sections of the society to stop their "political exploitation". He also said that "development without discrimination" is the priority of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. Naqvi Saturday laid the foundation stone for a school building, library, laboratory facilities etc. at Dr MIJ Girls High School and Junior College in suburban Bandra which is run by Anjuman-e-Islam. Naqvi proposes 40% reservation for girls in proposed world class institution at Alwar He said scholarships have been provided to more than 3.11 crore students belonging to minority communities, including about 60 per cent girl students, in the last three-four years. "This year, a 'National Scholarship Portal Mobile App' (NSP Mobile App) was launched which will ensure a smooth, accessible and hassle-free scholarship system for students from the poor and weaker sections", the minorities affairs minister said. He said amount of scholarships is now deposited directly into bank accounts of students though the DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) mode in a transparent manner that has eliminated middlemen. Naqvi further said Modi government's efforts for educational empowerment of all weaker sections, including minorities, have yielded results at the ground level. He said the school dropout rate among Muslim girls fell to 35-40 per cent from previous high of over 70 per cent, due to awareness and launching of the educational empowerment programmes. 2018 Haj 'historic', completed successfully, says Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi "Our government is working with a mission to bring it (the school dropout rate) down to zero per cent in the coming years. Education is an effective step towards empowerment. The government is successfully moving forward towards educational and social empowerment of all weaker and backward sections of the society, which will stop their political exploitation," Naqvi said For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 17:00 [IST] Even Kangaroo courts hold trials: Chidambaram after ED claims Christian Michel named Mrs Gandhi India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Dec 30: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has lashed out at the way the name of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was linked by the Enforcement Directorate to the AgustaWestland case. Taking to twitter on Sunday morning, Chidambaram said that if the government, the ED and the media have their way, cases will be tried on TV channels in this country. "Further, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act will not apply. What ED says will be oral evidence, any piece of paper ED produces will be documentary evidence, and what the TV channel pronounces will be the judgment," he tweeted. A handshake, a note on handling Mrs Gandhi queries: ED on AgustaWestland middleman Michel "Even kangaroo courts hold trials in a courtroom. Our new 'improved' system will surpass kangaroo courts and deliver justice on TV channels," he added. Chidambaram's remarks comes a day after alleged midddleman Christian Michel had taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name in reference to a query, but had later managed to hand over a chit to his lawyer seeking directions on "what to say" if asked follow-up questions about her. The Enforcement Directorate also claimed that he has spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he is going to become the next prime minister of the country. The ED told the court that it is clear that there is a conspiracy to shield or to tamper with the evidence that could be brought forth from the questioning of the accused. "The benefit given by the court to the accused of legal access is being misused. It should be stopped henceforth," the agency said. Michel, who was extradited from Dubai recently, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on December 22 and sent to seven days custody of the agency over money laundering charges in the scam after he was produced in a court here. He was earlier lodged in Tihar Jail in the related CBI case. The CBI has alleged that he was paid a huge bribe amount by AugustaWestland which was given to the officers of Indian Air Force, MOD, bureaucrats, politicians and a family in India for showing favour in VVIP Helicopter deal. Michel took name of Mrs Gandhi, context unknown, ED tells court It alleged that an amount of euro 42.27 million was paid by Westland Group companies to the firms of accused as kickbacks. Michel is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the case by the ED and the CBI. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million - about Rs 2,666 crore - to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 10:43 [IST] K'taka HC grants interim relief to Twitter India MD, asks cops not to take coercive steps against him Ghazipur stone pelting: 11 arrested, constable's son says UP police can't even protect its own India oi-Deepika S Ghaziabad, DEC 30: Eleven people have been arrested on Sunday in connection with the killing of a police constable by a stone-pelting mob in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur. Constable Suresh Vats (48) from Karimuddinpur police station was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protests. He was immediately taken to hospital, but he succumbed to injuries. Meanwhile, the son of a police constable who was killed Saturday in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur has hit-out at the government and said that the state police can't even protect its 'own' (members). Constable killed in stone-pelting hours after PM Modi's rally in Ghazipur "Police is not being able to protect their own. What can we expect from them," asked VP Singh, son of deceased constable. He also said questioned what will they do with compensation now. Earlier, similar incidents had taken place in Bulandshahr & Pratapgarh. Nishad Party president Sanjay Nishad has denied any involvement of his party workers in the matter, adding that BJP is plotting against his party. "We need proper investigation in the case. It is BJP who is plotting against us. Not our party workers but BJP workers threw stones at people. We're taking our demand of reservation ahead in a democratic manner. If my party workers are found guilty, we will take strict action against them. It is easy to blame the weak as Yogi ji and Modi ji are in power," Sanjay Nishad told ANI. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of the dead constable and Rs 10 lakh for his parents, the state government said. He also directed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to take strict action against unruly elements and immediately arrest them. The death comes less than a month after the killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was shot dead during mob violence in Bulandshahr district over alleged cow slaughter. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 12:51 [IST] Ghazipur violence: Akhilesh trains gun at Yogi, says "thoko neeti" reason behind cop's killing India oi-Vikas SV Lucknow, Dec 30: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav lashed out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the death of police constable Suresh Vats in stone pelting at Ghazipur on Saturday. Yadav said that Adityanath's "thoko neeti" (encounter policy) was responsible for the policeman's death. Yadav said that the incident took place because the Yogi Adityanath government knows only one language, that of violence. "Ye ghatna isliye ghati hai kyunki CM sadan mein ho ya manch pe ho unki ek hi bhasha hai 'thok do'. Kabhi police ko nahi samjh aata kise 'thokna' hai kabhi janta ko nahi samajh aata kise 'thokna' hai (This incident took place because the CM, whether he is in the assembly or on a stage, he only talks about violence. Sometimes the police doesn't know who to beat up, other times the public doesn't know who to beat up," reports quoted Yadav as saying. Vats was on duty at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur and was returning from the event when the incident took place. Eleven people were arrested on Sunday in connection with the killing of a police constable by a stone-pelting mob in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur. Constable Suresh Vats (48) from Karimuddinpur police station was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protests. He was immediately taken to hospital, but he succumbed to injuries. [Ghazipur stone pelting: 11 arrested, constable's son says UP police can't even protect its own] Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of the dead constable and Rs 10 lakh for his parents, the state government said. He also directed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to take strict action against unruly elements and immediately arrest them. The death comes less than a month after the killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was shot dead during mob violence in Bulandshahr district over alleged cow slaughter. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 16:28 [IST] Will Nitish Kumar return to Grand Alliance? Here's what senior RJD leader has to say MGB is Mar Gaye Bhai and yes pun very much intended: Supriyo How a jail meeting is giving shape to the Grand Alliance in Bihar India oi-Madhuri Adnal Patna, Dec 30: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha and new entrant to the "Mahagathbandhan" (Grand Alliance) Mukesh Sahni met Lalu Prasad in a Ranchi jail Saturday as part of the process for seat-sharing in the opposition coalition in Bihar for the 2019 general election. Prasad is lodged at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi on medical grounds, after his conviction in the multi-crore-rupee fodder scam cases. Sources close to the jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo said preliminary talks were held between Prasad and the three leaders regarding seat-sharing in the anti-NDA grouping. What is Centre doing to cure 'selfie disorder'? BJP MPs' query embarrasses their own govt The RJD is the pivot of the "Mahagathbandhan" in Bihar and hence, Prasad's approval in finalising the allocation of seats is required. The ruling Janata Dal (United), led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, poked fun at the leaders going to the Hotwar jail in Ranchi to "prostrate" before the imprisoned RJD supremo for finalisation of the seat-sharing. At present, the Grand Alliance in Bihar comprises the Congress, the RJD, the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP), Sahni's fledgling outfit, the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav's Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD). Sahni, a Bollywood set designer-turned-politician who has launched the VIP, joined the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) grouping last Sunday, hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the JD(U) and the Ramvilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Delhi announced the seat-sharing formula among the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents for the 40 Lok Sabha segments in Bihar. After the meeting with Prasad, Kushwaha, accompanied by Sahni, told reporters in Ranchi that the talks were primarily about the RJD supremo's health. Lalu doing to Tej Pratap what he did to us, say estranged brothers-in-law "There were some political discussions also, the details of which we need not make public. But, of course, we discussed the strategy to defeat the BJP-led NDA in both Bihar and Jharkhand," he added. To a pointed query on seat-sharing among the Grand Alliance constituents, the RLSP chief said it would be discussed at a later stage. "All the alliance partners were not present today. A seat-sharing formula must be arrived at in the presence of representatives of all the constituents," he added. Asked whether he hoped for a bigger share in the Grand Alliance compared to when the RLSP was in the NDA, which had offered him only two of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, Kushwaha, who also reportedly wants the Chatra seat in Jharkhand for his confidant Nagmani, said, "Wait for the opportune time, you will get to know." Prasad's younger son and RJD heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav also met the party supremo after Kushwaha and told reporters that there was no hurry to announce a seat-sharing formula. "Our priority is to make the NDA bite the dust and not to make the number of seats a prestige issue," he said. Meanwhile, Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha told a regional news channel in Patna that the seat-sharing formula would be worked out only after January 14. It's not a tough call for BJP to drop five sitting Lok Sabha MPs in Bihar after alliance "We think the Congress should get at least 12 (seats), but we will also have to take into account that we have to accommodate many constituents," he said. January 14 is the date on which "Kharmas", a month considered inauspicious, ends. Prasad had reportedly sought the deferment of a decision on seat-sharing until that date, Jha said. Meanwhile, the JD(U) launched a stinging attack on Prasad and former Union minister Kushwaha over the meeting of the two leaders in Ranchi. JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar issued a statement referring to Prasad as the "prisoner no. 3351" of the Hotwar jail and accused Kushwaha, whom he did not refer by name, of going to the Jharkhand capital to perform a "dandwat" (prostration) before the imprisoned RJD supremo. "I had predicted that seat-sharing in the Mahagathbandhan will have to follow a dandwat by all the constituents at the Hotwar jail. It has been proved right," he said. In a dig at Prasad over the allegations of illegal land deals levelled against him, most notably by Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, the JD(U) spokesperson hoped that those visiting the "prisoner no. 3351" had carried the records of their assets as they would have to part with some of those in return for an assurance of a ticket from Prasad. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 14:00 [IST] If normalcy to be brought in Kashmir, Article 370 has to be reinstated: Farooq Abdullah J&K: Encounter between security forces and army, no casualties India oi-Deepika S Srinagar, Dec 30: An exchange of gunfire took place between suspected militants and the Sentry at an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Sunday. An official said that a sentry at Ratnuchak military station noticed suspicious movement around the facility around 1:50 AM following which he opened fire. "The suspects were challenged but they did not stop, thereafter warning shots were fired by the sentry. The suspects fired back and rushed out of the sight. The search operation is still on," an officer said. Huge arms cache seized in J&K; major terror attack averted: Army On December 15, three Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed and one soldier martyred in an encounter which broke out during wee hours of Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Further, eight civilians were killed, and 50 others, wounded in a subsequent clash in the area, out of which nine are said to be critically injured. The authorities have suspended mobile internet in Pulwama and rail services between the Kashmir Valley and Bannihal town in the Jammu region were cancelled. Uttar Pradesh to soon have 5 international airports, highest for any state UP CM warns Owaisi: Followers of 'abba jaan', don't try to inflame passions over CAA 'Kill those you have arguement with': Purvanchal VC's 'murder lessons' for students India oi-Deepika S Purvanchal, Dec 30: The Vice Chancellor (V-C) of Jaunpur's Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University has triggered a controversy after he suggested the students to murder the person they ever get into an argument with, and rest would be taken care by him. In a video that went viral on Saturday, Raja Ram Yadav, vice-chancellor of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur, can be heard saying: "Purvanchal University Ke Chhatra ho, Peet kar nahi..Pitai karke ya murder karke aana." The context of the comment remains unclear but Yadav is seen ending his remarks with a smile. Yadav was addressing a national seminar on 'challenges in higher education' in Satyadev Degree College and Ram Manohar Lohia Degree College in Ghazipur at a common venue two days ago. Some 350 colleges in eastern Uttar Pradesh are affiliated to the state-run Purvanchal University. In the video, the voice further says that students should have the courage to carve a path for themselves from the rocks of mountains. Yadav was appointed as the V-C of the Purvanchal University last year. Earlier, he had joined the Allahabad University as Associate Professor in 1996 in the Physics department and was made Professor in 2004 there. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 12:35 [IST] Meghalaya Mining Disaster: Navy divers launch operation to rescue 15 miners India oi-Deepika S Shillong, Dec 30: The rescue operations for the 15 trapped miners were started on Sunday morning as the Indian Navy divers and Odisha Fire Services teams were yet to arrive at the spot. The rescue operation has been scaled up since yesterday with the arrival of high-powered pumps. A team of 11 naval divers will join the operation today. The navy divers are carrying sophisticated equipment, including underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles, to find the men in the "rat-hole" mine, a navy release said on Saturday. The navy had recently sent a survey team comprising an officer and two divers to assess the nature of the rescue operation. A team from Kirloskar Brothers Ltd - a heavy equipment company that has agreed to assist in the rescue efforts - also dropped by to take stock of the situation. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Assistant Commandant Santosh Kumar Singh has briefed the team leader of the navy divers and the chief fire officer of Odisha Fire Services on the rescue operation. "The navy divers with NDRF personnel have gone down the mine at the water surface. We have done a survey. They have been briefed and it will take a bit of time, I am told. But from tomorrow morning (Sunday), we are restarting the rescue operations all over again," he said. The biggest challenge for the authorities is the unavailability of the mine map or blue print of the mine that was being operated illegally. "We don't have the mining map. This is going to be very tough challenge for all of us," J Borah, a senior officer of state-run Coal India Limited, said. The accident took place on December 13. A surviving member of the team of miners that entered the illegal mine said 22 people had entered the "rat-holes" that barely fit a man. Modi officially announces re-naming of three islands in Andaman & Nicobar India oi-Vikas SV Port Blair, Dec 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday officially renamed 3 islands of Andaman And Nicobar. The Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island would now be known as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep. Prime Minister Modi is in Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar islands, to mark the 75th anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose's declaration of the formation of the Azad Hind government in 1943. Modi, also hoisted a 150-metre-high national flag at Port Blair to mark the 75th anniversary of the declaration of the formation of the Azad Hind government. "Each time we talk about freedom fighters, the name of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose fills up with pride and new energy," the Prime Minister said. [Govt working to ensure better facilities for Andamans, says PM Modi in Port Blair] Modi announced important decisions relating to agriculture and fisheries. He said these will help protect local culture of the Andaman and Nicobar islands as well as increase livelihood opportunities. "We are committed to giving the country affordable and green energy. While preserving the environment of the Car Nicobar, the possibilities of electrifying the place with solar power are being explored at the moment," he said, adding that a 300-KW solar power generation unit will be set up on the island. PM Modi paid homage to the victims who lost their lives in 2014 Tsunami at the Tsunami Memorial in Car Nicobar. [In tribute to Netaji Bose, 3 Andaman Nicobar islands get desi names] Modi on Sunday congratulated the people of Car Nicobar for overcoming the impact of Tsunami, which struck the Island in 2004, and said the government is working to provide better facilities to the people in the Andamans. Subhash Chandra Bose had hoisted the flag at Port Blair on December 30, 1943, as he believed that Port Blair was the first territory to be freed from British rule. This happened after the Japanese captured that area during the time of the Second World War. Bose had then reportedly suggested that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands be renamed as Shahid and Swaraj Dweep. He had also declared the islands as the first Indian territory freed from British rule. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 19:08 [IST] Finance is life and blood of economy, tech its carrier: PM at InFinity Forum PM to inaugurate projects worth Rs. 18,000 cr today: Soon, you can reach Delhi from Dehradun in just 2.5 hrs Govt working to ensure better facilities for Andamans, says PM Modi in Port Blair India oi-Deepika S Port Blair, Dec 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated the people of Car Nicobar for overcoming the impact of Tsunami, which struck the Island in 2004, and said the government is working to provide better facilities to the people in the Andamans. The prime minister is in Port Blair to mark the 75th anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's historic visit to the territory's capital, where the latter hoisted the national flag. He will be renaming three islands of Andaman and Nicobar. Subhash Chandra Bose had hoisted the flag at Port Blair on December 30, 1943, as he believed that Port Blair was the first territory to be freed from British rule. This happened after the Japenese captured that area during the time of the Second World War. He also assured the people that their security is one of the top priorities of the government. "The people here has been demanding a solution to the problem of sea erosion for a long time. I am glad to announce that the government has decided to erect a sea wall to deal with the problem, the foundation of which will be laid today," he said. The PM stressed that the wall will be built at the earliest. Modi also said his government was working to ensure that no corner of the country and its people is deprived of development. "Along with the security of people at Car Nicobar, the government is making efforts to ensure employment for youth, education for children, medical care for the aged and facilities for the farmers," he added. Modi will lay a wreath at the memorial and light a candle at the Wall of Lost Souls, a statement from his office said. He will then meet tribal chiefs at the BJR Stadium. He is also expected to address a public meeting there, PM's party, the BJP, said. The prime minister will also inaugurate an industrial training institute at Arong and lay the foundation stone for some infrastructure projects, news agency PTI said. Later in the day, he will lay a wreath at the Martyrs Column at Port Blair and will visit the Cellular Jail in the city. PM Modi will hoist the high mast flag at South Point, Port Blair. He will pay floral tributes at statue of Subhash Chandra Bose at Marina Park in Port Blair. Nation needs new agricultural-economic models: KCR India oi-Madhuri Adnal Hyderabad, Dec 30: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who has been making efforts to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP front, said Saturday the country needed new economic and agricultural models as the present system did not work. "We are not in a hurry for the election. It is in the process. I say it will certainly have its implications on the present political system. 100 per cent! Definitely, we will achieve some goal much before the election and we will continue to pursue the cause. It's a national cause," Rao told reporters. The chief minister, who met his West Bengal and Odisha counterparts, Mamata Banerjee and Naveen Patnaik respectively, this week, alleged that the Congress and the BJP have failed miserably in meeting the expectations of people. Congress accuses KCR of helping the BJP by lobbying for the Federal Front for LS elections "The country needs a new economic model, the country needs a new agricultural model. The present system does not work. These parties have miserably failed. I am very, very open. I am not afraid of anybody. It will continue. I think another 15 days to go. Some of my friends told me that wait for some time. We will sit down and chalk out a programme," he said. Hitting out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Rao said the TDP chief was the "dirtiest politician" in the country who does "cheap politics" for power. "What I started is not for cheap politics like you... What I talked about was an Indian federal front. I am stressing that the federal front (should be) without Congress, without the BJP. I am meeting people and leaders for that," he said. Naidu was earlier critical about Rao's efforts over the federal front. "Does Naidu have any idea about the models for governance that he was proposing?" the TRS chief asked. Rao alleged that Naidu did not have any consistency in politics as he was part of the NDA and later criticised the coalition after coming out of it. Naidu, who once questioned the benefit of special status for Andhra Pradesh, is now claiming to be fighting for it, Rao said. The TDP president is "not a leader, but only a manager," he alleged. Saying that the IT sector grew in Hyderabad because of the geographical and other advantages of the city, Rao accused Naidu of falsely claiming credit for it. Commenting on the TDP-Congress alliance against the TRS in the recent Assembly election, Rao said Naidu would certainly get a "return gift" from him and claimed that the TDP would lose in the upcoming Assembly election in Andhra Pradesh. KCR to reach out Mamata, Patnaik, exploring possibilities of 'Federal Front He dismissed criticism against the TRS government over protecting the interests of backward classes in the coming rural local body elections and said the Congress and the BJP were not sincere in their cause. The Congress leaders are behaving with "idiocy" on the issue, he alleged. Rao said he had been asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also former prime minister Manmohan Singh to form a ministry for the welfare of the backward classes, but, he added, they did not do it. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 12:00 [IST] Procurement of expensive aircraft parts to be done after approval of senior official: Air India Passenger strips mid-air on Air India Express flight; airline crew wraps him with blanket India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Dec 30: Passengers on board an Air India Express flight on Saturday were in for a shock when a man stripped mid-air and started walking down the aisle naked. The incident occurred on flight IX-194. While the aircraft crew immediately threw a blanket over him, two staff members held him and kept him seated till the flight landed at Lucknow airport at 12.05 pm. At Lucknow airport, he was handed over to the security. "As per the direction of the captain of the flight, the passenger was handed over to airlines security at Lucknow airport where investigation is underway," Air India Express spokesman was quoted as saying by ANI. Air India grounds 2 pilots after aircraft 'descends rapidly' in Hong Kong airport The provocation for such an act by the passenger was not clear.The incident occurred on flight IX-194, which had over 150 passengers on board. This is not the first time a passenger is creating nuisance onboard. In an earlier incident, Beijing-bound China flight was diverted after a passenger held an attendant hostage using a fountain pen as the weapon. The flight had taken off from the city of Changsha in Hunan province at 8.40 AM and was scheduled to reach Beijing at 11 AM. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 10:34 [IST] I do not seek power, I want to serve the people: Top quotes from PM Modi's Mann ki Baat Spotify to Gaana: Mann ki Baat now available on all major audio, music platforms Mann Ki Baat: Hope India will continue its journey of development in 2019, says PM Modi India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Dec 30: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asserted that India has taken strides in the area of poverty alleviation at a record pace and noted world institutions have acknowledged India's growth. Modi said, the country's self defence mechanism got further reinforced. He said, it was during this very year that India has successfully accomplished the Nuclear Triad, which means India is now armed with nuclear capabilities-in water, on land and in the sky as well. Narendra Modi said, the year 2018 saw the launch of the world's biggest health insurance scheme 'Ayushman Bharat' and electricity reached each and every village of the country . On account of the unwavering resolve of the countrymen, swachchata, sanitation coverage is rapidly advancing towards crossing the 95 per cent mark. Speaking on the tradition of Kumbh Mela which has bloomed and flourished as part of India's great cultural heritage, Modi said, this time the world famous Kumbh Mela is going to be held in Prayagraj from 15th of next month. He said, Kumbh Mela is also a huge medium of self discovery, where every visitor experiences a unique feeling and learns to look at the worldly things from a spiritual perspective. PM Modi Mann Ki Baat Highlights: Newest First Oldest First UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Mann Ki Baat: This programme by PM Modi where he discusses various issues of different sections of society has touched hearts of people. It has given a new pathway & inspired youth, farmers & women of the country. PM Modi concludes his Mann Ki Baat speech, wishes the country a great year ahead. Country secured a place of pride & glory in the entire world. The highest United Nations Environment Award Champions of the Earth was conferred upon India: PM Modi In honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who bonded the entire country around a common thread of unity, India witnessed the coming up of the tallest statue in the world, Statue of Unity: PM Modi After Independence, for the first time ever, the tricolor was hoisted at Red Fort on the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government: PM Modi On the occasion of Gandhi's 150th anniversary, FSSAI will ensure safe and healthy habits through 'Eat Right India' campaign in order to ensure food safety and to regulate healthy habits among people. FSSAI is doing the work of ensuring people's health and reiterating the importance of this, PM Modi asked people to partake in the campaign to ensure good health. PM Modi, in his address, also announced that the nation will celebrate Mahatma Gandhis 150th birth anniversary on Republic Day. PM Modi spoke about various upcoming festivals in January such as Vishu, Pongal, Lohri, Sankranti, Uttarayan, Magh Bihu and described the importance of all these festivals. PM Modi in #MannkiBaat: She had to start her practice with old gloves as her familys financial condition was not good. Despite that she didnt lose hope and continued boxing. She has also won a medal in Serbia. I congratulate her and thank her parents for supporting her. pic.twitter.com/FtzYpze8Mh ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 PM Modi hails the 16-year-old Rajni There was a lot of discussion in media about a 16 year old daughter, Rajni who won a gold medal in Junior National Women Boxing Championship. When she expressed her wishes to learn boxing to her father, he did everything within his capacity and helped her: PM Modi at Mann Ki Baat. PM MOdi during his last Mann Ki Baat address referred to websites such as betterstory.com, yourstory.com, sanskritbharati.in and positiveindian.com and asked people to share such positive stories in an effort to initiate positive discussions among people. Asking people to diffuse negativity, he recognised the good efforts that are driven to spread positivity around. PM Modi talks about imortance of Kumbh Mela. "Kumbh Mela is beginning from Jan 15 in Prayagraj. Kumbh is huge as well as divine. UNESCO listed Kumbh in Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last year," he says. PM Modi during MannkiBaat: Pune's 20-year-old Vedangi Kulkarni has become the fastest Asian woman to travel around the world on a cycle. For 159 days, she used to cycle 300km each day. Her passion for cycling is commendable. He spoke of how the cleanliness campaign 'Swacchh Bharat' mission has become successful as 3 lakh people gathered to participate in a cleanliness drive. Talking about healthcare and sanitation campaigns, PM Modi also encouraged doctors in Madhya Pradesh's Bijnor district for setting up free medical camps in the state. PM Modi paying tribute to those who have contributed to society and lost their lives in the past month. He speaks about Dr Jayachandran from Tamil Nadu and Sulagitti Naras from Karnataka for their work. He also spoke about upcoming sportspersons from different parts of the country and congratulated them for their efforts and success. Referring to Bogibeel bridge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that nation's longest rail-cum-road bridge was dedicated to nation this month. Our daughters gave made us proud in 2018. PM Modi talks about Hanaya, young rising star from Jammu and Kashmir. It was during this very year that our country has successfully accomplished the Nuclear Triad, which means we are now armed with nuclear capabilities-in water, on land and in the sky as well. I sincerely hope that Indias journey on the path of advancement & progress continues through 2019 too. Taking her to newer heights with her inner strengths. In his monthly address via 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi said that the top worlds rated agencies have accepted that, India is pulling its people out of poverty. In 2018,health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat was launched. Electricity reached every village of the country. World agencies recognise that India is pulling its citizens out of poverty at a record pace, says Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed thanks to the people for tuning in Mann Ki Baat for 51st editon. I hope that in 2019 too, India will continue its journey of growth and development, says PM Modi. Prime Minister Naredra Modi addresses 51st edition of Mann Ki Baat Today's will be the last edition of Modi's Mann Ki Baat in 2018. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand has become the first state where radios have been distributed to the BJP workers so that people can listen to 'Mann ki Baat'. In terms of the reach & depth of communication, radio has been incomparable. I have been nursing that feeling ever since, acknowledging its power & strength. Hence when I became the Prime Minister, it was natural for me to turn towards a strong, effective medium, the prime minister said while responding to a question on why he choose radio over other means such as social media and mobile apps. During his last address, PM Modi talked about how radio "truly connected with the masses and that it was a mighty means of getting across". The prime minister said he deliberately kept "politics" out of his monthly radio address as the programme was about the aspirations of the people and not his or the government's achievements. In its previous episodes, he has covered issues of social, national as well as international implication: education of the girl child, tackling exam stress, climate change and drug menace. The 51st episode and the last edition for 2018 of Mann ki Baat will air at 11 am In its previous episodes, he has covered issues of social, national as well as international implication: education of the girl child, tackling exam stress, climate change and drug menace. The prime minister said he deliberately kept "politics" out of his monthly radio address as the programme was about the aspirations of the people and not his or the government's achievements. During his last address, PM Modi talked about how radio "truly connected with the masses and that it was a mighty means of getting across". In terms of the reach & depth of communication, radio has been incomparable. I have been nursing that feeling ever since, acknowledging its power & strength. Hence when I became the Prime Minister, it was natural for me to turn towards a strong, effective medium, the prime minister said while responding to a question on why he choose radio over other means such as social media and mobile apps. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand has become the first state where radios have been distributed to the BJP workers so that people can listen to 'Mann ki Baat'. Today's will be the last edition of Modi's Mann Ki Baat in 2018. Prime Minister Naredra Modi addresses 51st edition of Mann Ki Baat I hope that in 2019 too, India will continue its journey of growth and development, says PM Modi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed thanks to the people for tuning in Mann Ki Baat for 51st editon. In 2018,health insurance scheme, Ayushman Bharat was launched. Electricity reached every village of the country. World agencies recognise that India is pulling its citizens out of poverty at a record pace, says Modi. In his monthly address via 'Mann Ki Baat', PM Modi said that the top worlds rated agencies have accepted that, India is pulling its people out of poverty. It was during this very year that our country has successfully accomplished the Nuclear Triad, which means we are now armed with nuclear capabilities-in water, on land and in the sky as well. I sincerely hope that Indias journey on the path of advancement & progress continues through 2019 too. Taking her to newer heights with her inner strengths. Our daughters gave made us proud in 2018. PM Modi talks about Hanaya, young rising star from Jammu and Kashmir. Referring to Bogibeel bridge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that nation's longest rail-cum-road bridge was dedicated to nation this month. PM Modi paying tribute to those who have contributed to society and lost their lives in the past month. He speaks about Dr Jayachandran from Tamil Nadu and Sulagitti Naras from Karnataka for their work. He also spoke about upcoming sportspersons from different parts of the country and congratulated them for their efforts and success. Talking about healthcare and sanitation campaigns, PM Modi also encouraged doctors in Madhya Pradesh's Bijnor district for setting up free medical camps in the state. He spoke of how the cleanliness campaign 'Swacchh Bharat' mission has become successful as 3 lakh people gathered to participate in a cleanliness drive. PM Modi during MannkiBaat: Pune's 20-year-old Vedangi Kulkarni has become the fastest Asian woman to travel around the world on a cycle. For 159 days, she used to cycle 300km each day. Her passion for cycling is commendable. PM Modi talks about imortance of Kumbh Mela. "Kumbh Mela is beginning from Jan 15 in Prayagraj. Kumbh is huge as well as divine. UNESCO listed Kumbh in Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity last year," he says. PM MOdi during his last Mann Ki Baat address referred to websites such as betterstory.com, yourstory.com, sanskritbharati.in and positiveindian.com and asked people to share such positive stories in an effort to initiate positive discussions among people. Asking people to diffuse negativity, he recognised the good efforts that are driven to spread positivity around. There was a lot of discussion in media about a 16 year old daughter, Rajni who won a gold medal in Junior National Women Boxing Championship. When she expressed her wishes to learn boxing to her father, he did everything within his capacity and helped her: PM Modi at Mann Ki Baat. PM Modi in #MannkiBaat: She had to start her practice with old gloves as her familys financial condition was not good. Despite that she didnt lose hope and continued boxing. She has also won a medal in Serbia. I congratulate her and thank her parents for supporting her. pic.twitter.com/FtzYpze8Mh ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 PM Modi hails the 16-year-old Rajni PM Modi spoke about various upcoming festivals in January such as Vishu, Pongal, Lohri, Sankranti, Uttarayan, Magh Bihu and described the importance of all these festivals. PM Modi, in his address, also announced that the nation will celebrate Mahatma Gandhis 150th birth anniversary on Republic Day. On the occasion of Gandhi's 150th anniversary, FSSAI will ensure safe and healthy habits through 'Eat Right India' campaign in order to ensure food safety and to regulate healthy habits among people. FSSAI is doing the work of ensuring people's health and reiterating the importance of this, PM Modi asked people to partake in the campaign to ensure good health. After Independence, for the first time ever, the tricolor was hoisted at Red Fort on the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government: PM Modi In honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who bonded the entire country around a common thread of unity, India witnessed the coming up of the tallest statue in the world, Statue of Unity: PM Modi Country secured a place of pride & glory in the entire world. The highest United Nations Environment Award Champions of the Earth was conferred upon India: PM Modi PM Modi concludes his Mann Ki Baat speech, wishes the country a great year ahead. Rahul Gandhi has all qualities to make an excellent PM: Shashi Tharoor India oi-PTI New Delhi, Dec 30: Rahul Gandhi has all the right qualities to make an "excellent" prime minister, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said on December 30, even as he emphasised that the issue of PM candidate is likely to be decided after the 2019 polls "collectively" by the party and its allies. Tharoor also said the recent assembly elections have made it clear that the Congress remains the only alternative political party with a pan-India presence, and therefore, would be the "natural fulcrum" for any national alliance. "Rahul Gandhi is our leader, which means that if Congress gets a majority, he will be PM. If Congress is in a coalition government, obviously wider discussions will be held with other coalition partners to arrive at a consensus candidate," he told PTI in an interview. Stalin proposes Rahul Gandhi as next Prime Minister Tharoor said that any decision on the PM candidate put forward by the Congress and its allies will take place through established processes and conventions which will have to be representative of the interests of the larger coalition. It will be a "collective decision" and, as is usually the case, this is only likely to be discussed after the election results, he said. "At a personal level, having had several interactions and discussions in close quarters with the Congress president, to my mind it is evidently clear that Rahul ji has all the right qualities to make an excellent prime minister for the country," Tharoor said when asked about Gandhi seemingly emerging as the opposition's PM face despite them saying that a decision on it will be taken after polls. Rahul Gandhi as PM candidate? Mamata Banerjee remains non-committal He said Gandhi's inclusive style of leadership, a willingness to reach across the political divide, the empathy extended towards aggrieved sections of the society, a commitment to the pluralist fabric of the country, paired with a distinctive charisma, humility and remarkable awareness, all suggest that he would be able to "fittingly live up to the expectations of the top job". "And at some level, one could argue that recent statements by non-Congress leaders reflect a growing confidence that Rahul is indeed the right man for the job," the 62-year-old leader said. His remarks assume significance as they come after DMK president M K Stalin had vowed to make Gandhi the country's next prime minister and lauded him for having the ability to defeat the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. Leader of National Conference, Farooq Abdullah, had also recently hailed Gandhi, saying he is no longer a "Pappu" after proving his mettle as a leader by winning elections in three Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. However, several prospective allies such as the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party and Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress have not endorsed Stalin's views and said that a decision on the PM candidate will be taken after the polls. On whether the dynamics of a possible grand alliance has changed with the Congress' win in the Hindi heartland states, Tharoor said he believes that it is still too early to tell, though the signs from the poll results certainly augur well for the fortunes of the Congress. "The voters have signalled that they are tired of being taken for a ride by the BJP and are open to climbing on the Congress bandwagon instead," the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said. In the next few months, the Congress will demonstrate anew that it has the vision and the capacity to restore, across the country, the voters' faith that the party can deliver the right results for them, the former Union minister asserted. State leaders planning to take call on Rahul as PM, says Stalin He also said the Congress is likely to have pre and post-poll alliances, including an existing set of arrangement with partners that the Congress has in some states. The question of whether or not there will officially be a grand alliance among the Opposition parties remains to be seen, he said. To a question on the passage of the triple talaq bill in Lok Sabha last week, Tharoor said the Congress was strongly opposed to the version of the bill that was passed by the government because it was a fundamentally flawed legislation. "Triple talaq has already been rendered illegal by the Supreme Court: why was this law needed? It seems to have been designed with the intent to create a class-specific legislation on the basis of religion and therefore is a violation of Article 15 and 16 of our Constitution," he alleged. The senior Congress leader claimed that the bill doesn't protect Muslim women, but instead penalises Muslim men. "The legislation is manifestly arbitrary with no safeguards against misuse. All of this was made clear in Parliament and supplemented with a demand that the legislation be sent to a Parliamentary Committee for a more comprehensive review, but to no avail," he said. Asked about Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah's remarks on mob violence in India, Tharoor said the reactions and threats, and demonstrations against his public appearances, have been "unseemly and unwarranted". PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 14:34 [IST] Time for you to vacate your throne: Ahmed Patel tells Modi India oi-Madhuri Adnal Jaipur, Dec 30: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said that the results of the Assembly elections indicate that the BJP was on its way out even at the Centre. Addressing a rally at Himmatnagar in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat, Patel said the verdict in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh showed that people were disenchanted with the BJP. "When you came to power in 2014 by making false promises and spreading lies, you may not have thought that you will become unpopular within just four years. People are disenchanted with BJP now. That is why Congress won the assembly polls in three states," Patel said. Upendra Kushwaha meets Ahmed Patel: Is NDA 'deserter' planning to side with Congress? "When you came to power in 2014, you thought you will rule forever. That was your ego. You did not realise that if people can put you in power, they can also oust you," Patel said. "Time has come for you (Modi) to vacate the throne in near future. If you do not step down, people will make you do so," the Congress veteran said. Referring to Modi's sartorial choices, Patel said one can not become a leader like former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru just by wearing a "Nehru jacket". "You can also not become Indira Gandhi by going on foreign trips. You can not become Rajiv Gandhi by donning designer jackets and kurtas. To be in the league of such leaders, you have to make sacrifices like them. Do you have the courage to do that?" Patel asked. To Modi's recent jibe that Kartarpur in Punjab went to Pakistan at the time of Independence because of "lack of vision" in Congress leaders, Patel asked if Modi was also blaming Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a Congress stalwart of that period. "On one hand you are building Sardar Patel's statue and on the other you are insulting him," the Congress leader from Gujarat said. Modi and the BJP are trying to erase history and present a "distorted version" to claim that Congress leaders did nothing for the country, Patel alleged. Ahmed Patel the most trusted man of Sonia Gandhi takes over command in Rajasthan Modi failed to fulfil any of his pre-poll promises such as depositing Rs 15 lakh in everyone's bank account by bringing back black money, he said. "They claim they have done all those things which the Congress could not do in the last 70 years...Congress never looted the country in 60-70 years of its rule. But they (the BJP) looted the country through demonetisation during their four-year rule," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 9:30 [IST] Honours are even today, which way will wind blow in 2022: P Chidambaram on bypoll results Trial courts in India had a busy 2018 India oi-PTI New Delhi, Dec 30: Cases involving political bigwigs like P Chidambaram, Lalu Prasad and Shashi Tharoor made headlines in 2018 from Delhi courts which drew global attention while dealing with the case of extradited alleged middleman Christian Michel in the VVIP chopper scam. The eventful year in courts saw British national Michel, who was brought to India on December 4 after his extradition from the UAE in connection with the AgustaWestland chopper deal, spending 14 days in CBI custody and now in jail. While Michel's case drew eyeballs, fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, who is currently in London and has been declared a proclaimed offender here for evading summons in a money laundering case related to alleged FERA violation, also faced the heat when a court ordered attachment of his properties. Also Read | 2018: The year of the judiciary, from landmark verdicts to an unprecedented presser The #MeToo movement gathered momentum in India and forced veteran journalist and former union minister M J Akbar to approach a Delhi court with a private criminal defamation complaint against a scribe, who accused him of sexual misconduct nearly two decades ago. Akbar, who had to resign as a minister following the uproar, has denied all the allegations. Cases involving political heavyweights dominated court proceedings here and the year saw both the CBI and the ED tightening the noose around Congress leader P Chidambaram and his son Karti in the Aircel-Maxis case by filing charge sheets against them. His party colleague Shashi Tharoor was also named in a charge sheet by Delhi Police for allegedly abetting the suicide of his wife Sunanda Pushkar. Police in its nearly 3,000-page charge sheet also accused the former union minister of subjecting his wife to cruelty. The Congress further suffered an embarrassment when ED filed a charge sheet against former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, accusing him of projecting around Rs 7 crore "proceeds of crime" as agricultural income in connivance with others and investing these in purchasing LIC policies. The trial courts also dealt with some of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots cases and in one case, death sentence was awarded to a man and life imprisonment to another for killing two persons in south Delhi's Mahipalpur area. Even Sajjan Kumar, who after his conviction and life term in one such case resigned from the Congress, was attending the trial court in connection with another anti-Sikh riots case. So was the case of another senior Congress leader Jagdish Tytler, who is finding it hard to get discharged from his alleged involvement in the riots even after the CBI gave him clean chit and sought closure of the case against him. The criminal case filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against Congress leaders including Rahul and Sonia Gandhi in the National Herald case also made news from the trial court. The RJD, an ally of the Congress in Bihar, also had a bad time as its top leadership including jailed chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi and son Tejaswi Yadav had to face legal proceedings in the IRCTC scam. Lalu's daughter Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh Kumar were summoned as accused and granted bail in a separate money laundering case in which the ED had earlier attached their Delhi farmhouse. Flashback 2018: Major defence related developments of the year Aam Aadmi Party and its leadership continued to hog the limelight from trial courts which summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as accused in Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash assault case along with his deputy and others. Kejriwal had a sigh of relief when he settled various defamation cases against himself by apologising to Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari and ex-Union minister Kapil Sibal's son Amit Sibal. While politicians were facing the heat in the trial courts here, bureaucrats also had a tough time, particularly in cases arising out of the alleged coal block allocation scam during Congress-led UPA regime with former coal secretary H C Gupta getting three-year imprisonment in one such case. Gupta, the coal secretary from December 31, 2005 to November 2008, has already been convicted in two other cases of coal block allocation in which he has been sentenced for two and three years respectively. He is out on bail in all the cases. Two other bureaucrats also were convicted in coalgate cases. The CBI vs CBI case also had its imprint on the courts as the agency arrested one of its own Deputy Superintendents of Police and an alleged middleman. While DySP Devender Kumar was released after the CBI preferred not to oppose his bail, alleged Dubai-based middleman Manoj Prasad secured relief after the agency failed to file its charge sheet within the stipulated time. A trial court also framed molestation charges against former TERI chief R K Pachauri in a case of alleged sexual harassment. The year witnessed anti-terror agencies tightening the noose against terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir with NIA filing charge sheet against separatists and naming Hafiz Saeed, the head of banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, for allegedly conspiring to wage a war against the country. Flashback 2018: India's biggest moments on Twitter in 2018 The NIA also arrested and charged Syed Shahid Yusuf, son Salahuddin, with indulging in unlawful activities and raising funds for terror operations in a separate case of 2011. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 11:16 [IST] Triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha: Vijay Goel reaches out to all parties for support India pti-PTI New Delhi, Dec 30: A day before the introduction of the triple talaq bill in the Rajya Sabha, Union minister Vijay Goel on Sunday reached out to all parties seeking their support for its passage. Terming the bill a landmark legislation for gender justice, the minister of state for parliamentary affairs said Muslim women are looking towards the Rajya Sabha with hope. "It is high time we ensure justice to our Muslim sisters. They have went through so much pain because of this inhuman practice of triple talaq," Goel said here. Goel, who hails from Chandani Chowk in New Delhi, said he has personally witnessed how Muslim women suffered due to triple talaq. The minister said he has reached out to all parties, mainly those is the Opposition, and sought their support for passage of the bill. [Triple talaq bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Monday; BJP, Cong issue whips] The contentious bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The Congress has said it will not allow its passage in the present form. The ruling BJP, which lacks majority in the upper house, has issued a whip asking its members to be present in the house. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House. The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha -- with 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition. PTI Fake: This is not an image of a protest in Assam against Bangladesh violence Bangladesh General Election 2018: 10 killed as clashes mar vote International oi-Deepika S Dhaka, Dec 30: Ten people were killed in clashes on election day in Bangladesh on Sunday following a deadly campaign marred by outbreaks of violence. Voting began at 8 am local time (7.30 am IST). Security has been stepped up across the country and over 6,00,000 officials have been appointed to help conduct the polling process smoothly. Around 104 million voters will choose between an alliance led by Hasina's ruling Awami League party and a coalition headed by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which was cobbled together only three months ago. Opinion polls show Hasina, who has presided over impressive economic growth during an unbroken decade in power but who is also accused of growing authoritarianism, heading for a comfortable victory. She needs 151 seats in the first-past-the-post system to win in the 300-seat parliament but experts say any victory would be sullied by accusations that she hamstrung her opponents' campaign. If Hasina wins, she will be in for her third consecutive term after the wins in 2008 and 2014 elections. Bangladesh has made rapid economic progress in her rule but its human rights abuse rates have also reached new lows. The BNP has stayed out of the parliamentary process since 2014 when it boycotted the last general election over its demands for a poll-time non-party government. It returned to parliamentary politics as part of a new alliance - National Unity Front (NUF) - that was cobbled together three months ago with eminent lawyer Kamal Hossain as its convener. But the party is in a state of disarray in the absence of its two top leaders Zia and her fugitive son Tarique Rahman who is the acting party chief. Zia, 73, is serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges while Rahman is living in London ostensibly to evade the law as a court has sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack on a rally in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists. The opposition, however, said they are facing violent attacks and intimidation, including arrests that has affected their electioneering. At least six people have been killed in poll-related clashes since the campaigning began as Awami League claimed that five of them were its supporters while BNP alleged that over 12,000 opposition activists including several candidates were injured in attacks by the ruling party's activists. Committee to Protect Journalists reveal number of journalists jailed due to their work Egypt: Police kill 40 terrorists after Giza bus strike International oi-Madhuri Adnal Cairo, Dec 30: Egyptian police killed 40 "terrorists" in separate raids early Saturday, a day after a roadside bomb near the Giza pyramids killed three Vietnamese tourists and their guide, the interior ministry said. Two raids in the Giza governorate killed 30 "terrorists", while the remaining 10 were killed in the restive North Sinai, the ministry said in a statement. It said authorities acted after receiving information the suspects were preparing a series of attacks against state and tourist institutions and churches. 4 killed as bomb strikes tourist bus near Egypt's Giza Pyramids "Information was received by the national security that a group of terrorists were planning to carry out a series of aggressive attacks targeting state institutions, particularly economic ones, as well as tourism, armed forces, police and Christian places of worship," the statement said. Police acting upon this information carried out simultaneous raids in the Giza governorate and in North Sinai, killing a total of 40 "terrorists", it said. In Giza itself two raids were carried out, the first killing 14 suspects and the second 16 suspects, while the rest were in the North Sinai capital El-Arish. Police also found a large number of weapons and ammunition as well as bomb-making materials, the statement said. Early on Friday evening, a roadside bomb blast hit a tourist bus travelling near the Giza pyramids killing three Vietnamese holidaymakers and their Egyptian tour guide, officials said. A statement by the public prosecutor's office said 11 other tourists from Vietnam and an Egyptian bus driver were wounded when the bomb exploded. The improvised explosive device was placed near a wall along Mariyutiya Street in Al-Haram district near the Giza pyramids plateau, it said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Egypt's vital tourism industry has been struggling to recover from terror attacks and domestic instability that have hit the country in recent years. Jihadists linked to the Islamic State group have claimed responsibility for previous attacks, including against Egypt's Coptic Christian minority who make up about 10 per cent of the country's population. The Egyptian military launched a large-scale operation dubbed "Sinai 2018" in February to rid the Sinai Peninsula of IS jihadists after an attack on a mosque in the north of the peninsula killed more than 300 people. Egypt: 7 killed, 14 injured in attack on bus near Coptic Christian monastery Since the start of the campaign, 450 jihadists were presumed to have been killed "in the north and the centre of Sinai by (soldiers) and police," army spokesman Tamer al-Rifai told AFP. According to army figures, around 30 soldiers have been killed in the operation. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 15:00 [IST] Indias policy uncertainty could see its merger & acquisition glory be temporary, says Chinese media International oi-Shubham Ghosh Beijing, Dec 29: India saw a rise in merger and acquisition (M&A) deals driven by foreign investors after overtaking China to become the world's fastest-growing economy but that euphoria may be short-lived because of its unstable trade policy, China's Global Times reported on Thursday, December 27. The report also cited the experts to say that as China finds itself "on a more competitive footing with its push for further reform and opening-up", it may lead to diverting some of the foreign investment away from its competitor India. It said the unstable trade policy might keep the investors from making further moves in the market after the deals are made. Post Doklam, Indo-China ties back on 'normal track' "M&As targeting Indian companies reached $93.7 billion this year, up 52 percent year-on-year, the highest figure since the country started opening-up in the 1990s. Acquirers spent $39.5 billion in overseas purchases in India versus $32.8 billion in China, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, which cited Dealogic, a financial markets platform," the Global Times report added. The report also cited experts speak about the many positives the Indian economy is having at the moment, from being an attractive destination for foreign investors to promotion of manufacturing and infrastructure industries that are luring investors from Japan and even enticing Chinese companies like Alibaba Group Holding to pump in money into food delivery industries, yet they have aired caution that the surge in India's M&A deals this year could be temporary and many may not turn out to be profitable as well. "Some of these deals were carried out as hedges by foreign investors because of the unstable China-US trade relationship. With the continuous push of China's reform and opening-up, and the new policies that may be rolled out to attract foreign investors next year, it's possible that some of these investors might turn back to China," Dai Yonghong, professor at the Institute of South Asian Studies of Sichuan University, Chengdu, told the Global Times on Thursday. The experts also warned that frequent policy shifts could be potentially risky for foreign companies that do business in India. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 9:48 [IST] We are coming back to power, no doubt about it, says Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina International oi-Shubham Ghosh Dhaka, Dec 29: Bangladesh is set to witness its 11th general election on Sunday, December 30, and the international observers are keeping a close watch on the outcome of the results for the last time, the general election in one of the fastest growing economies of the world was perceived to be sham by most quarters as the Opposition decided to keep away. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the country's late founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is seeking her third straight term after the 2008 and 2014 victories and speaking to Anandabazar Patrika, she said there was little doubt of her Awami League returning to power once again for she felt the people of the country wanted them. 'People of Bangladesh are with us' "I have full faith on the people of Bangladesh. People are with us and we will get elected with their support," Hasina said in the exclusive interview. The 71-year-old leader said in support of her conviction that people of Bangladesh still remember the violence the country had witnessed in 2013 and the people have rejected those who were behind the violence. The Opposition had in the past accused the League government of targeting minorities in Bangladesh. The Opposition, however, is not in a good shape this time as its main face Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader and also a former premier of Bangladesh, has been jailed in relation to a corruption case while BNP's ally Jamaat-e-Islami has been stripped of the right to contest in the election. Bangladesh General Election 2018: Voting begins, Sheikh Hasina seeks fourth term as PM When asked about the Opposition's allegation against the ruling party, Hasina said the Opposition was only spreading lies and misleading people. She also said the youths of Bangladesh was finding interest in the League for they are rediscovering the country's past that included a hard-earned freedom from West Pakistani occupants who carried out mayhem in East Pakistan before it became Bangladesh in 1971. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 9:37 [IST] Members of farmers' body detained in Lucknow for trying to burn effigies of PM Modi, Shah Shocking: Woman objects to eve-teasing; Thrashed, stripped and paraded naked Lucknow oi-Vikas SV Bhadohi, Dec 30: In a shocking incident, a woman was beaten up, stripped and made to run naked in her village in Uttar Pradesh for resisting eve-teasers. Police have registered a case against the four miscreants involved in the incident and have arrested one of them, said Circle officer Yadavendra Yadav on Sunday, adding they are trying to apprehend others. The incident took place in a village in Gopiganj area of the district on Saturday, when a woman from the weavers' community objected to being teased by one Lal Chandra Yadav. Later, in the evening, Yadav along with his three accomplices forcibly entered her house and badly beat her up, said Yadavendra Yadav, as per a PTI report. "They stripped off her clothes and made to run in the village. Some villagers shot the incident and its video subsequently went viral," he added. Circle Officer Yadav said the woman is undergoing treatment at a hospital and a case has been registered against all four involved in beating and disrobing her. "One accused has been arrested, while efforts are on to nab the rest of the culprits," he said. Meanwhile, Inspector Anil Yadav of Gopiganj police station has been sent to the police lines. OneIndia News with PTI inputs For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Sunday, December 30, 2018, 20:33 [IST] New Managers MARKETING CHALLENG: Diane Harrison: Hedge habits to leave behind In 2018 Before setting resolutions for 2019, December provides managers and investors with a good time to break bad habits endemic to the hedge fund community. There's no shortage of subjects where these practices lurk, but here are five suggestions on habits to leave behind in 2018. ONE: DON'T BURY THE LEAD OF THE ALTERNATIVES STORY: THAT AT ITS ESSENCE IT'S NONTRADITIONAL I have heard numerous times from alternative managers and their sales support that one of the challenges hardest to overcome in reaching out to prospects is communicating the role of alternatives within a portfolio plan. Because investors typically find the instruments used in many alternative strategies, namely debt and equity components, more familiar to them, the conversation turns to discussing particular segments of the debt or equity markets used by the alternative strategy rather than how the strategy performs itself. The CFA Institute Research Foundation summarized this issue in their 2018 paper, Alternative Investments: A Primer For Investment Professionals (Donald R. Chambers, CAIA, Keith H. Black, CFA, CAIA and Nelson J. Lacey, CFA}: Alternative investments include strategies that offer unusual risk and return characteristics even when the securities underlying the strategy are traditional stocks and bonds. The returns of alternative investments do not mimic the returns of traditional asset classes (stocks and bonds), and therefore, they require specialized methods of analysis. The challenge for an asset allocator is to decide, as skillfully as possible, which new types of assets to include in a portfolio and which to exclude. Due in part to this, a challenge for providers of alternative strategies is to assist investors in a better understanding of how a nontraditional alternative strategy works, how that impacts the traditional components of a portfolio, and how best to integrate the two asset classes. TWO: DON'T S...................... 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Firms purchasing the report can use any one or a combination of the below-mentioned five strategies (market penetration, product development/innovation, market development, market diversification, and competitive assessment) for strengthening their market shares.About Us:-ReportsnReports.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets.Contact:Mr. Vishalsales@reportsandreports.com / Call +1 888 391 5441Tower B5, Office 101,Magarpatta City SEZ,Pune-411013, India From its start, 2018 was a year of playing defense in Oregon. From the January referendum on a Medicaid funding package to the November ballot measure seeking to strip Oregon of its sanctuary state status, leaders focused on shoring up support for maintaining Oregon policies more than breaking new ground. Still Oregon made some incremental progress in addressing its most urgent problems in education, homelessness, revenue and PERS reform and disaster preparedness. And with Gov. Kate Browns re-election and Democratic supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature, next year promises to be a whole new ballgame. Below are recaps of notable successes or failures in the areas we highlighted for our 2018 editorial agenda the issues we consider the most critical for Oregon leaders to address. Press for a student-focused education system Arguing that the state needs to develop a student-focused education system seems redundant. After all, isnt an education system all about students to begin with? In theory, sure. In Oregon, however, the answer is a bit more complicated. Too often it seems, leaders have put the interests of students behind those of adults. For example, elected officials are well aware that a growing share of education dollars is going to employee benefits as opposed to in-the-classroom investments, but they have shown little appetite to change that. Nowhere, however, was the students-last mentality more obvious than the decision by the state board of education to roll back rules requiring school districts to schedule most high school students for full class loads. The board adopted those rules a few years ago after parents complaints of part-time high school. But under pressure from school boards and administrators wanting more budget flexibility, the state board of education voted to allow broad exemptions to the instructional time requirements. Never mind that graduates of Oregons K-12 system get a years less schooling than their counterparts in Washington or that many have to repeat classes before taking college-credit courses. Fortunately, Gov. Brown, who has said she wants to increase the school year, has since directed the board to seek data from schools about their use of exemptions and review its decision in coming months. On the flip side, the creation and work of the student success committee is an ambitious and dedicated effort to put students needs first. A bipartisan group of legislators spent the year traveling around the state to hear from community members about whats working for schools, whats not and what they want Oregons educational system to provide. The committee, the brainchild of Senate President Peter Courtney, developed a host of policy recommendations. It is now paring down the long list into a package of strategic investments, designed to give Oregons K-12 system the tools needed to improve student outcomes. Another plus: The gubernatorial campaign between Brown and Republican challenger Knute Buehler directed new energy and attention into the problems afflicting the K-12 educational system. While Brown emerged the winner, Buehlers detailed vision for education prodded Brown to release her own platform. While the student success committees recommendations will certainly shape how Oregon moves forward, Brown is already championing the need for a $2 billion investment of new money into education. Her buy-in and leadership will be critical to get even half of that revenue. Focus attention on the root causes of homelessness With the states hot-button homelessness issue, theres much speculation and finger-pointing as to why we cant seem to get 4,000 of our fellow Oregonians under shelter. Some are sure its a breakdown of our mental health and addiction services. Others insist its our lack of affordable housing. Some simply blame Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler even though he partners with Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury in leadership of the Joint Office of Homeless Services. A compelling report by the local economic consulting firm EcoNorthwest this year clarified how our lack of housing has significantly exacerbated the problem for the majority of homeless individuals. The firm found high-rent areas, including Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco lead the country in homelessness. Yet homelessness rates are significantly lower across Appalachia, a region that struggles with drug addiction and other disabilities suggesting that addiction isnt the key driver. This year brought some progress. Oregonians passed Measure 102, a tweak to the state constitution that will allow municipalities to leverage public funding to go farther and work more closely with third parties who may have more experience in building and operating various types of housing. Voters also approved the Metro housing bond, which will bring needed units dedicated for the lowest-income families. Housing supply aside, we cant ignore the impact of our failing mental health system across the state. Less populated counties across much of Oregon lack providers. Yet in Portland, a two-year-old crisis facility that many saw as a major part of the solution is now under investigation after allegations of abusewere made by a whistleblower who was ignored. At the same time, a recent investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive found that the state has been working to push some of the most vulnerable Oregonians suffering extreme mental illness out of specialized care facilities with tragic consequences. State and local leaders face an unprecedented storm of crises, between these failed systems and building backlogs. Yet they must continue to search for creative ways to fund solutions, keep a close eye on those programs in place and shy from establishing policies that only make addressing these breakdowns more difficult. Editorial Agenda 2018 Press for a student-focused education system Help defuse Oregon's ticking time bombs Focus attention on the root causes of homelessness ________________________ Read more about the editorial board's priorities for 2018. Defuse Oregons ticking time bombsThis agenda item packed a lot of topics under one roof, in part because Oregon has a number of issues threatening to hurl the state into crisis. We focused on two the fiscal and the physical with the need for revenue and pension reform and the need for preparing Oregon for a massive earthquake. Improving Oregons financial stability: Despite record-breaking revenue, Oregon never seems to have enough money. That concern and fears over how leaders look to fill that hole drove some of the biggest questions asked of Oregonians in the past year. Voters, so far, have answered with confidence in leadership. Oregonians overwhelmingly endorsed Measure 101, a referendum on new health care taxes to fund Oregons Medicaid expansion. While imperfect small businesses, individuals and K-12 districts pay a new health-care premium tax while many large corporations dont voters approved the two-year fix, buying time for state leaders to look into a more equitable solution. In November, voters again sided with leadership by rejecting two ballot measures that would have made it more difficult for lawmakers to change the tax system or raise revenue. It has certainly helped that Oregons economy has continued to grow, even if the rate of growth has slowed. But concerns over a possible recession in coming years, the call for billions more in education funding and the need to pass another Medicaid-funding bill are setting the Legislature up for a heavy lift for the long legislative session next year. The challenge of raising money becomes only more difficult when you add in the rising costs of pension benefits to state agencies, school districts, city governments and other public employers. Required contributions to feed the unfunded liability of the Public Employees Retirement System are expected to surge for the next several budget cycles with agencies paying $4 billion collectively for 2019-2021. The lackluster stock-market returns so far this year also arent helping matters, with the potential to push the systems unfunded liability of $22 billion a few billion higher, according to Milliman, Inc. But Brown, who counts labor unions among her biggest backers, has shied away from pension reform proposals that change employees compensation or cap future payouts. While she has led the way on a couple key initiatives the establishment of a matching fund to incentivize public employers to pay down their agencies pension debt and the creation of a tool that helps public employers look up their expected contributions in coming years to the pension system she has failed to take up the challenge of pension reform. Getting Oregon better prepared: Nearly a year ago, Oregonians learned that the state agency tasked with preparing for and responding to natural disasters was, well, totally not prepared. Even the building where first responders were supposed to gather after a massive Cascadia quake wasnt properly reinforced to survive such an earthquake. A scathing Secretary of State audit of the Oregon Emergency Management Department also found the agency was understaffed, lacked comprehensive planning across state agencies and needed better standards to measure progress. While much work remains, the agency recently delivered a more detailed and decisive manual that lays out how the state will address specific tasks at pre-determined times following a natural disaster. In the past, the information was formatted more as a to-do list. Also, in her recently released budget, Brown set aside $12 million to create an earthquake early warning system. For years, countries around the globe have used such alerts, which could provide Oregonians valuable time to seek shelter, escape unsafe buildings or drive away from bridges and overpasses. Unfortunately, the system wont be operational until 2023 at best. Legislators must still vote on the proposal, which would be funded through bonds. Hopefully lawmakers will push quickly to get this needed system in place. The City of Portland also took a small step forward year, passing legislation that requires that signs be posted on the 1,600 brick buildings that are more likely to collapse in an earthquake. The idea is warn those who regularly walk by, but also provide information to business or tenants who rent space in older, unreinforced masonry buildings that have been found to collapse more quickly. Some owners have already sued, hoping to block the legislation. The intent behind the signs is good, especially for renters who didnt always know about the added risks of these brick buildings. Yet signs are a far cry from the retrofits the buildings need. Concerned about the cost on business owners, city commissioners put off that requirement called for by a citizens committee -- for another 20 years. Its easier for citizens to put off preparedness when local leaders sidestep real fixes. At best, work will continue during the upcoming session to find ways to help business owners pay for the improvements these buildings truly need. Laura Gunderson and Helen Jung for The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board The disingenuous headline for John Marshalls Dec. 26 letter to the editor, Border wall a new Berlin Wall is maddening. Marshall asks why people arent comparing a wall at the U.S./Mexico border to the Berlin Wall. The answer to Marshall's question is: Because there is no comparison. The Berlin Wall was built and brutally monitored to keep the East Germans confined against their will in totalitarian East Germany. Our border wall is to protect our national security and sovereignty against illegal entry. Karen Heuberger, Salem WASHINGTON -- The partial federal government shutdown entered its second week on Sunday with top Republicans and Democrats continuing to dig in and shift blame, with no indication that direct negotiations are anywhere close to resuming before a new Congress gets to work on Thursday. The conflict remains centered on President Donald Trump's wish for a physical wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, but even the nature of that demand become freshly mired in controversy after John Kelly, the outgoing White House chief of staff, said the administration had long since moved away from the concrete barrier Trump has often described in rapturous terms. "To be honest, it's not a wall," Kelly told the Los Angeles Times for a story published Sunday, adding that "we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it." Recently, Trump has taken to describing a wall made of "steel slats." Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway said Sunday morning that it was a "silly semantic argument" to debate what the border wall would be made of and sought to blame Democrats for refusing to compromise on the president's demand for billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars for a wall that he repeatedly said Mexico would finance. "There may be a wall in some places. There may be steel slats. There may be technological enhancements," she said on Fox News Sunday. "But always saying wall or no wall is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border." A Trump-backed spending bill passed by House Republicans on Dec. 21 included more than $5 billion in border security funding that could be spent on a wall, but that measure has not gotten traction in the Senate, where Democrats have stood firm on holding wall funding to the current $1.3 billion level. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," said the Trump administration has "spent very little" of the $1.3 billion that Congress allotted for physical border security improvements earlier this year. "He says he needs more, yet there's no plan (for) how the money is going to be spent or any analysis on what's most effective to secure the border," said Tester, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security. "I think we can do it with technology and manpower, and much more effectively than with a wall." Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, said congressional Democrats are "certainly prepared to provide additional funding for enhanced fencing, technology, drones, satellites, lighting, censors, cellphone towers and the things the experts have clearly indicated would improve our border security" but held firm against a physical wall. "What Donald Trump and the Republicans want to do is waste $5 billion in taxpayer money on an ineffective medieval border wall that is a 5th century solution to a 21st century problem," he said on ABC's "This Week." While those officials and others jousted on the Sunday television news programs, there was no effort at direct talks between the warring parties. Trump tweeted Saturday that he was "in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security." Top Democrats, meanwhile, said they had made their position against additional wall funding known and awaited a counteroffer from Trump and Republicans. "Our negotiations are at an impasse at the moment," said Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on "Face the Nation." "I wish it were not so, but we've got to move away from the blame game ... If we blame each other, this could last a long, long time." Other Republicans this weekend kept their fire trained on Democrats, seeking to shift blame for the shutdown - now the third-longest lapse in U.S. history, affecting about 800,000 federal workers. Democrats have faulted Trump and the GOP since a Dec. 11 Oval Office meeting with Democratic leaders where Trump declared he would be "proud" to partially shutter the federal government over his border wall demands. In a tweet Sunday, Trump referred to the "#SchumerShutdown," prompting pushback from the office of Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "At this point, it's clear the White House doesn't know what they want when it comes to border security," said Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer. "While one White House official says they're willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5 billion for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times." Conway, speaking on Fox, said the onus was on Democrats to reopen negotiations and called on House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. - who is set to be elected speaker Thursday - to "come back from Hawaii" where she had vacationed last week with her family. "Less hula, more moola" for the Department of Homeland Security, she said. Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Pelosi, said she had returned from Hawaii to her home in San Francisco late last week and plans to return to Washington on Monday as she prepares to be sworn in for her 17th term and lead the new House Democratic majority. He said she last spoke to Trump on Dec. 11, by phone hours after leaving the White House. "Pelosi continues to urge the Republicans in charge of the House, Senate and White House to allow a vote to reopen government, and if they do not, Speaker Pelosi will on Jan. 3," he said. But House Democrats alone will not be able to break the impasse. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., indicated last week he will not hold a vote on any spending plan that Trump will not sign, meaning a solution to the shutdown will depend on a deal between Trump and Democratic leaders. Its a question of, when do we get off the blame game and we get to serious negotiations? Shelby said. Its not a question of who wins or loses. Nobodys going to win this kind of game. Nobody wins in a shutdown. We all lose. And we kind of look silly. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump long ago backed away from his campaign pledge to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, his outgoing chief of staff said, as the presidents demand for border security funding triggered a partial government shutdown with no end in sight. John Kelly, who will leave his post Wednesday after a tumultuous 17 months in the job, said in an exit interview with the Los Angeles Times that Trump abandoned the notion of "a solid concrete wall early on in the administration." It marked the starkest admission yet by the president's inner circle that his signature campaign pledge, which sparked fervent chants of "build that wall" during Trump's rallies and is now at the center of a budgetary standoff, would not be fulfilled as advertised. "To be honest, it's not a wall," Kelly said, adding the mix of technological enhancements and 'steel slat' barriers the president now wants along the border resulted from conversations with law enforcement professionals on the ground. The partial shutdown began Dec. 22 after Trump bowed to conservative demands that he fight to make good on his vow and secure funding for the wall before Republicans lose control of the House on Wednesday. Democrats have remained committed to blocking the president's priority, and with neither side engaging in substantive negotiation, the effect of the partial shutdown was set to spread and to extend into the new year. In August 2015 during his presidential campaign, Trump had made his expectations for the border explicitly clear, as he parried criticism from then-rival Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor. "Jeb Bush just talked about my border proposal to build a 'fence,'" he tweeted. "It's not a fence, Jeb, it's a WALL, and there's a BIG difference!" But on Sunday White House counselor Kellyanne Conway called discussion of the apparent contradiction "a silly semantic argument." "There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements," Conway told 'Fox News Sunday.' "But only saying 'wall or no wall' is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border." Meanwhile, neither side appeared ready to budge off their negotiating positions. The two sides have had little little direct contact during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington until Jan. 3, to keep Congress in session. Talks have been at a stalemate for more than a week, after Democrats said the White House offered to accept $2.5 billion for border security. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told Vice President Mike Pence that it wasn't acceptable, nor was it guaranteed that Trump, under intense pressure from his conservative base to fulfill his signature campaign promise, would settle for that amount. Conway claimed Sunday that "the president has already compromised" by dropping his request for the wall from $25 billion, and she called on Democrats to return to the negotiating table. "It is with them," she said, explaining that Trump is not reaching out to Democrats. Democrats maintain that they have already presented the White House with three options to end the shutdown, none of which fund the wall, and insist that it's Trump's move. "At this point, it's clear the White House doesn't know what they want when it comes to border security," said Justin Goodman, Schumer's spokesman. "While one White House official says they're willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5 billion for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times." After canceling a vacation to his private Florida club, Trump spent the weekend at the White House. He has remained out of the public eye since returning early Thursday from a 29-hour visit to U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldn't deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. "For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us "NONE" for Border Security!," he tweeted. "Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown." He was set to have lunch Sunday with Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham, who said he hoped to end the shutdown by offering Democrats incentives to get them to vote for wall funding. "To my Democratic friends, there will never be a deal without wall funding," Graham said Sunday on CNN. Graham is proposing to help two groups of immigrants get approval to continue living in the U.S: about 700,000 young "Dreamers" brought into the U.S. illegally as children and about 400,000 people receiving temporary protected status because they are from countries struggling with natural disasters or armed conflicts. He also said the compromise should include changes in federal law to discourage people from trying to enter the U.S. illegally. "Democrats have a chance here to work with me and others, including the president, to bring legal status to people who have very uncertain lives," Graham said. It was unclear if the president or Democrats were open to such an approach. A previous deal that addressed the status of Dreamers broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. As he called for Democrats to negotiate, Trump brushed off criticism that his administration bore any responsibility for the recent deaths of two migrant children in Border Patrol custody. Trump claimed the deaths were "strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally." His comments on Twitter came as his Homeland Security secretary met with medical professionals and ordered policy changes meant to better protect children detained at the border. Trump earlier had upped the brinkmanship by threatening anew to close the border with Mexico to press Congress to cave to his demand for money to pay for a wall. Democrats are vowing to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that won't accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. The shutdown is forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. ___ By Zeke Miller, Associated Press; Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report. A Dauphin County man faces multiple felony charges after police said he sexually assaulted a child. According to a Saturday news release from Steelton Borough police, officers began an investigation of Damian Fresse, 23, in September. Fresse of Steelton is accused of sexual crimes involving a juvenile victim, according to police, who did not provide additional details. Online court documents show that Fresse faces felony charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person younger than 16, unlawful contact with a minor, filming computer sex acts involving a child, statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault of a person younger than 16. Fresse was arraigned on the charges last week before Magisterial District Judge Kenneth A. Lenker, and he is to appear for a preliminary hearing at 1:15 p.m. Jan. 8. Online court documents show that Fresse is free from prison on $30,000 unsecured bail. Arson suspected in recent Bay View blazes Investigators are still working on the case but have identified a person of interest. During Alexander Ekmans Midsummer Nights Dream, a singer croons: By morning the dancers/Will start to wonder/Had it all been a dream?/Had it all been a blunder? While The Joffrey Ballets performances of Ekmans 2015 full-length last April were most certainly the former, they could not have been further from the latter. Ekmans Midsummer Nights Dream | Official Trailer www.youtube.com Hostess Victoria Jaiani welcomes us and sends us on our way, humming an infectiously bright tune as she gifts the Dreamer (Temur Suluashvili) two handfuls of hay and pulls him behind the curtain. A madcap solstice celebration with no relation to Shakespeare, this Midsummer asks dancers to toe the line between daydream and nightmare, beauty and farce, whether the ensemble is joyously tossing fistfuls of hay or sliding through balletic positions with slinky control. The 40-dancer Joffrey cast met the challenge with strength and verve. Though Jaiani, Jeraldine Mendoza, Greig Matthews, April Daly and Fabrice Calmels were particularly enchanting, each person onstage was individually captivating throughoutif only the longest days of the year could stretch but a little longer. 1.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York on Saturday responded to outgoing Sen. Claire McCaskill after the Missouri Democrat referred to the incoming freshman congresswoman as a bright shiny new object earlier this week. Ocasio-Cortez said she was disappointed in McCaskill for making disparaging comments about her. The outspoken New Yorker also mentioned that before her loss in November the Missouri senator had said she would back Trumps immigration policies. She posted on Twitter: Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a thing and shiny object, but its pretty disappointing. McCaskill promised shed 100% back Trump up on his anti-immigrant rhetoric & lost. In MO, almost all progressive ballot issues won. Not sure why fmr Sen. McCaskill keeps going on TV to call me a thing and shiny object, but its pretty disappointing. McCaskill promised shed 100% back Trump up on his anti-immigrant rhetoric & lost. In MO, almost all progressive ballot issues won. https://t.co/53qKvnr8KG Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 29, 2018 In an interview with CNN earlier this week, McCaskill criticized Ocasio-Cortezs embrace of left-wing policy proposals, saying she wasnt sure what shes done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, and warned the Democratic Party against pursuing an agenda considered too liberal in certain parts of the country. I dont know her, McCaskill told CNN earlier this week when asked if shed consider Ocasio-Cortez a crazy Democrat like the ones she decried on the campaign trail. Im a little confused why shes the thing. But its a good example of what Im talking about a bright shiny new object, came out of nowhere and surprised people when she beat a very experienced congressman. And so shes now talked about a lot, McCaskill added. Im not sure what shes done yet to generate that kind of enthusiasm, but I wish her well. I hope she hangs the moon. But I hope she also realizes that the parts of the country that are rejecting the Democratic Party, like a whole lot of white working class voters, need to hear about how their work is going to be respected, and the dignity of their jobs, and how we can really stick to issues that we can actually accomplish something on. McCaskill concluded, The rhetoric is cheap. Getting results is a lot harder. Ocasio-Cortez continued to tweet about McCaskill later Saturday, writing: Im also not sure why McCaskill is covering for the GOP by saying they secretly think Trump is nuts. Nobody cares, Ocasio-Cortez wrote. Trump is melting down our institutions and inciting division between people. At any time GOP could have checked him and choose not to. Theyre accomplices. Im also not sure why McCaskill is covering for the GOP by saying they secretly think Trump is nuts. Nobody cares. Trump is melting down our institutions and inciting division between people. At any time GOP could have checked him and choose not to. Theyre accomplices. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 29, 2018 Ocasio-Cortez also got support from New York State Senator Mike Gianaris from Queens who tweeted: Queens residents are not confused. @Ocasio2018 pushes bold change at a time people are sick of politics as usual. National Dems should learn rather than deride. 1.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard White House Chief of Staff John Kelly told The Los Angeles Times that the Trump administration no longer wants to build a wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico. To be honest, its not a wall, Kelly told the Times, and then added: The president still says wall oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. The former Marine general also admitted that Customs and Border Protection Agents told him during his tenure as Homeland Security secretary that they really dont want a wall. They said they do need physical barriers in some areas, but expressed a desire for new technology and additional personnel as a primary emphasis for improved border security. According to the Times Kelly did not directly answer when asked if Trump had been using fear of illegal immigrants as a political issue. Kelly said that the country has an immigration problem, and put the burden on Congress to address the issues. Trumps rigid demand for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border has resulted in a partial government shutdown that has lasted more than a week. He continues to demand $5 billion in funding for the structure, but congressional Democratic leaders have repeatedly said he will never get that amount of money for a project that wont improve border security. Trump has recently been changing his language that he uses to describe the wall, attempting to argue that the structure could be called fencing, and that it would be artistically designed steel slats instead of concrete. Kelly will soon leave his White House chief of staff position after 17 months. He previously admitted that some of Trumps views on immigration, including his campaign promise to build a border wall were uninformed. In the interview, Kelly also blamed former Attorney General Jeff Sessions for the policy that led to border separations of thousands of migrant families last spring. He told the Times: What happened was Jeff Sessions, he was the one that instituted the zero-tolerance process on the border that resulted in both people being detained and the family separation. He surprised us. This new interview by John Kelly is very interesting because it reveals inside information from the White House that was not previously made public. As interesting as it is, though, it may still be only a small preview of what is to come. After he leaves office there is no doubt that John Kelly will have many more interesting things to reveal about the inner workings of the Donald Trump White House. He may even be called as a witness to help Robert Mueller make a case against the president for criminal obstruction of justice. 1.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Kellyanne Conway had no answer when she was challenged on CNN about Trumps statements expressing no concern for the deaths of immigrant children. Transcript via CNNs State Of The Union: BASH: But the idea that the presidents aides now youre one of them have said that they have empathy for the deaths of children who are coming across the border with their parents CONWAY: Absolutely. BASH: But the president hasnt. The only thing he has said is something that is very political and, frankly, misleading, with regard to Democrats being culpable for the deaths of children. CONWAY: Dana, the president would like the Democrats to be in 2019 who they have been in 2006 with the Secure Fences Act. Earlier this summer, in fact, a number dozens of Democrats voted for DHS funding. In a certain committee, 10 Democrats voted to approve enhanced border security funding. Where are they now? And what the point hes making is that our DHS and CBP, Customs and Border Patrol, statistics show that, unlike in the past, where the vast, vast majority of those coming over the border illegally were single males and were coming from Mexico, theyre coming from the Northern Triangle countries now, and theyre coming as families, or theyre coming as unaccompanied minors, as you know, unaccompanied children. We simply cannot absorb all that. And, unfortunately and very tragically, it does results in some deaths. BASH: When CONWAY: Now, in Felipes case, his father and he came into El Paso, Im told, one of the busiest ports of entry. They were being held while their claims were being processed. He took ill. He was taken to the hospital twice. And, unfortunately, hes now deceased. [09:05:01] In the case of Jakelin, they were very, very far from a from a port of entry; 163 people needed to be put on a bus that (CROSSTALK) CONWAY: This is important that accommodate 50. I went and got I went and got a briefing because Im concerned about this. BASH: And thats and thats important. Its also important to note that the president tweeted, not just the Democrats are responsible, but that theyre that they were ill before they were coming over. And his own government, the CBP says has said in several statements that they have tracked them, and that thats not the case. Video: Kellyanne Conway Had No Answer For Trumps Lack Of Concern For Dying Children Conway was told Trump has made no statements of compassion for the kids who died due to his immigration policy and her only response was that Democrats need to give Trump what he wants on border security. Kellyanne Conway is supposed to be Trumps media spinner, but her performances are getting worse and less effective. As Trump gets more extreme in his positions and actions, Kellyanne Conway is increasingly looking powerless to defend what Trump is saying and doing. The press has caught on to Conways hurricane of distraction tactics. It isnt working, as what has become apparent is that even Trumps media mouthpiece cant sell this president to the American people. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 1.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Rep. Beto ORourke (D-Texas) on Friday released a 48-second video lambasting President Donald Trump and his ridiculous demands for a border wall with Mexico. In posting the video the outgoing Congressman showed the political world two things: He is not afraid to stand up to Trump and attack his misguided policies, and He knows how to properly use social media and has the ability to go viral. The video has already been viewed over 4.6 million times. The video, posted on Twitter, listed the reasons that constructing a wall is a bad idea, and it makes a compelling case. ORourke points out that the proposed wall would block access to the Rio Grande River, lead to land seizures through eminent domain, make land inaccessible between the Rio Grande and the wall, and seal off wildlife corridors. Here is the text of ORourkes viral video: President Trumps proposed border wall would block access to the Rio Grande, the 4th longest river in North America; Seize land from Americans through eminent domain; exile hundreds of thousands of acres of the U.S. to a no mans land between the river and the wall; seal off critical wildlife corridors; destroy your public lands; and send the wrong message to the world. The southern border already has over 600 miles of wall and fence, and since 2007, the undocumented immigrant population has grown more through Visa overstays than unauthorized border crossings. We need realistic immigration reform, not a symbol of division. While campaigning over the past year for a U.S. Senate seat in Texas, ORourke emerged as a very strong Trump critic, even though Trump remains popular in the Lone Star State. He even suggested that he would vote to impeach Trump if he had a chance. In his losing effort, he charismatic young Texan also proved that he could raise staggering amounts of money ($80 million) while also attracting a huge national audience. His gutsy campaign to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) led to speculation that ORourke might be a formidable 2020 challenger to Trump. Since November 6 many prominent Democrats have suggested he should throw his hat in the ring and enter the 2020 Democratic primaries. ORourkes supporters point to his close defeat in the red state of Texas, and his ability to energize the Democratic base, especially young people. His new video is very timely since the federal government is still partially shut down as the president and Congress are at odds over funding for the border wall. The video may have a real impact on the national debate since ORourke, an El Paso, Texas, native, has for six years represented in Congress a district with one of the most active Mexican border crossings in the United States. He is considered to be very knowledgeable about the details of immigration and his opinions on the matter are respected. Negotiations between Congress and the president on Trumps demand for $5 billion in border wall funding are still at an impasse. Trump is attempting to blame Democrats for the government shutdown. ORourkes video may convince more people that the government should re-open without any funding provided for the border wall. It also may convince more people especially Democratic primary voters that ORourke is a person with substantive policy ideas. He has shown he knows how to communicate those ideas on social media in such a way that they go viral and gain widespread public exposure and support. Some people have already been attacking ORourke for not being progressive enough but he doesnt care about labels. By proving he can stand up to Donald Trump he has also proven that he may in fact be a real Democratic contender in 2020, and his chances should not be discounted. 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. Hicks column: Don't let the door hit you on the way out, 2018 Life needs a flight plan if you want to reach your destination You are the owner of this article. Hannah Alani is a reporter at The Post and Courier covering race, immigration and rural life across the Palmetto State. Before graduating from Indiana University and moving to Charleston in 2017, her byline appeared in The New York Times. Gregory Yee covers the city of Charleston. He's a native Angeleno and previously covered crime and courts for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, CA. He studied journalism and Spanish literature at the University of California, Irvine. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. 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. The year started out with the declaration of a financial crisis, but it ended with the governor declaring financial stability. It began Jan. 23 with a warning from the Calvo administration to all agencies to start tightening their belts in the wake of President Donald Trump's tax cuts, which were projected to reduce government of Guam revenues by $47.9 million. "Absent an immediate upward adjustment in General Fund revenues, your department can expect to see a pro-rata (reduction) ... as early as February, warned Lester Carlson, the acting director of the Bureau of Budget and Management Research. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Upward adjustment meant a tax increase, and three days later, Carlson delivered that blunt message to the media the government of Guam cannot maintain current service levels through the end of this fiscal year without raising more revenue. Carlson pointed out that GovGuams loss was a gain for local businesses, who would get a combined $40.6 million tax break. And individual taxpayers would see a 3 percent reduction in their federal withholding tax, totaling a $5.6 million loss for GovGuam. Greater shortfall than anticipated Two weeks later, during a Special Economic Service meeting, word came that the financial hole was much deeper. Office of Finance and Budget Director Ricky Hernandez projected a $67 million shortfall $20 million more than the administrations previous estimate. Carlson agreed with the revised estimate. Former Public Auditor Doris Flores Brooks concurred, calling Hernandez's estimate "spot on as it agreed with her own analysis. "I would confirm Mrs. Brooks' number," said Department of Administration Director Edward Birn. The Office of Finance and Budget, BBMR, Department of Administration and the public auditor all agreed: The fiscal crisis was real. The question then was what to do about it. On Feb. 13, in his final State of the Island address, Gov. Eddie Calvo proposed a temporary 50 percent hike in the business privilege tax, from 4 percent to 6 percent, for a period of two years. After that, the BPT would drop back to 4.75 percent and remain there to provide a dedicated source of funding for Guam Memorial Hospital. First special session begins A few days later, Calvo called the first of eight special sessions asking lawmakers to consider his proposal. Then-Speaker Benjamin Cruz countered with his own measure, Bill 244, which called for a temporary 25 percent increase to the BPT by raising it to 5 percent for two years, along with rolling back all salary increases to the level at which they were before the Competitive Wage Act of 2014 took effect. Tensions rose. On Feb. 23, the governor went to the Legislature and challenged all of the island's lawmakers to pass his bill or come up with an alternative. I will be forced to lay off people," Calvo told lawmakers. "If I am forced to do that, and you do not come up with the solutions ... I'm looking at every one of you straight in the eye and saying, 'Resign,' because you did not work with this administration to keep this government stable. On Feb. 27, Calvo ordered his legal team and fiscal advisers to initiate a 32-hour workweek effective March 6 for all government of Guam workers. "Payless paydays are on the horizon," he said. "We need to cut costs now." The next day, lawmakers rejected the governor's BPT increase. Within hours, the governor called another special session to consider a sales tax. Furloughs, new budget plan Payless paydays were threatened. Layoffs and furloughs were predicted by the end of March. The governor announced the closure of the Hagatna police precinct and two fire stations to save on overtime. By mid-March, lawmakers passed a series of tax hikes and budget cuts, which the governor signed into law on March 16. The package included a temporary 25 percent increase in the business privilege tax to 5 percent that would take effect April 1 and last through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. That would be followed by the creation of a 2 percent sales tax. But support for the sales tax eroded in the wake of an audit that found more than $40 million in uncollected property tax revenue. Senators repealed the sales tax. The governor vetoed the repeal on July 13, blaming the obvious inexperience of freshman senators and the personal motives of senators running for higher office. No sales tax, tobacco tax increase On July 17, lawmakers overrode the governors veto, finally ending the prospect of a sales tax on Guam consumers. Left undone was the budget shortfall that still needed to be closed. August was devoted to debates on how to close that gap. Cruz proposed two alternative budgets one he called a responsible package of tax increases and cuts, and the other he dubbed a reckless package that would lead to drastic cuts in services and furloughs for GovGuam employees. The responsible package initially was voted down, but a day later it passed, narrowly. It included $78 million in tax increases, including making permanent the 5 percent BPT rate and an increase in tobacco and property taxes, combined with more than $30 million in budget cuts. By year's end, Calvo pronounced the budget crisis over, stating GovGuam's finances is as stable as its ever been. In a mock wistful tone, CNN reports that the TPP trade agreement is going into effect without the participation of the U.S.: A major 11-country agreement goes into effect Sunday, reshaping trade rules among economic powerhouses like Japan, Canada, Mexico and Australia but the United States wont be a part of it. That means that Welchs grape juice, Tysons pork and California almonds will remain subject to tariffs in Japan, for example, while competitors products from countries participating in the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership will eventually be duty-free. Whos to blame for the U.S. being left behind? Not the Democrats. President Trump: Its the opposite of what the Obama administration planned when it began negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership, known as TPP. The proposed deal. . .was one of the first things President Donald Trump moved to undo when he took office, pulling the United States out of the deal in January of 2017. Missing from CNNs report, by Katie Lobosco, are (1) any reference to the arguments in favor of the U.S. not participating in the TPP, (2) any attempt to demonstrate that, on balance, the deal was a good one for America, and (3) any acknowledgement that both major Democratic candidates for president in 2016, including the eventual nominee, also opposed the TPP. Presumably, the arguments against the TPP are non-frivolous. Otherwise, its unlikely that all three of the serious candidates for president in 2012 a conservative, a liberal, and a socialist would have opposed the treaty. I favored the deal. Not so that Welchs grape juice and Tysons pork can avoid tariffs in Japan. If theres a favorable trade deal to be had with Japan, President Trump can make it without the TPP. I favored the deal as a means of countering China in the Pacific region. But reasonable people can believe that the TPP was sufficiently unfavorable to the U.S. to justify rejecting it regardless of any potential geo-political advantage. Thats why the agreement lacked broad support from either political party. Im not going to debate the merits of the TPP here. My point is simply that CNNs story is sophomoric and one-sided. Its just another anti-Trump hit piece, not a serious report about the TPP. The nations first anti-law enforcement attorney general, Keith Ellison, has named the man who will be his chief deputy when he takes office next month. The Star Tribune gives the story its usual lazy treatment, mostly quoting Ellisons press release: Minnesota Attorney General-elect Keith Ellison picked a veteran immigration lawyer to be his chief deputy attorney general on Friday, reviving a position that will give Ellison a second-in-command when he takes office next month. John Kellers tenure leading the nonprofit Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) since 2005 will add to the office a unique combination of deep grassroots understanding of the struggles that all Minnesotans face, Ellison said in a statement announcing the hire. Kellers ILCM provides legal assistance to low-income immigrants and refugees and has played a prominent role in the state in opposing President Donald Trumps immigration policies. Keller joined the office as a staff attorney in 1998 and, as director, grew the office from five staffers to a 32-employee operation that counts five offices statewide and a network of 250 pro bono attorneys. The Star Tribune adds: Keller will help manage the offices lawyers and legal assistants and figures to be key in helping Ellison follow through on a campaign promise to assist county attorneys in handling complex criminal prosecutions and appeals. Really? Why? Keller apparently has never handled a criminal prosecution, let alone a complex one. And his only reported involvement with law enforcement is helping law-breakers to evade it. It falls to the upstart Minnesota Sun to give us a deeper understanding of Kellers background and what it says about the direction of law enforcement in Minnesota under Keith Ellison: Keller and the ILCM have become outspoken critics of the Trump administration and its immigration polices, and have repeatedly taken actions to thwart Trumps agenda in Minnesota. Last December, for instance, Keller helped secure $250,000 in taxpayer funds from Hennepin County to launch a legal defense fund for county residents facing deportation. The fund was criticized by Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson for using taxpayer money to help people who have violated the countrys immigration laws, The Star Tribune reported. ILCM currently operates 10 different legal projects, including a Detainee Assistance Project that provides full representation for detained clients who qualify for asylum or other relief, and a DREAMers Immigration Project, which offers legal representation and outreach for youth who were brought to the U.S. as children. *** In various press releases, Keller has condemned the actions of the Trump administration, most recently its use of tear gas at the southern border. The current administration has intentionally escalated and manipulated this refugee crisis. It has shown its cynical bad faith by acting unlawfully and without regards for international human rights, settled U.S. law, and human dignity, Keller said in November. This administrations actions towards immigrants and refugees continue to corrupt the very soul of who we strive to be as expressed by our national motto, E Pluribus Unum. Did Keller ever criticize the repeated use of tear gas at the border by the Obama administration? After the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Trump administrations travel ban in June, Keller flatly stated that the decision is wrong. Just as it was wrong in Korematsu, upholding the internment of Japanese-Americans, and wrong in Dred Scott, upholding slavery, Keller continued. More than 70 years later, the Court today overturned Korematsu, acknowledging that was the wrong decision. We hope it does not take as long for the Court to recognize that todays decision is equally wrong. This is idiotic. Keeping out would-be illegal invaders equals slavery? Good grief. In response to the administrations attempt to limit asylum claims to official ports of entry in November, Keller called the moved an illegal, anti-immigrant action. The United States is a nation governed by laws, not by presidential prejudice or whim, he added. We will not give up the values of the United States, the commitment to this nation of laws and checks and balances, and our obligation to respect human rights and human dignity. So Keller is a fringe figure who has largely devoted his career to undermining the enforcement of our immigration laws. He will fit right in with the first anti-law enforcement AG regime in Minnesotas, if not Americas, history. Ellison appears to be on a collision course with the voters who elected him. A recent national poll found that 84% say illegal immigration is a problem for the U.S., with 58% calling it serious or very serious. Opinion in Minnesota doesnt appear to be much different. In August, the Thinking Minnesota poll found that by 60% to 36%, residents oppose making Minnesota a sanctuary state, the apparent goal of Ellison and Keller. And abolishing ICE is also unpopular, supported by 29% and opposed by 62%. Ive gotten to know Harley Feldman through our local chapter of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Harley is a brilliant, soft-spoken guy and successful businessman. Three years ago his daughter Allison was brutally murdered at her home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Allisons murderer was apprehended this past April. I wrote about the story at the time and am filing this update after meeting with Harley last month. The broad outlines of the story are set forth in stories here and here. The video below also presents the story on the day Arizona law enforcement announced the arrest of Allisons murderer. This was a big local story. The story was so big that Phoenixs KPNX 12News has just named it one of its top 18 stories of 2018. The year-end 12News story is accessible here. I want to add some background that fills out the story based on my conversations with Harley in April and again last month. Mala Blomquist also covers the story in the Arizona Jewish Life feature Justice for Allison. This story warrants attention outside Arizona. Allisons murder sent Harley on a mission to help the police find Allisons murderer. Scottsdale Police worked the case intensely without result. The murderer had taken time after killing Allison to wipe down the scene with chlorine solution. Scottsdale Police recovered no fingerprints left by the perpetrator, although they did find three separate DNA samples that he had overlooked. To assist law enforcements search for Allisons killer, Harley advocated for the authorization of Arizona law enforcement to use a familial DNA search. Arizona state Rep. Maria Syms took up the cause. Rep. Syms enlisted the support of Governor Doug Ducey and Attorney General Mark Brnovich. They authorized the use of a familial DNA search in the hope it would lead to Allisons killer. Harley credits them all for overcoming the inertia that prevails elsewhere to inhibit the use of familial DNA by law enforcement. The familial DNA search based on DNA collected at the scene led the authorities to the perpetrators brother, who had long been in state prison on multiple counts of child molestation. The identification of the perpetrators brother led authorities to the perpetrator; his blood had previously been tested and retained in connection with a dismissed DUI charge. Having conducted the familial DNA search, the authorities solved the case in two days. Without it, Allisons murderer would still be at large. He is now held in Maricopa County Jail on $5 million cash bail pending trial. Arizona is now one of 12 states that authorizes the use of familial DNA searches by law enforcement. What rationale can possibly be offered against it to solve open cases? No reason has been advanced that withstands the slightest scrutiny. There is no good reason for law enforcement not to use the technique. Privacy is a shibboleth cited by foot-dragging authorities, but this is not an issue of privacy. Racial disparities also seem to have something to do with the resistance by the ACLU and others to the use of familial DNA. Yet any suspect identified through a familial DNA search still retains all of his Fourth Amendment and other rights applicable to search, arrest and conviction. Harley advises me that familial search is lawful in Minnesota and has been used on five cases since it became available in 2015. Law enforcement is nevertheless inhibited from further use of the technology here by pressure from the ACLU and others. Harley asks other states to embrace Familial Search for difficult to solve crimes and help families resolve the loss of a loved one. I am grateful to Harley for his help in letting me share this story with readers. RIP, Bre Payton. I only ever met and spoke with Bre Payton in person twice that I can recall (both times about our common roots in southern California, and my high regard for Patrick Henry College, this upstart institution in northern Virginia that is turning out impressive graduates like Bre because it stands for something), so I cant claim to have known her well. But I was following her career ascent with interest through her writing at The Federalist and her TV appearances, and it seemed certain she was going places. Eventually I hoped to land her for a Power Line podcast. The old saying pictures dont do her justice was true in her case: she was tall and stunning in person. As Mark Hemingway noted elsewhere, she turned heads in every room she was in. I saw her at the Encounter Books 20th anniversary gala dinner in Washington in late October, where she was surrounded by a group of unworthy would-be suitors after the conclusion of the dinner, so a ladyfriend of hers and I went to rescue her, though it was immediately apparent that she didnt need any help at all, and was completely in command of the rabble. I did note, though, that in typical narcissistic fashion AP decided in its notice of her tragic death to introduce a Trump-versus-the-media theme that was totally irrelevant to the story: A reminder, as if we needed yet another one, that mainstream journalists like those employed at AP are among the most horrible and repulsive human beings among us. If you are so inclined, you can contribute to the Bre Payton Memorial Scholarship Fund here. Oh isnt this going to be a barrel of laughs: Pelosi Announces Appointment of Congresswoman Kathy Castor to Chair Select Committee on the Climate Crisis It is with great enthusiasm that I appoint Congresswoman Kathy Castor as the Chair of our new Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. She will bring great experience, energy and urgency to the existential threat of the climate crisis. This committee will be critical to the entire Congresss mission to respond to the urgency of this threat, while creating the good-paying, green jobs of the future. . . The American people have demanded action to combat the climate crisis, which threatens our public health, our economy, our national security and the whole of Gods creation. Together, we must protect public health by reducing air pollution, create jobs by making America preeminent in green technologies, defend our national security by preventing climate-driven instability and uphold our sacred moral responsibility to leave a healthy, sustainable future for generations to come. Who writes this stuff? They are apparently incapable of embarrassment. What this press release doesnt tell you is that this select committee is so select that it wont have actual legislative power. Any actual Green New Deal legislation will have to go through the regular standing committees that have jurisdiction over energy, finance, etc. This select committee exists for one purpose: propaganda. Sandbagging Sandberg? As recently as 2016, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebooks COO, was touted as the most prominent women in the country after Hillary Clinton. As the author of Lean In, a tract that ratified the old feminist ambition to have it all, she was widely thought certain to be offered Treasury or any cabinet position she wanted in a Hillary White House. But now it seems people are leaning back, if a major news story in the Bezos Bulletin a couple days ago is any indication: The end of leaning in: How Sheryl Sandbergs message of empowerment fully unraveled The Lean In movement launched by Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is officially over. Done. Fin. Sandbergs brand of self-empowerment feminism has endured waves of criticism ever since her 2013 best-selling book, Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead became a cultural phenomenon. But in the waning weeks of 2018 a year in which Facebook was besieged by high-profile scandals, and the #MeToo movement continued to train attention on the barriers facing working women the potency of Sandbergs individualistic, motivational mantra has fully eroded. Last month, a blockbuster investigation by the New York Times detailed Facebooks stumbles amid an onslaught of crises, including Sandbergs efforts to distract from the fact that Russians were using the platform to try to influence the 2016 presidential election. The story left Sandbergs long-cultivated image as a righteous feminist icon and relatable role model in shambles. But the final, fatal blow to the Lean In brand was a brutally blunt dismissal from Michelle Obama: I tell women, that whole you can have it all nope, not at the same time; thats a lie, Obama told a sold-out crowd at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn during a Dec. 1 stop on a tour promoting her memoir. Its not always enough to lean in, because that s doesnt work all the time. Theres much more, but you get the idea. The knife from Michelle Obama is the harshest part of the story. Though one wonders whether a subtle purpose of this story, appearing in the Bezos Bulletin, is to throw even more public scorn against Facebook and deflect attention away from the potentially monopolistic practices of Amazon that the Trump Administration and the Federal Trade Commission might go after. NahBezos wouldnt have his own newspaper do something like that. Feel Good Story of the Day: EPA braces to run out of funds by weeks end as shutdown continues A week after the government failed to agree on a final funding bill, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is preparing to follow suit and shut down. The agency, which had enough funding to remain open a week after about 25 percent of the federal government officially ran out of funding, will begin furloughing employees Friday night at midnight. Im sure rivers and lakes will start bursting into flames again by the middle of next week because of this. The year 2018 will not be quickly forgotten in a hurry as far as the 8th Senate led by its President, Bukola Saraki, is concerned. The outgoing year witnessed some controversial moments, some making history in legislative business in Nigeria. From mace theft to in-house controversies, below are the major ones. Electoral Amendment Targeted Buhari February 14 is widely known as lovers day world over but there was no Valentine celebration at the Nigerian Senate on this day. The lawmakers were divided over the adoption of a report by the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on the Amendment to the Electoral Act. President Muhammadu Buhari The amendment sought to re-order the election sequence with the federal lawmakers election coming first in 2019, before that of the state lawmakers and state governors, with the last being the presidential election. The adoption did not go down well with some senators who accused the Senate President of not allowing them to lend their voices to the debate. While the plenary was still on, 10 of them left the chamber to address the press, insisting that the sequence change was targeted at Mr President. Two senators, Ovie Omo-Agege and Abdullahi Adamu were more vocal. Axing Abdullahi Adamu In the northern part of Nigeria, age and experience are considered a revered attribute but this didnt play out in the removal of Abdullahi Adamu as chairman Northern Senators Forum in February. The removal came a week after Mr Adamu led nine others to oppose the Senate passage of the amendment to the electoral act. Mr Adamu had questioned the conduct of the Senate president in the passage process. Senator Abdullahi Adamu He specifically noted that the Senate president did not allow some of his colleagues to talk despite indicating so in the debate that led to the adoption. Mr Saraki had in the chamber said that it was the custom of the Senate to adopt a conference committee report without questioning. In a controversial move, he was replaced by Aliyu Wammako, a former Sokoto State governor. Monkey Tale Perhaps, this is the most trended story out of the upper legislative chamber in 2018. A senator, Shehu Sani (Kaduna-APC), said Mr Adamus removal bordered on financial mismanagement. He alleged Mr Adamu mismanaged a N70 million belonging to the forum. But Mr Sani did not state the obvious in simple terms. Instead, he alleged that about N70 million belonging to the group was claimed to have been carted away by monkeys in a farmhouse. He was subtly referring to Mr Adamu. Mr Adamu later denied the allegation. Mace Theft For the very first time in Nigerian history, hoodlums invaded the Senate chamber carting away the mace which serves as a symbol of authority in the legislature. The robbery, executed in the full glare of lawmakers, journalists and other observers in the Senate Chamber of the National Assembly bore the imprints of a security operation with at least two of the attackers identifying themselves as police officers. They entered the chamber with a senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, although the lawmaker has continually denied being involved in the incident. After gaining entrance, one of the hoodlums went straight for the mace, grabbed it and made for the exit. In the company of some others who were waiting with four vehicles, the thugs left the National Assembly without being challenged by security operatives. The mace was later retrieved at a location close to Abuja city gate. Nobody has been arrested for the incident. Omo-Ageges Suspension Following recommendations by a committee set up to investigate Mr Omo-Ageges comment on election sequence, the lawmaker was suspended for 90 days. Mr Omo-Agege was among the 10 senators who left the chamber to address the press while the plenary was still on. Senator Ovie Omo-Agege at the investigative hearing He was suspended for accusing his colleagues of working against President Muhammadu Buharis re-election However, a judge, Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court nullified the suspension of Mr Agege after faulting the decision of the Senate. Sarakis Defection Ripples Following his defection from APC to PDP in August, the Senate President instantly became an object of possible axing from his opposition colleagues. While many openly called for his resignation as Senate president, others were rumoured to be lobbying the needed two-thirds to remove him. While this was on, a major event happened on August 7. Six days after Mr Sarakis defection, the National Assembly was in the early hours of the day cordoned off by officers of the State Security Services in an alleged move by some senators to remove Mr Saraki. It was rumoured that APC senators planned to disallow opposition senators entrance into the chamber while they removed the Senate President. This turned out to be partly true. The SSS operatives for many hours locked out senators and representatives before eventually allowing them entrance. The siege was lifted in the afternoon. The event led to the removal of SSS boss, Lawal Daura, by the then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo. Controversy Over Party Majority There was confusion over which party controls the majority in the Senate between APC and PDP on August 5 following the defection of 15 senators from the APC. The senators, in a joint letter to Mr Saraki, made their intention known. With 14 of them joining the PDP, it became immediately difficult to determine which party is the majority at the Senate. Prior to the defection, APC officially had 64 senators while the PDP had 42. With 14 leaving the party (for PDP), the instant calculation favoured PDP which would then have 56 as against APC (50). But this soon changed as some senators renounced their defection while some clarified that they defected to another party other than PDP. The situation also forced the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan to present a list to show that APC had 52 senators while PDP had 50. With Nigeria still struggling to address its dependence on food imports, a declassified American diplomatic file has revealed how former President Shehu Shagari 39 years ago deftly fended off pressure by his United States counterpart, Jimmy Carter, to open up the Nigerian market to American rice. Acceding to the pressure would have involved the reversal of a restriction on the importation of rice then in place to revive agriculture in Nigeria, promote local food production and cut choking food imports. Mr Shagari who died on Friday at the National Hospital, Abuja, at 93, was the Nigerian president in the short-lived Second Republic between 1979 and 1983. According to the Memorandum of Conversation in a file of Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977-1980 (Volume XV11, Part 2, Sub-Saharan Africa), Mr Shagari met with Mr Carter at the White House on October 7, 1980. Earlier that week, Mr Shagari had marked his first anniversary in office. It was also a month before Mr Carter would lose his reelection bid to Ronald Reagan. On Mr Shagaris delegation to the meeting were eight officials, including the Minister of External Affairs, Ishaya Audu; Minister of Transportation, Umaru Dikko; Secretary to the Government, Shehu Musa; and Minister of Agriculture, Ibrahim Gusau. The others were the presidents special adviser on Economic Affairs, Emmanuel Edozien; Special Adviser to the President, Bukar Shaib; Nigerias Ambassador to the U.S, Olujimi Jolaoso; and the Director of the African Department at the Ministry of External Affairs, L.S.M Osobase. In attendance with Mr Carter were nine top officials of his government, including the Secretary of State, Edmund Muskie; Secretary of Defence, Zbigniew Brzezinski; and Special Assistant to the President, Frank Press. The meeting covered a range of bilateral and global issues, especially conficts and other developments on the African continent and Americans expectations of Nigeria on them. Grasp of policy and firmness Contrary to the impression of Mr Shagari created by his political opponents, the conversation revealed a president who appeared comfortable discussing policy and international issues. He demonstrated his commitment to policy and national interest when he firmly rebuffed repeated demands by Mr Carter for the removal of the restriction on the importation of rice for the benefit of American farmers. The restriction was placed by the military administration of Mr Obasanjo which also introduced the Operation Feed the Nation programme in 1976 and promulgated the Land Use Decree to ease access to land for agriculture. After Mr Shagari took office in 1979, his National Party of Nigeria government continued with the agriculture reform policy and introduced the Green Revolution programme as its flagship. Before the Washington meeting, U.S vice president, Walter Mondale, had visited Nigeria during which both countries agreed to establish a joint committee, following Mr Shagaris request for American assistance for his governments agriculture scheme. Recalling the discussions at that earlier engagement, Mr Shagari said in his preliminary remark at the meeting of October 7: I know that we have recently formed a joint agricultural committee. I have with me Professor Edozien who will be our chairman; also my Minister of Agriculture and my special advisor who will meet with some of the eminent agriculturists here in the U.S. Our number one priority is agriculture. Nigeria has a lot of potential. Before we exported a lot of food; now we import it. We have every potential to export again. We know how much the U.S. can contribute. The President himself is a farmer and knows what we are talking about. We recognise that agricultural development is a long-term activity and one cannot expect quick results. During my talks with American businessmen in Nigeria and New York all have talked of the trade imbalance between Nigeria and the U.S. As far as I am concerned the way to reduce this imbalance is for Americans to invest in Nigeria in a big way. This will provide much scope for more imports, especially industrial. For our development programmes we need increasingly to import machinery, particularly agricultural machinery. We are presently preparing a four-year development plan which we have been working on since January. We have had to import a lot of machinery in the past and hope that your cooperation in the future will be forthcoming. Responding, Mr Carter reaffirmed Americas desire to offer help. He said: The soils in many parts of the U.S. are similar to those in Nigeria. If you should have any needs for fertilizers, transportation, methods to harvest crops or means to control insects or rodents, I hope you will make a request. We will try to be resourceful and send experts to Nigeria, or bring people here. We also can be helpful with the problem of transportation, particularly with regard to the transportation of seed. But he thereafter immediately slipped in the American rice farmers desire fo unrestricted access to the huge Nigerian market. We are anxious to help on rice. There are certain segments in the American economy who are upset about the difficulties of exporting rice to Nigeria. I would like to see a change in your sales policy authorized by you. Our farmers would like to see this very much. We also have an eager business community which follows this issue. Following my visit I know that you have modified your laws in part to the benefit of both countries. Noticing that the Nigerian delegation had made no concession on the request to open up the country to American rice, Mr Carter much later in the meeting returned to the issue. Then the following conversation ensued: President Carter: I would like to go back to another issue. How difficult would it be for you to increase your rice purchases given your needs for rice imports? President Shagari: We cannot lift the restrictions on foreign rice purchases. We must look at this in the context of our own production. Whatever we cannot produce we purchase abroad. President Carter: Let me pursue this another way. We would like to know what you can do over the longer term to purchase U.S. rice if you have a need? Bukar Shaib: American rice is not competitive in price. Our businessmen have been going to Thailand to purchase rice. Henry Owen: What we are interested in is open and general licensing. We want to compete openly with other exporters. President Carter: We will meet the rice producing competition on quality and price. President Shagari: We cannot afford to lift the import restrictions. The place would be flooded to the detriment of our farmers. We cannot allow an open policy. We have restrictions also on the Thai rice imports. Bukar Shaib: Let me try to explain. If a license is given to a businessman he can go where he wants to purchase the rice. For example, if he has a license to purchase 50,000 tons he may find that the Thai rice is most competitive. President Carter (to the U.S. side): Will you get me an accurate analysis so that I can explain this issue to the American farmers because they believe that Nigeria has important specific restrictions against American rice. This seems to be the only problem between our two countries. Do you have any other problems you would like to raise before lunch? Mr. Moose: There will be a meeting between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Nigerians this afternoon. We will report back to you before dinner. Below is the full text of the conversation at the 55-minute meeting: President Carter: I want to tell you again, and privately, how delighted I am that you can be with us and that you brought such a distinguished delegation with you. We have read of their distinguished backgrounds. Their presence will add to the depth of understanding on the issues which we discuss. I am also grateful that you were such a generous host to Vice President Mondale and his wife during their recent visit. Ill always remember myself the hospitality of General Obasanjo. The exchanges which began with that visit and have continued for the last few years have been of great benefit to our country. We have seen an exchange in the fields of trade, science and technology, the sale of many products, and especially the exchange of students. All this has been very beneficial. Dr. Press was very pleased to have signed several agreements on technology. Again, let me say that I am very grateful that you could come and hope that you will share with me your views on issues of common interest, including those of a bilateral, Africa-wide and international nature. Once again, welcome. I am delighted that you can be here. President Shagari: I want to offer my sincere thanks for your kind invitation. It is especially thoughtful for you to see me now because of all of your other business, the election and the campaign. It will be definitely a privilege to share part of your time. I am happy that you have invited me and members of my staff for these talks to discuss matters of mutual interest between our two countries. We appreciated very much the visit of your Vice President and others. We had fruitful discussions with them. As in your case, I have four years to accomplish many tasks. One year of that term has already passed. In the next three we will want results. As I told Vice President Mondale, Nigeria cannot afford a lot of bureaucracy and red tape. We do not want talk but action. We want to produce results. We are happy that you have responded positively to our science interest by sending Frank Press, and by making arrangements for the various committees to discuss the various issues between our two countries. I want to thank you for what you have done. Our officials are here and in other places today to meet with you and others to finalize many things. We really want to get moving. We know how busy you are. Our officials should work together and get results. I know that we have recently formed a joint agricultural committee. I have with me Professor Edozien who will be our chairman; also my Minister of Agriculture and my special advisor who will meet with some of the eminent agriculturists here in the U.S. Our number one priority is agriculture. Nigeria has a lot of potential. Before we exported a lot of food; now we import it. We have every potential to export again. We know how much the U.S. can contribute. The President himself is a farmer and knows what we are talking about. We recognize that agricultural development is a long-term activity and one cannot expect quick results. During my talks with American businessmen in Nigeria and New York all have talked of the trade imbalance between Nigeria and the U.S. As far as I am concerned the way to reduce this imbalance is for Americans to invest in Nigeria in a big way. This will provide much scope for more imports, especially industrial. For our development programs we need increasingly to import machinery, particularly agricultural machinery. We are presently preparing a four-year development plan which we have been working on since January. We have had to import a lot of machinery in the past and hope that your cooperation in the future will be forthcoming. American businessmen also complain about the lack of markets in Africa. Not many know about our potential. We are 80 million people and with ECOWAS, we see a possibility of expanding this market to the rest of West Africa with a total market of 150 million people. This is a market which we would like to show your businessmen. Another interest is our desire for technology transfer. We need assistance in this regard. We are really going for improved technology in a big way. We are trying to open technical universities and technical schools. We believe that this technical experience will be required for running both our old and new industries. On the question of education, we owe a great deal to the U.S. Most people who hold high positions in my government were trained in the U.S. We still need teachers from the U.S. These, Mr. President, are some of the points which have been discussed before with the Vice President and Mr. Press. Other questions of importance in Africa are: Chadwe are very worried about the situation there; Western SaharaNigeria is a member of the OAU Wisemen; Namibiawhich I discussed with Secretary-General Waldheim; South Africawhich concerns us very much; and the Horn of AfricaNigeria is chairman of the committee set up by the OAU for reconciliation between Ethiopia and Somalia. We held a meeting in Lagos to try to bring together the two countries. There were, of course, certain difficulties. I would be pleased to discuss these and other issues. Outside Africa, Nigeria is concerned about the Middle East, and the war between Iran and Iraq. We are among those who share your concern about the unfortunate situation in Afghanistan. We are very concerned about the hostages in Iran and have made appeals to the Ayatollah. All these things, Mr. President, are matters that concern us. I will be quite happy to do whatever small part I can to contribute toward world peace. President Carter: Thank you very much. It is important to have heard your explanation of the bilateral issues. I am especially interested in the exchange between colleges because I believe our land grant universities have much to offer. The soils in many parts of the U.S. are similar to those in Nigeria. If you should have any needs for fertilizers, transportation, methods to harvest crops or means to control insects or rodents, I hope you will make a request. We will try to be resourceful and send experts to Nigeria, or bring people here. We also can be helpful with the problem of transportation, particularly with regard to the transportation of seed. We are anxious to help on rice. There are certain segments in the American economy who are upset about the difficulties of exporting rice to Nigeria. I would like to see a change in your sales policy authorized by you. Our farmers would like to see this very much. We also have an eager business community which follows this issue. Following my visit I know that you have modified your laws in part to the benefit of both countries. We are pleased by the number of Nigerian students studying in the U.S., especially in vocational and technical schools. Dr. Press would like a list of your needs in this area and we will try to accommodate you. We have a high trade deficit with Nigeria, primarily because of your oil exports. We will consult closely with you on the question of Namibia. As you know, the US is one of the five members of the contact group. You may know also that the Secretary-General is going to southern Africa to explore next steps on October 20. President Shagari: Yes, he told me. President Carter: My opinion is that South Africa has delayed settling the Namibia question month after month. I must not build up expectations too much because in the past when we thought we were close to a settlement, the South Africans have always created problems. I should admit though also that there have been some problems on the other side as well. I share your view on the war between Iran and Iraq. I hope that you will join with others in seeking a peaceful solution to this problem. Twelve million barrels of oil per day flow through the Persian Gulf. A few countries which are dependent upon supplies from Iran and Iraq are now deprived of this fuel. I would hope that during this interim period you could increase Nigerian production and sell to some of them. The spot market is a very difficult and expensive place to purchase fuel. We will follow up on the science and technology exchange. Your specialists know better your needs than we do. If these specialists need to come here, we would be happy to receive them. I appreciate your efforts to get the hostages in Iran released. Iran has become very isolated in the world community as a result of the hostage issue. We want to see the hostages released, but we would also like to see Iran at peace with its neighbors. This is not possible as long as Iran is guilty of holding hostages. Your assistance is very beneficial. As you know, we follow closely what the OAU does on Chad and the Western Sahara. Please, if you have further ideas on this subject, let me know either through Ambassador Low in Lagos or Ambassador Jolaoso here. We believe that the problems of Africa can best be solved by Africans. We are strongly opposed to the presence of foreign troops in Africa. We would like to see the Cuban troops leave Angola after the problem of Namibia is resolved. The Angolans know our views on this and our desire for normal relations. We appreciate personal consultations. I would be happy if you would send me letters with your thoughts on these issues and I would like also the privilege to write to you from time to time. President Shagari: Some areas are very difficult, but we know the influence you can exert on African issues; for example, in Chad. I have encouraged the people who supply arms to stop these activities. They seem to supply arms to both sides. The French in particular do this sort of thing. Also Egypt does it, perhaps claiming that this is necessary to control the Libyan influence. President Carter: Do you believe that Libya is also guilty of providing arms to all sides? President Shagari: Yes, they are guilty also. President Carter: What are your relations with Libya? President Shagari: They are normal for relations between African states. (Laughter from Nigerian side). Secretary Muskie: Normal in the sense that you have normal relations with all of the African states. President Carter: Qadhafi is a fellow Muslim, isnt he? President Shagari: Yes. President Carter: Any calming influence which you might have on Qadhafi would be very much appreciated. President Shagari: He is somewhat crazy. You know how difficult he can be. We will do our best to talk to them. They support one side one day and another the next. In the case of the Western Sahara, we have managed to get all sides together to talk. We were able to get the Moroccans to attend the most recent session. I believe that this Moroccan willingness was due largely to the pressure which Nigeria applied. The Moroccans have just recently refused to accept our solution from that conference that is a referendum, one which seemed very reasonable to us. The OAU has accepted our solution and the Polisario has accepted it as well. With great difficulty we got the Polisario to agree on a cease-fire and a referendum. The Moroccans have refused the referendum part and parcel. They state that the traditional way of conducting a referendum has already been exercised; that is, the tribal chiefs have already paid homage to the King which they interpret to mean the people have accepted the Moroccan solution. We tried to show that this sort of traditional self-determination is no longer acceptable. There should be a free and fair referendum. Our fear is that they will refuse and that more and more African states will recognize the Polisario. In that case the Polisario will definitely be encouraged to continue fighting. If Morocco goes on fighting that will be too bad for them. They must agree to a referendum supervised by the OAU and the UN. Everybody will accept that outcome. We as friends and the US also must exert pressure upon the Moroccans to make them see reason and stop war. Much the same is true in the Horn of Africa. There the OAU passed a resolution which said that the Ogaden is a part of Ethiopia. This is based on the OAU charter which says that all colonial boundaries must be accepted. Unless this principle is accepted all Africa will be at war with each other. The colonial boundaries must be observed. Somalia must realize this. This problem has brought in powers outside Africa. That is one of our problemsforeign troopsthey come in when African countries fail to solve problems. Issues should be resolved between neighboring countries themselves. We think the Somalis should accept the resolutions of the OAU instead of fighting. We know these questions are not of your direct concern. We members of the OAU are trying to bring peace and independence to the region. We hope you can help and greatly appreciate your efforts toward peace. President Carter: We take the same position on the Ogaden. We have limited influence on Siad. We asked him to take his troops out of the Ogaden and he has reduced them substantially. We want to stabilize the situation. We are monitoring the situation closely and agree that the situation is a threat to peace. Dr. Brzezinski (to Assistant Secretary Moose: Dick, have we endorsed the OAU decision on the Western Sahara? Mr. Moose: We have not specifically endorsed a referendum or taken a formal position on the OAU recommendation. We have said that we do not consider an act of self-determination to have taken place. President Carter: Yes, that is right. We have taken no position on the OAU recommendations. I would like to go back to another issue. How difficult would it be for you to increase your rice purchases given your needs for rice imports? President Shagari: We cannot lift the restrictions on foreign rice purchases. We must look at this in the context of our own production. Whatever we cannot produce we purchase abroad. President Carter: Let me pursue this another way. We would like to know what you can do over the longer term to purchase U.S. rice if you have a need? Bukar Shaib: American rice is not competitive in price. Our businessmen have been going to Thailand to purchase rice. Henry Owen: What we are interested in is open and general licensing. We want to compete openly with other exporters. President Carter: We will meet the rice producing competition on quality and price. President Shagari: We cannot afford to lift the import restrictions. The place would be flooded to the detriment of our farmers. We cannot allow an open policy. We have restrictions also on the Thai rice imports. Bukar Shaib: Let me try to explain. If a license is given to a businessman he can go where he wants to purchase the rice. For example, if he has a license to purchase 50,000 tons he may find that the Thai rice is most competitive. President Carter (to the U.S. side): Will you get me an accurate analysis so that I can explain this issue to the American farmers because they believe that Nigeria has important specific restrictions against American rice. This seems to be the only problem between our two countries. Do you have any other problems you would like to raise before lunch? Mr. Moose: There will be a meeting between the Secretary of Agriculture and the Nigerians this afternoon. We will report back to you before dinner. President Carter: Then I will see you at the banquet this evening. I look forward to seeing you again. Mr. President, I would like to present you a couple of books. One which I wrote myself and the other with some photos of the earth taken from satellites. These are typical satellite photos which, if you are interested, we could help you obtain. The United States government predicted the ouster of Nigerias democratically elected president in 1979, months before the politician, Shehu Shagari, cruised to victory in a controversial election. Four years later, Mr Shagari was toppled just three months after he had been elected for a second term. He was removed in a military coup led by Nigerias current president, Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Shagari, who was president between 1979 and 1983, passed away on December 28 aged 93. Mr Buhari, then a major general in the Army, was elected as a civilian president in 2015 and is preparing to run for another tenure in 2019. Old guard politicians Ahead of the 1979 general elections, a Central Intelligence Agency filing seen by PREMIUM TIMES predicted that Nigerias transition to civilian rule more likely than not, will not occur. The document, Intelligence Memorandum Prepared in the National Foreign Assessment Centre, was dated January 5, 1979. It was prepared in the Africa Division of the Office of Regional and Political Analysis and coordinated with the Directorate of Operations and the Offices of Central Reference and Economic Research. New political parties, headed by old guard politicians, are operating along traditional lines of regional and tribal conflict which brought down the first republic, the document stated. Elections are unlikely to be placid, and a brokered solution will be required in the likely event that there is no clear-cut presidential victor under constitutional rules. Five major political parties contested in the 1979 presidential election with Mr Shagaris National Party of Nigeria (NPN) emerging victorious, winning 36 out of the 95 senate seats and 165 out of 443 House of Representatives seats. Mr Shagari scored 5,688,657 votes to defeat his closest challenger and candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Obafemi Awolowo, who polled 4,916,651 votes. Despite the controversies surrounding the election, there was a peaceful transition from the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime to Mr Shagaris civilian government in October 1979. The process could be aborted at any point by various elements in the armed forces or, more likely, by the regime as a result of divisive campaigning and communal disorders, the CIA document said ahead of the 1979 election. Even if a civilian government is established, it probably would not survive for much more than two years because of ethnic conflict and rising social demands. Events are likely to demonstrate that only the more nationalistic military is capable of governing and holding Nigeria together. Mr Shagaris election and re-election were as controversial as his administration was beset with allegations of corruption. On December 31, 1983, he was ousted in a military coup by Mr Buhari. In justifying the ouster of a democratically-elected government, Mr Buharis regime said the former administration was corrupt and lacked the capacity to address the nations many needs. Several officials of the previous government, including former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, were hauled into jail, some with very lengthy sentences for alleged corruption. Analysts say not much changed though, with the new military government. The Buhari military administration itself was overthrown two years after in another military coup led by Ibrahim Babangida. In his tribute to Mr Shagari on Saturday, Mr Buhari said he and the man he removed from office had several years after grown to appreciate and understand each other, regardless of whatever the differences they had. The late Alhaji Shagari was a man of many parts: teacher, local authority administrator, politician, minister, and finally President. He served his country with dedication and moderation, President Buhari wrote in a statement. Over the years, through interaction at the Council of State, he and I came to understand and appreciate each other, whatever the differences we may have had in the past. The main labour union in Nigeria, NLC, has mourned the death of former President Shehu Shagari. The NLC in a statement by its president, Ayuba Wabba, said Mr Shagari initiated some of the landmark projects including iron and steel and petrochemicals in his quest to make Nigeria an industrial hub. Read Mr Wabbas full statement as sent to PREMIUM TIMES below. We at the Nigeria Labour Congress would like to join the Nigerian government, world leaders, family members and other Nigerians in mourning the death of Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Elder statesman and first Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As President, Shagari, as he was popularly known, was humble, personable, considerate and broad-minded, some of the reasons that explained his popularity amongst the ordinary people. Shagari initiated some of the land mark projects including iron and steel and petrochemicals in his quest to make Nigeria an industrial hub. Not a few hold the view that but for the coup that removed him from power in 1983, unceremoniously cutting short his second term, Shagari would have seen through his vision of a highly industrialised Nigeria. We similarly hold the view that given his urbane and simple and straight forward life style, Shagari would have built an enduring culture of democratic succession in spite of some of the disputed elections in his time. However, Shagari was blamed for not exercising requisite control over some of the rambunctious and corrupt members of his cabinet or party, a fact not a few, today, believe was largely responsible for his removal from power. Amazingly, his removal did little to diminish his towering stature as no act of corruption or wrong doing was traced to him. Thus, in retirement, he was both a respected voice of moderation and wisdom from which succeeding leaders befitted till death took him away. For us at the Nigeria Labour Congress, Shagari, in spite of having come to power on an ideological platform that was manifestly different from the one we subscribed to, holds a special place in our hearts. For instance, he signed into law the National Minimum Wage Act of 1981 that provided for a new national minimum wage of N125 which was equivalent to about $200. It took more than deft move and political will to execute this. It took the milk of human kindness in Alhaji Shehu Usman Shagari and his deep appreciation of the dignity of labour and value of the human life to do this. Shehu Shagari To truly appreciate the value of what Shagari did for workers way back then without a bloody fight, let us pause and reflect on the value of the present national minimum wage of N18,000 which is $49; and the new national minimum wage of N30,000 (equivalent to $82) which is due since 2016. One of his other legacies was a national housing scheme, a component of which was the building of low-cost houses for workers across the then 19 states of the federation In light of his contributions to national development, peace in the land, and welfare of workers, Shagari remains a national hero, patriot, and a distinguished gentleman. He never for a moment allowed the allure of office to becloud his judgement, especially about the objective conditions of workers. The good he has done shall therefore not be interred with him but shall live after him. It is reason why we join others in mourning this great patriot and nationalist. We do hope his death will offer us all an opportunity to reflect not only on our mortality, but our life in office, actions or decisions taken in power. Fare thee well, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari. To live in the hearts of those who love you, is not to die. Your deeds shall continue to live after you. Three police officers attached to Ijanikin Division in Lagos State have been dismissed from the Force for robbing a Togo-based Nigerian of 350,000 CFA (about N221,508). The Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), namely: Gbemunu Afolabi, Afolabi Oluwaseun and Adigun Omotayo were dismissed over corruption charges. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had reported on Wednesday that four policemen were arrested for allegedly robbing one Theodore Ifunnaya of 350,000 CFA (about N221,508). The dismissed personnel accosted the victim, a Nigerian based in Togo who came to celebrate Christmas in Nigeria, and subjected him to tortuous search and interrogation. When the dismissed officers discovered the sum of money on him, they collected the money, exchanged to Naira and gave N2000 to the victim to go home. The policemen also threatened to arrest him for alleged robbery if he speaks out. Lagos State Police Command Spokesman, Chike Oti, confirmed the dismissal on Sunday, stressing that the fourth policeman, an Inspector, was recommended to the AIG Zone 2 for dismissal. The authorities of the Lagos State Police Command wishes to inform members of the public that the Commands Provost Section, trying four policemen attached to Ijanikin Division for discreditable conduct and corrupt practice, has found them guilty on all counts and accordingly recommended them for dismissal from the Force. Based on the recommendation of the adjudicating officer, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Imohimi Edgal, approved the dismissal. Meanwhile, the recommendation for the dismissal of Insp. Amiete has been forwarded to the Assistant Inspector- General of Police, Zone 2 for approval, Mr Oti said. Mr Oti said that the policemen had conducted themselves in a manner unbecoming of their status in the Force. He said the police commissioner has redeployed the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ijanikin Division, Eugene Ubine, for lacking in the supervision of his men. He, therefore, warns Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Heads of departments to strictly monitor the activities of their men for better service delivery. He added that the punishment meted out to the undisciplined policemen is intended to serve as a deterrent to others. (NAN) Across Nigerian campuses, in the year 2018, stories around incessant industrial actions by workers, sex-for-marks scandals, increase in tuition fees and victimisation of students gained prominence in media reports. STRIKE ACTIONS Strike actions have been used by aggrieved workers of colleges of education, polytechnics and universities for improvement in their welfare and proper funding of the institutions. This started with the Joint Action Committee, comprising of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) whose strike was enforced from December 2017 to March 2018 over the contents of the agreement the unions reached with government in 2009. The Chairman of the Joint Action Committee of the unions, Samson Ugwuoke, announced the suspension of the strike, noting that it was based on extensive consultations with various organs of government. In August, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, embarked on a strike, which was later suspended after five weeks. Since the federal government had refused to fulfil its part of the 2009 agreement, ASUU resumed the industrial action on November 4 and several meetings to get the workers working again have ended in deadlock. Meanwhile, while the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) called off its two-month strike on December 6, the Academic Staff of Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) embarked on industrial action over NEEDS assessment, complaints about the scheme of service and the non-payment of salaries in state-owned institutions. SEX-FOR-MARKS SCANDALS Despite complaints of sextortion in Nigerian tertiary institutions over the years, the menace got media attention as one of the most discussed stories in 2018. A professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Richard Akindele, in a leaked conversation with a postgraduate student, Monica Osagie, was caught demanding five rounds of sex from the lady. The audio recording, which went viral and generated controversies from people within and outside the university community, led to the dismissal of the lecturer. Although Mr Akindele denied and said it was a set-up, he was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, and was eventually sentenced to two years imprisonment by Justice Maureen Onyekenu of Osogbo high court in December. In April, Olusegun Awonusi, a professor of English Studies at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and a former Vice-Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, was accused of harassing female students and threatening to fail them if they refused his advances. University of Lagos (UNILAG). Mr Awonusi denied the allegation and said it was an attempt to blackmail him. The management of UNILAG, in an interim report published on the school website in July, stated that the allegations against the professor cannot be substantiated. Also, PREMIUM TIMES reported the dismissal of three senior lecturers in the Lagos State University (LASU) alleged of sexual misconduct. According to the universitys spokesperson, Ademola Adekoya, the dismissal of Ayoola Odubunmi, an associate professor of economics; Isiaka Ogunwande, an associate professor of chemistry and Emmanuel Gbeleyi, a lecturer in the department of anatomy was approved by the governing council of the university at its 119th statutory meeting on October 4. Lagos state University, LASU In Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Ebonyi state, an investigation by the New Telegraph also published by this paper in December, revealed how the institutions Head of Department of Marketing (HOD), School of Business Studies, Ezumah Obi, invited female students to hotels at different times, with the intent to sleep with them before he would pass them in his courses and their final year projects. However, the lecturer has denied the allegation, saying the students chose to meet him at the hotels and that nothing close to their allegations ever happened. FEE HIKE The University of Ibadan (UI), in April, introduced over 100 per cent increment in the accommodation fees, which went from N14,000 to N30,000. Medical students are, however, expected to pay N40, 000. Also, the tuition fee of medical students was increased from N49,000 to N170,000 due to the introduction of a new levy tagged Health Professional Training Levy which ranges from N75,000 to N100,000 depending on department and level. These increments resulted in protest from parents and students, and the shutdown of the medical students Hall of residence. In a similar case, the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo Universitys college of health sciences also deliberated on the introduction of the training fee but the students and student groups revolted against it vehemently. Also, this newspaper reported how the Ondo State Government increased the tuition fee of students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akoko-Akungba, a state-owned institution, by over 500 per cent as the new school fees range from N120,000 to N180,000 and the returning students of Education Management are expected to pay N120,000 while the freshmen will be paying N150,000. In October, the management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTHEC), Ogbomoso asked returning students who are indigenes of Oyo and Osun states to pay N200,000 while non-indigenes are to pay N250,000 against the former N63,500 for returning students who are indigenes and N72,500 for non-indigenes. The present 100 level students paid N120,000 for indigenes and N150,000 for non-indigenes as part of the resolution of the institution after the university strike that lasted for several months. It should be recalled that parents, alumni body, staff unions and students protest the fee hike. The LAUTECH management later announced a reduction of the new fees, although still higher than the old one. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomosho In November, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) announced over 100 per cent increase in the school fees, which will take effect from 2018/2019 academic session. A screenshot obtained by PREMIUM TIMES revealed that the tuition for the Department of Mass Communication, for instance, was increased from N10,700 to N23,300. Meanwhile, the university spokesperson, Kunle Akogun, claimed that the increment was 35% and that the students will be paying a little above N21,000 while other charges such as faculty and departmental charges would be according to individual facilities in the university. Victimisation of students Authorities of tertiary institutions made attempts to repress the voice of students in 2018 and this led to the suspension of union leaders, activists and journalists, whose actions opposed the policies of the institutions. In March, PREMIUM TIMES reported how five students; Gbenga Olaniran, Oyedeji Samson, Olajide Adedamola, Jimoh Oladipupo and Adeniji John, were handed over to the police by the management of Obafemi Awolowo University for opposing the forceful eviction of students from a female hostel, Moremi. The students, wrongfully accused of assaulting a university official, were docked at the Ife Magistrate Court. After seven appearances, the case was struck out for want of evidence against the students. The University of Ibadan suspended a student journalist, Adekunle Adebajo, over a critical newspaper article published two years ago. Mr Adebajo wrote under the title UI: The irony of fashionable rooftops and awful interiors, in The Guardian of April 2016 which drew attention to the deplorable state of the facilities at the Nigerian premier university. Piqued by the article, the university, two days after the publication, asked him to face a disciplinary committee. In the following months, the student continued to face disciplinary charges which he defended before he was eventually told he had been rusticated for two semesters at the end of May. The action of the school was condemned by various media organisations including Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) who pleaded for his reinstatement. However, when PREMIUM TIMES contacted the Vice Chancellor of the university, Idowu Olayinka, he described the suspension as an internal matter and told the student to make an appeal. Meanwhile, in August, The Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) reinstated nine student activists expelled over a year ago for their involvement in a protest against tuition fees hike. The recall, which came amidst a legal action by the students, saw to the reinstatement of Collins Ogbonna, Fishery and Aquaculture Technology; Elvis Onuoha, Animal Science Technology; Ebuka Odunze, Computer Science Department; Kenneth Megwa, Prosthetics and Orthotics Department; and Nnamdi Madu and Collins Ugwu of the Optometry Department. Adeyeye Olorunfemi, a student of the UNILAG, who bagged four-semester suspension from the university authorities in 2016, was also reinstated in September. However, in another letter, the student activist was invited to appear before the students disciplinary board on October 9 over alleged acts of misconduct carried out during the period of the rustication. The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has restated the red alert he issued on January 1, 2018, over a range of dangers confronting the world, which still persist as 2019 looms. The UN chief said in his message for the New Year that these are anxious times for many, and our world is undergoing a stress test. He reiterated one of his calls during 2018 over climate change, saying it was still running faster than we are, and that deepening geopolitical divisions are making conflicts more difficult to resolve. He said record numbers of people were moving in search of safety and protection, inequality is growing and people are questioning a world in which a handful of people hold the same wealth as half of humanity. Moreover, he said that intolerance was on the rise while trust was also declining. But there are also reasons for hope, notably in Yemen where breakthrough talks have created an opportunity at least, for peace, the Secretary-General said. Mr Guterres also cited the September agreement signed in Riyadh between Ethiopia and Eritrea, which eased long-running tensions and brought improved prospects to an entire region as cause for optimism. Likewise, he pointed to the agreement between warring parties in South Sudan which had revitalised chances for peace, bringing more progress in the past four months than in the previous four years. The UN was also able to bring countries together in Katowice, Poland, to agree on a programme to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. Now we need to increase ambition to beat this existential threat, its time to seize our last best chance to stop uncontrolled and spiralling climate change, Guterres said. The UN chief said in recent weeks, the UN also oversaw landmark global agreements on migration and refugees, that will help to save lives and overcome damaging myths. And people everywhere are mobilising behind the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which he called our global blueprint for peace, justice and prosperity on a healthy planet. When international cooperation works, the world wins, the UN chief stressed. He maintained that in 2019, the UN will continue to bring people together to build bridges and create space for solutions, keeping up the pressure for change. As we begin this New Year, lets resolve to confront threats, defend human dignity and build a better future together, Guterres said, wishing the world a peaceful, prosperous and healthy 2019. (NAN) The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc (SAHCO) says the manufacturing of some major equipment by its team of engineers has helped to reduce the companys cost of operations. Basil Agboarumi, Managing Director, SAHCO Plc, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday. He explained that the companys engineers had recently manufactured a towable bowser to fuel the companys ground support equipment at the airports. Mr Agboarumi said following its success, the team was already working on the construction of another bowser and also building 10 baggage carts to be used for conveying baggage from aircraft. He noted that the fuel bowser was the first in the history of aviation ground handling services in Nigeria to be created from scratch from locally-sourced materials. The production of the equipment is aimed at achieving higher efficiency of safe and fast service delivery; which is what SAHCOL stands for. The 3,000-litre capacity equipment can be operated both manually, with pump and also with battery. The equipment which is only towable has all the features of an imported motorised fuel bowser with modifications to fit the Nigerian terrain. The bowser is designed to be both rugged and comfortable for use by the handlers to dispense rapid fuelling in a safe and spillage-free manner, the managing director said. Mr Agboarumi said before now, the imported fuel bowser, amongst other ground support equipment, was purchased from manufacturers in Europe and other western countries at an equivalent cost of N65 million, excluding the cost of clearance. He said: This production has helped to overcome the problem of waiting incessantly for ground support equipment to be shipped to Nigeria. It has also reduced waiting time for clearance by the authorities at the ports before being brought to the workshop for use. Another reason is that the construction of this bowser has saved the company the cost of sourcing for foreign currency to purchase imported equipment. The fuel bowser is of great significance for a hitch-free re-fuelling of ground support equipment on the ramp. Mr Agboarumi said that SAHCO would continue to deliver quality and improved ground handling services to all its clientele across the nations airports through the procurement of more state-of-the-art equipment for operations. He said that some new ground handling equipment of the company would in the next few weeks arrive the country, saying that this would further improve the quality of its services. Also speaking, Toyin Oriawo, Acting General Manager, Maintenance and Engineering Department, SAHCO, said the team decided to work on the local manufacturing of the equipment to reduce cost of operations. According to him, the idea of building the companys equipment locally came up when it became difficult to import the spare parts for the motorised fuel bowser being used before now and some other equipment. Mr Oriawo said: For instance, the fuel bowser we purchased in 2013 from Europe cost N65 million excluding shipping and other costs but we were able to produce ours here with about N13 million. Also, a baggage cart cost 4,600 Euros abroad but here we are producing it with about N678, 000. We are working on 10 currently and when you look at this, you know that we are really reducing our operating costs. According to him, the baggage carts will be ready by January. To further serve the airlines better, he said that the company recently imported tow bars to ease movement of aircraft. Mr Oriawo noted that plans were also underway by SAHCO to build towable passengers desks. So with the right support, Nigerian engineers can do more local manufacturing; not just in aviation but in other fields to curb our dependency on importation of equipment and goods, he said. To keep the company going, Mr Agboarumi noted that there were three generators each of 500 KVA capacities; to power the equipment being used by the company. NAN reports that SAHCO Plc., which is a subsidiary of SIFAX Group, is an aviation ground handling company that offers services in passenger handling, ramp handling, cargo handling and warehousing. It also offers services on aviation security, baggage reconciliation, crew bus and executive lounge services and other related ground handling services. The company was handed over to the core-investor (SIFAX Group) on December 23, 2009, after being carved out of the liquidated Nigerian Airways Ltd. (NAN) Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said President Muhammadu Buhari will be re-elected for a second term in 2019, for the sake of Nigeria. Mr Tinubu, who was speaking, Friday, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, during the flag-off of the APC presidential campaign, said Mr Buhari represents continuity of hope and continuity of development. Our president is seeking re-election. For the sake of this country, we will re-elect Muhammadu Buhari, said Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state and an influential politician in the South-west of the country. We will re-elect an APC government that will give you hope, that will give you a diversified economy, he said to the large crowd at the 30,000-capacity Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo. Mr Tinubu described the past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administrations in Nigeria as 16 years of darkness. He said PDP ran a corrosive economy for 16 years. We are strongly determined to change the course and redirect governance in this country. That is what Muhammadu Buhari is all about and that is what APC is determined to do. We are building on a new foundation, and that foundation is for you the youth, the women, and the elderly and tomorrows children. If PDP had concentrate on only one item electricity for industrialisation it would have been better. Corruption is cancer to development in this country, and we will continue to fight it, together. We will continue to renew the hope of Nigerians and build a greater nation. No, you cant come back PDP, Mr Tinubu said. The former governor zeroed in on Akwa Ibom politics, in his remarks. He said happiness has frozen in the state since Godswill Akpabio finished his tenure as Akwa Ibom governor. We are waiting for Nsima Ekere (the Akwa Ibom APC governorship candidate) to take over and shift the direction, he said. Mr Buhari, who was present in Uyo to flag off the campaign, promised not to fail Nigerians if he is re-elected. I assure you that you will not regret trusting us, Mr Buhari said. We are going to secure this country, we are going to manage it properly. We are going to stop corruption. The APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, is his remarks at the event, said Mr Buhari was a man of impeccable integrity, one that is celebrated by fellow world leaders. The president who can go to America and stand with President Obama and President Trump, not those who cant get visa outside Nigeria. Mr Oshiomhole added, Mr President, we are honoured that you are flagging off your campaign in the South-south geo-political zone. They have been looking for mud to throw at your person. The more they do it, the more the people laugh at them. Nigerians know who you are. The world knows who you are. Nigerians also know who they are. The Police Command in Enugu State, says it has arrested six suspected gunmen that killed a popular road contractor, Johnbull, in the outskirt of Enugu metropolis. The states police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, who said this in a statement issued in Enugu on Sunday, said that the suspects were apprehended in various locations within the state in December. Mr Amaraizu said that the feat was achieved by police operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit through coordinated and thorough investigation of the suspects few months ago. He alleged that the suspects, who killed Johnbull at Miliken Hill road in Ngwo community, had confessed to the crime. The spokesperson noted that the suspected gang leader, Chinedu Mbam, 25, popularly called Nwaiboko from Izzi community in Ebonyi, disclosed that they had earlier got information that the deceased always paid money at his road construction site in Miliken Hill. According to Mr Amaraizu, other gang members include Chika Patrick alias Chika Tokor, who also deals on cannabis sativa, one Michael, one Pawpaw, Mayor and Jantamanta. He stated that on July 29, the suspects had monitored and trailed Johnbull and his wife with their tricycle to a supermarket at Abakpa. The gang later drove to the Miliken Hill road site of the contractor where they robbed him of all the money he had. One of the gang members, Michael, shot and killed him because he felt that the deceased had identified one of them. The gang leader also revealed that his own share he got from that operation was N30,000; while Chika Tokor got N20,000, but he could not remember what Pawpaw, Jantamanta, Michael and Mayor got, Mr Amaraizu said. He added that the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mohammed Danmallam, had applauded efforts of operatives of Anti-Kidnapping Unit. According to him, Mr Danmallam has assured that the command in partnership with other sister security agencies will sustain peace and security in Enugu State. The commissioner has maintained that the command will be proactive in line with the tenets of community oriented policing, Mr Amaraizu said. (NAN) The federal government will in due course institute a suitable memorial to immortalise the countrys first Executive President, Shehu Shagari, who passed away Friday, December 28, 2018, aged 93. This promise was made in Sokoto on Sunday by President Muhammadu Buhari, while paying a condolence visit to the Shagari family. In a letter to the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, read by the governor at the event, the president stated: I received the very sad news of the passing away of Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This, indeed, is a grievous loss, which will be felt throughout Nigeria, irrespective of any difference. The late Alhaji Shagari was a landmark figure being virtually our last link to the post-independence government of Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa , and the first elected Executive President of Nigeria. Please convey to his immediate family, the government and the people of Sokoto State my heartfelt condolences on the passing away of this great statesman. The Federal Government will in due course institute a suitable memorial to the late former President. May his soul rest in peace. President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Tambuwal shared the same vehicle on Sunday, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. Mr Tambuwal would have been the main challenger to President Buhari in next years presidential election had the Sokoto governor won the ticket of the main opposition party, PDP. The governor emerged runner-up, losing the ticket to current PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Messrs Buhari and Tambuwal on Sunday joined sympathisers and family members to offer special prayers for the repose of the soul of late former President Shehu Shagari at his private residence in Sokoto State. NAN reports that Mr Tambuwal and his counterpart from Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu, as well as prominent citizens from within and outside Sokoto, who accompanied the president, participated in the prayer session. Before the commencement of prayers which was led by the Chief Imam/Administrator of the National Mosque, Shehu Galadanchi, Mr Buhari met with members of the Shagari family where he consoled them over the loss. The president also presented a letter of condolence to the family which was read by Mr Tambuwal. The Chief Imam prayed Almighty Allah to grant the soul of the former Nigerian president a peaceful resting place in Paradise. The president had on Saturday paid tribute to the late former president and directed that the national flag and other flags should fly at half-mast in military and para-military formations as well as public buildings for three days, starting from today. The late President represented almost the last link with the government of our founding fathers under Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He was also the first elected President of Nigeria. The late Alhaji Shagari was a man of many parts, teacher, local authority administrator, politician, minister, and finally President. He served his country with dedication and moderation. Over the years through interaction at the Council of State, he and I came to understand and appreciate each other whatever the differences we may have had in the past. On behalf of the Federal Government, myself and family, I send my condolences to the people of Nigeria, particularly to the late Presidents family and the government and people of Sokoto State. May his soul rest in peace. Alhaji Bala Shagari, the eldest son of the deceased had on behalf of the family, expressed appreciation to Buhari for the visit amid his busy schedule. The remains of the former president, who died at the age of 93 on Friday at the National Hospital Abuja, was laid to rest at his village, Shagari on Saturday, according to Islamic rites. Mr Shagari was president from 1979 to 1983 and won the presidential election for the second time before he was dethroned by a coup detat that brought in Muhammadu Buhari as military head of state. The campaign organisations of the two main candidates in next years presidential election on Sunday accused each others candidate of corruption. The campaign organisation of President Muhammadu Buhari accused Atiku Abubakar of the PDP of not just being corrupt but also being so recognised internationally. Festus Keyamo, the Director, Strategic Communications of the presidents campaign organisation, said any allegations by Mr Abubakars campaign was a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the record of corruption and abuse of office of their own candidate. In the statement titled WHEN THE THIEF IS SHOUTING THIEF:THE CASE OF ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR, Mr Keyamo reeled out some allegations, which he described as indisputable facts regarding Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He said the U.S Congress in a report featured the PDP presidential candidate as one of the four notorious cases of money laundering in the world. He quoted the report as saying Jennifer Douglas Abubakar, a U.S. citizen, is the fourth wife of Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria and a former candidate for the Presidency of Nigeria from 2000 to 2008, Ms. Douglas helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States, including at least $1.7 million in bribe payments from Siemens AG, a German corporation, and over $38 million from little known offshore corporations, primarily LetsGo Ltd. Inc., Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Ltd., and Sima Holding Ltd. He said Mr Abubakars alleged co-conspirators in the scandal, Williams Jefferson and Siemens were convicted and the former went to jail, adding that by running for President of Nigeria, Mr Abubakar intends to get some immunity from prosecution. Already he is hoping to obtain a visa to visit the US, as a guest of the State Department, a concession that the US will grant to a Presidential candidate of Africas biggest Nation. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a sealed indictment waiting for him in the U.S. The day he visits the U.S, not as a candidate in an election, he will face charges, he said. On the alleged fraud at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which a House of Representatives indicted the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. Keyamo challenged the PDP to publish sections accusing the Vice President of embezzlement. He also challenged the PDP to provide evidence of their TraderMoni vote-buying allegations and shares of President Buharis relatives in Etisalat and Keystone Bank. We also challenge the PDP to publish a single line in the sub-committee recommendation of the House of Reps on the NEMA Emergency purchases where the report accused the Vice President of embezzlement of funds. They either do this within 24 hours or keep quiet forever. We also challenge them to show any proof whatsoever of their allegations regarding the TraderMoni. After three days of publicly announcing that they have hard proof that the Presidents relations bought shares in Etisalat and Keystone Bank, the PDP has not produced a single piece of paper, a document of any sort to buttress the grave allegations it made. Mr Keyamo also challenged Mr Abubakar to produce his tax receipts for 2015, 2016 and 2017. It is shocking that a man who has not been paying his Personal Income Taxes now says he wants to get Nigerians working again whatever that means. He is only deceiving himself and not the intelligent Nigerians that we know. In its reaction, a spokesperson of Mr Abubakar said Mr Buhari has a history of funnelling looted funds. Paul Ibe said he was reacting to allegation from Mr Buharis camp that Mr Abubakar was planning to smuggle in looted funds into the country just before the February 2019 elections. This new accusation, like their previous allegations, is another infantile outburst that tells more about the accuser than Atiku Abubakar, the release noted. For the avoidance of doubt, history shows that rather than smuggle in looted cash, Waziri Atiku Abubakar has a record of preventing looted funds from being smuggled into Nigeria. Mr Ibe narrated some historical occurrences to buttress his point against Mr Buhari. In 1984, it was Atiku Abubakar, as head of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Command of the Nigerian Customs and Excise Department, that stopped the ADC of the then Military Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, from smuggling in 53 suitcases of looted money into the country. Young Nigerians and Millennials who may not be aware of this incident will do well to google it. Only the guilty are afraid. It is President Muhammadu Buhari who has a history of smuggling in looted funds and not Waziri Atiku Abubakar. The statement said Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, a favourite of the President and a chieftain of the APC also mentioned Mr Buhari on October 4, 2010. It quoted the governor as saying: In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADCs father to enter Nigeria unchecked at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new. Mr Ibe in the statement recalled that Mr Abubakars plane was recently searched, his accounts perused and his businesses thoroughly investigated and nothing remotely corrupt or illegal was found. In desperation, the Buhari administration released this statement to cover their shame on a day that the US-based International Strategic Studies Association reported that it is the unprecedented corruption around President Buhari that has led to the recent setbacks in the war on terrorism in the Northeast and the heavy loss of lives amongst the military rank and file. We, therefore, urge Nigerians to note that it is Muhammadu Buhari who has a history and a record of smuggling in looted funds and it is Waziri Atiku Abubakar who has a history of preventing such from happening. And while they are at it, we urge them to tell Nigerians those behind Etisalat, now 9Mobile and Keystone Bank, now Polaris and how they suddenly possessed such wealth overnight. The Nigerian Army on Sunday announced it is planning to relocate residents of Baga in Borno State to safer locations in view of the ongoing military operations in the area. The army said the plan is in conjunction with the Borno State Government. There has been intense fighting between the Boko Haram and Nigerian troops in Baga in the past few days. On Friday, the Nigerian air force announced how it deployed several aircraft to bomb gatherings of the insurgents who had attacked a military base in Baga. On Sunday, the army, in a statement by Onyeka Nwachukwu, a colonel, accused some unscrupulous individuals of trying to create panic and unnecessary humanitarian problems for undisclosed reasons. The statement by Mr Nwachukwu was circulated by Sani Usman, the armys spokesperson on his Facebook page. Read Mr Nwachukwus full statement below. It has been observed that some unscrupulous individuals with likely sinister motives within and outside Borno State, are trying to create panic and unnecessary humanitarian problems for undisclosed reasons. It has come to our attention that these people are plotting to instigate the inhabitants of Bama, Dikwa and Monguno communities to abandon their communities and relocate to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps for undisclosed reasons. The inhabitants of these towns and the general public are please urged to discountenance such calls and remain calm. Theatre Command, Operation LAFIYA DOLE and other Security Agencies will shed more light on the issue in a Security Council meeting with the Borno State Government, scheduled to hold on Monday 31st December 2018. We would like to further state that there is no basis for the people of Bama, Dikwa and Monguno to vacate their respective communities. However, Operation LAFIYA DOLE troops in conjunction with Borno State Government are working towards relocating the residents of Baga, to safer locations in view of the ongoing military operations in the area. Members of the public are advised to remain calm as the military is in firm control to guarantee their safety and security. We would like to warn that any attempt to cause further panic through this false alarm would be viewed very seriously. Please disseminate this information to the general public through your news medium. Thank you for your kind cooperation. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue and Darius Ishaku of Taraba have resolved to grant amnesty to criminals operating along the border of the states. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offer is part of the resolution at the end of the joint security meeting between the two states held at the Federal University Wukari in Taraba. Mr Ishaku, who read the communique at the end of the tour of some border communities of Abako, Sai and Dogon-Gawa, said the amnesty window took effect immediately and would expire by the end of January 2019. We are willing to give amnesty to criminals who are willing to renounce criminality and surrender their weapons so that we can give them better jobs and reintegrate them into the society. Criminals willing to surrender, including those that defaulted in the past, are free to contact any of us (governors), traditional rulers and security agencies. Elections are around the corner and we will like to do this between now and end of January so that we can secure our places and synergise for peaceful elections, he said. The meeting condemned the spate of kidnappings, armed robbery and banditry involving youths in the states at the border. It stressed the need for job creation as a fundamental tool to reduce unemployment which made youths to take to criminality. It called for the adequate provision of logistics support to the security agencies by both the federal and state governments to sustain surveillance. The meeting called on the people of the areas to report all forms of criminality to appropriate authorities and not shield criminals in their domain. The governors have resolved to constitute a joint security committee made up of people of proven integrity and locals of the area between the two states to address the security challenges and a joint security forces to be constituted with a police station at Sai. The joint security meeting mandates the Boundary Committees of the states in conjunction with the National Boundary Commission to meet and ensure that boundary issues involving the two states are resolved, he said. Mr Ortom called on the people of the states to report criminals in their domain to security agencies, be law-abiding and shun acts capable of dividing them. NAN reports that the security meeting was attended by heads of security agencies from both states, traditional rulers and top government functionaries from the states, including the immediate past governor of Benue, Dr Gabriel Suswam. (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has left Abuja for Sokoto on a condolence visit over the death of former President Shehu Shagari. The presidents plane took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja some few minutes after 9 am Sunday. Mr Shagari, Nigerias first elected civilian president from 1979 to 1983 died Friday evening at the National Hospital Abuja after a brief illness. He was buried Saturday afternoon at his hometown, Shagari, in Sokoto State. Mr Buhari was represented at the funeral rites by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha. Mr Buhari had also ordered that flags should be flown at half-mast for 3 days starting from today (Sunday) at all military formations and public places in the country. The Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Ibrahim Wakkala, says his governor, AbdulAziz Yari, has sidelined him. Mr Wakkala told journalists in Gusau on Sunday that the governor had denied him his rights and privileges . For months now, several of the legal fundings that are supposed to be made to my office have been stopped and I have been completely sidelined by the state government. This attitude against me started since I indicated interest to run for the governorship of the state on the platform of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). I know that nothing stops me as a citizen from contesting for any elective position, so I want those concerned and responsible for the interpretation and implementation of the constitutional provisions that accorded me rights and privileges to explain to me why I am being treated this way. If my crime is my declaration, then what about my supporting staff made up of casual staff, feeding of security personnel, fueling and services of vehicles attached to my office, what have they done to have their allowances stopped, he said. The deputy governor also said that it had still not been officially communicated to him that the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Sanusi Rikiji, would be serving as acting governor of the state. I knew this on the pages of newspapers, the social media and when the state Commissioner of Information told a journalist that I am treated this way because I belong to the G8 group. My concern at the moment, however, is to see that Zamfara is free from all these security challenges where the killings, kidnappings and animal rustling have taken charge. Clarifying further on the matter, the deputy governors Director-general on Media, Yusuf Idris, said, the deputy governor is always in his office and nothing is related to him concerning official matters. Mr Yusuf maintained that the only reason someone else aside from the deputy governor that can act in the governors absence is when he (the deputy governor) is impeached, removed from office by court order or death and none of these is the case at the moment, he said. When contacted however, Governor Yari told journalists that my main concern in the state now is how to tackle the security situation and see our people living without any threat to their lives, businesses or property. We can only discuss this issue when we begin to talk politics, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC in the state is fictionalized between the governor and his supporters and the G8 made up of eight persons including the deputy governor. (NAN) Ibikunle Daramola, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. He explained that the attack was conducted at dawn on December 28, following intelligence reports indicating that the compound was being used by the armed bandits as a camp from where they launch attacks on innocent civilians. Accordingly, the ATF detailed a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, which confirmed the presence of bandits armed with high calibre weapons at the location. Consequently, an Alpha Jet aircraft was dispatched to strike the compound, recording direct hits on the target area and resulting in significant damage to the structures and neutralisation of some bandits. This was later confirmed by credible human intelligence sources, he said. The air commodore said surface troops later invaded the compound and recovered some motorcycles abandoned by the fleeing criminals. The ATF working in concert with surface forces and other security agencies, will continue to conduct reconnaissance and air interdiction missions with a view to restoring normalcy to the affected states in the North-west. (NAN) Scores of corpses were gutted by a mysterious fire at the mortuary section of the General Hospital Enugwu -Ukwu in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the incident occurred at about 5:40 p.m. on Saturday. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said the police command had launched an investigation to unravel the cause of the fire. Police patrol team, led by the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Nimo Police Division, CSP Benjamin Egu on arrival at the scene, contacted fire Service department, which later put out the fire with the help of local volunteers. However, the fire caused extensive damage in the building as almost all the corpses at the mortuary were burnt beyond recognition. The cause of the fire incident is still unknown but the case is under investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident, Mr Mohammed said. (NAN) The Police Command in Enugu State has arrested seven men suspected to be a notorious armed robbery gang operating in Enugu. The states Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement on Saturday in Enugu that the suspects were arrested in Lagos, Awka, Ebonyi as well as Ezeagu and Enugu metropolis. Mr Amaraizu said that the feat was achieved by the commands operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit through painstaking intelligence operation. He said that the highly specialized armed robbery gang had killed one Chinedu Nzegwu, a trader and a policeman at Obioma Street in Uwani, Enugu on September 12. The arrested suspects gave their names as Obunike Ugbene, 27, alias Paparazi, who is the ringleader of the gang from Amaofiagu in Affa of Udi council area of the state but residing at Obinagu road Abakpa Nike near Enugu. Kenneth Uchenna, 27, alias Madubuagu who is a highly skilled driver from Imezi Owa community in Ezeagu Local Government, Nkemdilim Mathew, 23, alias Alone from Nodu-Okpuno Awka of Anambra and Chukwuma Mbam, 22, alias revolution from Ikwo in Ebonyi. Stanley Uchenna, 23, alias Posiga from Aguobuowa in Enugu State, who acts as informant for the gang; Chinedu Mbam,25, alias Nwaiboko from Izzi in Ebonyi and Patrick Okoli, 33, alias Chika Tokor from Obunofia-Ndiuno Ezeagu in Enugu State. Mr Amaraizu said that the gang leader, Ugbene, had regretted the killings and prayed God to forgive him as he never intended to kill anyone but circumstance led him and the gang to do that. He noted that the gang leader had confessed and revealed to police operatives their numerous operations, the locations where they had operated in the state and number of people they had killed so far. Through intelligence information, the gang leader was nabbed in Lagos by the operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit where he had escaped to and his arrest facilitated the arrest of other members of his gang, he said. Mr Amaraizu noted that the gang leader, Mr Ugbene, while regretting his action, advised youth to desist from involvement in any criminal activities as there is no peace for any criminal and no matter what, he must be caught. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Danmallam, has applauded efforts of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and assured that the command in partnership with sister security agencies would ensure that peace and security in the state were sustained. Mr Danmallam maintained that the command would keep on being proactive in line with the tenets of community-oriented policing. The commissioner said that any crime committed must be followed and suspect or suspects must be unmasked. [NAN] The Ogun Signage and Advertisements Agency (OGSAA) has advised all political parties and their candidates in the state to obtain necessary permits and approvals before deploying billboards and other political signs. Akin Bandele, OGSAA General Manager, said such permits would enable the agency to duly enlist the cooperation of law enforcement agents in securing these valuable media assets. The agency gave the advice following allegations that OGSAA had been hostile to some political parties by removing their campaign billboards. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Ogun, Gboyega Isiaka, had on Friday accused OGSAA officials of removing his campaign signages. The OGSAA boss, however, said in a statement that the ADC signages were removed because they were being deployed illegally across the state without obtaining necessary permits from the regulatory agency. We are constrained to formally respond to this grievous allegation and set the records straight to protect the reputation of OGSAA as an organisation guided by professionalism and best practices in its operations. On Dec. 1, 2018, OGSAA Monitoring and Enforcement team on routine duty came across illegal A Boards mounted and placed across Abeokuta by ADCs Gboyega Isiaka Campaign Organization. Expectedly, OGSAA enforcement team swiftly moved into action and removed the A Boards. During the course of this lawful activity, ADC members attacked OGSAA officials. The leader of OGSAA Enforcement team was seriously rough handled, beaten and he sustained serious injuries. All these happened in the presence of Mr Gboyega Nasir Isiaka. The incident was duly reported at the Zone 2 Mobile Police Command, who cautioned and advised ADC members to follow due process and subsequently removed the offending illegal A Boards, Mr Bandele said. The OGSAA boss said the ADC governorship candidate had not till date applied nor paid for a single A frame board currently being deployed illegally across the state. He assured that OGSAA would continue to enforce the law concerning unapproved billboards and campaign signs, adding that the Agency would continue to carry out its mandate without fear or favour. NAN reports that OGSAA is established by law as an independent regulatory agency with the sole mandate of enforcement, regulation and control of outdoor advertisements, billboards, signages and displays be it political or commercial in Ogun. (NAN) A motorcyclist and his passenger were on Sunday crushed to death by a Volvo truck at Somorin/Obantoko road, Abeokuta, Ogun. Babatunde Akinbiyi, spokesman for Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident occurred around 1 p.m. on Sunday. Mr Akinbiyi said the accident occurred when the motorcycle rider lost control as he was exchanging pleasantries with another motorcyclist. We learnt the rider of the Boxer motorcycle marked ABG 413 VR, was exchanging pleasantries with another bike rider when he lost control on noticing that a Volvo truck was approaching fast behind him. The truck eventually crushed him and the person he was carrying to death. The driver did not stop but drove off, he said. The TRACE spokesman said that the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of the Ogun State Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta. (NAN) The Ekiti State Government has announced the arrest of a council official for allegedly trying to steal government documents. The announcement was made in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by Yinka Oyebode, Governor Kayode Fayemis spokesperson. Read Mr Oyebodes full statement below. A Director of Administration in Ijero Local Government Council, Olusola Rotimi, is being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB), following his arrest on Saturday at the council headquarters, where he was caught trying to cart away files and vital documents, after tampering with others. The top council official, who was said to have sneaked into the council office in Ijero-Ekiti during the period of the monthly environmental sanitation programme, was apprehended while about leaving the office with the files and vital documents. When accosted by the security men attached to the office to disclose what he had in his bag, he said they were his personal belongings. But the security men insisted on searching the bags and discovered that files and other vital documents were concealed in clothes tucked inside the bag. The matter was reported at the Divisional Police Office (DPO) in Ijero, where Mr Rotimi was later detained before the case was transferred to the CIB headquarters in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday. The state government is aware of some clandestine moves by some individuals to undermine ongoing investigations by the State House of Assembly into the activities of the local government administration in the state. Civil servants in the state are warned in their own interest not to get involved in any act that can compromise or frustrate the investigation and to desist from any act capable of sabotaging efforts of the state government. The current administration has zero tolerance for fraudulent activities and would ensure that offenders face the full weight of the law. Already, the state Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has directed that security be scaled up around public institutions in the state with a view to checkmating similar occurrence. The administration is committed to the restoration of the Ekiti core values of integrity, hard work, honesty and excellence. 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. With a total investment of VND7.463 billion (US$310 million), the airport was constructed with the assistance of NACO (Netherlands Airport Consultants), one of the world's leading airport consultancy and engineering firms. "It is the most modern airport in Vietnam. It will have positive influences on the passengers' experience here in the airport," said Romy Berntsen, a project manager and architect from NACO. Besides being equipped with the latest airport technologies in the main terminal, and a state-of-the-art runway, the new airport features a beautiful design inspired by the heavenly Halong Bay, which is just 50km away. As a new gateway for both domestic and international travellers coming to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay, the airport will receive an estimated 2 to 2.5 million passengers annually for the next two years and five million per year by 2030. On the same day, Sun Group officially unveiled two more major new infrastructures projects in Quang Ninh, namely, the new Halong-Van Don Highway and Halong International Cruise Port. The new four-lane, 60km-long highway will reduce travel time from Van Don Airport to Halong city to just under 50 minutes. With total investment of VND1,032 billion (US$43 million), Halong International Cruise Port is the first ever cruise port dedicated exclusively to receiving international cruise ships. Located in Bai Chay ward, Halong City, the port can accommodate two cruise ships (up to 225,000 GRT each) at the same time and a total of 8,460 passengers, including crew. The port terminal, designed by Bill Bensley, one of the world's most renowned and innovative architects, will be a new landmark for the city and Quang Ninh Province. The opening of all three major infrastructure projects will play an immense role in tapping the province's full tourism potential and create new opportunities for international trade and economic cooperation. SOURCE Sun Group We are extremely excited by this new partnership and what it brings to us and our customers in terms of being given an opportunity to add to our product offering and a go-to market plan that is well-developed and instantly available from a reputable and solid company Machines Dubuit, a leader in direct-to-shape digital printing, is expanding into the US. It will join forces with Engineered Printing Solutions (EPS) in Vermont, another company that has also been focusing on digital printing for the past ten years. Engineered Printing Solutions got its start designing product-marking solutions using traditional pad printing, and quickly branched out into designing bespoke production-line solutions such as pick-and-place automation. EPS focus on robotics technology and production-line integration made the transition to industrial inkjet a natural evolution, and the company has been selling flatbed and custom single-pass inkjet solutions since 2006. EPS will distribute Machine Dubuits digital printer range in the US and Canada, providing customers a full range of direct-to-shape printing solutions and premium customer support. Machines Dubuit is a well-known actor in the screen-printing market, with more than 25,000 systems installed worldwide. The company took the digital turn early, selling direct-to-shape digital products beginning in 2014. With many digital systems operating in diverse market environments, Machines Dubuit has accumulated a wealth of experience, using real-life data to fine-tune printer products. Machine Dubuits product range includes entry-level products such as the 9150, operating at a yield of 350 objects per hour, ideal for promotional printing on cups, water bottles, pens and many other cylindrical or conical shapes. Next in the range is the 9450, a versatile 800 object-per-hour direct-to-shape printer, ideal for 70mm to 140mm glass or plastic objects. For higher-yield industrial applications, Machines Dubuit designed the 9052 and 9360 for printing on mugs, cartridges, pens Frederick Goutard, CEO of Machines Dubuit says: The US is an early-adopter market, where the natural advantages of direct-to-shape printing can be leveraged for maximum product-differentiation at competitive cost. We are very excited by our partnership with EPS, a manufacturing company that will provide superior support to US customers. Julian Joffe, Co-President of EPS says : We are extremely excited by this new partnership and what it brings to us and our customers in terms of being given an opportunity to add to our product offering and a go-to market plan that is well-developed and instantly available from a reputable and solid company Long Island marketing agency, TiedIn Media recently launched a redesigned website for Premier Luxury Publication, Social Life Magazine. This magazine aimed at an elite crowd of the Hamptons needed a look that communicated this message of luxury and affluence. The newly designed website is just as simple and clean as the previous design, but with an updated design and added visual interest. Clean, organized, and bright are the words that come to mind when navigating throughout the website, a site visitor can easily access posts on any of the high-end celebrities that have been highlighted in the articles or scroll to see more featured articles. The navigation guides visitors to articles of different categories and showcases event photos as well as a calendar of events. Overall, the newly design website communicates the desired message to their target audience in a way that is improved and more effective. More about Social Life Magazine: Social Life magazine is the premier luxury publication for the Hamptons, celebrating 16 years in print. Their content luxury lifestyle on local, national, and international levels targets high net worth and high-income individuals who summer on the East End of Long Island. Printed on top-quality paper stock with seamless binding, the composition of the magazine itself mirrors the affluent market in which it is distributed. Luxury consumers turn to Social Life to peruse upscale content, the most exclusive event photos in society, read in-depth interviews with celebrities, and review sophisticated fashion editorial. By captivating our readership through unparalleled luxury content, they have established ourselves as the must read magazine for the affluent readers in the Hamptons and Manhattan. More about TiedIn Media: As a marketing agency, TiedIn Media believes in connectivity. Connectivity is what drives the bond between business and customer; it can only be achieved by creating a brand that people can relate to or a brand that is tied in. TiedIn Media works with clients to gain the deepest understanding of the business, thus defining a brands essence. TiedIn Media gives the brand a look, a feel, a voice, and a story, which ultimately ties a business and its customers together. Afghanistan: The Afghanistan Railway Authority and Afghan National Insurance Co have signed a memorandum of understanding for fire, health, vehicle, railway equipment, third party and cargo insurance services. Socialism: In the annals of socialist failure, Venezuela will surely have a prime place. A country with the largest oil riches in the world has seen its crude output plummet in recent years. And it's only getting worse, since Nicolas Maduro's regime put the military in charge of the oil industry. The insanity never ends. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate These customers will be unable to meet the lowest recharge requirements for Jio, meaning they will either exit the market or migrate to BSNL/MTNL. Romita Majumdar reports. As Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea seek to shed their low-revenue customer base to improve profitability, they are likely to witness a gradual increase in average revenue per user, say analysts. The move, however, may see over 50 million customers exit the market or switch to other service providers, the analysts added. During its second quarter results, Airtel said it would stay out of the feature phone and 2G customers base competition to continue its focus on long-term high-end customers. Airtel's strategy is to raise minimum ARPU through a revised focus on recharge plans (also starting at Rs 35) as well as the rapid rollout of 4G sites to address a smartphone-led subscriber base. The move is likely to impact 70 to 100 million of its low ARPU user base, according to initial estimates. 'The introduction of the new Rs 35 minimum monthly recharge will impact the 2G voice-only users, lifting this cohort from around Rs 20 at present. This, plus the loss of lower-end subscribers, should result in the average blended ARPU for Bharti increasing by 12 per cent to Rs 113. Vodafone Idea may see its ARPU increase by 14 per cent to Rs 101,' stated Bernstein analyst Chris Lane in a note to investors. While analysts expect ARPU upside for both Bharti and Vodafone Idea this year as they cancel lower value SIMs, they do not expect 3G/4G pricing to start to creep up until 2020. Rival Vodafone Idea has shared plans to raise the minimum recharge tariffs to improve profitability. According to the plan, a subscriber will now need to recharge for a minimum of Rs 35 per month for integrated data and voice services in order to keep the SIM card active. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has directed the telcos to inform subscribers in a clear and transparent manner about the changes following customer complaints. But the companies are legally entitled to withdraw any tariff plan that is older than six months. "The new simplified tariff plan gives us a monthly recurring income at a minimum Rs 35 per month (including data services). We believe consumers have the capacity to spend and the tariffs will stabilise," Vodafone Idea Chief Executive Officer Balesh Sharma had said some time back. While Bharti has disclosed 100 million customers are spending less than Rs 35 per month, for Vodafone Idea this base is estimated to be around 150 million users. Assuming 20 per cent of these customers may exit or leave the operators, it would result in Bharti losing around 20 million customers and Vodafone Idea 30 million. These customers will be unable to meet the lowest recharge requirements for Jio, meaning they will either exit the market or migrate to BSNL/MTNL, Lane felt. Public sector operators BSNL/MTNL are likely to keep a steady revenue market share of less than 5% even as they gain roughly 10% of the subs exiting Airtel and Vodafone Idea as the incumbent telcos and Reliance Jio battle it out for market share over the next few years. The telcos's move towards weaning out low-revenue customer base comes as it is estimated that around half of 750 million subscriber base (around 350 mn) are currently on double SIMs. Of these, around 250 million are estimated to recharge their number with only Rs 10 per month to keep it active. Thanks to the double SIM users, the total number of mobile connections in India is around 1.1 billion. Around 30% to 40% of the subscribers at the top constitute nearly 80% of the revenues for telcos. Sidbi acquires Ahmedabad-based start-up at hefty premium; founders deny link to govt. Vinay Umarji in Ahmedabad Abhijit Lele in Mumbai report. The nameplate at the entrance of Optionz, a commercial building in the heart of Ahmedabad, has changed from CapitaWorld Platform Pvt Ltd to PSB Online Loans Ltd just last month. The third floor of the building houses the fintech start-up that runs www.psbloansin59minutes.com. The portal hit the headlines for its scheme -- 'Get Public Sector Bank loans in 59 minutes' -- launched by Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi in September to help micro, small and medium enterprises obtain loans quickly. PSB Online, which has been handling the scheme since November 2, takes MSMEs seeking loans through a registration and eligibility process by scrutinising multiple sources of information, including goods and services tax returns, bank statements, tax returns, and credit checks. This information is processed to create a profile of the applicant. The online platform then compares this profile with the parameters set by individual banks. Based on the match, applicants get to know if they are eligible for a loan. If they end up applying for the loan, they pay a fee of Rs 1,000 plus 18 per cent GST. Rather than the process, though, it is the choice of this company -- and its ownership -- that has raised a few questions. A start-up to run such a mammoth scheme, possibly handling hundreds of thousands of applications and offering potentially rich pickings? When this question is put to Jinand Shah, a chartered accountant and one of PSB Online Loans' co-founders, he rubs his temple, and wonders where to begin. "We only wanted to plug the gap that MSMEs faced in availing loans from PSBs which has a huge potential. The PSBs bought into their potential and invested in us well before the launch of the government's initiative," said Jinand. PSB Online Loans is now owned by a Small Industries Development Bank of India-led consortium of PSBs with a 54%. PSB Online is a company set up by Jinand in 2015 with the help from family members and co-founder, Ronak Shah, who at that time was working with the Mudra ad agency. "Having finished my chartered accountancy in 2005, I worked in Mumbai and later Ahmedabad where I handled SME financing and figured out a lot of bottlenecks. With Ronak's help, I began an online platform to help SMEs get funds quickly," said Jinand. This was done by building an IT team that looked at technology and the functional aspects of banking in order to design a single application that took care of the due diligence sought by banks. By 2016, having built a prototype, Jinand went to private banks and non-banking financing companies with the proposal. "In 2016-17, public sector banks were still looking at taking their retail operations online. Many felt at that time, we were ahead of the curve. Then, the banks realised the potential of a MSME online platform and started testing us," said Jinand. With the advent of GST last year, the platform benefited from a lot of user data being digitised for tax filing purposes which further eased loan applications. Earlier this year, Ronak and another friend, Mukund Shivasubramanian, joined CapitaWorld as co-founders. The start-up raised around Rs 80 million through fund infusion by promoters and private placement at a premium of Rs 100 per share. Soon, the start-up caught the eye of PSBs led by Sidbi looking for precisely such an online platform to expedite in-principle approvals and disbursement. Last July, 54% equity was acquired by a consortium of six PSBs, including Sidbi, State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Indian Bank, Vijaya Bank and Punjab National Bank through the issue of additional shares for an amount of roughly Rs 2.25 million. To date, CapitaWorld's paid-up capital stands at roughly over Rs 3 million on the back of funds infused by founders and equity from PSBs. According to Sidbi, it was only on the basis of a valuation agreed that the consortium picked up stake in the company at a premium of Rs 119.39 per share. "Like any other equity investment, the valuation was arrived at by a reputed external agency... the valuation process for an early stage fintech start-up was in line with the industry practice," Sidbi told us. The acquisition also led to four out of seven directors on the board of CapitaWorld being nominees from Sidbi, its equity arm Sidbi Venture Capital, State Bank of India and Bank of Baroda. Apart from Jinand, the board comprises co-promoters and bank nominees such as Vikas Shah, Manoj Mittal, Sandeep Diddi, Mustafa Mohammad, Akhil Handa, Narayanan Sadanandan and Vrunda Shah. Of these, Handa is reportedly a founding member of Citizens for Accountable Governance, a support group involved in Modi's 2014 campaign. He is also co-founder and editor of the right wing media outlet, The Indian Republic, according to his LinkedIn profile. Jinand dismisses the idea of a link between his company and the central government as "sheer coincidence". "We have also learnt of speculation about Handa singlehandedly running the company whereas he is only a nominee director attending the board meetings and merely responsible for his role at Bank of Baroda. We have no links with anyone," said Jinand. It has also been speculated that if, say, 100,000 MSMEs were to register, PSB Online would earn billions from registration fees and commission earned from PSBs on the loans disbursed. Sidbi and Jinand reject this view, saying there is no registration charge, merely the Rs 1,000 fee (plus GST) for applicants. As to commission, he said that, unlike private banks, PSBs don't work on the fixed commission model of 0.35% over loan disbursals. "Depending on various conditions, the commission ranges between zero and a flat Rs 1,000," said Jinand, adding that the company is yet to break even because the cost of running the platform is so high. As on December 25, PSBs have received a total of 131,028 completed applications on the portal www.psbloansin59minutes.com since its launch on November 2, 2018. Of these, 112,043 applications for loans worth Rs 374.12 billion have been accorded in-principle approval while sanctions have been made in respect of 40,669 cases worth Rs 140.88 billion till December 25, 2018, Shiv Pratap Shukla, minister of state for finance stated in a Parliamentary reply. Among the PSBs, while SBI has accorded the highest number of applications with in-principle approval at 33,009 for Rs 114.70 billion, the highest number of loan sanctions is by Bank of Baroda at 8,995 applications worth Rs 37.75 billion. The lowest number of loan sanctions, however, has been by Sidbi for 42 applications worth Rs 154.5 million. However, the '59 minute' claim still seems far off. "Getting in-principle approval means nothing to an entrepreneur if the loan disbursal takes time. Even after in-principle approval, the bank will do due diligence such as site visits and data appraisal. As for us, we have been trying to track beneficiaries but are yet to find anyone," said K E Raghunathan, president, All India Manufacturers Organisation, which represents over 350,000 MSMEs. Britain has spent more than 100 million on chartering ferries to mitigate the risk of "severe congestion" at the port of Dover in the event of a no-deal Brexit, according to government documents. Ferries arrive at the port of Dover, south east of London, Britain, August 4, 2015. The British government has chartered ferries to deal with the possibility of an unregulated exit from the European Union. [File photo: IC/EPA/Andy Rain] The government has struck deals worth 107.7 million ($137 million, 117 million euros) with British, French and Danish ferry companies that would allow for almost 4,000 more lorries a week to use other ports on England's south coast to prevent a bottleneck at Dover, it added. "This significant extra capacity is a small but important element of the Department for Transport's (DfT) no-deal Brexit planning," said a spokesman for the department. "The department is helping ensure the rest of government is fully prepared for a range of scenarios, including a particular focus on a potential no-deal and to mitigate the impact of any Brexit outcome on all transport modes." The DfT has signed contracts with French firm Brittany Ferries, Danish company DFDS and Britain's Seaborne, saying the awards were "a small but important element" of its no-deal planning. Lorries disembark from ferries in Dover, south east of London, Britain, August 4, 2015. The British government has chartered ferries to deal with the possibility of an unregulated exit from the European Union. [File photo: IC/EPA/Andy Rain] The additional services will provide up to half a million tonnes a month in extra capacity, which the government hopes will mitigate the extra time needed to perform customs checks on incoming and outgoing freight. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable called the move "complete madness". "The government has the power to stop 'no deal' at any time but instead is spending millions on last minute contracts," he said. The department also warned that increased border checks could "cause delivery of critical goods to be delayed", and "significant wider disruption to the UK economy". British Prime Minster Theresa May secured an agreement with European Union leaders on Nov 25 that would see Britain leave the bloc on March 29 with continued close trade ties, but the odds look stacked against her getting it through a deeply divided British parliament. The deal has been criticized from among May's Conservative lawmakers by supporters of a cleaner break with the EU and those who want to keep closer ties. A police constable was killed on Saturday in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As many as 19 people have been arrested and several others detained in connection with the killing, a senior police official said on Sunday. IMAGE: IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh police personnel tackle protesters following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Ghazipur, on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo Director General of Police O P Singh, in a tweet, clarified that the deceased policeman, Suresh Pratap Singh Vats, was a head constable. Vats, 48, was killed on Saturday when protesters hurled stones at vehicles returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protests. "He was immediately taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries," Superintendent of Police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh said. 'The death of head constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats in Ghazipur in stone pelting is extremely tragic. So far 19 accused in 3 cases have been arrested, which include 11 in the case of murder. Strict action will be taken against those involved in violence under stringent sections of law (sic),' the DGP said in a tweet. According to SP (Ghazipur), the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue. "When the prime minister had left Ghazipur, the party workers blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue," he told PTI on Saturday. The police are trying to identify other protesters through the video footage of the incident. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of the dead constable and Rs 10 lakh for his parents, the state has government said. Adityanath also directed the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to take strict action against unruly elements and arrest them immediately. The death comes less than a month after the killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in Bulandshahr district. He was shot dead during a mob violence over alleged cow slaughter. The man who allegedly shot the Bulandshahr inspector was arrested last week. Modi had addressed a public meeting after laying the foundation stone for a medical college and releasing a postal stamp on Maharaj Suheldev. He had left for Varanasi when the violence in Ghazipur took place. Voting in a tense election to choose a new government in Bangladesh ended on Sunday with at least 17 people being killed in poll-related violence amid allegations of manipulations by the ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. IMAGE: An army vehicle patrols the city during general election in Dhaka, on Sunday. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her rival ex-premier and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The voting started at 8 am (local time) and ended at 4 pm. The results would be announced within 24 hours. "The eight-hour long voting has ended as per schedule...preparedness are underway to start the counting," an Election Commission (EC) spokesman said. The unofficial results were expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, he said. The EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 17 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed in eight districts in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported, with dozens injured. The build-up to the election has already been marred by violence. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists while others were workers of opposition BNP or its allies. IMAGE: A woman casts her vote during the general election in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. "I'm always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future," she said after casting her vote. Schools and colleges across Bangladesh were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. Violence marred the polling in parts of the country with media reports putting the death toll at 11. Dozens of people were wounded in the poll-related violence. At least 10 candidates -- mostly BNP nominees -- announced to stay off the polls alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNP's Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the party's agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. "From the picture we have received, this is a violent election. We are seeing a one-sided election environment conducted at the whims of the government. This paints a clear picture that they want to ensure a favourable result through a one-sided contest," Rizvi told a media briefing at the party office. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media from his northwestern Thakurgaon constituency that some of their candidates stayed off the vote in their personal decisions but we will announce our party stance at 4 PM when the voting will end. IMAGE: Hindu voters wait to cast their vote outside a voting center in Dhaka. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters No announcement, however, came yet despite the voting hours ended. Veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who leads main opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) with BNP being its key partner, however, said the overall environment is not bad with huge turnout of voters. "But every minute I receive calls saying Kamal Bhai (brother), it has already happened overnight. It began in the evening. I have gotten so many reports. These reports are concerning. It's sad and shameful," he said. The Jatiya Oikya Front or NUF is a coalition of four parties - Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League - led by Hossain. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. According to the eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling party's boat symbol outnumbered those of the main opposition's sheaf of paddy. BNP earlier said intimidation and police harassment kept their activists away from the campaign and polling process. "Barring some unwanted incidents, the polling so far was smooth and peaceful...We could tell you at the end of the day if the election was participatory," Chief Election Commissioner Nurul Huda told reporters. IMAGE: Voters queue at a voting center during the general election in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Photograph: Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters Citing security reasons, authorities temporarily blocked mobile data services and slowed down the internet. Meanwhile, Bangladesh's private Jamuna TV has been taken off the air. Channel's chief news editor Fahim Ahmed said private cable operators stopped broadcasting their transmission without giving any reason and so no one in Bangladesh now can see our channel due to the blackout. An online newspaper, quoting cable operators, however, reported that they stopped Jamuna's broadcast due to technical glitches as we are not getting their signal. The channel is owned by an independent candidate in the polls with an influential businessman from the ruling party being her rival. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the country's first premier for the fourth terms. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while her son Tarique Rahman is living in London in self exile. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting, at Car Nicobar, on Sunday. Photograph: Press Information Bureau of India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced renaming of three islands of Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep, Modi said during a speech amidst thunderous applause from the audience in Port Blair. The three islands are major tourist spots. Earlier in the day, the prime minister inaugurated a slew of development projects and laid foundation stones of several others related to energy, connectivity, education, tourism and health sectors. Donning the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) cap, he addressed a public meeting at Netaji Stadium on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the hoisting of the Tricolour by Bose in Port Blair. "When it comes to heroes of the freedom struggle, we take the name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose with pride. The first Prime Minister of the Azad Hind government Subhash Babu had made India's independence resolution on the soil of Andaman," he said. "The country draws inspiration from Andaman. That is why the government has issued a notification and I am proudly announcing that henceforth, Ross Island will be known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep. "The Neil Island will be known as Shahid Dweep and Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep," he said. On this day in 1943, Bose had suggested that Andaman and Nicobar Islands be renamed as Shahid and Swaraj Dweep respectively. During the World War II, the Japanese had captured the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Netaji came to Port Blair as the Azad Hind Fauz led by him was an ally of the Japanese force. "The historical event of 30th December 1943 has been completed today after 75 years," he said. Modi began his speech by asking the people in the ground to switch on the flashlights of their mobile phones to honour Bose. Thousands of mobile flash lights were then switched on providing a visual delight. At the stadium, the PM also released a commemorative stamp, its first-day cover and a Rs-75 coin on this special day. He also announced setting up of a deemed university named after Bose. The cells of the Cellular Jail where great freedom fighters such as Veer Savarkar, Baba Bhan Singh, Indu Bhushan Roy were tortured for years by the British are no less than temples, the prime minister said. Before this event, the prime minister visited the Cellular Jail and paid homage to those who were exiled and hanged as political prisoners in colonial India. On reaching the jail premises, Modi laid a wreath at the Martyr's Column before proceeding towards a cell, where Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar spent his days in captivity. The Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani, was constructed between 1896 and 1906. Modi also visited the Marina Park in Port Blair and hoisted a national flag on a 150-feet high mast, besides paying floral tribute at Netaji's statue. The prime minister announced a number of development projects including a sub-marine optical fibre cable between Chennai and Port Blair, a 7-MW solar power plant and a model solar village, and a State Wide Area Network (SWAN) project connecting 12 major islands. A 50-bed AYUSH hospital, a 50-MW LNG power plant would also be set up, Modi said. "Often, people make a distinction between mainland and island. For me, the entire India is mainland. Port Blair is as much mainland for me as Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai," he said. He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not just a symbol of India's natural beauty, but are also like a place of pilgrimage for Indians. In the morning, Modi congratulated the people of Car Nicobar for overcoming the impact of the Tsunami, which struck the Island in 2004, and said the government is also working to provide better facilities to the people in the Andamans. "The people here have been demanding a solution to the problem of sea erosion for a long time. I am glad to announce that the government has decided to erect a sea wall to deal with the problem, the foundation of which will be laid today," he said. "Along with the security of people at Car Nicobar, the government is making efforts to ensure employment for youth, education for children, medical care for the aged and facilities for the farmers," he added. Earlier in the day, the PM paid tributes to Tsunami victims at a memorial in Car Nicobar. KABUL -- Afghanistan's election authorities say they have decided to delay a presidential election by three months to July 20 due to delays in registration and ongoing technical issues. IEC chief Abdul Badi Sayyad added in an announcement on December 30 that provincial and district council elections, as well as a previously postponed parliamentary vote in Ghazni Province, will be held on the same day, according to AFP. IEC officials have recently admitted that they were considering pushing back the vote, which was expected in April. "April will be very difficult because of the harsh winter and transporting election materials, security, and the budget issues," Sayyad told a news conference in Kabul. "To better prepare for the vote, we have decided to hold the election in July next year." Candidate registration started on December 22 and was supposed to continue until January 2. But the date is likely to be extended due to the lack of registration by any candidate, IEC spokesman Zabi Sadat told RFE/RL on December 27. The IEC is trying to avoid a repeat of widespread technical and logistical problems during the October parliamentary vote. The IEC is still finalizing results of the parliamentary vote and observers had expressed concern that it would struggle to organize a presidential election in April. The IEC had already considered delaying the poll once, but vowed in November to hold it on time. The election is complicated by diplomatic efforts to start a formal peace process with the Taliban, whose representatives have met U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for several rounds of direct talks. Khalilzad has said a peace deal with the militants could be reached by April. With reporting by AFP At least six people have died in a road accident in the Khanty-Mansi region of Siberia, Russian state media report. TASS news agency on December 29 quoted a source with the local emergency services as saying at least 18 people were also injured in the crash. Health officials told TASS the death toll could rise as several of the injured are in serious or critical condition. The news agency cited reports that said a bus owned by a unit of the Rosneft oil company carrying workers collided with two trucks, a car, and a van on the highway between the cities of Tyumen and Khanty-Mansiysk. The accident occurred in a remote area, some 100 kilometers from the city of Nefteyugansk. Based on reporting by TASS Thousands of Serbians joined a fourth antigovernment march on December 29. Serbian opposition parties are now organizing a rally in the capital each Saturday in reaction to the November 23 assault by thugs on Serbian Left party leader Borko Stefanovic. Apart from an investigation into the attack, protesters are also demanding the resignations of President Aleksandar Vucic and Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic. Retired General Stanley McChrystal says a major withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, which the White House is considering, would damage peace talks with the Taliban and shake Kabul's confidence in its alliance with the United States. Speaking on the ABC news show This Week, the former top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said on December 30 that a significant troop reduction in Afghanistan would trade away the biggest leverage point we have. I think the great mistake in the president's leaked guidance is that just when we were starting to sit down with the Taliban, just when we were starting to begin negotiations, he basically traded away the biggest leverage point we have. "If you tell the Taliban that we are absolutely leaving on a date...their incentives to try to cut a deal dropped dramatically, McChrystal said. The generals comments come just over a week after U.S. media reported that President Donald Trump is considering a significant withdrawal of American troops currently serving in Afghanistan, which currently number about 14,000. The Pentagon has declined to comment on the reports, but they come shortly after Trump announced that the United States would be pulling out all of its forces from Syria, a move that ignited a storm of criticism from Republican and Democratic lawmakers and former government officials. Afghan military officials have warned such a withdrawal would pose a danger to the country's undertrained and poorly equipped forces. McChrystal noted that it could also damage relations between the two countries at a time when U.S. officials have been attempting to push the Taliban to the negotiating table with the government in Kabul. Of course, I was worried about the confidence of the Afghan people because at the end of the day, that's what determines who wins in Afghanistan, McChrystal said. And I think we probably rocked them -- we rocked them in their belief that we are allies that can be counted on, he added. McChrystal, a 34-year veteran of the U.S. Army, served as the head of the Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008 and later assumed command of all international forces in Afghanistan in June 2009. With reporting by Reuters, ABC, and AP Four people, including a local entrepreneur, were killed after a helicopter crashed near the city of Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Siberian region of Buryatia, the state-run TASS news agency reports. The news agency reported early on December 30 that the accident was confirmed by Buryatia emergency service officials, who said that police and rescue workers were at the scene. Among those killed was Sergei Rogov, a well-known local businessman in Buryatia and the owner of the aircraft. Local media said the helicopter crashed while attempting to land in a village near Ulan-Ude. Weather was reported to be poor at the time. Several previous deadly crashes in Siberia, often involving Mi-8 helicopters, have been blamed on poor maintenance and disregard for safety rules. With reporting by TASS Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow remains open for dialogue with Washington. Putin made the offer in a New Year's letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, details of which were disclosed by the Kremlin on December 30. Relations between the United States and Russia remain strained over a raft of issues, including Russia's role in wars in Syria and eastern Ukraine, its alleged meddling in elections in the United States and elsewhere, and the poisoning of a Russian double agent in Britain. At the end of November, Trump abruptly canceled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions after Russian forces opened fire on Ukrainian Navy boats before seizing them and capturing 24 Ukrainian sailors. In the letter, Putin stressed that U.S.-Russian relations "are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security," according to a statement by the Kremlin quoted by Russian media on December 30. "[Putin] confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the U.S.A. on the most wide-ranging agenda," the statement said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying that it was now up to the United States to decide whether to hold a new meeting in 2019. "The issue should be addressed to Washington. Both our president and his representatives have said that we are ready for the talks when Washington is ready for it," the state-run TASS news agency quoted Lavrov as saying in televised remarks. Putin also addressed a New Year's letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been a recipient of Russian support throughout a seven-year civil war in the Middle Eastern country. Putin "stressed that Russia will continue to provide all-around assistance to the government and people of Syria in their fight against terrorism and efforts to protect state sovereignty and territorial integrity." With reporting by TASS, AP, and Reuters Six Iranian men have been found on a beach in southeastern England after crossing the English Channel, the latest in a wave of migrants coming from France that has raised concern in both countries. The men made the trip in an inflatable boat with a rigid hull on December 30, landing in Kingsdown, according to the British Home Office. They were handed over to immigration authorities after receiving medical attention. More than 220 people have tried to enter England by crossing the English Channel since early last month. The increase in those attempting to make the crossing in small boats in seas that are often rough and filled with commercial vessels has raised concern that the dangerous crossings will end in tragedy. The two European countries "are coordinating to strengthen our actions to combat Channel crossings undertaken by certain irregular migrants on small boats, at peril of their lives," French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner wrote on Twitter. Many of the boats leave from the area around the French port city of Calais, long a meeting point for migrants fleeing conflict or poverty in Africa and the Middle East. With reporting by Reuters, dpa, and AP A fresh truce between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine appears for the most part to be holding. The cease-fire took effect at 12:01 a.m. local time on December 29 in the conflict zone of eastern Ukraine. Fighting erupted there in April 2014, a month after Russia forcibly seized control of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. Some 10,300 people have died in the bloodshed since April 2014, although the violence has become more sporadic over time. Ukraines military did register some separatist fire on their forces positions during the day on December 29, but said they suffered no casualties. The separatists accused Ukrainian forces of numerous truce violations but reported no casualties that day, as well. Moscow denies supporting the separatists either with arms or funds. But the International Criminal Court in November 2016 ruled the fighting in eastern Ukraine was indeed an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. The current truce is scheduled to run through at least January 7, the day most Orthodox Christians will celebrate Christmas. It was reached by the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine, which consists of Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE. Several cease-fires have been implemented in the region as part of the so-called Minsk agreements, but all have ultimately broken down amid mutual recriminations of violations. The West has welcomed the latest truce, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. "The approach of the New Year's and Orthodox Christmas holidays must serve as an opportunity for the stakeholders in the conflict in eastern Ukraine to focus on the needs of civilians, who have suffered all too long as a result of this conflict and its consequences," the leaders said in a statement on December 28. "The guarantee of a safe and secure environment should enable the implementation of crucial humanitarian measures. We now call on the parties to assume their full responsibilities, especially with regard to civilians in the area," the statement said. The French and German leaders also called for the immediate release of 24 Ukrainian sailors seized along with their three naval vessels last month by Russia near the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea and Sea of Azov. "We call for all ships using the Kerch Strait to be given safe, free, and unhindered passage, and for the immediate and unconditional release of the Ukrainian sailors. They, too, must be allowed to spend the holidays with their families," Merkel and Macron said in the statement. The Russian Foreign Ministry, however, rejected this appeal on December 29, saying demands to free the sailors were unacceptable. Moscow alleged that the vessels had illegally entered Russian territorial waters near Crimea, whose annexation by Russia is largely rejected by the international community. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on December 29 that Russia would act in accordance with Russian law regarding the sailors, who are now being held inside Russia. With reporting from UNIAN TVER, Russia -- When American Ian Crookston was assigned to Russia as a Mormon missionary in 2009, the 19-year-old knew next to nothing about the country. Nevertheless, putting his undergraduate studies on hold, he set off for a year of asceticism in its gritty industrial heartland. That meant forfeiting activities he'd taken for granted. He went offline, cut communication with friends and family, and relinquished his first name in favor of Elder, a title all male Mormon missionaries take. From morning till late evening, between breaks for meals, scripture sessions, and Russian classes, he walked the streets of the Volga River town of Novokuybyshevsk with a fellow missionary constantly by his side. Sporting suits and smiles, the two scouted for men and boys who might be amenable to Mormonism, the religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "We had a territory that we sort of wandered around, and I really do mean wandered. Just trying to harangue people on the street," he says. "It felt like everybody in the town knew who we were." Some of the practices his cohort engaged in -- sneaking into housing blocks to proselytize door-to-door, trailing people on the street till they agreed to talk -- provoked violence from local thugs and forced church superiors to rein the pair in. Nevertheless, by the end of his mission, Crookston had converted 27 Russians to his faith, and estimates that he'd spoken to 20,000 people. Though most of them, he says in hindsight, "wanted nothing to do with me." 'Convenient Victims' Mormons in Russia today can only marvel at such stories. As part of a crackdown on foreign-based religious groups, the government has imposed significant obstacles to missionary work. A package of laws passed in July 2016, and billed as an effort to combat homegrown terrorism, has confined missionary work to places of worship, clearing Russia's streets and homes of proselytizing Mormons. A church that owes its presence in Russia to the efforts of missionaries is now effectively banned from publicly preaching the faith. But it's not only Mormons, whose church Russia officially recognized in 1991, who have been affected by the so-called Yarovaya law, named after Irina Yarovaya, the State Duma deputy who authored it. Some faiths have been banned outright. In April 2017, the Christian denomination Jehovah's Witnesses was branded extremist and equated in practice with supporters of the Islamic State extremist group. The Supreme Court announced the confiscation of all property in Russia belonging to the U.S.-based organization, and its estimated 170,000 members now risk jail time for congregating. According to Roman Lunkin, a religious expert at the Russian Academy of Sciences, around 100 Jehovah's Witnesses are currently under investigation on extremism charges. Many have emigrated. In addition, over 500 charges have been brought against religious groups in connection with the Yarovaya law, Lunkin says. The majority are fines for proselytizing in public, incorrectly marked literature, and the absence of plaques designating places of worship -- most affected are the Hare Krishna movement and various Protestant denominations, which together total some 3 million members in Russia. Some of the cases have provoked more amusement than opprobrium. In October 2017, a Russian Hindu was detained as he gave a lecture on yoga in St. Petersburg and was charged with illegal missionary work. The case was subsequently dropped, but it highlighted the precariousness of the situation. The law defines missionary work only as spreading information about one's faith to make nonmembers join, a vague formulation that critics like Lunkin believe can be misused. Lunkin describes the religious groups targeted as "convenient victims" in a state-sponsored campaign against perceived malign foreign influence. "This is the government's reaction to the rebirth of certain stereotypes that are now being used for ideological reasons -- first and foremost, a phobia of sects and anti-Western hysteria," he says. "Ten years ago, no one paid attention to such things." Just Making Friends For the Mormon church, this poses a major obstacle. How do you attract new members to a faith when publicly talking about it is banned? When the Soviet Union fell in 1991, the church seized an opportunity to establish itself in a region where atheism had been state policy for decades. Through the efforts of visiting missionaries, the Mormon presence in Russia grew rapidly: from 300 registered members in 1991 to over 14,000 a decade later. Today the Mormon church claims 23,000 adherents in Russia, but growth has since all but stalled. After the Yarovaya law was introduced, the church leadership in Salt Lake City, Utah, issued a statement pledging to "honor, sustain, and obey" it, and announced that Mormon missionaries in Russia would alter their work in accordance with its requirements. "For a long time the mission was closely associated with proselytizing, preaching the gospel," says Sergei Antamanov, a spokesman for the church in Russia. "But immediately after these changes took place, we realized it wouldn't be possible to operate in the same way here in Russia as the church operates in most of the world. So we had to adapt, and we had to adapt fast." That meant downsizing the missionary force in Russia by some 100 people, Antamanov says. Missionaries were to be referred to only as "volunteers," and today focus on supporting existing members rather than expanding the flock. Gone are the black name tags linking them to the Mormon church, which together with white shirts, ties, and backpacks comprise a missionary's traditional garb. In Tver, a provincial town 160 kilometers northwest of Moscow, Elders Schaub and Seegmiller spend their days visiting the homes of church members and roaming the streets engaging locals in small talk. "Before, you could go up to someone and you could start a conversation about the gospel. And now, we just try and make friends," says Seegmiller, an 18-year-old who hails from Utah, the church's spiritual home. "Approaching people in a way that is natural and just developing natural relationships is hard. And it is an odd thing to do." They're also not allowed to publicly discuss the church. "We can answer pretty much any question, but we can't tell them ourselves," says Schaub, 20. "But most people don't ask questions." He admits there's still confusion about what is and isn't allowed. The Tver meetinghouse is a large apartment on the ground floor of a nondescript housing block tucked away on a side street near the railway station. A metal plaque outside the front door is the only indication that the venue belongs to the Mormon church. Inside is a bright, sparsely furnished chapel with a keyboard and a wooden pulpit. Beside the altar is a TV screen on which members watch speeches delivered by American church leaders to vast congregations at the magnificent Mormon temple in Salt Lake City. These are translated into Russian and dozens of other languages. Many are also printed in the church's Russian-language monthly, Liakhona, which is replete with glossy images of wealthy, beaming Mormon families. On a recent Sunday, the stocky blond-haired Seegmiller stands up before the small congregation. Two months into his mission, he delivers a speech in halting Russian about the strength of his faith. Of 10 current missionaries interviewed by RFE/RL, all speak the language. Aside from constant interaction with locals and minimal contact with home -- they're limited to weekly e-mails and phone calls only on Christmas and Mother's Day -- they chalk it up to a God-given "gift of tongues." But these days, Russian practice happens less on the streets than in meetinghouses and members' homes. A Dangerous Sect? With fewer than 10 members, Tver is among the smallest meetinghouses of all in the Moscow mission, one of the Mormon church's six areas of coverage in Russia. Yulia Baryayeva, a giggly kindergarten teacher in her 30s who attended the service with her two young daughters, tells RFE/RL the congregation used to be double the size. "The pensioners have died, and the young people have left," she says. There's also a wariness among some members to advertise their ties to Mormonism. A Tver parishioner who coordinated an RFE/RL reporter's visit asked to meet three blocks away because he was worried about attracting attention to the meetinghouse. Another asked subsequently for his name to be retracted from this article, since he and his wife were afraid that knowledge of their membership in the church could cause them problems at work. "Those who know us and those who travel abroad regularly are curious about the church," Baryayeva says. "But those who don't are suspicious, and watch all kinds of bad videos online." Russian state media have long portrayed Mormonism as a dangerous cult, with the church's wealth and American origins held up as proof that it's used for espionage and sedition. And the Russian-language Internet is full of websites like Antimormon that list organizations claiming to "cure" former members of religious sects. Many of them are tied to the resurgent Russian Orthodox Church, which is pressuring the authorities to stall the expansion of faiths considered alien to Russian identity. To Georgy Belodurov, an Orthodox priest at Tver's Resurrection Cathedral, Russian Mormons are lured by the prospect of a better life in the West. "For some people America is a safe haven where paradise reigns and you live in a land of milk and honey," he says. "And the Mormon church is first and foremost the temptation of a better life." In 2012, Belodurov published an article in the local press titled Beware, Mormons! But today he believes Russia is returning to its roots, and sees little chance that Mormons will gain traction in Tver. "Ours is the historic, traditional church of Russia, its native faith," he says of Orthodoxy. "It matches the genetic make-up of our nation." Keeping The Flock In April, the Mormon leadership in Salt Lake City announced plans to build its first temple in Russia. There are now meetinghouses in over 50 Russian cities, but parishioners looking to tie the knot in Mormon tradition must travel to temples in Ukraine, Finland, or beyond. Where and when the Russian temple might arise remains unclear. Lunkin believes it's a pipe dream in the current political climate. Matt Martinich, a U.S.-based Mormon researcher, sees the April announcement as an effort to stanch the flow of Mormons leaving Russia. The slowdown in growth has been compounded recently by high levels of emigration, he says, adding that the church's biggest challenge in Russia is keeping its members there. That's because the Mormon church in Russia, traditionally reliant on a foreign missionary force, now depends on its existing members to expand the faith. Antamanov, the church spokesman in Russia, is optimistic. The current obstacles, he believes, will encourage parishioners to take initiative and no longer rely on foreign missionaries to spread the word. "It's a duty every Christian feels -- to share his beliefs with those around him," he says. "And this is an opportunity for us, for our members, to realize that's what they can do." The first signs of his advanced intellect appeared when Braxton was a toddler. Later, his parents took him to a local community college for testing and the results revealed that his intelligence, surpassed college freshman level. The Ulysses school district allowed him to take some high school classes while he was still in middle school. Before high school he took a class offered at Fort Hays State University. Then he was admitted into Harvard and simultaneously studied at the high school and the Harvard Extension School, a program which typically serves adults who work and cant attend classes on campus full time. It is available for every time zone, every culture and career background, every age from 18 to 89. Braxton Moral The family took out some Sallie Mae private loans to help pay the cost. His favorite class at Harvard was Ancient Greek Heros, a course that focuses on Greek mythology. The young man has his eyes on a career in government. Braxton hopes that his undergraduate degree will pave the way for admission to Harvard Law School. Recently Kansas Govorner Dr. Jeff Colyer wrote on Twitter about a meeting with Braxton: This impressive young man is about to graduate from @Harvard at the age of 16! He wants to be a public servant and I encouraged him to do so. Were proud to call him one of Kansas own! Keira Knightley London, Dec 30 Keira Knightley, who recently revealed that she has barred her daughter from watching Disney film "Cinderella" owing to its dodgy feminist message, said she was shocked with the way fans retaliated. The 33-year-old actor said she was simply "being perky" in the interview and did not expect the followers of the classic to go all guns blazing on her. Keira Advertisement "I thought I was just being perky in an interview. My God, people feel really strongly. Don't f**k with Cinderella. Her fans will end you," Knightley told The Guardian. In October, the actor she has "banned" her three-year-old daughter, Edie Knightley Righton, from watching 1950 classic "Cinderella" because "she waits around for a rich guy to rescue her". Cinderella "Don't! Rescue yourself. Obviously!" she said. "And this is the one that I'm quite annoyed about because I really like the film, but "Little Mermaid" (is banned, too). I mean, the songs are great, but do not give your voice up for a man. Hello! But the problem with 'The Little Mermaid' is I love 'The Little Mermaid'! That one's a little tricky but I'm keeping to it," she added. Triple Talaq New Delhi, Dec 30 The contentious triple talaq bill seeking to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims is set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha Monday, even as the Congress has said it will not allow its passage in the present form.The ruling BJP has issued a whip in the Upper House asking its members to be present. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will table the bill in the Upper House. The bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha -- 245 voting in favour and 11 opposing it -- on Thursday amid a walkout by the Opposition Prasad had on Friday claimed the bill will find support in the Rajya Sabha, where the BJP-led NDA lacks numbers.The bill is listed in the Rajya Sabha's legislative agenda for Monday. All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopal told reporters in Kochi Saturday the party would join hands with others to prevent the bill from getting passed in the House. He said 10 opposition parties had openly come out against the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, Advertisement 2018 when it was introduced in the Lok Sabha Even the parties which support the government on various issues, including the AIADMK, have opposed the bill, said Venugopal, who is also a Congress floor strategist The opposition has questioned the stringent provisions like criminalisation of a civil wrong in the triple talaq bill. The Opposition has been demanding that the bill be referred to a 'Joint Select Committee' of Parliament for further scrutiny. Rajya Sabha On Thursday, the government rejected the Opposition's contention the bill it was aimed at targeting a particular community. Piloting the bill, Prasad had said there should be no politics on the bill, stressing it was not against any particular community Describing the passage of the triple talaq bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step towards ensuring equality and dignity of Muslim women, BJP chief Amit Shah had demanded an apology from the Congress for "decades of injustice". Advertisement The fresh Bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offence was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance issued in September.Under the proposed law, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void, and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband.The fresh bill will supersede an earlier bill passed in the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha. The earlier bill was approved by the Lower House. But amid opposition by some parties in the upper house, the government had cleared some amendments, including introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more acceptable. However, as the bill continued to face resistance in the Rajya Sabha, the government issued an ordinance in September, incorporating the amendments.An ordinance has a life of six months. But from the day a session begins, it has to be replaced by a bill which should be passed by Parliament within 42 days (six weeks), else it lapses. Triple Talaq Advertisement The government is at liberty to re-promulgate the ordinance if the bill fails to get through Parliament. Introducing the bill, the Law Minister had said despite the Supreme Court striking down the practice of talaq-e-biddat , terming it unconstitutional, divorces in this form were taking place. Citing details of instant triple talaq cases, the government had last week informed Lok Sabha that till now 430 incidents of triple talaq have come to the notice of the government through the media. Of these, 229 were reported before the Supreme Court judgment, while another 201 came to the notice after it.These cases were reported between the period of January 2017 and September 13, 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 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. advertisement 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. advertisement 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. New research from the University of Sussex shows that taking part in Dry January -- abstaining from booze for a month -- sees people regaining control of their drinking, having more energy, better skin and losing weight. They also report drinking less months later. The research, led by Sussex psychologist Dr Richard de Visser, was conducted with over 800 people who took part in Dry January in 2018. The results show that Dry January participants are still drinking less in August. They reported that: drinking days fell on average from 4.3 to 3.3 per week; units consumed per drinking day dropped on average from 8.6 to 7.1; frequency of being drunk dropped from 3.4 per month to 2.1 per month on average. Dr Richard de Visser, Reader in Psychology at the University of Sussex, said: "The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less in the long term: by August people are reporting one extra dry day per week. There are also considerable immediate benefits: nine in ten people save money, seven in ten sleep better and three in five lose weight. "Interestingly, these changes in alcohol consumption have also been seen in the participants who didn't manage to stay alcohol-free for the whole month -- although they are a bit smaller. This shows that there are real benefits to just trying to complete Dry January." The University of Sussex research showed that: 93% of participants had a sense of achievement; 88% saved money; 82% think more deeply about their relationship with drink; 80% feel more in control of their drinking; 76% learned more about when and why they drink; 71% realised they don't need a drink to enjoy themselves; 70% had generally improved health; 71% slept better; 67% had more energy; 58% lost weight; 57% had better concentration; 54% had better skin. Dr Richard de Visser's findings come from three self-completed online surveys: 2,821 on registering for Dry January; 1,715 in the first week of February; and 816 participants in August. advertisement A new YouGov poll undertaken for Alcohol Change UK showed that one in ten people who drink -- an estimated 4.2 million people in the UK -- are already planning to do Dry January in 2019. Dr Richard Piper, CEO of Alcohol Change UK, said: "Put simply, Dry January can change lives. We hear every day from people who took charge of their drinking using Dry January, and who feel healthier and happier as a result. "The brilliant thing about Dry January is that it's not really about January. Being alcohol-free for 31 days shows us that we don't need alcohol to have fun, to relax, to socialise. That means that for the rest of the year we are better able to make decisions about our drinking, and to avoid slipping into drinking more than we really want to. "Many of us know about the health risks of alcohol -- seven forms of cancer, liver disease, mental health problems -- but we are often unaware that drinking less has more immediate benefits too. Sleeping better, feeling more energetic, saving money, better skin, losing weight... The list goes on. Dry January helps millions to experience those benefits and to make a longer-lasting change to drink more healthily." Signing up for Dry January increases the chance that you'll get the most out of the month. You can download Try Dry: The Dry January App to track your units, money and calories saved, plus many more features. Or you can sign up at dryjanuary.org.uk for regular support emails with tips and tricks from experts and others like you. by Acolyte Sun Dec 30, 2018 8:38 pm gantzrunner wrote: These hurt, but imagine getting prime 3.0 and having something like this happen. At his price it's unimaginable. So much this. Coming from someone who's loved the franchise my whole life but only really started collecting recently as an adult (as in, restarted with Titans Return - yes, that new), I have some fresh perspective on the "are we getting what we're paying for?" angle that every collector frets about with each new wave. The Prime Wars trilogy - while exciting for me since these were the first toys I gazed at for any length of time since I was a kid - was horrendous for skimming the margins with the use of stickers and shoddy engineering (looking at you, floppy Octones and Twinfires of the world). Overall quality of the characters suffered mightily as huge compromises were made for the sake of a combiner gimmick that - while nice - pales in comparison to what a good quality combiner can be. How do we know this? Because 3P has done it, and is where all the passion was prior to this latest burst of Studio Series/Siege releases. What is so great about Siege with me is the attention to quality at the deluxe/voyager/presumably leader level. No compromises made on articulation (within obvious reason), tight joints (overlooking one quibble with Megatron's head), firm tabs everywhere. Someone at Hastak got tired of the game and said, "See this 3P I bought last week? It makes our Optimus/Octone redeco look like a joke. Why can't I make more like this Generations Toy or Perfect Effect or Magic Square?" And Hasbro said, "Ok, let's do it. The line will be called Siege." And collectors saw that it was good, and finally got toys with the quality of what Masterpiece should have always been and consistently fails to achieve.Someone's MP-44 is GOING to break, or arrive broken, or unable to transform because the diecast is just torqued over enough that the pin won't rotate to get the tab in (happened to my MPM-5, was furious, and I only paid $50). Toy is ruined, out of the box, before you even got to know it. Manufacturer maybe can make it right, but man - you're going to love packaging your beloved bot up and sending him away right after you meet him. Or maybe he'll arrive with paint screwed up all over from a simple ride in the plastic (happened to my MPM-4). What would be excusable at the $30 price point, possibly, is ridiculous when you're paying for a Masterpiece. What Hastak doesn't get is that people aren't just paying for the mold and the deco - they are expecting zero QC issues. That's what Masterpiece means to me. Since Hastak couldn't hack this, 3P thrived. Have you seen the attention to detail and mindfulness that goes into something like Generations Toys "Tyrant" (IDW Megatron stealth bomber). Every 3P I have ever payed more than $100 for has arrived FLAWLESS, in packaging so nice I feel like I could throw it around in my house and the toy inside would be fine. In the case of the latter, the display stand alone was the best I have ever seen in my life. Amazing! Let me know when Shockwave or Ultra Magnus will ever come with a display stand, let alone whatever the next Titan Class you're getting ripped off for is.Hasbro chose to go after the worst infringers while keeping the market open for honest effort attempts at toys they don't intend to produce anytime soon (or don't have the imagination to - looking at Jetpower Revive Prime). This is commendable. The problem is that the loser in this case was a beast of their own making. They had to have seen the writing on the wall - huge markup MP's with very high demand - and known the risk a well-produced KO could make on their bottom line. And the risk exists for precisely the reasons we've described - because when you see a seller on eBay or Amazon (the only place you can find these toys anymore given the horrendous distribution and store closings), these are written as KO (you think Grandma understands what that means? She sees awesome toy for much lower price than anywhere else, perfect for little Jimmy) or as "reissues". Hasbro had to come after them with a machete. Won't faze most of us who already see MP quality in 3P versions everywhere. Will be disappointing to people who get the typical Hastak QC on their $300 toy and are left wondering how to make it right. Hastak's customer service in these regards can be good, but often so slow that "buyer assumes all risk" is pretty much spot on. For decades, the elected city officials of Berkeley spent their Tuesday nights seated beneath the concrete roof of a 110-year-old building, knowing that a large earthquake could come at any minute and kill them all. The whole city government would be wiped out, Mayor Jesse Arreguin said. It was something we were mindful of. Former Mayor and state Sen. Loni Hancock said her husband, Tom Bates, also a former Berkeley mayor, would thank his lucky stars every time the City Council and public made it out unscathed at the end of a long night. After years of tolerating the risk, council members have finally found a new home to hold their biweekly meetings. They will share the Berkeley Unified School Districts boardroom for the foreseeable future. The new location, near West Berkeley, is far from the central downtown-university hub of years past. Yet the landmark they leave behind on Martin Luther King Jr. Way is not completely vacant. On cold or rainy nights, Old City Hall now transforms into an emergency homeless shelter a use unanimously approved last month by the council, one of the final votes to take place in the chambers of the 1909 French Renaissance-inspired building before the big move and the citys winter recess. Its a sign of the desperation that income inequality in our society has brought us to that were having poor people use this building that many others fear to tread, Hancock said. Now, some say Oakland and other Bay Area cities should follow suit and open their vacant or underused public buildings for homelessness programs, given the crisis-level numbers of people sleeping on the streets. Other cities have gone further: Seattle City Hall in active government use opens nightly as a shelter for 160 homeless people. Oakland City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan and Councilwoman-elect Nikki Fortunato Bas said Oakland should learn from what Berkeley has done. A coalition of activists and city officials has been focusing on a related issue: using vacant public land for public good such as affordable housing, which has gotten some traction in recent months. Theres a need to scale to the level of the problem, Kaplan said. If we use churches, city land, county land, defunct (single-room-occupancy hotels), we have a decent shot at getting at the magnitude. In Berkeleys Old City Hall, the amenities are bare bones, said David Stegman, executive director of Dorothy Day House, the nonprofit that operates the shelter. It has room for 27 people, and each person gets a 4-inch-thick mat. Occupants are supposed to bring their own blanket or sleeping bag. Before Old City Hall was an option, the organization would rotate among churches, senior centers and community facilities, and shelter staff would have to work around their schedules. The emergency shelter is open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and staff had to quickly pack up the mats in those locations each morning to make room for normal operations. This winter, none of the buildings used in previous years was available, Stegman said. Using Old City Hall was creative and convenient, he said, because of its location at the heart of where homeless people are in Berkeley. Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, across the street, has long been camping grounds for the homeless. The buildings seismic safety has not been a serious concern, Stegman said. Does a homeless person on a rainy night worry about an earthquake-condemned building? No. Then why should we? Stegman said. They just want to get out of the rain and the cold and have a warm place to stay and someone who will treat them with respect. His only complaint is the limited floor space. If the shelter could expand into the basement and other quarters of the building, it could house far more than 27, Stegman said. If the capacity could be moved up a little bit, this is so much better than anything weve ever had, he said. Amid a chilly downpour on Christmas Eve, Ricky Tea lined up on the steps of Old City Hall at 6:30 with two dozen others, waiting for the doors to open. He called the shelter a blessing and didnt worry about the lack of a seismic retrofit. Got a lot of homeless people out here, said Tea, 65, whos been homeless for five years. Thats all you need somewhere to sleep through the evening. If it falls, it falls. Another woman waiting to get inside, who gave only her first name, Laurie, said she has been camping on the buildings porch for a month or two. She pointed to a section of exterior wall that had fallen into disrepair because of heat from a steam vent. 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. Its a shame, said Laurie, who wanted to be an architect growing up. I love this building. Even a plaque by the door warning visitors that this building does not meet structural standards for earthquake safety is deteriorating. Laurie, 62, said homeless women are often afraid to sleep outside. One woman has taken to sleeping in a nearby portable toilet. A diabetic temporarily without health coverage, Laurie said she is lucky to have her 10 toes. She said her diabetes would be hard enough to manage in a home. The shelter, which she lamented has no blankets or food, is still marginally better than sleeping on the doorstep of the building, Laurie said. Its just another way of navigating the night, she said. Hancock, Arreguin and others are holding out hope that the building inspired by the Hotel de Ville of Paris and built by the same architects who later designed San Franciscos City Hall can be retrofitted and reinvigorated. But the work is estimated to cost $40 million, and previous attempts to find the funding, including a 2002 bond measure, failed. Mothballing and boarding it up would be an eyesore, Arreguin said. And no one wants to tear it down. This building really is in danger of demolition by neglect, Hancock said. We cant let this beautiful building simply fall down. Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov The torrid flames that devastated Paradise, tornadoed through Redding, charred Lake and Mendocino counties and closed Yosemite National Park didnt physically touch the nine-county Bay Area, but the wildfires dominated local headlines and conversations and offered a stark warning about the future of a warming California. This years disasters topping even the horrific damage seen in 2017 choked Northern California with smoke and pulled at heartstrings, motivating countless people to open their homes and wallets to help the victims. The impact was so deep the loss of life and property so devastating that The Chronicles reporters and editors almost unanimously selected the deadly infernos as the top Bay Area story of 2018. Other notable tales from this tumultuous year drew national, and even international, attention. A Palo Alto law professor accused a Supreme Court nominee of sexual assault. A scandal erupted over toxic soil at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. Two cracked steel beams forced the emergency shutdown of the citys brand-new $2.2 billion transit hub, and the passage of a homeless services tax on big companies in the city sparked a greater discussion about what responsibility the regions wealthiest corporations have to the most vulnerable residents around them. In reverse order, here are the top 10 Bay Area stories from 2018: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle (10) Taxing fight over Prop. C Tech companies have been blamed for gentrifying San Francisco, and some CEOs have been criticized for having a blase attitude toward people living on the streets. But money and political support from Salesforce founder and billionaire CEO Marc Benioff pushed Proposition C, a tax on tech and other large businesses to fund homeless programs, to victory in November. Voters passed Prop. C, which is expected to raise about $300 million a year for homeless services with a new corporate tax. Benioff contributed about $8 million to the campaign to pass the measure, saying the city needs more money to deal with homelessness and corporations should pitch in to help. Mayor London Breed opposed Prop. C along with the citys business community, arguing the tax would drive away commerce. Residents were unmoved and Prop. C passed with 60 percent of the vote. However, legal challenges have stalled implementation by claiming the measure required a two-thirds majority like other new taxes in California. Prop. Cs implementation could be held up for years. Liz Moughon / The Chronicle (9) Horror at BART platform The fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Nia Wilson at BARTs MacArthur Station in Oakland on July 22 raised questions about safety on the Bay Areas backbone transit system and pressured officials to step up security. Wilson and her sister were brutally attacked at they stepped off a train on a Sunday evening. Their alleged attacker, John Lee Cowell, a recently paroled robber with a history of violence and psychiatric hospitalizations, was arrested the next day on a BART train after a passengers tip to police. The killing and news that two other homicides had taken place on BART within five days generated fear among riders and led to calls for a stronger police presence and more transparency from BART about serious crime. In response, the transit agency temporarily increased the number of police in stations and on trains and announced plans to boost security training for employees, test alarms and sensors and upgrade cameras and emergency call boxes on platforms. Cowell, who could face the death penalty, may not be mentally fit to stand trial, his attorneys said in court this month. Wilsons family and friends have said they believe the killing was a hate crime because Cowell is white and Wilson was black, though investigators said they have found no evidence of that. Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle 2018 (8) ICE sweep meets resistance As the year began, the Trump administration stepped up its crackdown on undocumented immigrants, putting the Bay Area on high alert. Rumors of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids had been persistent on social media, but had turned out to be mostly false. In January, The Chronicle reported that ICE was planning a huge Northern California sweep to send a message that immigration policy would be enforced in the sanctuary state. Then in February, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf issued her own warning, saying she had learned from credible sources that a big ICE action was imminent in Northern California. After the sweep netted 232 arrests, President Trump lashed out on Twitter and in speeches, accusing Schaaf of putting the entire nation at risk and being the best friend of criminals. Schaaf responded: I do not regret sharing this information. It is Oaklands legal right to be a sanctuary city, and we have not broken any laws. We believe our community is safer when families stay together. The Department of Justice began an investigation into Schaaf in May, and a Mayor Libby Schaaf Act, which was introduced in Congress, proposed imprisoning local officials who warn of ICE raids. In November, Oakland voters re-elected Schaaf to a second term by a wide margin. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle (7) DNA gambit cracks coldest case Starting in 1975, a man known as the Golden State Killer and East Area Rapist killed 13 people and committed more than 50 rapes over 11 years in California, authorities believe. The case remained unsolved until investigators uploaded DNA attributed to the serial attacker to an open-source genealogy website that was able to identify relatives. The strategy steered authorities to several potential suspects including Joseph James DeAngelo, an ex-cop living in Citrus Heights (Sacramento County). He was arrested after investigators collected DNA from an item he had discarded and compared it to the profile from one of the crime scenes. DeAngelo, 73, faces 26 charges in six counties. Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle (6) Newsom rides blue wave California was already a blue state and the face of the resistance to the Trump administration. But the Democratic stranglehold on the state grew even firmer in November with the election of Gavin Newsom to succeed Jerry Brown as governor, as well as Democrats capturing all seven of the Republican-held congressional seats they targeted. Californias blue wave crashed on the states Republican Party, rendering it nearly irrelevant in the politics of the nations most populous state. Not only will California send seven more Democrats to Congress, but Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, is also expected to be elected speaker of the House. Noah Berger / Special to The Chronicle (5) San Franciscos dangerous ground The scandal surrounding the cleanup of toxic soil at the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard a 500-acre Superfund waste site that San Francisco has been trying to transform into housing for almost 30 years grew deeper and messier this year with the startling admission by federal agencies that years worth of radiation tests cant be trusted and need to be redone. Federal and local investigations were launched. Whistle-blower lawsuits alleging pervasive misconduct and fraud in the cleanup were unsealed. Two former cleanup workers were sentenced to prison after admitting to falsifying radiation tests. Health hazards were revealed at an unusual city office building in the shipyard surrounded by toxic soil. And a highly radioactive object was discovered near homes and families in an area of the shipyard where authorities had long insisted that no such objects could exist. These revelations were detailed throughout the year by The Chronicle as part of its Dangerous Ground investigation into the redevelopment of the shipyard. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle (4) Breed makes history as mayor London Breed, a San Francisco native raised in a public housing project in the Western Addition, became the first African American woman to be elected city mayor in June. She defeated a pair of progressives, former state Sen. Mark Leno and Supervisor Jane Kim, in a close special election, but her position is far from secure. Breed won an abbreviated term to replace the late Mayor Ed Lee, who died in December 2017, and shell have to run for re-election in November 2019. In her five months as mayor, Breed has pushed to streamline the permitting process for small businesses, eliminate homeless encampments and increase housing development. Shes proposed spending a $181 million city windfall on homelessness and housing initiatives while Prop. C works its way through court. And shes expressed dissatisfaction with Ed Reiskin, the Municipal Transportation Agencys chief, over the pace of transit improvements. More controversial was her decision to ask Gov. Jerry Brown to commute her brothers 44-year state prison sentence in the death of a woman on the Golden Gate Bridge. Brown declined. 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. Associated Press (3) A charge, a denial, a divide The debate over Brett Kavanaughs nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court became one of the years biggest and most bitterly fought dramas when a Palo Alto professor accused the judge of sexually assaulting her at a party when they were teenagers. Christine Blasey Ford, who teaches at Palo Alto University, came forward with allegations that Kavanaugh forced himself on her, which the judge denied. That led to Ford testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee and a new front opening in the #MeToo movement, with many women revealing they had also been victims of sexual assault that they never reported. Republicans, including President Trump, called the accusations a smear campaign. The Senate Judiciary Committee authorized a five-day investigation by the FBI, which Ford and her supporters criticized as an abbreviated sham. The U.S. Senate then confirmed Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on a 50-48 vote, creating a conservative majority on the court. Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle (2) Not too big to fail Thousands of people gallivanted on the three-block-long rooftop park, roamed the Grand Hall and toured the spacious bus deck of the long-awaited Transbay Transit Center, which held its grand opening in August. Six weeks later, that was all gone. The $2.2 billion transit hub was hastily shut down when two cracked steel support girders were discovered. Buses were shifted back to a temporary terminal a block away, and hydraulic jacks and huge steel pipes were trucked in to prop up the damaged building for tests and repairs. Early studies pointed to holes welded into the corners of the girders as the likely reason for the cracks. Tests are under way, and a plan for fixing the broken terminal is not expected until mid-January. Officials have not set a timeline for reopening, but sources have told The Chronicle the transit hub could be closed for another six months. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle (1) A state under siege again Eighty-six people dead, 14,000 houses incinerated and more than 500 businesses destroyed. Paradise, a quaint forested community in Butte County, torched to near extinction. The Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in state history, broke out Nov. 8 and may be linked to Pacific Gas and Electric Co. equipment, capping another catastrophic year for California wildfires. The Carr Fire in Redding sent a lethal fire tornado swirling through neighborhoods. The Woolsey Fire tore through Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The Mendocino Complex in Lake and Mendocino counties grew to become the largest fire in state history in terms of acreage. The Ferguson Fire closed Yosemite National Park for weeks at the peak of tourist season. And for weeks, cities in the Bay Area and beyond were blanketed in smoke, forcing the closure of schools and cancellation of events. The Wine Country fires in late 2017 had been historic, but somehow the conflagrations this year were even worse killing about 100 people, including six firefighters, and leaving residents and experts alike to wonder whether it was even possible to live in vast portions of the state amid a warming climate. PG&E, blamed for sparking many of the fires a year earlier, again came under attack. By years end, state regulators were considering whether the company should be broken up or transformed into a publicly owned utility. More for you Christine Blasey Ford discusses life post-Kavanaugh Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan At 17, Andre Haddad could identify types of explosives based on the sounds they made whizzing overhead. A mortar shell in trajectory thundered like the sounds of Blue Angels flying low over San Francisco a noisy spectacle that still rattles Haddad almost 30 years later. He recalls to this day the sound of a bomb that exploded at his Beirut apartment building, turning to ash his stash of Economist magazines and a taped-up poster of Madonna with red lips and a big hair bow. Haddad, the 47-year-old chief executive of Turo, a San Francisco startup that helps people rent out their cars, avoided talking about his youth in war-torn Lebanon for a long time. Then President Trump arrived in Washington. Haddad has since joined other tech leaders in sounding off against Trumps call to cut legal immigration in half. He signed his companys name to amicus briefs in federal court cases and open letters aimed at protecting the immigrants who are a significant part of techs work force. There was a time, not too long ago, when the tech industry pushed only political issues that directly affected their firms, such as tax reform and net neutrality. Its leaders are now commenting on topics from immigration policy to the rights of women and minorities. Reasons are clear: The Trump administration has many policies and views that challenge the sectors ideals, and employees in a competitive hiring market are demanding that companies take public stands. The Bay Area is heavily populated by immigrants, and many work in tech. Those born outside the U.S. make up 71 percent of tech workers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, and just over 50 percent in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area, according to an analysis of census data by the Seattle Times. On that night in 1989, the last full year of the Lebanese civil war, Haddad and his family survived by taking shelter in an underground parking garage. Much of his neighborhood slept in that makeshift shelter. An estimated 1 million Lebanese fled the country during the conflict. James Tensuan / Special to The Chronicle A few months later, Haddad called his uncle from a Beirut post office and arranged to join him in Paris, leaving behind his family, which was relocating to Cyprus. It was a fresh start. Being an immigrant ignited in Haddad an impulse to create a better future, he said. He applied to a hundred different schools asking them to register a late addition. They all declined except one, he said. After scanning the local newspapers, Haddad found and rented a 200-square-foot studio nearby. He adapted. Without a fridge, Haddad figured out that he could leave milk on the windowsill without spoiling it in winter. His budget allowed for half a baguette, a pat of butter and some cheese for dinner each night. Haddad spoke French but used only formal grammar. I sounded totally weird, he said. It wasnt until many years later that Haddad, working as a liquid-detergent product manager at Procter & Gamble, had enough money to start rebuilding his music library, which burned in the Beirut blast. He stumbled on a relatively new website called eBay and bid on big boxed sets of CDs from American sellers. At the time, even with a favorable exchange rate, Haddad still managed to spend an exorbitant amount on international shipping. In appreciating the genius of this new online marketplace, he decided to build an auction site for Europe. His family was horrified. They didnt understand what possessed their son to quit a steady job without a better gig lined up. It seemed weird. Weird, scary, irresponsible. But I didnt feel that it was that weird, and I didnt feel that it was that risky, Haddad said. Because what did I really have to lose? The company he helped found, iBazar, had almost no cash. Venture capital hadnt yet arrived in France. In order for us to get going, there were lots of investments that we needed to make, in hardware and in hosting, that seemed completely beyond our reach, Haddad said. He and his co-founders persuaded a data center to get them set up on their servers in exchange for shares of his startup an unusual proposition at the time. Haddad recalls the first television ad for iBazar airing in 1999. The website crashed, crushed by the onslaught of visits and their lightweight investments in hardware. The website exploded in popularity, adding 2.4 million registered users and becoming one of the top-viewed sites in France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. In 2000, eBay approached iBazar with an offer to buy it for $1 billion. Haddad said he and his co-founders turned it down, though Meg Whitman, then eBays CEO, told the New York Times in 2002 that she vetoed the deal because she felt it was too expensive. (Whitman and eBay didnt respond to requests for comment on Haddads account.) Haddad said he dreamed of taking iBazar public someday, but the markets did not cooperate. Internet companies were running out of cash in the early 2000s, leading investors to bolt for the exits. Strapped for cash, iBazar courted a new bid from eBay, this time for a bit over $100 million in company shares. People so often ask me do I have regrets, Haddad said. Sure, I have regrets, but look at the outcome. Just 10 years before (selling iBazar), I was under the bombs of Beirut. The only thing I feel is gratitude. Haddad went to work at eBay, first in France, then the United States, where the company sponsored his visa. He got a green card in 2010 and left eBay to take the CEO job at Turo in 2011. Since then, the car-rental startup has added more than 10 million members in 37 countries. Now, Haddad is entering the political fray. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Turo joined with 160 other tech companies last year to file an amicus brief at the U.S. Supreme Court opposing Trumps ban, which now limits travel from five countries with Muslim majorities, plus two others. (The court upheld the ban in a 5-4 vote.) Turo also signed an open letter urging Trump not to dissolve the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which allows undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to continue to live and study or work in the country without risk of deportation. Haddad said the startup doesnt have the resources to lobby for specific legislation that helps immigrants, but it would be open to doing so in the future. He pointed to the belief popularized by Trump that American-born workers are being displaced by low-skill immigrants who are taking their jobs and lowering their wages. Groups have sued the federal government over the years to block legal immigration or limit recent expansions of work permits. I dont feel like the opportunities that Ive benefited from and that Ive created have come at the expense of others, Haddad said. Its as if the pie was predefined and limited, and if immigrants got a share of the pie, the nonimmigrants would have a smaller share. But, he said, the pie grows. The economy grows. Innovation grows when youve got more people who are empowered to participate. The impact of immigration on the national economy is well understood. Foreign-born workers account for 17 percent of the U.S. labor force, but nearly 40 years of empirical research offers little supporting evidence that those individuals are stealing American jobs, said Giovanni Peri, an economics professor at UC Davis who specializes in immigration. If you look at U.S. cities and regions where immigration has been larger, or has an increasing share of the population, those are also the areas where employment of American workers has been growing faster, Peri said. Low-skilled workers often fill the jobs American dont want, Peri said, while highly skilled, college-educated immigrants grow the economy and create new job opportunities. Haddad said he tells his immigrant story to his three children so that they might inherit certain values. He wants them to feel proud of where they come from and what makes them special. His youngest child has a Sony alarm clock on her nightstand that Haddad once kept in the makeshift shelter under his Beirut apartment. Ive been telling them my story for a long time because I want them to understand that they have so much privilege, Haddad said, and that they always need to think about others. Melia Russell is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: melia.russell@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meliarobin Progressive power play San Francisco has its third mayor in two months, the result of a stunning vote hatched by progressives to oust a moderate rival as the race to fill the top job gets under way. For shock value, rough politics and cynicism, its a scenario thats hard to top. London Breed, who filled in after Ed Lees sudden death in December, is out, due to a six-vote bloc thats installing Mark Farrell, who passes for conservative in a liberal town. Jan. 25 Massacre in Parkland, Fla. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. The 1989 Cleveland Elementary School shooting led California to impose the nations first ban on assault weapons. In 1994, after more gun devastation, Congress passed a national assault weapons ban, but it expired in 2004, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., has been unable so far to reinstate it. It is an American outrage that steps as sensible as closing loopholes on background checks or preventing suspected terrorists from purchasing guns are stymied in Congress. And so, once again, a nation endures the heartache and the furor inflicted by a deranged individual with weaponry that does not belong on our streets. Feb. 15 Breed for mayor One candidate stands out for both her commitment to address the concerns she shares with her opponents and her willingness to listen to competing arguments and come up with adjustments that achieve a progressive ideal in a more workable and reasonable manner. This sensibility is one of the most important attributes in a mayor, and the candidate who most demonstrates it is London Breed, president of the Board of Supervisors. April 15 The border crisis Prioritizing the deportations of dangerous people as opposed to mothers fleeing gang warfare is the right thing to do and the best strategy for public safety. Instead, we now have a manufactured border crisis of the Trump administrations own making, promises to incarcerate many more migrants for an indefinite amount of time, and thousands of innocent children who may not see their parents anytime soon. June 21 An American humiliation President Trumps performance at his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin was an unmitigated disaster. He cowered when he should have confronted, he deflected when he should have been definitive, he whiffed when he should have been taking to task the tyrannical leader of a nation whose military attacked American democracy. On Monday in Helsinki, Donald Trump disgraced his country on foreign soil. July 17 Fitting requiem for a queen With her remarkable power and range, the Queen of Soul filled tiny rooms to great halls with joy, with poignancy, with spiritual lift and, of course, with dancing. Aretha Franklin, who died Thursday at 76, was so much more than the definitive voice for generations and the gold standard for so many artists who followed her. Her music, rooted in gospel, crossed myriad genres and boldly evoked and advanced the themes of the era. Her signature song, Respect became a veritable anthem for the civil rights and feminist movements. Aug. 17 Loss of hero and patriot America has lost a hero, a patriot and a senator whose unflinching candor, humility and commitment to putting the public good over partisan alliances personified everything that is good and so maddeningly rare about modern politics. Sen. John McCain, who died Saturday at 81, was the ultimate public servant. Aug. 27 Showdown in Senate over Kavanaughs accuser Christine Blasey Ford, a Palo Alto professor reluctantly drawn into a Washington maelstrom, was shaken but sure before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, recounting the indelible sound of her assailants laughter, deploying her expertise in psychology to explain the nuances of memory, and quantifying her certainty that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her as 100 percent. Kavanaugh was emotional and cagey by comparison. He tearfully invoked his parents, daughters and friends and angrily defended his right to drink beer. Sept. 28 Newsom the right choice to lead California Those of us who have followed Gavin Newsom closely since his appointment by Mayor Willie Brown to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1997 have our eyes wide open to his strengths and weaknesses: his audacious visions and his sometimes disappointing follow-through, the charisma of a politician with movie-star looks and hypnotizing rhetoric ... and maddening expressions of pique and hubris, the dual traits of intense substance and ambition that cant quite decide whether they collide or complement. But any fair assessment of Newsom, who turns 51 this month, would conclude that he is both steelier and more humble for having gone through that political maturation in a very public way the past two decades. He is eminently qualified in knowledge, in temperament, in drive to govern this state. Oct. 7 Blue wave offers hope While victories in a few key states enabled President Trumps election two years ago despite a popular-vote defeat, his fellow Republicans couldnt be saved by the formidable advantages of incumbency, gerrymandering and geographic distribution. Its a testament to the scope of the Democratic sweep that Republicans could have given up as many as 22 seats and lost the overall vote by more than twice as much as Trump did and still held onto the House. That they didnt is a powerful rebuke indeed. Nov. 7 Furious at Facebook over breaches Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg once considered a possible Democratic presidential candidate and the companys chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg once considered a potential Cabinet appointee for a Hillary Clinton administration and a very public champion for womens empowerment come off especially badly. Instead of aggressively fighting Russian disinformation on their platform, they allegedly downplayed the seriousness of reports from their own executives. They tried to deflect blame onto their rivals. When that failed, they sought special favors from politicians and hired consultants to discredit anti-Facebook activists. Nov. 19 Pelosi deserves to get gavel back Nancy Pelosi, the once and perhaps future House speaker, predicted that the midterm blue wave would consist of little drops of water, which sounds prophetic after a slow trickle of results in California and other states has swelled into a tidal Democratic victory. Now, according to Pelosis latest aquatic metaphor, the waters warm, so her rumored challengers for the speakership should come on in. Pelosi has reason to be confident. Despite vilification by the party opposite and unrest within her ranks, she is in a commanding position to reclaim the speakers gavel. And shes earned it. Nov. 20 Burned by wildfire politics If only the president and his team would back up and scan the horizon. The wildfire causes are coursing together in ways that make it impossible to pick out one as the culprit, much as President Trump or Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke would like. The full picture of human living patterns, climate change and inadequate forestry tactics offers a better explanation than choosing an easy sound bite and flying back to Washington. California needs help, not politics. Nov. 25 Honoring George H.W. Bush George H.W. Bush was a son of privilege who repeatedly stepped up to serve his nation without a trace of entitlement. His was a history of bouncing back from political setbacks that would have deterred a lesser patriot. He was ever willing to put his pride, and even his life, on the line for his country. ... The gracious note he left to his successor in the Oval Office Your success now is our countrys success. ... I am rooting hard for you spoke volumes about Bushs sense of decency and commitment to American ideals that transcend partisan alliances or personal rivalries. Dec. 3 Senseless shutdown 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. Dec. 24 Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson, vowing restraint in the face of the outrage and tragedy, said he would not go there: The last thing in the world I want to do is politicize the death of Officer (Ronil) Singh. Then he went there. We were prohibited law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws that led to the encounter with Officer Singh, Christianson said at a Friday news conference. The outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasnt restricted, prohibited, or had their hands tied because of political interference. Actually, Christiansons facts were as dubious as his shamelessness in using the fatal shooting of the Newman (Stanislaus County) officer to try to score a political point. The suspect in the shooting, 32-year-old day laborer Gustavo Perez Arriaga, had been picked up on a DUI charge in Madera County in 2014, long before the states 2017 sanctuary law that severely limited communications between local authorities and federal immigration officials in all but more serious crimes. President Trump did not wait for the facts, or even an arrest, before invoking the suspects undocumented status as justification for his demand for $5 billion toward a border wall. There is right now a full scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police office during a traffic stop, Trump tweeted. Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall! Cpl. Ronil Singhs death during a traffic stop Wednesday is heartbreaking on so many levels. Singh, born in Fiji, exemplified an uplifting story of an immigrant who wanted to serve his new homeland. His familys loss is societys loss. Any assault on the men and women who protect and serve their communities putting their lives on the line is an unacceptable breach on the boundaries of civilized order. Yet Christianson and Trump crossed the lines of decency by jumping to the conclusion, wholly prematurely, that the presence of sanctuary city laws or a wall on the southern border could have prevented this act of violence. Many respected law enforcement officials conclude that the relationship with immigrant communities allowed by sanctuary laws advances the cause of public safety by encouraging victims and witnesses in crimes to come forward. This was not Trumps only attempt to seize on death for a political point about immigration. His first public comment about the deaths of two immigrant children in U.S. custody was to blame Democrats for their pathetic immigration policies. He offered no condolences, no hint of his governments responsibility. Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end, he tweeted. His response was shameful, disingenuous and all too predictable. 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. Old acquaintance be forgot? These 15 prominent members of the Trump administration as of a year ago will ring in the new year elsewhere. Jim Mattis: The former general resigned as defense secretary in protest of President Trump's abrupt decisions to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan. Jeff Sessions: The Alabama senator turned attorney general resigned after months of public abuse by the president over his recusal from the Russia investigation. John Kelly: The departure of the White House chief of staff is perhaps best explained by the administration's ensuing struggle to find someone willing to take the job. Ryan Zinke: The interior secretary left after accumulating 15 ethics inquiries, one of which was referred to the Justice Department. Scott Pruitt: The notoriously anti-environment administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency was also beset by a multitude of internal investigations. Rex Tillerson: The Exxon executve turned secretary of state famously failed to deny reports that he had called Trump a "f-ing moron." H.R. McMaster: Trump's second national security adviser left sounding the alarm about the Russian cyberwarfare that the president seems determined to ignore. Don McGahn: The White House counsel's reported cooperation with Special Counsel Robert Mueller was among the sources of friction between him and Trump. Nikki Haley: The U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina governor managed a rare departure on good terms and with her credibility relatively intact. Gary Cohn: The former chief economic adviser reportedly purloined a letter from Trump's desk to prevent a precipitous U.S. withdrawal from NAFTA. David Shulkin: The veterans affairs secretary resigned amid tensions with the White House that he attributed to his resistance to privatization. Hope Hicks: Trump's longtime confidant and fourth communications director resigned after telling a House committee that she sometimes lied on the president's behalf. Rob Porter: The White House staff secretary resigned amid allegations of serial spousal abuse. Thomas Bossert: The homeland security adviser was forced out after hard-liner John Bolton replaced McMaster as national security adviser. Brenda Fitzgerald: Financial conflicts of interest forced the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to resign after just six months on the job. Jane Kahn, a civil rights attorney who helped drive sweeping reforms in Californias prison system, died in her sleep last week of glioblastoma brain cancer. She was 64 years old. Kahn worked at the San Francisco law firm Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP, where she focused on constitutional and civil rights law during a period of great turmoil in Californias prison system. She played a pivotal role in major court decisions that reshaped how inmates are treated. She saw the law and her work as something that had to move the ball of social justice forward, of remedying discrimination, remedying things she saw were failures in our society, Kahns husband, Michael Bien, said. She touched a lot of people. Kahn was involved in two lawsuits that began in the 1990s that found that Californias prisons provided inadequate mental health care to inmates and did not adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act. One of the lawsuits led to a landmark 2011 Supreme Court ruling that found that prison overcrowding had violated inmates constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The lawsuits prompted major reforms in California, including improvements in mental and medical health care and a reduction in the states prison population. Kahns passion for helping the underserved and underrepresented carried over into all facets of her life, Bien said, whether it was caring for her children, volunteering in the community or working with nonprofits. When inmates wrote her letters asking for help, she often made it a point to respond even if she could do little to help them. She walks into some prisons, and people start yelling, Jane Kahns in the house, Jane Kahns in the house, Bien said. And its not because she won these huge victories in court, its because she had an individual connection with these prisoners as people. Along with her work as an attorney, Kahn was also on the board of Camp Tawonga, lectured at conferences on mental health care in prison, and was a founding board member of the Prison University Project, a nonprofit that offers higher education classes to inmates at San Quentin. The Prison University Projects executive director, Jody Lewen, praised the tremendous impact Kahn had on the organization in a September speech. Through the sheer force of your personality, you have helped so many people inside and outside endure, Lewen said. And whatever their circumstances, and whatever the outcome, youve let thousands of people know that they were not alone. Throughout all her professional accomplishments, Kahn always prioritized caring for her family and friends, Bien said. Kahn is survived by her sisters, Debi and Julie, her brother, Michael, her sons, Ben, Max and Joey, and her daughters, Katy and Allison. Shes a woman who wrestled giants like the prison system and homelessness and so much more of what wasnt fair in the world, Kahns son, Joseph Bien-Kahn, wrote in a eulogy. She would also fight any and every one who would say or do a thing to hurt us or hurt her friends. A memorial service was held Friday at the Sinai Memorial Chapel in San Francisco, which drew hundreds of friends and family from across the country. In lieu of flowers, the family requested a donation to Prison University Project, Hamilton Families or another charity. Joaquin Palomino is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JoaquinPalomino Photo by The Star on Grand on Yelp Bay Area locals already know Oakland has some of the tastiest food stops around, and now one prominent food magazine is recognizing the city not only for its culinary talents, but also for the female restaurateurs who run the show. In a list of 32 places to go (and eat) in 2019, Food & Wine magazine listed Oakland as a city you must check out, noting that a wave of entrepreneurial women have made Oaklands food scene that much more interesting in recent years. They gave special shoutouts to Tanya Holland (Brown Sugar Kitchen), Nite Yun (Nyum Bai), Janice and Brandi Dulce (FOB Kitchen), and Reem Assil (Dyafa and Reems), all of whom run recognizable businesses in the area. Something worth noting about this list of female chefs is that they all come from diverse backgrounds and bring rich culinary flavors to the table. These gastronomies includes Cambodian, Filipino and Middle Eastern fares. Hollands Brown Sugar Kitchen was mentioned on the list, but the popular soul food restaurant closed its original location in November after a 10-year stint in West Oakland. They've since opened two new locations, one in Uptown Oakland and another in San Francisco's Ferry Building. Plans to open a Brown Sugar Kitchen outpost in the Warriors Chase Center Arena in Mission Bay are also in the works. Holland hopes to focus her efforts on mentoring chefs of color in Oakland as she looks for new talent to sell the space of her former restaurant to. Im working with them now as a mentor. I know this area, the good and the bad. I know the concepts that can work here and what might not work, Holland told the Chronicles Justin Phillips. Male restaurateurs were also mentioned in the list, including James Woodard of Smokin Woods BBQ; Keba Konte, founder of Red Bay Coffee; and James Syhabout, owner of Commis, Hawking Bird and CDP. The food magazine's list of 32 places worth checking out in 2019 was comprised of a mix of cities they loved and what they are look forward to in the upcoming year. Read their full story here. -- Follow Susana Guerrero on Twitter and email her at sguerrero@sfchronicle.com Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. YUMA, Ariz. President Trump deflected any blame from his administration for the deaths of two Guatemalan children this month in U.S. government custody as his Homeland Security chief visited Border Patrol medical officials amid promises of more thorough health screenings for migrant children. Instead, the president, whose administration has faced widespread criticism over the deaths, pointed the finger Saturday on Twitter at Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. He also tweeted that the children were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol. The presidents comments came the same day Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was visiting Yuma to meet with medical staff at the border. Nielsen said in a statement that the system is clearly overwhelmed and we must work together to address this humanitarian crisis. She called on Congress to act with urgency. Her office said she was briefed in El Paso, Texas, on Friday on recently instituted secondary medical screenings and the more thorough initial health screenings of migrants. Nielsens trip came days after the death of 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo in Alamogordo, N.M. Felipe was the second Guatemalan child to die in government custody in three weeks. A 7-year-old girl, Jakelin Caal Maquin, died in El Paso this month. Nielsen has requested medical help from other government agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard. As Nielsen made the trip to Texas, New Mexicos Democratic senators, Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, sent her a letter Friday seeking answers about the boys death. The timeline, action and factors that led to Felipes death are still developing, but the information that has become public so far is alarming and demands immediate attention and investigation, the letter says. Rep. Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat whose district includes Yuma and much of the U.S.-Mexico-border, on Saturday issued a statement saying Nielsen was visiting Yuma under the dark cloud of a Republican-induced government shutdown, the presidents threats to close the border and the tragic deaths of two children in Homeland Security custody. Felipe and his father, Agustin Gomez, were apprehended by border agents Dec. 18 near the Paso del Norte bridge connecting El Paso to Juarez, Mexico, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 30) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) called on the organizers of a balloon drop event in Paranaque City to stop the activity due to environmental threats it posed. In a message to CNN Philippines, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said he ordered Undersecretary Benny Antiporda to inform Cove Manila, an indoor beach and night club in Okada Manila, to stop its plan to shower the night club with 130,000 balloons. "Yes, I directed Usec. Antiporda, the DENR Undersecretary for Ecological waste management to inform the organizers to reconsider their plan and stop that kind of activity, specifically the use of plastic balloon which could end up in the Manila Bay or thousands [of] plastics scattered as garbage," he said. Cimatu added that DENR-NCR Regional Director Jackie Caancan will deliver the message to Okada to stop the balloon drop event. The Cove Manila will no longer push through with the balloon drop stunt on New Year's eve "as a sign of respect" to the DENR. The nightclub, in an earlier response to netizens' qualms about the event's environmental effects, said the event would be done indoors and will follow the government's waste disposal guidelines to avoid contributing to Manila Bay's pollution. But in a separate interview, Usec. Antiporda said that Cove may face legal action if it pushes through with the balloon drop. "We will coordinate with their management tomorrow morning, and if needed, we will stop them from doing so. If ever na ipipilit nila [they will force it], we have no choice but to conduct a legal action against them," Antiporda said. Antiporda said Okada may be found guilty of violating Republic Act 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. Greenpeace campaigner Abigail Aguilar denounced Cove Manila's event, after the night club said it will conduct the event to surpass a current Guinness World Record. "Legally, there's no law yet that prohibits them from doing such. But, given the scale of pollution here in our country, this activity is not what we need right now. This record is something literally no one asked for," Aguilar told CNN Philippines. The Guinness World Records previously said it no longer monitors events which may prove detrimental to the environment. The concrete border wall that President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for as a signature campaign promise is not actually a wall and has not been since early on in the administration, the outgoing White House chief of staff, John Kelly, said in an interview published Sunday. The comments further muddy the administrations position as Trump demands that Democrats provide $5 billion in funding for a wall on the southwestern border with Mexico, an impasse that has led to a partial government shutdown after the president abruptly pulled out of a compromise deal to keep the government funded through February. They were also notable given Trumps insistence for most of his term that the border would have a wall, not the steel slat barrier he has pivoted toward in the past few weeks. To be honest, its not a wall, Kelly told The Los Angeles Times. Kelly, whose last day in his role is Monday, said he had sought advice from Customs and Border Protection officials early in 2017, when he was the homeland security secretary. Kelly said he was told that we need a physical barrier in certain places, we need technology across the board, and we need more people. He went on: The president still says wall oftentimes frankly hell say barrier or fencing, now hes tended toward steel slats. But we left a solid concrete wall early on in the administration, when we asked people what they needed and where they needed it. Kelly has clashed with Trump over the nature of the wall before. When Kelly said earlier this year on Fox News that Trumps views on a border wall were not fully informed and had evolved, the president was enraged and berated him. The Wall is the Wall, it has never changed or evolved from the first day I conceived of it, Trump wrote on Twitter a short time later. Kelly is leaving after a 17-month tenure that he described to the paper as a bone-crushing hard job. Kelly was known to tell aides that he had the worst job in the world, and frequently told people that Trump was not up to role of president, according to two former administration officials. In the Los Angeles Times interview, Kelly conceded that Trump often pressed against the legal boundaries of his role, as the former secretary of state, Rex W. Tillerson, said recently. The president would ask things like, 'Why cant we do it this way?' Kelly said. But Kelly said the president never ordered him to do anything against the law, and that he would have quit if that had happened. Kelly has been criticized for failing to change the mercurial, Twitter-reliant president into someone more conventional and willing to adhere to norms. But in his Los Angeles Times interview, Kelly suggested his tenure should be judged on the actions that Trump did not engage in, as opposed to the ones he did. Kelly has been credited by supporters with slowing or stopping the president from a number of his impulses, such as pulling out of NATO. Kelly refrained from lobbing shots at other officials on his way out except for one. He bluntly faulted Jeff Sessions, the attorney general who was fired, for the zero tolerance border policy that led to separations of migrant children from their parents. What happened was Jeff Sessions, he was the one that instituted the zero-tolerance process on the border that resulted in both people being detained and the family separation, Kelly said. He surprised us. Enforcement of the policy was the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security, which by then was led by Kellys protegee, Kirstjen Nielsen. Nielsen became the face of the policy, which prompted outrage from Democrats and many Republicans, and she has been a target of the presidents ire. Privately, White House officials have long said Kelly exacerbated Trumps disdain for Sessions with whom the president was angry for recusing himself from overseeing the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign because it redirected the president from his frustration with Nielsen. Kelly, who was Trumps chief of staff when the House Republicans lost their majority in the midterm elections this year, said he had made clear to the president that the last thing he needed was a political aide in that job. Trump has named Mick Mulvaney, his budget director and a former congressman, as acting chief of staff while he searches for a permanent replacement. Kellys lack of interest in and knowledge about politics has been cited by senior Republicans as problematic. He acknowledged being unprepared for Trumps order to impose a travel ban on seven predominantly Muslim countries in the first two weeks of the administration, despite saying publicly that he had not been surprised. But he also bluntly sought to dispel the oft-repeated notion that the president had not been given information before making decisions. Trump gets a variety of information, Kelly said, but goes with his instincts anyway. Its never been: The president just wants to make a decision based on no knowledge and ignorance, Kelly said. You may not like his decision, but at least he was fully informed on the impact. This article originally appeared in The New York Times SAN LEANDRO (BCN) Police in San Leandro have arrested a pickup truck driver accused of nearly hitting two officers as he tried to flee from police. On Dec. 20, police in San Leandro drove to Truckee after officers there spotted the truck connected to the Dec. 18 San Leandro incident parked in the driveway of a cabin. Detectives located the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Lancelot Ledwick, and, following a brief chase in the snow, arrested him, according to police. The pickup truck was found to be stolen from Dublin. According to police, the Dec. 18 incident for which Ledwick was wanted began around 4 a.m. when officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the 800 block of Davis Street. Upon arrival, officers saw the driver, later identified as Ledwick, inside the truck with drugs allegedly visible on the center console. Male and female passengers were also inside the truck, police said. Officers removed the male passenger from the vehicle. Suddenly, Ledwick started the vehicle and reversed the truck, almost hitting the officers, police said. Ledwick then allegedly struck the a marked police car before leading police on a high-speed chase through Oakland city streets. Because speeds reached over 100 mph, officers chose to cancel the chase out of public safety concerns. "We are grateful no officers or bystanders were injured during the suspect's bold and careless getaway," San Leandro police Lt. Isaac Benabou said in a statement. "These are serious crimes committed by a dangerous individual who needed to be found and arrested." Ledwick has since been booked into Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and, according to police, he's been charged with resisting arrest, fleeing from officers and violating probation. 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) New Year's Eve revelers will be able to enjoy free rides on all San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) lines and routes from 8 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency said. Passengers should not clip their Clipper cards or activate their MuniMobile tickets during the free service period. Additionally, extra Muni Metro service will be offered between the West Portal and Fourth and King streets stations from 9 p.m. until 2:15 a.m.; and between the West Portal and Embarcadero stations from 2:15 a.m. to 4 a.m. Extra service will also be offered on Muni's late-night Owl routes. A city-sponsored fireworks show will be held at midnight off The Embarcadero, south of the Ferry Building. Traffic delays are expected from approximately 11 p.m. to 1 a.m., but no closures or reroutes are planned. 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. FREMONT (BCN) A missing Fremont man was located safely Saturday night in the Irvington area, police said. Police had asked for the public's help in locating Gerald Medina, who disappeared around 6:30 Saturday morning from a care facility on Presidio at Mowry Avenue. Police considered him at-risk. He was located by a community member and returned safely to the care facility, police said this morning. 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. Three male suspects who robbed a Petaluma AT&T store at gunpoint earlier this month are the same suspects who also tried to rob a Santa Rosa AT&T store just hours earlier, Santa Rosa police confirmed Friday. Police believe the trio may be in the greater Sacramento area and are asking for help to locate them. According to police, the first robbery at the Santa Rosa location occurred around 6 p.m. Dec. 18. The three suspects allegedly entered the store, brandished guns and ordered the employees to hand over cash. An employee, however, noticed that the firearm was jammed and refused to comply. The suspects fled in a vehicle. Hours later, the suspects appeared at the Petaluma store, police said. One of the suspects, armed with a gun, ordered customers and employees to turn over their electronic devices and other property while the other suspects collected the items and placed them in a pillowcase. That incident was captured on store video surveillance. The suspects fled in a red sedan, which was later found abandoned in the area of Oak Hill Park, police said. The first suspect is described as a black man, with short hair in dreadlocks, wearing an orange jumpsuit and hooded sweatshirt, with a tattoo over his left eye. The second suspect is described as an adult male of unknown race wearing a red hooded sweatshirt. The third suspect is described as a Hispanic male adult with a light mustache, wearing a black sweatshirt with a white logo. Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to contact Santa Rosa police at (707) 543-3590 or Petaluma police at (707) 778-4372. 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 police late Saturday night were looking for a 25-year-old Oakland man in connection with a brutal attack on a man Friday at Cyril Magnin and Ellis Streets about a block from the Powell Street BART station.Melton Early Kelly is sought for the brutal stomping of a man near that intersection Friday. The man was listed in serious condition Saturday, police said. The victim was also robbed, police said.Police said a "very active manhunt" is underway Saturday night to find Kelly. Anyone who sees him or has information that could lead police to him is asked to call either 911 or the San Francisco Police Department tip line at (415) 575-4444.A suicidal woman held law enforcement officers at bay for nearly 10 hours Saturday at a Rohnert Park gas station before police used a flash-bang device to distract her and then immobilized her with a Taser, police said.No one was injured in the incident that started at 1:45 a.m. Saturday when a Sheriff's deputy stopped two women in a small SUV at a Valero gas station on Commerce Boulevard. The 45-year-old female driver was arrested on suspicion of possession of drug paraphernalia, and taken to jail. Her passenger was entrusted with the SUV, a Sonoma County sheriff's deputy said.Deputies returned the 45-year-old woman, who ultimately wasn't jailed, to her SUV at about 4:25 a.m., and found the SUV passenger still inside the now-locked vehicle, and with a 6-inch knife to her own neck, threatening to harm herself, deputies said.Several Sonoma County Sheriff's deputies and Rohnert Park police officers, including a trained crisis negotiator, talked to the woman for several hours. At about 8:30 a.m., the Sheriff's Negotiation Team was called in. After approximately 10 hours, including nearly six hours with the negotiation team, the psychologist determined the woman would not give up.The woman in the SUV was warned several times that she would be removed from the car if she didn't give up, deputies said; given she was in a public place and presented a danger, SWAT team officers at 2:17 p.m. used flash-bang devices to break the car windows and disorient the woman, allowing them to get into the car. The woman was then tased.No one was injured, deputies said.The woman was taken by ambulance to the county's Crisis Stabilization Unit in Santa Rosa, deputies said, and was not arrested.Novato police arrested four people Friday night suspected of causing an accident after trying to evade a DUI-driver's license checkpoint on Rowland Boulevard, police said Saturday.At about 7:45 p.m. Friday, a Novato motorcycle officer tried to pull over a vehicle attempting to evade the checkpoint on Rowland Boulevard between Redwood Boulevard and Novato Boulevard. The vehicle instead sped away on Redwood Boulevard at high speed; officers opted not to pursue in the name of safety.But the suspects' vehicle collided with another at the intersection of Redwood Boulevard and DeLong Avenue. A Novato police officer witnessed the accident, and saw four men flee. One of them, 21-year-old Dixon Hernandez-Gonza of San Rafael, was arrested nearby without incident.Police got a phone call from a citizen, responding to a police Nixle alert, that three men matching suspect descriptions were walking along Novato Boulevard. Police soon found them; one, 19-year-old Jefferson Lopez of Corte Madera, tried to run away, and also tossed a loaded handgun away. Lopez, along with Carlos Gonzalez, 18, of Mill Valley and 18-year-old Luis Garcia-Lopez of San Rafael, were then arrested on suspicion of gang participation and resisting/obstructing arrest. All three were in the Marin County Jail Saturday night in lieu of $50,000 bond.Hernandez-Gonza, whom Novato police said was also wanted by San Rafael police for threatening a person with a handgun, had also been booked into the Marin County Jail, but was no longer there as of Saturday night.Two men were arrested and significant stashes of methamphetamine and firearms were seized Friday, the culmination of a Fairfield Police Department investigation, officers said Saturday.Joseph Johnson, 48, and Santos Sandoval, 37, both of Fairfield, were arrested Friday as part of an ongoing drug- and weapon-related investigation.Two Fairfield locations - the 1300 block of Cleveland Street and the 2300 block of Woolner Avenue - were searched by police Friday. Between the two locations, a "substantial amount" of methamphetamine and nine illegal firearms were found and seized, police said.Johnson and Sandoval were both arrested on suspicion of various drug- and weapons-related charges. Sandoval also was also arrested on suspicion of committing a new felony while out on bail from a previous felony conviction.If an investigation finds that PG&E recklessly operated and maintained power lines, the utility company could face murder, manslaughter or lesser charges in connection with recent deadly wildfires, the state's top prosecutor said Friday.Attorney General Xavier Becerra submitted a brief to U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup outlining scenarios for PG&E's potential criminal liability in the Camp Fire and other blazes."If PG&E caused any of the fires, the investigation would have to extend into PG&E's operations, maintenance, and safety practices to determine whether criminal statutes were violated with the requisite mental intent," Becerra wrote.Alsup is overseeing PG&E's probation on five violations in connection to the fatal San Bruno natural gas pipeline explosion in 2010.Alsup has ordered PG&E to provide "an accurate and complete statement of the role, if any, of PG&E" in causing the Camp Fire in Butte County and other recent wildfires. PG&E has until Monday to respond.Alsup took over post-trial matters in PG&E's criminal case, including probation supervision, after the trial judge, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson, retired last year.One aspect of the utility's five-year probation term is a requirement not to commit any state, federal or local crimes.In addition to directing PG&E to state whether it had a role in the recent wildfires, Alsup ordered the utility to say whether the no-crime requirement might be implicated if any wildfire was "started by reckless operation and maintenance of PG&E power lines."A 35-year-old San Jose woman driving with a small child allegedly rammed into a patrol car and was arrested after leading officers on a high-speed pursuit Thursday morning, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said.A State Park ranger tried to speak with the woman, Shelly Vickers, when she was seen driving erratically at 7 p.m. near the Rio Del Mar Esplanade in the unincorporated area of Rio Del Mar, sheriff's deputies said.Vickers allegedly reversed her car and rammed the ranger's vehicle. A deputy in the area then saw the woman speed off, and she didn't pull over when deputies turned on their lights and sirens, the sheriff's office said.Deputies pursued her on a short chase, which ended when she crashed into a fence in the 300 block of Rio Del Mar Boulevard. Vickers continued trying to drive away though her airbag had activated, deputies said.They then noticed a small child sitting in the car unrestrained.Deputies removed the unharmed child from the car, and detained Vickers.She allegedly kicked and tried to bite officers when they tried to arrest her. No one was injured and Vickers was booked into Santa Cruz County jail on suspicion of resisting arrest, evading officers in a vehicle, felony child cruelty, possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor hit and run and resisting arrest. Her bail was set at $15,000. 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) Police have arrested the suspect in a brutal beating in San Francisco's Tenderloin District on Friday evening that left the victim with life-threatening injuries. Oakland resident Melton Earl Kelly, 25, was arrested at 7:19 a.m. today on suspicion of attempted murder, robbery, mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, resisting/delaying/obstructing peace officer duties, and multiple narcotics-related offenses, according to police. The suspect was identified after surveillance video captured the assault at 5 p.m. Friday at the corner of Cyril Magnin and Eddy streets near the Powell Street BART station. Kelly allegedly kicked and punched the victim multiple times while robbing him. The victim was taken to the hospital, where he is still recovering. Officers took Kelly into custody after spotting him this morning on the 300 block of Ellis Street. Anyone with additional information on the case is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department's anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 with SFPD at the beginning of the message. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. There will be no Women's March rally in Eureka this January. The decision to cancel the city's annual Women's March came after organizers and supporters of the movement noticed participants over the years had been "overwhelmingly white." In lieu of the march, which was originally set to take place on Jan. 19, organizers will discuss a way to broaden cultural representation going forward, the committee wrote in a statement. "Instead of pushing forward with crucial voices absent, the organizing team will take time for more outreach," the post read. "Our goal is that planning will continue and we will be successful in creating an event that will build power and community engagement through connection between women that seek to improve the lives of all in our community." According to census bureau data, Humboldt County is about 74 percent non-Hispanic white. Organizers did not respond to a request for interview by the time of publication. Some community members in the Facebook group were glad the group decided to cancel the rally and excited about the attention placed on diversity. Others were livid. "Our crowd wasn't brown enough? Wasn't queer enough? Wasn't transgender enough?" Noel Boquet wrote on Facebook. Robyn Moreno, another member, countered: "The amount of white women snarling angrily at an attempt to further diversify the event is a huge indicator as to why this was such an important move." Recently, the Women's March has attempted to settle a series of divisive issues surrounding diversity, accusations of anti-Semitism and allegiances with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Women's March co-chair Tamika Mallory was criticized in February for attending the National of Islam's annual Saviours' Day event with Farrakhan, who stated that "the powerful Jews are my enemy." Organizers canceled the Chicago's Women's March in response. The Louisiana chapter also canceled their 2019 march, citing Women's March leadership's ties to Farrakhan. KINSHASA, Congo Congos top archbishop urged peace Saturday on the eve of the countrys long-delayed presidential election, saying differences of opinion are no reason to light the country on fire. The archbishop of Kinshasa, Fridolin Ambongo, held a Mass in the capital attended by leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu and a representative of ruling party candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. They and sole female candidate Marie-Josee Ifoku held hands during prayer in a spirit of reconciliation. Unfortunately, some of our compatriots give the impression they want to hold the country hostage to violence, the archbishop told the congregation. In no case will we permit these elections to become another opportunity to destroy Congo and shed the blood of Congolese who have bled too much for decades already. He also criticized the surprise decision by Congos electoral commission to bar some 1 million people from voting because of a deadly Ebola virus outbreak, calling it a denial of justice. The residents of Beni and Butembo cities now must vote in March, long after Congos new president is inaugurated. Two days of protests followed Wednesdays announcement, and Congos health ministry and the World Health Organization said crucial virus containment work had to be suspended. The WHO chief warned against prolonged insecurity, saying a rise in new cases could follow. The delay surprised many because Congos health ministry had said precautions were in place to allow people in the outbreak zone to vote, and that electoral authorities had been involved in discussions. The opposition called the delay the latest attempt by the ruling party to ensure that departing President Joseph Kabilas preferred successor, Shadary, is elected. Our brothers and sisters in Beni and Butembo say they feel betrayed and abandoned by their leaders and they are right in doing so, the archbishop said. The Catholic church in Congo has been an outspoken critic of delays in the election, which was meant to take place in late 2016. The archbishop urged Congolese to avoid confrontation and refrain from attacking health workers combatting Ebola: This would put public health at risk. Also attending the Mass was European Union Ambassador Bart Ouvry. Congos government on Thursday ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours in retaliation after the EU extended sanctions on Shadary. Shadary faces a travel ban and asset freeze for a crackdown on people protesting election delays when he was interior minister. The sanctions have further cooled Congos relations with the West after international pressure over the elections, and EU and other Western election observers have not been invited to watch Sundays vote. Shadary and other candidates met Saturday with the electoral commission and the Southern African Development Community regional bloc as the sprawling countrys neighbors urge an election without violence. The opposition is fractured after Felix Tshisekedi, son of late opposition icon Etienne Tshisekedi, dropped out of the coalition to run on his own. Two other opposition heavyweights, former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba and former governor Moise Katumbi, were blocked from running. Mathilde Boussion is an Associated Press writer. PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Long-serving Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday inaugurated a monument marking the 1998 end of the threat from the communist Khmer Rouge movement, which ruinously ruled the country in the late 1970s and then carried on a guerrilla war. The monument just north of Phnom Penh, the capital, is dedicated to what Hun Sen called his Win-Win Policy, which saw the last two top Khmer Rouge leaders surrender in December 1998, eliminating the group as a political force and security threat. Hun Sen, in his supreme military commanders uniform of a five-star general, said in a two-hour speech that he had joined with other leaders and the people to turn our pitiful soil that used to be a killing zone into a safe land. But the monuments highlighting the activities of Hun Sen makes clear that it is also a celebration of his legacy. The base of the 177-foot-tall structure has sculpted panels depicting various scenes in his life, including him sitting in a circle of villagers eating rice, leading a group of soldiers out of a forest and lecturing in front of a blackboard. In the nationally televised speech to a crowd that officials claimed numbered 40,000, Hun Sen said the peace he helped achieve in 1998 united the country for the first time ever in its history, and brought peace and economic prosperity. Hun Sens Win-Win Policy allowed most members of the Khmer Rouge to be incorporated into the governments military and bureaucracy in exchange for giving up the fight and defecting. Hun Sen himself had once served with the Khmer Rouge, which seized power after a bloody 1970-75 civil war. As the Khmer Rouge carried out brutal policies that led to the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians, he defected in 1977 to Vietnam, whose invasion ousted the Khmer Rouge from power in 1979. In 1985, he became prime minister, and this year vowed to serve 10 more years in office. Hun Sen has kept himself in power largely through political maneuvering and often authoritarian actions, but recent years have seen his partys electoral popularity deteriorate. His ruling Cambodian Peoples Party won this years general election, but only after the government-influenced courts dissolved the sole credible opposition party. That led in turn to a revival of criticism of Hun Sens antidemocratic tendencies by Western nations, which also started to apply sanctions against his government. Sopheng Cheang is an Associated Press writer. SANAA, Yemen Yemens Shiite rebels said Saturday that they handed over control of the main port in the Red Sea city of Hodeida to the coast guard and local administrators, but the government denied that, calling it a ploy by the Iran-aligned rebels to maintain control of the strategic facility. The handover was supposed to be the first in a series of confidence-building measures agreed to in Sweden that could pave the way for a political settlement of Yemens 4-year-old war pitting the rebels known as Houthis against the internationally recognized government backed since 2015 by a Saudi-led coalition. But the pro-government Sabaa news agency quoted what it called an official source as saying the Houthis assertion about giving up the port was an attempt to sidestep the Sweden agreement. We cannot accept these violations, which will lead to the failure of the agreement, the agency quoted the source as saying. Military and local Hodeida officials loyal to the government said the Houthis had taken advantage of their control of the city to place loyalists and fighters in both the port management and the coast guard. Its a stage play in which the Houthis handed over the port to their fighters after they put on coast guard uniforms, said the Hodeida governor, al-Hassan Taher. The rebels control most of northern Yemen, including the capital of Sanaa, while their foes control much of the south, including the Arabian Sea port city of Aden, where the exiled government is located. The two sides have observed a cease-fire in Hodeida for more than a week, ending months of fierce fighting for control of the city. A U.N. team led by retired Dutch Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert arrived recently in the city to monitor the cease-fire. About 70 percent of Yemens imports come through Hodeida, and the Sweden deal is designed in part to facilitate the arrival of relief supplies to push Yemen back from the brink of famine. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people, and has driven millions to hunger. The U.N. calls it the worlds worst humanitarian disaster. The two sides also agreed in Sweden to exchange prisoners of war in a deal involving thousands captured from both sides. The implementation of that deal is yet to begin and may run into difficulties. Government officials maintain that the Houthis are denying the presence in their detention facilities of almost 3,000 people among a total of some 8,500 prisoners whose names were submitted to the rebels. Ahmed Al-Haj 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 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Rossville resident Nelson Figueras will reunite with the family that took him in 50 years ago after he was separated from his mother in Cuba on national television Tuesday, Jan. 1. "Well Meet Again, a PBS program hosted by Ann Curry, reached out to Figueras months before filming in the hopes of helping him find out more about the family he was once part of. After fleeing Cuba in search of a better life, Figueras and his brother were sent to a childrens refugee camp run by the Catholic Church in Florida City. Thats where he met his foster parents, Joe and Lilly Maltos. I would hate to think that I never thanked them, Figureas said on the show, airing on Tuesday at 8 p.m. [I was afraid] I would die without acknowledging and being grateful and thankful for those times. The hour-long program takes viewers through the process of Figueras researching where he came from and where his foster parents are now. In doing that, he had to return to their home of Sunnyside, Washington. He calls it a trip back in time and went strictly off memory to find the home he grew up in. Its really remarkable to come back," said Figueras. "Its something Ive wanted to do for a long time. It was here we started our lives in the United States. Figueras said sharing his immigration experience on national television was emotional and personal but he is proud to have it public. I hope this show sheds some sort of light on the issue of children immigration through the southern borders, Figueras said. We had it good compared to these kids today. Well Meet Again airs on PBS Tuesday, Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. For more information on the show, visit PBS.org/show/meet-again/. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The brother and best friend of a missing Westerleigh man are distraught since they have yet to locate their loved one who went missing more than a week ago on Staten Island. Relatives and friends of Michael E. Stewart, 40, are hoping witnesses can come forward to help locate the man who was last seen on Thursday, Dec. 20th in Elm Park. Its like he just disappeared, said Jaclyn Tantao, Stewarts life-long friend. "Were all just in shock and want him back so bad. In an interview Saturday afternoon, Tantao and Stewarts brother, Richard, said Michaels last phone call was made to his mother at approximately 7 p.m. that night. No one has heard from him since. This is a really tough time, said Richard. All of his friends and family just want to know what happened to him. Michael was last seen by witnesses at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 inside ONeills Irish pub at 1614 Forest Ave., in Port Richmond, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. But Tantao says Michael may have stopped off at a local barbershop -- Back 2 Life in Elm Park -- after the bar to chat with friends. Michael, the father of a young daughter, is described by his family as Hispanic with a light complexion and brown hair. He stands 5 7 tall and weighs about 170 pounds. He has a medium build, with a scar on the left side of his face and an Irish tattoo on the right side of his neck. He was last seen wearing an olive green jacket with a bright-green shirt, blue jeans, white sneakers and a black beanie hat. The family has set up a GoFundMe and is asking for donations to help fund a private investigator. Were doing whatever it takes, added Tantao. Anything that will help get Michael back, we will do." Police ask anyone with information to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit tips at the Crime Stoppers Website or by texting tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577. 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! Letitia Wright in a scene from Black Panther. Credit:AP The time: Millions of years ago, before the time of men. The film: Black Panther (released 2018) What happens: According to Wakandan legend, well before mankind started populating the world, a meteor made of Vibranium crashed into Africa and changed everything. This was the metal that gave us Captain Americas shield, Ultrons shell, The Visions body and much, much more. Stay tuned to see what else Vibranium can do. Watch Black Panther here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/black-panther-2018 The time: Thousands of years ago, in Thors grandfathers time The film: Thor: The Dark World (released 2013) What happens: Millennia ago, Odin explains a battle raged against The Dark Elves, who wanted to use The Aether to return the universe to eternal night. Odins father, King Bor, triumphs and eventually, The Aether is hidden away, hopefully forever. But not before someone reveals it is (drum roll please) one of the Infinity Stones that soon prove so important. Watch Thor: The Dark World here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/thor-the-dark-world-2013 Chris Hemsworth in Thor: The Dark World. The time: 965 AD The film: Thor (released 2011) What happens: Thors father Odin defeats The Frost Giants as they launch a war to conquer the Nine Realms, including Earth. Taking the source of their power, the Casket Of Ancient Winters, he settles into a long peace until they raid his castle on the day Thor is to be made king, starting a battle that results in Thor being banished to Earth and eventually becoming one of our greatest heroes. Watch Thor here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/thor-2011-2011 The time: 1409 AD The film: Captain America: The First Avenger (released 2011) What happens: Thors father Odin (Odin again!) hides The Tesseract, one of the most powerful objects in the known universe, in Norway, believing it will be the last place anyone would look. Unfortunately, Johan Schmidt, AKA The Red Skull, managed to track it down for HYDRA with plans to use it to take over the world. Until Captain America intervened, of course. Watch Captain America: The First Avenger here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/captain-america-the-first-avenger-2011 Chris Evans in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The time: 1943 The film: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (released 2014) What happens: Shortly after Steve Rogers is injected with the Super Soldier serum (in Captain America: The First Avenger), his best friend, Bucky Barnes, goes missing on a mission and is presumed dead. What nobody suspected, however, was that he was found by HYDRA agents who turned him into Caps enemy and, ultimately, one of Marvels biggest storylines. Watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-2014 The Time: 1974 The film: Iron Man (released 2008) What happens: As part of the Stark World Exposition, a year-long display of all the incredible inventions and advances the Stark company has made, Howard Stark leaves a secret message that only his son Tony will understand, on how to perfect the Arc Reactor power generator. Years later its that perfect reactor that will power the Iron Man suit and save Tonys life. Watch Iron Man here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/iron-man-2008 Underdogs in Guardians of the Galaxy. The time: 1978 The film: Guardians Of The Galaxy (released 2014) What happens: Alien god Ego arrives on Earth as part of his program to plant the known universe with seedlings to help him grow until he was everything. While here, however, he meets and falls in love with Meredith Quill, and eventually fathers a child with her who would grow up to be Peter Quill, AKA, the interplanetary adventurer known as Star Lord. Watch The Guardians of the Galaxy here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/guardians-of-the-galaxy-2014 The time: 1984 The film: The Avengers (released 2012) What happens: Natasha Romanoff is born. Why is this significant? Because in a universe filled with aliens, cyborgs, gods and the super-powerful, young Romanoff grew up to be the Russian agent known as Black Widow, who eventually became one of the most loyal Avengers and proof that even a normal human can more than hold their own in this universe. Watch The Avengers here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/the-avengers-2012 The Avengers. The time: Mid 1990s The film: Avengers: Age Of Ultron (released 2015) What happens: Orphaned after their apartment building was hit in an attack on their hometown of Sokovia, twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff volunteered for a series of experiments that would eventually turn them into The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Wanda eventually joins The Avengers and becomes a partner to The Vision. Watch Avengers: Age Of Ultron here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/avengers-age-of-ultron-2015 The time: 2005 The film: Thor Ragnarok (released 2017) What happens: While experimenting with an adapted version of Captain Americas Super Soldier Serum, Dr Bruce Banner is accidentally exposed to the chemicals and gamma radiation and is turned into The Hulk. One of the Marvel universes best-known heroes, he finds a sort of peace in Thor: Ragnarok after being banished from earth and finding a new life as a respected gladiator. Watch Thor: Ragnarok here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/thor-ragnarok-2017 Thor: Ragnarok The time: 1999 The film: Iron Man 3 (released 2013) What happens: Years after meeting with and rejecting a funding request from scientist Aldrich Killian at a millennium eve party, Tony Stark finds himself targeted by a mysterious assassin named The Mandarin, who seems determined to not only destroy Iron Man, but everyone close to him. Stark prevails, but destroys his Iron Man suits and vows to find a new way forward. Watch Iron Man 3 here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/iron-man-3-2013 The time: 2010 The film: Iron Man 2 (released 2010) What happens: When Anton Vanko, the co-creator of Howard Starks revolutionary Arc Reactor (which eventually led to the creation of Iron Man do try to keep up!) dies, his son vows vengeance against the Stark family, leading to him attacking Iron Man, prompting a new power source and leading to Iron Man joining SHIELD which leads to all sorts of complications. Watch Iron Man 2 here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/iron-man-2-2010 Want to take a look back at these (and other) great Marvel moments? Check out the Marvel movies available now on Stan here: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/movies Stan is Australias leading local SVoD service, providing unlimited access to thousands of hours of entertainment for the whole family. Get access to the biggest Hollywood shows, blockbuster movies, cult classics and popular kids content on your favourite device. Start your free 30-day trial at Stan.com.au. New Year's Eve in much of the Western world is marked with the singing at midnight of a Scottish song by the great poet, Robbie Burns. Auld Lang Syne speaks of the passing of time and distance between old friends who, despite oceans between them, will "take a cup of kindness" and remember the good times once spent together. A cup of kindness would be most welcome this coming year. Better yet, how about each of us takes a cup of kindness and vows to empty it every day this coming year. That way we might put 2018 well behind us and move forward, perhaps, as better people and a better nation. We say as much because the past year was hallmarked by what might best be described as cynical, manipulative, exploitative, oafish and plain doltish behaviour and that's just from our political leaders. Throw in some bullying, misogyny, hypocrisy and mind-numbing game-playing, and we have just about covered the 2018 antics in Canberra. Australians made it clear they were fed up with the Liberal Party's internal power games, the bristling and muscling by minority conservatives, and the failure of the Liberal-Nationals coalition to do anything concrete about climate change. Similar anti-Coalition sentiment emerged in Victoria, where the state election delivered a devastating swing against the Liberals and cemented Labor's powerbase for another four years. A 22-year-old Brisbane rugby player has been identified as the victim of a deadly pill at Lost Paradise music festival. Friends and family of Josh Tam took to social media in tribute of the young man's life, with one describing him as "my little mate". He was taken to Gosford Hospital from Lost Paradise at Glenworth Valley about 8pm on Saturday, but died a short time later. Josh Tam has died after attending the Lost Paradise music festival. Credit:Facebook Many close friends posted photos with Mr Tam in memory, with one writing "forever in my heart". A former staff member at a prestigious NSW school who performed the same role as a house mistress recently sentenced over sleeping with several pupils has been charged with sexually assaulting a young boy in his care. Jacob Charles Woods, 36, is in custody, accused of raping an 11-year-old boy while working as a housemaster in his late teens at The Armidale School in the states north in 2001. The woman (centre) was given a two-year suspended jail sentence in September for having sex with five teenage boys while working at The Armidale School. Credit:Brook Mitchell Mr Woods December 17 arrest comes three months after a 25-year-old woman, who legally cannot be named, was handed a two-year suspended jail sentence for having sex with five male students, aged 15 to 17, over a period of several months during 2014 and 2015 while she was employed at the GPS school. The Herald is not suggesting the allegations against Mr Woods, who is charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault and one of aggravated indecent assault against a person under 16 years, are linked to the former housemistress in any way. The NSW Liberals have raised more than triple the amount NSW Labor has from hosting events over the past 18 months, with money flooding in from a variety of sources, but analysis of Labor's fundraising activity is obscured by a lack of donor details. A Catholic Parish in Port Macquarie, water ski, rugby, and RSL clubs are among the major donors to the Liberal and National parties leading up to the NSW election next year. Meanwhile, NSW Labor used "Party Units fundraising" as a catchall term to cover $74,775 worth of donations with trade unions making up more than half of their funding. There have been more than 280 NSW Liberal functions, dinners and events between July 2017 and the most recent disclosures up to mid-December 2018. In total, they raised $2.1 million. NSW Labor gathered $650,000 from about 70 fundraisers and the NSW Nationals have raised $600,000 over the same period. NSW Opposition leader Michael Daley has opened the door to pill testing at music festivals, in the wake of the suspected fatal overdose of a 22-year-old man at a festival on the Central Coast on the weekend - the fourth such death since September. In a significant policy shift, Mr Daley has signalled the Opposition would consider allowing the testing of recreational drugs at music festivals as part of its commitment to holding a drug summit if elected in March. Gladys Berejiklian and Michael Daley. Credit:Fairfax The NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, refused to budge on the issue yesterday. The death of a 22-year-old Queensland man at the Lost Paradise festival at Glenworth Valley on the weekend is the fourth such death at a NSW music festival since September. The man was taken to Gosford Hospital at 8pm on Saturday but died shortly afterwards. Two other people were hospitalised after taking drugs. The new year will give all eligible Queenslanders access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme as it finally rolls out into Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast. The final roll-out in Queensland allows the NDIS to provide support to all eligible people with disability in the state from January 1. The NDIS is expected to create more than 12,900 jobs and inject an additional $2.5 billion into the Queensland economy. Once fully implemented, the NDIS is estimated to support about 91,000 people with disability in Queensland and about 460,000 people nationally. Another change from January 1 in Queensland will involve net, line and crab fishing vessels needing to have tracking units installed as part of a sustainable fisheries strategy plan. An underwater robot has spread baby coral around the Great Barrier Reef to help repopulate the ailing natural wonder. Scientists, led by Southern Cross University Professor Peter Harrison, collected millions of coral eggs and sperm to produce more than a million larvae. A newly developed robot makes a world-first baby coral delivery to Great Barrier Reef Credit:Queensland University of Technology They then used Queensland University of Technology professor Matthew Dunbabin's robot, dubbed RangerBot, to sprinkle the babies in damaged parts of the reef - just like a crop duster. The new technique was trialled at Vlasoff Reef, near Cairns in north Queensland. Blindsided by a dysfunctional Donald Trump administration, Australia can forget about escaping the madness that has engulfed Washington as it awaits the next unpredictable manoeuvre. This is the world we find ourselves in, untethered from the sort of American stabilising role we have come to take for granted. President Donald Trump's rash decision-making has destabilised the world. Credit:Andrew Harnik If you found 2018 disconcerting, there is no reason to believe things will settle down next year. Indeed, they may get worse as that administration finds itself increasingly under siege. Multiple investigations into Russian influence on Trumps presidential election campaign, lawsuits against the Presidents associates as far as the eye can see and the prospect of endless Democrat-driven Congressional inquiries into the administrations conduct mean Washington will remain in a state of high anxiety for the life of this President. Impeachment proceedings cant be excluded. The 19-year-old man who was glassed in the head at Chelsea beach during a crime spree last week says he is lucky to be alive as he was recovering from major brain surgery at the time of the attack. The young man - who spoke to the television network anonymously due to safety concerns - said he was still recovering from a brain haemorrhage and surgery three months ago in which he temporarily lost his eyesight. The 19-year-old man was glassed in the face with a beer bottle on Thursday night. Credit:Seven News Melbourne "There's still a portion of my skull that does not have actual bone covering it so had it been just to the left, glass could have penetrated my brain and I would have died," he said. He told Seven News he was approached by two people "as if they were looking for something with their camera". Do you have a TattsLotto Megadraw ticket tucked deep in your beach bag, or buried among debris in your wallet? You may be in for a shock a very pleasant one because a Bellarine Peninsula lotto outlet is looking for someone who won $1.7 million. Someone who recently visited an Ocean Grove newsagent is a millionaire-in-waiting. Ocean Grove Lotto and Cards informed customers on its Facebook page on Sunday that it had sold one of the winning Division 1 prizes of $1,764,705.81. But it doesnt yet know who it is. The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party is planning to field more candidates in the March state election than in any previous election. Sixteen electorates have already named candidates; a further two are expected to be named in the seats of Goulburn and Hawkesbury in the near future. The party is hoping to repeat the success of the Orange byelection in November 2016 when Philip Donato took the seat, the party's first in the lower house, with a 32 per cent swing away from the Nationals, albeit by just 50 votes. VFFA president Mick Holton at the Henty Field Day in the Riverina. Credit:Volunteer Fire Fighters Association. Details of the line-up come after Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she had ruled out a preference deal with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers and called on Labor to do the same. Dhaka: Bangladeshis are going to the polls after violence-plagued campaigning, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeking a third straight term in a face-off against an opposition whose leader is in jail on what she says are trumped up charges. Mobile internet was blocked and the streets of the capital were largely deserted as many had left the city of migrants to vote in their home towns. Others were seen trickling into polling booths. A man walks past a portrait of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the eve of general elections in Dhaka. Credit:AP Millions of young new voters are registered to vote in the South Asian nation's first fully competitive general election in a decade. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the last election in 2014 claiming it wouldn't be free and fair. Hasina's Awami League party, which has touted an improved economy and development, is widely expected to win. Kabul: Afghanistan's presidential election will be postponed by three months to July 20 to give authorities more time to organise the ballot, election authorities confirmed on Sunday after days of speculation. An Afghan security officer inspects the site of suicide attack near the election commission office in Kabul in October. Credit:AP The announcement follows heavy criticism of October's chaotic parliamentary election, which saw problems ranging from roadside bomb attacks to malfunctioning biometric voter verification equipment, incomplete voter lists and huge delays at polling sites. Local residents use their fingerprints to register to vote in the parliamentary elections in Kabul, Afghanistan in October. Credit:AP The timing of the election has also been complicated by talks under way between US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and representatives of the Taliban aimed at launching a full peace process to end the war in Afghanistan. The agency's rise reflects the Kremlin's tactics in its confrontation with the West, analysts say. While Russia is far weaker economically than the United States and Western Europe, Putin has shown a higher appetite for risk and benefited from a domestic public that largely buys into the narrative of a Russia under siege. "Russia is our motherland," said Loguntsova, an 11th-grader. "We will defend it." "Russia is our motherland," 11th-grader Nina Loguntsova said. Credit:Mary Gelman/Washington Post Former US intelligence officials say the GRU has always been seen as the more brutish cousin of Russia's main intelligence agency, previously known as the KGB. Gennady Gudkov, a Russian opposition politician who served in the KGB and then in its FSB successor agency, said GRU officers referred to themselves as the "badass guys who act." "'Need us to whack someone? We'll whack him,'" he quotes them saying. "'Need us to grab Crimea? We'll grab Crimea.'" In the United States, the GRU is perhaps best known as the agency that led the way in Russia's interference in the 2016 election, according to a July indictment of 12 of its officers obtained by special counsel Robert Mueller. But interviews and public records in Russia show that its reach extends to the battlefields of Ukraine and Syria and to school classrooms in Moscow reflecting the multi-pronged approach Putin is taking in his conflict with the West. "Putin has become more comfortable with risk," said Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a former US deputy national intelligence officer. "The GRU fits his moment." Patriotism and conflict The GRU's power is bolstered by a surge in public support for Russia's military and its intelligence agencies; a focus on patriotism and conflict with the West that is a recurring theme in state media. The GRU itself, records show, is now involved in promoting the intelligence services in public schools. Yevgenia Loguntsova, the mother of Nina, the student in the military-linked classes, heard horror stories when she was young about the Soviet intelligence services. Her mother warned her that the secret police might detain people on the street, simply on suspicion of skipping work. A Stasi ID pass used by Vladimir Putin when he was a Soviet spy in former East Germany has been found in the secret police archives in Dresden. Credit:BStU. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Loguntsova said, fear gave way to ridicule and disgust. Many regular Russians saw the successor agencies to the Soviet security services enmeshed in corruption. But by 2015, Loguntsova's perception of the Russian intelligence services had changed. Russia's best and brightest now join the services, she said. And she saw the intelligence branches as fighting corruption rather than taking part in it. She enrolled her daughter in a "cadet class" that boasted the school's best teachers, Loguntsova said, and provided extra maths and computer lessons. Documents posted on the school website show the class is sponsored by the Federal Security Service, the formal name of the FSB, and by the military's Unit 26165, the cyber warfare wing of the GRU that has also been called APT28 or Fancy Bear by American researchers. Unit 26165 has helped design the curriculum at Nina Loguntsova's school and at least six others in Moscow in recent years, "cooperation agreements" posted on the schools' websites show. The unit appears to operate largely in the background, though. The military compound in Moscow that houses Unit 26165. Credit:Mary Gelman/Washington Post Nina Loguntsova and her mother knew about the FSB's participation but not about that of the GRU. Loguntsova's school did not respond to a request for comment. The Moscow education ministry and the FSB declined to comment. The cooperation agreement between the security services and Loguntsova's school is signed by the Unit 26165 commander, Viktor Netyksho. He was named in the July indictment, accused of leading the GRU's effort to hack the email accounts of Democratic and Clinton campaign officials. "The concepts of motherland and patriotism are all-encompassing," said the elder Loguntsova, 43, a psychologist. "We can't love our motherland and not respect these same organisations." Experience in extrajudicial violence The GRU's rise in standing at home has mirrored an expanded role abroad. In the Soviet era, the GRU conducted clandestine operations seeking to build Kremlin influence in the developing world. But its role in the West was limited largely to collecting military secrets, according to historians and former officials. The KGB took the lead on political influence operations. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the GRU played a key role in Moscow's two bloody wars against rebels in the breakaway republic of Chechnya. "They gained experience in extrajudicial violence," said Alexei Kondaurov, a retired KGB general and a Putin critic. "This is a key thing that changes one's psychology." Under Putin, a former FSB chief, the GRU has taken the anything-goes approach to cyberspace. GRU units that focused on propaganda and decryption in the Soviet era are now conducting psychological operations over the Internet and waging cyber attacks. In 2013, the GRU launched a "science company" as part of the Defence Ministry's effort to recruit top talent from universities. Former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were the victims of an apparent assassination attempt, British police say. Credit:EPA "Historically, the GRU has been Russia's main agency for operating in uncontrolled spaces, which has meant civil wars and the like," said Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian intelligence at the Institute of International Relations in Prague. "In some ways, the Internet is today's uncontrolled space." In February 2015, as the conflict in eastern Ukraine dragged into a second year, a dozen US senators received an email from someone purporting to belong to a group called the "Patriots of Ukraine." The email contained a link to a petition to "save" Ukraine, whose pro-Western government is fighting pro-Russian separatists. In creaky English, it began: "US Senators and Congressmen! Today the situation in Ukraine is extremely bad. Ukraine is in war ... Level of corruption is Ukrainian Armed Forces is enormous. High-ranking officer sell armaments to the terrorists." The petition went on to implore the senators, who appeared to be picked only by virtue of their last names, as they were the first dozen or so by alphabetical order, to send "high-experienced US and NATO specialists" to substitute for Ukrainian commanding officers. Students hold posters reading "Keep calm and think with your head" and "Keep calm support the army" in front of a university in Kiev, Ukraine, after Russia seized the crew of three Ukrainian vessels. Credit:AP "We hope you are able to influence the White House, Pentagon and State Department and achieve the agreement to send western officers to Ukraine for direct control of our Armed Forces," said the petition, a copy of which was shared with The Post by a Western intelligence agency, which described the operation. The email apparently gained no traction on Capitol Hill in Washington. Unit 54777 But it was noteworthy in one important regard. It was the first known, if somewhat crude, effort by the GRU's main psychological-operations division to influence US politicians, according to the Western intelligence agency. Western intelligence analysts saw the campaign having twin aims, to further demoralise Ukrainians after heavy losses and to sow confusion among US policymakers to make them believe that the Ukrainians themselves had lost faith in their military. The GRU unit behind the emails, known as Unit 54777, or the 72nd Special Service Centre, is the centre of the Russian military's psychological-warfare capability, say Western intelligence officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss classified information. Last month, when the Russian border guard fired upon and seized three Ukrainian ships in the Black Sea, young men in a Ukrainian border region were sent text messages to report for military service. The text messages, the Western intelligence agency said, were sent by the psy-ops unit - a previously unreported assessment. "They are the centre of gravity for Russian psychological operations," said an officer from that agency. "Their hand has been seen in many of the most well-known campaigns." Unit 54777 has several front organisations that are financed through government grants as public diplomacy organisations but are covertly run by the GRU and aimed at Russian expatriates, the intelligence officer said. Two of the most significant are InfoRos and the Institute of the Russian Diaspora. In February 2014, for instance, shortly before Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, the institute and InfoRos launched an appeal, purportedly on behalf of Russian organisations in Ukraine, calling on Putin to intervene in the brewing crisis, the intelligence officer said. In December 2015, GRU hackers plunged some 225,000 people into darkness after gaining access to Ukraine's power grid. The appeal was intended to convince the international community as well as the Russian public that Ukraine was not unified and to increase pressure on the anti-Russian protesters in Kiev, the intelligence officer said. InfoRos and the institute did not respond to requests for comment. Unit 54777 also is thought by Western intelligence to work with other psy-ops and cyber units, such as the CyberCaliphate, a hacking outfit passing itself off as supporters of the Islamic State but really part of the same GRU unit that would penetrate the Democrats' networks in 2016. The CyberCaliphate hijacked the US Central Command's Twitter feed in January 2015 and targeted military spouses, hacking their Twitter accounts and posting threats. In April 2015, the CyberCaliphate, again claiming to be Islamic State supporters, took France's TV5Monde off the air for 18 hours. "What the GRU demonstrate very consistently is profound innovation with available resources," said Joe Cheravitch, a Russia analyst with Rand Corp, a non-profit, federally funded research institute. "That's what really makes them dangerous." The most costly cyber attack in history In many ways, the Ukraine conflict provided the test bed for the GRU's information and cyber warfare operations, analysts say. Spies directed by Unit 54777 created fake personas and posted comments on Russian and English-language social media platforms, as well as on articles in Western publications, according to the Western intelligence agency. Often, they sought to stoke divisions between pro-Russian and pro-Western Ukrainians by portraying themselves as Ukrainian "patriots" fed up with the pro-Moscow "Nazis" and "fascists" who they blamed for the violence. Loading In December 2015, GRU hackers plunged some 225,000 people into darkness after gaining access to Ukraine's power grid, according to US intelligence and private-sector analysts. It was the first known cyberattack to result in a power outage. GRU units also are suspected of deploying a highly disruptive computer virus dubbed NotPetya, analysts said. Launched on June 28, 2017 Ukraine's Constitution Day the virus wiped data from the computers of banks, energy firms, senior government officials and an airport in Ukraine. It also affected computers in Denmark, India and the United States. The White House called it "the most destructive and costly cyber attack in history." In response to the NotPetya virus and other suspected hackings, the United States in March placed sanctions on six GRU officials. "Ukraine is to 21st-century hybrid warfare what Spain was in the 1930s for battlefield blitzkrieg techniques the place where the bad guys try out what they may use against us later on," said Daniel Fried, a former senior State Department official who helped lead the West's response to Moscow's aggression against Ukraine. Russia has denied that the GRU engages in malign activity around the world. After Mueller's indictment of 12 officers accused of interfering in the US election, Russia's Foreign Ministry said that "it has become the norm in Washington to promote fake news and initiate criminal proceedings for obvious political purposes." In a book on the agency, Soviet GRU defector Vladimir Rezun quotes from a czar's order in a Russian folk tale to describe the mission often given to officers: "Go there, I don't know where! Bring me something, I don't know what!" Rezun's point, as echoed by experts on Russian intelligence agencies, is that GRU operatives look for opportunities to give the Kremlin what they think it wants without always following precise orders. But by this fall, the GRU seemed as if it might have gone too far. In July, 12 officers were indicted in Washington. In September, British officials accused two GRU officers of the clumsy attempt to assassinate former GRU agent Sergei Skripal earlier this year. In October, the Netherlands said that GRU officers had tried to hack into an international chemical weapons watchdog's wifi network by parking a specially equipped car at the Marriott next door. In November, the GRU was celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of its Communist predecessor under the revolutionary Leon Trotsky. Putin arrived at its headquarters for the celebration and offered only praise. Go there, I don't know where! Bring me something, I don't know what! The Czar's orders in a Russian folk tale For analysts, the Russian president's defense was a surprisingly full-throated one. It showed that Putin had no plans to back down from deploying his century-old military intelligence agency as one of his main weapons in asserting Russian influence abroad. And it reflected many Russians' continued belief that the country needs aggressive intelligence services to head off a threat from the West. Jerusalem: Two senior Israeli Cabinet ministers have announced that they are forming a new party to run in the elections in April, in the hope that they can present a hard-line alternative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party. Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said they were leaving the Jewish Home party and would instead lead a new list of candidates. Israeli Minister of Education Naftali Bennett. Credit:AP The Jewish Home is a hard-line nationalist party that is especially popular with religious voters and West Bank settlers. Bennett and Shaked hope that their new movement, called "The New Right," will have a broader appeal to both religious and secular voters. Bennett has been the leader of the Jewish Home since 2012, and Shaked is one of the country's most popular politicians. Washington: Cooped up in the White House over the weekend after cancelling a vacation to his private Florida club, President Donald Trump fired Twitter barbs at Democrats as talks to end a week-long partial government shutdown remained at a stalemate. As the disruption in federal services and public employees' pay appeared set to continue into the new year, there were no signs of substantive negotiation between the parties. Trump held out for billions in federal funds for a border wall between the US and Mexico, which Democrats have said they are intent on blocking. Alcatraz Island is shown behind a locks on a pier fence in San Francisco. Some tours to the island have stopped because the ferry is government-run. Credit:AP Trump tweeted on Saturday that he was "in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security." But there has been little direct contact between the sides during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington for another five days, to keep Congress in session. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 29) After leading the distribution of certificates of land ownership to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Kidapawan City, Cotabato, President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday attacked the Church again. "Do not use the platform of religion to criticize me. Just say that I am wrong," he said. In the middle of his tirade, the President narrated a dialogue during confession between a priest and an Ateneo high school student revealing a sexual experience with a sleeping household helper. "Kaming lahat sa Ateneo di ba Friday mass 'yan tapos communion kaya magkumpisal ka, tanong ka 'What are your sins my son?' 'E first year ka.' 'Alam mo na kung anong kasalanan ng first year.' 'I-I...' 'Come on... I-I is not a sin. We do not have the whole day. Speak up!' I went to the - ' 'What?' 'I went to the room of the maid," Duterte said. [Translation: All of us in Ateneo, it was Friday mass and there was communion so you confess. You're asked, "What are your sins my son? And you're in the first year. You know what you've done during the first year. 'I-I...' 'Come on... I-I is not a sin. We do not have the whole day. Speak up!' I went to the - 'What?' I went to the room of the maid.] The President continued narrating in graphic detail how the student inappropriately touched a household helper. He then told the audience, "Kayo ayaw man ninyo, hindi niyo masabi dito. Ako wala... Media? Totoo man. It's true. Lahat naman ng mga bata dumaan ng - kahaba ng" [Translation: You, you don't want to talk about it here. Me, I don't haveMedia? It's true. Every child goes through (that).] He added that the priest would touch the student while confessing. This, the President said, is why he does not like the Church and its abuses. "Pag hindi kalaban nila talaga nila ako... And I will continue to attack them," Duterte said. [Translation: If they-- no I am their enemy...] CNN Philippines has asked Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo for a reaction or any further clarification on Duterte's statement, but has not yet received a reply. The Dream Chaser space plane is designed to return cargo to Earth by landing on a runway, allowing for rapid access. WASHINGTON Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has won NASA approval to begin full-scale production of its Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft scheduled to make its first flight in about two years. The company announced Dec. 18 that it completed a milestone in its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) 2 contract called Integrated Review 4. With that milestone, the company is cleared to move ahead into assembly of the Dream Chaser vehicle that will deliver cargo to the station. "NASA's acknowledgement that SNC has completed this critical milestone and its approval of full production of the first Dream Chaser spacecraft is a major indication we are on the right path toward increasing vital science return for the industry," John Curry, CRS-2 program director at the company, said in a statement announcing the milestone. [In Pictures: Dream Chaser Space Plane Aces Glide Flight] SNC was one of three companies, along with incumbents SpaceX and Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems), to receive CRS-2 contracts from NASA in January 2016. Each company is guaranteed at least six missions to the ISS under the contracts. To carry out the missions, SNC proposed a cargo version of the Dream Chaser spacecraft it had been developing for NASA's commercial crew program. Although the vehicle was not selected by NASA when it awarded contracts instead to Boeing and SpaceX in 2014, SNC adapted the design with foldable wings, allowing it to fit within many existing payload fairings, and a cargo module. While many elements of Dream Chaser were already in production, this review confirmed the overall design was ready for full-scale assembly and testing. "IR4 was a series of reviews, documentation, and data deliverables that are the culmination of many years of design work, analysis and development testing," said Fatih Ozmen, co-owner and chief executive of SNC, in a statement. "This comprehensive review approved moving the Dream Chaser program into the production phase so we can get Dream Chaser to market as a critical space station resupply spacecraft as soon as possible." The cargo version of Dream Chaser can carry up to 5,500 kilograms of cargo to the International Space Station and return 1,850 kilograms to Earth in a runway landing. The cargo module, which burns up on reentry, can dispose of an additional 3,400 kilograms of cargo. The first Dream Chaser launch, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V, is planned for no earlier than late 2020, a date that will depend on the status of vehicle development and cargo needs for the ISS. SNC, though, is keeping its launch options open for future Dream Chaser missions. "We're looking at all launch vehicles out there," Steve Lindsey, vice president for space exploration systems at the company, said during a panel discussion Oct. 11 at the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Competition in the launch market has helped drive down costs for SNC. "When those launch vehicle prices come down which, by the way, is about 80 percent of our costs on every mission we fly that opens up the commercial market," he said. That includes other applications of Dream Chaser, such as a free-flying experiment platform. At that conference, Lindsey said he expected to be "the majority of the way through" assembly and testing of the first Dream Chaser by next October, while planning "changes and upgrades" for a second vehicle. This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. Billions of years ago, molecules on a lifeless and tumultuous Earth mixed, forming the first life-forms. Eons later, a larger, smarter form of life is huddling over lab experiments trying to understand its own beginnings. While some say life emerged from simple chains of molecules, others say early chemical reactions formed self-replicating RNA. A relative of DNA, RNA acts as a decoder or messenger of genetic information. [7 Theories on the Origin of Life] A new study provides evidence for the RNA idea, which is known as the "RNA world hypothesis." But at least one ingredient in early RNA may differ from what's found in the modern form, a group of scientists reported on Dec. 3 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Modern RNA, alongside its sugar and phosphate backbone, is made of four main building blocks: nucleobases called adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U). But it turns out that early RNA may have had one nucleobase that isn't part of the modern form. In tiny plastic tubes, the researchers put water, a little bit of salt, buffer to keep the pH basic and magnesium ions to speed up reactions. These conditions are similar to those found in a freshwater lake or pond, a crater lake, or the kind of lake or pool found in volcanic regions such as Yellowstone National Park all places that life could have started. The researchers then added a small piece of RNA called a primer attached to a longer piece of RNA called a template. New RNA is made when a primer copies template RNA, through base pairing . The nucleobases uniquely match up with one another; C binds only with G, and A binds only with U. The researchers added the nucleobases (A, C, G and U) so they could bind to the template and thereby extend the shorter piece, the primer. Results showed that, with ingredients from modern RNA, the reaction didn't work fast enough for the RNA to form and replicate without errors. But then, the researchers added another chemical, called inosine, into the mix, instead of the guanine-based molecule. After that, the researchers were surprised to find that RNA could form and replicate slightly more accurately than it does in a mix with guanine. This mix didn't cause what's called an "error catastrophe," meaning that mutations or random mistakes in replications stayed below a threshold, ensuring they could be eliminated before accumulating. "The fact that [the addition of inosine] surmounts the problem of error catastrophe is an important test of [the molecules] significance," said David Deamer, a biologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who was not part of the study. His only quibble is the claim that inosine is more plausible in the making of primitive RNA than other alternative bases, Deamer said. He doesn't yet think the other bases should be excluded, since "this is a fairly broad claim based on a highly specific chemical reaction," Deamer told Live Science But because inosine can be easily derived from another base pair, adenine, it makes the process of originating life "easier" than if you had to make guanine from scratch, said John Sutherland, a researcher into the chemical origins of molecular biology at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in the U.K., who was not part of the study either. The findings break "the conventional wisdom that inosine couldn't have been useful," Sutherland told Live Science. Inosine had earned this reputation because it works a very specific job in a form of RNA called transfer RNA, which decodes genetic information. Inosine was thought to "wobble," or bind to various base pairs rather than a single one. That would have made it a poor molecule for giving unique instructions to form new RNA, because there wouldn't have been clear direction for what inosine could bind with. And so, "a lot of us had wrongly thought that [wobble] was an inherent property of inosine," Sutherland said. But this study showed that inosine, in the early world context where RNA first emerged, doesn't wobble, but instead pairs reliably with cytosine, he added. "It all makes sense now, but based on the older results, we didn't expect inosine to work as well as it did," said study senior author Jack Szostak, a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard University, who is also a Nobel laureate. Szostak and his team are now trying to figure out how else that primitive RNA might have been different from modern RNA and how it eventually turned into modern RNA. Also, much of their lab is focused on how RNA molecules replicated before enzymes evolved. (Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions.) "This is a big challenge," Szostak told Live Science. "We've made a lot of progress, but there are still unsolved puzzles." Sutherland also noted that the field is generally moving on from a pure "RNA world hypothesis" into one that sees more components mixed into the cauldron that created life. Those include lipids, peptides, proteins and energy sources. He added that in researchers' minds, "It's a less purist RNA world than it used to be." Originally published on Live Science. The constellation of Sagittarius, the Archer, is a common sight in the winter sky, easily recognizable by the "teapot" asterism that makes up its front half. Look in the Archer's direction and you're staring into the center of the galaxy, the Milky Way contributing the "steam" from the teapot's spout. With a home telescope you might see the Lagoon Nebula within Sagittarius, or a globular cluster such as Messier 54. If you have access to billions of dollars' worth of space telescope, however, you may discover other much smaller and fainter things. This is just what happened in 2014 when the Hubble Space Telescope was surveying the area, hoping to find a new target for the New Horizons mission after ground-based telescopes had failed to find anything there. Back then, NASA's mission to Pluto was still incomplete, but it was clear the probe would be heading in the direction of Sagittarius following its encounter with the distant dwarf planet and, if an even more distant object were found in its path, it could carry on and encounter that, too. With plenty of plutonium dioxide on board to generate power, the probe is expected to keep functioning for many more years, time enough to explore the outer reaches of the solar system at over 36,040 mph (58,000 km/h). [How to Watch New Horizons' Ultima Thule Flyby] An artist's illustration of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flying by the Kuiper Belt object Ultima Thule (2014 MU69) on Jan. 1, 2019. (Image credit: Adrian Mann/All About Space) The object Hubble discovered was named (486958) 2014 MU69. The number in parentheses is its minor planet number we know of over half a million while 2014 is the year of discovery. M is for the second half of June, and U69 indicates it's the 1,745th object discovered during those two weeks. Modern techniques and space telescopes are discovering a lot of objects. 2014 MU69 quickly picked up a nickname, Ultima Thule, as a result of a public vote. Thule, in Greek and Roman literature, was the farthest north you could go, often associated with Greenland or Iceland. The later addition of "Ultima," meaning "farthest," was used to mean a place beyond the borders of the world. There are many thousands of unknown worlds out there at the borders of our solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, but very few were in the right place to be visited by New Horizons. Collectively known as trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), they're dimly lit and enormously spread out, with distances of 1 astronomical unit (AU) the distance from the Earth to the sun commonly between them. The best known, Pluto, is the most massive known object in an area of space between 30 and 55 AU from the sun, known as the Kuiper Belt. We know of a few other big things in the belt with two of them classified as dwarf planets like Pluto and there's something heavier than Pluto too, the dwarf planet Eris. But Eris is three times farther from the sun than the demoted ninth planet and isn't classed as a Kuiper Belt object (KBO) thanks to its extreme distance it falls into an area known as the Scattered Disc. Many scientists also believe there's evidence of a larger body in the orbits of smaller ones, but that hypothetical Planet Nine hasn't been seen yet. An object generally needs a single-body diameter of at least 186 miles (300 kilometers) to be considered a dwarf planet. Most known KBOs are much smaller than Pluto's (1,477-mile (2,377 km) width, however. There's Lempo, a binary system with at least one additional satellite and a total diameter of around 249 miles (400 km), the same as Saturn's moon Mimas. Lempo is named after the god of love from Finnish mythology, and like a lot of KBOs appears extremely red. Then there's Drac, only 56 miles (90 km) across and named after Bram Stoker's famous count. Drac is notable because of its high inclination and the fact its orbit is retrograde the opposite direction to most other objects. [Dwarf Planets: Science & Facts About the Solar System's Smaller Worlds] Ultima Thule could be a binary system too, but with a diameter of just 18.6 miles (30 km) or so it's a bit hard to make out from Earth. It was chosen as the new target because of its position less fuel was required to reach it. A brighter, and therefore probably larger object was also considered, but the fuel needed to reach it would have left less in the tank for future maneuvering. But why worry about something so small and far away? Studying KBOs like this tells us about the way the solar system was a long time ago. "The belt is analogous to the solar system's attic," said New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, of the Soutwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. "It's an ancient region, very far from the sun, which has been preserved in a deep freeze," Stern added. "It's the equivalent of an archaeological dig into the history and formation of the planets. So, scientifically it's a gold mine, and by going there with a spacecraft and observing KBOs up close, like we'll be doing with Ultima, we hope to learn a lot about how the early formation stages of the planets took place." And that's not all, as the interactions of the small objects out there can tell us a lot about the movements of big objects. Really big ones. "What we know of the trans-Neptunian region is that it's the leftover remnants of the objects that didn't make it into being planets," said Michele Bannister, a post-doctoral researcher at Queen's University Belfast who helps discover minor planets as part of the Outer Solar System Origins Survey. "These little rocky and icy worlds were formed in the initial disc of material around the sun, the ones that never grew up into being planets in their own right," Bannister said. "Since then, they've been sculpted by changes in the orbital positions of the giant planets, particularly Neptune." The idea that planets move around rather than just placidly orbit the sun can be hard to process given the enormous size and mass of the outer planets, but according to the Nice model of solar system formation named after the place in France, not merely because it's pleasing as the solar system gathered together from its protoplanetary disc, everything formed much closer to the sun. The outer edge of the Kuiper Belt was once 30 AU from the sun instead of 55, and Uranus was the outer planet instead of Neptune. There's even a hypothesis that there could have been a fifth giant planet, ejected from the solar system following an encounter with Jupiter. Gravitational interactions between the four giants we know of led to Neptune moving outward past the orbit of Uranus, producing the Kuiper Belt we see today. "What we see there today are materials from that initial disc," said Bannister. "Some of them are familiar, like water ice and rock, but some of them are unfamiliar, like kitchen cleaning chemicals you have under your sink, in solid form." And even though it's called a belt, don't imagine it's completely flat. "A lot of the objects have never had anything happen to them; they're on round, flat orbits, but a lot of them have had energy put into them," Bannister said. "They can be a lot more eccentric; their orbits are long, thin ellipses, and they're tilted compared to the plane of the solar system. Some of them are in an orbital ballet with Neptune, called a mean motion resonance, where Neptune goes around the sun three times for every two times one of these objects goes round that's the resonance Pluto is in. A lot of the objects are in places where they can do this, and that resonant objects exist at all when the spaces in between are free of objects is a signature that Neptune migrated outwards in the early solar system." Ultima Thule is one of the less eccentric objects, and is not in a resonance with Neptune. Known as a "classical" KBO, it's also part of the "cold" population, which means it has never received any energy from collisions or gravitational interactions. It's just been sitting there, doing relatively little, since the solar system formed. Much of what we know about it comes from Hubble observations, or from occultations where the object passes in front of a background star. The dip in the star's brightness tells us about what's blocking it, and three occultations by Ultima Thule in 2017 were studied by a special group of astronomers formed by the New Horizons team. This study of occultations is the same process that is often used to observe exoplanets around distant stars, but even with this data Ultima Thule remains a mystery. [7 Ways to Discover Alien Planets] "We don't know if it's two objects, or if it's binary, but we know its shape is not round," said Bannister. "Binary systems are very common in the population to which this little world belongs, and this ties directly into how they formed. A solar system starts off being made of dust and gas, and this starts forming little objects, and they have to get over about a meter in diameter and suddenly they're full-on asteroids that can start accreting material much, much faster. This whole process is something people are very actively working to understand, but binary objects might be implying that, when you initially make little worlds, you make them binary, so it tells us a lot about what physics to put into simulations of how planets are formed." A timeline of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft on its way to a Jan. 1, 2019 flyby of Ultima Thule after visiting Pluto in 2015. (Image credit: All About Space) Whatever Ultima Thule is like, New Horizons is well equipped to tell us all about it, as the startling images of red-and-white plains and mountains on Pluto showed. "We have a very powerful set of seven scientific instruments," Stern said. "They will map its surface composition, search for an atmosphere, search for satellites, search for rings and make other kinds of studies. And I hope that we put together a very complete picture of what this typical Kuiper Belt object is like, because not only is this the first time that an object like this has been explored, but nobody's planning another mission out to the Kuiper Belt, so I think that this dataset is something that's going to be valuable scientifically for decades to come." How long New Horizons can carry on sending back this kind of remarkable data is limited by the power and fuel supplies on the spacecraft, as well as the availability of suitable targets in its path. When you're travelling over 36,040 mph (58,000 kilometres), changing direction isn't easy. Stern isn't worried about the future, however. "We have a very healthy spacecraft," he said. "We have the fuel and the power in our nuclear battery to run it for at least 15 years, maybe 20 years. If NASA continues to fund it, if NASA judges that it's scientifically worthwhile, this spacecraft will be operated into the mid-2030s or later. It's very much like the Voyagers which finished their exploration of the planets in the 1980s, but are still returning useful scientific data 40 years after launch." This article was provided by Space.com's sister publication All About Space, a print magazine dedicated to astronomy, space exploration and the night sky. Sign up for the All About Space newsletter for news and subscription details! Follow us @Spacedotcom or Facebook. This version of the story published on Space.com. The article was written by Ellys Cartin, Marko Pekic, Jessica Lerner, and Beth. Article edited by Donna Cromeans (@DJRiter). Article prepared for publication by Aimee Hicks. The heart of ABCsis Gary Mendez. Hes the character who lifts everyone else up, as he is both the first to point out flaws and the first to forgive them. He uses sarcastic humor to cope with lifes less pleasant revelations. He is both confidant and comforter often literally wrapping his arms around his friends to help and protect them. But sometimes, the protector needs protection. Of course, he wouldnt be a realistic character if he didnt have jagged edges here and there. His flaws only make him a more lovable character because they make him more familiar. Gary relishes life. Gary sabotages his own happiness. Gary would give blood down to his last pint to help someone he loves. Its almost guaranteed that viewers see a small part of themselves in him. This character has been a gift to viewers in the first season of this new drama. He has become a vital part of the show through the impassioned yet subtle performances of James Roday. Viewers most likely knew him from previous comedic work or his projects from the directors chair, such as three adrenaline-pumping episodes ofthis spring. The character Gary Mendez is one of his finest creations to date, and the episode(1x8) is an incredible dramatic showcase for his talents. His stellar work makes him more than worthy of recognition as SpoilerTVs Staff Choice Performer of the Month for November.Roday`s Gary is a survivor, of not only cancer but of life. He comes into this episode right after the break up with Maggie (Allison Miller). He has only one goal, get Maggie out of his mind. While looking at the apartment with Eddie (David Giunatoli) he is continuously making remarks about women online trying to cover his pain and take his mind off Maggie`s decision to discontinue treatment. The brave, nonchalant front Gary struggles to maintain during these moments with Eddie capture the nuances that Roday puts into creating his character. Eddie continuously presses Gary to call Maggie, repeatedly laying blame for the breakup on Gary's usual patterns of behavior towards women. There's an invitation that Roday puts into Gary's voice and body language. He wants Eddie to ask him a follow-up question. Eddie misses the cue, continuing to rib his friend. And the disappointment and irritation in Gary's demeanor are instantly readable. He drops a harsh verbal response, putting Eddie down with a mean-spirited observation. Eddie then unknowingly hits his friend right in the heart by snapping back. For a second, Gary is dumbstruck into silence, his face contorted with pain and vexation that must remain unspoken because of his promise to Maggie. Instead, he moves closer to his friend, his voice slowly getting louder until he is shouting. He reminds Eddie that he was the first to forgive him and take him in. And now he just needs him to have his back. Roday nails this scene with many nonverbal cues, as Gary asks for understanding a dozen different ways that the audience can read but Eddie cant or doesnt want to see. Knowing how much he needs to share this burden magnifies the emotional power of this scene.Often, an actor will have the benefit of playing off their scene partner and that other persons dialogue, and the power of the connection that comes from that can create some phenomenal scenes. But, then there are times where the writers really want to challenge the performers and they divide them in some way so the performers arent face-to-face. When this occurs, it is on the individual actor to bring their A game, and Roday does just that. Gary is having a one-way conversation through a wooden door trying to reach Maggie. This scene was James Roday laying everything on the table. He brought a wide range of feelings, from humor to desperation to anguish. His barely controlled emotion alone is enough to bring any viewer to tears. There's fear in Gary's voice, even as he sugar-coats it with humor when he asks her to knock three times to tell him if she's alive. As he tries to get Maggie to talk to him, it is the subtle non-verbal beats that Roday infuses that makes this moment even more impactful. In the hands of a lesser actor this scene could come across as disingenuous or needy, but what he does with the verbal and the non-verbal cues is something to marvel at. Roday just stands there outside this door, his hands in his pockets, pouring out his heart. He gradually gets closer until he is only inches away. In the last moment of trying and failing to get a response, it is one final move that involves no dialogue that he does that leaves a lasting impression. As he turns to go, Gary places his hand flat against the door, slowly pulling it away but never looking back. Anyone watching that scene could feel Gary's heartbreak. Being so emotionally open as a performer is the mark of an amazing performance, and Roday bared his soul in this scene.After Maggie doesnt answer at her apartment, Gary visits her office and learns shes taken a job in another city. That reminds him of her ex-boyfriend, Tom (Sam Huntington) who came to see her. Going to the airport to talk to Tom is an outstanding example of the depth of Garys dedication. Roday plays this scene with a brisk manner but slows down a minute when Gary has to offer Tom reassurance. Tom naturally assumes Garys appearance means the worst has happened. As he just starts to panic, Roday has Gary extend out his arm, not quite touching Tom but making a gesture as if he would support him if he started to collapse. Or as if he doesnt want him to keep speaking. No, no, no, no. Shes alive. He says it firmly, punctuating each denial as if Gary is subconsciously willing it to be so. Gary doesnt want to associate death and Maggie. He asks Tom to talk with him. Once again displaying his characters penchant of being the comforter and supporter for everyone, even a stranger.In Garys conversation with Tom, Roday has him be completely candid. He pleads with the ex of the woman he loves to help him save her. He admits his fear that hes not enough to save her and begs her ex to help him. Once again, hes showing even more of the characters carefully guarded vulnerability. Tom says there is nothing they can do about that door. Roday looks at him with piercing cold fury, showing he cant believe Tom is saying he wont even try. This anger slowly fades away, replaced by exasperation as Tom explains that someone else is responsible for Maggies defenses. Roday presses his thumbs to the bridge of his nose, hinting at the weariness and potential jet lag his character is experiencing. Tom tries to offer some consolation, with a quote about how you cant save someone who doesnt want to be saved. The cracks appear through a faint huskiness that Roday lets into his voice. Gary tells Tom about how he lost a friend to suicide recently. "There's not a day that goes by when I don't wonder if there's something, I could have done to save him." This isnt the first time hes referenced Maggies decision to not do chemo as being self-harm, but its one of the rare times Gary has revealed feelings of guilt about his friend Jons death. Normally, he keeps his feeling close, but its evident hes growing weary of having to be strong. When Gary asks Tom again to get on a plane, Roday lets his lower lip quiver. And this time when Tom gently refuses, Garys eyes arent angry but full of empathy for the other mans pain. Roday lets his shoulders just barely drop here, in a crushing slow recognition of defeat.After his swift round trip to Chicago, Gary enters the food testing party with an unsettled mind. There's a brief cold confrontation with Maggie on the way in. The slight tremble of yearning in his eyes was perfectly transferred by Roday, even as Gary otherwise pretended to drop the subject instantly. He begins an aggressively cheery circle through the party. He stops to forgive Eddie and offer him and his son a place to live. He munches on appetizers, pausing to hug another friend who is the chef. This behavior becomes a performance within a performance within a performance. Gary is again faking happiness so that his friends will believe him to be okay, but he's also deliberately trying to draw Maggie's attention to things she'll be losing. Namely the love and support of this friend group. And while a smile covered his face throughout the scene Roday gave away Gary's inner turmoil with a persistent twitch in his eyes. Gary is so disconnected and focused on not paying attention to Maggie while trying to get her attention that he isn't even keeping track of what is going on around him. When Maggie calls Gary from inside the room, he plays his last card, telling her that he knows his friends would side with him in this situation. There's an eager, if slightly smug, confidence to this declaration. Gary has been spinning out of control since he arrived at this party, and the only tether left is this trust in his friends. It's his last refuge. And it's pulled out from under him in the same breath.Upon learning the rest of their friends know Maggie has decided to forgo treatment and support her decision, confusion spreads over Garys face, with Rodayexpertly balancing the breast cancer survivors disoriented state as he tries to process this new, incomprehensible piece of news. He couldnt quite believe that his friends were betraying him like this. Needing somehow to make sense of all of this, Gary calls for a timeout and looks around at each of his cheerful friends, desperately trying to figure out how this could have happened. His confusion then seamlessly morphs to anger, with his voice growing louder with incredulity as he realizes his friends are willing to stand by and watch this woman kill herself. On the verge of yelling, Gary begins to gesture feverishly in a desperate plea for his friends to realize the severity of the situation. Roday then reaches the crescendo of his rant, and with the rest of the room in complete silence, he commands everyones attention. He spins around the room, searching for any hint of concession from his friends and finding none. He then masterfully redirects all of Garys rage and hurt onto Maggie, but in a way that it's not an attack but a last entreaty for her to reconsider her decision. He uncharacteristically ignores the effect his words have on her, telling the Chicago transplant she will bail on their friends like she bailed on her friends in the Windy City to mockingly mentioning some loser named Chad that broke her heart. The torrent of injury and bitterness that Roday funnels in this scene forms a vivid contrast to the compassion and longing he demonstrated in the scene at Maggie's door. Gary pauses when Maggie tells him he doesnt know what hes talking about. In that instance, Rodays posture deflates as he lets Garys frustration drain away, and indifference washes across his face. Then, as he raises his hands in a placating gesture, Gary pointedly notes, I dont know you." There's sorrow in his tone and exhaustion in his frame. He quietly exits, leaving behind a vacuum so large it creates an ache in your own heart as you watch.There isnt a single moment of James Rodays work inthat isnt layered with hurt and hope. He allows viewers to see through Garys snarky facade to the man beneath that who is desperate to share his strength and love with someone he senses needs it. And he takes them a level deeper into the desperation and betrayal Gary can barely handle in this episode. The character has reached a breaking point, hes been so strong for everyone else for so long he just doesnt possess the strength to be strong for himself when he needs it most. Even when Gary is going too far or making a very questionable choice, Roday never lets us forget how beautiful the soul is under the brusque, burly mask Gary wears. His performance in this episode displays a raw authenticity that anyone who has experienced grief or denial, or desperation will certainly recognize. He holds everything in, not wanting to confide in anyone until he cant do so anymore. He finally lashes out in a destructive rage that is simultaneously a cry for help. Roday ensures that your heart is aching with Mendezs every step of the way. In a short time, only half a season, he has molded Gary Mendez into an incredible character that one cant help but root for during his lows and his highs. His exceptional performance in this emotional episode, and for the detailed reasons outlined in this article are the factors that led to James Roday being selected SpoilerTVs Staff Pick for Performer of the Month for November.Share your thoughts on why you think James Roday deserves this honor in the comments below. Its been a half-century since the Apollo 8 astronauts captured that now-iconic image: a partially hidden globe a luminous blue and white dot living color in the vast darkness. At the forefront, below this vibrant Earth, is the lifeless lunar horizon, the dull brownish-gray of the moons barren, cratered surface. This view of the rising earth greeted the Apollo 8 astronauts as they came from behind the moon after the lunar orbit insertion burn, explained the NASA press release that accompanied the photograph, issued after the spacecrafts return to Earth. The astronauts Bill Anders, Frank Borman, and Jim Lovell encountered this spectacular earthrise as they orbited the moon on Christmas Eve 1968, the first human beings to experience Earth this way. The global image they brought back altered our view of our place in the cosmos. It should have also altered our behavior. Over the past 50 years we might have become more diligent in our collective stewardship of this unique treasure. We might have developed heightened sensitivity to our shared humanity and interconnectedness as co-inhabitants of this precious life-sustaining planet. We might have. In reality, weve shirked this responsibility and continue to act in destructive ways. And now, with Donald J. Trump as American president and leader of the Free World, weve witnessed disdain for the care of our planet and its people. Weve seen disregard for human rights, civil liberties, democratic values, and the morality that should inform accepted rules of social conduct. Weve seen our global interconnectedness repudiated in favor of a dangerous, xenophobic nationalism. Descending the escalator at Trump Tower in June 2015, Trump labeled Mexicans drug dealers, criminals, and rapists, embracing a divisive and bigoted worldview. His message was antithetical to the Christmas Eve earthrise vision that inspired the Apollo 8 astronauts. Build that wall! The Trumpist battle cry rang hollow this Christmas week, recognized as the call for a government shutdown to please the likes of Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh. The Trump wall is not about true border security, or much-needed immigration reform. Its about excluding the other, with callous indifference to the plight of asylum seekers. Its a racist, xenophobic symbol. Its a monument to hate that must never be built. Paradoxically, while calling for a physical wall in the name of national security, Trump is everywhere smashing the institutional walls and alliances that are the critical structures in our national defense. A recent tweet from former acting attorney general Sally Yates: The wall we need is between DOJ and the White House. The foundation of our democracy the rule of law depends on it. Trump, however, seems to prefer authoritarian rule to a government of laws. He shuns democratic allies while expressing admiration for autocrats such as Mohammad bin Salman, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Rodrigo Duterte, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, and of course Vladimir Putin. His recent decision, ordered in a tweet, to abruptly pull U.S. troops from Syria and yield regional control to Russia and Iran showed reckless disregard for the consequences. It was an autocratic decision that ignored the implications for our Kurdish allies, for Israel, and the entire Middle East. It caused Defense Secretary James Mattis to resign. His resignation letter questioned Trumps commitment to the alliances and partnerships that maintain the post World War II international order and protect our democratic freedoms from those countries that would shape the world according to an authoritarian model. Given Trumps apparent preference for the authoritarian model, Mattis had to resign. This resignation should serve as an American wake-up call, reminding us of our obligation to uphold the commitment to a free world imbued with democratic values. Orbiting the moon on Christmas Eve, the Apollo 8 astronauts read from the Biblical book of Genesis: When God began to create heaven and earth - the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep ... God said let there be light: and there was light. This winter solstice season, coinciding with the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere, is a time for us to rejoice in our planets light. Let this celebration create a protective wall of light that will ultimately overcome the destructive forces that lurk in the darkness, the enemies of life, liberty, and love. Alma Rutgers served in Greenwich town government for 25 years. Her blog is at blog.ctnews.com/rutgers/ A few years ago, Jerry Seinfeld listened attentively to fellow standup Robert Klein until Klein complimented Art Buchwald and Russell Baker, half of the quartet on the Mount Rushmore of newspaper humor columnists. During the exchange on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, Seinfeld pumps the brakes to essentially explain that print humorists are to comedians what draft dodgers with bone spurs are to Navy Seals. Lets not put these guys out on too high a plain, Mister Klein. Seinfeld says. ... Nobody hears the material thats bombing when you write a funny (he uses funny air quotes) column. ... What is that compared to getting a real laugh in a dark nightclub in front of a bunch of drunken strangers? Of course, comics parrot bits until they are battle-tested, while columnists are routinely tormented by blank screens. Im no humor columnist (you already knew that), but I bet Seinfeld wouldnt hit deadline chewing newsroom java while trying to bang out chuckles between bursts of police scanner static. But hes right. Columnists thirst for any reaction. When we get it, we sometimes wish we knew whether the commentator was sober (e.g., I find the Greenwich Time editorial page often even wiser than that of the New York Times). Heres other feedback I got in 2018: Feeding the ego: Yes, the invisible audience applauds. The highest compliment I got was several readers use of balanced to characterize my observations about Harbor Point. My favored cups of flattery are served with a spoonful of arsenic: It was a fair-minded article, a rarity in Stamford. One reader encouraged me to continue the quest for truth in a follow-up piece about church abuse but confessed I wont see it since I have canceled my subscription. The snipers: Supportive readers identify themselves. Those who disagree take cover in the shadows of the web. Anonymous online objections to criticism of President Donald Trump always seem to include familiar adjectives such as sad! and pathetic! which has left me to conclude the commander-in-chief is the one trolling our sites. Columnists are all the same: When I referred to Hearst writer Dan Haar as a seasoned financial columnist , a reader from Fairfield called me a smug yuppie. Given that the y in the ancient term stands for young I took that as a compliment. On another occasion, fellow columnist Kevin McKeever took a crack at the Stamford Town Center, drawing a response from a mall official who graciously countered that I always enjoy your articles, reading about The Kid. The Kid, alas, is my son. As much as he likes to wander, Ive never found him hiding in Kevins column (whose offspring are Thing 1 and Thing 2). Speaking of whom ...: Every time I give The Kid a break, readers complain they havent heard from him in a while. Even when hes not on the editorial page, he sometimes interferes with it. After the recent death of former President George H.W. Bush, The Kid was watching televised funeral services. Afterward, we were driving on an errand when my phone rang. This is John Breunigs phone, The Kid, 7, answered. I couldnt make out who it was, but my administrative assistant stalled. I saw on TV that a president died, The Kid continued. There was a flag on a box and people were crying. Im sad. Yes, Im sad too, the caller replied. He was a nice man. He gave me my first job. The caller turned out to be Greenwich resident Patrick Durkin, who had just left the Washington, D.C., services and was calling to check on an op-ed he had written about his former boss. A certain non-reader: I have yet to win over The Kid himself even though he likes to ride news cycles. The closest I came was in October, after I wrote that his favorite journalist was CNNs Carl Azuz, who anchors news reports for students. While waiting for the school bus, I noticed a Tweet about my column. Hey, we got a message from Carl Azuz, I told him. What! he shouted, as though I had just told him he was invited to tour with Kidz Bop. What did he say? He wrote, While I may be his favorite journalist for the moment, youll be his favorite dad for LIFE. Now he doesnt trust Azuzs news judgment either. Hail Mary pass: I wasnt surprised my column about the thread of Catholicism in Bruce Springsteens work drew thoughtful responses from readers of all faiths. I was surprised to get a shout-out from a comic. Greenwich stand-up comedian Jane Condon emailed My default prayer is the Hail Mary. But how interesting that Springsteen weaves the Our Father through his work. I waited in vain for the punchline (though default prayer has possibilities). Maybe shes just holding back. Maybe shell try it out in a dark room full of drunks until shes ready to deliver the perfect joke to Seinfeld from the passenger seat of a 1959 Buick Invicta convertible as they remind me to stay in my lane. John Breunig is editorial page editor. Jbreunig@scni.com; 203-964-2281; twitter.com/johnbreunig. A dual Swiss-Spanish national has been arrested in Morocco accused of being involved in the killings of two Scandinavian hikers. The central bureau of judicial investigations said the man, who has not been named, was detained in Marrakech. Moroccan counter-terrorism forces allege he taught social media skills and archery to some suspects who have been arrested over the deaths, Morocco's first terrorist attack in years. He is also suspected of involvement in recruiting Moroccans for "terrorist schemes" targeted at "foreign interests and security forces". Twenty people have been arrested so far in the investigation into the killing of the two women, 24-year-old Louisa Vesterager Jespersen from Denmark, and 28-year-old Maren Ueland from Norway, in the Atlas Mountains. Their bodies were found on December 17. T ourists visiting Big Ben after its 61 million renovation is complete in 2021 may notice a subtle change in the appearance of Londons most famous clock tower. Although visitors may think its hands and numerals were always black, research from scientists at Lincoln University found that the pieces were blue until the 1930s, the Mail reports. When the scaffolding is removed from the landmark in two years after its multi-million-pound restoration, visitors will be able to see the deep Prussian blue restored to the metalwork. More than 120 samples of the dials paint were studied by scientists, with researcher Rhiannon Clarricoates telling the Mail there have been four successive schemes of it being blue. Pollution in the capital and the effects of weathering reportedly caused the hands and numerals to turn black. Scaffolding around the Elizabeth Tower / AFP/Getty Images The landmark was silenced in August 2017 to make way for a four-year renovation but the clock has since been restarted for important national events, such as Armistice Day. Its chimes will ring once again on Monday night to celebrate New Year, although the bells are currently being powered by an electric motor instead of its original mechanism. A bespoke electric mechanism has been built to power the 200kg striking hammer. A 55-year-old pedestrian has died after a collision with a van in north London. Emergency services rushed to the scene of a crash between a van and the female pedestrian in Hornsey on Thursday. The 55-year-old woman was rushed to an east London hospital for treatment but died of her injuries on Saturday. Her next of kin have been informed and a post-mortem will be scheduled in due course. The driver stopped at the scene of the crash at around 5.10pm in High Street, Scotland Yard said. There have been no arrests and enquiries continue, the police spokesman said. Detectives from the Roads and Transport Policing Command would like to speak with anyone who witnessed the collision or who may have dash cam footage. Q uestions have been raised over the government's preparations for a no-deal Brexit after it emerged a 13.8 million contract to run extra ferries has been handed to a company which has no ships and has not previously operated a service. Seaborne Freight was one of three companies awarded 108 million contracts last week to lay on additional crossings and ease the pressure on Dover. The company aims to operate freight ferries from Ramsgate to the Belgian port of Ostend, beginning with two ships in late March and increasing to four by the end of the summer. But a Conservative councillor for the Kent port town said he did not believe it would be possible to set up a new service from Ramsgate by the scheduled date of Brexit on March 29. The ferry contract for Ramsgate is supposed to ease the pressure on Dover, pictured. But a local councillor said it would not be possible to set up a new service from Ramsgate in time for Brexit day, while also saying the company with the contract 'has no ships' / Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images And Cllr Paul Messenger questioned whether the government had carried out sufficient checks on the firm, telling the BBC: "It has no ships and no trading history so how can due diligence be done? "Why choose a company that never moved a single truck in their entire history and give them 14 million? I don't understand the logic of that." Seaborne was established two years ago and has been in negotiations about running freight ferries between Ramsgate and Ostend, but no services are currently running. Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures 1 /23 Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Chequers in July PA The Cabinet thrashed out a Brexit blue print PA The away day meeting PA Boris Johnson leaves Carlton House Terrace in Westminster after he resigned as Foreign Secretary PA David Davis pictured after quitting the government, resigning his post as Brexit Secretary AFP/Getty Images New role: Jeremy Hunt was appointed as Foreign Secretary in July Getty Images Dominic Raab took over the role of Brexit Secretary in July AP/Matt Dunham Exotic spresm: Liberal Democrats Leader Sir Vince Cable following his speech at the party conference PA More than half a million protesters descended on London for the People's Vote March in October Sky News Demonstrators called for a People's Vote on Brexit during a march in Liverpool earlier this year Getty Images Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, presented the red Budget Box as he revealed the government's financial plans in October Getty Images It was the last Budget before Brexit AFP/Getty Images Mr McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn listen as Chancellor Philip Hammond delivers his Budget statement AFP/Getty Images New Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay after Dominic Raab quit the post in November Getty Images Esther McVey also resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary Sir Keir Starmer opened the debate on a motion to hold the Government in contempt of Parliament on December 4 AFP/Getty Images Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived a confidence vote on December 12 PA Theresa May in Downing Street after winning the confidence vote Jeremy Selwyn The Prime Minister confronts Jean-Claude Juncker at an EU summit in December 'You called me nebulous' Philip Sime/Twitter Jeremy Corbyn was accused of mouthing the words "stupid woman" during the last PMQs of the year Jeremy Corbyn responds in the Commons amid the row PA Jeremy Corbyn denied reports he muttered the words "stupid woman" AFP/Getty Images In a statement, the company said it had been working since 2017 on plans to reintroduce ferry sailings from Ramsgate from early 2019. The business has been "financed by the shareholders" during a development phase involving "locating suitable vessels, making arrangements with the ports of Ostend and Ramsgate, building the infrastructure - such as bunkering - as well as crewing the ferries once they start operating". Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Sir Ed Davey said: "That the government has reportedly signed a contract with a ferry company with no ferries pretty much sums up their farcical approach to the entire Brexit fiasco." A general view of the harbour in Ramsgate, Kent / Gareth Fuller/PA And Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum, said: "Never has it been clearer that our Government is selling us down the river over Brexit. A firm that has never run a ferry service before has been awarded a multi-million pound contract and they don't even have any ships." "We know our ports aren't ready for a no-deal disaster, but is hiring a firm that's never dealt with this kind of thing before really going to help? This idea should have been sunk before it saw the light of day." A Department for Transport spokesman said: "This contract was awarded in the full knowledge that Seaborne Freight is a new shipping provider, and that the extra capacity and vessels would be provided as part of its first services. "As with all contracts, we carefully vetted the company's commercial, technical and financial position in detail before making the award." H ome Secretary Sajid Javid has been forced to abandon his family holiday to a South African luxury safari hideaway amid calls that he needs to get a grip on the migrant crisis. Mr Javid had to cut his Christmas break short and is returning to Westminster to deal with what he described as a major incident unfolding in waters off the south coast of England. Amid growing criticism at the Governments response, Mr Javid cut short a trip to Dulini, a hideaway in Kruger National Park which charges 840 per person per night, the Sunday Times reports. The luxury hideaway is said to offer its guests private plunge pools and in-room massages while offering drives where leopards, lions and elephants can be spotted on the journey. Sajid Javid was forced to cut a family holiday short due to the migrant crisis / PA As the Home Secretary returned to the UK last night, he faced growing criticism from Labour and some Tory MPs for his handling of the migrant crisis, which Mr Javid has branded a grave concern. Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbot accused him of being slow to respond and branded his strategy flawed. Ms Abbott said: "He has still to explain exactly how the Government plans to handle these mass criminal operations in British waters. "The Home Office's flawed strategy has been to focus on deterring refugees, thinking that the issues in the Mediterranean would never reach our shores. "While the Tories wax lyrical about control of our borders and being tough on security, they cannot seem to get a grip on criminal smugglers operating on a few hundred miles of coastline, in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world." Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott / PA Mr Javid also came under fire from Rehman Chishti, the Tory MP for Gillingham and Rainham who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee. He told the Sunday Telegraph there has been "a lack of leadership to get a grip on this issue". Mr Chishti added: "They have not got a grip on it. What we have got is unsatisfactory and somebody has to do something. Ultimately the buck stops with the Home Secretary." Border Force officers on patrol in Dover on Saturday / Victoria Jones/PA Mr Javid appeared before the Home Affairs Committee in November when he was asked about the measures being taken to stem the number of migrants attempting the crossing. The Home Secretary told MPs that he was "very concerned" over the "significant increase" in the number of people trying to reach Britain by boat. He also said he was considering whether to bring Border Force Cutters on operations in the Mediterranean back to the Channel, although he was yet to make a decision. He said it was "vital we strike a balance between protecting them and protecting our borders" - and avoid encouraging more people to take the risk. Rescued: This image provided by the Marine Nationale (French Navy) shows migrants aboard a rubber boat after being intercepted by French authorities, off the port of Calais, northern France / Marine Nationale via AP On Saturday, Mr Javid said he was keeping the number of Border Force vessels in the Channel "under close review", but admitted there was "no one easy answer". In the latest wave of attempted crossings, two boats carrying 12 men from Syria and Iran were brought to shore at Dover on Friday. Another 40 migrants were detected on Christmas Day. G avin and Stacey star Mathew Horne was reportedly clipped by a passenger train as he walked home from a local pub over the Christmas period. Horne, 40, was knocked backwards after he was struck by the train on a pedestrian crossing in Burton Joyce, Nottinghamshire, according to witnesses. He did not require hospital treatment after the incident involving an East Midlands passenger train on December 20. A duty manager at The Nelson pub told The Sun: It was a really, really unfortunate accident and it could have been a lot worse. We are all glad that it wasnt. He was obviously very shaken up but hes all right now. Hes got a bit of a scratch on him but no underlying issue there whatsoever. Another source was quoted by the newspaper as saying: He was clipped by a train and knocked backwards. He had a miraculous escape. East Midlands Ambulance Service and British Transport Police were called to the scene shortly after 10.30pm. Paramedics and a doctor checked Horne over but he was not taken to hospital. Horne shot to fame playing Gavin Shipman in Bafta-winning series Gavin and Stacey with friend James Cordon, who co-created the show. B ritish families should take grandparents on holiday with them and involve the older generations more in their daily lives, the Governments new minister for loneliness has said. Mims Davies said Britons could learn from examples of Mediterranean nations, where elderly relatives tend to play a bigger part in the day-to-day lives of families. She said communities had a moral duty to stop the elderly feeling abandoned and urged employers to give their staff more time off work to care for parents. Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Ms Davies said: Very often you will be out on holiday a few of you in a small British family and you will find this huge, wonderful plethora of people on the beach. And you will think, God, doesnt that look fun?" She added: We are just a little bit blinkered. We have decided that we should box ourselves in a bit. I think when we are a little bit more bold about how we do things, we find so much more joy in it. We are in a weird place when we are very willing to drag our children around into our lives and enjoy our lives with them together but being that sort of extended family is seen as being a bit more difficult. V ampires, Strictly Come Dancing and a Bangkok massage parlour have featured in the oddest requests made by overseas Britons to embassy officials this year. The Foreign Office has revealed some of the more unusual appeals for help it has received in 2018, including a man asking if vampires were in Poland because a woman he was due to meet for a date asked for his blood type. A caller from the USA asked which contestant had been voted off Strictly the previous night, someone in the Netherlands had questions about the plot of Braveheart while a man in Argentina requested a list of women who he might be able to marry. Another man in Thailand wanted help as he argued against paying for a massage after falling asleep during it. One person in Italy asked the embassy to help arrange their wedding, recommend a florist, and get them tickets to see the Pope and a man in Kuwait called the phone line asking if any Foreign Office staff wanted to adopt his puppies. Talk of the British High Commission in New Delhi selling vegetarian sausages prompted one man to call because he wanted to buy some. Someone in the Canary Islands wanted help persuading his hotel to give him a new room after a stray cat had "broken into" his original one and urinated on his bed. The Foreign Office said it received more than 330,000 calls from Britons who needed help between January and November this year, including 4,900 people who were arrested and more than 3,400 people who had been taken to hospital. A spokesman said: "I can regretfully confirm that the Foreign Office isn't able to offer advice on vampires, rogue stray cats or Strictly contestants. And our capacity to deploy veggie sausages remains sadly lacking. "But in all seriousness, getting into trouble abroad can be daunting and upsetting. S ix Iranian men were found on a beach in Kingsdown, near Deal in Kent, on Sunday morning with a small boat, the Home Office has confirmed. Border Force officials were called at 7.30am and detained the men who have been handed over to be processed by immigration officers after receiving a medial assessment, a department spokeswoman confirmed. Around 60 migrants are believed to have come ashore within the last week but reports from charities and refugees in Calais suggest the figures could be higher. The Mail on Sunday reports that 66 migrants made it to Britain on Christmas Day alone. The arrival of the suspected migrants on Sunday comes as Home Secretary Sajid Javid was forced to abandon his family holiday to a South African luxury safari hideaway amid calls that he needs to get a grip on the migrant crisis. Mr Javid had to cut his Christmas break short and is returning to Westminster to deal with what he described as a major incident unfolding in waters off the south coast of England. Sajid Javid was forced to cut a family holiday short due to the migrant crisis / PA The Home Secretary was on a family trip to Dulini, a hideaway in Kruger National Park which charges 840 per person per night, the Sunday Times reports. The luxury hideaway is said to offer its guests private plunge pools and in-room massages while offering drives where leopards, lions and elephants can be spotted on the journey. As the Home Secretary returned to the UK last night, he faced growing criticism from Labour and some Tory MPs for his handling of the migrant crisis, which Mr Javid has branded a grave concern. Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott accused him of being slow to respond and branded his strategy flawed. Ms Abbott said: "He has still to explain exactly how the Government plans to handle these mass criminal operations in British waters. "The Home Office's flawed strategy has been to focus on deterring refugees, thinking that the issues in the Mediterranean would never reach our shores. "While the Tories wax lyrical about control of our borders and being tough on security, they cannot seem to get a grip on criminal smugglers operating on a few hundred miles of coastline, in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world." Rescued: This image provided by the Marine Nationale (French Navy) shows migrants aboard a rubber boat after being intercepted by French authorities, off the port of Calais, northern France / Marine Nationale via AP Mr Javid also came under fire from Rehman Chishti, the Tory MP for Gillingham and Rainham who sits on the Home Affairs Select Committee. He told the Sunday Telegraph there has been "a lack of leadership to get a grip on this issue". Mr Chishti added: "They have not got a grip on it. What we have got is unsatisfactory and somebody has to do something. Ultimately the buck stops with the Home Secretary." Mr Javid appeared before the Home Affairs Committee in November when he was asked about the measures being taken to stem the number of migrants attempting the crossing. The Home Secretary told MPs that he was "very concerned" over the "significant increase" in the number of people trying to reach Britain by boat. A Border Force RIB on patrol in Dover Harbour / PA He also said he was considering whether to bring Border Force Cutters on operations in the Mediterranean back to the Channel, although he was yet to make a decision. He said it was "vital we strike a balance between protecting them and protecting our borders" - and avoid encouraging more people to take the risk. On Saturday, Mr Javid said he was keeping the number of Border Force vessels in the Channel "under close review", but admitted there was "no one easy answer". In the latest wave of attempted crossings, two boats carrying 12 men from Syria and Iran were brought to shore at Dover on Friday. Another 40 migrants were detected on Christmas Day. T he parents of a British executive who was killed by his Chinese wife have agreed a custody deal to bring their granddaughter to the UK but they will have to leave their grandson behind. Ian and Linda Simpson, from Suffolk, wanted to bring both of their grandchildren eight-year-old Jack and Alice, six, to live with them after their son Michael was murdered in 2017. Since their fathers death in March 2017, they have been living with their maternal grandparents in a remote city in north-west China. According to reports by the BBC and Mail on Sunday, they have paid a financial settlement of up to 10,000 to the family of their sons killer wife so that they can bring Alice to live with them in the UK. But the maternal grandparents, from Nanzhang, who are said to survive on about 200 a week and have a limited income, have refused to allow Jack to leave. It comes after a near two-year legal battle. Mr and Mrs Simpson did not want to split the children up but said that they were hoping to return home with Alice in the new year before continuing their fight to have Jack join them. Their son, who was an executive with the clothing firm Next was stabbed to death in his Shanghai apartment by his estranged wife Fu Wei Wei while the children slept. They had been separated for two years and he had been raising the children. His new partner was also left with life-long injuries. Fu was sentenced to life in prison for the killing. The childrens grandfather Mr Simpson, 69, told the Mail on Sunday: We feel terribly guilty leaving Jack behind. You try to do the right thing and there was no easy answer here unless a judge somehow gave both children to us." He went on: The comforting thing is our lawyers are already talking to us about phase two bringing Jack home. Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (879) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (896) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (850) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (851) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (941) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (830) Aug 2021 (832) Sep 2021 (791) Oct 2021 (754) Nov 2021 (683) Dec 2021 (60) The ruling PSD (Social Democrat Party, ed. n.) leaders have reacted on Saturday night to the statements made by the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker regarding to what degree Romania is ready to take over the presidency of the EU Council, asserting that actually the guilty for the stalemates among the state institutions is president Klaus Iohannis. The head of the PSD National Council, former Defence minister Mihai Fifor says that Juncker "takes the Victoria Palace (the gov't seat, ed. n.) for the Cotroceni Palace" (the presidential administration's seat, ed. n.) and that the EC head has a "totally distorted" perception on what is happening in Romania because of Angela Cristea, head of the EC's Representation in Bucharest. "(It is, ed. n.) at least curious the sudden oscillation of Mr. Juncker towards Romania only a few days before it takes over the rotating presidency of the EU Council. At a first glance, I'd be tempted to say that the refined Mr. Juncker is taking the Victoria Palace for the Cotroceni Palace and that he feels an almost parental need to find fault with the gov't. Yet, knowing how any European official picks their information, even Mr. Juncker himself, meaning through the diplomatic officials, nothing wonders me anymore. (...) When the person who is informing the European Commission is none other than Angela Cristea, I can see no good things we could expect. After the shameful note surfaced in the public space clearly showing the political involvement of Angela Cristea against the PSD, she should have been replaced immediately by her boss, Mr. Jean Claude Juncker. Which obviously didn't happen, so there is no wonder that Mr. Juncker has a totally misperception on what is going on in Romania. This fact is the one that has kept her in her position, the fact that she is clearly tainting the perceptions and opinions Mr. Juncker has got about Romania," Fifor wrote on his Facebook page.He stresses that it is the gov't that has kicked off the political war in the Parliament and surely it is not the gov't the one that is keeping in a tie two key-ministries, with a major role in the exercising of the EU presidency, but the Opposition parties, the president of Romania Klaus Iohannis, respectively. Moreover, says Fifor, it is the president who is violating the Constitutional Court's decisions and the laws of the Romanian state."We get it from Mr. Juncker that "technically" we are well prepared for the EU Council's presidency. Yes, indeed, we are well prepared "technically" for years now to access the Schengen Space. And yet, did that reality help?! No. Romania is still outside the Schengen Space, Romania is written reports about, Romania still has the CVM. Romania continues to be treated as a second-hand nation by some officials of the European Union and some Europe's governments. Romania, in exchange proves to be a true paradise for companies that forget to pay their debts to this country," the social-democrat adds.Mihai Fifor is guaranteeing that Romania has "very well" understood its role in the EU Council's presidency and "will never accept to be scolded or sanctioned for things that happen everywhere in Europe, and the same officials pretend to not see, as they are so busy with Romania's fate alone".The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker asserted in an interview with the German Welt am Sonntag, quoted by DPA that he doubts that the Bucharest gov't is fully understanding what it means to chair the community bloc for six-month period, as Romania is taking over from 1 January 2019 the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union."Romania is technically well-prepared for the six-month presidency of the Council of the EU starting in January - thanks also to the active support of the European Commission. I believe, however, that the government in Bucharest has not yet fully understood what it means to take chair over the EU Member States. For prudent negotiations, you also need a readiness to listen to others and the firm will to put your own wishes aside. I have some doubts there. What is more, Romania's internal situation is such that the country cannot act as a compact unit in Europe. There needs to be a united front at home to foster unity in Europe as well during the presidency", Jean-Claude Juncker told Welt am Sonntag in the above-mentioned interview. Seraphim HANISCH The most serious schism within the Eastern Orthodox Church since the Great Schism of 1054 continues this year, with the excommunication of the Constantinople Patriarch, Bartholomew I, following his rehabilitation of two schismatic hierarchs on October 11th of this year. The local Orthodox Churches already had a reaction before this ever happened, and that response has largely deepened now. Prior to that event, though, the possibility that the Ukrainian government, consumed with a fervor to utterly purge the country of all things Russian, was going to try to eject the leading Orthodox Church in that country because it is under the Moscow Patriarchate. The noisings of Filaret Denisenko and President Poroshenko were getting noticed by Constantinople and by the West, who seek to use Ukraine as the next outpost in its proxy battle against Russia. This is not merely an ecclesiastical spat but a major front in the fight between secular or atheist globalism and Christian sovereignty. On the 6th of July of this year, the Union of Orthodox Journalists compiled a list of the thoughts expressed by the fourteen Local Orthodox Churches regarding Ukrainian autocephaly, or total independence. (A Local Church is such a church, in 100% communion theologically with all the other Orthodox Churches, but administered independently of them. There is no single human point of authority in Eastern Orthodoxy, with each bishop having independence within his own see.) The following is excerpted heavily from the Unions piece, with emphasis added where we thought it would be useful for the reader in understanding the nature and character of this problem: World Orthodoxy supports the UOC (the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate) and condemns the split. Recently, representatives of the unrecognized Kyiv Patriarchate have voiced manipulative theses about the support of the Ukrainian authorities by the Local Orthodox Churches. In particular, head of the UOC-KP Filaret stated that autocephaly for the schismatics will be supported by 12 out of 15 (although the recognized autocephalous churches at the moment are only 14) Churches. The UOJ has prepared a selection of statements by representatives of the Orthodox Churches, upon which one can make sure that the fullness of Orthodoxy condemns the split and does not accept its legalization in any form. Priests of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church can print out this material and deliver the truth to their parishioners. Alexandrian Orthodox Church On June 29, 2018 Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye and Melitopol took part in the Liturgy in the Greek city of Berea and communicated with representatives of the Orthodox Churches, in particular with the Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria. Regarding the initiative of the Ukrainian authorities, the Patriarch of Alexandria noted that modern politicians are more likely to harm the Church than to help it. They and we need to remember that even hair cannot fall from our head without the will of God (see Matthew 10, 29), therefore not always what they want will be pleasing to God, Who does everything for our eternal salvation, and not for up-to-the-minute whims. Patriarch Theodoros II stressed that the issues of autocephaly should be resolved through fraternal discussion, since only general support can contribute to their solution. Let us pray to God, Who does all for our good, that He will impart wisdom to everyone by solving these problems. If the schismatic Denisenko wants to return to the bosom of the Church, then he must go back to where he left. What has fallen off must return to where it fell from. God is merciful to those who repent. So the Church forgives and accepts in its maternal embrace all those who repent, said the Primate of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church. Serbian Orthodox Church On May 23, 2018 Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej stated the following: Everyone knows the feat of hundreds of thousands of Serbs who fought to the death for holy Orthodoxy. Therefore, I think, it is not necessary to say a lot of words to explain how the Serbian Church sees everything that is happening in Ukraine today, Patriarch Irinej said. Our response is the same as the response of our predecessors: the Serbian Church entirely supports the unity and integrity of the Russian Orthodox Church and resolutely condemns actions of Uniates and schismatics who tear apart the robe of Christ at the place of Kievan Baptism betraying their people to the enemies of faith. Their end shall be according to their works (2 Corinthians 11:15). Everyone who helps Ukrainian schismatics is not only an enemy of the Russian Church and the Russian world, but also of all Orthodox Slavonic peoples and the whole Orthodox world, Patriarch Irinej said. Earlier, on May 10, 2018, the SOCs Council of Bishops expressed full support to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We express our full solidarity in compassionate brotherly love for our sister the Church-martyr in Ukraine, which is subjected to the brutal persecution by the current regime in Kiev. Bulgarian Orthodox Church On June 15, 2018, deputy head of the presidential administration, Rostislav Pavlenko, met with Patriarch Neophyte, the leader of the BOC. The chief secretary of the Holy Synod of the BOC, Bishop Gerasim of Melnish, stressed that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is well acquainted with the Ukrainian situation and its complexity. However, within the framework of this process, said Bishop Gerasim, it is necessary to strictly observe the ecclesiastical canons, which the Orthodox Church has been following for many centuries. Earlier the Primate of the Bulgarian Church has repeatedly expressed his support for the UOC and condemned the actions of the schismatics. Polish Orthodox Church On May 17, 2018, the Synod of the Polish Church expressed support for the UOC. As for the letter of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, who informs us of the current situation of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, we express a clear position of the Polish Autocephalous Church, namely, that the ecclesiastic life of the canonical Orthodox Church should be based on the principles of dogmatism and holy canons of the Orthodox Church, reads the decision of the Holy Synod of the Polish Orthodox Church. Violation of this principle leads to chaos in the life of the Church. In Ukraine there are certain schismatic groups that must first of all repent and return to the canonical Church. Only then can we discuss the issue of granting autocephaly. The hierarchs of the Polish Orthodox Church emphasize, The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Polish Orthodox Church professes, above all, the observance of the canonical order in the life of the Church. The Mother Church can grant autocephaly in accordance with the opinion of the Local Orthodox Churches provided it has been confirmed by all Primates of the Local Churches. When it comes to dogmatic-canonical issues, one cannot be guided by political considerations, the Synod summed up. Orthodox Church of Jerusalem On April 26, 2018, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine met with the Primate of the Jerusalem Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III. We are doing our best to restore the unity of the Church, said the head of the Jerusalem Church. I have always believed and believe, like my spiritual fathers, that the best way to resolve the church schism in Ukraine is to restore the unity of Ukrainian Orthodoxy with the Moscow Patriarchate and then to start a dialogue as a way of solving the problem. As an example, I often refer to the relationship between the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Church of Greece. Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia On May 30, the Ukrainian delegation with the participation of former presidents Kuchma and Kravchuk visited Metropolitan Rostislav. His Beatitude Metropolitan Rostislav drew the attention of interlocutors to the fact that interference in the affairs of religion on the part of the authorities is unacceptable in a democratic society. The schism that arose out of human egoism can only be healed through repentance and return to the Church, Vladika said, adding that the new autocephaly (for the canonical Church author) should be born out of an all-Orthodox consensus. Georgian Orthodox Church On June 21, the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church took place. According to the member of the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Petra, at the meeting on June 21 the Synod did not consider this issue in the sense of support it or not. The Holy Synod took a reasonable position, which lies in that the discussion on this issue will take place after the Ecumenical Patriarchate has clarified its position, the hierarch said in a conversation with reporters. However, according to the Greek media outlet Romfea, one of the metropolitans of the Georgian Patriarchate, on condition of anonymity, reported that Patriarch Ilia II expressed deep dissatisfaction with the Ukrainian issue: His Beatitude does not agree with the initiatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Ukraine and accepts as legitimate exclusively the Church under the leadership of Metropolitan Onufry, said the Georgian hierarch. Contrary to the position of the Patriarch and the Holy Synod, Metropolitan Peter (Tsaava) supported the granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In his statements to the Georgian media he justified his opinion by the fact that 40 million people in the country should have their independent Church. Yet it should be emphasized the above said is just his private opinion. Antiochian Orthodox Church A communique of the Holy Synod of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, published on April 30, commented on conflicts in the Orthodox world, in the course of which efforts are being made to change the borders of the Patriarchates and autocephalous churches. The Synod stated that the Patriarchate of Antioch suffered and continues to suffer from the invasion of the Jerusalem Patriarchate to its canonical territory and the establishment of the so-called diocese in Qatar. In this context, he calls for a return to the principle of consensus by addressing important issues, because it has always helped Orthodoxy avoid splits and fragmentation. Greek Orthodox Church On June 26, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the ROC, met with Archbishop Jerome, the head of the GOC. Archbishop Jerome noted, I am particularly pleased by todays meeting with Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, which gave us a wonderful opportunity to exchange views on ecclesiastic topics in general, to discuss our good fraternal relations with the Russian Church, as well as a number of pressing issues, for example, the situation of church affairs in Ukraine. We decided that we will follow the development of events in order to state whether we agree or not. We wish enlightenment to all those who, unlike us, are endowed with great powers to achieve the result for the good of the whole Church. Orthodox Church of Cyprus On July 21, 2017 a letter from His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostom II of New Justinian and the whole of Cyprus arrived in the name of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the position of the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine. In his return letter, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostom, in particular, notes: Whenever the state and especially the parliament interfere in the issues of the Church, the harm is obvious. The actions of the parliament will lead to the creation of a certain schismatic church, while the holy fathers view schism as the deepest wound on the sacred body of the Church. The Church is a feeding Mother, and it strives for unity in the love of all the people of the Ukrainian state. Laws are always compulsory, causing division among the people. The Ukrainian people have suffered enough and continue to be in distress, so there is no need for additional misfortunes and torments. The Church of Cyprus expresses its discontent with this interference, Archbishop Chrysostom said. Having assured His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of his support of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church in this troubled and difficult time, the Primate of the Church of Cyprus noted, Our Church prays to the Organizer of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, to enlighten the political leaders of Ukraine so that they could persuade the schismatics to return to the Church headed by Your Holiness. Deputy Head of the Department for External Church Relations of the UOC, Protopriest Nikolai Danilevich, told on his Facebook page about the position of the Cypriot hierarchs: I had talks with the priests from Cyprus. They asked me about the situation around our ecclesiastic issue. They said, We communicate with our bishops. All of them are against it. No one supports (the idea of giving Tomos in circumvention of the UOC). Everyone says, We do not know what it will result in, but we will not recognize this new structure. We will be with the Church of Metropolitan Onufry. Romanian Orthodox Church In April 2016, Bishop Varlaam, secretary of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Church, supported the UOC as the only canonical Church in Ukraine and stated, The Romanian Orthodox Church prays continuously for peace in Ukraine, on whose body the bleeding wound is gaping caused by the ongoing armed conflict, which is aggravated by actions of the schismatics being lawless and contradictory to the Gospel and canons, which can not in any way contribute to the establishment of peace on the Ukrainian land. Albanian Orthodox Church The Church of Albania has not yet expressed its official position concerning the initiative of Ukrainian authorities, yet one can make conclusions based on its previous statements it also supports the UOC. UPDATE: From the article linked here, the Albanian Church struck a non-polarized point of view, calling both sides out for the Albanians, Russia was wrong to excommunicate Constantinople, but the Ecumenical Patriarchs actions were also uncanonical, and the solution is for all the Local Churches to settle the matter. Albania offered to mitigate. Orthodox Church of Constantinople Finally, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which the schismatics pin high hopes to and assert it is determined to recognize them, declares quite the opposite. Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye and Melitopol held talks with the representative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, who said literally the following: Patriarch Bartholomew is particularly concerned about the split triggered by the current head of the Kyiv Patriarchate with the support of politicians. Aware of the responsibility for the church unity, His Holiness wishes, without interfering in the internal life of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and in the political situation, to help solve a very difficult issue the existence of the schism in Ukraine, which can only be settled by canonical means. The issue is so complex that so far no one knows how to resolve it and at the same time not to lose our brothers, who are in schism, and to return them to the saving bosom of the Orthodox Church. Arising from the aforesaid, the position of the Local Churches can be summed up as follows: Politicians should not interfere in the internal affairs of the Church; Schismatics must unite with the canonical Church after their repentance and only later can the prospect of autocephaly be discussed; All complex ecclesiastical issues should be resolved by consensus, together, rather than by an individual decision; The overcoming of the split must take place strictly on a canonical basis. The last position listed, that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate itself, is the most interesting situation because between the time that this article was first released and now, the EP has obviously done a pretty radical reversal, finding precedent to claim that it can reverse history and therefore resume control over Ukraine which it never ceded. However, given information we show here and here , it is apparent that the besieged patriarch, Bartholomew I, was easy pickings with an alleged US $25 million offered for him to create the turmoil in Ukraine. At the end of November Israel formed a new infantry brigade containing two of the mixed (male and female) infantry battalions in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Thus the new Paran brigade will be the first IDF infantry brigade with only mixed battalions; 33rd (Caracal) and 227th (Bardalas). The Paran brigade will mainly serve along the Egyptian border (south of Gaza). This sees a lot of smuggling, usually by groups of armed men who are willing to fight rather than be captured or turned back. There are also Islamic terrorists operating in that part of Egypt (Sinai) and the border security forces on both sides coordinate their operations. There is not much shooting on the Israeli side of the security fence but on the Egyptian side, the Israeli troops can often hear gunfire and explosions. Occasionally the Israeli border forces come under fire. The battalions serving on the Egyptian border spend some time in the West Bank before moving back to the Egyptian border. There are two other mixed infantry battalions; the 42nd (Lions of the Jordan Valley) and 96th (Lavi) that are based along the Jordan border but in different brigades. The 33rd battalion was organized first, in 2001 after a mixed infantry company formed in 2000 was a success and expanded into a battalion. Until 2014 the 33rd was the only mixed battalion but demand to serve in the mixed infantry units was so great that the IDF decided to create more Caracal battalions. The 42nd was formed in 2014, the 227th in 2015 and the 96th in 2016. All were at least 50 percent female (and often as much as 70 percent). All of these units are technically light infantry that specializes in border security. But the troops train with infantry weapons and sometimes have to deal with armed groups looking for a fight. Since the Caracal battalions have been around there has been one female battalion commander and several female company commanders. About half the officers and NCOs (non-commissioned officers or sergeants) in the Caracal battalions are female. Israel has also formed three all-female tank crews that will be assigned to a tank battalion that works with the Paran brigade on the Egyptian border. It the female tank crews are successful there will be more of them. When it comes to women in combat units, Israel appears to have succeeded where most other nations have failed or had a difficult time of it. Currently, over five percent of Israel combat troops are female. Most of these women are in the four light infantry (border and internal security) battalions as well as many women serving in Iron Dome air defense units. Women have, for decades, served as instructors for combat jobs (pilots and tank crews). But there are several unique factors that enabled Israel to succeed. The two main factors are Israel has always been threatened by more numerous and hostile neighbors and, increasingly Islamic terrorism. For that reason, Israelis accept the fact that both women and men are subject to conscription. Both men and women went through basic training that included weapons training and learning how to safely carry loaded weapons even when off duty. For men, service in combat units was common and getting into one of the elite combat units was much sought after. Women had to volunteer for combat jobs and meet the physical standards, which were higher than for service in non-combat jobs. Finding combat jobs women could handle effectively has involved decades of trial and error but because of the presence of so many women in the military and the very real threats Israel faced there were always women willing to volunteer for combat jobs. Because of all this Israel has, for decades, been the leader in allowing women in combat jobs. Yet because such service is voluntary it has often been difficult to get many volunteers. In 2012 only 1.6 percent of Israeli combat jobs were filled by women but because of the growing threat from Palestinian terrorists and Iran that has more than tripled. This was especially the case after the 2014 war with Hamas in Gaza, in which the extent of Hamas efforts to build terrorist tunnels into Israel was revealed. The IDF always wanted to get more women into combat jobs, just not frontline ones. So after the 2014 war in Gaza, the IDF encouraged women to serve in the new Iron Dome anti-missile units and formed more mixed (male-female) border security units. Israeli law forbids sending women into combat but does allow for giving them jobs that might lead to combat situations. Despite all this after the 2006 war with Hezbollah fewer women volunteered for combat jobs. So the military experimented with new screening and training methods, to address common complaints among women inclined to volunteer for these jobs. These efforts led to a noticeable increase in volunteers and the growing danger posed by Palestinian terrorists, Islamic terrorists in general and Iran did the rest. Israel has, over the last few decades, expanded the number of combat jobs women can volunteer for. Israel conscripts men for three years and women for two years. But women have more exemptions (especially marriage). Women who volunteer for combat duty are hardcore because not only will they have to undergo some strenuous training but will have to serve three years on active duty, plus several years as reservists. This is necessary to justify the longer and more expensive, training required. Like many other countries, Israeli military police units contain men and women. Same with dog handlers, border guards, artillery units, and some search and rescue units. Women have long served as flight instructors. This is not the first time Israel has had female infantry units. During their independence war in 1948, Israel had some of them but these were withdrawn from combat. Not because the women couldn't fight but because Arab units facing them became more fanatical and less likely to surrender when they realized they were fighting women. Before Germany invaded in 1941 Russia had a number of all female tank battalions. Most of the Russian tank force was destroyed in the first months of the war and as the tank force was rebuilt the all-female units were not used as there were plenty of other combat and combat support jobs for women. In Israel, there has long been pressure from conservative Jewish clergy who wanted women to be barred from combat jobs, while Arab radicals are urging more women to get involved in terrorism operations, including suicide bombings. Most Israelis are not conservative Jews and more focused on survival not conservative interpretations of Jewish scripture. Moreover, female troops have an easier time dealing with Moslem women, many of whom consider it a religious obligation to avoid dealing men they are not related to. In the past religious differences were much less of a factor. During World War II over five million women served in the military worldwide. Although they suffered fewer losses than the men, several hundred thousand did die. These women were often exposed to combat, especially when fighting as guerillas or operating anti-aircraft guns and early warning systems in Russia, Germany, and Britain. Russia also used women as traffic cops near the front line, as snipers, and as combat pilots. They (especially the Russians) tried using them as tank crews and regular infantry, but that didnt work out, a historical lesson lost on current proponents. Women were most frequently employed in medical and other support jobs. The few who served as snipers or pilots were very good at it. Israel has learned from that and the men who comprise half the strength of the Caracal units tend to agree that the women volunteers are more eager and into their jobs than the male conscripts. During past wars, most of the women who served in combat did so in guerilla units, especially in the Balkans and Russia and later in the Middle East (Kurdish combat units always had a lot of female volunteers). The women could not haul as heavy a load as the men but this was often not crucial, as many guerrillas were only part-time fighters, living as civilians most of the time. Full-time guerilla units often imposed the death penalty for pregnancy, although the women sometimes would not name the father. That said, guerrilla organizations often imposed the death penalty for a number of offenses. The guerillas had few places to keep prisoners and sloppiness could get a lot of guerillas killed. The women tended to be more disciplined than the men and just as resolute in combat. In the last century, there have been several attempts to use women in ground combat units, and all have failed. When given a choice, far fewer women will choose combat jobs (infantry, armor, artillery). But duty as MPs does attract a lot of women, as do jobs like fighter, bomber, helicopter pilots and crews, and aboard warships. That works. Its always big news when women do serve in a ground combat job but there are never going to be a lot of them. Yet there are still a lot more women coming under fire. Under the new conditions, more women are killed or wounded by (and often in) combat. For example, the casualty rate for women in Iraq was over ten times what it was in World War II, Vietnam, and the 1991 Gulf War (where 30,000 women served). A lot of the combat operations experienced by women in Iraq involved base security or guard duty. Female troops performed well in that. These were jobs that required alertness, attention to detail, and ability to quickly use your weapons when needed. Carrying a heavy load was not required. In convoy operations, women have also done well, especially when it comes to spotting, and dealing with, IEDs (roadside bombs and ambushes). Going into the 21st century, warfare is becoming more automated and less dependent on muscle and testosterone. That gives women an edge, and they exploit it, just as they have done in so many other fields. What women continue to avoid is traditional infantry jobs, which are less needed but not going away. For most nations, the experience with allowing women in the infantry has been quite discouraging. For example, Canada has allowed women in combat jobs for over a decade. Even though Canada dropped most physical standards to make that possible (something commanders are still complaining about) fewer than one in 200 Canadian infantry or combat engineers are women. From the beginning, there have been few volunteers (the Canadian military is all volunteer). Male and female Israeli officers both report that it is not a good idea to put men and women together in observation posts or other isolated situations that require sustained concentration and alertness. This is nothing new, as NCOs and officers learned when more women were recruited for more different jobs after 1972 (when the U.S. dropped conscription). Officers and NCOs who were managers in their civilian jobs had fewer problems as most had been managing men and women on the job for years. But for the military, it required a decade or so to adapt all the civilian experience to the military. Israel found solutions for many of these problems. First, they established one physical standard for combat jobs and accepted the fact that not enough women would qualify for regular infantry jobs but that there were other infantry type jobs (like border security) that women could handle. All female tank crews can work if you establish and enforce the needed physical standards. In Caracal units men and women serve together on patrols and observations posts with the understanding that diligence and not flirting will keep you alive. Modern infantry combat is intensely physical, and most women remain at a disadvantage here. There are some exceptions for specialist tasks that do not involve sturdiness or strength, like sniping. Then there is the hormonal angle. Men generate a lot more testosterone, a hormone that makes men more decisive and faster to act in combat. It was long believed that testosterone makes you more aggressive. When examined carefully it was found that the effect was to make you more aware and decisive. That can be seen as aggressive but it is being more aware and decisive that makes a difference in combat. Aggressiveness alone will just get you killed sooner. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The mystery behind the killing of 16-year-old Antonio Gullotto on Syracuses North Side on Dec. 17 points to a beat-down corner store across the street from where the teen was shot. Police havent said why they arrested Nashwan Hamood, 30, and Amir Homran, 20, on murder charges. Court records have few details. Police have withheld the suspects' mugshots. But Syracuse.com has learned from the stores former owner that Hamood is the owner and Homran a clerk at the Top One Market, 835 Park St., across the street from where Gullotto was killed. Gullottos mother told Syracuse.com that her son was shot by the two because he stole $100 in cash from the store about a month before the shooting. She said her son didnt deserve what happened, and neither did her family, which is devastated by his sudden loss. Witnesses said the pair entered the apartment at 165 John St., where Gullotto was visiting a friend, and opened fire on Gullotto just as he opened the door. He was struck once in the right temple and died within minutes as friends cradled his head, witnesses said. Someone sprayed "Tone," the nickname of Antonio Gullotto, 16, on the front of the store, which has also been vandalized. Neighbors of the store have described it as a nuisance, saying the owner was known to buy and sell stolen property and spike, slang for synthetic marijuana. Hamoods nickname is Rambo, according to neighbors. The store has been closed since the arrests and some in the area have taken out their anger on the shop. Police were called to the store around 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 22 regarding a report of group of people vandalizing the place. That alleged vandalism occurred as a vigil for Gullotto was happening across the street. The teens friends and family gathered at the apartment building with bright red balloons -- the teens favorite color, his mom said -- and T-shirts with his face on them. They played his favorite music loudly. The stores windows are cracked behind steel mesh, and posters have been ripped off the outside. The store was apparently vandalized inside, as well. The cash register hangs from its cord over the counter; candy and beef jerky are strewn across the floor; shelves are toppled or pushed together. Someone has spray-painted Tone, Gullottos nickname, on the front wall of the store. Despite the disarray, a rainbow open sign was still lit Sunday morning. The store sold lottery tickets but no alcohol. It also had cell phones and other electronics for sale behind a glass case, and the shelves were often sparse, neighbors said. Gullottos death is part of a wave of violence against young people here, including the shooting death in October of 12-year-old James Springer III, who was shot and killed across the street from the corner store. Springer would sometimes sell at the Top One Market some electronics he stole from the mall, according to Springers stepmother, Wendy Voyles. The apartment building where Gullotto and Springer were killed is set to be demolished early next year, and the victims' families said they hope the store will go with it. You knock this house down, you better knock that store down, too, said Springers uncle, Michael Johnson, who knew Gullotto. He killed this kid over $100. It appears the suspects did not report a robbery at the store. There is no mention of a reported robbery there within the last several months, according to a police blotter. Hamood bought the store from Ali Nagi about 10 months ago, Nagi told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard. Hamood came from California to buy the store, Nagi said. Hamood employed Amir Homran at the store, Nagi said. Nagi said police questioned him in the days after Gullottos death. He said officers showed him photos of the suspects and asked him about the sale. Its not clear how Hamood and Homran were identified by police. They were arrested Dec. 18, the day after Gullottos death. Hamood knew Nagis nephew, and Nagis nephew told Hamood about the business opportunity in Syracuse, Nagi said. Hamood owned a store called Golden Pyramids Smoke Shop in San Lorenzo, Calif., according to business records. Nagi wanted to sell the store because he was tired of the neighborhood, he said. He was never robbed there, but he felt it was unsafe. At least one employee has been robbed at gunpoint in recent years. I didnt want my kids there, so I decided to sell it, Nagi said, who owns at least one other convenience store in Syracuse. Nagi bought the store about two years ago and renamed it Syracuse Grocery and Deli. He bought it from Said Alfayoumi, who called it the Blue Market, according to business records. Nagi said Hamood still owes him $2,500, after slowly making payments of $500 at a time. We were almost done, Nagi said, but then he got this problem. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A Sudanese man who was shot and killed by two masked men 11 days ago is leaving behind a 9-year-old daughter who imagined one day working alongside her dad at their own convenience store. Asim Musa, 41, was working behind the counter at Eddies Market at 140 Oakwood Ave. around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 when a masked man entered the store. Musa asked the man to take his mask off, but the man refused, leading to an altercation, according to police and friends of Musas. Musa and the assailant began to fight, and their fight spilled out of the store onto the sidewalk. The two men were on the ground when another suspect walked up and shot Musa in the back, police have said. Musa later died. Police have not arrested any suspects. Musa was a Sudanese immigrant who had lived in Syracuse for 14 years, his ex-wife said. He was a gifted mathematician and cook who leaves behind brothers, a father in Sudan and his daughter, Hadia Musa, 9. When Musas daughter was 6, Musa told her he was going to open up a shop, and she asked if she could run it with him. Musa agreed, according to Juliet Ilunga, Musas ex-wife and Hadias mother. In the days after his death, Hadia Musa wrote a message to her slain father, written in marker on poster board, asking him why he had to leave her. Dad, why did you leave me? Know you promised me you will start a business, so why did (you) leave me? she wrote. Ilunga said Musas death was a cruel twist for a man who had worked hard for everything he earned. She cant believe that Musa would come all the way from Sudan only to be slain in an act of random violence. Asim Musa is pictured here with his young daughter in an undated photo. We came to this country... to fight for our life, to make our life better, and for someone to just come out of nowhere... said Ilunga, a Congolese refugee. Asim was still young, only 41. He still had things hed like to do. One of those things was to start his own convenience store, she said. Musa was a trained computer scientist who studied in Sudan and later worked in Cairo, Egypt, before coming to America, where he hoped to earn enough money to support his family in Africa and build a new life. Musa, a Muslim, also was well known at his mosque on Comstock Avenue, where friends of his gathered the night after his death to mourn him and try to make arrangements for a funeral. He met Ilunga in 2005 when she arrived after 14 long years at a refugee camp in Zambia. They were neighbors, and he told her he was looking for a wife, she said, laughing. So they got married, she said. She and a friend, Fatheea Koy, of Sudan, described rich meals that Musa made: Beef soup with okra, American-style chicken, elaborate salads. He could make it the American way or the Sudanese way, Ilonga said. He would tell everybody, Its fine. I will make it myself. Musa worked at an engineering company in Liverpool, but he wanted to be his own boss and make more money, she said. So he started working at a convenience store and began saving up money to start one. The pair have lost touch over the last several years, however, and shes not sure when he ended up at Eddies. He worked at Lucky 7 Grocery and Deli from April until May, according to a former boss, Mike Farhoud, who described him as a hard worker with a good heart. Recap: After his misleading tweets about taking Tesla private with Saudi Arabia, Musk was hit with a $20 million fine and was forcibly replaced by Robyn Denholm as Tesla chairman. Now, the final part of Teslas deal with the Securities and Exchange Commission has been completed: adding two new independent members to its board. The first is Musks personal friend and major Tesla shareholder, Larry Ellison. Ellison co-founded enterprise cloud software company Oracle in 1977, which has since grown to give him a net worth of $60 billion after becoming the worlds third largest software provider. The second is former Kelloggs executive and current Vice President of Walgreens, Kathleen Wilson-Thompson. The two additions bring the boards number up to eleven; eight men and three women. Teslas board has long been viewed as weak by shareholders, as its mostly comprised of personal friends of Elon Musk, such as his brother, or people inexperienced in car manufacturing. Adding more independence to the board was the SECs goal, and the general consensus is that its mostly been achieved. "Tesla intends to certify to the Commission that it and Elon have timely completed each of their respective actions required pursuant to the Settlement," Tesla said in a securities filing. Excited to have Larry Ellison & Kathleen Wilson-Thompson join the Tesla board! pic.twitter.com/CQyvkgsCsT Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 28, 2018 However, several shareholders have raised concerns about Ellisons close friendship with Musk. Charles Elson, director of the corporate governance center at the University of Delaware said to Reuters, Why would you put a friend [on the board] if the idea of the two independent directors were to be objective. Investors who were hoping for two newly objective directors who could stand up to Mr Musk would be rather disappointed by the choice. Jay Dubow, a former SEC enforcement division branch chief, says that despite the friendship, the move will almost certainly be okay to the SEC. A large stockholder would normally be a good director as he or she would have all stockholders interests in mind when making decisions. He believes that most investors will respond positively. Tesla shares jumped by 10% in the 24 hours following the news, taking them to over $330. With any luck, Tesla can put its woes behind it and go back to making great cars. If youre interested in purchasing a new Tesla the time to do it is right now, because the US $7,500 electric car tax credit ends in 48 hours. In brief: A number of major US newspapers had their printing and delivery processes disrupted yesterday after they were hit with a cyberattack. Its been reported that the attack originated from outside the United States, with some implicating the North Korea-backed Lazarus Group. The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and other titles belonging to Tribune Publishing suffered distribution delays on Saturday after the company detected the malware a day earlier. Papers that share the same production platform in LA, including the west coast editions of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, were also hit. "We believe the intention of the attack was to disable infrastructure, more specifically servers, as opposed to looking to steal information," a source told the LA Times. A Tribune Publishing spokeswoman, Marisa Kollias, said the malware affected back-office systems used to publish and produce "newspapers across our properties." There is no evidence that customer credit card information or personally identifiable information has been compromised, she said. In an internal memo, Tribune CEO Justin Dearborn said workarounds were created in order to print the affected papers Saturday editions. While the publications' websites werent affected, customer service phone lines and time card systems were offline for some time. Forbes reports that the malware Tribune Publishing discovered was a version of the Ryuk ransomware family, which is often attributed to the Lazarus Group. The hacking collective is thought to operate out of China but has links to North Korea. It was behind the 2014 Sony Pictures Hack, the heist on a Bangladeshi bank in 2016, and is widely believed to have been responsible for the WannaCry malware. The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the matter. We are aware of reports of a potential cyber incident affecting several news outlets and are working with our government and industry partners to better understand the situation," said a DHS official, in a statement. Image credit: shutterstock The launch of Delta IV Heavy rocket is pushed back yet again to a 2019 date. The schedule is scrubbed four times after experiencing a series of technical and weather-related issues. The Delta IV Heavy rocket will try again to launch early January next year from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The rocket's launch is scheduled no earlier than Sunday, Jan. 6. The exact time of the liftoff has yet to be announced. The major reason for postponing the launch was that there were "indications of elevated hydrogen concentrations within the port booster engine section." Delta IV Heavy Rocket Mission The United Launch Alliance will use Delta IV Heavy rocket to launch the (NROL-71) mission for the United States National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The NRO is the organization in-charge of United States fleet of reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering satellites using a different type of spacecraft and surveillance techniques to support national defense and security. Regardless of the classified nature of their operations, however, the nature and purpose of different satellites were made known from combined information from NRO itself and other government sources, leaks, and observation of the satellites' orbits. Also, an analysis of hazard areas is published for maritime and aviation safety ahead of each launch including a comparison of the type of rocket to be used to those that have orbited previous satellites. By having this information, most NRO satellites can be identified before they lift off into space. For example, prior to the release of the details of the launch and hazard regions for the NROL-71 mission, satellite enthusiasts believed it was a safe bet that the launch would add a new member to the NRO's fleet of Crystal imaging satellites. KH-11 Spacecraft Key Hole 11 (KH-11) spacecraft, formerly codenamed Kennen, also collect high-resolution images of the Earth's surface and send them back to the ground for analysis. The KH-11 was originally developed in the 1970s and have been upgraded since. It is one of the biggest satellites the NRO operates. Delta IV Heavy, one of the most powerful rockets of the United States, had placed the mentioned spacecraft into orbit. The Delta IV rocket has served the country's top-priority U.S. Air Force and National Reconnaissance Office space programs since 2002. It also launched NASA's Orion capsule on its initial orbital test flight and sent the Parker Solar Probe on its journey navigating through the sun's atmosphere. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A mother is warning other parents of the dangers of magnetic toys after her young son swallowed 13 magnets and had to undergo surgery. What are the dangers of magnetic toys? Magnet Ingestion Four-year-old Beck White fell ill around Christmas time, and his parents initially thought that he was suffering from the flu. But they knew it was something else altogether when their son vomited a dark color, and they immediately rushed him to the Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin. True enough, X-rays revealed that Beck did not have the flu but was sick because he had 13 magnets inside him. Evidently, he broke open his toy and ingested the magnets. Once inside him, the magnets tried to get to one another through the intestines, thereby created holes in the lining. As a result, he had to undergo surgery to remove parts of his intestine, colon, and appendix. In a now-viral Facebook post, Becks mother, Jennifer, is warning parents about the dangers of magnetic toys so that they would be more careful with them, even around their pets. I feel guilty AF and horrible posting this but I dont want another child to go through this. If you have little ones or chewers these are dangerous and were removing them from our home, said Jennifer White. The post has since garnered over 150,000 reactions and over 300,000 shares. Magnetic Toys From 2009 to 2013, about 2,900 cases of magnet ingestion were treated in emergency rooms in the United States, with a majority of the cases coming from children four to 12 years old. There are rules concerning magnets in toys, but they are still quite common and still accessible to children of all ages. As such, experts believe that all magnetic toys should be properly labeled so that parents can have an informed decision on whether to give the potentially harmful toys to their children or not, and they further advise parents to consider the age of their children before giving them such toys. For instance, those with young children may want to refrain from giving their children magnetic toys so as to avoid potentially fatal consequences. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Health authorities are urging the public to refrain from consuming raw milk from a Pennsylvania farm after a New York resident fell ill with Brucellosis. Unlike pasteurized milk, raw milk does not undergo the process to kill germs and bacteria. Brucellosis From Raw Milk A New York resident fell ill with Brucellosis, and authorities have traced back the illness from raw milk produced by Millers Biodiversity Farm in Quarryville, Pennsylvania. As such, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania consumers are being warned against consuming raw milk as well as other dairy products from the company, which is now under quarantine. According to New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal, there are so far no illnesses in New Jersey related to this incidence, and that it is actually illegal in New Jersey to sell raw milk or products because of the health risks that they carry. In general, unpasteurized milk can contain dangerous bacteria, so if you have consumed raw milk products and become ill, immediately seek medical care and inform your health care provider of the raw milk consumption, said Elnahal. Raw Milk Some people consume raw milk because they believe that it has certain health benefits. On the contrary, consuming raw milk actually poses health risks because they may carry harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can make a person very ill. This is because compared to pasteurized milk products, raw milk does not undergo the processes to kill disease causing germs. As such, even raw milk from certified, organic, or local farms is still not guaranteed to be safe. In fact, from 2007 to 2016, there have been 144 outbreaks linked to raw milk in 32 states, with children younger than 5 years old being the most affected. Furthermore, contrary to what some might believe, pasteurization does not remove the nutrients in the milk, so experts still recommend consuming pasteurized milk and other dairy products made from it. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A 41-year-old woman who used DNA testing to learn more about her genealogy received a devastating result. She found out who her biological father really is. Fertility Doctor Used Own Sperm To Inseminate Patient Barbara Gordon learned that her biological father was John Coates III, a fertility doctor whose practice was located at Central Vermont Hospital, the former name of CVMC. Coates was her parents' OB-GYN more than 40 years ago The genetic test results suggest that the doctor switched out the sperm samples donated by a medical student and substituted his own to impregnate Gordon's mother. This prompted Gordon's parents, Peter and Cheryl Rousseau, to file a civil lawsuit against Coates and the fertility clinic. Sperm Switch Not Accidental "This could not have been done accidentally," the couple's lawyer, Jerry O'Neill, said. The couple wanted to have a child together after they married in 1974. They had to rely on artificial insemination though because Peter has undergone vasectomy, a procedure that he was told was irreversible. The decision was to use the sperm of an unnamed medical student whose physical features resembled Peter's, but the doctor allegedly used his own sperm. The insemination was successful. Cheryl learned she was pregnant in May 1977 and gave birth to Barbara in December that year. O'Neill said that Coates made a point to be close during pregnancy. The doctor also made sure he did the delivery of the baby himself as opposed to somebody else in his practice. "He made certain he was there," O'Neill said. Surprise Finding Barbara used sites such as Ancestry.com and 23andme.com to find her genetic background and learn more about her health and background. The news that her biological father was her parent's fertility doctor was a complete news for the family. "It was completely news to them," O'Neill, said. "They had no expectation that this would turn up when their daughter did the research with respect to it." This is not the first time a fertility doctor faced charges for using own sperm to inseminate patients. In 2015, clients of fertility specialist Donald Cline also complained the doctor used his own sperm to impregnate them. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Louisiana's use of the death penalty has reached record lows in recent years amid ongoing debate both statewide and across the country about the potential for grave and irreversible errors when allowing state executions. The downward trend is reflected nationwide as death sentences peaked in the 1990s and have dropped steadily since then. Some states have abolished capital punishment entirely while others still have the option but use it less often, according to a report released earlier this month from the national nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center. Louisiana is one of 31 states where the practice is permitted. But state leaders have long grappled with questions surrounding its use. Discussions have grown more heated in recent months since a federal court order was issued prohibiting additional executions in Louisiana until at least summer 2019 a moratorium resulting from issues obtaining lethal injection drugs because pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to sell them for that purpose. What to do about capital punishment likely will be on the agenda for a few more years Louisiana has struggled for more than a decade over the death penalty and a few more years could pass before the Legislature addresses the i One person was sentenced to death in Louisiana in 2018 following no death sentences in both 2016 and 2017, according to the report. The state's last execution took place in 2010 though dozens of people remain on death row awaiting execution. "In a lot of respects Louisiana mirrors what's going on around the country," said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. "Americans are much less supportive of the death penalty than they were a generation ago. There has been a sea change in public opinion." Dunham described a "deep and broad decline" in death sentences even in conservative states where the practice has historically received the most support. There were 42 death sentences imposed nationwide in 2018, which marks an 85 percent decline since the mid 1990s when annual totals reached more than 300, according to the report. Executions have also dropped significantly: 25 people were executed in the United States this year, down from 98 in 1999. Dunham said one of the reasons for the decline is that people are realizing wrongful convictions are real. And can result in innocent people being sentenced to death. He said Louisiana has the highest exoneration rate of death row prisoners since 1900 meaning "more people per capita than any other state this century, which raises serious questions about the death sentences that are imposed." Eleven people have been exonerated after receiving death sentences in Louisiana and "every single one of those cases involved either police or prosecutorial misconduct," Dunham said. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Opponents also argue that the practice disproportionately affects defendants in certain communities where prosecutors are more likely to seek a death sentence. Research shows that more than half of all death sentences have come from fewer 2 percent of counties in the United States. Dunham said Louisiana is no different, with death sentences concentrated in both East Baton Rouge and Caddo parishes. The one Louisiana resident sentenced to death this year was David Brown of Lafourche Parish that parish's first death sentence in four decades. He was convicted in the 2012 stabbing deaths of a woman and her two young daughters, according to reports from the Daily Comet. The jury found that Brown also sexually assaulted two of the victims and set their home on fire during the attack. Jurors voted in 2016 that Brown should receive capital punishment but he wasn't sentenced until June 2018 because of delays to the case, including a request for retrial that was denied. State legislators have consistently rejected proposals to abolish capital punishment in recent years as some advocates argue it's valuable for victims' families searching for justice. Measures have gained traction but ultimately been defeated, often along party lines. And the issue could remain on the table for at least the next few years. A spat between Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and the state's Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry this summer turned the spotlight on the politics of capital punishment in Louisiana. Landry argued the challenges associated with obtaining lethal injection drugs could be eliminated if the state started allowing other methods of execution including hanging, firing squads and the electric chair. His proposal came after the Edwards administration requested and obtained the federal court order prohibiting executions until next year. The attorney general seized onto Edwards' reluctance to reveal his personal views on the death penalty, asserting the governor was dragging his feet in enforcing state law. Landry pointed to other states that have found ways to access the drugs and execute prisoners. And he said continued delays prevent families from getting justice for horrific crimes. Opposition from the Catholic Church could also affect public opinion as Louisiana residents continue to ponder questions about capital punishment, Dunham said. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops have called for an end to the death penalty and Pope Francis changed the Catechism earlier this year to declare the practice unacceptable in all cases. Catholic activists like Sister Helen Prejean who grew up in Baton Rouge and graduated from St. Joseph's Academy in 1957 have also been spreading that message for decades. "Where is the dignity in rendering a human being completely defenseless and taking them out and killing them," she said, speaking to St. Joseph's students at a school event earlier this year. "Where is the dignity in that?" For years, Entergy Louisianas 1 million customers paid among the lowest electric bills in the nation. But that era of cheap electricity is about to change as rates are expected to start rising in 2019 and should continue to do so for the next decade, according to a study by the Louisiana Public Service Commission released just before the holidays and open for public comment in January. As the state's utility regulators, the PSC will be endorsing or rejecting Entergy's decisions. Prices will be going up as Entergy builds up to a dozen new technologically advanced plants costing billions of dollars that the utilitys customers will pay for but the corporations shareholders will own. Though Entergy disagrees, the major manufacturers along the Mississippi River the states largest employers and Entergys biggest customers predict rates will go up 40 percent. Higher electric costs in Louisiana could add $5 million to $10 million in additional costs for a mid-sized plant using 50 megawatts of electricity, predicts the Louisiana Energy Users Group, which represents the industrial consumers. LEUG wants out. The big companies want to make their own power or buy it on the open market. That way Entergy wouldnt have to build as many plants, thereby lowering the monthly bills for the remaining customers, Randy Young, LEUGs Baton Rouge attorney, testified to the PSC. LEUG and the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a New Orleans-based consumer group representing residential and small business users, rarely agree on energy policy. But they have similar worries on this one, said Logan Atkinson Burke, head of the Alliance. Entergy will be called upon to provide more power to meet growing needs and also will need to replace six electricity generators that have been in use for more than 40 years. The older units are one of the reasons why the utilitys rates are so low, she said. Theyre like an old car, theyre paid off, Atkinson Burke said in an interview Thursday. They do have some maintenance costs but are those costs large enough to justify buying a new car? What Entergys current low rates dont consider are the three new electricity generating plants that are about to open and whose costs will start showing up on bills in 2019, she said. And then what about the costs of the additional new plants on the horizon? Were getting nervous about what all this is going to look like, Atkinson Burke said. Yes, the opening of new plants will give a little pop to our rates, but thats not the whole story, countered Mark D. Kleehammer, Entergy Louisianas vice president of regulatory affairs. First, the assumptions underlying LEUGs math are off. The rates wont go up that much, Kleehammer said Friday in an interview. Secondly, Louisiana prices will rise from a much lower starting point. Even with higher rates, monthly Entergy bills still will be among the lowest in the nation except then customers will benefit from new plants that are more reliable, operate more efficiently, therefore more cheaply, and are environmentally cleaner, he said. Louisiana customers paid 7.4 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2016 compared to the national average of 10.3 cents, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Louisianas utility rates have increased 6 percent over the past 15 years as opposed to 41 percent in the United States as a whole. While Louisiana has the lowest rates in the country, Entergy has the lowest rates in Louisiana. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up You need to look at the numbers, Kleehammer said pulling out a calculator and the PSC report on monthly bills to make his point. Baton Rouge makes for a good comparison. Most of the city is serviced by Entergy Louisiana. Large portions of the parish are subdivisions served by DEMCO. A typical residential consumer uses about 1,300 kilowatt-hours of electricity every month. But 1,000 kWh is easier to calculate. In 2018, a Baton Rouge residential customer of Entergy using 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity paid a total $1,055.31 for the year. A comparable DEMCO customer paid $1,203.66 in 2018. The state average for 2018 was $1,197.64. (Customers using 2,000 kWh paid twice those amounts.) Entergys rates will go up about $3 per month for the 1,000 kWh residential customer in mid-2019 when the newly built St. Charles Power Station on River Road near Montz goes online. A similarly sized plant being built in Lake Charles will go operational in 2020, causing another similar bump in rates, according to a draft of Entergys latest Integrated Resource Plan, which will be released in early 2019. Another plant in Washington Parish goes online in 2021. The state-of-the-art St. Charles facility will make 980 megawatts of electricity enough to power about 675,000 homes and cost close to $1 billion. Thats the math that worried then-PSC Chairman Scott Angelle, whose request in April 2017 started the PSC study called Status of Electric Rates in Louisiana: Where are we and Where are we going? Angelle noted that Entergys Integrated Resource Plan indicated that the utility would need to generate up to 9,000 megawatts of electricity. Extrapolating the costs of the St. Charles station about $1 billion for 1,000 megawatts Angelle was concerned of the financial hit Entergys customers would take building new assets for the private corporations shareholders. Neither of the other two major privately owned utilities operating in the state Cleco and SWEPCO have plans to build new plants, according to the PSC report. LEUG asked the PSC to start considering options now, rather than wait until plant closures left regulators with no other option but approve new construction. They forwarded several ideas that would cut down on the amount of power Entergy would have to produce at any given moment. For instance, LEUG offered to expand a pricing scheme that allowed Entergy to divert electricity usually sent to a plant to cover other power needs during peak times, such as when air conditioners are cranked up on a summer afternoons. But LEUGs number one suggestion is to let the industrials out of the system. Entergys Kleehammer said the utility could work with LEUG on some of the pricing options. But allowing the industrials isnt a good idea. In that type of mechanism, youll have winners and losers, Kleehammer said. The rates become set by competitive factors rather than fairness, which is the hallmark of regulated systems. Plants and commercial ventures connected to large corporations with more bargaining stick often pay far less than similar-sized establishments. You have a fundamental question, Kleehammer said, Should a mom and pop store on the corner pay a different rate than a retailer of the same size but connected to a national company? The industrial class of customer in this state uses more energy than the residential class, which makes Louisiana unique, the Alliances Atkinson Burke said. Removing big manufacturers indeed would lessen the need for more building, but fewer customers would be in the pool to pay, meaning bills could go higher, Atkinson Burke said. We need to be very careful, Atkinson Burke said. There are ways to do it but isnt free and it isnt easy. Richard Quamme had already moved his vehicles and placed his wife's extensive collection of ceramic piggy banks up on counters and shelves in his Goodbee home by Saturday, as water from the rising Tchefuncte River began lapping at his slab. Quamme, a veteran of floods that put 5 feet of water in his house in March 2016 and 2 feet that August just after he had replaced his flood-damaged cabinets was matter-of-fact about the coming inundation and the risks of living near the water. "The river is nice when it's nice," he said. At week's end, the Tchefuncte was decidedly not nice, pumped up by torrential rains to the north on Thursday night that pushed the western St. Tammany Parish river up to major flood stage beginning Friday, threatening homes along its banks and making some roads impassable. While parish officials couldn't offer a projected number of structures at risk this time, in 2016, when the Tchefuncte reached 31.2 feet, near its historic crest, hundreds of homes took on water. The Bogue Falaya and Pearl rivers also spilled over their banks in that flood, resulting in 1,000 homes flooding parishwide. The worst from this flood was still to come. The National Weather Service had forecast a 30-foot crest for the Tchefuncte at U.S. 190 near Covington, initially expected by midday Saturday. But the agency revised its forecast Saturday morning, with the crest now anticipated at 6 a.m. Sunday. A 30-foot crest would be comparable to the August 2016 flood, when the river hit 30.02 feet at the U.S. 190 gauge. Quamme expects to get as much as 3 feet of water in his home by the time it's over. The slower rise could mean a slower fall, he said, and longer for the water to sit inside his house. "I've got everything picked up," he said in a resigned voice. But that's no guarantee of less mess. Objects "just float around and knock over other things," he said. In Folsom, the crest came late Friday afternoon and was lower than projected, 22.42 feet compared to the forecast of 24 feet. Still, that was only inches less than the crest in August 2016. Jennifer Bennett Dean, who had spent most of the day Friday securing her parents' home on La. 1078, said the water was an inch from the door that night. She and her husband were anticipating a third flood the property took on water twice in 2016 but by Saturday morning the house remained dry, with only the garage flooding. Folsom-area residents had spent an anxious day Friday, with the water seeming to recede in the early afternoon, only to rise quickly a few hours later, playing what some described as a game with residents. Brandi Bono, who owns Gene's Country Store on La. 1078, said that people had been stopping by to get gas and food on their way out of the danger zone. "They were desperate," she said. "I don't think they knew what to do." St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up By noon Saturday, though, the river at Folsom had dropped to 18.18 feet and was continuing to fall. With the projected crest near Covington remaining at 30 feet, St. Tammany officials decided Saturday to keep a shelter at Coquille Park open for another night. The parish also extended the hours for a sandbag station at the Covington barn to 5 p.m. Saturday. The parish was still advising people who live along both sides of the Tchefuncte to consider voluntary evacuation, particularly if they live in low-lying areas. Covington Mayor Mike Cooper was also cautioning city residents along the river, especially in Old Landing and neighborhoods around St. Tammany Parish Hospital, to keep a close eye on flood forecasts. The 30-foot crest could create conditions similar to those in March and August 2016, he said. While the Bogue Falaya crested on Friday and has been falling since, removing the threat to the north side of the city, the south side is vulnerable to the rising Tchefuncte River, Cooper said. Despite the rising water, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office received few calls for help Friday or Saturday, according to Capt. Scott Lee. Sheriff's deputies were far busier in 2016, when the rapid rise of the Bogue Falaya River caught many residents off guard and caused flooding in areas that had not experienced it before. Deputies, who were staged at Gene's Country Store, helped two people Friday who needed help with voluntary evacuation and responded to a few stalled vehicles. But the only call for service Saturday morning came about 5:30 a.m. when a motorist drove around a barricade placed on La. 1077 by the state Department of Transportation and Development, Lee said. Daunted by the high water, the driver then tried to turn around and misjudged where the road ended and the ditch began, he said. Meanwhile, in St. Charles Parish, where as much as 8 inches of rain fell within a 2-hour period Friday morning, crews were still monitoring pump stations, clearing out catch basins and picking up debris throughout the day. All roads were open. Australias mining sector must forge stronger ties with schools, TAFEs and universities if it is to succeed in achieving a meaningful lift in female workforce participation levels, says the head of human resources at goldminer St Barbara. Mining is the countrys most male-dominated industry, according to data compiled by the federal governments Workforce Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), which reveals women hold just 16 per cent of the 220,000 mining jobs nationally. Libby Lyons, director of the Australian Government's Workplace Gender Equality Agency. And the imbalance is even starker in the industrys traditionally masculine roles, with women accounting for 10 per cent of machinery operators and drivers, 4.9 per cent of technicians and tradespeople and 7.1 per cent of labourers. Many of the biggest miners in Australia, in recent years, have embarked on ambitious campaigns to attempt to fix the gender problem, including the worlds top mining group, BHP, which is striving for a 50:50 gender balance target by 2025. Most of the investors who sunk $8.46 billion into the initial public offerings (IPO) that occurred between January and November are now holding shares worth less than they paid for them. In some cases a lot less. "Over the last year, you would have lost a pretty substantial amount of money," said Bell Potter principal Hugh Robertson. Viva Energy's CEO Scott Wyatt and chairman Hui Meng Kho at its ASX listing ceremony. Credit:James Brickwood Viva Energy raised $2.65 billion at $2.50 a share in July. It was the biggest raising of the year. The stock hit a low of $1.80 in November after Viva announced that it would not meet its prospectus forecasts. The stock had barely registered above its IPO price since listing. L1 Long Short Fund was the second largest raising of the year with $1.35 billion at $2 a share. It hit a low of $1.285 in December. There is no shortage of ways a small business can choose to splash cash on advertising, but some growing companies say they're barely spending a cent. "What we do is continually evolving, but from the very beginning the thing that has worked best for us is word-of-mouth," says chief executive of edtech startup Mappen, Danny Ritterman. Chief executive of Mappen, Danny Ritterman. Mappen has spent around $1,000 on digital advertising and doesn't intend to spend more. Mappen, which Ritterman runs with three co-founders including his mother Karen Green and brother Mark, is targeted at teachers to help them plan lessons. Educational providers can use the system to build lesson structures and make sure their work is up-to-date with the current curriculum and best practice. The past 12 months will go down as the Year of the Rebel Girl. Ordinary girls and young women around the world shed their inner good girl and rose strong, bold and loud. They demanded attention, and they got it. They snatched microphones, took up space, dominated headlines and outclassed and out-maneuvered a boys club unaccustomed to dealing with women, much less young ones, who dont know their place. Emma Gonzalez survived the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and is one of the faces of the 'March for our lives' campaign. Credit:AP In February, 18-year-old Emma Gonzalez, who survived the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, became a household name after calling BS on Donald Trump and other law makers inaction on gun control. [I]f all our government and President can do is send thoughts and prayers, then it's time for victims to be the change that we need to see, she said in a speech at a gun control rally. But first. Why Duck? "When I was 17-18 I used to ride motorbikes around and one day the rubber ducky song came on the radio and I started singing, making a bit of a fool of myself," he says. "When I woke up the next morning, my mates had painted a rubber ducky on the back of my leather jacket. It just stuck." At the same time as he was gallivanting around the territory on his motorbike, Duck was patrolling Casuarina Sands as captain of the waterway's old surf lifesaving club. As the winter of 1968 approached, the lifeguards were encouraged to join Civil Defence to keep themselves busy during the cooler months. They did, and in the process doubled the size of the agency from eight to 16 members. They were taught to construct makeshift shelters in preparation for a possible nuclear disaster. Disaster did strike, but it was of mother nature's, not man's, making. Graeme "Duck" Tonge, pictured left, receives a long service award to ACT SES from Govenor General Peter Cosgrove "The first major disaster I was called to was when people got washed off the crossing in Woden [in 1971]," he says. "We spent three days walking with mud up to your waist hoping like hell that you didn't step on someone's body." Employed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Duck was required to pull on the orange overalls at a moment's notice. He filled various roles as the agency evolved, including team leader and unit commander. The emergency incidents have been many and varied - but some stand out. Like the time he helped rescued a 15-year-old boy whose leg had been wedged between two rocks for 19 hours at Baroomba Rocks. "It got to the point where we had a doctor at the cliff, with a needle in his hand ready to knock him out and cut off his leg," he says. Graeme "Duck" Tonge, pictured above, has chalked up 50 years service to the ACT SES - the first volunteer to reach the milestone. Credit:Karleen Minney "One guy said 'Let's try one last thing'. We cut up these drink bottles and slid them in between his legs. We poured this foam down the side and then lifted him up - he popped out like a cork. We stretchered him down the mountain and he got off and walked away." Good days have been counterbalanced by bad, sometimes tragic ones. Duck remembers the first dead body he recovered, and the pang of guilt as he pondered whether more could have been done to save their life. He grappled with similar demons after a work colleague went missing near Murrays Corner. "They never found him and there was a bit of confusion as to which areas had been searched," he says. "A year later they found him in an area that we should have been searching. You make a decision on the day - if you made a different one, could you have saved someone's life?" Duck said he's got one, maybe two years left. He's got a "gammy leg" which restricts his movement, and the bureaucratisation of the emergency service has changed the role - for better or worse. He questions if the "lure" of 50 years' service meant he hadn't called it quits earlier. But then he gets talking about the friends he's made, the live's he saved and changed. The reasons he keeps pulling on his orange overalls. And then, just as The Canberra Times is preparing to head home, he remembers that one day in Tuggeranong which, better than any other, embodies the joy of the job. Fireworks, family-friendly festivities and a possible thunderstorm are set to mark the end of 2018 in Canberra. Thousands of Canberrans are expected to pack the city's official New Year's Eve event in Civic on Monday, which will include firework displays from City Hill at 9pm and midnight, as well as live music in Civic Square from 6pm. Mona Liu, Yu Li, Lou Liou and Jerry Wu, pictured above at Commonwealth Park, are ready to celebrate New Years Eve Credit:Lawrence Atkin Canberra acoustic soul band Tuchasoul is leading the local talent on show at the all ages, alcohol-free event, which will headlined by producer PACES. The festivities could be dampened by some rain, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a possible thunderstorm on Monday. A support program successfully adopted by NSW police four years ago in response to a swath of suicides and work-related trauma in its ranks is seen as offering a potential model for the Australian Federal Police as it attempts to grapple with the recent suicide deaths of two federal agents in the basement of its Barton headquarters. Backup For Life is funded by NSW Police Legacy and the NSW government and offers a range of member services including counselling and financial assistance. Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith. Credit:Rohan Thomson Australian Federal Police Association president Angela Smith, whose organisation represents 4000 AFP members based largely in the ACT but also scattered in capital city offices around Australia and 42 posts across the globe, has met with the Backup team and found elements of its program that would benefit her members. The federal police have their own internal officer welfare service Safe Place, however, it has suffered a significant backlog due to the heavy caseload on the department. The association is also aware of federal agents who have avoided reporting their mental health and wellbeing issues to Safe Place for fear of being stigmatised. After weeks of over indulging over the festive season the new year is the perfect time to reassess your relationship with alcohol. But rather than be resigned to drinking water while everyone else continues the celebrations why not sample something from the growing market of booze-free choices. Manufacturers, pubs, bars and restaurants are recognising our drinking habits are changing and are developing drinks with flavour, depth and sophistication to meet that need. Caitlin Baker, left, and Dash Rumble at Pilot restaurant. Credit:Karleen Minney Sales of non-alcoholic drinks have risen 57 percent in the past five years, according to the Euromonitor Internationals Alcoholic Drinks In Australia 2018 report. And younger generations are drinking less than their elders. Nielsen reported in 2017 that 53 per cent of Millennials (aged 18 to 34) said they consumed alcohol in the past month, compared with 65 per cent of Gen Xers (aged 35 to 54) and 72 per cent of Boomers (aged 55+). The Russian government could lose its right to land for a new embassy if it doesn't show signs of using its existing vacant plot, according to the chief planner for the National Capital Authority. Andrew Smith has threatened to have the lease withdrawn if the Russians didn't show signs of building on the prime Yarralumla block in the diplomatic enclave. National Capital Authority chief planner Andrew Smith. Credit:Jamila Toderas Mr Smith said that the Australian authorities weren't at the point of withdrawing permission yet, but he raised the possibility in a recent parliamentary hearing. The situation was "unsatisfactory", he said, adding, "It's a large site. It's prominent". As the Australian government steps up to introduce stricter surveillance of drones, Federal WA Senator Glenn Sterle says it's a welcome start, but needs deeper focus. Mr Sterle, who chaired a bipartisan Senate inquiry into drone safety regulations, felt the sudden decision came from Gatwick. WA Senator Glenn Sterle believes the stricter regulations are a good start but worries the lack of knowledge of airspace restrictions could pose a privacy and national security threat. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "It's a good start but I do believe theyve been looking into it given Gatwick," he said. "We had the report tabled in July 2018 but we havent had a courtesy response from the government. Now, (the Civil Aviation Security Authority) is looking into the inquiry. For too long governments have ignored the key stakeholder in the apartment building boom: the resident. In fact, under current consumer laws, you receive more protection buying a refrigerator than a $1 million apartment. This fundamental lack of protection for apartment owners and residents only gives rise to a loss of public confidence in the entire strata system. With population projections showing NSW will be home to 9.9 million people by 2036, and 70 per cent of newly approved dwellings estimated to be apartments, a significant loss of confidence in strata living would be devastating for the state. A Gold Coast woman has died after the four-wheel-drive she was a passenger in plunged into a Sunshine Coast river on Sunday. The car crashed off Maximillian Road and into the Noosa River near the Tewantin Ferry landing about 9.15pm. The car crashed near the Maximillian Road ferry wharf on Sunday night. Credit:Nine News Queensland - Twitter A 69-year-old woman, from Wongawallan on the Gold Coast, died while the driver, a 67-year-old Southport man, managed to get out of the vehicle before it sank. Also on the Sunshine Coast, a man died overnight after he was hit by a car while walking along the Sunshine Coast Motorway. Womens anger over sexual assault and harassment, most notably captured in the Womens March of early 2017 and the #MeToo movement that emerged nationally in 2018, has been a boon for Democratic politicians in the US. Women voters harnessed their rage and took it to the polls in off-year and midterm elections, helping trigger last months blue wave that broke Republican control in Washington. As Democratic candidates queue up for the presidential race, they will be poised to take advantage of the grassroots organising and political activism of women voters. But for two of the top contenders, former vice president Joe Biden and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the #MeToo movement may well kill their candidacies, though in very different ways. Former vice-president Joe Biden's first #MeToo involvement came in 1991. Credit:AP Biden became a media darling during his eight years in the Obama administration. Both affable and gaffe-able, he exuded a warmth that earned him the nickname Uncle Joe. A few turns on late-night shows and NBCs Parks and Recreation, plus the tragic losses of his wife, young daughter and eldest son, transformed him into something more than a vice president. Democrats have come to regard him with genuine affection. And the qualities that would normally be disqualifying his age (76) and constant blunders have been de-fanged by Donald Trumps ascension to the presidency. But Biden has a major #MeToo problem. While the twinkly eyed politico has never fielded personal accusations of harassment, he played a leading role in Clarence Thomas Supreme Court hearings in 1991. When a young lawyer named Anita Hill came forward with sexual harassment accusations against Thomas, Biden denied her a full hearing. The ringleaders of waning youth gangs Apex and Menace To Society are believed to be behind a newly formed street gang linked to a string of robberies and violent street brawls in Melbourne's west and bayside suburbs. Victoria police say they have arrested a number of young teenagers affiliated with the emerging "Blood Drill Killers" gang, also known as BDK, in recent weeks with specialist taskforce Wayward actively monitoring the group. One person close to the group said the gang was partly established by former Apex and MTS members who were rebranding and recruiting younger participants. A social media post referencing a gang named BDK, which stands for 'Blood Drill Killers', made up of teenagers of African background, some as young as 14 years old. "Theyre young, repeat offenders who have been in the justice system for the last two years," the source said. Not just sightseeing: Tourists can now pay to pick up rubbish on a bus tour. Credit:Simon Schluter Tourists are often accused of blighting the landscape with rubbish, but a tour company is offering visitors the chance to reverse the stereotype. New bus tours called Trash Bags on Tour are taking tourists to see sights, on the condition they pick up litter as well. Earlier this month, a group of tourists paid $50 each to take tour along the Great Ocean Road, and at their first stop, they spent 90 minutes picking up rubbish from Eastern View beach on Victoria's Surf Coast. Instead of bathers and towels, the 18 tourists donned thick gloves and picked up cloth rubbish bags. The Morrison government is facing fresh internal questions over its ability to fight the next election after sharp criticism by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. Coalition insiders were left stunned by Mr Dutton's move to go into the new year with a fresh attack on Mr Turnbull and draw attention to the internal divisions which have derailed the government's efforts to rebuild after the August leadership challenge. Comments by Peter Dutton have reignited internal debate about the government's electoral chances. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Dutton, who was defeated by Scott Morrison in the Liberal leadership ballot, used an interview with News Corporation to argue the government would have faced political annihilation if it had stuck with Mr Turnbull. Saying the Liberal Party had become "unrecognisable" to its supporters, he accused Mr Turnbull of being unable to make a decision. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 30) President Rodrigo Duterte issued his message on the anniversary of national hero Jose Rizal's death Sunday. Dutete said it was important for Filipinos to remember what Rizal's martyrdom means. "Rizal's courageous life and inspiring works have been instrumental in awakening our collective consciousness to foster our Filipino identity and take a stand against our oppressors," he said. READ: "Together, let us embody his patriotism in all our endeavors as we build the society that he envisioned for the Filipino people." President Rodrigo Duterte | #RizalDay https://t.co/sDo55hwVGt pic.twitter.com/vMTxv8gM8U CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) December 30, 2018 Duterte added, "We remember him as beacon of valor and solidarity at a time when darkness, injustice and tyranny prevailed over our land." The President said the national hero's example should be emulated to this day. Duterte is expected to lead the Rizal Day commemoration in Davao City's Rizal Park Sunday afternoon. Vice President Leni Robredo, who led the wreath-laying ceremonies for Rizal's 122nd death anniversary in Luneta, also issued a statement, saying Filipinos should remember the lessons imparted by the country's national hero to heart. "In these times when ruthless practicality is foisted on us as virtue, and when respect for individual dignity is maligned as weakness, Rizal stands as a reminder that true freedom always goes hand in hand with kindness and integrity," she said. The office of Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove is pleading for more cash after its eighth year of failing to make ends meet, warning the integrity of official honours could be put at risk without a funding injection. Citing a surge in demands on the Governor-General, including a spike in the number of people applying for official Australian honours, his staff are in talks with the office of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann for a funding boost. Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove (right) with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In the last financial year, the Governor-General's office was over its $15 million budget by $332,000, prompting the department to note it was facing "ongoing budget viability issues". The last time the office met its budget was in 2009-10 when the Governor-General was Quentin Bryce. Washington: A few months ago, a senior Trump administration official wrote a controversial anonymous oped in the New York Times that said forces within the administration were working to rein in President Donald Trump's potentially damaging whims. In an interview, Trump's departing chief of staff, John Kelly, basically confirmed that's exactly what has happened for the past two years. "In the phone interview [on] Friday, Kelly defended his rocky tenure, arguing that it is best measured by what the president did not do when Kelly was at his side," says a Los Angeles Times interview. John Kelly, White House chief of staff, with Trump in October. Credit:Bloomberg Kelly admits he wasn't consulted much before Trump banned travel from several majority-Muslim nations. At the time, Kelly was the secretary of homeland security the department in charge of instituting the ban that turned chaotic. Beschloss noted that the constitution set very few guidelines in this regard because the expectation was that the first president would be George Washington and he would set the tone for the office. "What is it that school children are taught about George Washington? That he never told a lie," he said. "That is a bedrock expectation of a president by Americans." Trump began 2018 on a similar pace as last year. Through May, he generally averaged about 200 to 250 false claims a month. But his rate suddenly exploded in June, when he topped 500 falsehoods, as he appeared to shift to campaign mode. He made almost 500 more in both July and August, almost 600 in September, more than 1200 in October and almost 900 in November. In December, Trump drifted back to the mid-200s. Almost as many false claims came during remarks at press events, and about 17 per cent were the result of Trump's itchy Twitter finger. Trump's mid-summer acceleration came as the White House stopped having regular press briefings and the primary voice in the administration was Trump, who met repeatedly with reporters, held events, staged rallies and tweeted constantly. Trump is among the more loquacious of recent presidents, according to Martha Kumar, professor at Towson University, who keeps track of every presidential interaction with the media, dating to Ronald Reagan. To December 20, Trump held 323 short question-and-answer sessions with reporters, second only to Bill Clinton in his first 23 months, and granted 196 interviews, second to Barack Obama. More than a quarter of Trump's claims came during campaign rallies. On November 5, the day before the midterm elections, for instance, Trump held three rallies, yielding a total of 139 false or misleading claims. A review of every statement made by Trump at two of his earlier 2018 rallies found that he exaggerated or made up at least 70 per cent of his assertions. Loading Almost as many false claims came during remarks at press events, and about 17 per cent were the result of the president's itchy Twitter finger. The president misled Americans about issues big and small. He told a series of lies about payments his now-convicted lawyer says Trump authorised to silence women alleging affairs with him. He routinely exaggerates his accomplishments, such as claiming he passed the biggest tax cut ever, presided over the best economy in history, scored massive deals for jobs with Saudi Arabia and all but solved the North Korean nuclear crisis. He attacks his perceived enemies with abandon, falsely accusing Clinton of colluding with the Russians, former FBI Director James Comey of leaking classified information and Democrats of seeking to let undocumented immigrants swamp the US borders. The president often makes statements that are disconnected from his policies. He said his administration did not have a family separation policy on the border, when it did. Then he said the policy was required because of existing laws, when it was not. The president also simply invents faux facts. He repeatedly said US Steel is building six to eight new steel plants, but that's not true. He said that as president, Barack Obama gave citizenship to 2500 Iranians during the nuclear-deal negotiations, but that's false. Over and over, Trump claimed that the Uzbek-born man who in 2017 was accused of killing eight people with a pickup truck in New York brought two dozen relatives to the United States through "chain migration." The real number is zero. Trump reacts to laughter from delegates to his United Nations speech. Credit:AP In one of his more preposterous statements of 2018, Trump labelled the Palm Beach Post as "fake news" for blaming him for traffic jams across the nation, when an article about the impact of low petrol prices on driving habits never mentioned his name. Sometimes, Trump simply attempts to create his own reality. Loading When leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly burst into laughter when Trump uttered a favourite false claim that his administration had accomplished more in less than two years than "almost any administration in the history of our country" the president was visibly startled and remarked he "didn't expect that reaction." But then he later falsely insisted to reporters the boast "was meant to get some laughter". In an October interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump emphatically denied he had imposed many tariffs. "I mean, other than some tariffs on steel, which is actually small, what do we have? ... Where do we have tariffs? We don't have tariffs anywhere," he insisted. The newspaper responded by printing a list of $US305 billion ($433 billion) worth of tariffs on many types of imports. Trump exaggerates when the facts are on his side. Automotive News Digest; Week Ending December 29, 2018; Executive Producer Larry Nutson AUTO CENTRAL and CHICAGO - December 30, 2018: Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Guy along with fellow senior editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, in easy to "catch up" with news nuggets. See Also: links to the past 25 year's millions of (Indexed By Bing) pages of automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news residing in The Auto Channel Automotive News Library. TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network On Amazon TV, Google TV, BOOKU, Tooku, SCHMOOKU; HULU, ROKU, Pookoo, Eyekoo and Old Fashioned "Free and Clear" Over the air TV in Boston and South Florida as well as local cable systems. * Entering its fourth year, The Drive Home is an annual vintage vehicle winter road rally that celebrates Americas motoring legacy throughout the country. Americas Automotive Trust (AAT) and the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) have announced that Houston, Texas, will be the starting point for The Drive Home IV a 10-day road rally from January 3 12, concluding with the final leg of the trip traveling down iconic Woodward Avenue ending at Cobo Center for the final January NAIAS in Detroit. This years convoy will feature vintage trucks. Participating organizations and their vehicles include: Americas Car Museum 1955 Chevrolet 3600, RPM Foundation 1965 Ford F100, Club Auto & Hagerty 1962 International Travelette and Concours Club & The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage 1957 Ford Ranchero Custom. * Nissan director Greg Kelly, arrested together with Carlos Ghosn, was released on bail from a Tokyo jail. Ghosn is still being held base on new allegations of breach of trust filed by the Japanese prosecutor. What a tragic downfall. * VW's ongoing cleanup of its diesel cheating scandal will cost it around 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion) in 2019, the automaker's CFO told a German news organization. It makes one stop and think what was going through the heads of those who dreamed up the cheat idea now that they realize the total financial and personal impact. * BMW AG was fined $10 million by South Korea's transport ministry for its actions in not recalling 22,670 cars prone to catch fire. BMW is also facing a criminal probe after investigators concluded the manufacturer concealed fire hazards and delayed recalls. South Koreas transport ministry plans to ask prosecutors to investigate the German carmaker, the ministry said in a statement. * Tesla registered a wholly-owned leasing company in China to pursue selling and making cars in that restrictive country. The Chinese recently changed its requirement that outside companies partner with a local entities to do business there. The $30 million company will also facilitate the pursuit of the $2 billion mega-factory near Shanghai that Tesla has been planning. Chinese government policies favor electric vehicles. * In other Tesla news, the California-based electric vehicle company added new board members this week to settle an agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission entered into earlier in the year as the result of irresponsible Twitter posts by company founder Elon Musk. The company already paid a $20 million fine. The new board members - Larry Ellison of Oracle and Kathleen Wilson-Thompson of Walgreens Boots Alliance - are expected to reign-in Musks social media communications. Musk says . . . no way. * Penske Truck Leasing company received the first battery-electric, medium-duty commercial truck from Daimler this week for testing. The Freightliner van-bodied delivery truck will be in use for local distribution in the Northwest Pacific and California. Penske and Daimler have a long-standing relationship. More electric trucks are destined for Penske and they expect to be using a total of 20 by the end of 2019. * In support of their promise to produce a plethora of battery-electric vehicles by 2030 Volkswagen is testing new portable charging stations that can accommodate four vehicles at a time for high-speed charging. The charging station will then need to be recharged itself since it will not need to be hooked up to a power supply. The charging station has a capacity of 360 kWh and has both AC and DC connections. * Bloomington Gold Corvettes announced an addition to the 2019 Event. For the first time in the 45-year history of the Show, Bloomington Gold will invite Camaros to join them at the 3-day event June 20-22, 2019 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Camaros will be offered similar opportunity to enjoy many of the amenities already offered to Corvette owners such as laps on the infamous IMS track, participation in the road tour and Camaro focused vendors, to name a few. * Subaru Tecnica International announced that it will reveal the limited-edition STI S209 at the North American International Auto Show on January 14th. Subaru Tecnica International Inc. (STI) is a subsidiary of SUBARU CORPORATION (SBR), which was established to undertake the motorsport activities of SUBARU. * We've navigated through 2018 and now on to new open-roads for 2019. Happy New Year to all and thanks for your time! Americas Automotive Trust and the North American International Auto Show Annual Vintage Car Rally Keeps on Truckin Editor's Note: Stay tuned right here, Steve Purdy will be in the Drive Home caravan with first hand reports from the action. (See Steve's note below release:) Celebrating four years, The Drive Home will feature vintage trucks in a cross-country road trip from Houston to Detroit TACOMA, Wash. (Dec. 27, 2018) Americas Automotive Trust (AAT) and the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) announced Houston as the start of The Drive Home IV a 10-day, 2,750 -mile vintage vehicle trek to Detroit from Jan. 3-12. in its fourth year, The Drive Home (TDH IV) is an annual road rally celebrating Americas motoring legacy across the U.S. in the days leading up to the worlds premier international auto show, NAIAS. This years 2,750 mile journey marks the longest run since the rally began and the first to feature exclusively vintage American trucks. Every year, we look forward to taking the collector vehicles on a trip back to the spiritual home for the American automobile Detroit, said AAT Vice Chairman David Madeira. This year, we thought that bringing out vintage trucks and hosting enthusiast gatherings along the route would be a great way to once again share Americas love for vintage vehicles with people across the country. TDH IV participating trucks include: LeMay Americas Car Museum 1955 Chevrolet 3600 RPM Foundation 1965 Ford F100 Hagerty & Club Auto 1962 International Travelette The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage & Concours Club 1957 Ford Ranchero The Drive Home Series has held a special resonance for car and truck collectors worldwide since the first cross-country road trip in 2015, says NAIAS Executive Director Rod Alberts. Were honored to see the nostalgia and pride this rally has inspired across the U.S. and were looking forward to welcoming the vintage trucks home to the Motor City for the North American International Auto Show. TDH IVs presenting sponsor State Farm and supporting sponsors Shell, Plycar, Quicken Loans, Hagerty and Montecristo have committed to this years rally and will host a number of special events, enthusiast gatherings and promotions during the trip. As the group makes their way to Detroit, they will be making stops in Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Little Rock, AR; Sewanee, TN; Greenville, SC; Charlotte, NC; Asheville, NC; Louisville, KY; Auburn, IN; Hickory Corners, MI; Birmingham, MI; Troy, MI; Detroit, MI. For more information on The Drive Home IV, visit americascarmuseum.org/TheDriveHome. About Americas Automotive Trust Americas Automotive Trust (AAT), headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, is a not-for-profit corporation that seeks to secure Americas automotive heritage and to transfer the skills and knowledge necessary for the future of collector vehicles and the enthusiast community for generations to come. AAT is made up of four founding members: LeMay Americas Car Museum, the RPM Foundation, Club Auto and the Concours Club. For more information on AAT, visit americasautomotivetrust.org. About the North American International Auto Show In its 31st year as an international event, the NAIAS is the most influential annual automotive event in the world. NAIAS is where future mobility innovations meet the pavement. With the largest concentration of the worlds top automotive and technology executives, designers, engineers and thought leaders, NAIAS serves as the global stage for companies to debut brand-defining vehicles and industry-shaping announcements. NAIAS is unmatched in the industry in presenting six unique shows in one, including: The Gallery, an ultra-luxury automotive event, AutoMobili-D, an inside look at future mobility platforms, Press Preview, Industry Preview, Charity Preview and then concluding with a nine-day Public Show. From Steve To The Auto Channel Staff: Ill be taking part again (that makes 4 for 4) driving three legs in the middle of the rally - from Spartanburg, SC to Louisville - probably 3 stories for TAC. Hope we can hook up while were in Louisville. They try to do events all along the way, so if you want to do something for TAC, or if you have car-loving pals there who want come meet the crazy, old-car, winter-rally, miscreants let us know. Ill forward more specifics of time and place as I learn them. Steve Manitoba Hydro is warning customers to be wary of high-pressure scammers threatening to shut off their electric service unless immediate payment is made by a prepaid card. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba Hydro is warning customers to be wary of high-pressure scammers threatening to shut off their electric service unless immediate payment is made by a prepaid card. The utility saw nearly a 300 percent jump in the number of fraud-related complaints this year from the year before 862 phone, text and e-mail scams as of Oct. 31 from 221 in 2017. An increase in scammers threatening disconnection of service to small business owners was responsible for the large increase but many other fraud-related complaints to Manitoba Hydro this past year concerned unsolicited text messages to customers that say they were overbilled and eligible for a refund. Hydro says a common scam is to call a customers home or business and say the customer owes money and must pay immediately by prepaid card or face a shutoff of electric service. Hydro employees will never demand immediate payment with a credit card or money order by phone. They also will never threaten to disconnect power or suspend service if payment is not made immediately. Customers who are unsure whether the phone call, text or email is real or a scam, are encouraged to contact Hydro at 1-888-624-9376. 7-Year-Old Girl Shot Dead While in Car With Her Mother in Walmart Parking Lot: Police Police said a 7-year-old girl was shot and killed while in a car with her mother while they were in a Walmart parking lot in Harris County, Texas, officials said on Dec. 30. The unknown suspect, who was driving a truck without plates, pulled next to the mothers car and opened fire into the vehicle, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a series of Twitter posts. Its not clear why the suspect began shooting. The mother was also shot, but she is expected to survive. Suspected shooter described as white male, 40s, a beard, driving a red truck. If you know anything please contact us, Gonzalez tweeted. He said two teenagers and a younger girl were in the car when the shooting occurred. Update on Wallisville: 5 females were in the car; 2 teenagers unharmed, 8-10-year-old female had died, mother shot in arm, and younger child has glass fragment injuries. Suspect(s) has fled, Gonzalez also tweeted. The younger girl suffered injuries from the glass fragments, and the teens were not hurt. They were shaken and devastated, said Jesse Razo, a police spokesman, according to ABC News. A 7-year-old girl was shot and killed in a Walmart parking lot in Houston early Sunday when a gunman opened fire on a vehicle she was traveling in with her mother and three other young girls, authorities said. ABC News 20181230 The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, Razo said. Were going to use all resources available to bring this killer to justice, he added, calling on the suspect to surrender. Because we will be looking for you, we will locate you, we will find you, Razo told the network. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call 911 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS. Other details about the case were not provided by police. Harris County, the most populous county in the United States, includes the city of Houston. Murder Rate Drops In 2017, according to officials, the murder rate in Houston dropped by about 11 percent. It dropped from 302 homicides in 2016 to 269 in 2017, the Houston Chronicle reported. The way you reduce murders is to solve attempted murders, Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo said in January 2018. If you think about people who shoot people, frequently its not the first person theyve ever shot, and in many cases, it wont be the last person they will shoot. In 2011, Houston saw its fewest number of homicides in recent memory, with 198. Theres been a steady uptick since thenuntil 2017. However, violent crime has been on the rise. The number of violent crimes in Houston went up by 8.9 percent from 2016 to 2017. I think any increase in violent crime is a tragedy, but you want to put things like this in context, Ames Grawert, counsel for the Brennan Centers Justice Program, told the Chronicle. Houstons first homicide came early on Jan. 1 when two brothers got into a deadly argument. Investigators have also looked into shootings with multiple victims, a roadside stabbing between a husband and wife, and a pair of homicides blocks away from each other, said the Chronicle. So far this year, homicides in Houston are averaging roughly four per week, whereas preliminary data shows there was an average of five per week in 2017. Assuming 2018s homicides rate holds steady, this year could be one of the least deadly years homicide-wise in recent history. 80s, 90s American Girl Dolls Now Selling for Thousands of Dollars Remember when American Girl dolls were all the craze? If you still have one tucked away in the attic it could be worth thousands. Yep, not hundreds, but thousands. Recently, a Molly McIntire doll sold for $2,700 on eBay, while a Samantha Parkington doll with her original outfit and accessories sold for $400 on eBay. The difference between the two lies in the condition of the doll and whether or not the doll comes with the original packaging and accessories. For instance, a mint condition Samantha, with all the original outfits and accessories, could fetch $4,000, Dr. Lori Verderame, an antique appraiser, told Today via email. Some of the discontinued dolls from the 90s can sell for thousands of dollars, Bob Richter, vintage lifestyle expert, told Today via email. That said, original packaging and condition are everything. What might sell for over $2,000 if its in good condition with original packaging might only sell for $100 if its in fair condition without packaging, he said. A signed collection of three of the original pre-Mattel American Girl dolls in boxes with paperwork sold for $5,400, according to USA Today. A Samantha doll in the original box and signed by American Girl doll founder, Pleasant Rowland, fetched $1,450. And eight American girl dolls, including Lindsey, released in 2001, and the Dolls of the Year from 2005 to 2010 all still in their original packaging, having never been removed from the box, garnered $4,500. The dolls are able to fetch sky-high prices nowadays because girls in the 90s were already very serious about collecting them, and kept the original packaging. The cool thing is that many of the young women who collected these dolls were pretty serious about it and they likely saved the packaging, so there might actually be a lot of cash in the attic or basement, Richter told Today. It might be time to scour the house looking for American Girl dolls and all the original packaging and accessories. However, for many, it might be hard to part with the dolls. For many girls growing up in the 80s and 90s, if you had an American Girl doll, she likely went everywhere with you: from walks in the park to twinning at family parties. Former teacher, Pleasant Rowland, created the dolls with the idea that girls could play out the stories, according to USA Today. Pleasant Company released three dolls in 1986: Samantha Parkington, Kirsten Larson, and Molly McIntire. Each 18-inch doll had a backstory of young girls living during important times in American history. Each doll came with her own book and clothes, all historically accurate of course. The first three dolls released in 1986, before the company was sold to Barbie-makers Mattel in 1998, are the most valuable to collectors. The three are, Samantha Parkington, a Victorian orphan who lived in 1904; Kisten Larson, a Minnesota pioneer who grew up in 1854; and Molly McIntire, a patriotic child who grew up during World War II. Another contributing factor is nostalgia, Bob Richter told Today. After all, the children who played with the original American Girl dolls are in their 20s and 30s now and the dolls remind many of special childhood memories. Millennials have a very deep interest in things that have emotional value, Richter said. These American Girl dolls have both emotional value and financial value. They are the perfect thing for millennials to be on the lookout for [at] flea markets and yard sales, he said. There has been an increase in the demand for American Girl Dolls recently, Verderame told Today. Interest in the dolls often mirrors peoples overall interest in different historical periods, as each doll comes with a historically accurate backstory. In the last two years there has been a rise in collectible values for American girl dolls, Verderame told Today. American girl dolls reference particular eras in history and that drives the market. Collectors also look for dolls that parallel their own history, look like themselves, and are character dolls that come from the same lineage or location like Kirsten (from Scandinavia) or Molly (World War II), he said. For some, like Josh Levine, collectibles expert and owner of J. Levine Auction and Appraisal in Scottsdale, Arizona, the appeal of the dolls might be hard to understand. Dolls are usually a losers game, he said, according to USA Today. But I was pleasantly surprised. Theres a decent market for American Girl dolls every day of the week. Levine does a lot of business auctioning jewelry and guns, and many of the items come with exciting backstories connected to the owners. Those stories always increase interest in the item. It wasnt until his wife explained to him, and he realized that here too, the story is what draws the parents and children. Theyre not just dolls, she said. Theres a whole story to them and books, too. After she explained it to me, I was like, Oh, I get it now. I see why theyre so popular.' Its precisely the stories and histories we are able to relate to that enable the American Girl dolls to stand the test of time. A man locks up his gun after a training at the RTSP shooting range in Randolph, N.J., on Dec. 9, 2015. (Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images) Accidental Shooting Deaths Halved in Past 2 Decades, Even With Increased Gun Sales Far fewer Americans fall victim to firearm accidents than some two decades ago, even though people own more guns, according to new data. Accidental firearm discharges killed 486 people in 2017, down more than 50 percent since 1997, according to mortality data collected by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Meanwhile, gun sales increased more than 80 percent between 1999 and 2017, according to The DataFace, a San Francisco data analysis company, which based its estimates on FBI background check data. There appears to be a mix of factors behind the phenomenon. Safer Hunting Hunting accidents have declined, partly because of increased focus on safety and also because the number of hunters dropped by nearly 20 percent from 1991 to 2016, according to a federal survey (pdf). However, there werent many hunting fatalities to begin with112 in 1995, according to data collected by the International Hunter Education Association. The data is incomplete, but it appears to cover the majority of the country. The association stopped publishing the data in 2008, but even if the fatal accidents dropped to zero, it wouldnt be enough to explain the drop in accidental firearm deaths. Gun Locks There has also been a prominent push for the safe storage of guns. Gun makers have partnered with law enforcement for a nationwide education drive called Project ChildSafe that has distributed over 37 million gun locks. But that project only started in 1999, while the decline in accidental death rates started decades before, dropping about fourfold between 1974 and 1999, according to CDC and the National Safety Council nonprofit (pdf). Gun rights advocate Dave Kopel suggested some of the accidents may have actually been homicides with a perpetrator looking for a defense argument. That may partially explain why accidental deaths declined in near-unison with murders in the 1990s. Fewer Gun Owners? Some have claimed that far fewer households now own a gun31 percent in 2014 compared to over 47 percent in 1980, according to surveys by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago (pdf). However, several other pollsters report numbers nowhere near as low. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal Survey revealed 47 percent of households with a gun on the premises in March (pdf). Gallup reported 46 percent with a gun on premises in October. Paradoxically, there was an estimated 11 percent decline in gun sales in 2017 with the election of President Donald Trump, who has been largely pro-gun rights, The DataFace reported. With the prospect of relaxed gun laws for the next four years, demand has diminished and guns sales in the US have waned, the company stated. This phenomenon may not last long, though. The Trump administration moved on Dec. 18 to ban bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic rifles to fire almost as rapidly as automatic ones. At least some gun rights advocates opposed the ban. Private Safety Programs The gun industry has claimed credit for the dropping accidental gun deaths, pointing to its safety education efforts going back to at least the 1920s (pdf), including distribution of tens of millions of safety booklets and placing public service announcements in the media. The situation would be considered by many observers as proof that private safety programs can be more effective than government regulation, said Kopel, associate policy analyst at the libertarian Cato Institute think tank, referring to declining rates of accidental gun deaths among children in a 1993 manuscript Children and Guns: Sensible Solutions. Report Alleges Bangladesh Opposition Party Executive Sought Chinese Intervention in Elections The content is not available due to expiration. The Atlas 5 rocket carrying the Mars InSight probe launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, near Los Angeles, California, on May 5, 2018. (David McNew/Getty Images) American Space Development Targeted by China, Hackers Two Chinese hackers have been indicted by the Department of Justice with conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, as well as other charges, which may be used to develop Chinese space technology. The unsealing of the indictment on Dec. 20 listed companies from which Zhu Hua and Zhang Shilong stole information, including companies involved with aviation, space and/or satellite technology, and NASA, the only company specifically named. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may have been using cyber theft as well as investment to acquire U.S.-made space technology. The hackers worked in association with the Chinese Ministry of State Securitys Tianjin State Security Bureau. A Rand.org report, titled Defeat, Not Merely Compete (pdf), said China has found innovative ways to surpass the United States military. [China] has also proven innovative in designing ways to attack perceived U.S. vulnerabilities in space, cyberspace, and the information realm, says the report. Hacking western countries for intelligence acquisition has been an ongoing tactic employed by the CCP, despite its previous promises to stop this behavior. An annual report to congress from the Secretary of Defense (pdf) described Chinas recent advances in weaponizing space despite the CCP claiming otherwise on the public record. The PLA continues to strengthen its military space capabilities despite its public stance against the militarization of space, the report said. China is developing multiple counterspace capabilities to degrade and deny adversary use of space-based assets during a crisis or conflict. The theft of this technology is likely driven by the CCPs wish to establish itself as a dominant force in space. China also continues to develop counterspace capabilities, including kinetic-kill missiles, ground-based lasers, and orbiting space robots, as well as to expand space surveillance capabilities that can monitor objects across the globe and in space and enable counterspace actions, the report continued. Other forms of acquisition have been employed too. According to a space threat assessment from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, several Chinese firms have also invested in U.S. space technology firms. Tencent, a major Chinese company, has invested in companies Moon Express, Planetary Resources, and World View Enterprises. Moon Express works closely with NASA. Boeing cancelled satellite orders with a company that received large investments from a China-based company on Dec. 6 after a report detailing the investments was released. It is galling that American companies and government agencies spent years of research and countless dollars to develop their intellectual property, while the defendants simply stole it and got it for free, said U.S. Attorney Berman. As a nation, we cannot, and will not, allow such brazen thievery to go unchecked. Watch Next: Former Miss World Canada Says Chinese Government Should Not Be Teaching Children Political Slogans Jeff Welch, Senior Vice President of Development at Potbelly Corporation, attends Shen Yun Performing Arts at Civic Opera House in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 29, 2018. (Stacey CHICAGOBusiness executive Jeff Welch has been to China many times for work, but watching Shen Yun Performing Arts enhanced his understanding of its rich culture and history. Welch attended the performance with his wife, Carmen, at Civic Opera House in Chicago, Illinois, on Dec. 29. The New York-based company recently started its 2019 world tour, where six equal-sized companies are set to perform in over 100 cities across four continents. Shen Yun Performing Artss mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese culture through music and dance. Welch, who is Senior Vice President of Development at restaurant chain Potbelly Sandwich Shop, said he enjoyed the ethnic and folk dances. It was very interesting, very beautiful, he said. He was particularly drawn to the ethnic dance piece titled Charming Ladies of the Yi, which featured traditional dance and costumes from Yunnan province in Southwestern China. The dancers don colorful wide skirts and engage in energetic movements, revealing the lively spirit of the Yi ethnic group. Shen Yun dancers train not only in ethic and folk dance from Chinas 50-plus ethnic groups, but also in classical Chinese dance. Classical Chinese dance is a craft that has evolved over thousands of years, and sits besides ballet as one of the most complex and rigorous dance systems in the world. Dancers are required not only to master a range of high-level physical movements and expressions, including difficult tumbling techniques, but also achieve a spiritual requirement in the form of cultivating yun or inner bearing. It it this feature that separates classical Chinese dance from other art forms. This spiritual element of classical Chinese dance is also a reflection of the spirituality deeply imbued within traditional Chinese culture. Over thousands of years, Chinese people believed in the divine, or heaven, and that one must live ones life in harmony with divine principles. These beliefs permeate the teachings of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, forming the cornerstone of traditional Chinese thought and values. Welch said he appreciated the spiritual element of Chinese culture. I know that the Chinese have a very rich culture, very spiritual culture, he said. It was too bad it was interrupted with the Communist regime. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) disrupted traditional Chinese culture when it took control of China in 1949. The party declared a war on tradition in its numerous political campaigns, which culminated in the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s to 1970s. The Cultural Revolution sought to systematically destroy Chinas ancient religions and cultures, and replace it with an atheist culture prescribed by the CCP. CCP repression of tradition continues to this day in the form of the persecution of religious groups in China, including of spiritual discipline Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa. Falun Gong consists of meditation exercises and ancient teachings centered around the principles Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. The practice rapidly grew in popularity in China the 1990s, resulting in an estimated 70 million people practicing by 1999. Threatened by this population, the CCP launched an expansive crackdown of the practice the same year, which saw practitioners of Falun Gong arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for their beliefs. The persecution persists to this day. For Welchs wife, Carmen, whats happening in China hit close to home. She and her family left Cuba to the United States to escape communist oppression. I think its shame that the communist government destroyed the beauty that is in the Chinese culture, she said. All the color, and the life, and its just like [what] happened in Cuba, they like to destroy what is beautiful because they have a fear. Carmen said the story presented of a young woman thrown into prison for her belief in Falun Gong moved her the most. While the story broached a heavy subject-matter, Carmen said it ultimately provided a message of hope. [The story revealed] the value the importance of deity, of God, she said. With reporting by Stacey Tang and Cathy He. 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. British international trade secretary Liam Fox makes a keynote speech on Brexit at the Royal Portbury Dock in Bristol, England, on Nov. 30, 2018. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) Chance of Brexit Down to 50-50 If Lawmakers Vote Against Mays Deal Cabinet minister Liam Fox said there is a 50-50 chance the UK wont leave the EU in March 2019 if British lawmakers reject Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal. The fate of Mays proposal was supposed to have been settled in a Dec. 11 vote, but it was postponed after it became clear the deal would be rejected. Fox, who serves as Britains international trade secretary, told The Sunday Times that failing to pass the draft Brexit agreement would be incendiary. He added that for his lawmaker colleagueswho are expected to vote on Mays proposal in Januarysupporting the deal is a matter of honor. What you can be sure of is that is if we vote for the prime ministers deal, then its 100% certain that we will leave on March 29, Fox told The Times. If we were not to vote for that, he said, Im not sure I would give it more than 50-50. A Great Pity Fox claimed that some members of the Remain faction have not come to terms with the fact that Britons voted to leave the EU. It is a sad fact that there are a number of people who rather see Britain fail than see Brexit succeed, he said. It is a great pity, almost a tragedy, that they are so un-reconciled to the results of the referendum. Fox said that if Brexit doesnt happen, politicians will have betrayed everyone who voted in the referendum. Since British voters were given the opportunity to weigh in on continued EU membership, Parliament cannot now, with any honor, renege on that result. Were they to do so, I think you would shatter the bond of trust between the electorate and Parliament. And I think that would put us into unprecedented territory with unknowable consequences, he said. Stop the Clock The trade secretarys remarks came amid a report by The Guardian that bipartisan efforts are underway in the British parliament to force the government to delay Brexit in order to avoid a no-deal scenario. One senior lawmaker from Mays Tory party told the newspaper that, If we are determined to avoid a no deal, and the prime ministers deal fails, we will have to ask to stop the clock, and that will give time for us to decide to go whatever way we decide thereafter. Leaving the EU without a deal would make for an abrupt transition. Michael Gove, Britains environment secretary, is said to be petrified of a no-deal Brexit, according to The Telegraph. He is said to believe Britains departure from the EU without a deal would be chaotic and hit the country with severe food shortages. Put Aside Our Differences May penned an article in the British tabloid the Daily Express before Christmas, calling on the Tories to put aside our differences as the vast majority of people want politicians to move on from Brexit to other issues. She said its time to dispense with the titles of Leave and Remain, and instead find common ground and focus on what we can achieve together. Christmas is a time to put aside our differences and focus on what really matters, she said. Now, two and a half years after the referendum, it is time for us as a country to do the same. Britains exit from the EU has been set in law to take place at 11 p.m. local time on March 29, 2019. China Court Orders Retrial for Canadian Jailed for Drug Smuggling BEIJINGA Chinese court ordered a retrial of a Canadian citizen on drug smuggling charges on Dec. 29 after prosecutors said his sentence of 15 years was too lighta case that could further test relations between Beijing and Ottawa. Tensions between the two sides have been high since Canadas arrest of a high-ranking Chinese executive at the request of the United States this month, followed by Chinas detention of two Canadian citizens on charges of endangering state security. Robert Lloyd Schellenberg had lodged an appeal after being handed a 15-year sentence on Nov. 20 in the northeastern city of Dalian, the high court for the province of Liaoning said in a statement, adding that he was to have been deported after serving his sentence. At the appeal hearing, prosecutors said the sentence was too light and improper, arguing Schellenberg was highly likely to have been part of a international drugs smuggling operation and had played a major role in smuggling the drugs, the statement said. The court said it accepted this argument and ordered a retrial. It added that Canadian diplomats were in court for the appeal. In Ottawa, the foreign ministry said in a statement that it has been aware of the case for several years and would continue providing consular assistance to Schellenberg and his family. It gave no more details. It was not immediately clear who Schellenbergs lawyer was or when the retrial may take place. A Dalian government news portal said this week Schellenberg had smuggled an enormous amount of drugs into China. Drugs offences are routinely punished severely in China. A Briton caught smuggling heroin was executed in 2009, prompting a British outcry over what it said was the lack of any mental health assessment. Company President Daniela Coroiescu and her family saw Shen Yun Performing Arts in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 29, 2018. (Sherry Dong/Epoch Times) HOUSTONDaniela Coroiescu grew up in Romania during a time when political and religious liberties were suppressed. The country was plagued by communism and people were living under fear and terror. This has taught Coroiescu an important lessonto appreciate the freedom she has in the United States. So when Coroiescu experienced Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Jones Hall for Performing Arts in Houston, Texas on Dec. 29, she was instantly captivated by the deep themes portrayed in the performance. I believe in the divine and in God. And I know that back in the communist culture, we could not talk about that, she said. I think its very nice to bring hope to people, believing in a divine and God. It brings us back to peace. That is exactly what Shen Yun aims to do. This New York-based company was formed in 2006 with a mission to revive Chinas semi-divine culture. On the surface, Shen Yun depicts traditional Chinese culture through dance and music. But the performance tells a more universal story, delving into spiritual elements that have heavily influenced peoples daily lives. For thousands of years, Buddhism, Taoism, and other disciplines were at the heart of Chinese society, according to Shen Yun. And people lived by principles such as benevolence and justice, propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution, with an aim to improve oneself morally and lead a virtuous life. It is this aspect of Chinese culture that has inspired Coroiescu to spend less time focusing on herself and instead, go out and help other people. Coroiescu, who is the president and co-owner of leading construction company D & D Roof Services, said modern people easily become caught up with their fast-paced lives and rarely take notice of people around them. She said the performance has helped her to come to that realization, and has encouraged her to change her ways. I think that brought back that awareness that we need to show other people mercy and grace, she said. Chinese Traditional Culture Coroiescu, who attended the performance with her husband and family, said she appreciates Shen Yun for bringing this culture to the American people. I think that is one of the most wonderful things you can do, she said. According to the Shen Yun website, Chinese culture is said to have begun with the Yellow Emperor, over 5,000 years ago, who taught his subjects how to live in accordance with the Tao, or the Way. Ancient Chinese legends also speak of deities who passed on essential elements of Chinese culture to humans, like how Cangjie created Chinese characters, Shennong imparted agriculture, and Suiren revealed the uses of fire. Coroiescu said she really enjoyed learning about this culture. I think China has a great, very old history, and culture. Its very diverse, she said. With reporting by Sherry Dong 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. Conservative Channel BlazeTV Dropped by Verizon Fios Network Verizon Fios dropped the channel BlazeTV from its fiber-optic network on Dec. 28. Now, five million Fios customers are left unable to watch the conservative Glenn Beck-Mark Levin network, reported the Washington Examiner. Fios sent a message to its customers notifying them of the networks removal on Dec. 28. The email, obtained by the Washington Times, said that Fios periodically has to renew its agreements with television content providers. Thank you for reaching out. We periodically renew our agreements with TV content providers to be able to provide you with the programming available on Fios TV. You can download the BlazeTV app from your favorite app store or enroll at https://t.co/2qdOKqKAy4. ^WLAW Verizon Support (@VerizonSupport) December 28, 2018 The email then went on to say that [g]iven that the cost of programming is the single biggest factor in higher TV bills, we carefully review proposals from network providers to be sure that their rates are in line with their viewership. This practice allows us to bring you a competitive rate for Fios TV packages. As a result, we have decided to remove The Blaze (Ch. 112 SD / 612 HD) from our lineup effective December 28, 2018. BlazeTV has not made any announcements regarding the removal of its channel from Fios. Blaze is still available to watch on Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV. What is BlazeTV? In December 2018, two showsTheBlaze, formed by Glenn Beck; and CRTV, formed by Mark Levinmerged and became Blaze Media. The multi-platform media is the largest independent, traditionally conservative media company in the United States, according to an article by TheBlaze. Beck described the shows hosts as having differences, but [sharing] a common belief in free expression, honest discourse and a society founded in the principles of the Bill of Rights. BlazeTV is an advocate of freedom and liberty and is a source of though-provoking personalities and conservative ideas that are not available from traditional media outlets, states its about page. Before Blaze Media TheBlaze launched in 2010 with the mission of restoring truth to the important stories you care about, according to its website. The website is known for covering topics from faith to family, politics, technology, and culture. Beck, CEO of TheBlaze, was a former host for Fox News until 2011. The talk-radio host revealed in 2016 that one of his reasons for leaving Fox was because they told him to stop talking about God, according to the Washington Examiner. He added jokingly that he thought it was a request he would have coped from CNN. Levin, a prominent radio host whose name is in the National Radio Hall of Fame, hosts Life, Liberty & Levin on Fox. Levin served in former President Ronald Reagans administration. The Conservative Competition Blaze Media has plenty of competition in the conservative field but it says that it reaches 165 million users through different media platforms, according to Hollywood Reporter. Blaze Media will compete with conservative outlets like Breitbart News, The Daily Caller (co-founded by Tucker Carlson) and Salem Media Group It will also compete with Daily Wire It is uncertain how many viewers BlazeTV has lost with its removal from Verizon Fios. Currently, Verizon Fios is negotiating new contracts with Disney to keep channels like ESPN and the Disney Channel, according to USA Today. Received a message from @verizonfios that I may not have access to @espn @6abc and other @Disney affiliated channels starting on 12/31 due to ongoing negotiations. My message FIGURE IT OUT or I wont be a Verizon customer for much longer. Robert Salladino (@DrBobKa97) December 27, 2018 If no agreement can be reached, this could mean Fios users will lose access to Disneys content starting on Dec. 31. Suspect David McNabb, 43, died after being wounded in a shootout with sheriff's deputies, authorities say. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office) Former Deputy Kills Mother, Sister, and Third Victim in California Gated Community: Sheriff A former sheriffs deputy killed his sister, mother, and another person inside a residence in a Southern California gated community, according to a local sheriffs office. David McNabb, 43, was shot and killed by police in a shootout with sheriffs deputies on Dec. 28 in Orcutt, said the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office. McNabb is accused of killing his two family members and a man whose relationship with the family isnt immediately clear. The victims were identified as 64-year-old Melanie McNabb, his mother; 34-year-old Nicole McNabb, his sister; and 63-year-old Carlos Echavarria, according to the office. The suspect worked for the sheriffs office as a custody deputy from July 2001 until March 2012 when he resigned, the office said on Dec. 29. But in September 2012, he was arrested by the Oxnard Police Department and booked at the Ventura County Jail. In May of 2014, he was convicted of felony domestic violence and sentenced to jail, according to the agency. Sheriffs deputies were sent at around 8 p.m. to the 5900 block of Oakhill Drive in the city, reported the San Luis Obispo Tribune. Dispatchers were called by a person who went into the home on Oakhill Drive, finding a bloody scene inside, said to sheriffs spokeswoman Kelly Hoover. She discovered a victim covered in blood in a bathtub, fled the residence and called for help. Deputies then determined a man armed with a rifle was in the home. It became a situation where they needed to go in and rescue the people who were inside the home, Hoover said. The sheriffs office said it is investigating the motive. We send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victims who were so senselessly killed, the office wrote on Facebook. In the officer-involved shooting, deputies first used non-lethal munitions, including a 440-millimeter impact weapon and a shotgun that fired beanbag rounds to subdue McNabb, it stated. But deputies were ultimately forced to shoot the suspect. Former sheriff's deputy who 'stabbed and beat to death his sister, mother, and a roommate' is shot dead by cops https://t.co/46ovbJm0tx Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) December 30, 2018 However, the suspect continued to pose an immediate threat, at which point the deputies shot him. Despite life-saving efforts by paramedics, the suspect succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at a local hospital, the office said. According to the Tribune, deputies went inside the residence and found three bodies inside. Hoover said the victims were stabbed and beaten to death by the suspect, who lived in the home. This appears to be a situation where it was isolated to this residence, Hoover said. Its still very early, but at this time and this point it appears to be a very tragic situation. Violent Crime Down? The FBI said that both violent crime and property crime decreased in 2017 compared to 2016. Overall violent crime decreased 0.2 percent from 2016 to last year, while property crime decreased 3 percent during that time, the agency said in September, releasing data from the previous year. There were more than 1.2 million violent crimes reported to UCR nationwide in 2017. There was a 0.7 percent decrease in murders and a 4 percent decrease in robberies from 2016 to 2017. Aggravated assaults increased 1 percent in 2017. The FBI began collecting data solely on an updated rape definition last year, and 135,755 rapes were reported to law enforcement in 2017, the FBI said in its report. Bangladesh PM Hasina Set for Landslide Win as Opposition Rejects Results The content is not available due to expiration. Migrants break through the U.S. border fence just beyond the east pedestrian entrance of the San Ysidro crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 25, 2018. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Its Time for the President to Use His Constitutional Powers to End the Border Debate Commentary The debate over policy differences on issues like health insurance and the role of government in providing health care to its citizens is one thing; the debate over protection of our nations sovereignty and defending its citizens from foreign invasion is another. Though one can argue about the terminology used to describe the onslaught of illegal border crossings and illegal migration into our country, the reality is that crossing any nations border without permission is a crime for a reason. And while U.S. politicians from both sides of the political aisle have offered rhetoric, only President Donald Trump has shown the political will to actually follow through on his promises. The lame duck Republican-controlled House finally passed a bill providing for border barriers and security on the southern border, only to be stopped by the Senate Democrats, whose leader has boldly stated they wont give an inch toward the border wall the president wants. The Senate has now adjourned for the Christmas holiday while the president and his family stayed in Washington, amid a government shutdown forced by the Senate minority leaders belligerence. So perhaps now is the perfect time for the president to invoke his authority, reach into his bag of constitutional presidential powers, and take the battle to the next level. Special Session Article II, Section 3, of the U.S. Constitution gives the president the power, among other things, to on extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses [of Congress], or either of them. With the flood of illegal migrants threatening to pour into our nation by the thousands, if there was ever an extraordinary occasion, its now. Then-candidate Trump suggested in 2016 that he would convene a special session of Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare, but the threat remained just that and was ultimately not needed. Now, its time for the president to recall that power and use it to its fullest until Congress provides for the nations security on the border, as the president requests as the elected executive to defend the nation. The president should effectively cancel the Senates holiday recess by convening a special session for the Senate for the remainder of this year and, if necessary, adjourn the new Congress and convene in a special session under his terms until, and unless, they fund border security as requested. Rick Dalton is the editor of @POTUSPRESS on Twitter Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Chaim Teller (L) and Yante Teller were allegedly kidnapped by members of the Lev Tahore Jewish sect and found in Tenango del Air, Mexico, on Dec. 28, 2018. (New York State Police) Leaders of Jewish Lev Tahore Sect Arrested on Charges of Kidnapping 2 Children New York authorities said that four alleged leaders of the extremist Jewish sect Lev Tahore have been arrested on charges of kidnapping two children and taking them out of the country. The abduction victims have been found, said the New York U.S. Attorneys Office in a Dec. 28 statement, and plans are underway to bring them back to the United States and reunite them with their mother. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said, The defendants engaged in a terrifying kidnapping of two children in the middle of the night, taking the children across the border to Mexico. Three of the accused kidnappersNachman Helbrans, Mayer Rosner, and Jacob Rosnerwere arrested on Thursday following their deportation from Mexico to New York, said the U.S. Attorneys Office. The fourth suspectAron Rosnerwas taken into custody on Dec. 23. Kidnappers No Match Thankfully, the kidnappers were no match for the perseverance of the FBI, the New York State Police, and Mexican authorities, and the children were recovered this morning after a nearly three-week search, said Berman. All four stand accused of abducting 14-year-old Yante Teller and her 12-year-old brother Chaim Teller, of Woodridge, New York, earlier this month and transporting the children out of the United States. Authorities said the men are leaders of Lev Tahor, an extremist Jewish sect based in Guatemala. Federal investigators said in the court filings that the childrens mother had been a voluntary member of Lev Tahor but escaped from the group after its leadership became increasingly extreme. Prior to her escape, the mother spoke out against the growing extremism within Lev Tahor, the complaint reads. The mother indicated that it was not safe to keep her children there. In the criminal complaint, FBI Agent Jonathan Lane referred to reports of Lev Tahor subjecting children to physical, sexual and emotional abuse. Denis Baraby, the former director of Laurentides Youth Protection Services, which has investigated Lev Tahor, told The New York Post of witnessing disturbing conditions during visits to Lev Tahor homes, including urine-soaked mattresses and insects. Medical services, proper hygiene, proper food was not provided for these children, Baraby said, adding he and his co-workers were shocked by the childrens living conditions. The mother was granted custody of the children after entering the United States. I am very worried, afraid, and concerned that the father and his fellow members of the cult will try to kidnap the children and compel the children to return to the cult, where they are in danger of malnourishment, corporal punishment, and forced to marry persons much older than them, she wrote in a Nov. 14 custody filing in Brooklyn Family Court, according to The Post. She sought custody of her children and an order of protection against her husband. Before being reported missing, Yante and Chaim were last spotted at about 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8, getting into a car outside a friends home where they were staying. Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney said, As alleged, the defendants are leaders and members of Lev Tahor who kidnapped two innocent children to continue their lives with the group in violation of a legitimate, court-ordered child custody arrangement. Berman said, These charges and arrests send a clear message that if you are involved in child abduction we will find you and bring you to justice. Majority of US Veterans Approve of Trump, AP Poll Says Most military veterans have positive views of President Donald Trump and his job performance, signaling continued support for the man who vowed during his 2016 presidential campaign to fix the problems faced by veterans. Overall, 56 percent of veteransboth current and former service membersapprove of Trumps performance as president, while 43 percent disapprove, according to a nationwide Associated Press survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters, including more than 4,000 current and former service members. Continuing on that trend, almost 6 in 10 military veterans voted for Republican candidates during the November midterm elections. Strong Support The survey found that on specific issues such as border security, veterans were significantly more likely than those who havent served to approve of Trumps handling of border security, 62 percent to 48 percent. Fifty-one percent of veterans also believe the Trump administration has made the country safer from terrorism. A majority of current service members polled, 59 percent, said Trump is a strong leader. The president acknowledged the polls results on Twitter, thanking his veteran base. In September, Trump signed appropriations legislation that provided $86.5 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a historic boost for the department and the largest dollar amount in agencys history. The majority of that funding$73.1 billionwas for the medical care of seven million patients, among other services. It is our sacred duty to support Americas Service Members every single day they wear the uniformand every day after, when they return home as Veterans, Trump said at a speech in November. Together we will HONOR those who defend us, we will CHERISH those who protect us, and we will celebrate the amazing heroes. Last year, Trump, in another sign of his commitment to veterans, signed the Veterans Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, which protects whistleblowers and gives the department more authority to remove certain employees or senior executives for misconduct or performance reasons. As of November, Trump had removed about 3,600 government employees who have mistreated veterans, since his inauguration. The survey found that the difference in support for Trump between veterans and nonveterans extends across racial and ethnic groups, including among whites (62 percent of veterans approve versus 49 percent of nonveterans), Latinos (53 percent versus 28 percent) and African-Americans (22 percent versus 10 percent). Meanwhile, 58 percent of female veterans, a growing demographic in the military, said they disapprove of Trump. Growing Impact Veterans themselves had good success running for Congress, compared to previous years. Eighteen new veterans were elected to the House, including seven Democrats. Thats the largest number of new veterans elected to the House since 2010, and the biggest influx of Democratic vets since 1996, according to Seth Lynn, a University of San Francisco professor who runs Veterans Campaign, a group that prepares veterans for careers in politics. One veteran, Republican Rick Scott of Florida, will join the Senate. In all, more than 170 veterans were on Novembers congressional ballots as major-party candidates. Some, such as Kentucky Democrat Amy McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot, ran close House races but ultimately fell short on Election Day. A total of 96 military veterans will serve as lawmakers next year66 Republicans and 30 Democrats. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Missouri Man Fatally Shoots Girlfriend, Her Children, Her Mother ST. CHARLESA St. Louis-area man shot to death his girlfriend, her two young children, and her mother in the home they all shared, authorities said on Dec. 29. He exchanged gunfire with officers as he fled and was captured several hours later in a convenience store, covered in blood, and wounded. Prosecutors filed 15 charges against Richard Darren Emery of St. Charles, Missouri, including first-degree murder, assault, and attempted robbery. Authorities said Emery, 46, abandoned his own pickup and tried unsuccessfully to steal a womans car while on the run, attacking her as well. Emery remained in a local hospital with two gunshot wounds that authorities said did not appear self-inflicted and most likely came from the shootout with officers. St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said investigators did not know the motive for the shootings as of Saturday evening. We may never know, Lohmar said during a news conference. This one, in particular, was the worst example of a domestic violence case. Anytime you have a domestic violence case you worry about the safety of the victim, and this would be your worst nightmare. St. Charles is a city of about 70,000 residents on the Missouri River northwest of St. Louis. Officials said its had a spate of deadly domestic violence incidents recentlywith six deaths in the past eight days that Lohmar said are unrelated. Officials said police received a call just before midnight on Friday about a shooting at the house where Emery and the victims lived. Lohmar said officers later found three victims dead of gunshot wounds in one bedroom. They were Zoe Kasten, 8; her brother, Jonathan Kasten, 10; and their grandmother, Jane Moeckel, 61. Officers found the fourth victim, a 39-year-old woman, in the homes master bedroom, suffering from gunshot wounds but still alive, Lohmar said. She was taken to an area hospital, where she died. Authorities did not name the fourth victim but described her as the childrens mother, the daughter of the older woman, and Emerys girlfriend. The initial call came to police came from inside the house, and Lohmar said investigators believe Moeckel made it. During that phone call, the 911 operator could hear gunshots in the background, St. Charles Police Lt. Tom Wilkison said. Lohmar said Emery attempted to flee in his pickup and was stopped by a police car. He and the officers exchanged shots and he fled on foot. Authorities described his attempt to steal another vehicle as a carjacking and said he stabbed its female driver seven times. They said her injuries were not life-threatening. The area is wooded, and Lohmar said Emery was able to elude police in the dark. But when he sought shelter in the bathroom of the convenience store a few miles away, an employee contacted police, Lohmar said. Each of the charges against Emery carries a possible penalty of 30 years to life in prison, Lohmar said, adding that more charges are possible and seeking the death penalty is an option under Missouri law. Its premature for us to make any sort of pronouncement about that right now, but I can tell you this thing looks and smells like a death penalty case, he said. New California Law Bans Retail Sales of Dogs, Cats, Rabbits With One Exception California is set to become the first state in the nation to impose strict rules on pet stores regarding retail sales of live dogs, cats, and rabbits. AB 485, which goes into effect on Jan. 1, will only allow pet stores to sell the animals if theyre obtained from specified rescue or shelter groups. These approved groups include a public animal control agency or shelter, a humane society shelter, a shelter with the society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or a rescue group thats in a cooperative agreement with at least one private or public shelter. But some of the sources specified by the new regulation have already said they are likely out of the picture as a source of pets for retails stories, such as the San Diego Humane Society. Officers with the society told NBC that it has yet to be contacted by any local retail pet stores enquiring about obtaining their dogs, cats, or rabbits. Even if they are, officers said they arent sure they would partner with a store, since they have their own in-house adoption program. The San Diego Humane Society was going to monitor local stores to make sure they follow the new rules, the broadcaster reported. Law Hailed and Criticized The law was hailed when it was signed in late 2017 by a range of groups. This landmark law breaks the puppy mill supply chain that pushes puppies into California pet stores and has allowed unscrupulous breeders to profit from abusive practices, Matt Bershadker, President and CEO of the ASPCA, said in a statement at the time. Californians recognize that pet stores enable the work of puppy mills, which cause suffering for dogs and heartbreak for consumers, added Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. We are grateful to Governor Brown for putting his stamp of approval on a state policy to dry up funding for this inhumane industry. According to proponents of the law, stores often claim to source from licensed, humane, or small-scale breeders but are, in fact, often sourcing knowingly or unknowingly from puppy and kitten mills, where animals are kept in squalid conditions. By cutting off the puppy mill pipeline that moves cruelly bred animals from across the country into California pet stores, A.B. 485 will also help prevent California consumers from being duped into purchases that contribute to unconscionable animal production and suffering, Berdshadker said after the bill was passed. Others have a different take on the new law. Phil Guidry of the American Kennel Club called the new law part of the campaign of anti-breeder animal rights extremists, saying the campaigners ultimately seek to outright ban all animal breeding and ownership. He said that people behind the regulation push consistently use inflammatory accusations to target all breeders, calling them puppy mills, knowing full well that most purebred dog enthusiasts represent a group that has a different approach to professional breeders that focus on providing purpose-bred dogs that will match the lifestyle of the consumer. When governments attempt to limit the legitimate sources from which a person may obtain a pet, it not only interferes with individual freedoms, it also increases the likelihood that a person will obtain a pet that is not a good match for their lifestyle and the likelihood that that animal will end up in a shelter, he said. From NTD.com President Barack Obama at a meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch and FBI Director James Comey (R) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on Jan. 4, 2016. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Obama DOJ Treated Clinton and Trump Unequally, House Probe Concludes The Justice Department (DOJ) under President Barack Obama treated Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump differently in 2016 and 2017, according to the summary of a yearlong investigation by House Republicans released Dec. 28. While the DOJ potentially abused foreign intelligence surveillance powers to target a Trump presidential campaign associate, its investigation of Clinton was over before it began, according to a summary released by the House Judiciary Committee. In 2016, the FBI investigated Clinton for her use of an unauthorized private email server and her mishandling of classified information, and Trump for alleged collusion between his campaign associates and Russia. The bureau took unprecedented steps in both investigations that appear to have been lenient on Clinton and overly harsh to Trump. Among several examples, the defense counsel in the Clinton case was informed of the questions investigators planned to ask witnesses. Clinton also was allowed, in an unprecedented move, to have counsels present for her interview who were also fact witnesses in the case. In contrast, the FBI circumvented the White House counsel and the DOJ before interviewing General Michael Flynn and discouraged him from having an attorney present. After a yearlong investigation, the lawmakers were unable to determine if a proper investigation of the Clinton-email case would result in a prosecutable case. In a letter (pdf) summarizing the findings of the probe, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) wrote that the FBI and DOJ worked in a manner that would ultimately conceal the truth from subsequent scrutiny. What we can say with confidence is the manner in which this investigation was conducted ensures we may never know the answers to these seminal questions, Goodlatte and Gowdy wrote. The House probe concluded that there was no unanimity at the FBI regarding the decision as to whether to bring criminal charges against Clinton. Then-FBI General Counsel James Baker told investigators he initially believed there was enough evidence to bring a case. Other witnesses told investigators that the decision to not charge Clinton was not unanimous. This finding is contrary to the exoneration statement made in 2016 by then-FBI Director James Comey, who said that no reasonable prosecutor would press charges against Clinton. The probe also determined that investigators in the Clinton-email case interpreted the gross-negligence statue to include elements which plainly do not exist in the text of the statute. As a result, the FBI agents assigned to the case determined that proof of knowledge and intent would be required to bring criminal charges, even though the statute for gross negligence carries no such requirement, Goodlatte and Gowdy wrote in the letter addressed to Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Equally troubling, there is little to no evidence investigators made any effort to identify evidence that could have addressed the very elements they believed were missing, Goodlatte and Gowdy, the respective chairs of the House Judiciary and Government Reform and Oversight committees, wrote. There is no indication those questions were even asked of witnesses that would have potentially had access to the Secretarys state of mind and no evidence she herself was asked to address questions centered on consciousness of guilt and criminal intent. The unequal treatment of Trump and Clinton by the DOJ and FBI is coupled with an intense bias against Trump and in favor of Clinton expressed by several FBI officials involved in the investigations. FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page exchanged messages calling Trump an idiot, rooting for Clinton to win, and discussing an insurance policy in case Clinton lost. Director Comey himself stated, had he known of their bias, he never would have allowed them to serve on the investigative team, Goodlatte said in a statement. Nevertheless, both Strzok and Page served on the Clinton email and Russia investigations, with Strzok playing a leading role. House Republicans last October started investigating actions taken and not taken by the FBI and DOJ during the 2016 election. Lawmakers interviewed key players from that period, including Comey, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Strzok, Page, and Baker. In March this year, judiciary and oversight committee Republicans learned enough about what transpired during the 2016 election to call on then-Attorney General Jeff Session to appoint a second special counsel. Sessions declined and appointed U.S. Attorney John Huber to investigate the allegations. Now, nine months later, Goodlatte and Gowdy still believe a second special counsel should be appointed and are calling on Whitaker to do so. They are also calling for an investigation of potential Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) abuses, specifically surrounding the application to surveil Trump-campaign associate Carter Page. The FBI surveilled Page for a year based on a FISA warrant obtained through a secret court in October 2016 along with three renewal warrants. The applications for the warrants used the infamous Steele dossier as the core of the evidence alleging Page was a Russian agent. The dossier has since been almost entirely debunked and none of its claims are verified. The Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid for the dossier through a law firm. Christopher Steele, a former British spy, used second- and third-hand sources with ties to the Kremlin to compile it. Steele revealed in British court filings, which recently became public, that he was hired to create a document which the Clinton campaign could use to challenge the validity of the 2016 election. Republicans will lose control of the House in January and Democrats have shown no intention of continuing the investigation. According to Goodlatte, Senate Republicans will pick up where House investigators left off. The decisions made by the DOJ and FBI in 2016 and 2017 should concern all Americans, regardless of political ideology, Goodlatte said in a statement. I am grateful to our Senate colleagues for vowing to pick up where we left off with this investigation in the new year. Several high ranking FBI officials resigned or were fired as a result of the misconduct uncovered during the House probe, including Strzok and former-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. Oregon Hotel Apologizes a Week After Kicking out Black Man PORTLAND, Ore.Attorneys for a black man who was kicked out of an Oregon hotel last week say they want a public explanation for why he was told to leave. Nearly a week later, the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Portland apologized Friday to Jermaine Massey on Twitter. He has accused the hotel of racially profiling him after a security guard called police to remove him from the lobby, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Massey for his treatment this past weekend, and deeply regret the experience he endured. It was unacceptable and contrary to our values, beliefs and how we seek to treat all people who visit our hotel, the tweet read. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Massey for his treatment this past weekend, and deeply regret the experience he endured. It was unacceptable and contrary to our values, beliefs and how we seek to treat all people who visit our hotel. (1/4) DoubleTree Portland (@doubletreepdx) December 28, 2018 The hotel also said the employees involved had been placed on leave and an investigation would be done. The security guard told Massey that if he could not provide a room number, he would be asked to leave. The Washington state resident was staying at the hotel and left with an officer, according to a police report. Massey posted a video on social media that shows part of the interaction with the guard. Hes calling the cops on me because Im taking a phone call at the DoubleTree hotel, Massey says in the video. I have not moved, I have been sitting here the whole time and theyre calling the police on me because Im taking a phone call in the lobby. Did you ask any of those people walking by what room they were staying in? No. General manager Paul Peralta said in a statement earlier this week that the hotel reached out to Massey to try to reach a resolution, noting the incident was likely the result of a misunderstanding between our hotel and guest. Massey said through his attorneys Thursday that he wasnt interested in a closed-door discussion. The hotel has requested a private discussion, but Mr. Massey was publicly humiliated, attorneys Gregory and Jason Kafoury of the law firm Kafoury and McDougal wrote in a statement. The hotel should publicly answer why security approached and questioned Massey and explain how, as the guard said, Massey was a threat to security, his lawyers said. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said Friday that it was deeply troubling to hear about Masseys experience. No one should be treated this way, and I hope this serves as a catalyst for necessary changes that address the systemic nature of discrimination of all forms, he wrote on Twitter. Philadelphia Police Officer Rescued From Wrecked Car Before It Explodes Into Flames A Philadelphia police officer is recovering in hospital after he was pulled from the wreckage of his cruiser on Dec. 27, mere moments before the vehicle burst into flames. Officer Matthew Smyth, a nine-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, was on patrol in a North Philly neighborhood, FOX29 reported, when he heard gunshots. Smyth attempted to respond when he collided with a bridge support, sustaining serious injuries. A bystander was shooting video moments before the crash and continued to record as the officer was pulled from the cruiser while it exploded into flames. Yo, the car is on fire! Get him out! Get him out! someone is heard yelling in footage of the chaotic scene. A nine-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department was saved from a wreck Thursday night, moments before his patrol vehicle exploded into flames. https://t.co/WE7OFt2f6R NBCWashington (@nbcwashington) December 29, 2018 Chaotic Scene Captured on Video Alex Ruffin, who captured video of the incident, told WPVI-TV that he heard the impact and saw smoke and lights and everything as he ran to see if he could help. The video shows several police officers already at the scene, as the 31-year-old Smyth remains stuck in his badly damaged patrol car. Ruffin told WPVI-TV that Smyth repeatedly asked for something to drink. He was semi-conscious. He was doing a lot of moaning. He had a gash in his head he was asking people for a cup of water, a bottle of water, said Ruffin. Fellow officers rushed to extract the badly injured Smyth from the vehicle, as flames move through the wreckage. Hey yo, its a fire, yo its a fire, you gotta get him out, a voice can be heard in the video. I was just in shock. I was shaking, Ruffin told NBC news. Philadelphia Police Capt. Sekou Kinebrew told ABC6 that Smythe heard gunshots and was trying to get to the location to where he thought the shots were coming from. Smyths parents spoke to ABC6 reporters outside of Temple University Hospital, where he was rushed after the crash. They said their son was expected to make a full recovery despite sustaining extensive injuries. He does have a fracture of the cervical spine but theres no paralysis, which is great, said Nancy Smyth, the patrolmans mother. There is a hip fracture, minor that theyre still dealing with and the significant head gash. Im just happy hes alive, the mans mother told NBC several hours after the accident. Thats the important thing, she added. Hes alive, hes talking. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Report: Elizabeth Smarts Kidnapper Is Living Near Elementary School After Prison Release Wanda Barzee, a registered sex offender who was convicted in the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart, is reportedly living in a Utah home just blocks from an elementary school. She was released from prison early this year. Barzee, 73, is living less than 1 mile from Parkview Elementary School, located near downtown Salt Lake City, according to the Utah Department of Corrections sex offender registry. Pre-kindergarten to fifth-grade students attend the school, according to CrimeOnline. Barzee is living in an apartment complex on W. 900 Street in Salt Lake City, according to the Corrections website. The complex is located fewer than 1,000 feet from the school. As a registered sex offender, Barzee cannot be on any school property. She is also banned from playgrounds and day cares, CrimeOnline noted. Barzee was released on Sept. 19 after serving a 15-year prison term for her role in the kidnapping of Smart, who was 14 when she was abducted from her bedroom and held captive for nine months. Barzee and her husband, Brian David Mitchell, kept Smart as a prisoner between 2002 and 2003, and she was repeatedly raped, assaulted, drugged, and threatened. Smart was rescued after witnesses saw Barzee and Mitchell on Americas Most Wanted. Mitchell is serving two life sentences in federal prison. Danger to Community? When Barzee was released from prison, Smart said she believed the woman is a danger to the community. Through my sources, Ive heard that shes still carrying around this book of revelations that Brian Mitchell wrote that said he should kidnap me, and not just kidnap me but six other young girls, and that wed all be his wives clearly, she hasnt let it go, Smart told CBS News in September. In an Instagram post before the womans release, Smart also said, Only a couple months ago I was informed one of my captors, Wanda Barzee, would not be released until 2024. Now she will be released in less than a week. I find this news greatly disturbing and incomprehensible. In my efforts to learn more it seems there are no viable legal options open to me at this time. So it is now that I ask those that have the power, and her family to start proceedings to have her be civilly committed, her post said. In a press conference upon her release, Barzees attorney, Scott Williams, told NBC News that she didnt pose any threat by being out of prison. There is no credible evidence that she is a danger to the community, Williams said. He did not elaborate at the time where Barzee would be staying or whether she has a support network. Barzee had to register as a sex offender after her release and has to participate in a mental health program, according to the Deseret News. She needs to go somewhere where she can be helped, Tina Mace, her niece, said in September. I dont think she should be on the street at all. I dont think she can make it. Mace said Barzee needed mental health treatment, saying that she possibly refused treatment while in prison. Mace recalled how Barzee testified against Mitchell. Im just glad she nailed Brian, Mace said. Because he knew what he was doing. But Smart, in a press conference, said that during Mitchells attacks, Barzee would encourage her husband to continue to rape me, NBC reported. Swiss-Spanish National Arrested in Connection With Morocco Tourist Murders Counter-terrorism authorities in Morocco said a dual Swiss-Spanish national has been arrested for alleged involvement in the killing of two Scandinavian tourists. The man, who has not been named, was detained in Marrakesh for allegedly trying to recruit Moroccans to commit acts of terror, the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said in a statement on Dec. 29. The bodies of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, were found early on Dec. 17 near the village of Imlil in Moroccos Atlas Mountains. Investigators are treating the killings as an act of terror. Recruitment For Terrorist Plots Officials at BCIJ accuse the arrested Swiss-Spanish national of involvement in recruiting Moroccan and sub-Saharan nationals to carry out terrorist plots in Morocco against foreign targets and security forces in order to take hold of their service weapons. The BBC cited the BCIJ as saying that the Swiss-Spanish national was suspected of teaching some of those arrested about communication tools involving new technology and of training them in marksmanship. The Swiss-Spanish national followed an extremist ideology, according to the BBC report. Lone Wolves Nineteen other men have been arrested in connection with the case, including four main suspects who had pledged allegiance to the ISIS terrorist group in a video made three days before the tourists bodies were found. According to Morocco World News, in the video, one of the suspects says in Moroccan Arabic (Darija), This is a revenge for our brothers in Hajin. Hajin is a small Syrian town that is being freed from ISIS control by Syrian Democratic Forces. There was another video in which the four initial suspects appeared to be pledging their allegiance to ISIS. Police and domestic intelligence spokesman Boubker Sabik this week described the four men as lone wolves, adding the crime was not coordinated with [ISIS]. Moroccan investigators said nine of the suspects arrested on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 across the country were carrying arms and suspicious materials used in the making of explosives. Slain In Their Tents Both Jespersen and Ueland had lived in southern Norway where they attended university. Helle Jespersen, one of the womens mother, said she urged her daughter not to go to Morocco. We advised her to go down because its such a chaotic place, and youve heard of people who have been killed down there, she was quoted by the Telegraph as saying. Unnamed local sources told The Sun that three homeless men were seen camping near the two women. Three homeless men came from Marrakech and pitched a tent right next to the girls tent, a hotelier was quoted as saying. The men were not from around here. ISIS supporters have sent hundreds of horrific images and a beheading video directly to one of the victims grieving mothers, according to The Sun. Disturbing images of the severed and partially severed heads of the murdered backpackers were reportedly also placed on the Facebook page of the heartbroken mother, according to the report. We Must Not Give In Denmarks prime minister, Lars Loekke Rasmussen, said on Dec. 20 that the slayings can be considered politically motivated and thus an act of terror. There are still dark forces that want to fight our values and, we must not give in, he said. Morocco is generally considered safe for tourists but has battled with Islamic extremism for years. More than a thousand Moroccans are believed to have joined ISIS. The victims have been commemorated in a series of vigils. In Moroccos capital Rabat, a minutes silence was held on Dec. 22 with Danish and Norwegian diplomats present, while hundreds more people attended a vigil in the village, near where the womens bodies were found. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Tour Guide Insurance Scam Threatens Nepals Trekking Industry KATHMANDU, NepalHigh in Nepals Himalayas, helicopter rescue operations were once credited for saving the lives of foreign trekkers who suffered altitude sickness or were stranded during their grueling trek. But a wide-ranging scam involving chopper operators and tour organizers has given a bad name to the impoverished countrys trekking industry, a major component of the tourism sector. The exposure of a massive insurance scam that occurred during the summer of 2018 revealed that tour guides had persuaded hikers to initiate a rescue in the mountains in order to extract tens of thousands of dollars from Western insurance companies. Most medical emergencies cited for rescues later turned out to be false, with the commissions pocketed by trekking agents, chopper operators, and hospitals, a five-member panel formed by the government found. The trekkers were admitted to a handful of hospitals that catered to tourists and expats in Kathmandu, which, in turn, inflated the medical bills, the investigation revealed. The panel investigated 10 helicopter companies, six hospitals, and 35 trekking and rescue companies. It found that eight trekking and rescue companies, four hospitals, and three helicopter companies were involved in the scam. But industry insiders say the government, which promised to crack down on the offending companies, hasnt taken any action and has allowed them to continue to work. This has tarnished Nepals image as a country where trekkers are evacuated even for minor illness in order to profit from their insurance, said Ang Pemba Sherpa, general secretary of Trekking Agents Association Nepal. Sherpa said the government should have reassured foreign trekkers by cracking down on the companies that are complicit in the scam. But they were not punished because these companies enjoy political patronage. Trekking agents who are not involved have also been lumped together in it, which has hurt the sector, he said. The scam has dealt a blow to the sector, he said. It could cause a decline in tourist numbers in the spring season. While tour operators charge as little as $1,000 for a two-week trek on Everest, a helicopter rescue costs from $3,000 to $6,000. In order to maximize commissions, some helicopter operators crammed in three or four trekkers at once, but billed for three or four separate rescue trips. Tour guides see that theres an opportunity to make money by calling for a [medical evacuation]. It ensures them kickbacks, said Suraj Paudyal, a Nepalese rescuer trained by Switzerlands Air Zermatt, which rescues climbers in the Alps. Tea houses along the trekking trail also were involved, according to Paudyal. They deliberately made trekkers sick by adulterating their food, he said. The sector is rife with conflicts of interest, with tour operators themselves investing in hospitals and helicopter companies, he added. In recent years, Western insurance companies have raised the insurance premium. Until five years ago, they charged $70 for an Everest trek involving a helicopter rescue, but now, the premium has gone up to $300. Trekking in Nepal has become expensive, which might make Nepal unattractive for budget tourists, he said. Prakash Sharma Dhakal, a spokesman at the ministry, said the guilty helicopter operators have been barred from flying to restricted areas in the northern Himalayan region. We have forwarded the cases of hospitals to the Ministry of Health. The Department of Revenue Investigation is probing the trekking agencies taxes to see if theres a discrepancy, he said. A special police team is also investigating the cases, he added. But tour operators say the government missed the opportunity to reform the sector, one of the major foreign currency earners. Obviously, theres collusion here. The sector has little government oversight. The authorities are tight while granting licenses, but after that, the private sector is largely on its own, said Raj Gyawali, founder of Social Tours in Kathmandu. The negative publicity generated by the scam could divert trekkers to other destinations, such as Peru and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, he said. Everyone is selling the same Everest trekking route, theres no diversity. This has resulted in a cutthroat completion among Nepals tour operators, he said. Human greed is a crucial factor. The poorly paid guides and tour organizers want to make a quick buck by calling for a helicopter evacuation, he said. Paudyal, who also works for Simrik Air, a helicopter company, said lack of a centralized search and rescue authority in Nepal has caused a delay in rescue, endangering lives of trekkers. At the time of crisis, we dont have a system in place. The trekking agency itself is responsible for initiating a rescue. A lot has to be done to reform the sector, he said. Trump Says Big Progress Made in Trade Talks With China President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Twitter on Dec. 29 that big progress is being made with Chinese leader Xi Jinping toward a trade deal that may stave off further escalation of a yearlong trade war. Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China. Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018 Trump posted at about 11 a.m. local time that he had just finished a long and very good call with Xi to discuss a possible deal to address the continuing trade differences between the United States and China. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute, Trump said. The call comes after Xi promised that China would make structural changes to its state-controlled economy within a three-month period. The two spoke during bilateral talks on Dec. 1 on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina. The White House announced shortly after the talks that both sides would immediately begin negotiations on structural changes that Washington has been demanding for more than a decade. It said the structural reforms include ending Chinas unfair trade policies and practices with respect to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions, and cyber theft, services, and agriculture. Also in Argentina, the United States and China reached a 90-day agreement to postpone more tariff hikes and allow for further negotiations, after Xi agreed to purchase a very substantial amount of American goods, including in the agricultural, energy, and industrial sectors, to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with China. In return, Trump agreed to postpone the planned step-up in tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent that would have commenced on Jan. 1. Trump promised that tariffs would remain at 10 percent through the 90-day negotiation period. Both parties agree that they will endeavor to have this transaction completed within the next 90 days, the White House said. If China and the United States fail to reach an agreement by March 1, the United States will increase its tariffs to 25 percent. The two nations have been engaged in a tariff trade war for much of 2018, after the Trump administration first imposed nearly $250 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese goods to force Beijing to end its unfair practices. Trump has long complained about Chinas unfair trade practices and blamed previous U.S. leaders for failing to address the matter, which he has said has not only cost U.S. jobs but has threatened national security. For decades, Beijing has paid little more than lip-service to the commitments it made when joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), leading the Trump administration to change tactics and take a tougher stance on Chinas long-running protectionist and trade-distorting policies. Just days after the trade truce was brokered, Trump warned in a Dec. 4 tweet that both national leaders want this deal to happen, but that if a deal doesnt happen, I am a tariff man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so, Trump said in the Twitter post. It will always be the best way to max out our economic power. We are right now taking in $billions in tariffs. .I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so. It will always be the best way to max out our economic power. We are right now taking in $billions in Tariffs. MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2018 Chinas state media also reported Xi and Trump spoke Dec. 29, and quoted Xi as saying that teams from both countries have been working to implement a consensus reached with Trump. Additional reporting by Reuters. From NTD.com Watch Next: Anastasia LinChina has become a Frankenstein Monster Chinas State-Owned Oil Importer Unipec Suspends 2 Top Officials Chinas largest crude-oil importer Unipec has suspended two of its top officials after recent severe losses at the company. Chinese media first reported that an unidentified official at Unipec, the trading arm of Chinas state-owned oil and gas company Sinopec, was suspended due to trading losses. Eventually, Sinopec announced on its official website on Dec. 27 that Chen Po and Zhan Qithe companys president and Chinese Communist Party secretary, respectivelyhad been suspended due to work reasons, without further elaboration. Sinopecs shares dipped 6.75 percent on the Shanghai Stock Exchange after the media reports, closing at 5.27 yuan ($0.77) per share on Dec. 27. The company has a market capitalization of more than 630 billion yuan (about $91.6 billion). While Sinopec didnt provide specifics behind the suspension, many media have reported that Chen and Zhan were suspended due to trading losses. Chinese business news site Caixin, citing a person it didnt identify, reported that the decision to suspend Chen and Zhan was made on Dec. 26, during a company meeting. The company incurred financial losses after the duos involvement in hedging operationsan investment activity that is designed to protect against market volatilitywhich resulted in the company importing crude oil at a price higher than market price, according to the Caixin report. Reuters also reported that Chen and Zhan were suspended due to trading losses at the company, citing five unidentified sources. The government inspectors were looking into the companys operations for the past few years one of the problems they found was the severe trading losses in the second half of this year, because of wrong market judgment, one of the sources told Reuters. Chinas state-run newspaper China Securities Journal, citing an unidentified source from Unipec, reported that the suspension was the result of severe misjudgment in the second half of this year resulting in huge consequences. Later on Dec. 27, Sinopec issued another announcement, seemingly confirming the media reports. The company said it was aware of and would evaluate certain transactions at Unipec involving crude oil that resulted in partial losses when oil prices fell. Chang Qing, economist and professor at China Agricultural University, in a Dec. 29 interview with Chinese news portal Sina, said that the Unipec losses could be the result of a failure in the companys risk-management system. Oil Price Fluctuations in oil prices in recent months may lend evidence to miscalculated hedging by Chen and Zhan. Brent Crude, one of the major oil price benchmarks, rose by more 20 percent in the first six months of this year, before hitting a four-year high of $86.07 on Oct. 4. The surge in oil prices was attributed in part to concerns of shortfalls in global supply, after the U.S. administration imposed sanctions on Iran crude exports. Some observers speculated that oil prices could hit as high as $100 per barrel. Chen also was optimistic about the potential price increase. On Sept. 24, Chen, while speaking at the annual Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference (APPEC) in Singapore, said that crude oil prices between $60 and $80 per barrel were normal, according to Reuters. Instead, Brent Crude has since tumbled by about 40 percent since early October, amid concerns of oversupply. Major oil producers ramped up output. In addition, nine countries, including China, India, and Afghanistan, were granted U.S. waivers to temporarily allow them to continue buying oil from Iran. Amid news of the two officials suspension, many Chinese media, including Sina, published a widely circulated conversation on WeChat, a popular social-media platform, detailing what Chen had done: He allegedly purchased 30 million to 70 million barrels of oil futures at about $70-plus, which resulted in losses of several dozen billion dollars for the company. These claims couldnt be independently verified. Brent Crude dipped below $70 per barrel in mid-November. Reuters reported in early December that China imported on average 325,000 barrels per day of U.S. crude in the first nine months of 2018. But, in October, as trade war tensions heightened, imports fell to zero, according to Chinese customs data. After a 90-day truce agreed upon by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires on Dec. 1, Unipec announced plans to resume buying U.S. crude, according to Reuters, citing unidentified sources. Similar Incident Chinese media has since widely speculated that the possible losses at Unipec could be on par with the 2004 scandal that involved Singapore-listed China Aviation Oil (CAO), a subsidiary of Chinas state-owned jet-fuel supplier, China National Aviation Fuel Group. CAO began to engage in oil-options trading in the second half of 2003, with transactions involving 2 million barrels of oil, according to Chinese media. The move was initially profitable for the company. Even as oil prices began to climb in early 2004, CAO continued to go short. By the second quarter of 2004, CAO was faced with a loss of $30 million. And by October of 2004, CAO was saddled with a loss of $180 million. Sensing trouble ahead, on Oct. 20, 2004, China National Aviation Fuel Group sold a 15 percent stake in CAO, and injected about $100 million from the sale into the subsidiary. Meanwhile, the parent company tried to negotiate a possible rescue plan with creditors and shareholders. CAOs CEO at the time, Chen Jiulin, filed for bankruptcy protection at a court in Singapore on Nov. 29, 2004, as the company was sitting on losses of $381 million from oil-option trading. In March 2007, Chen was sentenced in a Singapore court to four years and three months imprisonment for concealing CAOs trading losses and insider trading. A month earlier, Chen was also disciplined by Chinese authorities. He was shuangkai, meaning that he was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party and stripped of his position at CAO. Jia Changbin, the chairman of China National Aviation Fuel Group at the time, was stripped of his position as well. In December 2009, Reuters reported that at the time that 68 Chinese state-owned companies suffered net losses of 11.4 billion yuan ($1.67 billion) on oil-options trading, with oil prices collapsing to nearly $30 a barrel. Reuters contributed to this report. NORWALK The Walk Bridge reconstruction has been the subject of countless meetings, spawned a lawsuit, and raised concerns for the businesses and residents who will be impacted by the multiyear, more than $1 billion project. As a lawsuit pushes forward in federal court, and a new governor and state transportation commissioner are set to take office in the coming weeks, the Connecticut Department of Transportatio project will likely remain divisive in 2019. Final design plans could be ready as soon as spring 2019 and are expected no later than the summer. Construction of the 240-foot vertical lift bridge, which carries Amtrak and Metro-North Railroad trains over the Norwalk River, is expected to take four to five years, and is set to begin in the fall. The project needs to happen. Its a bridge thats over 120 years old thats hampering our ability to have faster train service, said State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk. Its a tough project, its going to be inconvenient and disruptive but it needs to get done. Our aging infrastructure needs to be addressed. Concerns have been raised that the construction will disrupt shellfish beds and stir up pollutants. Norwalk Harbor Keeper, a local conservation group, filed a lawsuit in early 2018 claiming the DOT didnt adequately consider a smaller, less-expensive bridge that is fixed in place, which they said would suffice because of reduced boat traffic on the channel. Those who brought the lawsuit point to another state agencys memo regarding construction alternatives. In a December 2016 letter from the state Office of Policy and Management to the DOT, the OPM deemed maritime access not an essential element of this project, and suggested the DOT consider alternative designs. The OPM basically asked the question, or stated, since theres not much traffic anymore, wed like you to look at a low-level fixed bridge, said Fred Krupp, president of the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund and a member of Norwalk Harbor Keeper. Thats the exact same thing the lawsuit is asking the state to do. In the DOTs original Environmental Impact Evaluation, there was no mention of improving the bridge to allow for marine navigation. But a later version of the EIE listed maintaining or improving navigational capacity and dependability for marine traffic in the Norwalk River, as a goal of the project. Krupp and Norwalk Harbor Keeper suggested two alternatives: the first, to bolt the existing bridge shut, and the second, to build a new, simpler, non-lifting bridge. Both Norwalk Harbor Keeper and the state DOT have entered motions for summary judgment a decision made without a full trial and a decision could come in 2019. If Norwalk Harbor Keeper should win that case, the state would have to review its design. Krupp said, without question, something needs to be done to the existing bridge. But he and Norwalk Harbor Keeper feel the scope of the current design is inappropriate. This project, where the construction is now estimated to last five years, could absolutely threaten the survival of the (Maritime) aquarium, as well as the thriving renaissance of restaurants in SoNo. And restaurant owners are very concerned, Krupp said. Construction will also cause parking issues in South Norwalk. The Maritime Aquariums IMAX theater will be razed by the state DOT for use as a staging area, and portions of the adjacent 45-space Norwalk Water Street lot will at times be blocked off. The Maritime Garage, where the majority of visitors to the aquarium park, lies safely outside of the construction area, but will sometimes be difficult for motorists to reach. The aquariums associate director of communications, Dave Sigworth, has said that he believes visitors will continue to use the garage. Once the construction starts, other nearby businesses and residents will have to learn to live with the disruptions. My job is to protect and represent businesses and the residents that are affected and ensure that theyre being listened to and that we are working to the best ability to minimize disruptions and inconveniences, Duff said. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Sun, December 30, 2018 12:04 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4ad870 2 People Angelina-Jolie,actress,film,Celebrities,director,Movie,Hollywood,united-states,politics Free Angelina Jolie hinted on Friday, Dec. 28, she could one day enter politics, as she urged global leaders to do more to help refugees and women in conflict. Asked whether she was moving towards a political career, the Hollywood star, an envoy for the UN refugee agency who has also campaigned on sexual violence against women, said she would "go where I'm needed". "If you asked me 20 years ago, I would've laughed," she said in an interview with British broadcaster the BBC. "I don't know if I'm fit for politics, but then I've also joked that I don't know if I have a skeleton left in my closet." Jolie said her work with the United Nations and other organizations enabled her to "get a lot done without a title", but did not rule out a future switch. "I honestly will do whatever I think can really make change and right now, I am able to work with a UN agency... to do a lot of work directly with the people in need," she said. "I'm also able to work with governments and I'm also able to work with militaries. And so I sit in a very interesting place of being able to get a lot done without a title and without it being about myself or my policies. So for now I'll sit quiet." The Oscar-winning actor has in recent years visited refugee camps to highlight the plight of those uprooted by war, and broadened her international efforts to protect women, working with Nato and governments to help stop the use of rape as a weapon of war. With 68.5 million people uprooted globally, she said more needed to be done to support refugees and host communities in developing countries. "The focus should be what is happening to these people? Why is this happening? How do we have this many people uprooted and what are the causes?" Jolie said. UN members earlier this month adopted a deal aimed at improving the way world copes with rising migration. The non-binding pact, meant to foster cooperation on migration, was agreed in July by all 193 UN members except the United States, but only 164 formally signed it at the meeting. "This should not be seen as a headache for people. This is how we need our leaders to be thinking about balancing our world," she added. Read also: In Iraq, Angelina Jolie calls for focus on conflict prevention Voice for women Jolie, a mother of six who last year released her film First They Killed My Father about Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime, launched the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative in 2012 with Britain's former foreign minister William Hague. Nato agreed in January to help report on sexual violence in war to help bring perpetrators to justice and challenge the idea that rape is an unavoidable aspect of conflict. But there have been questions over the effectiveness of the initiative, especially in light of the mass rape of Rohingya women in Myanmar during a crackdown that forced 720,000 refugees to flee to Bangladesh. Interviewed on BBC Radio's Today programme, which she guest edited, Jolie said the campaign had made a difference. "I have met victims who finally got reparations when they didn't have them before," she said. "When there are prosecutions and when there is accountability, we will see a real change." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marisol Rifai (Agence France-Presse) Gaillac, France Sun, December 30, 2018 07:08 1070 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4a4310 2 Art & Culture lanterns,Chinese-lanterns,France,festival,culture Free As darkness falls each winter night in the little French town of Gaillac, the glow of dusk is replaced with another -- that of a thousand colorful Chinese silk lanterns. The thousand-year-old town in the southwestern Tarn region, known for its wines, was not the most obvious place to launch what it trumpets as "the biggest Chinese event in France". But Gaillac happens to be twinned with Zigong, a city in China's Sichuan province which is famous for its lantern festival. For the second winter running Gaillac has transformed into a miniature version of its Sichuan twin, lighting up nightly with a dazzling array of giant lanterns in the form of dragons, flowers, birds and pandas. Giant lanterns depicting pandas. (AFP/Eric Cabanis) Among the delighted spectators was a 90-year-old who gave her name as Simone, taking photographs of the imperial palace stretching 75 meters long. "I want to show my grandchildren all these wonders from another world," she said. Gaillac's Mayor Patrice Gausserand was on a trip to China in February 2017 when the idea of twinning with a Chinese town was born. "I naturally turned towards Sichuan province, which is twinned with our Occitanie region," Gausserand said. "And that's how I found Zigong." Bringing the famous lanterns to Gaillac was "a mad gamble", he said. Zigong's own festival, in February, has been running for centuries and attracts millions of visitors each year. In Gaillac, a town of 18,000, Gausserand had to find private sponsors to cover the costs, and he wasn't even sure if people would come. But 250,000 people attended last year's inaugural edition -- an "enormous surprise" to town authorities which brought a windfall of one million euros ($1.15 million). Read also: Four must-see lantern festivals around Asia China-mania This year the mayor expects even more to flood in -- by December 15, the town had already sold three times as many tickets than at the same time in 2017. "The festival creates a strong bond between town staff, volunteers and about 80 Chinese workers who come to Gaillac for two months to put up the lanterns," he said. Shop windows, hairdressers, bars and residents' balconies all have red lanterns and dragons on display at a time of year when most French stores sport Christmas decorations. Chinese fever has also reached the bookshop, which has filled its window with fiction, graphic novels and tourist guides on China. A giant lantern depicting a dragon. (AFP/Eric Cabanis) Extra footfall from the festival, which runs from December 1 until February 6, is a huge boost for local hotels, restaurants and shops. For Marion Duclot, a senior official in the Gaillac Graulhet local authority, the visitors are especially welcome in a season when the regional economy is "usually flat". And local landlords are celebrating too -- the Tarn villa rental association is delighted by a doubling in winter bookings over the past two years. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Quito, Ecuador Sun, December 30, 2018 08:03 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4a44f5 2 Environment Galapagos,ecuador,wildlife,Fireworks,New-Year-Celebration Free Fireworks have been banned on the Galapagos Islands to protect the archipelago's unique fauna, the local government said on Friday. The local council said in a statement that it had agreed "unanimously a resolution that prohibits the importation, sale, distribution and use of fireworks or pyrotechnics in the Galapagos province". Those fireworks that produce light but no noise have been excluded from the ban. The islands are home to thousands of residents as well as being a tourist destination, and the measure comes just days before New Year celebrations in which many people traditionally set off fireworks. "Ecosystems as sensitive as the Galapagos Islands are affected (by fireworks), principally its fauna that is unique," said the council. It also wants to avoid any potential deterioration in air quality or pollution of water sources. Read also: Galapagos giant tortoise gene study hints at longevity secrets Animals have suffered from elevated heart rates, nervous stress and anxiety, which have "notably" changed their behavior and affected the survival of species inhabiting this World Heritage Site that belongs to Ecuador. "This is a gift to conservation for Ecuador and the world," Lorena Tapia, president of the local council, said on her Twitter account. A campaign to limit the use of fireworks on the Galapagos Islands was launched in 2017. Single-use plastics have also been banned on the archipelago, about 1,000 kilometers off the coast of Ecuador. Known for its endemic species, the volcanic Galapagos Islands played a crucial role in British naturalist Charles Darwin's studies before he came up with his theory of evolution. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jill Serjeant (Reuters) Sun, December 30, 2018 14:03 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4b07ec 2 Entertainment Woodstock,music-festival,music,united-states,concert Free Fifty years after the Woodstock music festival became one of the watersheds of hippie counterculture, an anniversary event will take place in August 2019 on the same field north of New York City. The Bethel Woods Center for the Arts announced a three-day festival of "music, culture and community" that will celebrate "the golden anniversary at the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival". The Bethel Woods Center, a nonprofit that now owns the 37-acre (15-hectare) field that was the site of the 1969 Woodstock festival, said in a Facebook posting on Thursday that the Aug. 16-18 festival will be a "pan-generational event". It will feature live performances from prominent and emerging artists across multiple genres and decades, as well as talks from leading futurists and tech experts. The festival is a joint venture with concert promoters Live Nation. Details of performers, tickets and other participants will be announced at a later date, the Bethel Woods Center said. The August 1969 Woodstock festival, billed as "three days of peace and music," is regarded as one of the pivotal moments in music history and 1960s counterculture. Read also: Jefferson Airplane co-founder Balin dead at 76 Over three sometimes-rainy days, more than 30 acts - including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, The Band, and the Grateful Dead - performed around the clock to a 400,000-strong audience, most of whom watched for free and camped onsite in the mud. The festival was documented in an the 1970 film Woodstock, which won an Oscar. Although it was known as Woodstock, the festival actually took place in Bethel, some 70 miles (110 km) south of the village of Woodstock in upstate New York. Bethel is 90 miles (144 km) north of New York City. "Fifty years ago, people gathered peacefully on our site inspired to change the world through music," Darlene Fedun, chief executive of the Bethel Woods Center, said in a statement announcing the 50th-anniversary event. "We remain committed to preserving this rich history and spirit, and to educating and inspiring new generations to contribute positively to the world through music, culture, and community, Fedun added. The Bethel Woods festival is not affiliated with Michael Lang, a promoter of the 1969 festival, who has also spoken of plans to organize a 50th-anniversary event but has yet to make any announcement. Woodstock anniversary festivals were also held in 1994, 1998 and 1999. Many of the 1969 Woodstock artists are now dead. Surviving musicians who are still performing into their 70s include Joan Baez, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who, and David Crosby, Neil Young, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Sun, December 30, 2018 06:04 1070 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4a3403 2 Science & Tech Mark-Zuckerberg,Facebook,united-states,social-network Free Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said Friday the world's biggest social network has "fundamentally" changed to focus on securing its systems against manipulation and misinformation. Capping a tumultuous year marked by data protection scandals and government probes, Zuckerberg said he was "proud of the progress we've made" in addressing Facebook's problems. "For 2018, my personal challenge has been to focus on addressing some of the most important issues facing our community -- whether that's preventing election interference, stopping the spread of hate speech and misinformation, making sure people have control of their information, and ensuring our services improve people's well-being," he wrote on his Facebook page. "We're a very different company today than we were in 2016, or even a year ago. We've fundamentally altered our DNA to focus more on preventing harm in all our services, and we've systematically shifted a large portion of our company to work on preventing harm." He said Facebook now has more than 30,000 people "working on safety" and invests billions of dollars in security. Zuckerberg's comments come at the close of a year when Facebook was roiled by revelations about the misuse of personal data by the political consultancy Cambridge Analytica in the 2016 US election and on data sharing with business partners. But he said the questions around Facebook are "more than a one-year challenge" and that the California giant was in the process of "multi-year plans to overhaul our systems". "In the past we didn't focus as much on these issues as we needed to, but we're now much more proactive," he said. Read also: Zuckerberg defends Facebook in new data breach controversy The comments follow a message from Zuckerberg in January, before many of Facebook's troubles emerged, when he outlined his goals of stemming abuse and hate and foreign interference, among other things, on the network used by more than two billion people. "My personal challenge for 2018 is to focus on fixing these important issues," Zuckerberg said in January. In Friday's message, Zuckerberg enumerated a series of steps taken over the past year, including fact-checking partnerships, advertising transparency and artificial intelligence to remove harmful content. He added that Facebook's systems were also being retooled with the aim of helping "improve people's well-being," based on research it conducted. The research, he said, "found that when people use the internet to interact with others, that's associated with all the positive aspects of well-being... But when you just use the internet to consume content passively, that's not associated with those same positive effects." One of the changes aims to reduce "viral videos" that are shared across the Facebook platform. "These changes intentionally reduced engagement and revenue in the near term, although we believe they'll help us build a stronger community and business over the long term," Zuckerberg said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, December 29 2018 Heri Budiawan (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) In light of rampant prosecutions of environmental activists, an environmental watchdog has lambasted the government for failing to protect those who try to save nature and peoples livelihoods from destruction. On Thursday, the Indramayu District Court in West Java found three residents Nanto, 40, Sawin, 50, and Sukma, 34 guilty of desecrating state symbols. Nanto was sentenced to six months in prison, while Sawin and Sukma were given five-month prison terms. 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 Sun, December 30, 2018 16:18 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4b5836 1 National Anak-Krakatau,PVMBG,BMKG,BMKG-geophysics-station,Volcano,volcanic-activity,volcanic-ash,volcanic-eruption Free The eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau in South Lampung regency, Lampung, has stopped, according to the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG). The center arrived at that conclusion based on the latest satellite imagery and weather observations. Seismographic data from Sertung Islands, a cluster of islands near Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait, show that there were no more unusual tremors in the volcano, with the average amplitude of volcanic activity standing at 10 millimeters. During an eruption, Anak Krakataus average amplitude will be 25 30 mm. In their statement issued on Sunday, however, the PVMBG officials made it clear that this did not rule out the possibility of the volcano in the Sunda Strait erupting anew in the near future, after the last eruption that began on Dec. 22. In the statement, the PVMBG also thanked the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) for providing visual observation data, which was collected from the Himawari satellite and weather radar, about the distribution of ash released during the Anak Krakatau eruption. The PVMBG said such information was vital to gauging the level of Anak Krakataus volcanic activity, especially when the centers observers at the Pasauran post had difficulties observing the volcano because of thick fog, for instance, which could lead to inaccuracies in reporting the height of its ash column. Anak Krakataus volcanic activity is now at level 3; hence, the authorities are still calling on residents and tourists not to approach the volcano or carry out activities in a radius of 5 kilometers from its crater. (spl/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, December 30, 2018 11:35 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4acf60 1 National BMKG,BMKG-geophysics-station,strong-wind,high-wave,rain Free The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued warnings of possible strong winds and high waves in several regions across Indonesia. The agency has warned that in Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung, for example, waves may reach a height of six meters. "Such high waves must be watched out for because they pose a safety threat," BMKG Pangkalpinang's weather forecast expert Fauzia Rizki said on Sunday as quoted by Antara. Fauzia also warned that high tides in several coastal areas in the region could reach over two meters high. "Therefore, we urge residents and tourists to beware of the high tides and refrain from conducting activities on coasts that are directly face open waters." The Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Agency in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has issued similar warnings based on the BMKG's predictions. "If the weather is bad, they [fishermen] should not force themselves to go fishing because the high waves coupled with the rain and strong winds that have hit NTT are very dangerous," Kupang Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Agency head Orson Nawa said on Sunday. In Lampung, the BMKG has warned of the possibility of heavy thunderstorms and strong winds in several areas from Sunday to Monday, particularly in the regencies of East Lampung, Central Lampung, Tulangbawang, West Pesisir and West Lampung. Residents of West Kalimantan and Banten have also been warned of strong winds, especially on the coast. "Strong winds of short duration and rains of medium to high intensity are predicted to continue along the coast of West Kalimantan," Mempawah climatology station head Wandayantolis said on Saturday. The BMKG climatology station in Pontianak has recorded winds with speeds of up to 54 kilometers per hour. Meanwhile in Banten, the speed of winds has reached 30 kph. "We ask that Banten residents be aware of the bad weather," BMKG Serang official Tardjono said on Saturday. (kmt/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurni Sulaiman (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra Sun, December 30, 2018 11:03 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4ac0c8 1 Business Gojek,Singapore,Thailand,Philippines,ride-hailing-application,ride-hailing-service,app-based-transportation,app-based-business,Go-Food Free GoJek, formally PT Aplikasi Karya Anak Bangsa, plans to further expand into its target markets in ASEAN countries next year, continuing the growth of the app-based ride-hailing service that was established eight years ago. Teuku Parvinanda, the head of regional corporate communications of GoJeks Sumatra chapter, said the company had started implementing its ASEAN expansion plans last year and it would continue to do so in 2019. GoJeK has been penetrating the ASEAN region. It is in Vietnam and will start in Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. GoFood is the largest app-based food delivery service in the world, so hopefully it could give Indonesia more leverage because this product originated in Indonesia, said Parvinanda. In Indonesia, GoJeK has more than a million drivers. Even though in the beginning the online-based-transportation had caused turmoil in the country, especially among operators and drivers of conventional transportation services, online transportation has greatly benefited micro, small and medium business (UMKM) players. According to official data, UMKM partners do up to Rp1.7 trillion (US$116.4 million) worth of business with GoJek. Our real goal is to expand access for the UMKM. Previously, 82 percent of UMKM partnering with us had no access to food delivery services. Finally, they are now helped by GoFood services, said Parvinanda in a discussion in Medan on Saturday. Citing the results of research by the University of Indonesias Demographic Institute in 2017, he said GoJek contributed a total of Rp 9.9 trillion to the national economy. This comprises Rp 8.2 trillion worth of revenues earned by GoJek partners and Rp 1.7 trillion obtained by the UMKM sector. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Karina Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, December 30, 2018 15:09 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4b2395 1 National Benny-Susetyo,Franz-Magnis-Suseno,Nahdlatul-ulama,NahdlatulUlama,religious-differences,interfaith Free A number of religious, cultural and interfaith figures have formulated a document called the Jakarta Treatise in response to the rising tide of religious conservatism sweeping the country. The treatise, which consists of five points, was produced at the end of a two-day discussion on Friday and Saturday in North Jakarta. Among those attending the event were former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud MD, Catholic priests Benny Susetyo and Franz Magnis Suseno, Nahdlatul Ulama communications researcher Savic Ali, Liberal Islam Network (JIL) coordinator Ulil Abshar Abdalla and activist Alissa Wahid. The first point of the treatise stated that while conservatism on its own was not necessarily a problem, it could become a "serious threat" if it morphed into "religious exclusivism and extremism" and became a "tool for political interests". The treatise further stated that exclusivism and extremism could lead to more groups advocating for religious ideologies to become part of the state's ideology. The treatise also suggested five strategies to address these challenges, calling on the government to take a more active role in bolstering religious moderation. "Religion needs to be returned to its role as a spiritual and moral guide and not just be focused on the ritual and formal aspects, especially those that are exclusive in nature, in both public and governmental spheres," the treatise stated. The treatise also urged the government to revise the controversial Blasphemy Law that resulted in the conviction of former Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and has been used as justification for suppressing minority religions such as Ahmadiyah and Shiite Islam. The treatise was submitted to Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, who released an official response on Saturday, largely agreeing with the points in the document. "In the context of national and communal life in Indonesia, religion is believed to be a source of important values that cannot be separated from daily life," Lukman said in the statement. "However, contemporary religious life shows a tendency to reduce the noble values of religion and limit them to external aspects such legal and political formalism, while ignoring the moral and spiritual aspects of religion." Lukman said he also agreed that "ultra-conservatism" in the form of religious exclusivism and extremism contradicted religious values. (ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, December 30, 2018 14:20 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4b1110 4 City Tangerang,Banten,police Free The emergence of mud from under the soil inside a housing complex in Cipondoh, Tangerang, Banten, has drawn the attention of its residents, who fear it may be hot mud, indicating seismic activity. A video of the mud posted on social media went viral and prompted police to immediately check the location. Police brushed off any concerns that the mud was dangerous. Cipondoh Police chief Comr. Sutrisno said the mud was a result of drilling activity carried out by state electricity firm PLN near the area. Its not hot mud as many had feared. I already checked the site and thats what I found, Sutrisno said as quoted by kompas.com on Saturday evening. The video on social media shows thick greyish mud emerging from the ground, creating a slick a few meters wide on the surface. Sutrisno said PLN planned to install an underground wire at a housing complex in Cipondoh on Friday night. (fac) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sun, December 30, 2018 17:02 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4b65b8 1 News yogyakarta-tourism,disability-equality,disabled Free The majority of popular tourist attractions in Yogyakarta do not provide facilities that are accessible to disabled people, a disability rights group has said. The Committee for the Protection and Fulfillment of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (KHD) assessed popular tourist attractions in Yogyakarta from Dec. 6-13, concluding that the areas lacked access to fulfill disability rights. The group looked at various places, including the Yogyakarta Palace, Sonobudoyo Museum, Vredeburg Fort, Gembira Loka Zoo, Paseban Bantul Field, Rainbow Park, the Jogja Kembali Monument, Kaliurang Park, Parangtritis Beach and Baron Beach, as reported by tempo.co. "The commitment to provide accessible facilities is there, but [the realization] is not yet optimal," Winarta, the group's commissioner for monitoring and complaints service, said in Depok on Wednesday as quoted by tempo.co. In providing an example, Winarta said the common facilities provided were in the form of ramps, both portable and permanent. However, he continued, the installation or manufacturing of the facilities had not considered whether the slopes were too steep, or whether it made it difficult for people in wheelchairs to use. Read also: Destroying disability stigma There are also instructions from tourist managers to their employees to provide assistance, but there are no standard operating procedures for implementation. "Generally, officials know that tourists with disabilities need priority attention and service. But they don't know how to go about it," Winarta said. There is usually an assumption that if the location of a tourist attraction does not yet provide accessible facilities, the manager will prepare employees who will provide physical assistance. Physical assistance is given, for example, by holding the hands of a blind person or lifting a wheelchair to get to higher ground. "Even though we might feel uncomfortable if we must have physical contact," said Winarta, who is also blind. "They don't think about disabled peoples need for independence." The group plans to invite the Yogyakarta Tourism Agency to deliver its research results. It will also invite managers of tourist attractions to receive training on providing accessible facilities. Facilities that are accessible for persons with disabilities in tourist areas, which are public spaces, are regulated by Law No.8/2016 on people with disabilities. (liz/wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Menna Zaki (Agence France-Presse) Giza, Egypt Mon, December 31, 2018 05:09 1069 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e4ba810 2 News Tourist,tourists,tourism,travel,#travel,Egypt,#Egypt,pyramid,#pyramid Free Crowds of tourists stared in awe at the towering pyramids of Giza near Cairo Saturday undaunted by a nearby bomb attack a day earlier that killed holidaymakers from Vietnam. A roadside bombing claimed the lives of three tourists and their Egyptian guide Friday when it ripped through the bus they were on as it traveled near the world-famous attraction. The attack comes as Egypt's vital tourism sector has begun to recover after years of instability and jihadist violence that scared visitors away. "I think terrorism can strike anywhere in the world," Somand Yang from South Korea told AFP. "You have to be careful but it is also like luck." Security forces guarded the entrance to the sprawling site and Yang, 32, said she had no qualms about visiting. "Lightning never strikes twice in the same place. So I figured it will be even safer today," she said. - 'Completely devastated' - Excited holidaymakers rode camels and queued to enter a tomb as they snapped pictures of the Great Pyramid, the only surviving structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Hawkers followed the tourists, doggedly trying to sell trinkets and souvenirs. Read also: Egypt struggles to restore Cairo's historic heart Despite the steady flow of visitors, Egyptians working at the site said they were shaken by the attack -- and concerned that it could hit their livelihoods. "I knew the guide who died yesterday," said Dalia Sadaka, as she accompanied a group of sightseers. "I completely broke down yesterday, but I had to get to work in the morning," she said, pointing to her visibly swollen eyes. - 'Truly regrettable' - Earlier hit hard by a string of bloody attacks and unrest, visitor numbers to Egypt have more recently staged a partial recovery. In October 2015, a bomb claimed by a local affiliate of the Islamic State jihadist group killed all 224 people on board a passenger jet carrying Russian tourists over the Sinai peninsula. That incident dealt a severe blow to Egypt's tourism industry, which was still reeling from the turmoil set off by the 2011 uprising that forced veteran leader Hosni Mubarak from power. The official statistics agency says arrivals reached 8.2 million in 2017, up from 5.3 million the year before. But that figure was still far short of the record influx in 2010 when over 14 million came. "I fear yesterday's incident may have an impact on our source of income," said an elderly man who offers camel rides, declining to give his name. "It is very regrettable," he said. "We were finally happy that tourism started picking up a bit." 7 hours ago No currency manipulator labels from US, China on watch WASHINGTON (AP) The Biden administration will not designate any country as a currency manipulator, but it did name China, Vietnam and Taiwan among the nations that have failed to live up to global agreements Read Article Phuket suffers first deaths of Seven Days campaign for New Year 2019 PHUKET: Phuket has marked its first two deaths of the Seven Days of Danger road-safety campaign for New Year 2019. tourismtransportaccidentsdeathpatongpoliceSafety By The Phuket News Sunday 30 December 2018, 02:32PM A rescue worker attends the scene of a heavy head-on collision of a passenger van and a pickup truck on Phra Phuket Rd in Kathu yesterday (Dec 29). Photo: Tourist Police Prapan Kanprasang, chief of the Phuket Provincial Office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) reported the news at the daily briefing of the campaign at Phuket Provincial Hall this morning (Dec 30). Present to receive the report was Phuket Vice Governor Thanyawat Charnpinit. Mr Pransang reported that the two deaths came in the third day of the Seven Days campaign, from midnight to midnight yesterday (Saturday, Dec 29). Six accidents were reported in the 24-hour period, with two accidents each in Muang District, Thalang District and Kathu District. The accidents resulted in four people injured and two people killed, Mr Prapan said. Harit Teasakul, 23, died after a single-vehicle motorbike accident in Soi Raiwanich at 2am. Mr Harit was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and suffered heavy head injuries, the DPM reported Rescue workers attempted to revive Mr Harit but he was pronounced dead on arrival at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Puhket Town. The other death** was of one-month-old baby Nalinipha Taophet, who was in a white Honda Brio that struck the back of a truck and trailer at speed on Thepkrasattri Rd in Thalang at about 7:30am yesterday (Dec 29). (See story here.) Of note, there were no deaths reported in the heavy head-on collision of a passenger van and a pickup truck on Phra Phuket Kaew Rd in Kathu yesterday afternoon. Meanwhile, Phuket police reported inspecting 4,688 vehicles during the 24-hour period for Dec 29, resulting in 1,189 people being fined for traffic violations, with 10 cases resulting in legal prosecution. The 1,189 fines for moving violations during the 24-hour period for Dec 29, were given as follows: 41 fined for operating an unsafe/illegally modified motorcycle 104 fined for not wearing seatbelts 322 fined for driving without a licence 22 fined for speeding 54 fined for running a red light 49 fined for ghost driving (driving opposite traffic flow) 27.fined for dangerously cutting off other motorists in traffic 45 fined for using mobile phones while driving. 36 people were arrested for drunk driving during the period. 489 people fined for not wearing helmets So far there have been no marine accidents during the Seven Days campaign, Mr Prapan noted. ** CORRECTION: The other fatality was not Patarapon Sakkeaw, 14, as originally reported, Patarapon misjudged a corner and slammed into a wall in Soi Korpai near Saphan Hin at 2:20pm on Saturday, Dec 29. He was taken to Phuket Provincial Hospital in Rassada. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident but as of the time of this correction Patarapon had not died from his injuries. The error by The Phuket News is sincerely regretted. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 30) President Rodrigo Duterte was absent from the ceremonies in celebrating Rizal Day in Davao City Sunday. The President was supposed to lead the wreath-laying ceremony in the city's Rizal Park, but in a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, "Due to his punishing volume of work and his schedule of activities that includes out of town trips he has been advised to rest and will skip the Rizal Day activities." In his place was his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio who read a prepared speech of the President. "It is my sincere hope that this year's commemoration will inspire everyone to emulate Rizal's patriotism in their own ways, by supporting the government's development agenda and our campaign against corruption, criminality and illegal drugs," the President said. Duterte added he hoped all Filipinos would develop themselves so they could serve the country and each other to the best of their abilities. "Let this be the foundation of a truly free and progressive country... Let our love of country, genuine service for others - which are innately Filipino - fuel our desire to aid in addressing the plight of our countrymen," he said. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte reads from President Duterte's #RizalDay message | LIVE https://t.co/LyBW8qeBNwhttps://t.co/sOb4QPKVuG CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) December 30, 2018 "I encourage everyone to dedicate your skills and talents to love and serve our country just as Rizal did more than a hundred years ago," the President said. Duterte did, however, release a personal message on the commemoration of the national hero's death anniversary, saying Rizal was a "beacon of valor and solidarity at a time when darkness, injustice and tyranny prevailed over our land." In an earlier statement, Vice President Leni Robredo, who led the wreath-laying ceremony in Luneta, also issued a statement saying Filipinos should remember the lessons imparted by the country's national hero to heart. Buy now, pay later is new way to pay for the holidays ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, Alta.Speakers at another pro-pipeline rally in Alberta continued their attacks on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, saying if leaders in Ottawa dont hear their message now, they will when a planned convoy arrives there in 2019. Chad Miller with the group Oilfield Dads told the crowd gathered in Rocky Mountain House that the province is suffering its worst recession turned depression in a generation due to weakened oil prices, exacerbated by a lack of pipeline capacity. Even those that put away for the rainy days and then some have had to use their savings, and more, to try to weather this never-ending hard times scenario, Miller said. Numerous rallies and truck convoys have been held across Alberta and Saskatchewan in recent weeks to protest against federal actions that critics say will make building pipelines more difficult. Those include Bill C-69 to revamp the National Energy Board and Bill C-48, which would ban oil tanker traffic on British Columbias northern coast. A convoy in Medicine Hat, Alta., last weekend attracted 650 vehicles, according to police, and groups are planning one in February that will travel from Western Canada to Ottawa. Today, I say to Ottawa, can you hear us yet? Miller asked the crowd during Saturdays rally. Dont worry, youll see us in February when we convoy to Ottawa! Read more: Mad as hell: Emotions surge in Alberta over oil impasse Is $1.6 billion in federal funding what Albertas oil industry needs? A truck convoy was also held Saturday in Lloydminster, which straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan boundary. Earlier this month the federal government announced it would spend $1.6 billion to help energy companies struggling due to plunging oil prices. But Jason Nixon, who represents Rocky Mountain House in the provincial legislature, said what Alberta really wants is pipelines. Trudeau, we dont want your money. We want you to get out of the way, Nixon said to the crowd in Rocky Mountain House. The groups Rally 4 Resources and Canada Action say in a Facebook event post that the convoy to Ottawa is intended to end Feb. 20 on Parliament Hill. The post says letters voicing support for the industry, as well as individual and family photos, will be delivered to the Senate. The page stresses that the event is not connected to the so-called yellow vest campaign, which also advocates for pipelines but is associated with opposition to Canada signing the United Nations migration pact. To be clear, we take issue with bad policies put forward by Justin Trudeaus government, but we do not favour any political party. This movement is about supporting our families, the Facebook post states. Read more about: OTTAWAThe Royal Canadian Mint is creating two commemorative coins to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The Liberal cabinet approved the design of the new toonies, one of which will have multiple colours instead of the usual two-toned coin, to commemorate a key turning point in the Second World War. On June 6, 1944 a combined force of about 150,000 Allied troops, made up of largely of Canadian, American and British soldiers, stormed the beaches on Frances Normandy coast, coming up against Nazi troops in concrete fortified gun positions. About 14,000 Canadians were involved in the assault, known as Operation Overlord. Canada also contributed some 110 ships and 15 fighter and bomber squadrons. On D-Day, 359 Canadians died as they ran from boats onto Juno Beach and more than 1,000 were injured. The invasion marked the start of months of fighting to free France from Nazi occupation and would eventually lead to victory in Europe. The Mint regularly creates commemorative coins to mark these kinds of anniversaries, having done so earlier this year with three million limited-edition toonies to mark the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War in 1918. And in 2014, for the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the Mint created a commemorative silver coin depicting soldiers in full battle gear disembarking a landing craft towards Juno Beach. But the Mint only created 8,400 of the coins, for collectors. The new toonies are to be circulation coins, used as regular money. Alex Reeves, a spokesperson for the Mint, said the Crown corporation couldnt discuss the new coins because it doesnt disclose information beyond what is published in official notices prior to the launch of a new commemorative coin. The government order says the D-Day toonies will have an image of four soldiers and one sailor, all wearing helmets and one holding a rifle, in a landing craft at Juno Beach. The helmet of the middle soldier will be olive green on the coloured toonie. There will also be renderings of a Canadian destroyer, barrage balloon and Spitfire fighter planes. The terms D-Day and Remember, along with the French Le Jour J and Souvenir will be inscribed around the coins. Separately, the Liberals have also approved a commemorative loonie to mark the 50th anniversary of Parliaments decriminalizing homosexual acts. Up until 1969, sexual acts between consenting same-sex adults were deemed crimes in Canada and punishable by jail time. The loonie to be created by the Mint will have two faces overlapping to create one face, with a small hoop earring on the left ear, surrounded by wavy and curved lines, the official posting says. The words Equality and the French Egalite will be inscribed on the coin along with the year. CALGARYLegal experts say proposed changes to the Criminal Code after a high-profile acquittal in the fatal shooting of an Indigenous man are short-sighted. Key changes in a federal bill, which has passed third reading, involve peremptory challenges during jury selection and use of preliminary inquiries. Peremptory challenges allow lawyers to remove a potential juror without giving reasons. Calgary lawyer Balfour Der, who has worked as both a prosecutor and a defence lawyer for 38 years, said the proposed changes are a knee-jerk reaction in part to the acquittal by an all-white jury of a Saskatchewan farmer in the shooting death of a 22-year-old Cree man. Its a reaction of the government to satisfy an interest group which may have been complaining after this, he said in a recent interview. I cant imagine anything less helpful in jury selection to both sides than to have no peremptory challenges. Youre not just looking for a jury of your peers but youre looking for an impartial jury. Visibly Indigenous potential jurors were released during jury selection for Gerald Stanleys trial. The farmer said he accidentally shot Colten Boushie in the back of the head when a group of Indigenous youths drove on to Stanleys farm near Biggar, Sask., in August 2016. He was found not guilty of second-degree murder in February. Read more: Echoes of Colten Boushie verdict as Hamilton-area man acquitted in shooting death of Indigenous man Anger over Colten Boushie holds important lessons for Canada Gerald Stanley, farmer acquitted in Colten Boushie case, faces gun-related charges The verdict triggered a backlash across the country. Boushies family, academics and politicians said the acquittal underscored the systemic racism in the justice system and called for changes, specifically to jury selection. Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould agreed. She said removing the challenges would make sure juries were more representative of the Canadian population. Our criminal justice system must be fair, equitable and just for all Canadians, Wilson-Raybould said at the time. Lawyers would still have the right to challenge a potential juror for cause, but the legislation would empower the judge to decide. Der, author of a textbook on jury law, said banning peremptory challenges would mean you could get stuck with the first 12 people who say theyre ready, willing and able to be jurors. I dont know how thats going to get more First Nations people on juries. Lisa Silver, a University of Calgary law professor, who appeared before the parliamentary standing committee that examined the bill, said the Stanley verdict was the result of several factors. To take away peremptory challenges is not the full answer, Silver said. Some defence lawyers suggest that theyve used peremptory challenges when theyve had an Indigenous client and its been to their benefit. Silver, Der and Calgary defence lawyer Alain Hepner said a better solution would be to change the way a prospective jury pool is selected. That list currently comes from voter registrations, drivers licences or identification renewals. Aboriginal names are easy to figure out, Hepner said. Those names are obvious, so lets get the jurors that are their peers. The proposed legislation would also restrict preliminary inquiries only to offences that carry life imprisonment. The inquiries are hearings to determine whether there is enough evidence to go to trial. That change stems from a 2016 Supreme Court decision which limits how long it can take for a criminal case to go to trial before it is deemed unreasonably delayed. The so-called Jordan ruling says provincial court cases need to be tried within 18 months and those in superior courts must be heard within 30 months. Silver said preliminary hearings allow lawyers to weigh the strength of a case and can lead to early guilty pleas. The prelim was the legislative shield against the power of the state, Silver said The hearings dont take up much time, Der said. Preliminary inquiries dont cause delays. If anything, they may speed up the actual trial because both sides get to see the witnesses, hear the witnesses, know what is an issue, what is not an issue. Read more about: You get an email offering a holiday-themed gift card. Its free. All you have to do is click a link and its yours. But theres no happy holiday card when you click the link. Quite the opposite. Youve just accidentally downloaded a malicious link onto your hard drive. Not long after that, a message appears in your email box, warning you have 48 hours to cough up a Bitcoin blackmail payoff or a hacker is going to release embarrassing files on you. Really, really embarrassing files. The kind that would make your Mom fall off her chair after spitting her eggnog across the room. This scenarios not surprising for cyber-crime experts. Tis the season when some organized criminals turn their thoughts to Yule-themed extortion. Here are 10 tips from cyber-security experts on how to avoid these kind scams. Most of them apply year-round: Ho, ho, hold your horses! Always be careful about opening links from strangers. You should be especially careful about clicking on links offering holiday freebies, cyber-security expert Bart LeDrew warns. That includes links for online Secret Santas, e-cards, holidays gifts packages and spoofed websites for retailers that exist to steal your credit card or personal information. Be vigilant, because another scam typically becomes popular in a few months, says LeDrew a bogus email claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency saying that your tax refund is ready. Read more: A hacker tried to extort Star investigative reporter Kevin Donovan. So he investigated They couldnt get loans from their banks so turned to a legitimate-looking lender online. Then they got burned How a fraudster got $12 million out of a Canadian university: They just asked for it Dont panic If you click the wrong link, take a deep breath and stop clicking. My advice is: Slow down, says Karen Eltis, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and author of Courts, Litigants and the Digital Age. That explains why Eltis likes to say, Move slowly and repair things. Its a riff on the old Facebook mantra, Move Fast and Break Things, which encouraged speed in the process of creation, even if it that meant messes here and there. Dont try to view the supposed evidence That go-slow approach is especially true if youre the victim of a targeted attack, says Ed Dubrovsky, managing partner of Cytelligence Inc., a Toronto-based firm which provides whats called cyber-breach responses and an instructor at York University who also sits on the universitys cyber-security advisory board. Targeted attacks, in Dubrovskys words, often have the ultimate goal of actually getting people to click on links. A hacker may say, we have your compromising artifacts click here to view what we have, he said, but the attack actually happens when the person clicks on the link to see the evidence. So be careful on what you click, Dubrovsky said. Dont try to delete your files Preserve your system do not delete your systems or tamper with them, Dubrovsky continues. If a forensic investigation is required, it will make it easier to identify if truly there was a potential for a breach as the criminals claim. Dont blame it all on your daughters nerdy boyfriend it could be someone smarter, richer and meaner It could be the boyfriend, of course, but it could be someone further afield. The increased acceptance of virtually untraceable crypto currencies like Bitcoin makes cyber-extortion appealing to criminals around the world, Dubrovsky says. These are not single criminals sitting in a basement somewhere but rather are part of fairly organized groups with well-established processes and methodologies, Dubrovsky says. This is big money for some people. Cytelligence has the ability to monitor the dark-web for criminal chatter and we have observed some criminals claiming that they can make up to $100,000 (U.S.) per day with an average of $2,400 a day, Dubrovsky says. Dont just laugh it off Are the claims potentially legitimate?, asks Dubrovsky. If not, delete the email, do not click on anything and move on. If yes, engage with a cyber breach response organization, do not click or communicate with the threat actors. Youre the one wholl know if the damaging files could exist. Criminals have the technology and tools to actually exploit our systems and to do what they are claiming to have done in their extortion emails, Dubrovsky says. So it needs to be clear that the claims are not from the realm of science-fiction! We handle a growing number of extortion cases on a weekly basis and approximately 15 per cent are cases where criminals actually obtained the artifacts (pictures, compromising videos, screenshots and more) they claim to possess, Dubrovsky says. Therefore, while the majority of cases are scams, some are legitimate and only through appropriate forensic investigation, and negotiation is it possible to assist victims of these cyber-crimes. I clicked on a malicious link before reading this article. Am I in deep trouble? Part 1 It depends, says LeDrew. If your anti-virus software is up-to-date, ideally once you click on the malicious link, the anti-virus would pick up on the malicious software attempting to be installed and block it. However that is not always the case. Sometimes anti-virus software isnt able to detect the malicious software. If the computer is infected by other malware, the best thing to do is to immediately turn your computer off and take it to a trusted person/company that can do a proper scan and removal of the malware, LeDrew says. I clicked on whats likely a malicious link before reading this article? Am I in deep trouble? Part 2 It depends is the short answer again. If the hacker is looking at monetizing their attack, then typically the malicious link would download and run a ransomware program on your system to encrypt all files, LeDrew says. A screen would then appear demanding payment (typically in Bitcoin) for the decryption key. If you pay the ransom, hopefully you will then receive the decryption key. If you dont then your files would be no longer accessible. However, there are some ransomware campaigns that use poorly written encryption code which can be decrypted without payment to the hacker. Dont make your passwords predictable You shouldnt have an easily detectable pattern when you change your passwords, Dubrovsky says. While many people have changed their passwords over time, many have not or are using what we call an evolved password, Dubrovsky says. For example, if in 2012 you had a password of Password2012 it is very likely that your password in 2018 is Password2018. And make sure your passwords have an eight-character minimum, LeDrew says. Dont always believe your eyes Criminals also have the power to create pretty good fakes, like the cyber-forgery what you might find on the Internet of former American President Barack Obama saying he wasnt born in the United States. While things arent always what they seem in life, thats especially true in cyberspace, says Eltis, whose book includes a New Yorker cartoon of a pooch by a computer with the caption, On the Internet, nobody knows youre a dog. Fabian Clarke arrived home after a 12-hour training shift at a packaging company where hed been for two weeks working to become a press helper. He booted up his computer and thought about taking a shower when he heard a knock on the door. Within minutes, hed have a broken nose and an injury to his left eye that would require emergency reconstructive surgery. Because of that, hed miss work and lose his job. Hed also be charged with obstructing and resisting police. According to documents provided to the Star by Clarke, Toronto police raided his Scarborough apartment on the evening of Nov. 26 looking for crack and powdered cocaine, proceeds of crime and drug paraphernalia. Clarke, who said he has no criminal record, said police found nothing. Despite the fact he was later taken by ambulance for an overnight stay at The Scarborough Hospital, Clarke said Toronto police did not notify the provinces Special Investigation Unit (SIU) about his injuries. The SIU investigates any allegations of serious injury, death or alleged sexual assault involving police. Read more: Video shows Toronto police altercation that left mentally ill man with serious shoulder injury. SIU investigating Lawyer calls for expanded SIU mandate after video shows Toronto officer firing at man who was walking away SIU charges veteran Waterloo officer with attempted murder, a first for the provincial watchdog It was instead Clarkes pro bono lawyer, George (Knia) Singh, who did that and the SIU has since opened a file on the case. According to the SIU, serious injuries include instances where a person is admitted to hospital, suffers a fracture to a limb, rib, vertebrae or skull, or loses vision or hearing. Toronto police Const. David Hopkinson, speaking generally on Toronto Police Service policy, said police are expected to notify the SIU as soon as theyre aware that an injury might be serious or when theyre uncertain of an injurys severity but recognize theres a possibility it could fall under the SIUs mandate. On the SIUs website, it states they are also to be notified if a prolonged delay is likely before the seriousness of the injury can be assessed, so that they can monitor the situation. SIU investigators interviewed Clarke on Dec. 17. He also filed a complaint with the Office of the Independent Review Director on Dec. 20. Clarke said police charged him at the Scarborough hospital and released him from custody on a promise to appear in court, This story is based on police and medical documents provided to the Star by Clarke, from an interview with him in his lawyers office and his written account given to the OIPRD. Given this case is now under investigation by the SIU and by Professional Standards I am unable to offer any comment on the allegations that have been brought forward, Toronto police spokesperson Meaghan Gray said. Once the SIU becomes involved, police typically do not release information on a case. None of Clarkes allegations have been proven in court. The knocking began after 8 p.m. Somebody was calling, Joe, hey Joe, Clarke told the OIPRD. Through the apartment doors peephole, he said he saw a woman, whom he later learned was a plainclothes police officer. She had a pony tail, and was not wearing identification, he said. I thought maybe this was a crazy person, Clarke, who lives with a cousin in a 10th-floor apartment unit, told the Star. He said he hoped the woman would leave, but the knocking continued, along with more calls for a Joe. Clarke said he went back to the door and heard it being unlocked from the outside. He tried to lock the door, but it was unlocked again. And then, she just come in and I see all the police officers pointing a gun at me, Clarke said. Clarke said several officers in plainclothes at least two women and three men entered the apartment, when one male officer then put his gun in his holster and just starts swinging, said Clarke. In his complaint, Clarke estimates being punched 20 times, including to his head and face, by a number of officers. He said he was down on the floor and recalls being kicked and held in a headlock. It felt, he told the Star, like my eye was coming out of my head. In his complaint, Clarke said it was while they were punching that the officers identified themselves as police. He said he recalls an officer yelling, Toronto police, stop resisting arrest. To which he said he responded: Im not fighting, Im not fighting, and said, I cant breathe. Youre choking me. Clarke said he put his hands behind his back, was handcuffed and seated in a chair. He said there was another police officer standing up and he had his gun on me, the whole time. The female officer from the peephole, he said, looked at his facial injuries and said: Whoa, which one of us did that? Clarke said the police he said he doesnt know the identities of any of the plainclothes officers were looking for drugs and the brother of his roommate, who was on probation but had never lived there. Clarke presented the Star with a copy of the search warrant, which does not list a name. A police photographer arrived and documented the search while Clarke sat with his injuries. After they finished the searching, they say, Oh, we dont have him in custody no more. Take the handcuffs off and just wait. The paramedics are coming. And I was sitting there waiting on the paramedics, Clarke said. Clarke said he was seen by medical staff at The Scarborough Hospital who determined the eye damage required reconstructive work that would have to wait for morning, when a plastic surgeon would be on shift. After about two hours at the hospital, Clarke said two plainclothes officers whom he did not recognize from the apartment search told him he was being charged with obstructing and resisting a police officer. He said the officers then asked him to sign a release form that meant he would not immediately have to go to the station to be booked or held for bail. In his complaint, Clarke said police told him if he didnt sign, they would take him to the station and his eye damage could become worse. Clarke said he signed after more than an hour. Clarke was due to appear again at a police station to be fingerprinted and booked on the obstruct and resist charge, and has a first court appearance on Jan. 11. Clarke said he had a first surgery in the morning after the incident and may require a second. He said he was also treated for a nasal fracture. According to a doctors report, he reported no change in vision in his left eye at the time, but he said that has since changed. I cant see things closely, so its, like, foggy, and theres a lot of pain, Clarke said, adding he is suffering from headaches and doesnt think he can see well enough to drive a car. Followup appointments with his doctor and an ophthalmologist are coming, he said. Clarke said he has not returned to his apartment, fearing someone might let themselves in. Its kind of scary, he said. He doesnt think he can return to any kind of work for now and is now looking at going on social assistance. In a recent report into Toronto police use of force, the Ontario Human Rights Commission part of its ongoing inquiry into racial discrimination and racial profiling by the service found themes in a review of SIU directors reports related to police and Black citizens. In a number of cases, the SIU stated there was a lack of legal basis for police stopping and detaining a civilian at the beginning of an encounter, and laying charges against the civilian that are without merit. Singh, Clarkes lawyer, said hes concerned he was the one who notified the SIU of the incident as in the case of an off-duty Toronto police officer charged with beating Dafonte Miller, a Black teen, in Durham. Miller lost an eye in that incident, but it was his lawyer who contacted SIU. I had to take the initiative, and I have to thank the SIU for being very open and transparent and moving quick on this, Singh told the Star. But how often does this happen, and if I wasnt offering my services to Mr. Clarke, would he get justice? Its a huge concern that incidents like this go unreported, and even if they get reported, they go unassisted. SIU investigations can takes several months to complete. The SIU director then decides if any criminal charges are warranted. These allegations really bother me due to the nature of them, whereby (police are) attending an address for someone who is not wanted by police, they dont identify themselves as police at the door, and then once they enter the apartment, theres no attempt to ascertain his identity, ensure safety, said Singh. Its just straight violence, as alleged by Mr. Clarke. With files from Alexandra Jones Read more about: Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., is eyeing Baltimore or Atlanta as a possible base of operations for her likely 2020 presidential bid and is close to bringing on a top aide to run her campaign. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has completed a detailed review of her writings and political record to identify potential vulnerabilities, and her aides have been scouting headquarters near Boston. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., has been interviewing possible campaign managers, as well as strategists who could run his Iowa caucus effort. And Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has been reaching out to more women than men for campaign roles, though she is expected to pick a man her current top aide to manage a campaign likely to be based near her upstate New York home. These four high-profile Democratic senators are poised to enter the 2020 presidential race in the next several weeks, advisers and people briefed by their associates say, after spending December finalizing the outlines of their political operations, selecting top campaign staff and conducting research into their own political weak spots. In some cases, they may first announce the creation of presidential exploratory committees to ramp up their fundraising and hiring efforts, before launching their candidacies more formally in the following weeks. Read more: Kamala Harriss classmates from her Canadian high school cheer her 2020 bid for U.S. president The speed of the senators efforts reflects intense political pressure to establish themselves as leading candidates in a Democratic field that could get crowded, fast. All four are likely to spend considerable time and money in 2019 competing with one another to answer the strong yearning from Democrats for new leadership, and they dont want to lose a step to a rival fresh face, such as Rep. Beto ORourke, the former Texas Senate candidate who has been the focus of intense speculation in recent weeks as a potential presidential candidate. Between the first of January and the middle of February, it would not surprise me for us to see six to eight people say, Im jumping in, said Jaime Harrison, a former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman who now serves as associate chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He said he has heard in recent weeks from an assortment of likely candidates, including several senators and mayors. For the Senate foursome, moving quickly into the race is also a pre-emptive effort to undercut the early advantages of a duo of universally known contenders, former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who may enter the race in the coming months. Biden and Sanders would start off with important advantages, including existing networks of support among early-state activists and party donors, and the stature to generate impressive displays of support at early rallies. But as white men, Biden, Sanders and ORourke do not reflect the gender and racial diversity of many Democratic candidates and swaths of the electorate that dominated the 2018 midterms. Harris, Warren, Gillibrand and Booker, by contrast, would instantly make the 2020 Democratic field the most diverse array of presidential candidates in history. And they might well scramble the early polling leads held by Biden and Sanders, who benefit from strong name recognition but would be in their late 70s by Election Day 2020, at a moment when some in the party are agitating for generational change. The four senators hope that jumping into the race early will give them some organizational advantages in a contest that will almost certainly grow to more than a dozen candidates. This kind of early frenetic activity almost two years before the election has happened before in primaries without a clear front-runner. At this time four years ago, many Republicans began preparing campaigns, wooing supporters and tacitly permitting fundraising by allies in the wide-open race for the 2016 nomination, a contest that would ultimately attract more than a dozen candidates within months. Already, at least two of the senators have nearly settled on close political lieutenants to serve as campaign managers, turning to male aides with whom they have deep and trusting personal relationships. Gillibrand is eyeing Jess Fassler, her current top aide, who is leaving his role in the Senate early in 2019, as a leading contender to manage her campaign. Harris is expected to name Juan Rodriguez, who helmed her campaign for the Senate in 2016, as her manager. In a further sign of how developed her plans are, Harris aides are close to selecting Baltimore or Atlanta for her headquarters, according to people who have met with her team. She is likely to maintain a sizable office on the West Coast, perhaps in her native Oakland, but her political advisers have concluded that for practical reasons it is essential that she have a base in the Eastern Time zone. Warren is expected to install Dan Geldon, her former chief of staff who was once her student at Harvard Law School and left her Senate office to plan her likely campaign, in a senior role directing campaign strategy. She has a head start on staffing: During the midterm campaign, Warren deployed staff to the four early primary states and a number of general election battlegrounds to elect other Democrats. Many of those organizers stayed involved after her re-election, leaving her with a staff of several dozen total. To keep those staffers employed into 2019, Warren needs to raise campaign dollars a situation that places pressure on her to quickly jump into the race. Like Warren, Harris has completed a substantial research project into her own political vulnerabilities, people in touch with their advisers said. Harris team has scrutinized her paper trail in public office, including her service as Californias state attorney general and San Franciscos district attorney, while Warren has conducted an exhaustive review including her academic writings and Senate votes. Booker and his chief of staff, Matt Klapper, have interviewed a number of potential campaign managers in recent months, according to people who have spoken with his team. Addisu Demissie, who managed Bookers first Senate race and led Gavin Newsoms campaign for governor of California this year, is most widely mentioned as a presidential campaign manager, and has been advising Booker on other potential hires. Bookers team has also been in touch with Democratic operatives in Iowa for leadership roles there, including Michael Frosolone, the top political strategist for the Democratic caucus in the Iowa House. Hes expected to base his campaign in Newark, New Jersey, where he served as mayor. Steve Phillips, an influential San Francisco-based Democratic donor, says hes already collected $4 million (U.S.) to fund a new super PAC to boost Bookers expected campaign. The number of male operatives under consideration for campaign manager posts has raised concerns among some female Democratic strategists who hoped the diversity of the 2020 field would prompt more hiring of female and minority staffers for senior roles. You have to have a diverse leadership team, and that, more than anything, is something that these campaigns have to be paying attention to, said Anne Caprara, a Democratic operative who is now working as chief of staff to incoming Gov. J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, after running his campaign. When it comes to women and women of colour, so many of them are going to want to see that the candidate is not just hiring women but really paying attention to them when theyre giving advice. The focus on staff diversity reflects not only the influence of the #MeToo movement on Democratic politics but the demands of a party that has shifted to the left during the Trump era, as well as a changing primary map. While the predominantly white states of Iowa and New Hampshire will still technically host the first nominating contests, an increase in the popularity of early voting means Democrats will begin casting ballots in more diverse states like California and Georgia during those early elections. ORourke, for one, has mentioned to political strategists that hed like to hire a female campaign manager. Those close to the four senators caution that no decisions on hiring and organizing will be made until the politicians make a final call about jumping into the race. In fact, formally offering a job could trigger campaign finance reporting requirements mandating that they file a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission a step no candidate wants to take before theyre ready to announce a bid. Several other Democrats have indicated they will make up their minds early in 2019. Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor who recently joined the Democratic Party, has been conducting polling and other research to test his prospects, and has suggested he will decide on the race in January or February. And Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado and his team have interviewed at least 80 people for potential campaign roles, settling on a veteran adviser of his own, Bradley Komar, to lead his effort if he enters the race. Theres no benefit to being scared of your own shadow. We want to form the best team possible if he decides to run, Komar said. Thats part of the decision making: Can we get the team together? A number of other influential politicians may be slower to decide on a presidential race, including Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, as well as ORourke. All have been asking for advice about the presidential campaign, and supporters of Brown and ORourke have formed committees to draft them into the race. Even for these deliberating Democrats, however, there is a sense that the pressure to decide may escalate quickly after the holidays, as other Democrats begin to compete more openly for the hearts of primary voters. Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio, a co-chairwoman of the Committee to Draft Sherrod Brown, said she believed Brown would have to decide on a presidential race within the first quarter of 2019 and start campaigning in Iowa even sooner. I think he needs to be in Iowa in January, frankly, said Whaley, adding that her group might begin running ads for Brown in the leadoff primary states. We recognize that Sherrod doesnt have much name recognition in the first four, so well probably be doing some digital work around those. Read more about: The arrest Friday of a man in the shooting death of a California police officer has renewed criticism of sanctuary laws, with a local sheriff suggesting that the states efforts to protect undocumented immigrants could have contributed to the killing. Gustavo Perez Arriaga, a 32-year-old undocumented immigrant, was charged with homicide in connection with the shooting death of 33-year-old Newman police officer Ronil Singh, according to law enforcement. Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson assailed sanctuary laws that limit state and local governments cooperation with federal immigration agents, but he did not detail how those rules applied to Perezs case or how they would have prevented Singhs death. He said Perez Arriaga publicized his gang affiliation and had been arrested twice for driving under the influence, but did not provide additional details about those arrests. Law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws, and that led to the encounter with Officer Singh, Christianson said. Im suggesting that the outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasnt restricted, prohibited or had their hands tied because of political interference. Californias sanctuary laws contain exemptions for serious criminals, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should receive notification of any arrest, as well as fingerprints if an individual is booked and fingerprinted. Without more details, it is unclear how sanctuary rules would have applied in Perez Arriagas case. ICE did not immediately respond to an email request Saturday for information on Perez Arriaga. Singh, a native of Fiji who joined the Newman police department in 2011, was killed after he stopped Perez Arriaga in Newman early Wednesday morning on suspicion of drunken driving. The officer called out shots fired over the radio, police say, and was found at the scene with gunshot wounds. Singh was pronounced dead at a hospital, sparking a multiagency manhunt for his killer. Ronil Singh was my older brother. Yes, hes not coming back, but theres a lot of people out there that misses him, Singhs brother, Reggie, said during a Friday news conference. He added of the suspects arrest, I was waiting for this to happen. . . . Thank you for working day and night to make this happen. Christianson said Perez Arriaga had illegally entered the United States at the Arizona border and was trying to flee to his home country, Mexico, when he was apprehended at a residence in Bakersfield, Calif. In addition to Perez Arriagas arrest, Christianson said that Perez Arriagas brother, 25-year-old Adrian Virgen, and a co-worker, 27-year-old Erik Razo Quiroz, were arrested Thursday for allegedly helping Perez Arriaga escape after Singh was shot. Virgen and Quiroz are also in the country illegally, Christianson said. Also arrested on charges of aiding and abetting were Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, 59, Erasmo Villegas, 36, and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, the Kern County Sheriffs Office said. They were arrested inside the residence where Perez Arriaga was apprehended. On Friday afternoon, the Stanislaus County Sheriffs Department said it had arrested two more people for allegedly aiding Perez Arriaga in his attempt to escape: his girlfriend, 30-year-old Ana Leyde Cervantes, and another of his brothers, 34-year-old Conrado Virgen Mendoza. Anyone who aids and helps this criminal was going to go to jail, Christianson said. Christiansons criticism of sanctuary laws echoes sentiments often leveled by President Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with California over the enforcement of immigration rules. On Thursday, before the arrest was announced, Trump tweeted about the case: There is right now a full scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop. Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall! In the past, the president has invoked the case of Kate Steinle to justify his attempts to withhold federal assistance to sanctuary cities. An undocumented immigrant was acquitted in Steinles death. While Trump has suggested that sanctuary cities breed crime, theres little research on the connection. Why are we providing sanctuary for criminals, gang members? Christianson said. Its a conversation we need to have. calif-police-1stld-writethru RESENDE, BrazilA phrase written on the outer wall of Brazils most prestigious military academy gives a glimpse at the values held by the incoming government of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, an ex-army captain whose administration will be rife with generals. In order to lead, learn to obey, reads the slogan greeting aspiring military officers arriving at the Agulha Negras Military Academy that educated Bolsonaro and a good chunk of his Cabinet. He takes office on New Years Day. Bolsonaro, who waxes nostalgic for Brazils 1964-1985 military dictatorship, makes no bones about his debt to the academy, which he graduated from in 1977. He also attended the armys preparatory school in Campinas, Sao Paulo. I am very happy to be in this house that formed me. I owe almost everything in this life to the beloved Brazilian army, Bolsonaro said Dec. 1 during the annual officer graduation ceremony at the school, which is in Resende in Rio de Janeiro state. The academy graduates he has named to his government include incoming Vice-President Hamilton Mourao, Institutional Security Minister Augusto Heleno, Political Relations with Congress Minister Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, Transparency Minister Wagner dos Campos Rosario and Infrastructure Minister Tarcisio Freitas. This is a school of leaders, Gen. Ricardo Costa Neves, the academys commander, told The Associated Press. The academy was founded in 1941, and entering its 27-square-mile (70-square-kilometre) compound finds an imposing silence. Here, discipline is a cornerstone of academic and military formation. In addition to core subjects such as economics, sociology and political science, each cadet receives rigorous physical training, including techniques for surviving in the Amazon rainforest. Marcelo Morais de Sousa, an army reserve officer, summarized the four main principles inculcated at the academy: truth, integrity, honesty and loyalty. Here nobody relinquishes those values; they are a part of the uniform we wear forever, said Morais de Sousa, who trained with Bolsonaro at the academy. In a nation beset by political and economic turmoil after years of entrenched graft, they are precisely the values that helped the tough-talking Bolsonaro cruise to a 10-point victory in October elections. During the campaign, the soldier-turned-longtime congressman argued he had consistently placed himself at the service of Brazil and noted he had not been accused of corruption despite the far-reaching Car Wash scandal that ensnared many in the countrys political elite. He promised to reach out to the military in forming his government and pledged that each of Brazils 26 state capitals will have at least one military school in operation by the midpoint of his term, up from the current 11. These perceived values and pledges led many Brazilians weary of crime and corruption to vote for the far-right politician despite a history of comments seen as homophobic, racist and offensive to women. Brazils security forces have been a central focus of Bolsonaros political career. During his 27 years as a congressman, issues concerning the military and police accounted for about one-third of his 642 legislative filings. His proposals ranged from improving the benefits and health care of servicemen, including veterans of World War II, to shielding police who use force, even lethal, from prosecution. In another proposition in 2013, Bolsonaro called for the lower Chamber of Deputies to have a formal session to mark 50 years since the beginning of the dictatorship. The Brazilian people put in the armed forces to defend order, respect for democracy and to avoid the Cubanization that was coming, he wrote, alluding to the 1959 Cuban revolution. More controversially, the incoming vice-president made comments last year that were seen as supporting military intervention as a way of resolving Brazils political crisis. But analysts say such military intervention is unlikely. The risk of the military exceeding Bolsonaros power and democracy falling into crisis is very small because today there are institutions in Brazil capable of controlling that, said Carlos Fico, a historian at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro who has studied dictatorships in Latin America. At the military academy, the president-elects supporters are convinced Bolsonaro will stay true to the message on its outer wall. He had a very strong leadership instinct. He was obsessed with things being well-done, Morais recalled of Bolsonaro, before his eyes filled with tears. Having studied with him makes me feel very honoured. Gustavo Oliveira, a 23-year-old graduate of the academy, said the election of an alumnus gave him hope. I am the son of a carpenter and a teacher, he said. Seeing that (Bolsonaro) came through here means that I can also aspire to a much higher place because the army gives us that opportunity. WASHINGTONThree confidantes of President Donald Trump, including his departing chief of staff, are indicating that the presidents signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would not be fulfilled as advertised. Trump sparked fervent chants of Build that wall! at rallies before and after his election and more recently cited a lack of funding for a border wall as the reason for partially shutting down the government. At times the president has also waved off the idea that the wall but be anything but a wall. However, White House chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of a solid concrete wall early on in the administration. To be honest, its not a wall, Kelly said, adding that the mix of technological enhancements and steel slat barriers the president now wants along the border resulted from conversations with law enforcement professionals. Along the same lines, White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway called discussion of the apparent contradiction a silly semantic argument. There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements, Conway told Fox News Sunday. But only saying wall or no wall is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border. Read more: U.S. government shutdown heads into second weekend after little progress DC museums and galleries to close next week in U.S. government shutdown U.S. government shutdown leads to suspension of civil court cases Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is close to the president, emerged from a Sunday lunch at the White House to tell reporters that the wall has become a metaphor for border security and referred to a physical barrier along the border. Graham said Trump was open-minded about a broader immigration agreement, saying the budget impasse presented an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. But a previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of Dreamers young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Graham said he hoped to end the shutdown by offering Democrats incentives to get them to vote for wall funding and told CNN before his lunch with Trump that there will never be a deal without wall funding. Graham proposed to help two groups of immigrants get approval to continue living in the U.S: about 700,000 young Dreamers brought into the U.S. illegally as children and about 400,000 people receiving temporary protected status because they are from countries struggling with natural disasters or armed conflicts. He also said the compromise should include changes in federal law to discourage people from trying to enter the U.S. illegally. Democrats have a chance here to work with me and others, including the president, to bring legal status to people who have very uncertain lives, Graham said. The partial government shutdown began Dec. 22 after Trump bowed to conservative demands that he fight to make good on his vow and secure funding for the wall before Republicans lose control of the House on Wednesday. Democrats have remained committed to blocking the presidents priority, and with neither side engaging in substantive negotiation, the effect of the partial shutdown was set to spread and to extend into the new year. In August 2015 during his presidential campaign, Trump made his expectations for the border explicitly clear, as he parried criticism from rival Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor. Jeb Bush just talked about my border proposal to build a fence, he tweeted. Its not a fence, Jeb, its a WALL, and theres a BIG difference! Trump suggested as much again in a tweet on Sunday: President and Mrs. Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their D.C. mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The U.S. needs the same thing, slightly larger version! Aside from what constitutes a wall, neither side appeared ready to budge off its negotiating position. The two sides have had little direct contact during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington until Thursday, to keep Congress in session. Talks have been at a stalemate for more than a week, after Democrats said the White House offered to accept $2.5 billion (U.S.) for border security. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told Vice-President Mike Pence that it wasnt acceptable, nor was it guaranteed that Trump, under intense pressure from his conservative base to fulfil his signature campaign promise, would settle for that amount. Conway claimed Sunday that the president has already compromised by dropping his request for the wall from $25 billion, and she called on Democrats to return to the negotiating table. It is with them, she said, explaining why Trump was not reaching out to Democrats. Democrats maintain that they have already presented the White House with three options to end the shutdown, none of which fund the wall, and insist that its Trumps move. At this point, its clear the White House doesnt know what they want when it comes to border security, said Justin Goodman, Schumers spokesman. While one White House official says theyre willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5 billion for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times. After cancelling a vacation to his private Florida club, Trump spent the weekend at the White House. He has remained out of the public eye since returning early Thursday from a 29-hour trip to visit U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldnt deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. For those that naively ask why didnt the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us NONE for Border Security!, he tweeted. Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown. Democrats have vowed to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that wont accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. The shutdown has forced hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. Read more about: Canada has recently signed the United Nations Global Migration Pact. The need for a concerted global response to the issue of migration is long overdue. The international refugee system is based on an outdated understanding of mass migration formed in the aftermath of the Second World War. Those arguing that this agreement will detract from Canadian sovereignty do not understand the nature of the pact, which is non-binding, or the migration issues facing us today. I recently returned from a disheartening makeshift refugee camp in Calais where I met children whose lives have been in limbo for years. I also met with exasperated French officials. Most Western states signed on to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention and, in theory, agree with providing refuge for those in need. The current reality of immigration, however, is chaotic and unjust for both asylum seekers and host states alike. It results in painfully long periods of uncertainty for asylum seekers. It forces states to haphazardly respond to crises thrust upon them by the accident of their geography and the lack of action by other states. Take the example of Germany. In 2015, it was left scrambling for a coherent immigration policy after accepting one million refugees who had arrived at its borders, in order to honour its international commitments. When met with opposition, the government veered reactively to the right, nearly collapsing on the way. Immigration also increasingly involves national security concerns, which would be better addressed by a cohesive global approach. There are individuals who should not be permitted asylum. One of the goals of the Global Migration Pact is to share information among countries. Connected information systems can strengthen national security and dissuade criminals from seeking unwarranted sanctuary. Protracted conflicts, the proliferation of useful technologies, and widespread access to migration have fundamentally altered the realities of global migration since the international refugee system came into place. To focus disproportionately upon siloed national sovereignty in the face of an issue of global dimensions is short-sighted. Who does it serve? Not the refugees, driven from their own homes and wandering from place to place for years at a time in devastating conditions. Not the states scrambling to respond on an ad hoc basis with incomplete information about migrants. There are valid questions about the Global Migration Pact. What does a non-binding agreement accomplish? How much does it cost Canadian taxpayers? What are the tangible benefits? What are the privacy concerns of sharing information between countries? What can we do to sidestep inevitable collective action problems between states? Mass migration is not going away. To reject the notion of a global co-ordinated response to an issue so fundamentally global in nature distracts from the substantive questions we should be asking our government and addressing together. ROSEVILLE, Ill. (AP) Hemp could be the next big cash crop in Illinois, according to a farmer who was among the first to legally grow the plant in the state after it became legal this year. Hemp comes from the same plant as marijuana but doesnt have THC, the compound that causes a high. Hemp can be turned into clothing, textiles, building materials, paper and food. Illinois lawmakers authorized hemp production in the state this year. A new federal farm bill signed this month legalized the plants production nationwide. The move will give hemp farmers access to interstate commerce, crop insurance, standard business loans and tax deductions, giving the hemp industry an advantage over medical marijuana, which remains illegal under federal law. Andy Huston was among the first to grow hemp in Illinois on his Roseville-area farm. He told the Chicago Tribune that he believes the crop could be more profitable than corn and soybeans once farmers learn how to raise and sell it. Theres going to be tons of offshoot businesses that will come out of this, Huston said. About 150 people have expressed interest in growing hemp, said Jeff Cox, chief of the Bureau of Medicinal Plants at the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Cox expects that number to increase once the state finalizes its rules, which could happen in April following a 90-day public comment period. The proposed rules were published Friday in the Secretary of States Illinois Register. Provisions include a $100 application fee for each noncontiguous land area and each indoor cultivation operation area and a $1,000 license fee. Additional rules include the exclusion of anyone who has been convicted of any felony, drug-related misdemeanor, or crime of dishonesty in the five years prior to the date of application from obtaining a license or registration. Farmers are eager to get the rules in place so they can begin buying hemp seeds, said Liz Moran Stelk, executive director of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance, a pro-farming group that lobbied for the crops legalization. Theres going to be way more competition in 2020, Stelk said. Its urgent to get the licensing done in time for spring planting. Hemp generated $820 million in U.S. sales in 2017, though most of the product was imported, according to the Hemp Business Journal. Hemp could grow to a nearly $2 billion industry by 2022 as production increases in the U.S., the journal said. You can read the most recent version of the Illinois Register, Issue 52, which contains all of the proposed rules on industrial hemp, at cyberdriveillinois.com. Telegraph reporter Riley Newton contributed to this story. After meeting a suspected militant's sister, who was allegedly beaten up by Jammu and Kashmir police, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday warned of "dangerous consequences" if harassment of militants' families is not stopped. She met the woman, Rubina, at her residence in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. "Visited Patipora Pulwama where Rubina (whose brother happens to be a militant)was, along with her husband & brother, beaten mercilessly in police custody. The severe nature of her injuries has left her bedridden," Mufti wrote on Twitter. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik to take action against police officials involved in the incident. "Urge the jandkgovernor to initiate action and prevent such incidents in the future. If harassment of families of militants isn't stopped, it will have consequences leading to further alienation in the valley," Mufti said. Later, talking to reporters, she said such incidents would not be tolerated. "What is the fault of the sister of a militant? She has been stripped and beaten by the SHO of Trikuta Nagar and of Bhatindi (in Jammu). First, you (male police officials) cannot touch a woman and you should have women police for that. Then, her husband and brother have (also) been beaten," Mufti said. "I want to ask the governor that if you have a fight with a militant, why are his relatives, especially his sister, beaten? We will not allow this. I want to tell the governor and warn the police as well that if there is another such incident, then there will be dangerous consequences," she said. The Army said it would release another 1,099 acres of land used for cultivation in the Northern Province to civilians. President Maithripala Sirisena has directed the army release state lands being used as Army farms in North and East provinces while ensuring no impact to national security. Accordingly, the Army said it has identified 1099 acres of state land in the Northern Province which would be released within a short period in addition to the ongoing process of releasing private and state lands in the North and East. Subsequently, a total of 479 acres, belonging to the Forest Conservation Department of the Poonakary Divisional Secretariat in Kilinochchi District will be released. A total of 120 acres, belonging to the Forest Conservation Department of the Puthukkudiyiruppu Divisional Secretariat in Mullaitivu and 500 acres belonging to the Forest Conservation Department of the Manthai West Divisional Secretariat in Mannar District would be released. Documents pertaining to the release of these land plots would be formally delivered to the District Secretaries of Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar during a brief ceremony headed by the Northern Province Governor in January 2019, the Army said. Nathicharami is a bold take on female desire. In Sandalwood, where woman's sexuality is still a taboo, Nathicharami comes out as progressive and timely. The movie set in Bengaluru focuses on the protagonist's conflict between desire and societal beliefs. It explores the nuances of sex and sexuality of both sexes, weaving in characters from different social backgrounds to give it a social context. The title is a phrase from the Hindu marriage vow roughly translating to I promise to stand by you", is thoughtful as it is the source of all dilemma in the story. Directed by National-award winning Mansore, and scripted by Sandhya Rani, the movie explores intriguing dimensions of relationships too. It is the story of a young widow Gowri (Sruthi Hariharan), a successful IT professional, who battles loneliness and desire after the death of her husband Mahesh (Poornachandra Mysore), in an accident. The sudden loss of her husband banishes her into an alley of loneliness physical, emotional and sexual deprivation. But is she seeking only sex, or something beyond sex? Is it a search for her lost self the one torn between a marriage vow of remaining loyal to her husband in life as in death, and the part of her that craves for liberation as an individual free from the baggage of guilt as she moves on. As she oscillates between predefined notions of morality and desire, wary of unwanted sympathy, attention, advice and sexual advances at office, and parental pressure to get married again, She seeks professional help. On a friend's advice, Gowri visits a psychiatrist Dr Carvaloh (Balaji Manohar) who counsels her to accept sex as a basic human need. The story takes a daring leap as Gowri is on the pursuit of a man who can offer her sex without any commitment. After initial hitches, she finally meets Suresh (Sanchari Vijay), an overambitious civil engineer, who is unhappy in his marriage. The narration is simple. The film maker uses the constant interplay of light and darkness to switch between the real world and the emotional world one tends to keep under wraps. The maid (Shwetha Srinivas) and the neglected wife (Sharanya) unleash a sea of questions facing the lives of ordinary women and the harsh realities of relationships. Refreshingly, the movie touches upon the idea of consent even as it explores female desire. The scene where the neglected wife finally rebels against her unaffectionate husband and refuses him sex, mocks at the sexual act that becomes a mere ritual sans love and consent in marriage. The narration is metaphorical too. The flowers Gowri picks up everyday without fail, to place it before her husband's portrait, is a ticker to her wavering emotions, much like her obsessive behaviour of keeping the sofa cushions and the ash-tray the way her husband liked it. They speak of her mental state, as anchored to a time and space in the past. The movie produced by Ramesh Reddy and released under the banner of Tejaswini Enterprises has been well edited by Nagendra K Ujjani, and Guruprasad Narnad's cinematography is good too. Nathicharami is a thought-provoking movie, slow-paced, yet engaging. Movie: Nathicharami Director: Mansore Cast: Sruthi Hariharan, Poornachandra Mysore, Sanchari Vijay, Saranya Ponvannan Rating: 3.5/5 Touched by the compassion of the nurses who tended to her... New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram Sunday took a dig at the Modi government, ED and the media over the "new improved system" of trying cases and pronouncing judgment without evidence, which he said "surpasses kangaroo courts". In a series of tweets, the former finance and home minister said if the government, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the media have their way in this country, cases will be tried even on TV channels. "Even kangaroo courts hold trials in a courtroom. Our new 'improved' system will surpass kangaroo courts and deliver justice on TV channels," he said. The Congress leader's comments came a day after the ED informed a Delhi court that the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper case, Christian Michel, had taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name. "What ED says will be oral evidence, any piece of paper ED produces will be documentary evidence, and what the TV channel pronounces will be the judgement," he said sarcastically. Chidambaram said further, the Criminal Procedure Code and the Evidence Act will not apply on such claims. A Delhi court hearing the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case on Saturday imposed restrictions on alleged middleman Christian Michel meeting his lawyers in ED custody after the agency said he was misusing legal access by passing chits to the advocates asking them how to tackle questions on "Mrs Gandhi'. In its application seeking extension of Michel's remand, the ED also claimed that he has spoken about the "son of an Italian lady" and how he is going to become the next prime minister of the country. Claiming that Michel had taken "Mrs Gandhi's" name in reference to a query, the ED also sought that Michel be barred from meeting his lawyer during its custody, alleging that he was tutored from outside through his lawyers. PTI ACB TVS TVS Kolkata, Dec 30 (PTI) Dadasaheb Phalke award-winning film director Mrinal Sen passed away on Sunday after a prolonged battle with age-related ailments, family sources said. He was 95. The Padma Bhushan awardee, best known for films such "Neel Akasher Neechey", "Bhuvan Shome", "Ek Din Achanak", "Padatik" and "Mrigayaa", was one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of the country and an ambassador of parallel cinema. "Sen passed away today around 10.30 am due to age-related ailments," a family member said. The auteur, who has won multiple National Film awards, was known for his artistic depiction of social reality. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the demise of Sen on Twitter. "Saddened at the passing away of Mrinal Sen. A great loss to the film industry. My condolences to his family," she tweeted. CPI Secretary General Sitaram Yechury also remembered the filmmaker for his humanistic narrative. "Mrinal Sen's passing away is a big loss not only to Cinema but to the world of Culture & India's civilisational values. Mrinal da radicalised cinematography by his people-centric humanistic narrative. Deepest condolences," he wrote. Bengali film industry also mourned the loss of the illustrious director. Parambrata Chatterjee tweeted, "End of an era... an epoch... legends never die... bhalo thakben (stay well)." Prosenjit Chatterjee said, "At the end of the year receiving news like demise of the legend Mrinal Sen saddens and shocks us. Mrinal jethu gave a new perspective to Indian Cinema. It's a huge loss for all of us. May his soul rest in peace." PTI PNT RMS SHD RDS SHD SHD Dhaka, Dec 30 (AFP) A leading Bangladeshi news channel has been taken off the air, officials said Sunday as the country votes for a new government amid allegations of a media crackdown. The private Jamuna TV said the action was taken late Saturday. "Cable operators took Jamuna TV off air without giving us any explanation," Fahim Ahmed, the station's chief news editor, told AFP. "We are still transmitting. But no one in Bangladesh can see our channel due to the blackout," he said. The channel's output can still be seen online. The broadcaster, which is owned by Jamuna Group -- one of Bangladesh's biggest conglomerates, which also runs a newspaper -- is known for its independent coverage. Salma Islam, a member of the family that owns the group, stood in Sunday's election as an independent candidate against an influential ruling party businessman. A top cable operator in Dhaka said Jamuna broadcasts stopped for technical rather than political reasons. "We are not getting their signal," said S M Ali Chanchal, owner of cable operator UCS. Jamuna rejected the explanation and insisted their signals were being broadcast as normal. Authorities have also ordered the country's mobile operators to shut down 3G and 4G services until midnight on Sunday "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest. There have been mounting accusations that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government has been stifling dissent and curbing freedom of the press ahead of Sunday's election. Internationally renowned photographer Shahidul Alam was detained for nearly four months after he was accused of making false and provocative statements against Hasina on Facebook. Two pro-opposition editors have been detained for months over what they say are trumped-up charges while the editors of two influential dailies were accused of sedition and scores of other defamation cases. In recent months Hasina's government has also strengthened a digital security law, which rights groups and journalists have said makes investigative journalism almost impossible. (AFP) RUP RUP RUP Telangana CM to visit irrigation projects from Jan 1 Hyderabad, Dec 30 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would visit various ongoing irrigation projects in the state beginning January 1 to review their progress. On December 31, a team of retired engineers led by chief engineer (retired) Shyam Prasad will visit pump houses of Medigadda, Sundhilla and Annaram barrages under the ambitious Kaleshwaram Project to take stock of the progress of the project works, according to an official release. They would apprise the chief minister about the project works. On January, 1 the team will visit Palamuru-Rangareddy, Dindi irrigation projects and on January 2 the Seeta Rama project and other surrounding areas, it said. Rao, after attending the swearing in ceremony of Chief Justice of Telangana and other judges on January 1, would leave for Kaleshwaram Project from here. The CM will examine the construction of pump houses of Medigadda, Sundhilla and Annaram barrages. On January 2, the chief minister will visit Sriram Sagar project which is taken up under Kaleshwaram and examine the progress of the rejuvenation works and surrounding sites. He will also visit the pump house sites of Rajeshwarrao pet and Rampur, it said. The team of engineers would submit their report to the chief minister who would hold a review meeting on the ongoing irrigation projects at Pragathi Bhavan either on January 3 or January 4, the release said. KCR, as Rao is popularly known, presided over a high-level review meeting at Pragathi Bhavan Saturday on subjects of irrigation projects, conduct of medical camps and Panchayat elections and budget formation, it said. Another official release quoted Rao as saying that top priority would be accorded to the medical health and education sectors in the state. The CM has instructed officials to hold medical camps and also instructed them to record the health profile of each and every individual after conducting all types of diagnostic tests. Based on the profile of every individual, the health status of Telangana should be prepared, Rao said. The CM further asked the officials of the Finance department to examine whether to present a vote on account budget or a full-fledged budget for the next financial year, when Lok Sabha polls are due, in view of the possibility of the Central government presenting a vote on account budget, as per the release. PTI VVK NSK NSK (Eds: Adding more details and MLC's comment) Aurangabad, Dec 30 (PTI) Maoists shot dead the uncle of a BJP MLC, set a house and 10 vehicles on fire in Bihar's Aurangabad district, a senior police officer said Sunday. Superintendent of Police Satya Prakash said the Maoists attacked Sudi Bigaha village under the jurisdiction of Deo Police Station late on Saturday night, during which a man identified as Narendra Singh (55) was shot dead. Singh is the uncle of Rajan Kumar Singh, a BJP member of Bihar Legislative Council, he said. According to the SP, the Maoists fired several rounds and set 10 vehicles on fire, including three tractors parked at Narendra Singh's house. The Maoists also set a house belonging to one Dhananjay Singh, a dafadar with Deo police station, on fire located near Sudi Bigaha village, SP said. After getting information about the Maoist attack, security forces reached the village and exchanged fire with the Naxals, who then fled from the spot, Prakash said. Senior police officers, including the SP and CRPF Commandant Saurav Choudhary, are camping in the village. The SP said police have launched a massive search operation after cordoning off the area. Meanwhile, the BJP MLC held the police and the state government "responsible" for the attack. "Naxal attack in the village is the result of mistakes of both the administration and the state government. I had given an application to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the DGP for setting up a police station or at least a police outpost in the village but no action was taken. The administration and the state government are responsible for the incident," the BJP MLC said. PTI CORR AR RG IND IND Man killed, 10 vehicles torched by Maoists in Bihar Aurangabad, Dec 30 (PTI) One person was killed and 10 vehicles were torched by Maoists in Bihar's Aurangabad district, a senior police officer said Sunday. Superintendent of Police, Satya Prakash said the Maoists attacked Sudi Bigaha village under the jurisdiction of Deo police station area late on Saturday night and shot dead a man identified as Narendra Singh (55). Singh is the uncle of Rajan Kumar Singh, who is a member of Bihar Legislative Council, he said. According to SP, the Maoists fired several rounds and set 10 vehicles on fire including three tractors parked at Narendra Singh's house. The Maoists also set a house belonging to one Dhananjay Singh, a dafadar with Deo police station, on fire located near Sudi Bigaha village, SP said. After getting information about Maoist attack, security forces reached the village and exchanged fire with the Naxals, who fled from the village, Prakash said. Senior police officers and CRPF Commandant Saurav Choudhary are camping in the village. The SP said police have launched a massive search operation after cordoning off the area. PTI CORR AR RG RG New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The BJP top brass has relied on a mix of electoral experience and organisational ability in picking its team of state in-charges to drive the party's 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign, and as expected from the Modi-Shah duo, they have sprung a few surprises as well with the Hindutva agenda being at the core of the choices. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah have entrusted Gordhan Zadaphia, a fellow Gujarati who was long a bitter Modi critic, with responsibility of Utttar Pradesh, a state where BJP's performance will be central to its dream to retain power at the Centre. Election in-charges are trusted lieutenants of the party's central leadership and their job is to be a bridge between it and state units, elicit feedback from grassroots and craft and execute poll campaign while being at the background. Here is a profile of leaders chosen as in-charges for 17 states and Union Territory of Chandigarh. Gordhan Zadaphia: He had a big fallout with Modi in 2004 when he refused to take oath as minister. He later floated his own party and joined hands with likes of former state CMs, Keshubhai Patel and Suresh Mehta, to take on Modi. He returned to BJP before 2014 Lok Sabha polls. What is, however, unquestionable is the 64-year-old leader's Hindutva credentials as his ties with RSS and VHP always remained strong. The junior home minister in Gujarat government during 2002 riots, Zadaphia has already set a target of winning all 80 seats of UP, where BJP had won 71 seats in 2014. Incidentally, Shah was UP in-charge in 2014. Bhupender Yadav: A party general secretary, he will be in charge of Bihar. A lawyer and key party spearhead in Parliament, Yadav has been involved with almost every state election in some way since Shah became BJP chief in 2014. A low profile leader, he enjoys Shah's trust and has long been in-charge of party affairs in Bihar. His job will be to iron out any differences with allies-- CM Nitish Kumar's JD(U) and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP. NDA had won 31 of the state's 40 seats in 2014. Mahendra Singh: A minister in UP government, BJP has appointed him election in-charge for Assam. Party came to power in state for first time in 2016, with him as in-charge. Arun Singh: A party general secretary, he will lead poll campaign in Odisha. A Thakur leader from UP, Singh (53) started his political career with Bhartiya janata Yuva Morcha, BJP's youth wing, and has since steadily climbed up organisational ladder. BJP had won only one seat out of 21 in Odisha in 2014. Mangal Pandey: A former Bihar BJP chief, he has also looked after party affairs in Himachal Pradesh in past. Now a minister in Bihar government, Pandey (53) has responsibility of steering campaign in Jharkhand. Tirath Singh Rawat: A former Uttarakhand BJP chief, Rawat would lead task in Himachal Pradesh. His job will be to ensure a repeat of 2014 feat when party won all 4 seats. Nalin Kohli: A lawyer and savvy spokesperson of party, Kohli is in-charge of Nagaland and Manipur. BJP is in power in Manipur and its ally is at helm in Nagaland. Nitin Nabin: An MLA from Bihar, he has been given charge of Sikkim. He is only 38 and has also been associated with BJYM. Prakash Javadekar, who has been party's in charge in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, likes to take everyone on board. Due to this quality, he has been given responsibility of Rajasthan, where BJP under Vasundhara Raje has been at loggerheads with its national leadership over various issues. He has to act as a bridge between both sides. Javadekar enjoys trust of Modi and Shah. He also has backing of BJP's ideological mentor Sangh. Sudhanshu Trivedi has also been again given responsibility of Rajasthan for 2019 polls. Trivedi, who has a doctorate in mechanical engineering, rose to prominence during his tenure as political advisor to then BJP chief Rajnath Singh. He is known for his political analysis and deep understanding of caste equations. Captain Abhimanyu, minister in BJP government in Haryana, has been given responsibility of Punjab and Chandigarh. An Amit Shah loyalist, he was in his team for UP during 2014 LS polls. The Jaat leader handed caste-dominated western UP at that time. Hailing from Haryana, he twice has been in-charge of Punjab in 2012 and 2017. BJP's Chhattisgarh in charge Anil Jain is a practitioner surgeon at Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. Jain maintains low profile and is essentially a backroom boy. He takes care of Shah's schedule and political programmes. BJP lost Chhattisgarh last month with him as in charge. O P Mathur, vice-president of party, will lead campaign in Gujarat after 16 years. He was state in charge in 2002 assembly elections. BJP's Dalit face and Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot has again been given charge of Uttrakhand. He's also member of BJP's parliamentary board. Architect of party's victory in Tripura, Sunil Deodhar has been given new challenge of making party a force in Andhra Pradesh. He is known for his organisation skills especially in strengthening the party on ground and expanding its network of cadres. He will be assisted by V Muralidharan, party's ex-Kerala unit chief. Responsibility of Telangana has been given to Aravind Limbavali, sitting MLA from Karnataka and ex-minister. Swatantra Dev Singh, minister of state (independent charge) in UP, will lead party campaign in Madhya Pradesh. Singh will be accompanied by party's Delhi unit ex-chief Satish Upadhyay. PTI KR/JTR BJ GVS New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Most states have maintained silence on a draft bill which seeks life in jail for public servants convicted of torture. So far, only four states -- Meghalaya, Sikim, Jharkand and Himachal Pradesh -- have conveyed their agreements with the draft bill prepared by the Law Commission. According to a Law Ministry note which was prepared for use in Lok Sabha Question Hour, the Centre had in November reminded all states to send their views on the draft 'Prevention of torture bill, 2017'. It had also asked for their views on a law panel report submitted to the Law Ministry in October, 2017 on a proposal to amend sections 330 and 331 of the Indian Penal Code to include 'torture' as a crime. The proposal was sent to the Law Commission, then headed by Justice (retd) B S Chauhan for its views. The law panel submitted a report on implementation of the United Nations Convention against torture and also prepared the draft bill. The report, as well as the draft bill, were sent to states for their views earlier this year as criminal laws are in the concurrent list and stands of the states are required. Recommending life in jail for public servants convicted of torture, the Law Commission has said the government should ratify a UN convention to tide over difficulties in extraditing criminals from foreign countries due to the absence of a law preventing harsh treatment by authorities. It also said in case the government decided to ratify the UN convention on torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, a bill should be introduced in Parliament to amend various laws to prevent torture by government officials. The draft 'Prevention of torture bill, 2017' proposes "stringent punishment" to perpetrators to curb instances of torture and to have a deterrent effect. The punishment could extend up to life imprisonment and also include a fine. The report submitted to the law ministry said the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, require amendments to accommodate provisions regarding compensation and burden of proof. It recommended an amendment to section 357B of IPC to incorporate payment of compensation, in addition to the payment of fine provided in the Indian Penal Code. The report, now in the public domain, said the Indian Evidence Act required the insertion of a new section 114B. "This will ensure that in case a person in police custody sustains injuries, it is presumed that those injuries have been inflicted by the police, and the burden of proof shall lie on the authority concerned to explain such injury," it said. Referring to compensation to victims, it said the courts would decide upon a "justiciable compensation" after taking into account various facets of an individual case, such as nature, purpose, extent and manner of injury, including mental agony caused to the victim. "The courts will bear in mind the socioeconomic background of the victim" and ensure that the compensation will help the victim bear the expenses on medical treatment and rehabilitation, the panel recommended. PTI NAB NAB TIR TIR Sri Lanka is experiencing an increasing number of traffic accidents, posing a serious danger to citizens throughout the country. Accidents take place unexpectedly and unintentionally, cause damage, injury, and death, as well as trauma and heartache for victims. Accidents also ignite much finger pointing and blaming. Some blame it on bad luck, while others point to negligence or structural lapses. The question of who is responsible for increasing road mishaps remain open. Is it motorists, or pedestrians? Could it be bad road design and infrastructure? Or is it a combination of these factors? What remains clear is that everyone concerned must take serious note of the problem. A staggering 19,061 traffic-related deaths have been reported since 2012, of which 3,153 occurred last year, which was the highest. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), traffic-related deaths in Sri Lanka in 2017 accounted for 2.80 percent of total deaths that year. The WHO age-adjusted death rate of 16.33 per 100,000 persons ranks Sri Lanka 98 in the world. Authorities not keen on taking effective steps to address the issue Prof. Amal Kumarage Authorities have been ineffective in controlling increasing road accidents, said Prof. Amal Kumarage of the Moratuwa University. Speaking to Daily Mirror, Prof Kumarage said: The development taking place in the country has not effectively contributed to making mobility and safer travel a priority. Even though priority is given to the accommodation of more vehicles and widening roads, less importance is placed on peoples safety. Drivers are often blamed for accidents, but this assumption is not always correct, stresses Prof. Kumarage, who works at the universitys Department of Transport and Logistics Management. There are several other parameters that are equally important when considering road accidents. Minimum standards in roads designing, unsafe junctions, bends and pedestrian crossings, visibility at night, and potential black spots, have not been properly dealt with, he said. Prof. Kumarage noted that inadequate safety precautions and more vehicles had directly contributed to more accidents. He added that peoples failure to follow road signs also caused many accidents. Inadequate safety standards in vehicles are another major reason for escalating accidents. Most inexpensive vehicles in Sri Lanka lack adequate safety modes, resulting in grave harm during accidents, he said. Authorities should ensure that all vehicles are properly equipped, and airbags must be made compulsory, he stressed. While public transport is the safest mode of transport, authorities ignore this vital sector, the professor noted. When public transport was ignored and neglected, people shifted to three wheelers and motorbikes, which are the most unsafe modes of transport. This has made people more vulnerable to road accidents, the professor said. As an initial measure, Prof. Kumarage recommended the continual monitoring of roads. Drivers must be well trained before being allowed to drive, he said, adding that insurance should not focus only on vehicles, but also on passengers. We need to place more value on human life. The public, insurance companies and law enforcement authorities should collaborate and play a more responsible role to minimise road accidents, and place more value on human life, Prof. Kumarage said. I believe that a road safety audit should be conducted on every road to identify road accidents in terms of where, when and why, he noted. The professor emphasized that deaths reported due to road accidents might surpass deaths reported in the three decades of war. The root cause is peoples lack of discipline on roads - SP Indika Hapugoda The lack of discipline of drivers and pedestrians was the root cause for the road accidents, said SP Indika Hapugoda, Director of Traffic Administration and Road Safety. Speaking to Daily Mirror, he said: People mostly use motor bikes and three wheelers, which are 56 percent of all vehicles, and are susceptible to accidents. Some 140-150 accidents occur daily in Sri Lanka, of which eight deaths are reported. According to the Department of Motor Traffic, in 2008 Sri Lanka had 3,390,993 vehicles, but this more than doubled in 2017 to 7,247,122 - and in 2018 the number exceeded 7.5 million. Despite this, roads had not been widened or increased, but some were upgraded, the SP said. The development of roads was not sufficient to cope with the rise of vehicle numbers. Therefore, what should have been done is to increase the roads as the number of vehicles increased, he said. Most accidents occurred on Friday, Monday and Wednesday, between 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm, he said. A road accident occurs every 10 minutes - Dr. Siriwardana Nationally, a road accident occurs every 10 minutes, and consequently eight deaths are reported, says Dr. Thilak Siriwardana. Speaking to Daily Mirror, Dr. Siriwardana, who is Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Unit of the Health Ministry, said: A total 3,000 persons die annually due to road accidents. Most victims are men, and its mainly youth between 18-25 years who fall victim to road accidents. The majority of accidents occur due to the negligence of both motorists and pedestrians. 20 percent of hospital admissions due to road accidents - Pushpa Ramyani The Accident Ward of the Colombo National Hospital admits 400-500 of persons daily, of which 20 percent are road accident victims, hospital coordinator Pushpa Ramyani de Soysa said. Speaking to Daily Mirror, Ms. de Soysa said: A total 75 percent of those admitted are male, while 30 percent are female. The majority of admissions are victims of motorbike accidents, and secondly pedestrians. She added that 163 road accidents were reported on December 24 and 25, marking an 18 percent increase from last year. An Accident may occur: 1. Between a vehicle and another vehicle. 2. Vehicle colliding with a person 3. Vehicle colliding with movable or unmovable property 4. When a vehicle goes off the road 5. A person being knocked down with another person. 6. Due to natural or man-made disaster Reasons for Accidents Recklessness of the Driver Negligence of the Driver Indisciplined driving Lack of knowledge on road rules and regulation, road conditions, weather conditions, conditions of the vehicle, knowledge regarding apparatus, controls, equipment Fatigue or stress Road infrastructure defects Lack of driving experience and skills Driving under the influence of alcohol Failure to check power Excessive speeding Not wearing the safety belt Pedestrians not following road rules Jumping colour lights Driving after taking medication Unsatisfactory enforcement by some Police officer Recommendations to prevent accidents New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday alleged the BJP's "promotion" of the biopic 'The Accidental Prime Minister' is a mere political stunt by the party and a "desperate" effort to undermine the Congress ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Several Opposition parties, especially the Congress, have denounced the BJP for tweeting out the trailer of the film, a political drama based on a book written by former prime minister Manmohan Singhs media advisor Sanjaya Baru, last week. The biopic stars Anupam Kher as Manmohan Singh and Akshaye Khanna as Sanjaya Baru. The trailer of the movie shows Singh as a victim of the Congress's internal politics ahead of the 2014 general elections. Amarinder Singh in a statement said the BJPs attempt to project Manmohan Singh as a "weak and docile" prime minister is "not only childish but brazenly politically motivated". "It clearly shows their desperation and frustration in the face of an imminent defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," the Punjab chief minister said. Amarinder Singh said the BJP needed to accept that they had lost the support of people and it cannot be earned back by doing "cheap politics". "Even the worst critics of Dr. Singh could not find fault with him and the BJP was merely using the movie ... as a pawn in a futile attempt to undermine the Congress in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections," the statement quoted him as saying. Amarinder Singh said he was a witness to the "total independence" Manmohan Singh received from then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, "who did not believe in interfering in government matters". "Unlike the BJP, the Congress believed in allowing its leaders and members to run their own affairs as they deemed fit," he claimed. "This was particularly true in the case of Dr. Singh, whose elevation to prime ministership was in itself an indication that the party had complete faith in his abilities and capabilities," he said. Amarinder Singh said he himself had total freedom to function as he desired in Punjab which shows "the party follows a policy of non-interference in these matters". He said Manmohan Singh is a "great economist, an independent thinker and decision maker, who had created a niche for himself as one of Indias most intelligent and visionary leaders". Manmohan Singh is a "world-class leader in his own right. The nation will forever remain indebted to the former prime minister for leading it to new heights of global eminence through his far-reaching decisions. If India became a global economic superpower, the credit goes to Dr Singh", he said. PTI SKC GVS New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Spreading negativity is fairly easy, but people must come together to make positivity viral, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday adding that collective efforts of the people have ensured that India achieved a lot in 2018. Addressing the last episode of the year of his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' radio address, he also said if the resolve is strong, hardships fail to turn into obstacles. "I sincerely hope that Indias journey on the path of advancement & progress continues through 2019 too. Taking her to newer heights with her inner strengths. "...lets come together to make positivity viral. I do believe that by doing so, more and more people will get to know about our heroes who brought a change in society. Spreading negativity is fairly easy. But some really good work is being done around us...," Modi said. He said several websites are spreading positive news and people should share their links so that positivity can be made viral. He noted that the year 2018 saw the launching of the worlds biggest health insurance scheme 'Ayushman Bharat. "Electricity reached each and every village of the country this year. Noted world institutions have accepted that the country has taken strides in the area of poverty alleviation at a record pace. On account of the unwavering resolve of our countrymen, swachchata, the sanitation coverage, is rapidly advancing towards crossing the 95 per cent mark," the PM said. For the first time ever after Independence, the Tricolor was hoisted at Red Fort besides the independence day celebrations. This was done to mark the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Azad Hind Government, he recalled. To honour Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, world's tallest statue, the Statue of Liberty, was unveiled, he said, adding that recently he had also announced 'Sardar Patel Award' for National Integration to be given to those who have contributed for national unity in any form. The highest United Nations Environment award, Champions of the Earth was also conferred upon India, Modi said in his address. "The world duly took notice of India's efforts in the areas of solar energy and climate change ... It is due to our collective efforts that our country has seen unprecedented improvement in the 'ease of doing business' rankings. "The country's self defence mechanism got further reinforced. It was during this very year that our country has successfully accomplished the Nuclear Triad, which means we are now armed with nuclear capabilities in water, on land and in the sky," the PM said. He was referring to the first combat patrol carried out by nuclear submarine INS Arihant recently. He also referred to achievements made by sportsmen at various international events, including para Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Youth Olympics. The PM also paid obituaries to people with modest backgrounds who made their mark in social service and had passed away in 2018. "If your resolve is strong, if your fervour, your enthusiasm is without bounds, all your hurdles halt in their tracks. Hardships can never turn into obstacles," he said. PTI NAB RCJ Jammu, Dec 30 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh transport minister Swatantra Dev Singh Sunday met Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik here and invited him to attend the upcoming Kumbh Mela, an official said. One of the largest religious gatherings in the world, the Kumbh Mela will be held at Triveni Sangam in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad from January 15 to March 4, 2019. "Singh, on behalf of the Uttar Pradesh government, extended an invitation to the Governor to attend the forthcoming Kumbh Mela," an official spokesman said. It has been decided that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed between Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh on January 9, 2019 to ensure transport facilities to the visitors during the fair, the official said. Singh also discussed with Malik the various initiatives taken by the Yogi Adityanath government in the state's transport sector to check road accidents, he added. He also discussed measures taken by the government to ensure 24x7 power supply in the state, the spokesperson added. PTI TAS RHL New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Around 15,000 police personnel will be deployed across the national capital to ensure celebrations on New Year's eve go off smoothly, police said Sunday. "We have deployed around 15,000 police personnel across Delhi to maintain the law and order situation on the eve of New Year to ensure that the celebrations go smoothly," Madhur Verma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), said. Any incident of hooliganism and drunk driving will be dealt strictly, he added. Special picket team including traffic police, PCR and woman personal will be deployed at various locations to ensure that no untoward incident happens, he said. To ensure that women safety is not compromised, women police personnel will also be deployed in plain clothes at various strategic locations across the city, the officer said. Maximum police personal will be deployed at crowded places like malls, markets and metro stations, the officer said. Senior officers will closely monitor the situation at district-level. Fire tenders will be on patrolling duty around popular party hubs to ensure that there is no delay in helping people in case of any incident, police said. Hotels and restaurants where parties will be organised have also been briefed about the preventive measures to be taken, the officer said. PTI AMP SOM SOM New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The recent Bulandshahr violence that claimed the lives of a policeman and a 20-year-old man was a "targeted attempt" to "instill fear" in the Muslim community, an umbrella organisation of human rights bodies claimed Sunday and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into it. Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and civilian Sumit Kumar of Chingrawathi village were killed on December 3 in the mob violence that broke out in Bulandshahr's Siyana area after cattle carcasses were found strewn outside a village. The incident happened when the election process in five states -- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Telangana -- was underway. "Hindutvawadi forces masterminded" the incident to "polarise" the voters because of the "ongoing elections in five states", the organisation claimed, whose members visited Bulandshahr and presented a "fact-finding" committee's report here, and demanded a new law to check hate crimes. The National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO) sought an immediate ban on all groups and 'senas' which use weapons "in the name of cow protection". Addressing the media at the Press Club here, members of the NCHRO claimed that the violence was a "planted incident" to create unrest in the area and elsewhere "in the name of cow". "The mob, at the instigation of local Bajrang Dal and BJP Yuva Morcha leaders Yogesh Raj and Shikhar Agrawal, gathered at the Chingrawathi police post and burnt down many vehicles, staged a shootout and pelted stones on the police force," it said in a statement. The "fact-finding" team member Manoj Singh, of the All India People's Forum, claimed the way a purported video of the inspector's killing was shot "clearly indicates" the mob received political protection. "In a peaceful area like Bulandshahr, the December 3 incident was a targeted attempt by Sangh-BJP organisations to instill fear in the Muslim community," said Singh. He claimed that small skirmishes between local groups were used as an excuse to start communal clashes. "There are clear signs of political conspiracies at play to discourage honest members of the administration, like Inspector Subodh, through intimidation and fear of life," he said. He said there were also no signs of cow slaughtering at the fields outside Mahaw village, where the carcasses were found on December 3 morning, "which makes it clear that the mob violence...was executed through meticulous planning". The NCHRO also highlighted that several innocent people, including two minors, were put behind bars while the key suspect, Bajrang Dal local leader Yogesh Raj, was still at large. "A law should be made to contain mob violence and an immediate ban on all organisations and 'senas' which use weapons and have led the country to a civil war-like situation in the name of cow protection," the NCHRO said. "Also another law be made and strictly implemented to ensure a state government's responsibility to check hate crimes and elements spreading hate crimes," it said. The Home Ministry should review it on regular basis and share details in every parliamentary session on what steps it has taken to check riots and hate crimes, said Singh. Another team member, Ansar Indori, claimed that the incident was a "planned affair". "The occurrence of such a big incident in the presence of the administration proves that it was planned affair. Police presence deterred the violence from spreading further. The murder of a police officer at the hands of the mob occurred as he was executing his duties," Indori, an advocate by profession, told reporters. Meanwhile, Sarfuddin, a resident of Nayabans village, who was initially arrested by the police following a complaint by Raj, told reporters that he would move court against his arrest. He was arrested under Indian penal Code sections 358 (assault or criminal force on grave provocation) and 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) but released after 16 days. "I was put in jail for 16 days when I had done nothing. I am the president of the village's mosque committee and I was named under a conspiracy," he said. Sarfuddin, who runs a clothes shop in Siyana town, also alleged that he was being threatened by a leader of a local right wing group who was opposed to the loud speaker being installed on the mosque in 2017. Seven people -- two children aged 11 and 12, a non-existent man, a man living in Faridabad for over a decade, besides Sarfuddin -- were named in the FIR for cow slaughter on a complaint by Raj. The police recently arrested three men who were not named in the FIR for their role in the alleged cow slaughter on December 3. PTI URD/KIS TIR TIR Chennai, Dec 30 (PTI) A counsel for a Commission of Inquiry probing the death of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa has alleged in a petition that Tamil Nadu Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan colluded and conspired with Apollo Hospital and "inappropriate treatment" was provided to her, sources said. Also, the commission's counsel has alleged that the then chief secretary P Rama Mohana Rao, at the time of Jayalalithaa's hospitalisation in 2016, had "purposely given false evidence", they said. The allegations were strongly refuted by both the health secretary and the hospital, while the former chief secretary said he was not aware of the petition. The standing counsel for the Justice A Arumughaswamy commision, Mohammed Jafarullah Khan, in a petition before the panel has sought to implead Radhakrishnan and Rao as respondents. The counsel's petition alleges that the health secretary made contradictory statements before the panel and the official was also against taking Jayalalithaa abroad for treatment. "While so it is apparent that the evidence of the health secretary is not only contradictory, but also suggestive of conspiracy and collusion between the health secretary and Apollo Hospital with regard to the inappropriate treatment of the late chief minister," the petition claimed. "At times, he speaks like the spokesman of the Apollo Hospital, which speaks volume to the collusion and inaction in the matter of treatment of late chief minister," it claimed. When contacted, Radhakrishnan dismissed the allegations levelled against him as "unfounded, baseless and wild" and said that he had, so far, not been served a copy of the petition filed by the commission's counsel. The allegation that he "conspired and colluded" with Apollo Hospital and acted like its spokesperson was "not only false, but also slanderous", the top official said. "These allegations have caused tremendous stress and mental agony to me...in reality I have only discharged my duties to the best of my ability," he told PTI. He said the treating doctors from Apollo and specialist consultants had concurred with the line of treatment for the former chief minister. "Whether to take her or not to a foreign destination for treatment was purely a medical decision for which it would not be correct to hold an official like him responsible," he said. The official said at no point was any procedure or treatment that was "unavailable" in India sought for her. He said that later it was ascertained that the former chief minister herself did not personally want to be treated abroad. On January 4, during his scheduled deposition, Radhakrishnan said he would answer queries and clear the air vis-a-vis the allegations. Regarding Rao, the panel's counsel said the former chief secretary had "purposely given false evidence", and recommended action against him under the Commissions of Inquiry Act. Khan, in his plea, said while Rao had deposed that he had apprised the government of signing (along with the former CM's aide Sasikala) about 20 consent forms for Jayalalithaa's treatment, the incumbent chief secretary has replied that no such letter (apprising the government) was received. "From this, it is very clear that former chief secretary had purposely given false evidence before the commission," the petition said. When asked for his reaction, Rao told PTI, "I am out of station and not aware of it." The Apollo Hospital rejected the allegations and in a statement said, "It is surprising that the commission is itself filing this petition against other parties." It said the proceedings before the inquiry panel cannot be "accusatorial" in nature. Jayalalithaa died on Dec 5, 2016 and the Commission of Inquiry was constituted the next year by the ruling AIADMK government following allegations and suspicions surrounding her death. PTI VGN AAR Rice worth Rs 2.7 cr, meant for mid-day meal schemes, seized Thane (Maha),Dec 30 (PTI) Thane rural police arrested three persons Sunday for allegedly illegally procuring rice meant for mid-day meal schemes for school children and selling it in the open market. Assistant Superintendent of Police Atul Kulkarni said the police raided a godown of Mahadeo Food Ago Mill in Ghodbunder near here on December 25. Its owners, Narendra Rane, Dileep Thakkar and Ashok Thakkar, were arrested under the Essential Commodities Act and National Food Security Act, 2013 on Sunday, the ASP said. The company, which had no licence to store foodgrains or sell them in the open market, procured rice illegally from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), he said. Police seized 12,035 gunny bags of rice containing 5.70 lakh kg of rice, valued at Rs 2.69 crore, from the godown, he said. This rice was meant for distribution to fair price (ration) shops, to be used for mid-meal schemes in schools in tribal and rural areas, he said. The police also seized ten trucks and two rice-cleaning and sorting machines. Further probe is on. PTI CORR KRK KRK Chandigarh, Dec 30 (PTI) With stray incidents of violence reported during the Punjab panchayat polls on Sunday, the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) blamed the Congress, alleging a "complete hijacking" of the election by the ruling party. "Congress party is now afraid to face people. They know they have done nothing. That's why party indulged in large scale violence and rigging in Panchayat elections today. Black day for democracy. Elections hijacked," SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said in a tweet. Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that Congress workers incited violence during the polling and indulged in booth-capturing at some places, but the administration remained a mute spectator. He alleged a "complete hijacking" of the polls by the Congress and said "this amounted to murder of democracy". The main opposition party in the state, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), also alleged that booth capturing did happen at some places. Reacting to the alleged incidents of violence and booth-capturing, Leader of Opposition and senior AAP leader Harpal Cheema said it was a "black day" for democracy. As the counting of votes began in the evening, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh congratulated the winning candidates. "Congratulations to the winners of #PunjabPanchayatPolls. A strong assertion of democracy at the grassroots. I call upon the newly elected Sarpanches and Panchayat members to work out a long-term vision to usher in positive change in their villages," he said in a tweet. The polls were held to elect as many as 13,276 "sarpanch" (village headman) and 83,831 "panch" (village council members) for 13,276 villages, officials said. They added that before the polls, 4,363 "sarpanch" and 46,754 "panch" were already declared elected unopposed. PTI SUN RC 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 There's a well-known phrase. It goes: 'The customer is always right.' And when your customers are some of the richest people in the country, you have to go above and beyond to appease their every desire. That's what AZ Luxe owner Abbass Zadeh says he has to do every day. The boss of the luxury car hire and chauffeur business has spilled the beans to us and recounted 10 extreme and unusual client requests he's received. Tales of the rich and famous: Here are some of the incredible demands made by VIPs when they book luxury cars to hire or be chauffeured in 1. When you don't want to fly A customer didn't want to fly from London to Paris and instead asked us to chauffeur him from London to Paris instead. He spent two nights there before we headed back to London again in our Rolls-Royce Phantom. It's certainly not the fastest way to travel but they wanted to arrive in the car to make an entrance. It's also not the cheapest, as the customer also had to cover the cost of the driver's hotel and meals. 2. Making exemptions for pets One customer was flying from Malaga to Ostend with her pet dog, but her final destination was London. She told us that bringing a pet through airport control in the UK is very time consuming so she asked us to drive to Belgium, pick her and the pup up and return them back to London in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. AZ Luxe boss Abbass Zadeh said there are plenty of occasions when they have to drive their luxury cars to meet VIPs overseas, meaning the customer is paying for a high-end car with nobody in the back seat for long parts of the journey 3. 'We'll meet you at the other end' We organised a private jet for a client from London to Barcelona and then from Barcelona to Amsterdam. The customer didnt want any other chauffeured car in Amsterdam, only our purple Rolls-Royce Phantom was deemed good enough for the job. We drove the Phantom over to Amsterdam, picked him up from the Jet Centre when he arrived and stayed with him during his stay in the Netherlands, after which we headed back to London, solo. The customer paid for two Amsterdam-to-London drives with an empty car. Some have asked to fill the firm's Phantom - which was originally owned by Rolls-Royce boss Torsten Muller-Otvos - with baloons or use it to transport a designer handbag 200 miles 4. A Roller on a high A customer wanted to surprise a friend on their birthday and requested we fill up the Rolls-Royce Phantom with as many helium balloons as possible, ready for when he arrived at the pick-up location. The idea being that when the chauffeur opened the door the balloons would fly out, each one saying happy birthday on them. We did, and it worked very well. How many fitted? We cant recall now. 5. Handbag delivery One of our clients in Manchester had purchased a handbag from a well-known retail store in London, however, he needed the bag delivered home within a five-hour timeframe. And although it was winter and the motorways were all covered with snow and some roads blocked off, we made the trip (with handbag enjoying the back seat) and delivered it from London to Manchester on one of the worst nights of weather seen in the UK. The fare cost was more than a return flight to New York and, once again, we returned with an empty car at the clients expense. The fleet also includes Lamborghinis. One client requested to book one to drive to Monaco for a holiday after his car had a fault. AZ Luxe arranged the delivery of the customer's vehicle to his holiday collection and the Lambo was returned on the same truck 6. Replacement Lamborghini service A client had organised a trip abroad with friends and family but his own vehicle needed unplanned service work so he was unable to drive as planned. Rather than changing his plans he decided to hire our Lamborghini Huracan Spyder so he could still drive to Monaco. Once his car was up and running we had it delivered to Monaco and our vehicle was then returned back on the same truck that delivered his motor. 7. 'I've got things to do.' We had a client who flew in on his private jet who requested a chauffeur and Mercedes S-Class be on standby so he could get all of his errands and meetings done promptly, when needed. Some 26 hours and two chauffeur shifts later, he was grateful for our services and flew home again. We thought we lived in the city that never sleeps, but it turns out that our clients dont either A bride who had booked the Roller for her wedding experienced a case of the jitters. In the time it took her to compose herself, she had sunk a bottle of champagne from the car's on-board drinks cabinet 8. Pre-wedding jitters We were booked by a couple for their wedding day. Just 25 minutes before arriving to the church the bride was very nervous and requested a few trips around the block. In that time she had most of the champagne from the Rolls-Royce fridge to calm her nerves and requested we drop her offa little late, and (probably) a little merry. 9. Impressing on a second date One client was taking his new lady out for dinner - it was their second date and he wanted us to make it special. With just an hour to spare he called us to book our Rolls-Royce Phantom to collect her, with a request for three large bouquet of roses inside to surprise her. We made it, and she was delighted. The cars have beeen ordered by customers to impress their family, friends, colleagues, loved ones and - in some cases - multiple loved ones 10. 'Can you collect my one and only? And then my other one and only?' A client regularly books a chauffeured car to pick up his one and only girlfriend to take them to his residence. It turns out that his one and only girlfriend is different every single time, therefore our chauffeurs have to keep a tight lip when they were questioned and asked have you ever chauffeured a women to his house before?. For once, the answer is always no. It seems that a little common sense has finally returned to the heads of those who run energy supplier Outfox the Market. About time too. For the past couple of months, this Leicester-based company has been seriously testing the patience of customers with a series of moves that would score zero if committed on Strictly Come Dancing Bruno Tonioli, for sure, would have a tantrum. It has resulted in the formation of a 1,000-strong protest group on Facebook, a deluge of complaints on review website Trustpilot and many customers quitting the company in anger. Outfox the Market have received backlash from customers who were unhappy at rise in prices A far cry from late 2017 when Outfox burst on to the scene like an energetic cub with some of the most competitive tariffs in the market. As revealed in last weeks edition of The Mail on Sunday, Outfox has angered many customers by increasing the amount it collects from them via direct debit through the introduction of a new variable scheme. This meant higher monthly payments during winter, lower ones over summer (April through to September). The move has been woefully executed, resulting in some customers being told their monthly payments would increase sixfold. This is despite their accounts being in credit. When they have tried to get the company to see sense, they have often been met with a wall of silence or threatened with 25 fines if they cancelled the direct debit. One customer who contacted The Mail on Sunday last week said he had received three emails from the company since September informing him of payment changes 900 a month (from 545), then 763 (after complaining) and finally 1,054. Based on usage, he believes the monthly sum should be nearer 735 (he has a six-bedroom house). Anger: Outfox increased the amount it charged customers through direct debit Pointedly, he adds: They [Outfox] seem like kids playing at running a business. They refuse to answer calls or respond to emails. He is spot on. Customer service standards have plunged with website EnergyHelpline giving it a ranking of one (five being best) its worst score. Thankfully, Outfox is now in reverse mode. Late last week, it started emailing customers telling them it would be abandoning the new variable payment scheme and returning to a fixed payment direct debit policy. The return of the old payment scheme, it says, will apply to all customers on its fixed and variable tariffs from February next year. They will be told of their new direct debit payment next month and from February it will remain the same for 12 months. Interestingly, the email is sent in the name of Keith Bastian, Outfoxs chief executive. He uses it to apologise for the slip in customer service standards, saying: As a consequence of the initial change in our direct debit policy, the company has experienced a significant demand in its customer care services (call volumes and emails) and we have worked hard to meet this. 'However, I accept this has had a negative influence on our standard of service and for this I personally and sincerely apologise. He ends his missive by reassuring customers that normal service will resume in time for the new year. Judging by the mountain of correspondence I have received from disgruntled Outfox customers over the past few days (some of whom were so angry they were even emailing me on Christmas Day), Bastian has a monumental amount of work to do in order to restore his customers faith in the company. For a start, the revised payments need to be fair. Secondly, customers must be allowed to claim back large credits on their accounts. Finally, customer service standards must improve tenfold. The year 2018 was a turbulent one, separating star stockpickers from novices as shares yo-yoed. Here, The Mail on Sundays City team take a punt on the shares that they think have the best chance of riding out the storm in 2019. Dan Hyde, The Mail on Sunday, Assistant Editor: GlaxoSmithKline: Emma Walmsley, the first female chief executive of the drugs giant, is an impressive operator. Last year, she oversaw a huge restructuring of GSK. She merged its consumer health arm (producing brands such as Sensodyne and Beechams) with that of rival Pfizer. Stormy: The stock market had a turbulent time in 2018 - but how will it fare in the new year? Within three years, this newly enlarged arm will be spun off and listed, leaving GSK to focus on medicine. If a streamlined GSK proves nimble and able to outflank rivals, it bodes well for the shares. Neil Craven, Deputy City Editor: Asos: Just when all eyes were on the struggling high street, the online retailer gave the City an unfestive shock a fortnight ago. The profit warning was galling given the board had confirmed growth forecasts to shareholders at the annual meeting at the end of November. Asoss shares have halved in price and the suspicion among City scribblers is that they are now oversold, having been unloaded into already jumpy markets. Asos has recovered from shocks before and is worth a punt if only to enjoy the bounce and see good sense return. Jamie Nimmo, City Correspondent: Regal Petroleum: Its a bold call to tip last years biggest riser but Ive gone for it. Ukrainian gas firm Regal Petroleum rocketed over 700 per cent in 2018, giving it a market value of close to 200million. But I reckon it has a way to go. The Aim-listed firm has no debt, is lifting production and churning out cash. Its focus on natural gas has spared it from the recent oil price plunge. Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk quietly snapped up a quarter of Regal this year. If he launches a full takeover bid as he did seven years ago, it would be an early payday for investors. William Turvill, City Correspondent: ITV: The Im A Celebrity broadcasters shares are at a five-year low, having fallen 25 per cent this year. Predict: The Mail on Sunday's City team guess which shares they think will do the best in 2019 My outlandish prediction is that political uncertainty in the UK will lift some time this year, confidence will rise, ITVs advertising revenue will start to recover and the share price will follow. Either that, or things will get even worse for ITV before a global media firm mulls a generous takeover bid. Helen Cahill, City Correspondent: HSBC: Brexit uncertainty has punished bank stocks this year but Asia-focused HSBC is a fairly low-risk pick as the lender least exposed to British consumers and the UKs trading relationship with the Continent. The bank beat profit expectations in its last set of results, boosting shares, but with its stock down 15 per cent this year, now might be the time to buy. HSBC remains sensitive to the outcome of the trade war between Trumps administration and China, but improving relations should help lift HSBCs shares in 2019. Simon Neville, City Correspondent: CENTRICA: The British Gas owner had a difficult end to 2018. In November bosses revealed they had lost 372,000 customers in the third quarter alone. Ofgems price cap will cost Centrica 70million and smart meters have left households frustrated. But the price cap is now factored into the share price, desertions are slowing, and with seven suppliers going bust in 2018, Britons are wary of smaller outfits offering tariffs too good to be true. Hamish McRae, The Mail on Sunday City Columnist: SERCO: Theres an adage that when good managers and tricky sectors clash, the sector usually wins. This has been true for outsourcing. But at Serco I think managers will come out tops. Chief executive Rupert Soames and chief financial officer Angus Cockburn came from temporary power supplier Aggreko in 2014 and are slogging away at turning Serco around. A trading update has led to broker upgrades so this could be Sercos year. Corporate raiders at Melrose have failed to meet a deadline to address shareholders concerns over their huge bonuses. The FTSE 100 company, which controversially bought engineer GKN this year, is one of a handful of London-listed companies found by The Mail on Sunday to have flouted guidance set out as part of Theresa Mays crackdown on fat cat pay. Earlier this year, The Mail on Sunday revealed that the four top Melrose executives Christopher Miller, Simon Peckham, David Roper and Geoff Martin could pocket as much as 285million if its controversial 8billion takeover of GKN proves a success long-term. David Roper is one of the chief executives at Melrose - he could pocket as much as 285million The scheme, which would pay out in 2020, is controversial because there is no cap similar to the one handed to Jeff Fairburn by housebuilder Persimmon. The Public Register, dubbed the list of shame because it exposes companies that have faced shareholder revolts over excessive executive pay, says firms must respond to investor concerns no later than six months after the vote. However, Melrose, asthma specialists Circassia Pharmaceuticals, Russian miner Petropavlovsk and Russian property investor Raven Property Group have all failed to address their respective pay revolts, more than six months on. Last year, Melroses top four executives each pocketed 40 million after a separate five-year bonus plan paid out. Peckham, the chief executive, told this newspaper earlier this year: Were rewarded by the value we create. If we dont create any value in the enlarged Melrose then we dont get anything. Im not saying we dont get paid well. We do. But we only get paid if we perform. Around 23 per cent of Melroses shareholders voted against the remuneration report at the annual meeting on May 10. Before then, the company had said it intended to review the existing Melrose remuneration arrangements and expects to consult with shareholders in the coming months. But it has yet to publicly reveal those plans more than seven months after the vote. The Investment Association, the trade body which was tasked by the Government with compiling the register, says companies should respond by publishing an update with views received from shareholders and actions taken by the company within six months. While the guidance is currently only advisory, from next year it will be compulsory for firms to respond to such shareholder rebellions under the new UK Corporate Governance Code. A vote of more than 20 per cent against is seen as a revolt by shareholders. A fifth of Circassias investors objected to an 80 per cent rise in the pay of chief executive Steve Harris to 825,000. Petropavlovsk saw the largest pay revolt this year as 71.5 per cent of its shareholders rebelled over the pay of former chief executive Roman Deniskin. However, Deniskin was simultaneously overthrown from the board in a tussle with rebel investors along with other management. The company said its new remuneration committee has noted the concerns of shareholders and are aware of their concerns and will take these into account in making any decisions. Melrose and Raven declined to comment. Circassia did not respond. Name change: Publisher, the RELX Group, was formerly known as Reed Elsevier The Footsie-listed publisher formerly known as Reed Elsevier is mulling a 200million takeover of events firm Mack Brooks. City sources said Mack Brooks, which stages exhibitions and conferences for the transport, chemicals and packaging industries, has been working with PricewaterhouseCoopers advisers on a potential sale in recent weeks. Bankers say publishing giant, the RELX group, has been toughing it out with private equity firm Inflexion in the final stages of a sale process. Another potential buyer is Belgian private equity firm Core Equity. Any sale is likely to net Stephen Brooks a multi-million pound cash payout. According to Companies House, he is the ultimate controlling party of the events business, which was set up in 1965. The current frenzy of dealmaking in publishing saw London-listed publishing and events group Informa combine with UBM in a 9billion merger earlier this year. And this month Inflexion sold Closerstill Media, organiser of the London Vet Show, to private equity firm Providence Equity Partners for 340million. Mack Brooks didnt return calls for comment, while RELX and Inflexion both declined to comment. The boardrooms of Britains banks have long been stubbornly dominated by men despite all the evidence that women can offer at least as much as their male counterparts. But now, at last, a host of women are poised to seize jobs at the very top of the UKs biggest financial institutions, hailing a new dawn for the sector tarnished by a testosterone-fuelled crash a decade ago. TSB will welcome a woman boss for the first time in 2019 when Debbie Crosbie, the chief operating officer at CYBG, becomes its new chief executive. Leading the way: Debbie Crosbie will be joining TSB as it's first female chief executive in 2019 She will lead the clean-up effort at the group, still recovering from an IT meltdown sparked by a mass migration of customer accounts to a new system under former chief executive Paul Pester. But rival RBS could become the first of the Big Four UK banks beating Barclays, HSBC and Lloyds to appoint a female chief executive. The state-owned lender, run by Ross McEwan since 2013, recently promoted Alison Rose to become deputy chief of NatWest Holdings, RBSs main retail bank, making her candidacy for the top job the worst-kept secret in the City. She remains head of RBSs commercial and private banking businesses, as well as deputising for McEwan. He has said he will not leave before 2020, meaning it is possible Rose could be anointed as soon as next year. McEwan signalled the direction of the banks thinking in a recent interview with a City news channel, saying he would be delighted if we had a woman running the bank. These women have been preceded by trailblazers such as Jayne Anne-Gadhia, the former CEO of Virgin Money who was made a dame this weekend, and Santanders UK chairwoman Baroness Vadera, who was Gordon Browns most trusted adviser in the financial crisis and a key architect of the banks bailout in 2008. Boss: Susan Allen is taking over as head of retail and business banking at Santander But other banks lining up female leaders-in-waiting include Santander UK and Lloyds. Susan Allen, a former RBS banker, has enjoyed a meteoric career at Santander in the last three years and will be responsible for more than 80 per cent of the lenders revenues when she takes over as head of its retail and business banking arm on Tuesday. Replacing Javier San Felix, who also held the title of deputy chief executive, underlines her status as a leading internal candidate for the group CEO role. RBS relied on Allens cool head and leadership in 2012 when she was trusted with high-profile media appearances during a separate IT crisis. She joined Santander in March 2015 as a managing director and was promoted after just seven months to become chief transformation officer, charged with overhauling less effective parts of the business. Mary Macleod, a partner at top-flight headhunter Korn Ferry, said: Susan Allen is brilliant at what she does. Shes really engaging and there are lots more women like her. I think this is showing there has been a turning point in terms of people recognising more of the talent that is around, said Macleod, who worked with both Allen and Rose when the three were at RBS together. The more we see women like Alison and Debbie getting into those roles, it shows the sector is doing more than its done before and is looking at the unconscious bias in how selection has been done previously. Lloyds, meanwhile, has two hotly-tipped women on its executive committee playing key roles in the banks overall strategy. Former Credit Suisse analyst Carla Antunes da Silva, brought into Lloyds three years ago, has been central to the banks 2018-2020 strategic review. Jennifer Tippin dealt with PPI scandal in her role as group people & productivity director She has a hand in large swathes of Lloyds strategy, including mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. The Portuguese economist, who studied at Oxford and the London School of Economics, also manages the groups relationships with investors and analysts. Her senior role, with its strategic focus, has made da Silva a leadership contender and it doesnt hurt that she has been described as the right-hand woman to Lloyds current chief executive, Antonio Horta-Osorio. Lloyds bosses have also been backing Jennifer Tippin, who has headed up the banks response to the payment protection insurance scandal as its customer services director and now sits on the executive committee. Oxford-educated Tippin, who studied modern languages, joined Lloyds in 2009, having served as head of banking and savings at HBOS before the two banks merged. She has been personally mentored by Horta-Osorio, a sign of the banks plans for her future. In January 2017, she was promoted to lead Lloyds cost cuts ahead of its strategic review. Just six months later, she was promoted to her current role of group people and productivity director, taking a lead in the banks strategic overhaul. Macleod said the number of women rising up the industry was partly down to boards taking more proactive steps to make sure the executive tier of bosses is more diverse. She added: Whats really encouraging now is the number of boards who are pushing search firms on this. Theyre asking how we can make sure they get a more diverse list of candidates. And we also have to push back at our clients to help them understand what is so brilliant and great about some of the women on the list. Barclays has introduced unconscious bias training, to make sure its staff are not hiring in their own image, and the company supports its women through progressive maternity and paternity policies. Leading the charge for women at Barclays is Karen Frank, a vocal advocate for women in the industry who sits on Barclays international executive committee. As Head of Private Bank and Overseas Services, Frank runs Barclays international wealth business and is in charge of 1,700 employees. The role was created after CEO Jes Staleys strategic review when he identified wealth as an important area for growth, and charged Frank with running the division. Since her promotion, Frank has expanded the business, kicking off a hiring spree that will see 100 new staff recruited to help Barclays lure in wealthy clientele. PARIS, Dec 30 (Reuters) - French and Nigerien troops killed around 15 Islamist militants in a joint air and ground operation in south west Niger on Dec. 27, France's armed forces and defence ministry said on Sunday. The air raid and ground assault took place near Tongo Tongo, a village close to the border with Mali and some 175 kilometres (109 miles) north of Niamey. Tongo Tongo was where, in October 2017, militants killed four U.S. soldiers and four local soldiers in an ambush on their joint patrol. Islamist militants in Niger are part of a regional insurgency in the poor, sparsely populated deserts of West Africa's Sahel. In 2017, five countries - Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mali and Mauritania - backed by France, launched a taskforce, the G5 Sahel, in order to combat the insurgents. France operates in the region through its regional Barkhane force. During the operation the force recovered 20 motorbikes and a stash of weapons including several machine guns during the operation, the French military said in a statement. (Reporting by Sophie Louet, Writing by Sarah White Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) Mettler-Toledo International, Inc. is a supplier of precision instruments and services. The firm manufactures weighing instruments for use in laboratory, industrial, packaging, logistics, and food retailing applications. It also manufactures several related analytical instruments and provides automated chemistry solutions used in drug and chemical compound discovery and development; and also, metal detection and other end-of-line inspection systems used in production and packaging and provides solutions for use in certain process analytics applications. Its operations are conducted by the following segments: U. S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations and Other. The U.S. Operations segment represents certain of the company's marketing and producing organizations located in the United States. The Swiss Operations segment includes marketing and producing organizations located in Switzerland, as well as extensive R&D operations that are responsible for the development, production, and marketing of precision instruments, including weighing, analytical, and measurement technologies for use in a variety of industrial and laboratory applications. Th Read More Albany The opioid epidemic knows no boundaries, but its grip is strongest in the forgotten places where economic stagnation has brought despair and desperation. Few places are as poor and forgotten as Native American reservations, so it should be little surprise that opioids have also ravaged many tribes. The St. Regis Mohawk tribe along the St. Lawrence River in far northern New York are among the victims. Just before Christmas, the tribe became the latest entity to file suit against the big pharmaceutical companies, including OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, accusing them of pushing opioids with all the care of the corner drug dealer. That's a familiar accusation by now, and it's also largely true. But the tribe's 138-page complaint, filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, details just how profoundly devastating the crisis has become on a reservation that is "saturated" with Oxycontin and other opioids. Here's one depressing statistic: The tribe says that, over the last five years, opioid abuse is responsible for 85 to 90 percent of its child-welfare cases and the forced break-up of many families. "The opioid epidemic is far more devastating and has had a more profound cost on our tribal community than anyone could have ever imagined," St. Regis Mohawk Chief Beverly Cook said in a written statement. "An entire generation of tribal members is growing up in the shadow of the opioid epidemic." On and away from the reservation, the toll is staggering. Over the last two decades, more than 300,000 Americans have died by overdosing on Oxycontin and other opioids. That's five times the number that died in the Vietnam War, and we are all but powerless to stop it. How responsible are the drug companies? Certainly, there is a personal responsibility component to the crisis. Some users come to opioids fully aware of the danger and might have otherwise turned to some other powerful narcotic. It's hard to hold drug companies responsible for that. Nor are they responsible for the despair that helps addiction flourish. This isn't just a pharmaceutical crisis; it's a spiritual and emotional one seemingly borne from a loss of meaning, purpose and happiness. It's about the profound emptiness and loneliness that too many Americans feel in places where work, faith, family and community have all collapsed. "Opioids have a remarkable capacity to alleviate anxiety," said Michael Nerney, an anti-addiction consultant in Hamilton County. "You can't get a better tool for medicating your feelings." Nerney, who has worked with the St. Regis Mohawk and other tribes, said the exceedingly desperate economic and social conditions of many reservations makes them perfect breeding grounds for addiction. For a Native culture that has been all but wrecked but outside forces, opioids are just the latest invader. I asked Nerney what he thought about the tribe's decision to sue. "More power to them," he said. "We need drugs, and they are a critical part of our medical system. But we don't need drug companies suppressing information." Yes, there is ample evidence that drug companies hid the dangers as they recklessly promoted opioids and supplied them well beyond the demands of responsible use. (Americans are said to consume 30 times more opioids than are medically necessary.) A decade ago, Purdue Pharma, the company that makes Oxycontin, pleaded guilty to lying about the addictiveness of their product and was fined $634 million. Things turned out fine for the company, though. It sold $1.7 billion of Oxycontin last year alone. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. For anyone who bothers to look, it is hard not to see a terrible greed as a partner in the opioid epidemic. As communities and families and lives were devastated, the big pharmaceutical companies raked in profits and refused to acknowledge the ruin at their hands. For that, they should be held accountable just as Wall Street firms responsible for the financial crisis should have been held responsible for the destruction they caused. They mostly weren't, of course, and it's easy to assume the drug companies will likewise escape culpability. They, too, have paid for powerful friends in government. But even if juries demanded that drug companies hand over every penny of opioid profit, the money wouldn't begin to make up for the damage that's been done. How do we put a price on the lost lives we see each day in the obituaries, the bright young faces who don't belong there? We can't. And while money extracted from drug companies could help fight the epidemic with more treatment centers, it will do nothing to combat the despair and anxiety that provide such fertile ground for addiction. It will do nothing to dull our pain. It won't get at the root cause of the opioid epidemic. More Information Contact Chris Churchill at 518-454-5700 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse Money, as the saying goes, can't buy happiness. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill ALBANY The vacant residences spread across a Saratoga County neighborhood where NXIVM founder Keith Raniere and many of his most loyal followers had thrived for more than two decades have sat idle for months. Most of the homes, including Raniere's townhouse on Flintlock Drive in the Knox Woods development in Halfmoon, have remained empty with curtains drawn, providing no indication of the illicit acts that federal authorities say once unfolded inside them. Sex trafficking. Branding of women. Forced labor. Identity theft. Extortion. Money laundering. Obstruction of justice. The extent of the alleged criminal activity began to be revealed in late March when Raniere, who is known as "Vanguard" to his devotees, was taken into custody in Mexico and deported to the United States. That same month, two of the Halfmoon residences controlled by Raniere and his NXIVM members were raided by FBI agents who carted away more than $500,000 in cash, mounds of documents and dozens of electronic devices, including computers and cell phones. The allegations Details of the federal criminal charges against NXIVM's leaders: Keith Raniere and Clare Bronfman conspired to commit identity theft arising out of a scheme to obtain the email usernames and passwords of perceived enemies and critics of Raniere in order to monitor their electronic communications. Raniere and Bronfman participated in an identity theft conspiracy involving the use of credit card and banking information belonging to one of Raniere's sexual partners after her death in November 2016. Bronfman sent Raniere regular emails documenting expenses charged to the woman's credit card for Raniere's "review and approval." Those expenses included payments to a chiropractor for Raniere's benefit, as well as thousands of dollars' worth of clothing and shoe purchases for the mother of Raniere's child. Bronfman encouraged and induced the illegal entry into the United States of an alien for Bronfman's financial gain, engaging in international wire transfers to make it fraudulently appear that the victim had the financial resources to obtain an investor visa. Raniere and Lauren Salzman trafficked a victim, who was once a sexual partner of Raniere's, for labor and services. The victim was confined to a room in Halfmoon for nearly two years as punishment for having romantic feelings for another man. The victim was told that if she left the room, she would be sent to Mexico without any identification documents. Raniere and Lauren Salzman obtained property and services from their slaves through fraud and extortion. After Dominus Obsequious Sororium was exposed, Salzman was one of the leaders of a disinformation campaign designed to spread lies about DOS and NXIVM members in order to discredit victims. Nancy Salzman, in her role as second-in-command to Raniere within NXIVM, conspired with Raniere and others to obstruct justice by altering records in connection with a civil lawsuit initiated by NXIVM against a former student. As part of the discovery in the former student's countersuit, Nancy Salzman was ordered to turn over videos of courses the student had taken. Nancy Salzman engaged in a scheme to edit videos of courses she had taught to remove materials that she and her co-conspirators believed would have supported the former student's claims. Raniere and Russell conspired to commit identity theft as part of a scheme to smuggle an alien into the United States through Canada after the alien was denied entry. Russell provided the alien with an identification card bearing the last name and birthday of a dead woman. (Source: U.S. Attorney's office in Brooklyn) See More Collapse Raniere, whose organization has long been described by experts as a cult, was initially charged in a federal complaint with an array of criminal conduct, including coercing women to have sex with him by luring them into a bizarre secret society within NXIVM. He has since been charged in a superseding indictment unsealed in July that expanded his alleged crimes and implicated his closest confidantes, including NXIVM co-founder Nancy Salzman and Clare Bronfman, NXIVM's longtime operations director and an heiress to the Seagram's liquor fortune. For nine months, Raniere has been held without bond at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn that houses about 1,600 suspected offenders, including violent gang members and others charged with serious crimes. The 58-year-old has remained in the facility's general population without incident, according to people familiar with his incarceration. A federal judge has rebuffed his attorneys' repeated attempts to have him released on bond pending trial. For Raniere, his decades of living off the grid and controlling the intricate details of his followers' lives have quickly faded. A man who declined to drive, vote or apply for a credit card and who apparently falsely claimed he was the smartest person in the world and a brilliant college student is now relegated to constant government oversight, and has no control over any of his daily activities. Still, "I have been impressed with his ability to withstand the pressures of incarceration, because no one wants to be there," said Paul DerOhannesian, an Albany attorney who is a member of Raniere's defense team. "I think no one wants to be in jail, and he's not pleased with that, but I think he's more equipped than most people." For residents of the Capital Region, the revelation of NXIVM's cult-like activities and the alleged criminal conduct of its leaders came as little surprise. The Times Union had extensively reported on the inner workings of the secretive group dating back 20 years, including a 2012 series that raised allegations Raniere had sex with underage girls and had used the well-funded organization to punish defectors and critics with crippling litigation. The criminal case against Raniere and his co-defendants Bronfman, Salzman and her daughter, Lauren, TV actress Allison Mack, and NXIVM bookkeeper Kathy Russell includes a complex maze of federal statutes. Pre-trial motions by their highly experienced defense attorneys have already sought to poke holes in the government's case, including the central allegation that the secret women's organization was no more than a sex-trafficking ploy. The defense arguments accuse the government of overreaching on many aspects of its case. They assert that the women were not pressured into joining the secret club, in which they were branded with a symbol that blended the initials of Raniere and Mack. Defense lawyers have noted, for instance, that not all of the women in the group had sex with Raniere, and that their willing participation was evidenced by the fact the members were provided a stencil to choose the exact location of the brand that was seared into their flesh just above their genitalia by a doctor associated with NXIVM. The branding was done by Danielle Roberts, an osteopath who used a cauterizing tool to brand multiple participants in the secret group. A state Health Department review of Roberts' role in the branding has languished, and she has not been accused of wrongdoing or medical misconduct. Details of the branding were outlined in a complaint filed with the Health Department last year by Sarah Edmondson of Vancouver. She said that at least 20 women associated with NXIVM were lured into the club and required to provide some sort of damaging "collateral," such as a nude photo or a dark revelation from their past, in order to become part of the club. They were told that if they broke the rules or left, their collateral would be made public. In a series of interviews with the Times Union last year, Edmondson said many of the women were misled. She said she was told it would be a "tattoo" and only learned weeks later that the brand, which she had been told was a Latin symbol for "the elements," actually featured the initials of Raniere and Mack, whom Edmondson's complaint identified as having "started" the secret women's group with Raniere. Although federal prosecutors in Brooklyn now say the activities of the secret club amounted to sex trafficking their complaint details the account of one woman who was allegedly coerced into having sex with Raniere state health officials initially dismissed Edmondson's complaint and said the allegations "did not occur (within) the doctor-patient relationship and should be reported to law enforcement." Edmondson said she contacted State Police, but an investigator told her there was no criminal conduct because the women had agreed to be branded. Federal prosecutors now say Raniere created the secret club, known as "Dominus Obsequious Sororium," which means "Master Over the Slave Women." Raniere's attorneys have since acknowledged that he helped create the club, which he once disavowed, but contend any sex Raniere had with its members was consensual. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Typical of NXIVM's numerous drawn-out court fights with its perceived enemies, the criminal case still months away from trial has also produced early controversy when prosecutors recently questioned the legality of a trust fund set up by Bronfman to pay attorneys' fees for witnesses and others who may testify for the government. At least one unidentified witness, the government alleged, told prosecutors an attorney paid by the trust fund had informed her that he could not represent her unless she agreed not to cooperate with the government or to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and not answer questions. "If any such conduct rises to the level of obstruction of justice, it will be investigated by the government as a criminal matter," prosecutors wrote in a recent filing. As a federal judge examines the trust fund arrangement, attorneys in the case said prosecutors have indicated they are moving toward filing a second superseding indictment. If so, it may expand the number of defendants and increase the severity of the criminal charges. A new indictment could also serve as a way for the government to tighten down the criminal case to withstand any appeals should they win convictions, according to legal observers. DerOhannesian, a former Albany County assistant district attorney who specializes in criminal law, has described the government's case as "legally adventuresome" and said that both sides have not yet revealed all that they know. "I think this case is far from over because there's significant legal and factual issues that have to be addressed in court and may not be resolved until even appeals," he said. "I think it's wrong to try and resolve this case outside the courtroom. ... I think it's extraordinarily complex, factually and legally." The criminal case has stoked controversy in law enforcement circles as well because the prosecution is being handled by the U.S. attorneys office in Brooklyn, rather than by the U.S. attorneys office in Albany, where NXIVM has been headquartered for two decades and where law enforcement authorities had for years fielded complaints about the organization but never pursued a criminal investigation. Other law enforcement agencies that have fielded complaints but declined to pursue deep investigations of NXIVM include the New York State Police, the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agency, the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI, according to interviews with law enforcement sources and people who said they provided information to those agencies. The intensive and fast-moving federal investigation that began in Brooklyn last year followed a New York Times story that highlighted NXIVM's secret women's club and their practice of branding, which had first been reported months earlier by Frank Parlato, a former NXIVM publicist who runs various news blogs in Buffalo and has been at odds with the organization for years. No matter the outcome of Raniere's criminal case, many people familiar with the organization said that NXIVM which had once maintained offices and thousands of followers around the world has been hobbled and that it would be difficult to revive its operations, which were shut down last summer. Indeed, the organization, which the government said offered highly priced executive training and "self-help" programs that were similar to a pyramid scheme, is feeding on itself as many of Raniere's staunchest former supporters have turned on him. Some of those former devotees, in interviews, have described awakening to the realization they may have been simply guarding the door for a man more interested in unfettered sex with young women than with human development. Raniere faces up to life in prison on the sex-trafficking charges, and potentially decades in prison if convicted on related charges of wire fraud, racketeering and forced-labor conspiracy. He was taken into custody last spring at a luxury beach villa in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, along the Pacific Ocean. In Mexico, authorities said, Raniere got rid of his mobile phone and used encrypted email to communicate with his followers. They said it took Mexican authorities nearly two months to locate and detain him. A federal judge in Brooklyn has scheduled the trial of Raniere and his co-defendants to begin in March. If you're making good money in the Capital Region, chances are so is your neighbor and your neighborhood. Especially if that neighborhood is somewhere in a straight run between Slingerlands and Ballston Lake. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2013-17 American Community Survey shows the Capital Region's 318 tracts are following the national trend of households with higher median incomes clustering together. The downside: Median household incomes of the better-off areas are more than twice to nearly three times as high as incomes in Albany, Schenectady and Troy, the region's three major cities. "It shows they're self-segregating themselves in a way that is income-stratified," said Samantha Friedman, an associate professor of sociology at the state University at Albany with expertise in demographics. The trend in the metropolitan Capital Region mirrors what's happening around the nation, Friedman said. Twelve of the 17 tracts with median household incomes ranging from $100,000 to $127,583 are lined up in a south-to-north row from Slingerlands to Guilderland, Niskayuna, Lisha Kill in Colonie, Clifton Park and Halfmoon to Ballston Lake. The remaining five census tracts with $100,000-plus median household incomes are Bethlehem, Loudonville, East Greenbush and Saratoga Springs. Studies show that concentrations of income result in resources being pumped into schools through property taxes and various public services, Friedman said. Overall, the greater Capital Region's 11 counties are doing well compared to counties nationwide. Ten counties Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington were among the 521 counties around the nation (16.6 percent of 3,142 counties) that had an increase in median household income when comparing the 2013-17 census estimates to 2008-12 estimates. Schoharie County's income was flat. Of the region's 318 census tracts, median household income rose in 219 tracts, remained flat in 12 and fell in 87. The region's 17 tracts with the highest median household incomes don't show the robust percentage growth in household incomes in gentrifying urban neighborhoods, or the deep percentage drops in declining areas as reflected in data from the recent American Community Survey. Friedman said the attraction of urban life for people with higher incomes may help offset the draw of enclaves of wealthier people by a lure of the arts, a better walking experience and a lifestyle different from suburbia. Closing the gap Take Troy's Beman Park-Hillside neighborhoods south of Hoosick Street between Eight and 15th streets. Its residents are in Census Tract 406, which had the Capital Region's second-highest median household income expansion with an 85 percent jump to $35,478. It's still below Troy's median household income of $40,911, but new residents helped close the gap. "We've seen real estate prices going up. I've noticed new settlers in the neighborhood," said Amy Halloran, whose family moved here in 2001. Halloran noted the advantages of being close to downtown Troy and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The neighborhood "has definitely been part of the gentrification that's happening all over the city. Lots of young professional people are attracted to our neighborhood," she said. Downtown Saratoga Springs' appearance as the sixth fastest-growing census tract with an increase of 70 percent to a median household income of $81,654 seems stunning given the city's reputation as home to the rich, particularly during the summer. That reflects the combination of condominium construction feeding the growth in a downtown area that already has senior citizen housing, apartments and seasonal visitors. "Definitely more people are living here with the walkability of downtown," said Marianne Barker, owner of Impressions of Saratoga at 368 Broadway. There's the usual influx of summer visitors and convention-goers passing by Barker's store at Broadway and Phila Street, she said. But they're supplemented by the purchasers of the condos west of Broadway. "Our year-round business has been growing; we're seeing new residents (in the shop)," Barker said. Pushed out? What communities have to be concerned about is lower-income households being pushed out of neighborhoods that are attracting more affluent residents with new construction or rehabbed buildings that demand higher rents or purchase prices, said Mark Castiglione, executive director of the Capital District Regional Planning Commission. "There should be a balanced approach to residential development," Castiglione said. Without it, minority communities with lower incomes can be pushed out. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Long-time Lansingburgh residents have complained that their neighborhood, which includes the city's three northernmost census tracts, has been in decline. Household incomes have dropped, with two of the three tracts falling below the city's median household income of $40,911: One fell 22 percent to $32,489, the other dropped 13 percent to $33,722. (The other tract, along Oakwood Avenue, dipped 18 percent but at $44,550 remained above the median income.) More absentee landlords, unsafe buildings and financially strapped families are the signs of a downturn, said Mike Manupella, executive director of the Lansingburgh Boys and Girls Club on Lansingburgh's Fourth Avenue, which serves about 140 kids daily. "When there's no school, 40 kids are left without lunch," Manupella said about the club's patrons. "The household incomes are dropping. Thirty percent are single mothers here." Across the Hudson River from Lansingburgh, the city of Cohoes has seen three of its four census tracts grow in income. The largest jump 36 percent to $36,944 has been around Harmony Mills, which was converted from an abandoned mill into high-end housing units. "We're getting people who want to live here," Mayor Shawn Morse said. The revamped buildings and new construction aren't displacing lower-income residents, the mayor said. "We have plenty of housing stock for the people who need it." Morse said the city's vitality is shown in the mix of people who live in its neighborhoods, with higher-income families living across the street from lower income. "We all live here together." The suburbs continue to be where households with the highest incomes congregate. The census tracts with the highest median incomes are concentrated in these towns, and other towns are not far behind. Brunswick "is a great location to travel to where the high-paying jobs are," Supervisor Phil Herrington said about his suburban-rural town. "It's a beautiful place to live." That sentiment could sum up the advantages many of these communities have. Brunswick has a median household income of $86,115, which is the ninth-highest in the region among towns and cities. And that's what's leading to growth in neighboring rural areas. In Nassau, both the village and the town have enjoyed robust household income growth. The village's median household income climbed 67 percent to $67,308, while the town saw a jump of 22 percent to $75,938. "It's 15 or 20 minutes to downtown Albany," Supervisor David Fleming said. "People want the quality of life out here. They're in the Averill Park and East Greenbush school districts." The community is also seeing downstaters moving in to live part of the week in town, helping to bring up income levels, Fleming said. Between the town and the village, there is a variety of housing, which should stop the community from becoming enclave of high-income families and continue to have a broad spectrum of residents, he said. New York Ryan Seacrest and Anderson Cooper will be there. Snoop Dogg, too. But 1 or 2 million people in New York's Times Square for New Year's Eve? As Snoop would say, you must be sippin' on gin and juice. Crowd-size experts scoff at those mammoth figures floated annually by city officials and event organizers saying it's impossible to squeeze that many of even the skinniest revelers into such a relatively small space. The real Times Square ball drop crowd likely has fewer than 100,000 people, crowd science professor G. Keith Still said. "Generally, people are overestimating crowd sizes by 10- to 100-fold," said Still, who teaches crowd science at Manchester Metropolitan University in England and trains police departments on techniques to calculate crowd sizes. The crowd estimates come from the New York City Police Department, according to the Times Square Alliance, which runs the ball drop. In recent years, the department estimated that 2 million people had packed into Times Square. Mayor Bill de Blasio used a big number again Friday, saying the city expected "up to 2 million people in Times Square itself," a bow-tie-shaped zone running five blocks between Broadway and Seventh Avenue. New York University professor Charles Seife, a mathematician and journalist who explored statistical manipulation in his book "Proofiness," said the city has an interest in promoting a bigger number because it "helps cement the image of New York City as the center of the universe at a certain date and time." He suggested fuzzy math and fuzzier geography were also at play. "How do you count a participant in the Times Square ball drop?" Seife asked. "Is it everyone who can see the ball, or anyone squeezed into a bar in Manhattan?" To actually fit 1 million revelers, the city would have to jam more than the equivalent of a sold-out Yankee Stadium on every block of Seventh Avenue between Times Square and Central Park which starts about 15 blocks to the north. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Still and his colleagues perform detailed analyses when calculating precise crowd totals. But even using simple techniques, like measuring Times Square on a map and running a few calculations, it's clear the numbers don't get anywhere near 1 million. Times Square would hold about 51,000 people at a density of 3 people per square meter, Still said, or about 86,000 at 5 people per square meter. It might reach 120,000 if the crowd packed in at 7 people per square meter, but he said that density, involving people squished together front-to-back and shoulder-to-shoulder, is unlikely. Those numbers don't count people watching from hotel and office building windows or from penned-off areas farther away. They also don't account for space taken up by stages, security apparatus and egress routes, where people would otherwise be able to stand. New York's crowd estimate has evolved over time. As late as 1998, the police department was estimating that roughly 500,000 people attended. But for the millennium bash at the close of 1999, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani predicted as many as 2 million. At big events, an accurate crowd estimate is critical to public safety. The wrong number can leave cities devoting too many or too few resources to an event, Still said. But New York manages the throngs well, funneling revelers into penned off areas, so there's no opportunity for overcrowding, and screening each person for weapons. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed more than 60 bills at the end of the week and vetoed 51 more. Some could broadly impact New Yorkers, while others were quite narrow, but all the decisions came on the Friday between Christmas and New Year's Day. The deadline to sign or veto any of the bills on Cuomo's desk was the end of 2018. One of Cuomo's biggest decisions was the veto of a bill that would mandate employers provide paid time off for "bereavement" following the death of a worker's loved one. The legislation which would have applied to the death of a child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, spouse or domestic partners would have become part of New York's paid family leave program, which already includes mandated paid time off for maternity leave, or to care for an ill family member. "There is no greater loss than the death of a close family member, and I fully understand the spirit of this bill to ensure that hardworking New Yorkers can take time to mourn the passing of a loved one," Cuomo wrote in his veto message. But he also said the bill had many issues of concern. "The twelve-week benefit upon full implementation would constitute an extreme expansion of the (paid family leave) program, the cost of which would result in a dramatic burden on low-wage workers," Cuomo wrote. Cuomo noted that employee contribution to fund the program would have to dramatically rise to pay for the new benefit. A bill Cuomo did sign would create a transit "lock box," which would require the Legislature to sign off before the governor could divert funds originally meant to fund transit. The bill's passage came after past concerns about the diversion of such funds, and ahead of a year when the Legislature is expected to wrestle with how to fund billions in new spending for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. State Sen. Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville, also touted Cuomo's signing of a bill Tedisco had sponsored. The bill will extend the time frame a car owner has to submit their license plate to the Department of Motor Vehicles when the vehicle is repossessed. "This new law is a win, win, win for car owners, small businesses and local governments by extending to 10 days the time motorists have to return their license plates to the DMV if their car is ever repossessed," Tedisco said in a statement. "Consumers won't have to pay to re-register their car during those 10 days and this bill will save tax dollars on paperwork and time spent by county DMV offices re-registering people and small businesses in processing repossessions." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Among other bills Cuomo signed included one changing New York laws to replace the words "fireman" or "policeman" and with the terms "firefighter" or "police officer." Cuomo also signed a bill directing the state to issue a distinctive license plate honoring the 1988 Winter Olympics Jamaican bobsled team, which was famously depicted in the film "Cool Runnings." The Assembly memo backing the measure notes there are many people of Jamaican background living in the state. Among the proposals vetoed by Cuomo were: - A bill establishing a "New York City seawall study commission" that would have sought to protect the city from the hazards brought by climate change. In his veto message, Cuomo wrote that while the goal was admirable, state resources have to be expended in a "prudent manner" and there are already several other state efforts under way to address the risks from sea level rise. - A bill requiring at least three members of the Public Service Commission be present at a meeting to have a quorum, and three votes in favor of a measure (out of a possible five) to pass. Cuomo said that measure would "severely restrict" the ability of the PSC to act in the case of an emergency. - A bill providing state recognition and acknowledgement of the Montaukett Indians on eastern Long Island. Cuomo, who had previously vetoed two similar bills, wrote that the New York Department of State was in the process of reviewing documents concerning whether the Nation should earn such recognition. The young inmates were taken by van from a jail on Rikers Island in New York City to an airfield hours north of the city. There, the abuse started almost immediately, according to a federal lawsuit filed Friday. A dozen correction officers from a county jail led them inside a building and into metal cages. They would issue deliberately confusing commands and when the inmates failed to comply, the guards would pummel and kick them, use their Taser guns, and shove their fingers and batons into their rectums. "This is not Rikers," the guards shouted before sending the inmates to solitary confinement at the jail, the Albany County Correctional Facility, according to the suit. The abuse was designed for inmates from Rikers who had been accused of assaulting correction officers, according to the suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan by three inmates and another young man who had been held in the county jail in Colonie. The lawsuit comes five months after a New York Times investigation found that New York City had increased the number of young inmates transferred to correctional facilities elsewhere in the state since 2015, when the city banned solitary for inmates younger than 22 and limited it for others. While New York has long had the power to transfer inmates, defense lawyers and inmate advocates criticized the increase as an end-run around the city's own rules, adding that it undermined Mayor Bill de Blasio's promise to reform the criminal justice system. In many cases, inmates sent away from New York City have been accused of assaulting guards and are transferred in part because their safety cannot be ensured. But the lawsuit, filed against the city, Albany County officials and individual correction officers, said the inmates' constitutional rights were violated when they were sent upstate without any regard for their welfare, and that the men were systematically targeted for brutal treatment carried out by high-ranking correction staff. "The lawsuit will reveal that the city knows what's going on and condones it," said Katherine Rosenfeld, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, who are represented by two private law firms. "They keep putting people in the van and sending them up there." A spokesman for the mayor, Eric Phillips, did not respond directly to the accusations of abuse. In a statement, Phillips said, "For an extremely small number of young detainees facing credible safety threats in our jails, the safest option is a transfer to another facility." Sheriff Craig Apple, when contacted by the Times Union Saturday, said he had not seen the complaint and that the office does not comment on litigation. The inmates' situation was exacerbated when they were sent to solitary confinement, the suit claimed. Isolation increases the risk of depression or suicide, especially among younger inmates. The city's jail reforms were inspired, in part, de Blasio said, by Kalief Browder, a teenager who committed suicide after spending much of his three years at Rikers in solitary confinement before robbery charges against him were dropped. Hundreds of inmates have been kept out of isolation since the city started its ban on solitary confinement for young people and reduced its use for other inmates. Still, the transfer of inmates to outside jails seems to highlight the limitations of the ban. Two plaintiffs in the suit were 19 and 21 when they were transferred to Albany County. The other two were older than 22. One of the plaintiffs is identified only as John Doe because he fears retaliation by correction workers. One plaintiff, Davon Washington, now 22, said in an interview at his Bronx home that he wrote the mayor and provided a detailed account of the abuse, and asked to be transferred. He said he never received a response. Washington was transferred from Rikers Island to the Albany County facility in March, two weeks after he said he got into an altercation with a city deputy warden. He was there until November and released from the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in Albany on Monday. He had been convicted of attempted robbery. "I've been trying to forget about Albany," he said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Like each of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Washington said that in Albany, he was forced to follow a series of commands. The moment he made a mistake, he was repeatedly punched in the face and then stomped by multiple correction officers. He said there was a lieutenant who led the attacks and directed the officers while a superintendent watched. The officers accused him of hiding contraband in his body, but he said he did not have anything on him. He said a correction officer inserted two fingers into his rectum. He said he was taken to a body scanner designed to detect contraband stored in a person's body. At one point, a nurse asked if he had any injuries. When he said he did, he was punched in the face. Washington, who was handcuffed and shackled, was eventually placed in isolation. While inside the small cell, he said, the officers attacked him again. After the beating, he was bleeding, his tooth was chipped, his lip was split, and he had bruises all over his body. During the attacks, he said, he thought he was going to die. He received an infraction ticket for trying to assault an officer, which he said was a bogus claim. At a disciplinary hearing, he was sentenced to 360 days in isolation and denied phone privileges for a month. "I was losing my mind doing the same thing over and over again," Washington said. He said he was beaten again in October, after correction officers learned he had met with lawyers about his allegations of abuse. "The city failed to investigate or remediate these conditions and has continued sending detainees, including many aged 21 and younger, to the Albany County Jail without notice or hearing, to be beaten and put in solitary confinement," the lawsuit said. The other plaintiffs include Pariis Tillery, 25, and Steven Espinal, 19. Espinal was one of four inmates charged with gang assault for the attack on Rikers Island correction officer Jean Souffrant, which was captured on video. The attack left the officer's spine fractured. Espinal said he was beaten in Albany, lost hearing in his left ear, and passed blood in his urine after the attacks. He was hospitalized and sentenced to 600 days in solitary confinement. "They would say these are violent kids. These kids have done some of them very violent things. They're human," said Steven Goldman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, adding that correction staff "attach blame and now it's open season." Washington President Donald Trump blamed Democrats on Saturday for the deaths of two migrant children in detention at the southwest border this month, wielding the episodes as justification to fund a border wall. The comments came in twin posts on Twitter, where the president spent much of the day denouncing Democrats as the partial government shutdown approached its eighth day over his demand for funding for the wall. "Any deaths of children or others at the border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally," he wrote in one message, his first public remarks about the deaths. "They can't. If we had a wall, they wouldn't even try!" On Christmas Eve, a boy, 8, identified as Felipe Gomez Alonzo, died in U.S. custody. Authorities said he had been taken to a hospital after showing what appeared to be signs of sickness. He was released but was taken again to the hospital, where employees were unable to revive him after he had fainted. Nearly three weeks earlier, Jakelin Caal Maquin, 7, died after she had been taken to a Border Patrol station. Both children had been detained with their fathers after being apprehended at the border. In pointing to Democrats and their immigration policies, the president overtly injected politics into the children's deaths and mischaracterized the reasons cited for them, as well as their families' reactions. "The two children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol," the president said. "The father of the young girl said it was not their fault, he hadn't given her water in days. Border Patrol needs the wall and it will all end. They are working so hard & getting so little credit!" Many of the circumstances surrounding the boy's death remain unknown. It is not clear whether his health deteriorated because of the journey to the United States, neglect by personnel in the various border facilities he was moved to or a combination of those factors. Border Patrol said Jakelin had not eaten or consumed water for several days before being detained, but her father, Nery Gilberto Caal Cruz, disputed that statement. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The president abruptly torpedoed a temporary spending deal last week to avert the shutdown after complaints from some of his most conservative backers in Congress, and instead demanded additional funding for the wall. The president dug in further Saturday, claiming: "For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us 'NONE' for Border Security! Now we have to do it the hard way, with a shutdown. Too bad!" Democrats have repeatedly indicated that they would support substantial funding increases for security at the southern border with Mexico. Many voted to do so in 2013 as part of a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration overhaul. But they view a wall like the one Trump advocates as an ineffective and costly response to an immigration system in disrepair. Lawmakers in the party have offered Trump $1.3 billion for border security. Democratic leaders say they see little incentive to negotiate with the president after he repeatedly reversed himself on border funding, or to allocate more than $1.3 billion since the administration has spent only a small fraction of the money Congress approved last year for barriers along the border. White House officials say the president feels good about his stance on the shutdown, and sees no urgency toward making a deal. THE ISSUE: New reports further expose Russian attempts to influence U.S. politics and public opinion. THE STAKES: With so many leaders and citizens in denial, this attack on our democracy continues. If Americans learned that the U.S. government was flooding social media with propaganda designed to influence how they vote, the uproar across the country, and on the steps of Congress, would be deafening. But even as Americans learn more and more about how Russia used social media to manipulate voters in the 2016 election and how it continues to try to shape public opinion we seem to be a populace torn between outrage, denial, indifference and resignation. It doesn't help that President Donald Trump is among those in denial, unwilling to admit that he owes his presidency, to one degree or another, to Russian efforts to help get him nominated and elected. Or that Republicans, who have for two years controlled both houses of Congress, have been only slowly confronting that reality, wary of the likely blowback from Mr. Trump, his loyal base and the right-wing media. The latest revelations come in two reports released this month by the Senate Intelligence Committee. They were prepared by cybersecurity company New Knowledge and the Computational Propaganda Research Project, a study by researchers at the University of Oxford and Graphika, a social media analysis firm. They detail how the Internet Research Agency, a firm owned by a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, used a host of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, to target groups of voters with tailored messages, including African Americans in an effort to depress what was expected to be a key portion of Hillary Clinton's vote. It's worth noting that this stoking of racial animus in America was a tactic of the old Soviet Union as well to create social unrest in the U.S. But race isn't the only thing propagandists have had to work with. They've also focused on our sharp ideological divides, hammering home patriotic, anti-immigrant, anti-liberal narratives to conservative and right-wing voters. More recently, they've focused on, among other things, trying to discredit scrutiny by the FBI and Special Counsel Robert Mueller of the very interference they engaged in memes we can all see echoing on right wing internet sites, radio and Fox News. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. While Congress has been looking into this, the pace at which Republicans have been doing so has been conspicuously slow. And with Mr. Trump alternating between outright denial and tortured attempts to suggest somehow, contrary to all credible evidence, that this was really done to benefit his Democratic opponent, the official response to this interference has been muddled at best. With little diplomatic or other pushback, the researchers warn, America will be open to continued attacks on its democracy. The growing evidence of Russian interference, and a more bipartisan Congress next year, could change this dynamic. But in the end citizens can expect only so much of elected representatives who, even under the best of circumstances, are sensitive to public opinion. Until Americans themselves accept that they are not immune to the power of propaganda, they will remain vulnerable to an adversary who has been practicing it for the last hundred years. Farmers will be very alarmed and concerned that they continue to be left completely exposed to Brexit, according to ICMSA president Pat McCormack. There was absolutely nothing in the Government's Brexit Contingency Plan that would ally these fears, he said. The hard facts of the situation are that the primary producer in the agriculture sector is the most exposed individual to any implications of Brexit given that the processors will simply pass on the negatives, said Mr McCormack. The Government and the EU had done absolutely nothing to protect the primary producer, he said. We have been left hoping that the UK House of Commons will pass the deal to save us from the negative consequences and we are now down to days in terms of no deal crash out, said the ICMSA president. Mr McCormack said that such a scenario was completely unacceptable. It was about time that our policymakers woke up to the fact that certain sectors were extremely exposed. Opening markets while welcome will not solve this massive problem facing us, he said. The Tipperary-based president said that the contingency plan made absolutely no reference to what plans the Government or the EU had to counteract the imposition of tariffs or the potential losses that will occur from Brexit. To suggest that BEEP is a response to Brexit is stretching credibility and if it is a response, farmers would simply ask the question, where are the measures for milk, dairy beef production, tillage, sheep etc? he said. Mr McCormack pointed out that farmers and other business people were entering uncertain times while politicians continued to play games. It is about time that hard decisions were taken that will actually protect these exposed sectors. Politicians are playing for time and our sector, and lets be clear, the economic bedrock of rural Ireland, is facing its biggest threat in decades, he said. Mr McCormack said that there needed to be a step up in terms of measures to support the sector and greater priority given to its issues. Meanwhile, IFA president Joe Healy said that with just 100 days to Brexit, there was massive concern among all farmers and especially livestock farmers about prices and exports to our most important export market in the UK. Our Taoiseach and Tanaiste have told us about all sorts of contingencies like customs posts and hiring extra vets, but we havent heard anything about what plan has been put in place to protect Irish farmers, who are the most exposed in Europe, he said. He said that the time had come for the Mr Varadkar and Agriculture Minister Michael Creed, along with the EU Commission, to come forward with a comprehensive programme of supports that will address the real issues around market supports and cattle prices. The new year is almost upon us, and with it comes CES 2019 and announcements of what TVs are coming in 2019. While most companies are holding major news in reserve for the big show, rumors and leaks have started to give us a pretty clear picture of the trends and changes we can expect in the coming months. Here's a rundown of rumors for all of the major players, including LG, Samsung, Sony and more. LG Rollable TV, New 8K OLED and New Processors One of the biggest CES 2019 announcements is expected be LGs first rollable TV, a commercially available version of the LG Rollable TV prototype that LG Display demoed last year. The rollable design puts an OLED display onto flexible glass, pairing it with segmented components that let the entire screen roll up and tuck away out of sight. By hiding the TV when not in use, you won't have to worry about how that big OLED TV looks when it's hanging on the wall with nothing on the screen. The rollable TV prototype had different modes as well. The first mode unrolls just one-third of the way open, allowing you to see info like weather and news. The second mode offers a 21:9 screen, which matches the aspect ratio of ultrawide movies. On the third mode, the screen unrolls completely for 16:9 aspect ratio, used in most movies and shows. Also exciting is the likelihood of an 8K OLED TV. While Samsung made waves in 2018 with the first commercially available 8K TV, it used Samsung's QLED technology, which is still based on a backlit LCD panel. If LG comes out with an 8K version of its OLED set, it will pair the higher resolution with the undeniable benefits of OLED deeper blacks and zero haloing, thanks to per-pixel illumination. While no official announcement has been made, LG's was showing off an 8K set at IFA (as seen by our sister site What Hi-Fi), and the company's own LG Magazine suggests that an 8K model may be released in June of 2019. MORE: What Is OLED? LG has already announced that its 2019 OLED TVs will be powered with the second generation of its Alpha 9 processors (called the a9 Gen 2). The processor will be used for both video enhancement and smart functions, like voice interaction. LG is promoting the chip's ability to produce clearer, sharper images, with improvements to every aspect of picture quality color quality, contrast, sharpness, tone mapping and noise reduction, along with support for 120Hz high frame rate (HFR) content. On top of that, we can expect LG to include the new processing hardware in its W9, E9 and C9 OLED TVs, which will be continuations of the current model lines. It's also likely that LG's ThinQ AI will get a boost, as well. LG uses the AI enhancement for everything from content recommendations to it's interactive voice assistant, and any enhancements to processing power will also provide a performance boost for these capabilities. Samsung MicroLED, More 8K Options and New Looks for QLED Last year's CES saw Samsung grabbing attention with new resolutions, new designs and even a new display technology, and we can expect each of those trends to carry forward in 2019. One of the biggest announcements at last year's CES was the giant 12-foot home-theater display that Samsung calls The Wall. The floor-to-ceiling display uses Samsung's new microLED display tiles, with dozens of small modular segments joining together to make the enormous screen. Though it was mostly a showpiece last January, The Wall has been available since mid-2018, and early reports suggest that Samsung will have a scaled-down version of its microLED display at CES this year. Samsung is leading the market in 8K TVs, thanks to the launch of the 85-inch Q900R QLED 8K TV, the first commercially available 8K set, which sells for $14,999(US)/14,999(UK). But while the U.S. has only been able to get 8K in the 85-inch size, the U.K. market also saw the 65-inch Q900R QLED, which puts the 33-million-pixel display into a more mainstream size. Chances are very good that we'll be seeing a similar 65-inch model launched in the U.S. for 2019, as well as a potential 75-inch model that fits between the two in both size and price. Samsung's design-first lifestyle TV, "The Frame" has also been a big hit for the company, putting a slim 4K TV into a tasteful design that mimics a framed photo or painting hung on the wall. Samsung has recently announced partnerships with several galleries New Zealand's Te Papa gallery, Italy's Uffizi galleries and The Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands to bring 62 classic artworks to the art store that accompanies The Frame. Launched in 2017 and refreshed in 2018, this announcement suggests another refresh is coming in 2019. MORE: Best 4K TV - Reviews and Comparisons, From Budget to HDR Finally, we can expect Samsung's QLED line to keep going strong in 2019. The premium TV line uses quantum-dot technology to offer the best LCD panels around, but early reports suggest new refinements to the technology, such as advanced filtering for better black levels, enhanced backlight and (hopefully) a smarter version of the Bixby voice assistant. Samsung has continued to incorporate Bixby into its smart phones and smart TVs, but we hope to see the voice assistant get improvements in voice recognition. Sony has managed to keep most of its CES plans under wraps this year, but we can still guess as to what might be coming from the TV giant. Last year, Sony showed off an 8K TV that paired the ultrahigh resolution with Sony's X1 Ultimate processor, a preproduction processor that more than doubled the processing power of the current X1 Extreme processors used in 2018 models of Sony TV. It also boasted an insanely bright 10,000 nit backlight, giving the 85-inch prototype exceptional dynamic range and contrast. While no plans were announced to bring this particular model to market, it's likely that Sony will have one or more 8K models launching in 2019, and it's likely that several features shown in this demonstration will trickle down to the commercial models. Sony also introduced a new line of flagship TVs in mid-2018, called the Bravia Master Series. These OLED and LCD TVs featured updated processor and features, like an improved version of the Acoustic Surface Audio+ sound system that uses the display's glass panel to produce sound, and wider viewing angles. It's likely that we'll see the Master Series expanded for 2019 with new processing hardware and additional screen sizes. But one of the biggest features on the Master Series is Netflix Calibrated Mode (NCM), a fine-tuned setting for decoding 4K video streamed from the popular service and optimizing the display settings for the unique properties of the OLED or LCD panels used in each set. The feature is currently exclusive to Sony's Master Series, but I'd be surprised if we don't see it expanded to the rest of the Bravia lineup in 2019. MORE: Who Makes the Smartest Smart TV? Here Are the Results Finally, expect Sony's new TVs to launch with the newer Android TV 8.0, code named Oreo. Oreo updates have started hitting Sony's 2016 and 2017 models in early November, and some late 2018 models have been coming with the new OS preinstalled. The new version of Android TV includes improved search using Google Assistant, an improved on-screen keyboard and a more usable home screen menu. It also fixes a number of smaller technical issues, such as the picture quality issues seen when viewing Dolby Vision content on Netflix. Everybody Else Vizio, TCL, Hisense and New Roku OS 9 While that covers the biggest players in the TV space, it hardly covers everything. Manufacturers like Vizio, Hisense and others will continue to offer midrange and budget-friendly TVs, and are expected to announce new models and features at CES. One of the biggest drivers of change is Roku TV, which provides the smart-TV platform for most of these less expensive brands. (Image credit: TCL) Roku OS 9 is coming to sets from Hisense, TCL, RCA and others, and it brings a slew of new features. The biggest changes include Google Assistant support, letting you use Google Assistant or a Google Home device to change channels, adjust volume and settings, open and pause apps, and search for content. Content search, in general, is getting a boost, with the new "Free" genre voice search, which lets you not only search by genre (i.e., sitcoms, dramas or comedies) but specifically search for free content in those genres using phrases like "lets see free sitcoms," or "show me free comedies." New HDMI 2.1 Standard Some changes that are coming are industrywide, and likely to show up across several manufacturers and brands. The biggest of these is HDMI 2.1, a new version of HDMI that offers up to 48Gbps of bandwidth. The biggest beneficiary of this huge data throughput will be 8K content. Current 8K displays use convoluted connectivity schemes like combining four separate HDMI inputs, or delivering video over Cat6 cable. The new HDMI 2.1 standard allows 4K resolution at 120Hz or 8K resolution at 60Hz and even up to 10k resolution, all with a single cable. Expect 8K sets announced for 2019 to all feature 2.1 connectivity. You'll also see improvements for 4K TVs, with better delivery of high dynamic range content, variable refresh rate support and the higher bandwidth needed for some audio formats over eARC. The HDMI 2.1 spec was only completed this year, but manufacturers have been preparing for its arrival since 2017, and the first full-bandwidth cables have just hit the market, so we can expect to see some models equipped with 2.1 ports later this year. But don't worry about having to swap out all of your cables just yet. The current HDMI 2.0b standard will still be in use for current 4K sets and well into the next few years. Alexa and Google Assistant Everywhere Finally, expect more TVs to offer voice interactivity, and consider compatibility with Google Home and Amazon Alexa to be a standard feature for smart TVs. These handy gadgets not only offer voice control, they also make it easier to integrate your smart TV into your connected home. Early adopters saw some smart-speaker integration in late 2017, and most manufacturers added the capability to premium models in 2018, but in 2019, it's coming to everything. Credit: Tom's Guide Kansas City Royals: 2019 could be the end for Alex Gordon When Alex Gordon signed his four year, $72 million extension with a mutual option for a fifth year after the 2015 season, it was a bit of a surprise. Although Gordon had become one of the bright stars in team history, the Kansas City Royals were not known for spending that type of money on anyone. Now regarded as one of the most overrated players on the roster by most fans, this formerly beloved and certainly high paid jock confronts criticism over his EPIC check that's sinking the home team. Critic believe that he's going to have to prove himself in the upcoming season. Here's the run down . . . Ocasio-Cortez Says Claire McCaskill Calling Her A 'Shiny Object' To CNN Is 'Disappointing' Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has responded to a CNN report that outgoing Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) referred to her as a "shiny object," calling the comment "disappointing." The soon-to-be congresswoman took to Twitter on Saturday to address the senator's interview with CNN published earlier this week. Democratic Party debate continues after the so-called blue wave as a rising star pushes back against Missouri's former leading political lady.Even better, she notes forward momentum for progressives locally that didn't include the soon-to-be former Senator.Read more: Social media is on fire after a 2015 video has been rediscovered showing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussing the Rapture. In the video Pompeo expresses his opposition to same-sex marriage while addressing a church congregation. In the video Pompeo declares: We will continue to fight these battles, it is a never ending struggle... This is our list of the seven most powerful three-pot power plants currently available in any car (and one model you can have it in), in ascending power order. But the perception of three-cylinder engines seems to be shifting as more and more powerful units make their way to the mainstream automotive scene. Some of them are even finding their way under the hood of proper performance cars, and if this isnt a clear indication of a shift in perception of such engines, then I dont know what is. Three-cylinder engines are normally associated with city cars whose main brief is to get you from point to point while using as little fuel as possible. Outright performance is not hugely important, nor is the way the engine sounds since all that matters for a three-pot is to be cheap to build, run, and maintain. Turbo three-pots are hot these days and even performance cars have them now Honda Civic 1.0 VTEC Honda reluctantly adopted turbocharging for its smaller displacement engines and the smallest one it offers to a worldwide audience is its 1.0-liter VTEC unit. To be clear, its not really a traditional VTEC engine. In fact, it only uses VTEC on the exhaust cam, since the turbo provides all the air needed for induction, negating the need for it here. Even if its slightly misleadingly badged, the unit is still impressive alongside other similar displacement engines. Its even one of the most powerful three-cylinder engines you can buy right now in any car. It makes 120 metric horsepower quite low, at 5,500 rpm, and its torque peaks at 200 Nm / 147 pound-feet of torque, which is about as much power as a non-turbo, four-pot, 1.6-liter from a decade ago. In the latest Civic hatchback, this 1.0-liter turbo makes the vehicle feel light and willing - it pulls surprisingly hard, achieving the benchmark sprint from naught to 100 km/h or 62 mph in a reasonable 10.9 seconds and a top speed of 203 km/h or 126.1 mph. And according to the manufacturer, it uses just 5.1 l/100km or 46.1 mpg U.S. on the combined cycle. Honda offers the engine hooked up to either a manual six-speed or a continuously variable transmission - enthusiasts will obviously go for the former, and they will be rewarded with one of the best feeling manual shifters in the business - one thats such a pleasure to use, it completely transforms the driving experience (at least that was my impression when I drove several different versions back to back at its Euro launch venue last year). Its only slight downside is that it doesnt sound that special - remember, three-pot engines sound a bit like V-6 engines, so getting one to sound good is not hard. There are other cars on this list with better sounding engines. Read our full review on the 2018 Honda Civic. Peugeot 308 1.2 PureTech Peugeots 1.2-liter, PureTech, turbocharged, three-cylinder is an engine that majors on refinement and just generally being hushed and not intrusive. You do get a hint of three-cylinder warble when really stepping on the gas in a Peugeot 308 equipped with the engine, but its never intrusive, it doesnt send vibration into the cabin, and it always has plenty of performance on tap. Its clearly not designed to be a particularly sporty engine, and its main job is efficiency. Claimed combined fuel efficiency is rated at 5.2 l/100km or 45.2 mpg U.S. But even so, it can still send a manual gearbox-equipped 308 to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 9.8 seconds and it wont stop until 206 km/h or 128 mph. The sub-10-second sprint time is impressive for such a small engined car, but you need to remember the 308 is the lightest vehicle in its class, weighing as much as vehicles from the class above made by other manufacturers. Therefore the Peugeot 1.2-liter PureTech is not necessarily a sporty engine (although its no slouch either) but equipping the light and nimble 308 it provides good performance and, in combination with the hatchbacks good handling, it makes for an enjoyable driving experience (surprisingly so). Read our full review on the 2016 Peugeot 308 Sedan. MINI Cooper - 136 ps / 220 Nm BMW didnt cut its 3.0-liter straight-six in half in order to create the 1.5-liter three-cylinder that is found in base versions of the 1 and 3 Series, as well as MINI models, but the real story is not that far off. The smaller engine was designed to use existing components, just fewer of them, in order to keep development and tooling costs down for the manufacturer. It makes 136 metric horsepower and 220 Nm / 162 pound-feet of torque. The resulting engine is a spritely and characterful unit that can send a three-door MINI to 100 km/h or 62 mph from a standstill in 7.9 seconds and on to 210 km/h or 130.5 mph. Its also probably one of the most sonorous engines on this list, as well as one of the least refined - I remember my experience driving a MINI with this engine and being shocked by how much vibration makes its way into the cabin through the steering wheel and gear selector (my tester was an automatic). However, while refinement is below average in this company, theres nothing to complain about when it comes to sheer performance and the noise it makes. Both are excellent and combined with the MINIs sharp handling, the driving experience is really enjoyable and involving. Its also pretty good on fuel too, with MINI quoting a Cooper with this engine and a manual gearbox at 5 l/100km or 47 mpg U.S. As is the case with all these turbo engines, you can only achieve that figure if you just tickle the throttle and expend a lot of energy and concentration to anticipate a lot and brake as little as possible. Read our full review on the 2018 Mini Cooper. Ford Fiesta ST Line 1.0 EcoBoost 140 PS / 180 Nm Ford has had a 140-horsepower, 1.0-liter EcoBoost on offer in the Fiesta for a few years now. In fact, Ford was the first major manufacturer to start fitting its cars with a small, downsized, three-pot turbo. And, while at first buyers were skeptical of its low displacement but comparatively high output, its proven to be a good engine over the years. It doesnt have as much torque as some rivals, only 180 Nm /132 pound-feet, but in the light Fiesta, it allows for a 0 to 100 km/h / 62 mph sprint time of nine seconds and a top speed of 202 km/h or 125 mph. With the standard factory exhaust system, the engine is not particularly loud, and with the improvements and refinement brought about by the latest Fiesta, you could almost call it hushed compared to other three-cylinder engines. It, for instance, sends considerably less vibration into the cabin than the three-pot in the MINI Cooper, although the BMW engine feels a bit more muscular thanks to its extra torque. In terms of power, theres only a difference of 4 metric horsepower, so in that respect, theyre evenly matched. Read our full review on the 2018 Ford Fiesta. Volvo XC40 1.5-liter T3 - 156 PS / 265 Nm So far Volvo has only equipped the XC40 with its new 1.5-liter three-cylinder with 156 metric horsepower and 265 Nm / 195 pound-feet of torque. But, even in this application, where it has to motivate a tall, nearly 1,800-kg / 3,970-pound vehicle, the unit still posts admirable performance numbers. The XC40 with the new three-pot T3 sprints from standstill to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 9.4 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h or 124.2 mph. Reviewers who have tried the car say it feels surprisingly muscular - the new T3 has no problem motivating the XC40, but it will probably feel even more spritely once Volvo adds it to the engine roster for the V40 hatchback. In that application, it should provide eight-second sprints to 60 mph and feel even better in gear. Weve heard a lot of good things about this new T3, an engine Volvo will be using a lot more of in the near future. Its a shame that the Swedish manufacturer doesnt have a city car or supermini, an application where this unit would grant the vehicle warm hatch performance. Read our full review on the 2018 Volvo XC40. Ford Fiesta ST 1.5 EcoBoost 200 PS / 290 Nm Believe it or not, there are actual three-cylinder hot hatches these days. Well, only one so far. Im talking about, of course, the Ford Fiesta ST with its 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine that pumps out an impressive 200 horsepower and 290 Nm / 213 pound-feet of torque. It also provides a very unique soundtrack for a hot hatch, with its throaty thrum accompanied by the occasional turbo whistle and blowoff. Performance is impressive - Ford claims the Fiesta ST equipped with this new engine sprints from 0 to 100 km/h / 62 mph in 6.5 seconds and its top speed is 232 km/h or 144.1 mph. Being a Fiesta ST, it blends its strong straight line performance with unrivaled cornering capability and suitable hot hatch looks that make it quite a unique proposition in the segment. It is officially the most powerful three-cylinder engine fitted to any new car, although, technically it isnt, because BMW makes one thats even more powerful; its just that you cant get it separately - it has to be part of a plug-in hybrid system. Read our full review on the 2018 Ford Fiesta ST. Standard AWD:Two motors in the rear and one in the front Of course, Im referring to the BMW i8, one of the worlds first serious plug-in hybrid performance cars, whose powertrain is comprised of electric motors and the same 1.5-liter three-cylinder that powers the MINI Cooper. However, in this application, its power output has been considerably boosted to a point where it even surpasses the output of the Fiesta ST. Without any form of electric boost, the 1.5-liter, three-pot turbo makes 231 metric horsepower and 320 Nm / 236 pound-feet of torque. With the extra shove provided by front- and rear-mounted electric motors, the i8 has a total power output of 354 horsepower and a whopping 550 Nm / 406 pound-feet of torque. These numbers enable it to sprint to 100 km/h or 62 mph in a mere 4.4 seconds, considerably faster than any car on this list. But it doesnt really count since it has extra aid from its electric motor, but then again, even in isolation (without the electric boost) its internal combustion engine still makes enough power to place it at the very end of our list. Maybe BMW will use this high-powered version of the 1.5-liter in the next Cooper S. It would replace the 2.0-liter engine that car still runs, a comparably big unit thats not excessively powerful for its displacement (it doesnt even make 200 horsepower right now). Read our full review on the 2019 BMW i8. Final thoughts There are definitely a few three-pot turbos that are worth your attention because they are genuinely good engines that power good cars. However, only very few of them are actual performance units - in fact, the only two performance engines on this list power the Fiesta ST and BMW i8; all others featured here off just a bit more power compared to other three-pot turbos from other manufacturers. Three-cylinder engines will continue to gain popularity within coming years, and well start seeing them in larger and larger cars. Remember, Ford was initially planning to offer the 1.0-liter EcoBoost in the Mondeo/Fusion and even though it didnt, the fact that the idea was even considered I think shows how the industry will progress in this direction in the near future. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 30) Vice President Leni Robredo issued her message for Rizal Day Sunday, saying Filipinos should remember the lessons imparted by the country's national hero to heart. "In these times when ruthless practicality is foisted on us as virtue, and when respect for individual dignity is maligned as weakness, Rizal stands as a reminder that true freedom always goes hand in hand with kindness and integrity," she said. Robredo led the wreath-laying ceremony for the 122nd anniversary of Rizal's martyrdom at Luneta Park Sunday morning. In the afternoon, President Rodrigo Duterte will lead the ceremony in Davao City's Rizal Park. Robredo quoted a passage from Jose Rizal's novel El Filibusterismo, citing the difference brought about by hate and love. "Hate never produces anything but monsters and crime criminals! Love alone realizes wonderful works, virtue alone can save! No, if our country has ever to be free, it will not be through vice and crime, it will not be so by corrupting its sons, deceiving some and bribing others, no! Redemption presupposes virtue, virtue sacrifice, and sacrifice love!" READ: "Rizal stands as a reminder that true freedom always goes hand in hand with kindness and integrity." - Vice President @lenirobredo https://t.co/sDo55hwVGt pic.twitter.com/oimouc4McP CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) December 29, 2018 In its message on Rizal Day, Malacanang also said Filipinos must also work to fight for freedom. "In these challenging and crucial times, we need equally courageous and principled Filipinos, stripped of apathy and selfishness, to become modern-day heroes to sustain our fight for freedom from all the ills of society," it said. Like a saloon blowhard emboldened by the intake of a few too many brews, the Democratic Party is ready to kick some Rooskie ass. What could possibly go wrong? Never mind that Russias a formidable military and nuclear power. Hey, bring it on! The bigger they are, the harder they fall! While were mucking around in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other far-flung places, heck, why not add the Baltic nations and Ukraine to the list? Around Washington, Russia is once again the Great Ogre of the Volga. And any who hesitate to join the fray against it are chickens, yellow-bellies, sissies unwilling to stand up for their country. They are Putin puppets. Traitors, by gawd! Those who peddle such lame-brain bellicosity once were aligned with the Republican Party, in the form of the nutty, right-wing John Birch Society. Eventually, the Birchers went too far, even for blustery conservatives. The Birch Societys top loon declared Americas iconic patriot, Dwight D. Ike Eisenhower a tool of the Communists. That was when the Birchers jumped the shark. William F. Buckley Jr., the erudite apostle of conservatism, stepped forward to pronounce the Birch Societys conspiratorial ravings far removed from common sense. He urged the GOP to cease hobnobbing with this deranged cohort, and the party pretty much took his advice. The hankering today for a rumble with Russia is worthy of contemplation. Marx famously said history repeats itself first as tragedy, then as farce. Todays farcical developments look like they could go straight to tragedy. Its the Democratic Party thats now sounding like latter-day Birch Society whackos the party and other leading anti-Trump hysterics such as the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, MSNBC et al. Wholl have the courage to step forward as Buckley did and denounce the knucklehead nonsense? Very few so far. One of the notable few is Stephen F. Cohen, author of many books on Russia, former director of Princetons Russian Studies Program. His misgivings about the New Cold War enthusiasms roiling the Democratic Party (and parts of the GOP) are not easily dismissed as ideological humbug. He can hardly be consigned to the category of right-wing kook and shunted aside as such. Cohens articles have long been mainstays of the venerable, old-line lefty journal, The Nation of which his wife, Katrina vanden Huevel, a backer of Bernie Sanders, is editor and part owner. He has always kept critics on the right in a state of frothy agitation over his scholarly equanimity regarding things Russian. Now he has critics of the left all lathered up too. Cohen, who speaks Russian and has spent many years in Moscow sifting through Kremlin archives, sees a toxic neo-McCarthyism leaching into U.S. politics, especially among Democrats. Most disconcerting, he says, is the political lefts willingness indeed, eagerness to indulge itself in Russian bear-baiting, with reckless indifference to tripwires that could set off catastrophic conflagration. Those who are shaking their fists over Russias attack on our democracy in the 2016 presidential election and are likening this largely phantasmagorical event to Pearl Habor should pause to contemplate the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agencys assessment of Russian military might. Russia possesses, says, the DIA, one of the most potent missile forces in the world, not to mention 20,000-plus heavy battle tanks, 245 naval vessels including nuclear subs, 40 active and reserve combat maneuver brigades and eight combat maneuver divisions. As regards prickly relations with adversarial nations, liberals traditionally have been the voice of restraint. No longer. Theyre now among the loudest breast-beaters. In his latest book, War With Russia?, Cohen wonders: Have liberals let their hatred of Trump nullify their own principles? Its a rhetorical question. The answer is: You bet. They have let their Trump derangement syndrome undermine not only their principles but their grasp on reality as well. Even the one-time peacenik wing of the Democratic Party today seems, in its anti-Trump pathology, prepared to see the nation go to the brink with Russia if thats where the crazed pursuit of Trump happens to lead. Here liberal Democrats are in lockstep with the neo-conservatives, who have always been eager to stir up a fracas and then stand aside and have other Americans do the fighting. Lets you and him fight while I hold your coat, the neoconservatives have always said. Now liberals are picking up on the refrain. Wholl step forward and volunteer for duty defending South Ossetia (population 53,000) from Russian troops? (Americans first may want to see if they can find this tiny hotspot on the map.) When the Soviet Union collapsed under the dead weight of its own oppressive, self-defeating bureaucracy, the United States opted, thanks in no small part to Republicans, for a triumphalist end-zone dance rather than long-view diplomacy to help Russia get through a chaotic transition and out of the wreckage of Communism. The United States pushed NATO right up to the front stoop of an always wary if not paranoid Russia. America declined to acknowledge that Russia had even a sphere of concern, never mind a sphere of influence on its own western border a western border whence once had come, at a phenomenal loss of Russian lives, the invading armies of Napoleon and Hitler. How would a hostile alliance on our own doorstep, incorporating nations of, say, Central and South America, go over here? We may now be getting a taste of this. Now the United States is ensnared in alliances committing itself to potential warfare in behalf of such new NATO members as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Montenegro, places many of us cant even locate on the map. And now, on top of this, America is enmeshed in potential hostilities regarding such NATO partners as Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Wasnt it George Washington who warned us against entangling alliances? Hed be scoffingly dismissed today as an isolationist. Wasnt it a chain reaction of entangling alliances that triggered World War I? Despite potential new flashpoints on Russias doorstep, Democrats and their media gofers continue to hector Trump over the Russia collusion red herring. They rail against him for aiding and abetting the enemy, for being a de facto agent of the Kremlin, even for the death-penalty crime of treason. As for Putin, prominent U.S. politicians and Bigfoot journalists have taken to portraying him in the most alarmist terms they can conjure as an evil man intent on evil deeds; as a man without a soul, as a man reminiscent of Hitler; as a ghoul. Such language rings of precursor propaganda, of fightin words that invite rash action. The Russia collusion madness, in Cohens assessment, is in large measure the work product of a kind of journalistic cult, of mass media hysteria impervious to factual analysis, harkening back to the old war-mongering era of Hearst yellow journalism. The resulting New Cold War is no mere academic matter, says Cohen. It ominously constrains the presidents capacity to conduct crisis negotiations with Moscow should hostilities approach a flashpoint as they did in the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, he says. If Russia meddled in our election in 2016, the meddling involved marginal efforts to little effect certainly nothing on the scale of the Clinton Administrations financial and political meddling in behalf of disastrous President Boris Yeltsins reelection in 1996, Cohen adds. As he reckons it, the partisan strategy of toppling Trump and writing off relations with Russia as collateral damage comes with few if any pluses with mostly stark minuses. A policy of bear-baiting Russia denies us a potentially valuable ally against hothead Islamic militancy and pushes Russia toward alignment with China. If Putin doesnt conform to our ideal of acceptable character in a leader, neither do countless other unsavory rogues we do business with around the world out of a sense of real politik, for example, Saudi Arabias cut-throat princes, Egypts strong-man ruler Gen. Abdel Fatah el-Sisi and Chinas Xi Jinping, a made-over Mao Zedong with slick PR and free trade American corporate oligarchs as suck-up buddies. Since Europe remains dependent on Russia for oil and gas, a U.S. policy of making Russia the Boris Badinoff of our cartoon diplomacy seems destined only to weaken an already fraying western alliance. Our biggest military ally in NATO is an increasingly hostile and Islamized Turkey. The reality is that other European NATO allies to the west have equivocating leaders and paper-tiger militaries that would be hard-pressed to stand up to a Big Ten marching band. And, Cohen notes, a U.S. policy of demonizing the Kremlin surely doesnt make it any easier for Putin to hold the leash on his own hardliner George Pattons and Curtis LeMays. The notion that Putin desperately favored the election of Trump over Hillary Clinton and colluded with Trump to achieve that goal ranks among the nuttiest of fantasies, in Cohens view. He invites us to think about it. If Kremlin forces so favored Trump, why would Russian sources have concocted for the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign a dossier crafted to besmirch and destroy Trumps candidacy? Does that make any sense other than out on the far reaches of anti-Trump Loony Land? Cohen doesnt ask the question himself, but wouldnt Putin have reserved in some distant corner of his heart at least a small warm spot for Hillary, knowing it was, after all, her State Department that signed off on a deal giving Russia ownership of 20 percent of Americas strategically critical uranium productive capacity and knowing that her hubby Bill pocketed a $500,000 speech fee from a Russian investment bank with a stake in that deal? After 65 years of standoff on the Korean peninsula; after the 20-year debacle of Vietnam; after nearly three decades of mucking around in Iraq; after nearly two decades of floundering around in Afghanistan, and after nearly 40 years of hostilities vis-a-vis Iran, can it be anything less than insanity to think that mounting tensions with Russia are worth the partisan price of taking Trumps scalp? ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 29 A 55-year-old woman from the United Kingdom was raped by a 28-year-old employee of Lalit Hotel, IT Park, Chandigarh, on December 20. However, the police registered a case against the accused under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code on Friday based on the victims complaint. Police sources privy to the investigation said the woman had come to the hotel with her partner. The duo took a knee massage in the hotel on December 20. According to the police, the man tried to touch the woman inappropriately above the knee while massaging. When the woman objected to the employee, he said he was checking the pressure points. Her partner also took the massage with her. The police sources said the employee crossed the line when her partner left for taking a steam bath. As she was left alone, the employee sexually assaulted the woman. The police said the act of wrongdoing falls under the preview of Section 376, IPC. The woman told the police that the man kept on insisting the woman put off her clothes. The woman immediately made a complaint to the hotel staff, after which they terminated the employee. Meanwhile, the duo left the city to another station in between. A week after the incident, the woman lodged a complaint with the IT Park police stations against the hotel employee. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Naina Mishra Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 29 A New Years trip to Vrindavan in UP turned tragic for two families of the city when five of their members were killed in an accident on the Chandigarh-Ambala highway a few hours after they had started the journey from Chandigarh. Seven persons, including the two drivers, were killed and nine injured when a heavy vehicle rammed into two SUVs that were lined up on the Ambala-Chandigarh highway after one of these developed a snag. The driver of the heavy vehicle fled the spot after the accident. The incident occurred around 1 am. According to the family members, the victims were familiar with each other through Shri Balaji Sansthan situated at Sector 30. A pall of gloom descended on Rajesh Kapurs residence at Sector 30-B who lost four members of his family, including wife Kavita Kapur (36), two daughters Harshita Kapur (9) and Ranjana Kapur (18) and sister-in-law Asha Rani (46), in the accident. Rajesh was anxiously waiting for the bodies. Harshita studied in Class III at Ramgarhia School, Sector 27, and Ranjana in SD College, Sector 32. Rajeshs brother-in-law, Soni Kapur, said: I had asked the children to stay back. They insisted that they would also go and celebrate the New Year. We wanted to send a male member with them keeping in view the security concerns, but no one took us seriously. Asha Rani is survived by two sons Jatinder Kapur (23) and Gaurav Kapur (19). Her husband had died of dengue nine years ago. Renuka Sharma (35), who is also a resident of Sector 30, has suffered a fracture on the left leg. Vinod Sharma said: I had warned my daughter-in-law against going on a trip late at night. Renuka was a family friend of the Kapurs who urged her to accompany Kavita and her daughters on the trip. Nights are foggy these days and its extremely perilous to venture out. We had initially refused to go. Five-year-old Piyush from Sector 26 was also killed in the accident. Eyewitness account Palak (18), a resident of Sector 30, was also part of the group of people going to Vrindavan. She said: There were nine persons seated in one SUV and 10 in the other. When we reached near Ambala, the SUV in which we were travelling had a flat tyre. The other SUV was parked right behind us. It was only a while we stayed, that a heavy vehicle rammed into our SUVs. None of us could remember what it was Our SUVs were pushed long ahead and I found myself in a pool of blood with four people dead inside my car. I fretted at the horrific sight. I called my parents and informed them about the incident. Meanwhile, some people gathered and helped us extricate the bodies. There was no ambulance and we had to take the help of a passer-by, who dropped us at the hospital. It hurts me to recall the dreadful night. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Chandigarh, December 29 Haryana Police, in a late Friday night swoop, arrested two Aam Aadmi Party activists, one each at Hisar and Sirsa, and an Indian National Students Organisation worker at Gurugram for posting fake news about Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on social media. It allegedly portrayed him as a casteist leader. Cases under Sections 153 (wantonly provocating with intent to cause riot), 153A (promoting enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) of the IPC and Section 66 of the IT Act have been registered. In Hisar, the AAP activists staged a dharna in front of the police station in Hansi town to protest the arrest of Harpal Kranti of the IT cell of the partys Hisar unit. Another AAP leader, Hisar Lok Sabha incharge Anoop Chanot, was also picked up but was released after interrogation. Hansi SP Virender Vij said the police registered the case on the complaint of BJP leader Rajesh Thakral. In Sirsa, DSP Ravinder Tomar said Tarsem, a resident of Vaidwala, had been arrested for a caste-related post on the social media aimed at spreading violence. In Gurugram, the police nabbed Sanjeev Jakhar, an office-bearer of INSO, for allegedly spreading fake news attributed to the CM. AAP state convener Naveen Jaihind deplored the arrests and alleged that over 20 activists were rounded up and barring the two, others were let off after interrogation. Digvijay Chautala, state convener of INSO, said Jakhar shared the post presuming it to be genuine and hence was not at fault. TNS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Mandi, December 30 A water colour painting on Himachali culture made by local youth Aman Kumar received appreciation during an exhibition in Malaysia recently. On returning from Malaysia, he said, It is a big achievement for me. I popularised our culture through a painting at the global level. Earlier, my paintings were put on display at Ukraine and Slovenia. I feel Himachali paintings are not much popular in India. So i decided to promote it at the global level, he said. Although Aman has done his graduation in mechanical engineering, his interest is in art and painting. On the achievement of his son, Rajesh Kumar said they were extending all possible help to Aman. It was a matter of pride for them as well as the state that a local youth represented Himachali art at the global level. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Suhail A Shah Anantnag, December 29 Four militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), one of them a Pakistani and the rest locals, were today killed in a gunfight in Pulwama district, 35 km from Srinagar. In the clashes that erupted even as the gunfight was underway, at least six civilians were injured. One of them sustained a bullet injury and three pellet injuries, health officials said. The local militants killed belonged to Pulwama. They were identified as Sajjad Ahmad from Rohmoo village, Waseem Ahmad from Tikken and Muzammil Ahmad from Priczoo. The JeM, active in Kashmir since 2014, has been substantially weakened with the total number of Jaish militants killed this year, including top commanders Noor Trali, Ali Bhai, Mufti Waqas and two nephews of Jaish chief Masood Azhar, touching 55. The Jaish had increased its footprint in the area in the past couple of years. Now, recruitment in the outfit has been curtailed to a large extent, Inspector General of Police SP Pani told The Tribune. The gunfight today in Bon-Hajin village of Rajpora in Pulwama erupted after a search operation in the wee hours. The militants were neutralised in the exchange of fire that lasted more than four hours, an official said. Local sources said a house was completely destroyed in the gunfight. The bodies of the local militants were handed over to the families later in the day. Thousands of mourners attended the last rites. Internet services as well as train services on the Srinagar-Banihal track remained suspended. Meanwhile, militants lobbed a grenade at the bus stand police station in Jammu city, but it landed on the rooftop of a shop. Also, the Army and police recovered arms and ammunition in the Galak area of Billawar in Kathua district. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Tribune News Service Jammu, December 30 Security forces on Sunday launched a search operation after two suspected persons, believed to be terrorists, exchanged fire with Army personnel manning a post at a military station on the outskirts of Jammu, defence sources said. An Army guard noticed suspicious movement of two persons near the Ratnuchak Military Station around 01:50 am and challenged them, the sources said. They said the suspected persons opened fire, prompting retaliation by the Army personnel guarding the post. No one was injured in the brief exchange of firing, the sources said, adding the suspected ultras fled the scene under the cover of darkness. The whole area bordering Samba district was sealed and a search operation is under way to track down the fleeing suspects, the sources said. With PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Ravi S Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the achievements of his government in 2018 will fill everyone with glory, and hoped the journey on the path of development will continue in 2019 as well. Asserting that the country has taken strides in the area of poverty alleviation at a record pace, the Prime Minister said it has also seen unprecedented improvement in the ease of doing business rankings and noted that world institutions have acknowledged Indias growth. Delivering his last Mann Ki Baat address of 2018, which was the 51st edition of the monthly radio programme, the Prime Minister summed up the years achievements in the field of economy, social sector, solar energy, climate change, sports and others, saying it could happen because of the collective efforts of the people. Whether it is ones own life or the life of the nation, we are advised to look back, and look ahead too... so that we can learn lessons from our mistakes and get confidence to move ahead. You all must be thinking how do we remember 2018? The year 2018 would fill everyone with glory, Modi said. Listing the achievements of the government in 2018, he said: Year 2018 saw launching of worlds biggest health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat; in honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India witnessed the unveiling of the tallest statue in the world, Statue of Unity; electricity reached each and every village of the country; the ease of doing business in India improved notably; on the 75th anniversary of Azad hind government, a tricolour was unfurled at Delhis Red fort for the first time, and the highest United Nations Environment Award Champions of the Earth was conferred upon India. Modi said the countrys self defence mechanism got further reinforced and it was during this very year that India has successfully accomplished the Nuclear Triad, which means India is now armed with nuclear capabilities in water, on land and in the sky as well. He said that Swachcha Bharat Scheme and sanitation coverage has been rapidly advancing towards crossing the 95 per cent mark and dedicated the success to the people. He also listed opening of Indias first multi-modal terminal on the Ganga river in Varanasi and Sikkims first airport as major achievements. The Prime Minister also mentioned that India clinched a large number of medals in Asian Games and performed very well in Para Asian Games and cricket too. Sports has its own significance in every society. If ones resolve is strong and enthusiasm is without bounds, all the hurdles halt in their tracks and hardships can never turn into obstacles, he said giving examples of 12-year-old Hanaya of Anantnag, who won a gold medal at a karate championship in Korea; Rajani of Haryana, who won gold medal in the junior womens boxing championship; and of Vedangi Kulkarni of Pune who became the fastest Asian to traverse the globe riding a bicycle. I hope this trail of success will continue in 2019 also, he said. The Prime Minister also spoke about the tradition of Kumbh Mela and celebration of Republic Day on January 26. The world famous Kumbh Mela is also a huge medium of self discovery, where every visitor experiences a unique feeling and learns to look at the worldly things from a spiritual perspective. This is expected to have footfalls from more than 150 countries, the divinity emanating from Kumbh will spread the colours of Indias splendour throughout the world, he said. He said, this year the country will celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is going to grace the Republic Day celebrations as chief guest. Mahatma Gandhi and and South Africa shared an unbreakable bond, he said remembering former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Talking about Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) he said, many programmes are being organised across the country in celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi but it is commendable that FSAAI has been working beyond by educating people on food habbits. A clean and healthy India will spell a prosperous India also and nutritious food is most essential for good health, he said stressing that the education regarding importance of food is essential right from childhood. Modi remembered Dr. Jayachandran of Chennai who was known for his efforts of making the most economical treatment possible available to the poor and Sulagitti Narsamma, a midwife, aiding pregnant women during childbirth. He also mentioned the social endeavour of doctors of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh who set up camps offering free treatment for the underprivileged and hundreds of poor patients are benefiting from it. Conveying his greetings for Lohri, Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Uttarayan, Magh Bihu, Maaghi Purnima, he said, all the festivals may carry different names but the underlying or inherent feeling of celebrating them is singular. Paying his obeisance to Guru Gobind Singh, the Prime Minister said he was a divine figure full of heroism, valour, courage, sacrifice and devotion. With IANS pardeepdhull@gmail.com Shahira Naim Tribune News Service Lucknow, December 30 Nineteen people have been arrested in three separate cases lodged in the death by stone pelting of Ghazipur head constable Suresh Pratap Singh Vats. Of those arrested, 11 have been booked for murder and the others for their involvement in violence said Uttar Pradesh DGP OP Singh. According to Varanasi zone ADG PV Rama Sastry, around 32 people have been named in the FIR while another 70 to 80 unnamed persons have also been mentioned in the written complaint. While the post-mortem report is still awaited, CMO Ghazipur said the reason of death is head injury. Targeting the Yogi Adityanath government for the death of the head constable in Ghazipur, Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav said both in the Vidhan Sabha and on other platforms, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath always speaks of thok do (hit to kill) . Kabhi police ko nahi samajh ata kisey thokna hai, kabhi janta ko nahi samajh ata kisey thokna hai (At times the police doesnt understand who to hit and at times the people dont realise who they have hit). Yadav blamed the failure of the administration for the death of the Ghazipur head constable. He also alleged that nowadays officers were indulging in fake encounters to get promotions. To prevent the Nishad party protest ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the district yesterday, the police had detained a large number of party workers. Later, agitated Nishad party workers became violent and indulged in heavy brick batting when the police tried to remove their road blockade for the release of their detained party workers in which the head constable was killed. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Gangtok, December 29 The Army has rescued more than 2,500 tourists stranded near East Sikkims 17th Mile area, close to the India-China border, due to heavy snowfall, officials said on Saturday. The tourists were returning from Nathu La pass and Tsomgo (Changu) Lake on Friday evening when snowfall in the region blocked roads, leaving over 300 to 400 civil vehicles stranded at various points on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road, East Sikkim District Magistrate Kapil Meena said. He said the Army immediately swung into action and rescued the tourists. They were then brought to a camp in 17th Mile area and served food and medicines. Arrangements were being made to shift the tourists to the state capital. As of now, no tourist vehicle will be allowed to ply on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road on way to border region, the DM said, adding operations were underway to clear snow. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Aurangabad, December 30 One person was killed and 10 vehicles were torched by Maoists in Bihars Aurangabad district, a senior police officer said on Sunday. Superintendent of Police, Satya Prakash said the Maoists attacked Sudi Bigaha village under the jurisdiction of Deo police station area late on Saturday night and shot dead a man identified as Narendra Singh (55). Singh is the uncle of Rajan Kumar Singh, who is a member of Bihar Legislative Council, he said. According to SP, the Maoists fired several rounds and set 10 vehicles on fire, including three tractors parked at Narendra Singhs house. The Maoists also set a house belonging to one Dhananjay Singh, a dafadar with Deo police station, on fire located near Sudi Bigaha village, SP said. After getting information about Maoist attack, security forces reached the village and exchanged fire with the Naxals, who fled from the village, Prakash said. Senior police officers and CRPF Commandant Saurav Choudhary are camping in the village. The SP said police have launched a massive search operation after cordoning off the area. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Ahmedabad, December 30 Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela Sunday said Manmohan Singh was the "world's best prime minister" who worked hard for the country without seeking publicity. In a veiled attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vaghela accused him of "wasting" public money on the Statue of Unity and for "self-advertisement", and sought Rs 10,000 crore aid for welfare of the OBC community. "This (Central) government allocated only Rs 1,800 crore for welfare of the entire OBC community (in 2018-19). What does that mean? You waste more than Rs 5,000 crore in advertisements. Why not give it to the community?" Vaghela said while addressing an OBC Sammelan at Fagvel in Kheda district, 38 km from here. Questionning priorities of the Modi government, Vaghela said the ruling dispensation spent "Rs 10,000 crore" on the construction of the Statue of Unity and Mahatma Mandir (a convention hall in the state capital Gandhinagar) even as "people are dying of hunger, farmers committing suicide, and youths becoming jobless". "...The government should give Rs 10,000 crore for the welfare of the OBC community," he said. The Statue of Unity, which is the tallest monument in the world dedicated to first Union Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was unveiled by the prime minister in Gujarat's Narmada district in October this year. Referring to Bollywood film "The Accidental Prime Minister," Vaghela, who had quit Congress ahead of 2017 Gujarat assembly polls, said Manmohan Singh was "the best prime minister in the world. "Manmohan Singh saved the country from recession for 10 years. He did not work to get his photos published, or deliver speeches. You are silent, not him. His work spoke for himself," he said in an apparent reference to Modi's criticism of Singh as "mauni baba" or a silent premier. "The Accidental Prime Minister" is a biographical film based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Sanjaya Baru, the then media adviser to Manmohan Singh. Singh, who headed the erstwhile UPA government, served as the 13th PM of the country who remained in office from May 22, 2004 to May 26, 2014. The Congress has said the film is the BJP's propaganda against the Grand Old Party. Without naming Modi, Vaghela asked him to give account of the works done by his government after coming to power in 2014. "They gave you power for five years to work. But you have made fun of people. The entire country is finished. The country has gone backward by 15 years (due to demonetisation and GST)," he said. There is nobody who understands the economy in the Central government. What has it got to do with us whether your plane lands in the Sabarmati (river) or in the ocean? We should not fall for such "dramabazi", he said. The prime minister had taken a seaplane flight from the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad to the Dharoi dam in Mehsana district on the last day of campaigning for Gujarat polls last year, triggering a row. - PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, December 30 The Mumbai Police have decided not to give permission for boat parties on New Years Eve this year as well citing security concerns. Deputy Commissioner of Police Manjunath Shenge told reporters here today that the police department has rejected applications by several parties to hold parties aboard fishing boats off the coast of Mumbai. Shenge said the police, Coast Guard and the Navy will watch out for suspicious movements off the coast of Mumbai as has been the practice in the past. The Mumbai Police had banned boat parties off the citys coast following the terrorist attack on November 2008. Party organisers were hoping for the ban to be relaxed after the Maharashtra Government gave permissions for floating hotels to operate off the citys coast. The police, however, said they are relaxing closing times for bars and restaurants. These establishments which normally shut their doors at 1 am will be allowed to stay open till 5 am on January 1. However, they will have to obtain special permission from local police stations, Shenge said. This year, beaches across Mumbai would be lit up allowing revellers to usher in the New Year by the sea. Apart from installing CCTVs, police personnel would be stationed at all the beaches in city, the police official said. The police have, however, stated that firework display as the clock strikes midnight would not be permitted following the directives of the Supreme Court. Anyone found lighting fire crackers would be arrested, Shenge added. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Shillong, December 29 As the operation to rescue 15 trapped miners continues at the 370-foot-deep illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills district, a survivor of the December 13 accident said on Saturday there was no way the trapped miners would come out alive. Sahib Ali, hailing from Assams Chirang district, is one of the five men who narrowly escaped the flooding coal mine a fortnight ago. He said four others who made it alive had fled to their homes in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya. There were 22 of us who went in that day. I had worked for two weeks. Many are diggers who went to the farthest part of the mine. Some are cart pullers like me and we all work in synchronised manner in small holes that barely fit a big man.... There is no way the trapped men will be alive. How long can a person hold his breath underwater? Ali said over phone while recounting the December 13 nightmare. He said four of those who escaped were the men who were tasked with loading coal into the metal box. Going by Alis story, at least 17 persons are still trapped inside the illegal coal pit as only five narrowly escaped the flooding mine of the 22 men who went in. My only hope is to see that their bodies are pulled out and last rites performed, a sobbing Ali said. On December 13, he spent the entire day at the flooded mine and slept in a nearby active coal mine in the night, he said. The mine is roughly 370-ft-deep and as of December 29, the rescue officials have calculated that about 170 feet is full of water, an NDRF official said. In Lumthari village where Ali and his fellow miners went to work, coal is found roughly between 200-500 feet underneath the ground. Asked on what prompted him to go and work in the dangerous coal mines of Meghalaya, Ali said the mines promised a big amount of money at the end of the week. I earn between Rs 800 and Rs 1,500 on a full day of work at the mine. I had in mind that I will work for sometime only and return home, he said. Shohor Ali, whose son, brother and son-in-law were among the victims at Lumthari village, said, We have lost all hope to see them alive. I just wanted the authorities to help retrieve the dead bodies for their last rites. The three were allegedly lured to the coal mines at Lumthari as it involves bigger wages and on an average each miner gets paid Rs 2,000 per day, he said. Family members of at least seven trapped miners have already given up hope to rescue their kins alive and requested the government to retrieve the bodies for the last rites. PTI Navy divers join rescue operation Shillong: A group of Navy divers arrived from Vishakhapatnam on Saturday to join operations underway to rescue 15 miners trapped, a senior official said. The 15-member team, equipped with specialised diving equipment, including a re-compression chamber and remotely operated vehicles capable of searching underwater, went straightway to the mine site in Lumthari village. A team of rescuers with 10 high-powered Kirloskar pumps has also reached the spot from Bhubaneshwar. gspannu7@gmail.com Port Blair, December 30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced renaming of three islands of Andaman and Nicobar archipelago as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The Ross Island was renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, the Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep and the Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep, Modi said during a speech amidst thunderous applause from the audience here. The three islands are major tourist spots. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated a slew of development projects and laid foundation stones of several others related to energy, connectivity, education, tourism and health sectors. Donning the Azad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) cap, he addressed a public meeting at Netaji Stadium on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the hoisting of the Tricolour by Bose here. "When it comes to heroes of the freedom struggle, we take the name of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose with pride. The first Prime Minister of the Azad Hind government Subhash Babu had made India's independence resolution on the soil of Andaman," he said. "The country draws inspiration from Andaman. That is why the government has issued a notification and I am proudly announcing that henceforth, Ross Island will be known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep. The Neil Island will be known as Shaheed Dweep and Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep," he said. On this day in 1943, Bose had suggested that Andaman and Nicobar Islands be renamed as Shaheed and Swaraj Dweep, respectively. During the World War II, the Japanese had captured the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Netaji came here as the Azad Hind Fauz led by him was an ally of the Japanese force. "The historical event of 30th December 1943 has been completed today after 75 years," he said. Modi began his speech by asking the people in the ground to switch on the flashlights of their mobile phones to honour Bose. Thousands of mobile flash lights were then switched on providing a visual delight. At the stadium, the PM also released a commemorative stamp, its first-day cover and a Rs-75 coin on this special day. He also announced setting up of a deemed university named after Bose. The cells of the Cellular Jail where great freedom fighters such as Veer Savarkar, Baba Bhan Singh, Indu Bhushan Roy were tortured for years by the British are no less than temples, the prime minister said. Before this event, the prime minister visited the Cellular Jail and paid homage to those who were exiled and hanged as political prisoners in colonial India. On reaching the jail premises, Modi laid a wreath at the Martyr's Column before proceeding towards a cell, where Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar spent his days in captivity. The Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani, was constructed between 1896 and 1906. Modi also visited the Marina Park here and hoisted a national flag on a 150-ft high mast, besides paying floral tribute at Netaji's statue. The prime minister announced a number of development projects including a sub-marine optical fibre cable between Chennai and Port Blair, a 7-MW solar power plant and a model solar village, and a State Wide Area Network (SWAN) project connecting 12 major islands. A 50-bed AYUSH hospital, a 50-MW LNG power plant would also be set up, Modi said. "Often, people make a distinction between mainland and island. For me, the entire India is mainland. Port Blair is as much mainland for me as Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai," he said. He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not just a symbol of India's natural beauty, but are also like a place of pilgrimage for Indians. In the morning, Modi congratulated the people of Car Nicobar for overcoming the impact of the Tsunami, which struck the Island in 2004, and said the government is also working to provide better facilities to the people in the Andamans. "The people here have been demanding a solution to the problem of sea erosion for a long time. I am glad to announce that the government has decided to erect a sea wall to deal with the problem, the foundation of which will be laid today," he said. "Along with the security of people at Car Nicobar, the government is making efforts to ensure employment for youth, education for children, medical care for the aged and facilities for the farmers," he added. Earlier in the day, the PM paid tributes to Tsunami victims at a memorial in Car Nicobar. - PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Naveen S Garewal Tribune News Service Hyderabad, December 30 The Telangana Police claimed to have eradicated Maoists from the state completely, even though they marked their presence in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh (AP) where a sitting MLA and a former MLC were gunned down on the Andhra-Odisha border in September. Over a 120 terrorist had been arrested and 10 surrendered to the police during 2018, the state Director General of Police (DGP) M. Mahendar Reddy said today. The police chief told The Tribune that his force was confident of having contained the left wing extremists in the state, while they had strong presence in neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh on the north and eastern borders of Telangana. "The elections were successfully held without any incident even though the Maoists had called for a boycott and bandh at many places". DGP Reddy said a close eye was being kept on the extremists and the state intelligence infrastructure had been strengthened because in case of any laxity there is always a possibility of their coming back. Senior police officers disclosed that the Telangana State Committee of outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) was operating in the neighbouring states is operating with some cadres out of which a handful belong to Telangana. Earlier giving details about the crime in the state, he said 16 encounters took place between the security agencies and Maoist in which 21 extremists were neutralised. The Telangana police arrested 120 extremists and seized 47 firearms, including one AK-47 rifle and 5 Insas rifles during 2018. Ten extremists also surrendered during the year. The police chief claimed there had been an overall reduction in crime in the state. He spoke in terms of percentages and said there was a 5 per cent reduction in overall crime, 7 per cent reduction in crime against women, incidents of chain snatching dropped by 43 per cent, rapes fell by 11 per cent and the kidnapping were lower by 19 percent in comparison to last year. However there has been a slight increase in crime against Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). To check crime the police would in the next three years install around 15 lakh CCTVs across the state out of this 10 lakh CCTVs will be installed in Hyderabad city. "CCTVs will be installed in every village in the state and modernisation of all the police stations will be done in the coming days," he said. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 29 An upgraded version of the Arjun tanks that has better firing and mobility is presently undergoing validation trials. Arjun Mark 1A was being validated at trials, the Parliament was informed this week. This was the first official confirmation and the Mark 1A will be an a additional version of the tank till Mark 2 version, which is somewhat lighter in weight, is readied, okayed and accepted. Sources said it was a significant development as it showed that the Ministry of Defence was ready to keep on improving the tank, be it the addition of more power or reducing its weight. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army had, in the first half of this year, agreed on accepting the new version. In all, the Army is looking to have 118 pieces. A total of 93 modifications have been done over the first version of Arjun, 124 of which were inducted in 2010-11. Sources said the Army was okay with the tank, but wanted it to be lighter than its present weight of 68 tonne. Most modern European tanks are of the same weight and tank-transporters (specialised trucks) for Arjun are available to ferry it. The Mark 2 will have to be lighter by some 3 tonne and be in the range of 65 tonne. This may require some modification in the hull of the tank for the final contours to emerge. As part of the arrangement with the Army, the DRDO has promised to set up a system to maintain the Arjuns within India. It will be an annual maintenance contract with the Bharat Earth Movers Limited as a possible agency. The tanks, as part of the trials, had already done some 4,000 km of run and only the upgrades were being tested now, said sources. rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Shastri Ramachandaran THE recent fracas at a cine awards function in Dubai over the inappropriateness of seating Amitabh Bachchan in the 11th row brings to mind a story that the film-maker Mrinal Sen told me a couple of years ago. It happened long ago, when Amitabh was no Big B but a bachcha, as Mrinalda says, eager for a break in films. It was 1969. Sen had finished shooting Bhuvan Shome in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. During the days he was editing the film in Bombay, he had gone over to the house of friend and script-writer, K A Abbas, who had just begun work on Saath Hindustani. Abbas was sitting with a group from which he proposed to pick his cast and crew. Sen told him that he wanted a good voice as the narrator of his film and would prefer a new voice. A lambu stepped out from among those seated and told Sen Ami Bangla jaaney (I know Bengali). Sen told the boy his Bengali was bad but his voice good, which was good enough for the narration in Hindi. Abbas allowed Amitabh to take on the assignment. When the work was done, Sen said he would not be able to pay him much. The boy did not want payment and said he didnt do it for money. Sen insisted and paid the amount. The boy then asked whether his name would appear in the titles. Sen replied in the affirmative. The boys name was Amitabh Bachchan. But in the title, put only Amitabh. Dont mention Bachchan, he pleaded and Sen agreed. In the credit titles of Mrinal Sens Bhuvan Shome, the voice-over artistes name Amitabh appears last. Indeed, this must be the only film in which the Bachchan name figures at the end and not even in full. When I saw the film in 1970, I didnt notice this detail. Nor did I register the narrators baritone voice heard for less than five minutes at the films beginning and end that was to become famous. But on the last occasion I met Sen, when a retrospective of his films was being screened at the India International Centre in Delhi, he told me this story and I made it a point to pay attention to the unforgettable voice. Bhuvan Shome bagged many awards, including the National Award in 1970, when the director and his voice-over artiste met in Calcutta. When the two went to a function at a film journalists association, a reporter, on seeing Amitabh, asked Sen, Is he your next hero? Sen admitted he liked the idea, But I have to find a role that fits him. Amitabh himself was keen on acting in one of Sens films. Sen would have liked to cast him in Interview and the actor too would have liked the role. The hitch was that Sen wanted an ordinary looking person. And Amitabh, even then, was a striking personality. Sen assured me that the boy remembers all this. Some years ago he corrected a critic that the first voice-over he did was not in 1983 for Satyajit Rays Shatranj ke Khiladi but for Bhuvan Shome. But, recalls Sen fondly, Amitabh said that I paid him Rs 500. He does not remember. It was only Rs 300. This article was first published on March 6, 2004 in The Tribune. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 29 More than 16 months after travel agents in Punjab tried trafficking four Nawanshahr minors to the United States under assumed identities of students of St Josephs Convent School, Malpur Arkhan village, the district police and administration remain clueless about their identity or that of their parents. Other than Jalandhar-based Balraj Singh of KP Tour and Travel company, who maintained that he had only issued four or five air tickets as instructed by Hoshiarpur-based Tilak Raj for whom he was working, no other agent booked by the CBI could be tracked today. Balraj Singh claimed he had no official information of any action against him. It was an educational trip to NASA by students of St Josephs Convent in August last year that led to the exposure of a trafficking racket in Punjab. Father George Edayal, the principal of the school functioning under the Jalandhar diocese, told The Tribune: Parents of students of classes 5 to 10 entered into a contract with Chetan Sabharwal, the owner of Click Educational Services, Chandigarh, paying Rs 30,000 each as visa processing fee, which was non-refundable. Just then the US Embassy informed us that the documents of four students from our school had been misused for trafficking four minors. We desperately tried contacting Sabharwal, but in vain. Father Peter, spokesperson for the diocese, said they had informed the US Embassy that the agent had played a fraud. Subsequently, the visas were cancelled and the trip abandoned, he said. On a complaint from the US Embassy, the CBI has registered a case of illegal trafficking of children from Punjabs Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshahr). Company remains open in Jalandhar Jalandhar: Talking over the phone, Jalandhar-based Balraj Singh of KP Tour and Travel company claimed he had no official information of any action being initiated against him. The embassy officials contacted me last year. I told them I had issued four or five air tickets as instructed by Hoshiarpur-based Tilak Raj. His office near the local bus stand remained oped on Saturday. The staff claimed he was in Delhi. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 29 It will be Congress versus Congress in most of the 13,276 village gram panchayats that go to polls on Sunday. Though panchayat elections are not fought on party symbols, almost all candidates in fray for the posts of panch and sarpanch are backed by various parties. With the Congress cadre caught in infighting, the Aam Aadmi Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party are backing the Congress rebels in a number of panchayats. In many constituencies of Malwa, where the contest is an all-Congress affair, the prominent leaders have beaten a hasty retreat after having failed to get the candidates to reach a consensus. Whichever group wins, the victor will be a Congress worker, and our party stands to gain control over the rural bodies after 10 years, reasoned a senior leader. The Opposition parties have complained of nomination papers of candidates fighting against those backed by the Congress being rejected. Even after the intervention of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, majority of candidates who had sought a review of scrutiny of papers were again declared ineligible, as suggested by reports coming from Muktsar, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Patiala and Sangrur, besides other districts. Meanwhile, the polling staff requisitioned by the State Election Commission reached the 17,268 polling booths, along with the ballot papers and other equipment to ensure that the polling process would start at 8 am tomorrow. The polling will end at 4 pm and the counting will start immediately thereafter. The State Election Commission has asked all returning officers to issue the notification of results immediately after counting of votes tomorrow itself. It may be mentioned that the State Election Commission has played a proactive role in the polls, with at least one Deputy Commissioner being withdrawn from poll duty and several officers pulled up and regular inquries ordered against them, after charges of their involvement in getting fake votes made or changing reservation criteria after the model of code of conduct came into place. DGP, Provisioning, VK Bhawra, told The Tribune that adequate arrangements have been made to maintain law and order for the polling. We have mobilised forces from Punjab Armed Police and district police forces have been supplemented with reserve forces, he said. Voters: 1,27,87,395 pardeepdhull@gmail.com Chandigarh, December 30 Stray incidents of violence were reported in Punjab during Panchayat polls on Sunday even as an elderly voter was killed during an alleged booth capturing attempt at a Ferozepur polling station, officials said. Approximately 80 per cent voting was reported in the state, they said. At some places in Punjab, candidates and their supporters levelled allegations of booth capturing by some miscreants. Voters had started queuing up outside polling stations at 8 am, braving cold weather, before voting closed at 4 pm to elect sarpanches and panches for 13,276 villages. In Muktsar's Badal village, former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal along with his son and SAD chief Sukhbir and daughter-in-law and Union minister Harsimrat Kaur cast their votes. Both Sukhbir and Harsimrat were seen seeking blessings from the former's estranged uncle Gurdas Singh Badal. Police said stray incidents of violence were reported from different places in the state. In Ferozepur district, an elderly voter was killed after being hit by the vehicle of some unidentified miscreants during their attempt to capture a booth. They also set the papers kept inside a ballot box on fire, they said. About 12-15 unidentified people reached a polling booth at the government primary school in Lakhmir ke Uthar village of Ferozepur's Mamdot block, they said. They arrived in an SUV bearing a Maharashtra registration number and allegedly snatched the ballot box from the polling staff. They burnt the ballot papers and when they were leaving, Mohinder Singh, 60, got hit by their vehicle, the police said. They left the vehicle behind and fled from the spot. The injured man was rushed to Mamdot civil hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, they said. Senior police and police administration officials from the administration and the police including Deputy Commissioner Gurmit Singh Multani, reached the spot and took stock of the situation. At Dina Sahib of Moga district's Nihal Singh Wala sub-division, some unidentified miscreants fired some shots outside a polling booth but no one was injured, the police said. In other areas of the district, minor incidents of scuffle between some villagers were reported, they said. In Jalalabad, a ballot box was damaged by some miscreants and in a village in Tarn Taran district, an argument broke out between Congress and SAD supporters and it was followed by a scuffle in which two people sustained head injuries. They were admitted to a hospital at Bhojia village, SSP Darshan Singh Mann said, adding the incident occurred away from the polling booth. In another incident in the district, camera equipment of an electronic media journalist was damaged by some miscreants when he was covering the polling process outside a booth at Tarn Taran-Patti Road. The SSP said that an FIR was lodged against the four accused, who were identified. He said entire incident was recorded by other journalists. The accused were yet to be arrested, he said. Stray incidents of violence were also reported in Tarn Taran district at Soul and Malian villages. In Amritsar district, at Naushera village's Ram Nagar polling booth, incidents of scuffle were reported. Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said an incident of snatching of ballot papers was reported at Lidey village falling in the Harsa Chinna Block which was being probed. SAD workers led by senior leader Sucha Singh Langah blocked a road in a village in Gurdaspur district, alleging booth capturing by Congress workers. In Faridkot district, a candidate for sarpanch's post Raman Singh, owing allegiance to the Congress, alleged that some miscreants damaged his car in Hari Wala village but he escaped unhurt. A minor clash took place between SAD and Congress supporters in a village in Patiala district and a stray incident of violence took place in Rupnagar district as well. Post-poll violence was also reported from some places, including Bathinda and Patiala districts. In Jalal village of Bathinda, supporters of candidates clashed and there were reports of gunshots being fired in the air, they said. The officials said that before the polls, around 4,363 sarpanches (village headman) and 46,754 panches (village council members) had already been declared elected unopposed. Counting of votes began after the conclusion of polling. As many as 13,276 sarpanches and 83,831 panches will be elected for 13,276 villages. Around 1.27 crore voters are eligible to cast votes in the polling. The State Election Commission has set up 17,268 polling booths and 86,340 personnel have been deputed on duty. The polls were held across the state's rural belt amid tight security arrangements, the officials said. In some places, the elderly could be seen being carried on cots to reach the polling booths. In Fatehgarh Sahib's Jabhal village, a bride cast vote in her wedding attire and at some other places, brides and grooms reached the booth to exercise their franchise before solemnising their marriage. - PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Islamabad, December 29 Pakistan has sent recommendations to India for facilitating visa-free travel of Sikh pilgrims through the Kartarpur corridor, according to a media report here today. Islamabad has given a 59-page document with 14 key recommendations, a TV channel reported, quoting Pakistani diplomatic officials. The recommendations call for Indian pilgrims to be given free entry and facilitation centres and security check-posts to be set up on both sides of the border. The pilgrims shall be allowed in groups of a minimum of 15 persons and Pakistan shall issue special permits. Both countries will compile a record of visitors, which will include names and travel records. India shall provide a list of pilgrims to Pakistan three days in advance and it will be mandatory for all visitors to bear an Indian passport. The recommendations say all visitors shall be required to obtain a security clearance certificate from Indian authorities. Pakistan will issue 500 permits per day and local authorities will reserve rights to admission. On November 28, Prime Minister Imran Khan had laid the stone for the corridor on the Pakistan side that will connect Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur to Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh laid the stone on the Indian side. Pakistan has said it will open the corridor before the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in November 2019. PTI What has been proposed gspannu7@gmail.com Lahore, December 30 Pakistans national carrier has terminated the contracts of over 50 employees, including seven pilots, after they were found guilty of holding fake degrees. The directives were issued in view of the proceedings of Pakistans Supreme Court against pilots and cabin crews with fake degrees and certificates. Action has been taken against the PIA employees after the respective educational institutions found their degrees bogus/fake, a statement issued by the Pakistans Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson Mashood Tajwar said that a probe has been initiated into the cases of all staffers who were hired holding sham degrees. The CAA said that degree verification of another 400 PIA employees is underway. Director General of CAA Hassan Baig has also issued directives to suspend the licenses of all those pilots and cabin crews who have not yet submitted their degrees and certificates. Their licenses will remain suspended till they submit their referred documents for verification, Baig said. The CAA had revealed before a Supreme Court Bench this week that academic credentials of seven pilots of the PIA had been found to be bogus. The Bench was hearing a matter relating to the verification of degrees of pilots and other staff of the PIA. PTI shriaya.dutta@tribuneindia.com Washington/Beijing, December 30 US President Donald Trump said on Twitter that he had a "long and very good call" with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that a possible trade deal between the United States and China was progressing well. As a partial shutdown of the US government entered its eighth day, with no quick end in sight, the Republican president was in Washington, sending out tweets attacking Democrats and talking up possibly improved relations with China. The two nations have been in a trade war for much of 2018, shaking world financial markets as the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods between the world's two largest economies has been disrupted by tariffs. Trump and Xi agreed to a ceasefire in the trade war, deciding to hold off on imposing more tariffs for 90 days starting December 1 while they negotiate a deal to end the dispute following months of escalating tensions. "Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China," Trump wrote on Saturday. "Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made!" Chinese state media also said Xi and Trump spoke on Saturday, and quoted Xi as saying that teams from both countries have been working to implement a consensus reached with Trump. "I hope that the two teams will meet each other half way, work hard, and strive to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial and beneficial to the world as soon as possible," Xi said, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. China's foreign ministry said on Sunday the two countries' relationship had endured storms before, but that strong ties were important for the economies of both nations and for ensuring global stability and peace. "After 40 years of development, Sino-US ties now stand at a historic new starting point," ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement, referring to the period since the two nations established diplomatic relations in 1979. Having canceled his plans to travel to his estate in Florida for the holidays because of the government shutdown that started on Dec. 22, Trump tweeted, "I am in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal." The Republican-controlled Congress was closed for the weekend and few lawmakers were in the capital. The shutdown, affecting about one-quarter of the federal government including 800,000 or so workers, began when funding for several agencies expired. Congress must pass legislation to restore that funding, but has not done so due to a dispute over Trump's demand that the bill include $5 billion in taxpayer money to help pay for a wall he wants to build along the US-Mexico border. The wall was a major 2016 campaign promise of Trump's, who promised then that it would be paid for by Mexico, which has steadfastly refused to do so. Trump has since demanded that US taxpayers pay for it at an estimated total cost of $23 billion. He sees the wall as vital to stemming illegal immigration, while Democrats and some Republicans see it as an impractical and costly project. The standoff over Trump's demand for funding will be a test for Congress when it returns next week. Trump tweeted on Saturday that the deaths of two migrant children this month who had been taken into US custody after trying to cross the southern border were "strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies." It was unclear exactly which policies Trump was referring to, but his aides have referred to US laws and court rulings - including laws passed with bipartisan support - that govern the conditions under which children and families can be detained as "loopholes" that encourage illegal immigration. On Friday, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen visited Border Patrol stations in Texas after her agency instituted expanded medical checks of migrant children following the two deaths. She is also due to visit Yuma, Arizona, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Saturday. In the interim, thousands of employees of federal agencies such as the Homeland Security, Justice, Commerce, Interior, Transportation, Agriculture and other departments were staying at home on furlough or soon to be working without pay. For instance, members of the US Coast Guard will receive their final paychecks of the year on Monday, the service said in a statement on its website on Friday after previously warning that payments would be delayed due to the shutdown. "The administration, the Department of Homeland Security , and the Coast Guard have identified a way to pay our military workforce on December 31, 2018," the service website read. That paycheck will be their last until the government reopens. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also said on Friday that it would resume issuing new flood insurance policies during the shutdown, reversing an earlier decision. Reuters pardeepdhull@gmail.com Dhaka, December 30 Voting in a tense election to choose a new government in Bangladesh ended on Sunday with at least 17 people killed in poll-related violence amid allegations of manipulation by the ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. According to the Election Commission, 1,848 candidates are contesting for 299 out of 300 Parliament seats. The polls are being held at 40,183 polling stations. Voting was suspended in one seat due to the death of a candidate. While Hasina is seeking re-election for a fourth term as the prime minister, her chief rival, ex-premier and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khalida Zia, who is reportedly partially paralysed, faces an uncertain future in a Dhaka jail. The voting started at 8 am (local time) and ended at 4 pm. The eight-hour long voting has ended as per schedule...preparedness are underway to start the counting, an Election Commission (EC) spokesman said. The unofficial results were expected by Monday morning which would be announced by the commission headquarters in the capital, he said. The EC officials said they have received over a hundred complaints from candidates throughout the country amid reports of violence. At least 17 people, including a member of a security agency, have been killed in eight districts in poll-related violence, the Daily Star newspaper reported, with dozens injured. The build-up to the election has already been marred by violence. Reports said most of the dead were ruling party activists while others were workers of opposition BNP or its allies. Prime Minister Hasina appeared as the first voter in Dhaka centre from where her nephew and party candidate Fazle Nur Taposh was a contender. Im always confident about our victory in the elections... I trust my people and I know that they will choose us so that they can get a better life in future, she said after casting her vote. Schools and colleges across Bangladesh were turned into makeshift polling centres for the day while people had begun to line up to cast their vote even before the election opened. At least 10 candidates mostly BNP nominees announced to stay off the polls alleging that their agents were ousted from polling centres by the ruling party workers. BNPs Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that polling centres are being occupied across the country, the partys agents are being driven out and that its supporters and activists are facing violence. From the picture we have received, this is a violent election. We are seeing a one-sided election environment conducted at the whims of the government. This paints a clear picture that they want to ensure a favourable result through a one-sided contest, Rizvi told a media briefing at the party office. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media from his north-western Thakurgaon constituency that some of their candidates stayed off the vote in their personal decisions but we will announce our party stance at 4 pm when the voting will end. No announcement, however, came despite the end of voting. Veteran lawyer Kamal Hossain, who leads main opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) with BNP being its key partner, however, said the overall environment is not bad with huge turnout of voters. But every minute I receive calls saying Kamal Bhai (brother), it has already happened overnight. It began in the evening. I have gotten so many reports. These reports are concerning. Its sad and shameful, he said. The Jatiya Oikya Front or NUF is a coalition of four parties Gono Forum, BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League led by Hossain. Over 600,000 security personnel including several thousand soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed across the country to help conduct the election in which 10.41 crore people were eligible to vote. According to the eyewitnesses, posters bearing the ruling partys boat symbol outnumbered those of the main oppositions sheaf of paddy. The 11th parliamentary poll is the first fully competitive general election in a decade since 2008 while it is widely expected to be won by the Awami League of Hasina, who is likely to be the countrys first premier for a fourth term. Zia, serving a 10-year prison term on graft charges, has been barred from contesting the polls while her son Tarique Rahman is living in London in self exile. PTI It is not just about the guns and violence that have taken over the country which are now out of control. There is also the uncivilised mentality, the uneducated sense of entitlement and a loss of personal responsibility that are encouraged by past and present governments, oppositions and their officials. TROY, N.Y. The Troy Police Department and Troy Fire Department responded to an accident involving a vehicle crashing into a building Saturday morning. Troy police tell us at 8:46 a.m., a driver crashed into the old EOC building at Congress Street and 6th Avenue. Police say the driver was heading west on Congress Street, hit the gas pedal instead of the break and proceeded to jump the curb and went into the building. Police say there was extensive damage done to the car and building. The driver was transported to the hospital for treatment and is expected to be OK. No tickets were issued. -This is a significant increase from 680,000 reported back in 2016 - It also emerged that most of the firearms were not licensed as required by law - Interior CS Fred Matiang'i has intensified crackdown on the illegal firearms - He recently issued a 90-day ultimatum to those still holding illegal guns to surrender them Although the government has been pleading with holders of illegal firearms to surrender their guns amid intensified crackdown, Kenya still has the largest number of private gun owners in East Africa according to the latest reports. At least 750,000 illegal firearms are said to be in the wrong hands and the number of civilians in possession of the unlicensed guns and pistols is believed to be twice that of the Kenyan military and police put together. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Matian'gi orders all licensed firearm holders to surrender them, disbands licensing board Findings by Geneva-based Small Arms Survey in July indicated Kenyan civilians owned at least 750,000 firearms in 2018, the number having risen from 680,000 in 2016. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Interior CS Fred Matiangi appoints new Firearms Licensing Board TUKO.co.ke on Sunday, December 30, established the government had issued a 90-day ultimatum to those in possession of illegal weapons to turn them in, failure to which they would be forcefully disarmed and prosecuted. A rather chilling report by Al Jazeera indicated the huge volume of unlicensed firearms in Kenya was now a matter of national security, which partly explains why the Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang'i ordered for fresh vetting of all firearm holders. The Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i had raised concern that many Kenyan civilians had guns but very few were registered. Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Matiang'i orders all licenced gun holders to surrender their firearms for verification The troubling statistics on the proliferation of illegal firearms in Kenya first came to light in July 2018 when the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey revealed some 70,000 Kenyan civilians had acquired guns for personal use in the past two years. According to the global report, the total number of unlicensed guns in the country had jumped from 680,000 in 2016 to 750,000 in 2018, the highest in the region. The local authorities strongly believe the deadly weapons are being used to perpetrate violent criminal activities including banditry and robberies. READ ALSO: This photo of Uhuru with a gun is going viral In attempts to stop arbitrary issuance of guns to civilians, Matiang'i disbanded the Firearms Licensing and Control Board and ordered all licensed firearm holders who had been given permits by the now defunct board to surrender them. The CS then proceeded to appoint a new firearms board by gazetting Charles Mwongera Mukindia as the new head and six others as board members. Speaking during the orientation of new Independent Police Oversight Authority (IPOA) board members in Nairobi on November 23, 2018, Matiang'i said the body was disbanded to pave way for formation of a new and effective agency to monitor issuance of guns. "We have began reverting all guns to the government. This is in the view of enhancing the security of the citizens and the police," he said. 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. Message To My Favorite Politician - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko Another Chinese construction firm is on the spot after Chinese workers were caught on camera clobbering a Kenyan man at a construction site. The clip believed to had been taken along the Maili Kumi-Solai Road in Nakuru County shows three foreigners engaged in some altercation with one of the locals moments before they descended on him with kicks and blows. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Solai road workers accuse another Chinese firm of harassment, mistreatment In the video seen by TUKO.co.ke on Sunday, December 30, the victim can be seen holding what looked like a huge rock in his right hand as he exchanged words with three Chinese men charging towards him. READ ALSO: Kenya to pay dearly for Chinese loans, SGR harassment just the beginning "I cannot do that... I cannot do that..." the Kenyan man can be heard shouting as he dared the Chinese contractors to do their worst. READ ALSO: 9 countries Kenya has borrowed from, China leads at KSh 534.1 billion As the drama unfolded, a few local men watched and cheered from a distance even as the man was being attacked. One of the bystanders could be heard saying they had warned the man against messing up with the Chinese contractors but he did not heed their advice. READ ALSO: Kenya to pay dearly for Chinese loans, SGR harassment just the beginning Although TUKO.co.ke could not immediately establish what may have led to the ugly physical confrontation, it was alleged the victim had questioned the quality of work that was being done by the Chinese contractors. The incident comes about four months after Kenyan workers hired by a Chinese company constructing roads in Maili Kumi, Solai and Subukia, angrily protested against alleged mistreatment and harassment by their Chinese bosses. READ ALSO: SGR management vows to punish Chinese employees suspected of fraud The workers accused their foreign bosses of charging exorbitant fines for minor mistakes and wanting them to work under very tight deadlines. "Working here has become difficult. You are fined when you carry a fellow driver on the vehicle, if the vehicle gets a puncture your salary is deducted, you are given 20 minutes to drive a distance of 50 KMs and if you fail your salary is deducted," lamented one of the drivers then. The local workers also accused the Chinese contractors of a high rate of retrenchment which the claimed made them to work under stress as they were unsure of when they might get fired. "If you step on the wrong section of the road when we are constructing you are fired right away. We are left wondering how these bosses manage us," said another disgruntled worker. 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. Chinese Man Calls President Uhuru Kenyatta a Monkey - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko Ugandan beauty Quiin Abenakyo, the reigning Miss World Africa whose weave seriously bothered President Yoweri Museveni has cut off her long Indian weave to embrace natural look. And as would be expected of a father figure, Museveni whose advice against non-African hair styles elicited mixed reactions, could not hide his joy when he met Abenakyo again for the second time. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Yoweri Museveni concerned newly crowned Miss World Africa is not proud of her African hair, prefers weaves Miss World Africa Quin Abenakyo in her natural hair when she paid courtesy call on President Museveni. Photo: Yoweri Museveni/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Girl on fire: Miss Congo's wig flames up after being declared Miss Africa 2018 According to the president, it was embarrassing for the tall, beautiful Musoga girl not to be proud of her African heritage and she must therefore show African beauty in its natural form. "When we met in Entebbe, I advised Abenakyo to keep her hair natural. I am glad she heeded the advice and re-asserted her African identity. God beautifully created Africans, there is no need to add or subtract anything," tweeted Museveni. The Head of State said although Abenakyo had amazing looks, her hairstyle probably suggested she was not proud of her appearance. Abenakyo had just arrived from China to attend the 68th Miss World pageant where she placed her country in the limelight after finishing second runners-up. Upon her return to Uganda, the lady who was in August crowned Miss Uganda 2018/19, paid Museveni a courtesy call. 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. Top 5 Kenya's Richest Families! Who Are They? - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko News - Caleb Amisi said the Bill will force government to pay unemployed graduates monthly stipends until they get employed - He argued joblessness was pushing frustrated young graduates into criminal activities as their new way of life -He added it is the government's responsibility to create jobs for the graduates being churned out of universities and colleges - Unemployment remains one of the biggest challenges in Kenya as more grads flock the job market every year The soaring rate of youth unemployment in Kenya is considered a ticking time bomb by a section of the leaders, Saboti Member of Parliament, Caleb Amisi, included. The lawmaker is at the same time very concerned that thousands of graduates who are being churned out from the local universities and colleges every year have nowhere to go because the job market is already over-saturated. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Kenya has the highest rate of unemployment in East Africa - UNDP report Saboti MP Caleb Amisi is planning to table in Parliament a Bill seeking to compel the government to pay unemployed Kenyan graduates monthly stipends until they find jobs. Photo: UGC. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Latest facts on unemployment rate in kenya Amisi is therefore planning to table in Parliament a draft bill seeking to compel the government to include all the unemployed Kenyan graduates on its payroll until they find employment. According to the MP, who was speaking in Kitale where he addressed students from different universities, it is the responsibility of the government of the day to create job opportunities for the fresh graduates. Thousands graduates are released from the local universities and colleges into the job market every year but most of them have nowhere to go.Photo: UGC. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Government should not fund universities producing unemployable graduates - William Ruto Amisi argued lack of jobs was pushing the skilled and jobless youths into criminal activities including drug abuse and terrorism because they are frustrated. "To prevent the youths, especially the unemployed graduates, from joining criminal gangs and militia groups like al-Shabaab, the government should pay them stipends to enable them take care of their daily needs," the legislator said. He added the government would not be able to accomplish the much talked about Big Four agenda without addressing youth unemployment first. READ ALSO: This jobless Egerton University graduate wants to sell his kidney just to get a job A recent study by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had ranked Kenya as having the highest unemployment rate in the East Africa region. According to the study, one out of every five youth in the country is unemployed even as thousands of graduates are released into the labour market yearly. TUKO.co.ke understands President Uhuru Kenyatta is partly counting on expansion of the local manufacturing sector, which is one of his Big Four development agendas, to mitigate the youth unemployment headache. As of today, the informal (Jua Kali) sector employs at least 86% of the workforce and controls about 80% of the economy. 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. When Uhuru, Ruto and Raila Met at State House - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko | By Mary T. Phelan The numbers are staggering. In the United States: 20 people are abused by intimate partner violence every 60 seconds One in 15 children has been exposed to intimate partner violence 20 children are shot every day 215,000 students have witnessed school shootings since April 20, 1999, the day two students killed 12 classmates and a teacher at Columbine High School in Colorado. We live in a society where we only need to turn on TV, view our Twitter feed and Facebook pages, and were reminded of the frequency in which violence in its many forms occurs, said Tanya L. Sharpe, PhD, MSW, associate professor and the Factor-Inwentash Chair of Social Work in the Global Community at the University of Toronto. Until last fall, she was an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. University of Maryland, Baltimore County President Freeman A. Hrabowski III speaks at the "Research Summit on Violence Prevention and Community Engagement" on Dec. 5 at the Southern Management Corporation Campus Center. Sharpe provided the keynote address at A Research Summit on Violence Prevention and Community Engagement, held Dec. 5 at the Southern Management Corporation Campus Center. The event was co-sponsored by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Richard and Jane Sherman Center for Health Care Innovation and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Center for Social Science Scholarship. Last year, the late Richard Sherman, MD 72, and his wife, Jane Sherman, PhD 85, MS, RN, who attended the summit, established the Center for Health Care Innovation located in the Health Sciences and Human Services Library. UMB President Jay A. Perman, MD, also spoke at the summit, which drew an audience of about 50 faculty and staff from UMBC, UMB, and the University of Maryland, College Park, as well as Baltimore government officials and staff from Baltimore-based nonprofit organizations. He began his remarks by recalling his reaction when the National Rifle Association tweeted in November someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane. Physicians and other providers were angry. This is my lane. My lane, Perman said, adding the tweet made him very upset. He recounted how Baltimore Mayor Catherine E. Pugh asked him to speak to a woman, Kim Owens, whose 26-year-old son had been killed. She didn't know how to cope. She needed to know how to move forward, and the mayor said to me, Surely as a physician, you must have ways of doing something about it. Well, she overinflated my abilities, Perman said. Perman put Owens in touch with Sharpe, who has conducted extensive research on the post-homicide experiences of surviving family members and friends of homicide victims, and served as the summits keynote speaker. When people tell me to stay in my lane, you all need to help me with that and I need to help you, Perman told the audience. We have a public health crisis, and you are the people we are depending on to help fix it. UMBC President Freeman A. Hrabowski III, MA, PhD, challenged the audience to ask, listen, and act when it comes to researching community-based solutions to violence. I would charge us, first of all, to ask each other about the big questions and challenges, while also asking our communities as we work with them and our children, and listen carefully with a lens that is not biased by our own privilege and then we act based on that, he said. In her keynote address, Sharpe acknowledged the difficulties in finding solutions to violence and garnering community input. Its really hard, and I don't mean difficult in the way you may be thinking, she said. Its not hard because of the constant search for that grant gold that you hope will fund or sustain your research or program. Its not difficult because of the publish-or-perish grind that were all aware of. And its not hard because of the challenge of being a community-based researcher or program. The difficulty comes in translating the wants and needs of a community into a world of research and translating research into a world of community, Sharpe continued. The work is hard because of the way I feel about it. It is the fact that from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, from my fingertips to my core, that Ive been called to do this work. Gun violence, interpersonal violence, homicide violence, and violence in schools were among the topics discussed at the summit in lightning rounds, brief discussions of research topics related to social, cultural, and community aspects of violence prevention. What if we were given the opportunity to share resources among faculty, to apply for grants across disciplines, to disseminate and evaluate interventions together as a collective? Sharpe asked summit participants. When we think about engagement, we really need to think about the fact that this inaugural summit provides UMB with a unique opportunity to not only learn about engagement strategies that address various forms of violence in partnerships with the community that surrounds it, but in partnership with one another. Theres a lot going on, and a lot of times the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Anisha Thomas, deputy director of Safe Streets Baltimore, said she attended the summit because she was interested in honest, candid conversations about ways to address violence in Baltimore. I want to know where the experts stand on things and am looking forward to an interesting exchange of information, she said. The UMB Presidents Fellows also attended the summit. During the 2018-2019 academic year, the fellows are exploring UMBs role as an anchor institution in addressing gun violence through education, research, clinical care, and service, while exploring the root causes of gun violence and using an interdisciplinary lens to examine the impact of trauma on communities. They study a subject and advise UMB as to where we need to go with the subject, Perman said, gesturing toward the table of fellows. Burundian refugees and members of the host community come together once a week at a market outside Nduta camp, Tanzania. UNHCR/Georgina Goodwin UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and partners are urging Tanzania to ensure Burundian refugee returns are voluntary and based on individual choices in keeping with the countrys longstanding history of generosity toward those fleeing persecution, and in line with its international obligations. UNHCR reiterates that every refugee must have the freedom to decide on when to return and the decision be based on a free and informed choice. It is crucial not to pressure Burundian refugees directly or indirectly to influence their decision on return, said UNHCRs Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Volker Turk. Refugees need to have a meaningful choice and the decision to return must be voluntary, based on facts and ground realities. Tanzania hosts more than 250,000 refugees from Burundi, most of whom fled following political upheaval there in 2015. UNHCRs position was conveyed during a recent visit to Tanzania by the Assistant High Commissioner last week, after recent statements and actions by local government officials in Tanzania encouraging Burundian refugees to return home, and indicating the eventual closure of refugee camps in the country. UNHCRs Turk welcomed the assurances given by Tanzania authorities to uphold international obligations to safeguard refugee rights inside the country and to ensure that all refugee returns are voluntary, and carried out safely and with dignity. UNHCR is not promoting returns to Burundi at this stage, but we continue to work with the governments of Burundi and host countries, including Tanzania, to assist those who feel now is the time for them to return home, he added. Some 44,000 Burundian refugees have so far been assisted to repatriate voluntarily to Burundi, citing improved overall security in the country, desires to reoccupy farmland, and to reunify with family. Some returnees also say that they feel the conditions at home, however challenging, will be better than what they are experiencing as refugees. In the meantime, an average of 1,000 refugees continue to arrive to neighbouring countries each month, citing insecurity, harassment, and fear. UNHCR urges all governments in the region to maintain open borders for asylum seekers from Burundi and to continue to provide international protection for those who need it. UNHCR is also calling on the international community to step up support to ensure that pressing humanitarian needs are addressed for the hundreds of thousands of Burundian refugees who remain in exile. More funding is also urgently needed to support reintegration programs for refugees choosing to return. The Burundi situation is one of the least funded in the world. Currently only 12 per cent of the USD391 million required by UNHCR and partners this year has been received. For the nearly 400,000 Burundian refugees in the region, the lack of funding has resulted in food ration cuts, lack of proper shelter, and overcrowded classrooms with some children unable to attend school at all. Media contacts: Lutsenko says that the FBI helped little with identifying the hitman. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko says that the circle of suspects in the assassination of Belarusian journalist Pavel Sheremet in Kyiv has narrowed from several thousand to several hundred people. "The circle of the suspects has very seriously narrowed from several thousand to several hundred. So far we are tracking the hitman," Lutsenko said on Channel 5. Answering a question when exactly the killer's name could be made public, Lutsenko noted that even the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was unable to help Ukraine with that matter. Read alsoU.S. Embassy in Kyiv calls on Ukraine authorities to thoroughly investigate crimes against journalists As UNIAN reported earlier, Sheremet, a journalist from Belarus who was residing in Kyiv, was blown up in a car on the morning of July 20, 2016. Police opened a criminal case under Clause 5 of Part 2 of Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (felonious homicide committed in a way dangerous for many people's life). Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko called revenge for professional activity as a major theory behind the journalist's murder. Interior Minister Arsen Avakov did not rule out Russia's involvement in the assassination. He said that the National Police are ready to pay UAH 200,000 for any information with regard to the murder. This was the initiative of Ukraine's Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons. All 24 families of the Ukrainian sailors who were captured by Russian forces near the Kerch Strait in the Black Sea on November 25 have been UAH 100,000, or about US$3,570, each as one-time assistance. This was the initiative of Ukraine's Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, as a result of which the Cabinet of Ministers passed a resolution on December 5 to support the sailors' families, the ministry said on its website. Read alsoMerkel, Macron demand Russia immediately free captive Ukrainian sailors Minister for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons Vadym Chernysh says that his ministry is constantly in contact with international humanitarian organizations and lawyers of the Ukrainian sailors. As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia on November 25 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. All the 24 Ukrainian sailors have declared themselves to be prisoners of war. The enemy did not use proscribed weapons. Russian-led hybrid military forces mounted six attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on December 29, the first day of a recently agreed "New Year truce." The enemy did not use proscribed weapons, the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) press center said in a morning update on Facebook on December 30. "The positions of the [Ukrainian] troops came under fire from grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns and small arms near the village of Zalizne close to the town of Horlivka, near the villages of Novomykhaklivka and Opytne in the Donetsk sector, and near the villages of Hnutove and Vodiane in the Mariupol sector," the update said. Read also"New Year truce": Ukraine reports two enemy attacks in Donbas on Dec 29 Ukrainian Joint Forces units had to fire back, using allowed weapons. There were no Ukrainian army casualties over the period under review, it said. According to intelligence reports, three enemy fighters were eliminated and another three were wounded on December 29. From 00:00 to 07:00 on Sunday, December 30, the enemy did not open fire. As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine's envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) at the Minsk talks on Donbas Yevgenij Marchuk said the parties to the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine had agreed on an indefinite truce starting at 00:01 on December 29, 2018. In addition to the blacklist of the European Union the Netherlands has drawn up its own list of low-tax jurisdictions to help implement new measures to combat tax avoidance, the Dutch government announced on Friday. THE HAGUE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Dec, 2018 ) :In addition to the blacklist of the European Union the Netherlands has drawn up its own list of low-tax jurisdictions to help implement new measures to combat tax avoidance, the Dutch government announced on Friday. "By drawing up its own stringent blacklist, the Netherlands is once again showing that it is serious in its fight against tax avoidance," said State Secretary for Finance Menno Snel in a press release. "And that's just one of the steps we're taking". The Dutch list contains five jurisdictions that are already blacklisted by the European Union (American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago and includes another 16 low-tax jurisdictions (Anguilla, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, Jersey, the Cayman Islands, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Vanuatu and the United Arab Emirates). The mentioned jurisdictions either have no corporation tax or have a corporation tax rate that is lower than 9 percent. On Dec. 5, 2017 the European Union already published its first own first ever tax haven blacklist of 17 non-cooperative tax jurisdictions to fight tax evasion and avoidance, aiming to create a stronger deterrent for countries that according to the EU "consistently refuse to play fair on tax matters". Following commitments made at a high political level to remedy the EU concerns as a result of the pressure felt by being on the list several jurisdictions were already removed from the EU list early this year. The Dutch list will from now on be updated each year, while the EU list will be updated again in the first quarter of 2019. If, in the future, other jurisdictions are added to the EU list that are not on the Dutch list, the measures will also apply to these jurisdictions. (@ChaudhryMAli88) SHARJAH, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 30th Dec, 2018) The University of Sharjah signed a cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary Company to share space technology and systems located in Astana, Kazakhstan. It is one of the largest national companies in Kazakhstan specializing in Earth remote sensing. The aim of the agreement is to cooperate in research and promoting the use of space for peaceful purposes, while developing and applying space technology to support the economy, scientific research, safety, and community development through the exchange of space images and providing remote sensing data in the UAE by using the Kazakh satellites KazEOSat-1 and KazEOSat-2. Additional exchanges include providing services, including data processing from the Kazakh satellites, as well as cooperating in student training and exchanges of scientists and researchers in areas of common interest. Prof. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, signed the agreement, along with Mr. Aidyn Aimbetov, Cosmonaut and Vice President of the Company Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary. Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, attended the signing, along with Prof. Majid Merabti, Dean of the College of Sciences; Prof. Abdul-Kadir Hamid, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering; Dr. Tarek Merabtene, Director of the Office of International Relations; Dr. Ilias Fernini, Deputy General Director for the Sharjah Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences Research Laboratories and Observatory; Mr. Khalid Al Raboy, Director of Public Relations and Acting Deputy General Director for SCASS for Financial and Administrative Affairs; and Mr. Marwan Shwaiki, Deputy General Director for SCASS Planetarium and Exhibitions. During the meeting, the Chancellor of the University gave a brief introduction about the University of Sharjah since its establishment by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of the University. The University has now become one of the largest in the UAE, based upon the number of enrolled students and available academic programs. He also spoke about the Sharjah Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences, SCASS, which is unique to the University of Sharjah, among other universities in the UAE, and its facilities that serve the educational process, as well as scientific research at the University and the surrounding community. Aidyn Aimbetov discussed possible areas of cooperation with the University and expressed his admiration of the multiculturalism at the University, its prominent international standing, and high educational standards. He also praised the Sharjah Center for Astronomy and Space Sciences for its exceptional facilities. Aimbetov delivered a brief about the space sector in Kazakhstan, and stressed his desire for establishing future cooperation with SCASS. (@ChaudhryMAli88) RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Dec, 2018 ) :The security arrangements have been made foolproof and as many as 4,000 armed policemen would be deployed on the new year night, informed police spokesman. Under these security arrangements, a number of police officers would be deployed. There would be a special deployment around churches and public places. Plain clothed and well-equipped policemen would also perform duties near churches and public places, he said. The police have also been ordered to take stern action against suspects, and also conduct effective checking of hotels. He said all the Deputy Superintendents Police (DSP) and Station House Officers (SHO) had been directed to ensure effective patrolling in their respective areas. Security arrangements have been ensured to avoid any untoward incident in the district. According to the plan, one wheeling of motorbikes would not be allowed at any cost, and playing of the loud music on tape or video recorder would also be banned. No person would be allowed to carry weapons at the new yearnight, and stern action would be taken against violators. Austria believes that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project will be successfully implemented, Russian Ambassador in Vienna Dmitry Lyubinsky told Sputnik. VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th December, 2018) Austria believes that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project will be successfully implemented, Russian Ambassador in Vienna Dmitry Lyubinsky told Sputnik. "Nord Stream 2 is, of course, the most promising initiative of our energy partnership with Austria ... They believe here that this project will be successfully implemented," Lyubinsky said. When asked whether there was the possibility that Russia's energy giant Gazprom and the Austrian OMV energy company would sign new bilateral agreements, the ambassador responded in the affirmative. "In the outgoing year, partner energy companies have significantly expanded the package of bilateral agreements, and as for the question about the perspective of signing new agreements, there is definitely [such a possibility]," Lyubinsky stressed. In early October, Gazprom and OMV signed a memorandum on strategic cooperation, which envisages the establishment of a joint coordinating committee for cooperation in the natural gas sector. The Nord Stream 2 is a joint venture of Russia's Gazprom with France's Engie, Austria's OMV AG, UK-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell, and Germany's Uniper and Wintershall. It aims to deliver 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas a year to the European Union. 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"We believe that until Washington starts talking to Pyongyang in a diplomatic language and expresses its readiness to negotiate, the process of denuclearization will not be accelerated, while we are interested in progress no less than the United States and, by the way, we are committed to assist in this," Nebenzia said. Nebenzia also noted that the joint initiative of Russia and China, proposed in July 2017, comprised an endorsement of the general principles of relations by the two Koreas, including the non-use of force, peaceful coexistence and denuclearization efforts. The long-standing tensions on the Korean Peninsula started to ease after North Korea expressed its willingness to denuclearize and held summits with the South Korean and US presidents. During the Singapore summit with US President Donald Trump in June, Kim secured Washington's commitment to suspend US-South Korean drills in exchange for its promise to denuclearize. At the first inter-Korean summit of the year on April 27, the two countries agreed to halt all hostility against one another. During the third such meeting in September, the sides agreed to suspend artillery drills near the inter-Korean border and remove all guard posts from the demilitarized zone. The phenomenon of people movement is also one that severely affects the African continent. Africa is not only a migrant transit territory towards Europe and North America but is itself a destination of internal migration. Agenzia Fides Dakar, Senegal According to statistics of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), within the African continent a migratory phenomenon that is severely testing the capacity of Africa as a continent. In 2017, globally, 258 million people left their countries to seek better living conditions elsewhere, but of this, Only 35 % travelled south to north, that is, from countries of the south to those of the north. In Africa, 19.4 million Africans emigrated from their homeland to another country on the continent. "The phenomenon of migration inside the African continent is little known," explains Fabrizio Cavalletti of Caritas Italy - Africa Desk. "It (migration within Africa) is a complex phenomenon in which we find people fleeing their countries for political reasons, wars, violence, but also because they seek greater economic security, without forgetting that, now, we are also witnessing a flow of Africans who, after failing to seek fortune in Europe and failing to integrate, return to rebuild their lives in their own country or in a neighbouring country, said Cavalleti. The Archdiocese of Dakar and Caritas Senegal initiated the Point d'Accueil pour Refugies et Immigres (Pari) To respond to the needs of refugees, the Archdiocese of Dakar and Caritas Senegal started in 1995 the Point d'Accueil pour Refugies et Immigres (Pari), an Orientation Centre for migrants already on Senegalese territory. Over the years, the project has found the support of some European Caritas organisations, including the Italian one. This Senegalese initiative, explains Fabrizio Cavalletti, was not initiated by the universal Catholic Church or European institutions but was instead born as an initiative of the local Church, to respond to a challenge that was increasingly felt and present in Senegal. Cavalleti emphasises that it should be remembered that West Africa is the destination of 79% of African migrants on the move within the continent. Pari is a hub of networks The Orientation Centre in Dakar, "Pari," is a hub of complex networks. Migrants are welcomed by national and international volunteers who listen to their stories and then according to their needs, direct them to other centres run by the state or international organisations. It is at these centres that they find food, clothing and medical care. Cavalletti says that in the 23 years of Pari, thousands of migrants have been assisted. Among these, most originated from 35 African countries and were under 30 years of age. The number includes many children and girls. At Pari each person has a different history and physical condition. There are those who pass through Senegal to go to Europe and those who move from one neighbouring African country to another. There are also many Senegalese who come from the countryside to seek work in the city. In a telegram addressed to the President of Egypt, Pope Francis assures prayers for all those affected by a roadside bomb that killed 4 people in Giza. By Francesca Merlo Pope Francis said he was deeply saddened to learn of the recent bomb attack near Giza. The message came in a telegram to Egypts President, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. Telegram In the telegram, the Pope condemned the attack on a tourist bus, and deplored this senseless and brutal act. He said he is praying for the victims and their families, for the injured and for the emergency personnel who generously came to their aid. Finally, Pope Francis encouraged all Egyptians to overcome violence with solidarity and peace and invoked divine blessings upon Egypt and its people. Facts A roadside bomb hit a tourist bus on Friday near the Giza Pyramids, killing three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian guide. The bus was traveling in the Marioutiyah area near the pyramids when the roadside bomb, which was hidden by a wall, went off. The blast wounded 11 other Vietnamese tourists as well as the Egyptian driver. Vietnamese Ambassador to Egypt Tran Thanh Cong (Photo: VNA) Cong unveiled the information in an interview granted to Egypt-based correspondents of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA). The attack occurred at 18:15 on December 28 (local time) aiming at a bus carrying 15 Vietnamese tourists after their trip to a pyramid and being en route to the airport to return home. Three Vietnamese tourists were killed while 12 others were injured, the ambassador said. Among the 12 injured, 10 are still receiving treatment at the hospital. The embassy has received two others for further care, Cong said. The ambassador added that right after the incident, the embassy directly worked with relevant agencies of the host country, including the Egyptian Ministers of Tourism and Health to ensure the best emergency care for the victims. The embassy staff also came to the site of the bomb attack on the day and visited the victims at the hospital. The ambassador said he also worked with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry to ask for help and optimal conditions for the Vietnamese people to return home soon while taking care of those being treated at the hospital and preparing all necessary conditions to repatriate the bodies of the three dead victims. Egyptian relevant agencies said they are quickening the investigation to bring the culprit to the light as soon as possible, according to the diplomat. Besides the aforesaid group of Vietnamese tourists, others are visiting Egypt, he said. He warned them to obey the roadmap of the trip and advised travel companies to consider this sensitive time. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 30) The presidential spokesperson said President Rodrigo Duterte's story about an incident of a supposed encounter between him and a household helper was just "made up." In a statement on Sunday, Panelo said the President made a "laughable anecdote" to "dramatize the fact of sexual abuse that was inflicted on him and his fellow students when they were in high school." "He purposely added and spliced the story with vulgarity to characterise the behavior of the priest who insisted to hear more sins during their confessions when there were none," Panelo said. The presidential spokesperson then scored a women's rights group for criticizing the President, saying they have lost the ability to tell truth from "a rebuke on the hypocrisy of the priests who molested him and his classmates when they were high school students." READ: "The President will not discard his shocking and amusing out of the box utterances that have been his political signature, which has endeared him to the masses, and which he finds effective in transmitting to the nation his political and social dogmas." Macalanang pic.twitter.com/hBYVciZWhU CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) December 30, 2018 Speaking at an event in Kidapawan City Saturday, Duterte recalled his confession to a priest at the Ateneo high school where he revealed a sexual experience he had with a household helper who was asleep. Of the issue, rights group Gabriela issued a statement Sunday saying the President's words were "deeply disturbing" called the incident a "crime." "This statement about his crime as a young man is only the latest in his countless statements bragging about flagrantly committing crimes against women and the people," they said. Panelo dismissed the criticisms, saying the methods used by the President to highlight what he called "hypocritical practices of those men in religious cloak" were unorthodox and mischievous. 'While the telling of the concocted story triggers laughter on his audience, the message that the President intends to convey is not lost on his listeners. The President will not discard his shocking and amusing out-of-the-box utterances that have been his political signature, which has endeared him to the masses, and which he finds effective in transmitting to the nation his political and social dogmas," Panelo said. At the signing ceremony of CPTPP in Santiago, Chile, on March 8, 2018 (Source: Xinhua/VNA) The trade deal, signed in March, is the successor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement, a similar deal that included the US. However, President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the TPP soon after he was elected. The CPTPP will cut tariffs on agricultural and industrial products, ease investment regulations and enhance protection of intellectual property. The 11 member countries of CPTPP hope that the trade pact will help counter to growing protectionism. Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore became the first six members to ratify the pact, setting the stage for its entry into force. The CPTPP is one of the most comprehensive trade deals ever concluded and strips 98 percent of tariffs for the 11 countries with a combined GDP of more than 13.5 trillion USD and close to 500 million consumers. It is expected to promote economic growth and poverty reduction, create more jobs and improve the living condition for the people at member nations. The trade deal was signed by 11 member states, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam in Santiago in March 2018. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the launching ceremony (Source: VNA) These infrastructural facilities have a combined investment capital of over 20 trillion VND (over 860 billion USD) invested by the private investor, Sun Group. Construction on Van Don International Airport started in 2015 on 288 hectares in Doan Ket commune, Van Don district. It is the first airport in Vietnam to operate under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model at a cost of 7.46 trillion VND. The airport is capable of catering for Boeing 787, 777, and Airbus A350, A320. It is designed to have annual capacity of 2-2.5 million passengers by 2020, which will increase to five million by 2030. The airport is set to receive 500,000 passenger arrivals/departures in the first year of operation. Meanwhile, the Hon Gai International Passenger Terminal, located on Bai Chay, Ha Long city, was built under the private-public partnership form between Sun Group and Quang Ninh province at a cost of 1.03 trillion VND. It was designed to have a 524-m quay that is able to receive two cruise ships with capacity of up to 225,000 GT with passengers totalling 8,460, including the crew, at the same time. The port provides a five-star three-storey terminal covering 7,600 square meters and a harbor serving 250 tourist boats carrying visitors to world heritage site Ha Long Bay. To connect the airport and the port, the Ha Long-Van Don Expressway, built at a cost of 11.85 trillion VND, was put into service. It helps shorten the travel time from Ha Long to Van Don to 50 minutes from the current 90 minutes. Together with the Ha Long-Hai Phong highway, which opened to traffic in September 9, 2018, the Ha Long-Van Don Expressway stretching over 59 km, creates traffic connections in the economic triangle axis of Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh and form the Ha Noi-Hai Phong-Ha Long-Van Don-Mong Cai expressway route, contributing to easing traffic flow on the National Highway 18. It will reduce the travel time from Hanoi to Van Don to 2 hours and a half from the current 5 hours. Addressing the ceremony, PM Phuc reiterated the Party and State viewpoints regarding the attraction of private investments into developing infrastructural facilities and asked cities and provinces nationwide to study these projects for application in their localities, especially in the context that State resources remain limited. He said these facilities will help Quang Ninh strongly develop tourism, which is its spearhead economic sector. He hailed the provincial authorities for their bold mindset in allowing private investors to join in developing major infrastructural facilities, turning the province into the fourth largest contributor of the State budget. The leader asked the local government and Sun Group to work together to develop services in these facilities to draw more tourists, operate these facilities safely, and complete auxiliary works to maximize the efficiency of these freshly-operated facilities. Reasserting the importance of the 10th Party Central Committee Resolution on developing the private economy, the Government leader asked competent agencies at all levels to work to turn the private economy into an important driver of the national economy. Competent agencies need to encourage and provide all possible conditions for the private economy to grow in a fast, sustainable, and diverse manner in terms of quality, scale and number, and eliminate all huddles and preconceptions for the private economy to develop healthily in all sectors and fields that are not banned by laws, he said. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc Earlier on December 28, four people including three Vietnamese tourists were killed and at least 10 others injured when a roadside bomb blast hit their tour bus less than 4km from Egypts world-famous Giza pyramids, according to Foreign Ministrys Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang. Vietnam strongly condemned the terrorist attack and asked the Egyptian side to quickly launch investigation into incident, Hang said. Vietnam also appreciated cooperation of the Government an people of Egypt in offering medical treatment and protection efforts for the Vietnamese tourists. Right after the incident occurred, Egypts authorized officials brought the victims to El-Haram hospital in Giza province. Vietnamese Ambassador Tran Thanh Cong visited the wounded victims at the hospital, and worked with local officials, including Tourism Minister Rania Al-Mashat and Health Minister Hala Zayed, to seek solutions to the case. Egypts Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, told media from Al Haram hospital that the bus had taken an unexpected route. The bus deviated from the route secured by the security forces, Madbouly told Extra News channel, an assertion also made by the owner of the company that organized the bus tour. The region bordering Malaysia has been in the grip of a low-level but bloody insurgency for more than a decade as ethnic Malay militants battle the Buddhist-majority state AFP/Madaree TOHLALA The region bordering Malaysia has been in the grip of a low-level but bloody insurgency for more than a decade as ethnic Malay militants battle the Buddhist-majority state for greater autonomy. Since 2004, insurgents armed with homemade bombs and grenades have clashed with Thailand's powerful military, killing nearly 7,000 people, mostly civilians, of both Muslim and Buddhist faith. However, 2017 saw a record low of 235 people killed in clashes. The latest attacks occurred Friday night in a series of seven separate incidents in three different districts of Narathiwat province, said police commander Major General Dussadee Choosungkit. Two bomb attacks occurred in Sri Sakhon district, four in Chanae district, and militants "ambushed a base in Rangae district" using grenades, he said. The homemade bombs were "detonated by radio", he said, adding that no one was injured. The attacks prolong a bout of violence that began late Monday evening when a policeman died in an explosion from a detonated roadside bomb hidden in a gas cylinder. In nearby Songkhla province on Wednesday night, two bombs rocked popular tourist site Simila beach, causing no fatalities but damaging to two seaside statues. Songkhla provincial police are still investigating the beach bombings, and no arrest has been made, police told AFP Saturday. Major General Dussadee said the Songkhla bombings were not connected to his province's troubles -- which he said is payback for a Dec 12 raid on the insurgents' camp in Narathiwat. "I think the militants are retaliating at authorities after the raid on their camp earlier this month," he told AFP. The prime minister has instructed officials to step up security measures after the attacks, said government spokesman Buddhipongse Punakanta Saturday. "(Prayut) called them the works of ill-intentioned people and opportunists for staging attacks during New Year holidays," said Buddhipongse, adding that the junta head asked for locals to "tip off" authorities on any irregularities. The three southernmost provinces - Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani - are predominantly Muslim and have long chafed against Bangkok's rule, calling for greater autonomy or independence. The latest attacks come as the Thai junta renews talks with an umbrella group claiming to represent the rebels, with the aid of Malaysia as facilitator. The shadowy Barisan Revolusi Nasional faction is believed to be behind most of the violence in the region, with its leadership living along Malaysia's border. Between May and September, nature lovers should visit Cau Isle, a secluded spot in the central province of Binh Thuan (Photo: tuoitrenews.vn) The island, nestled in Tuy Phong district, is merely 1.5 km in length. It takes only two hours to walk from one tip to the other, where you will see lush greenery and rocks of intriguing shapes. Snorkelers can also admire the corals underneath the sea, while swimmers and sunbathers will love the crystal water and sunshine along Fairy beach. To get to Cau isle from the southern largest economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City, visitors can catch a five-hour bus from Eastern Bus Station in Binh Thanh district to Lien Huong town in Binh Thuan province. For the trip to Cau from Lien Huong town, round-trip boat tickets cost 250,000 (11 USD). The journey takes roughly 45 minutes. You can also catch a free ride with a local fisherman. The trip, which might take two to three hours, offers an authentic seafaring experience. Vietnam has become a key trade partner of Russia in Southeast Asia, which is proved through the results of the two countries economy-trade cooperation in 2018 (Illustrative photo: AFP/VNA) Kharinov said the Russia-Vietnam trade revenue strongly surges this year and is likely to surpass the estimate mark of 6.2 billion USD. According to statistics of the Russian side, the countrys main exports to Vietnam include foodstuff, accounting for 34 percent, followed by machinery (20.7 percent), nonferrous metal and metallic products (16.6 percent). Wheat flour topped the lists of Russias exports to Vietnam for the first time, hitting 476.9 million USD in the first 10 months, a rise of 2.5 times year-on-year. Meanwhile, electronic devices, including computers, cell phones and accessories, were Vietnams leading export to Russia, making up 60 percent of the total export revenue. Kharinov affirmed that Russian firms are very attentive to Vietnams market, voicing his belief that they will increase their presence in Vietnam over the time. Aside from foodstuff, businesses from Russia have provided high technology solutions for Vietnamese counterparts in smart city building, water filter and treatment, medical equipment using nuclear technology, among others, the official noted. He also pointed out some technical and administrative barriers, such as in animal health control and phytosanitary, to be removed to further facilitate the increase of the bilateral trade. Electoral authorities in Afghanistan have delayed by three months next years presidential election and it will now be held on July 20. The head of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said Sunday the delay would give his institution more time to fix technical issues and overcome related challenges to better prepare for the election. The IEC chairman, Gula Jan Abdul Bade Sayad, explained to reporters in Kabul the election was organically set for April 20 but harsh winter, security challenges and financial constraints were hampering preparations and the transportation of election materials for organizing the vote on time. He said the elections in Ghazni province as well as district and provincial council elections would be held on the same day as the presidential elections. The unity government of incumbent President Ashraf Ghani, who intends to seek a second five-year term, has welcomed the delay though it had previously insisted the polls would be held on time. Sundays announcement comes as IEC officials are still struggling to tally votes cast in Octobers parliamentary elections mired in controversy. The polls were held in 33 of the 34 provinces. So far, the IEC has announced preliminary results for 31 provinces. The elections in central eastern Ghanzi province could not be held due to insecurity and increased influence of Taliban insurgents in many of its districts. Election officials also cited a dispute over representation between different ethnic groups in Ghazni. Criticism stemming from long delays at polling stations, faulty voter lists, malfunctioning biometric voter verification equipment and insurgent attacks to try to disrupt the October elections continue to haunt the integrity of the entire process. IEC chief Sayad said his institution is working hard to fix the problems so the mistakes are not repeated and a fair presidential election is organized. Some critics have linked the delay to ongoing talks between the United States and the Taliban for finding a negotiated end to the Afghan war. They say the delay would allow more time to U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, to jump start negotiations between the Kabul government and the Taliban to pave the ground for an election inclusive of insurgents. But Afghan officials have dismissed those suggestions while the Taliban has ruled out the possibility of it engaging in direct peace talks with Kabul. Afghanistans 2014 presidential election was marred by massive fraud and vote rigging, with both Ghani and his rival candidate, Abdullah Abdullah both claiming victories. The tensions prompted the U.S. to intervene and mediate a deal between the two men that led to the formation of the so-called unity government in Kabul, with Ghani as the present and Abdullah as the chief executive of the country. A recent call for a Quran test in Aceh province for Indonesian presidential candidates is facing strong criticism by Muslim scholars, who say the move would undermine racial unity. On Saturday, the Council of Preachers Association in Aceh sent an invitation to both presidential candidates in the April 2019 vote incumbent Joko Widodo and opponent Prabowo Subianto to attend a Quran recitation test in the capital of Aceh province on January 15. The chairman of that council, Marsyuddin Ishak, told VOA that the test is important to reveal the true image of the presidential candidates as well as continue a tradition in their province, the only one that implement the Sharia-law in Indonesia. Quran recitation is a requirement to compete in local elections in Aceh. " Our leaders in here the governor, the member of parliament and other councils are all tested to read the Quran. The next president will be our leader too, so we want to know their capability in reading Quran as our local leaders in here, said Marsyuddin. However, former president of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, Dr. Komaruddin Hidayat, told VOA that the test is unnecessary and exaggerates the importance of religion. I really regret it. Our lives must be based on a constitution. Understanding and learning more about our religion is important, but it doesnt mean that we fail our live if we cant read the Quran," he said. "Religion never became the standard to graduate from school or to get a job. I give you another example : if we want to test an airplane pilot, we test his knowledge on the airplane not about his ability to read the Quran. The same case with the presidential election. He adds that its better if any test was based on the candidates sensitivity to people of different religions and how will he fight for the rights of minorities. Dr. Rumadi Ahmad, an official with the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, told VOA that the Quran recitation test is a clear example of politicizing religion. This is an exaggeration of religion in politics. We dont have to use the capability to read the Quran as an issue in the coming election. This is a clear tendency to politicize religion. Its dangerous and will arouse hatred among people of various races and religions in the country, said Rumadi. The invitation that was sent to both presidential candidates asks them to read Al-Fatiha (the first surah in Quran) and then another surah that will be determined by the organizer. According to Marsyuddin Ishak, Joko Widodo's team has replied to the invitation by saying that they will consider it and discuss it further. Prabowo has not replied. At least 17 people have been killed in election-related violence in Bangladesh Sunday, according to police, as Sheikh Hasina was heading for a landslide win for a third term as the country's prime minister. Early election results showed incumbent Prime Minister Hasina's Awami League racing toward a clear lead. But opponents have criticized reports of voter intimidation and "irregularities" in the election. Opposition alliance leader Kamal Hossain called Sunday's election "farcical" and said the outcome will be rejected. Violence between the ruling and opposition parties which marred the election campaigns carried on into election day, despite heavy security throughout the country, including 600,000 troops and other security forces deployed across the country, according to the French Press Agency. Thirteen people were killed in clashes between opposing party supporters, and three men were shot by police who said they were protecting polling stations, according to police. An auxiliary police member was also killed by armed opposition activists, according to the French Press Agency. Voter turnout in the country of 165 million people was low in the first fully competitive general election in a decade. "I believe the people of Bangladesh will vote for the boat (Awami League symbol) and will give us another opportunity to serve them so that we can maintain our upward trend of development, and take Bangladesh forward as a developing country," Hasina said Sunday. Hasina's main rival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, the leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, is in prison on corruption charges and a court has banned her from running. In Zia's absence, opposition parties have formed a coalition led by Hossain, an 82-year-old Oxford-educated lawyer and former member of Hasina's Awami League party. "I told everybody over the phone that, besides sending me the complaints, let the returning officers, and their superiors and newspapers know about everything that you all are witnessing. Besides talking to you, we are going to collect the complaints and share them with both the government and election commission," Hossain said. Mobile internet was blocked and the streets of the capital, Dhaka were largely deserted as many had left to vote in their home towns. Others were seen trickling into polling booths, where posters bearing the ruling Awami League's "boat" symbol far outnumbered those of the opposition. Former senior diplomats who have steered U.S. policy on Afghanistan say U.S. President Donald Trump's reported decision to pull thousands of troops out of that country complicates U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad's efforts to broker a cease-fire with the Taliban. Trump announced he was considering withdrawing roughly half of the 14,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan, shortly after he said American forces would pull out of Syria. Both decisions took many by surprise, including some officials tasked with overseeing U.S. foreign policy. A former U.S. diplomat, who requested not to be named because of possible reprisal, told VOA that Khalilzad needed flexibility on a U.S. troop pullout from Afghanistan because that has long been a demand by the Taliban. "What's problematic is that any gesture indicating drawdown had to be on a quid pro quo basis and tied to a cease-fire agreement by the Taliban, which does not appear to be the case," the former U.S. official said. "And that can have military- as well as policy-related consequences, not to mention the Afghan government circles do not like this situation one bit as they feel they have been sold out by Ambassador Khalilzad." Ambassador Richard Boucher, a former assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, told VOA the decision to withdraw some troops from Afghanistan was a political decision, not a strategic one. Former U.S. Ambassador Robin Raphel agreed, and added that the announcement put additional pressure on Khalilzad's office to come up with a deal that doesn't damage the U.S. reputation as a reliable ally in the region. "Otherwise, this would send wrong message to the Taliban and the neighboring countries like Pakistan, who have always doubted U.S. seriousness to stay in Afghanistan," Raphel said. Activists urging more states to ban gay conversion therapy for minors are expecting major gains in 2019, thanks to midterm election results and the buzz generated by two well-reviewed films. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have already enacted laws prohibiting licensed therapists from trying to change a minor's sexual orientation. Leaders of a national campaign to ban the practice are hopeful that at least four more states Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and New York will join the ranks in the upcoming legislative sessions. "We'd be disappointed if we don't get those this year they're overdue," said Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, one of the groups campaigning to impose bans in all 50 states. The campaign has gained momentum in recent months thanks to the national release of two films dramatizing the experiences of youths who went through conversion therapy The Miseducation of Cameron Post and the higher-profile Boy Erased starring Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe. Joining 'in droves' Sam Brinton of the Trevor Project, another of groups leading the ban campaign, said thousands of people have signed up to assist the effort since Boy Erased was released on Nov. 2. "They're recognizing this is still a problem and joining our campaigns in droves," said Brinton, a child of Baptist missionary parents who has written about agonizing conversion therapy sessions experienced as an adolescent in Florida. Brinton recalls being bound to a table by the therapist for applications of ice, heat and electricity. Just four days after the Boy Erased release came the midterm elections, which altered the partisan political dynamic at several statehouses and boosted prospects for conversion therapy bans. In three of the states now being targeted, previous efforts to enact a ban gained some bipartisan support but were thwarted by powerful Republicans. In Maine, a bill was vetoed last year by GOP Gov. Paul LePage. In New York and Colorado, bills approved in the Democratic-led lower chambers of the legislature died in the Republican-controlled state senates. In January, however, a Democrat will succeed LePage as Maine's governor, and Democrats will have control of both legislative chambers in New York and in Colorado, where gay Gov.-elect Jared Polis is believed eager to sign a ban. A lead sponsor of the New York ban bill, Democratic Sen. Brad Hoylman, predicted passage would be "straightforward" now that his party controls the Senate. "For a lot of my colleagues, they consider conversion therapy to be child abuse," he said. Outlook in Massachusetts In Massachusetts, both legislative chambers voted last year in support of a ban but were unable to reconcile different versions of the measure before adjournment. Chances of passage in 2019 are considered strong, and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, who was re-elected, is viewed as likely to sign such a measure given his strong support for LGBT rights. More Republican governors like Baker are getting behind the bans, reflecting activists' belief that opposition to conversion therapy is increasingly bipartisan. Bills proposing bans are pending or anticipated in several GOP-controlled legislatures, including Florida, Ohio and Utah. LGBT activists are particularly intrigued by Utah because of the possibility that the powerful Mormon church, which in the past supported conversion therapy, might endorse a bill to ban the practice for minors. In Florida, the proposed ban faces long odds in the legislature in 2019, but activists note that about 20 Florida cities and counties have passed local bans more than in any other state. In Ohio, supporters of a bill that would ban conversion therapy for minors realize they have an uphill fight in a legislature with GOP supermajorities. Still, Sen. Charleta Tavares, a Columbus Democrat, believes her proposal got "new legs" in November. That's when the state board overseeing counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists warned the 40,000 professionals it regulates that anyone found practicing conversion therapy on LGBT patients could lose his or her license. "I am glad to see that our state boards are carrying this movement, regardless of the inaction by our General Assembly," Tavares said. For now, LGBT activists are not seeking to ban conversion therapy for adults. A gay California legislator, Evan Low, withdrew a bill he introduced earlier this year that would have declared conversion therapy a fraudulent practice and banned commercial use of it for adults and minors. Some opponents had threatened to sue to block the bill, saying it would jeopardize free speech and free exercise of religion. Model for movie Low says he may try again after revising his bill. If so, his arguments could be bolstered by input from John Smid, the real-life model for the Boy Erased character who ran a coercive conversion therapy program. For years, Smid was director of Tennessee-based Love in Action, a ministry that operated such a program. Smid left the organization in 2008. He subsequently renounced the concept that sexual orientation could be changed and apologized for any harm he had caused. In 2014, he married his same-sex partner, with whom he lives in Texas. Smid recently cooperated with a law firm as it compiled a report about Love in Action for the Washington-based Mattachine Society, which studies past instances of anti-LGBT persecution. One of the report's co-authors, Lisa Linsky, said Smid depicted Love in Action as "a complete and utter failure," with none of its participants actually changing sexual orientation. French and Nigerien troops killed around 15 Islamist militants in a joint air and ground operation in south west Niger on Dec. 27, France's armed forces and Defense Ministry said on Sunday. The air raid and ground assault took place near Tongo Tongo, a village close to the border with Mali and some 175 kilometers (109 miles) north of Niamey. Tongo Tongo was where, in October 2017, militants killed four U.S. soldiers and four local soldiers in an ambush on their joint patrol. Islamist militants in Niger are part of a regional insurgency in the poor, sparsely populated deserts of West Africa's Sahel. In 2017, five countries Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mali and Mauritania backed by France, launched a taskforce, the G-5 Sahel, in order to combat the insurgents. France operates in the region through its regional Barkhane force. During the operation the force recovered 20 motorbikes and a stash of weapons including several machine guns during the operation, the French military said in a statement. The partial U.S. government shutdown hit its 10th day Monday, with no end in sight, as federal spending negotiations remain stalled between President Donald Trump and lawmakers heading into 2019. Trump continues to demand billions of dollars in federal spending for wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democratic lawmakers back a modest increase in overall border security funding but resolutely oppose a wall. Spending authority for one fourth of the U.S. government expired on December 22. White House officials said talks to resolve the impasse have broken off. Trump on Sunday tweeted that Democrats left town and are not concerned about the safety and security of Americans! Democrats scoffed at the accusation. This is the same president who repeatedly promised the American people that Mexico would pay for the wall that he plans to build, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said on ABCs This Week program. Now hes trying to extract $5 billion from the American taxpayer to pay for something that clearly would be ineffective. President Trump has taken hundreds of thousands of federal employees' pay hostage in a last ditch effort to fulfill a campaign promise, the Senates No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, tweeted. Building a wall from sea to shining sea won't make us safer or stop drugs from coming into our country. In a series of tweets on Friday, Trump again threatened to close the entire U.S.-Mexico border and cut aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador if Congress failed to give him money to fund the wall. He also asked for changes in what he said was the United States "ridiculous immigration laws. Closing the U.S.-Mexican border would mean disrupting a $1.68 billion-a-day trade relationship between the two countries. In addition, immigrant advocates have called any move to seal the border "disgraceful." In a tweet Saturday, Trump linked Democrats "pathetic immigration policies with the deaths of two Guatemalan children while in U.S. custody. His comments, the first to reference the children's deaths, came the same day Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was finishing a two-day visit to the southern U.S. border, where she said in a statement, "The system is clearly overwhelmed and we must work together to address this humanitarian crisis." Trump has declined to comment on whether he might accept less than $5 billion for wall funding. When asked Wednesday how long he thought the shutdown would last, Trump told reporters, "Whatever it takes." Out of a workforce of about 2.1 million federal employees, more than 800,000 have been furloughed without pay. About 420,000 of those furloughed employees are still being required to work without pay. Democrats have blamed Trump for "plunging the country into chaos" and have noted that, weeks ago, Trump said he would be "proud" to "own" a shutdown over border wall funding. The Republican Party controls the White House, as well as both chambers of Congress. On Thursday, however, a new Congress, with a Democrat-controlled House, will be seated. The European Union is not trying to keep Britain in and wants to start discussing future ties the moment the U.K. parliament approves Brexit, partly to focus on its own unity ahead of May elections, the head of the bloc's executive said Saturday. "It is being insinuated that our aim is to keep the United Kingdom in the EU by all possible means. That is not our intention. All we want is clarity about our future relations. And we respect the result of the referendum." Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the European Commission, told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag in an interview. Juncker said the EU was ready to start negotiating a new deal with Britain right after the British Parliament approves the divorce deal. A vote is now due in the week starting Jan. 14. He also said Britain should get its act together. "And then tell us what it is you want," he said. "I am working on the assumption that it will leave, because that is what the people of the United Kingdom have decided," he added, refusing to be drawn into whether Britain would hold a second Brexit vote. "That is for the British to decide." Watching Trump On other challenges facing Europe, Juncker said he was watching U.S. President Donald Trump closely on trade. "I trust him for as long as he keeps his word. And if he no longer keeps it, then I will no longer feel bound by my word, either," Juncker said of tensions between the EU and Washington around car tariffs. He said he felt EU citizens were increasingly growing apart, another problem to tackle ahead of Europe-wide parliamentary elections in May. "We have to ensure that these rifts do not become too deep," Juncker said. "We must not imply that the populists are right. ... They are just loud and do not have any specific proposals to offer on solving the challenges of our time." He said Europe had to stand united "in combating the trolls and hacker groups from China or Russia" that could seek to sway the European vote. He expressed doubt about EU state Romania, which takes over the bloc's rotating presidency Jan. 1 but struggles with corruption and bitter divisions. "The government in Bucharest has not yet fully understood what it means to take chair over the EU member states. ... Romania's internal situation is such that the country cannot act as a compact unit in Europe," Juncker said. Peruvian authorities on Saturday demolished a mausoleum holding eight Shining Path rebels killed during prison massacres more than three decades ago and relocated their remains to a cemetery in a northern part of Lima. More than 50 police officers and dozens of workers from the cemetery in the Comas district of Peru's capital participated in the operation, said prosecutor Javier Zapata. The remains of the Maoist rebels will be buried in separate niches. The rebels died in June 1986 riots in three prisons in Lima during which security forces killed 250 suspected Shining Path inmates. Prisoners killed three soldiers and one police officer. In 2013, prosecutors accused 35 members of Peru's navy of homicide and carrying out extrajudicial executions during the riots, and requested 25- to 28-year sentences. The case is ongoing. The inmates' bodies were burned and buried clandestinely after the massacres but were exhumed by a forensic team starting in 2012. The remains of the eight rebels were the first to be returned to their families. The other remains have not yet been returned. The mausoleum was built in 2016 by relatives of the dead rebels and was designed to hold up to 51 niches. Conservative parties in Peru and members of the military objected to it as an apology for terrorism and called for it to be taken down. Authorities say its construction was begun without the necessary permits. A handful of relatives of the dead rebels protested at the cemetery's gates but managed to enter only after the mausoleum had been torn down. I felt impotence, indignation and anger; the state doesn't even let the dead rest in peace,'' said Elviro Aponte, 80, father of one of the rebels. Experts says there are 6,462 clandestine cemeteries throughout Peru, a legacy of the Andean nation's brutal internal conflict. A truth commission found that between 1980 and 2000, fighting among rebel groups, the government and self-defense patrols left up to 70,000 dead. The Taliban have rejected Kabuls offer of talks next month in Saudi Arabia where the militants, fighting to restore strict Islamic law in Afghanistan, will meet U.S. officials to further peace efforts, a Taliban leader said Sunday. Representatives from the Taliban, the United States and regional countries met this month in the United Arab Emirates for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan. But the Taliban have refused to hold formal talks with the Western-backed Afghan government. We will meet the U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi, a member of the Talibans decision-making Leadership Council told Reuters. However, we have made it clear to all the stakeholders that we will not talk to the Afghan government. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said the leaders of the group would not talk to the Afghan government. Meeting with US The militants have insisted on first reaching an agreement with the United States, which the group sees as the main force in Afghanistan since U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban government in 2001. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified after Taliban representatives started meeting U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad this year. Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times to discuss the withdrawal of international forces and a ceasefire in 2019. But the United States has insisted that any final settlement must be led by the Afghans. Control of territory According to data from the NATO-led Resolute Support mission published in November, the government of President Ashraf Ghani has control or influence over 65 percent of the population but only 55.5 percent of Afghanistans 407 districts, less than at any time since 2001. The Taliban say they control 70 percent of the country. A close aide to Ghani said the government would keep trying to establish a direct line of diplomatic communication with the Taliban. Talks should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, the aide said on condition of anonymity. It is important that the Taliban acknowledge this fact. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a pullout of American troops from Syria, a decision that prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis, and there have been reports that he is considering a partial pullout from Afghanistan. A French technology company has created a tiny tracking device to combat poaching. The tracker is smaller, lighter and cheaper than previous methods, such as radio collars. The creators say the technology can also allow those in remote villages to share information on the internet regardless of language or literacy barriers. Arash Arabasadi reports. U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against Islamic State have killed over 1,000 civilians in Iraq and Syria since 2014. In a monthly civilian casualty report, the Coalition detailed confirmed deaths of 1,139 civilians in airstrikes conducted since the beginning of Operation Inherent Resolve between August 2014 and November 2018. "The Coalition conducted a total of 31,406 strikes between August 2014 and end of November 2018. During this period, based on information available, CJTF-OIR assesses at least 1,139 civilians have been unintentionally killed by Coalition strikes since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve," the report read, adding that nearly eight million Iraqis and Syrians have been liberated from IS-rule during that time. 184 reports of other unintended civilian casualties are still being evaluated. In July, the Coalition admitted that 1,059 civilians had been killed in airstrikes since 2014, amid calls for updated figures from rights organizations, which have long accused the coalition of significantly undercounting the number of civilians it has killed during years of fighting against Islamic State. Sunday's report reflects the updated total number of civilian deaths, including confirmed reports from the past six months. Even as regional forces race to position themselves for the imminent withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, announced suddenly by President Donald Trump earlier this month, U.S. military officials caution nothing on the ground has changed yet. The U.S. on Friday dismissed claims Syrian forces were taking control of the northeastern city of Manbij, a key flashpoint between U.S.-backed Kurdish militias and Turkey, at the request of the Syrian Kurds. Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. VOA60 America - Lawmakers in Iraq demanded U.S. forces leave the country after a surprise visit by U.S. President Donald Trump Share VOA60 America - Lawmakers in Iraq demanded U.S. forces leave the country after a surprise visit by U.S. President Donald Trump share Millions of citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo voted Sunday in a contentious, chaotic national election that has been repeatedly delayed and marred with glitches and allegations of rigging. While voting day, too, was marked by chaos, confusion and anger, millions of people among a voters roll of 40 million participated in what may be the most important poll in this nations independent history. This poll marks the nations first opportunity at a peaceful transfer of power in almost 60 years as an independent country. Most Congo-watchers predicted chaos would ensue as the sprawling nation voted in Sundays long-delayed general election -- and they were right. Perhaps nowhere was that clearer than in the capital, Kinshasa, where delays at polling stations prompted hundreds of angry voters to greet the head of the electoral commission Sunday morning with chants demanding his resignation. An unknown number of polling stations opened late in Kinshasa on Sunday -- and as the sun set, a number remained open beyond closing time to handle the voters still waiting in line. It has been, says analyst Stephanie Wolters of the Institute for Security Studies, a worrying scene. Like many avid Congo-watchers, she was not in Congo for this poll. The government has financed the poll itself and has been openly, vocally, hostile to foreign involvement. Weve seen polling stations that opened late, weve seen polling stations without electoral material being delivered, weve seen problems with the voting machines ranging from there not being voting machines at polling stations to voters not knowing how to use them, weve also seen a lot of cases where voters didnt know where to go because the voters lists were posted late, and theres been bad weather," she said. "So there have been a number of quite significant challenges that weve seen so far. The two top presidential contenders ruling party candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and opposition favorite Martin Fayulu voted in Kinshasa in the morning. Fayulu, a former oil executive and political newcomer, is predicted to win, according to a recent political opinion poll conducted by several respected Congolese and international think tanks. However, the groups noted in their report that this result is only expected if the poll is free and fair, which many observers and critics of the regime expect it not to be. Worryingly, the report also noted that the majority of voters say they will not accept the results if the ruling coalition candidate Shadary wins. Also making an appearance at the polls was longtime president Joseph Kabila, whose reluctance to organize polls in when his mandate ended 2016 led to him staying in power two years beyond his term. He smiled and waved to the cameras as he cast his ballot in the upscale Gombe neighborhood, where just two weeks ago, a fire tore through an election depot and destroyed most of the voting machines meant for the capital, prompting officials to announce a one-week delay from the original date of December 23. Fayulu stopped to speak to the press after voting. Change is finally happening and there will be a change, a real change and we will make this country something you will not recognize, because we have all the tools, he said. The human means, the natural resources. We have men and women capable of running this country. Like the other nations of the world run their countries, developed nations." In the volatile east of the country, where the government had delayed the poll until March over an Ebola outbreak and other security concerns, a local politician told VOA that hundreds of residents queued up at the stadium in the town of Beni and voted anyway in a mock poll. The results of that poll were not yet available, though the area is an opposition stronghold. That act of defiance, Wolters says, underscores the desperate desire for change and improvement in a nation rich with resources but severely lagging in infrastructure and most other developmental indices. I think that what weve seen is that the Congolese population really wants to use its vote to determine its own future, feels very strongly about that. And so of course, in that sense, going out to vote today is a hopeful act. But I think that a lot of people are also very skeptical, and distrustful of the institutions that have been involved in preparing this vote, she said. That hope extends far beyond Congos borders. On Sunday, Pope Francis threw in an unscripted plea for the people of Congo during his weekly prayer service at the Vatican. The head of the Catholic Church said he hoped for a peaceful climate that will allow the elections to be carried out in a regular and peaceful manner. He then exhorted the crowd to join him in his plea, by reciting the Hail Mary. The partial U.S. government shutdown is nearing the 10-day mark, with no end in sight, as federal spending negotiations remain stalled between President Donald Trump and lawmakers heading into 2019. Trump continues to demand billions of dollars in federal spending for wall construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democratic lawmakers back a modest increase in overall border security funding but resolutely oppose a wall. Spending authority for one fourth of the U.S. government expired on December 22. White House officials said talks to resolve the impasse have broken off. Trump on Sunday tweeted that Democrats left town and are not concerned about the safety and security of Americans! Democrats scoffed at the accusation. This is the same president who repeatedly promised the American people that Mexico would pay for the wall that he plans to build, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said on ABCs This Week program. Now hes trying to extract $5 billion from the American taxpayer to pay for something that clearly would be ineffective. President Trump has taken hundreds of thousands of federal employees' pay hostage in a last ditch effort to fulfill a campaign promise, the Senates No. 2 Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, tweeted. Building a wall from sea to shining sea won't make us safer or stop drugs from coming into our country. In a series of tweets on Friday, Trump again threatened to close the entire U.S.-Mexico border and cut aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador if Congress failed to give him money to fund the wall. He also asked for changes in what he said was the United States "ridiculous immigration laws. Closing the U.S.-Mexican border would mean disrupting a $1.68 billion-a-day trade relationship between the two countries. In addition, immigrant advocates have called any move to seal the border "disgraceful." In a tweet Saturday, Trump linked Democrats "pathetic immigration policies with the deaths of two Guatemalan children while in U.S. custody. His comments, the first to reference the children's deaths, came the same day Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was finishing a two-day visit to the southern U.S. border, where she said in a statement, "The system is clearly overwhelmed and we must work together to address this humanitarian crisis." Trump has declined to comment on whether he might accept less than $5 billion for wall funding. When asked Wednesday how long he thought the shutdown would last, Trump told reporters, "Whatever it takes." Out of a workforce of about 2.1 million federal employees, more than 800,000 have been furloughed without pay. About 420,000 of those furloughed employees are still being required to work without pay. Democrats have blamed Trump for "plunging the country into chaos" and have noted that, weeks ago, Trump said he would be "proud" to "own" a shutdown over border wall funding. The Republican Party controls the White House, as well as both chambers of Congress. On Thursday, however, a new Congress, with a Democrat-controlled House, will be seated. Silicon Valley has enjoyed years of popularity and growing markets. But 2018 has been rocky for the industry. Data breaches, controversies over offensive speech and misinformation as well as reports of foreign operatives use of their services have left many people skeptical about the benefits of social media, experts say. Worries about social media in Congress meant tech executives had to testify before committees several times this year. 2018 has been a challenging year for tech companies and consumers alike, said Pantas Sutardja, chief executive of LatticeWork Inc., a data storage firm. Company CEOs being called to Congress for hearings and promising profusely to fix the problems of data breach but still cannot do it. WATCH: Social Media's Year of Falling From Grace An apology tour Facebook drew the most scrutiny. The social networking giant endured criticism after revelations that its lax oversight allowed a political consulting firm to exploit millions of its users data. In the spring, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks chief executive, went on what was dubbed an apology tour to tell users that the company would do a better job of protecting their data. The California firm faced other problems when data breaches at the site compromised user information. Other sharp criticism hit Facebook when false reports on its site sparked violence in places like Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Using social media to sow division Are Americas technology companies serving as instruments of freedom? asked Kevin McCarthy, R-California and the House Majority Leader during a congressional hearing. Or are they serving as instruments of manipulation used by powerful interests and foreign governments to rob the people of their power, agency, and dignity? Adding to concerns, the year saw new revelations of foreign operatives using social media to secretly spread divisive and often bogus messages in the U.S. and worldwide. It doesnt matter to whose benefit they were operating, said Walt Mossberg, a former tech columnist with the Wall Street Journal. What bothers people here is that a foreign country, using our social networks, digital products and services that we have come to feel comfortable in has come in and used that against us. Tech workers stand up In addition to data privacy and misinformation, online speech became a big issue this year. Under pressure, social media companies like YouTube, Twitter and Facebooks Instagram tightened restrictions on the kinds of speech they tolerate on their sites. Tech workers pressed managers about their companys government contracts, and Google workers staged a worldwide walkout over the treatment of female colleagues. The issue of user data has led some companies such as LatticeWork, a data storage firm, to create new ways for users to protect their data and themselves. Playing off peoples concerns about data, LatticeWorks markets its products as a way to bring your data home. #DeleteFacebook? Whats unclear however is whether concerns about personal data and tech company decisions will spur users to leave these services. Facebook revelations prompted some like Mossberg to give up Facebook and its other services such as Instagram. He wants federal law to limit U.S. internet firms collection and use of user data. Governments and citizens of countries around the world need the right to regulate them without closing down free speech, he said. And thats tricky. Some congressional members have vowed to pass a federal data privacy bill in the coming year, something that tech firms say they support. But whether new regulations build trust in digital services remains to be seen. Five hundred striking Zimbabwean doctors, who were suspended by the Health Service Board (HSB) for engaging in a crippling industrial action early this month, have been urged to return to work at a time the government is attempting to replace them with over 200 interns. According to the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, the call was made Sunday by Professor Francis Chiwora, president of the Zimbabwe Medical Association comprising consultants and senior registrars, following a crucial meeting with the HSB, ministries of education and health and other stakeholders. Professor Chiwora, whose organization gave government 48 hours last Friday to resolve the standoff between the striking doctors and the state, said they resolved in the meeting that the doctors should return to work in order to end the current impasse. Professor Chiwora said it was agreed that the law must take its course in dealing with the striking doctors demanding payment in United States dollars, procurement of relevant equipment for use in hospitals, revival of a vehicle loan scheme and other issues. HSB vice chairperson Auxilia Chideme-Munodawafa added that the junior doctors suspensions would be lifted if they agreed to return to work. But Dr. Mthabisi Bhebhe, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, said they wont return to work until their grievances are met by the government. We are not part of this agreement that was made by the Zimbabwe Medical Association and government. There is no need to return to work as all our grievances have not been met. We are meeting government representatives tomorrow so we can map the way forward, said Dr. Bhebhe. The government is currently in the process of deploying 204 junior doctors who have just completed their college studies. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga announced last Friday that the government was in the process of amending junior doctors contracts with a view of making them interns instead of paid health workers. In a letter to chief executive officers of state hospitals, Permanent Health secretary Retired Brigadier General Dr. Gerald Gwinji informed them that the government is deploying junior doctors as interns, who will be under the Ministry of Higher Education instead of the HSB and Ministry of Health. Indications are that the young doctors, who have two pending examinations in medicine and wont be paid salaries while on internship, are refusing to sign the proposed contracts that will downgrade them to higher education students. The letter written by Gwinji reads in part, An interim arrangement is made for the placement of interns in your respective institutions. This follows the decision mad to transfer the medical interns to the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development who are currently finalizing the relevant framework. The details of the framework will be shared in due course. The prospective interns have been preliminarily allocated to your institutions And they are being advised through various channels to report for assignment from the 31st of December 2018. Gwinji noted that the graduates were drawn from the University of Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology Medical Schools and others trained in foreign universities who passed local board examinations. An additional list will be shared in 2019 once the supplementary examinations have been released by the Medical Schools and the number of foreign trained medical doctors passing the local board examinations is known. Junior doctors went on strike early this year making similar demands, which were not addressed by the government. This is a sign that greeted motorists at Koep's Bait & Tackle along Highway 29 in Glenwood on December 29th. Three stations in Glenwood, including Koep's, indicated the price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was less than two dollars for the final weekend of the 2018 calendar year. Today is Ted Dansons birthday! Do you know who cares about that, possibly more than Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen combined? Paul F. Tompkins. The comedian has been celebrating the glad tidings on Twitter all day, even demanding supercuts of his favorite moments of Dansonia. Tompkins requested a compilation of every time Dansons The Good Place character, Michael, reassuringly pats someone as he leaves a scene. And he got it! Behold, all the moments Michael attempted to assuage fears with the power of his strong and manly hands. We at Vulture hope that Mr. Tompkins only uses his supercut powers for things as uplifting as this. Youd hate to wind up in the Bad Place because you demanded a supercut of every time Jason talks about the Jacksonville Jaguars. No wait, I want that. Someone please make that. Very important on this, Ted Dansons Birthday: this supercut of him patting people as he exits scenes https://t.co/XU0nmteA8G Paul F. Tompkins (@PFTompkins) December 30, 2018 Glass bottle ban in place for New Year party in Circus Maximus. Glass bottles have been banned from Rome's New Year's festivities in the Circus Maximus area, effective from 20.00 on New Year's Eve until the celebrations end the following evening on New Year's Day. The order, signed by the prefect of Rome, also prohibits the take-away sale of drinks in glass bottles. Access to the New Year's party at the Circus Maximus will be limited to five entry points equipped with metal detectors, with 800 police - including anti-terrrorism officers - providing security for the estimated 40,000 revellers. For full details about celebrating New Year in Rome see the Wanted in Rome guide. She had made peace with the bullying that punctuated her younger years and come to proudly and comfortably straddle the in-between of being Pakistani American. But as she witnessed racist invective and exclusionary ideas rise to prominence in the Trump era and as she considered her 10-year-old brothers future, a question nagged: What about the next generation? Most of the 150 or so horses roam loose in different parts of the refuge. But Bowden was standing next to a pen where several late-born ponies were spending their first winter with their mothers. Sheltering from the offshore breeze behind a line of bush, the gangly foals alternately dozed in the sun and nudged the mares for milk. A group of three adult horses grazed in an adjacent enclosure, newly arrived gifts from Chincoteague pony raisers wanting to replace some of the recently lost animals. 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 Wrote Peacock: He made the night that much more magical back in those days, when that corner was filled with musicians playing trumpets and kids banging out percussive rhythms on plastic cans turned upside down. All the while, bustling crowds hit not only Rumors, but Flaps, Sign of the Whale, Mad Hatters, Union Street, Mr. Days, Beowulfs, Runyons and whole lot of other bars and restaurants. What a great era in the history of the D.C. bar scene! Like some of the early Christian saints, Barbaras story may be a mix of the historical and the legendary, Martin said. With some of these saints, its sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two. But the devotion to her is real. We have to remember its a way for people to draw closer to God. In August, the same judges also tossed out a permit issued by the National Park Service for the pipeline to cross the Blue Ridge Parkway. They found that the Park Service does not explain how the pipeline crossing is not inconsistent with the purposes of the Parkway and the overall National Park System, and said the permit was arbitrary and capricious. Most of the search-and-rescue cadaver dogs that have been in Chico and Paradise these past few weeks are trained on the scent of decomposing human tissue, which is a much larger scent than that of old bones or cremains, said Lynne Engelbert, Pipers owner and an associate with the nonprofit Institute for Canine Forensics (ICF) based in Woodside, Calif. Human cremains have a distinct smell that Piper and the other ICF dogs can identify. What happened in 2018 is going to be amplified, said Annise Parker, the openly gay former Houston mayor who now heads the Victory Fund. Our candidates are running everywhere. People think the rainbow wave was part of the blue wave, and it was, but we also did well in places like Kansas, Ohio and Nebraska. Were going to contend in those places because thats where we live and thats where our candidates want to run. Rikers inmates mistreated after transfer, lawsuit says: New York City has sent dozens of young Rikers Island inmates to a jail in Albany County where they have been brutalized and held in solitary confinement, despite a city policy barring such confinement for anyone under 22, a federal lawsuit has alleged. A complaint filed Friday accuses the city of using jail transfers to punish inmates it deems undesirable and to circumvent its solitary-confinement rules. Morocco arrests Swiss national in slaying of 2 women: Morocco has arrested a Swiss national in connection with the killing of two Scandinavian women. The man is also suspected of "involvement in recruiting Moroccan and sub-Saharan nationals to carry out terrorist plots in Morocco against foreign targets and security forces to take hold of their service weapons," the Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations said. Nineteen other men have been arrested in connection with the deaths of Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway, who were found dead early Dec. 17 near the village of Imlil in the Atlas Mountains. Granted, the 1980 act does not apply to the conduct of Supreme Court justices. But the act fails to say what to do when a judge engages in misconduct before becoming a Supreme Court justice. Here, the Judicial Council argued that Kavanaughs elevation to the Supreme Court was an intervening event under the 1980 act and its accompanying rules, and that a misconduct proceeding can be concluded because of intervening events. Unfortunately, the Judicial Council truncated the relevant rule, which allows for a complaint to be dismissed if intervening events render some or all of the allegations moot or make remedial action impossible. Kavanaughs elevation to the Supreme Court did not render moot the questionable behavior that helped win him that seat. Nor is remedial action impossible now that Judge Kavanaugh is Justice Kavanaugh. Brett Kavanaugh can still issue the kind of full apology he has avoided up until now, and he can recuse himself from highly partisan cases (those with Trump as a party, for example). To those who say we have defeated ISIS in Syria, that is an inaccurate statement, Graham said. He added that Americans would be less safe in the wake of a U.S. withdrawal from Syria and that he did not support efforts to outsource our national security to any foreign power. He added that although he couldnt tell others not to support Trump, Americans should ask themselves whether the president embodies the countrys values. If we want to be governed by someone we wouldnt do a business deal with because their background is so shady if were willing to do that, then thats in conflict with who I think we are, he said. And so I think its necessary at those times to take a stand. On that front, there are substantial differences among the candidates, if past races are any indication. Since 2013, Warren received 56 percent of her donations and Sanders 76 percent of his from donors giving less than $200, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Less than 12 percent of Bookers donations have come from those small-dollar donors, the center found. About a quarter of the donations to Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), also potential candidates, were from small-dollar donors, compared with about a third of those to Harris and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). Were still trying to recover from it, Police Chief Michael Tupper said of the raid. I think that theres just a lot of fear that it could happen again. It was a very traumatic experience for our community. Not just for the families and people that were directly impacted, but for our school system, for our local economy, for our community as a whole. It was, in many ways, a devastating experience. At this point, its clear the White House doesnt know what they want when it comes to border security, said Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer. While one White House official says theyre willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5 billion for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets, blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times. It is possible that China wished to show Canada that it is deadly literally deadly serious about getting Meng Wanzhou released before she is extradited to the United States, Clarke said in an email. If this hypothesis is correct, then China has moved from merely detaining Canadians as hostages to actually threatening to kill a Canadian (who otherwise would not have been executed.) On Saturday night, the eve of the vote, the three main presidential candidates had been summoned by election observers to sign a document promising peaceful conduct. The candidates could not reach an agreement, and only the election commissioner and Kabilas chosen successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, ended up signing. The mission of the observers, who are from a group of southern African countries, was one of the few that was accredited. They ended the mission after the failure to broker the accord. One Nation is calling for ASIO to vet Western Australian members of Parliament for links to organisations run by the Chinese Communist Party. The party also wants ASIO to conduct background checks on its own party members born in China. WA Legislative Councillor Charles Smith said alarm bells should be ringing around the country after Labor MP Pierre Yang had failed to declare his links to pro-Beijing organisations. One Nation has called for greater transparency on MPs' links to foreign powers. Credit:Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg He also called on the state government to examine the nature of foreign political donations. "One Nation WA are now proposing the need for ASIO to vet all members of the West Australian Parliament," he said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 30) The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said six members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) were killed, while a former town mayor and 23 others were arrested during law enforcement operations of the military and the police in Negros Oriental from December 27 to 29. Reneboy Fat, Demetrio Fat, Dondon Isugan, Constancio Languita, Jun Cubul and Jaime Revilla were killed after they allegedly resisted arrest. The AFP said they were brought to the nearest district hospital, but were pronounced dead on arrival. Meanwhile, former Guihulngan Mayor Cesar Macalua, two former barangay officials and 21 others were nabbed in the operations. Authorities seized from Macalua a caliber .45 pistol and a 9mm pistol and assorted ammunitions, while firearms and pieces of ammunition were also found with the two former village officials. The military and the police confiscated 65 firearms, including M203, M-16 and M-14 rifles, grenades and grenade launchers. The AFP said the operations were conducted to serve arrest warrants to 103 target personalities who were suspected of involvement in illegal drug activities in Guihulngan City and the municipalities of Mabinay, La Libertad and Sta. Catalina. However, the AFP said 30 of the targets turned out to be NPA regulars and militia members based in Barangay Trinidad of Guihulngan City. "The communist terrorists' illegal activities in the area indicate that the NPA survives with huge help from the illegal drug trade. Big-time drug lords operating in Negros Oriental and nearby areas are being protected by the NPA and other terrorist front organizations," the AFP said in a statement. Negros Oriental is among the provinces where the Malacanang ordered the deployment of more policemen and military troops in Memorandum Order No. 32 to "suppress lawless violence and acts of terror." EU-commission president Jean-Claude Juncker insists: migration isnt the biggest problem the EU is facing. He warns the traditional parties ahead of the EU elections to simply copy the populists. Anzeige WELT AM SONNTAG: Mr President, you once said that Europe was the love of your life. A great love can sometimes be a cause of despair, can it not? Jean-Claude Juncker: I said that during the European election campaign in 2014. I travelled across all the EU countries and I fell in love anew with this continent. When flying from one country to another, on an almost hourly basis, you discover European landscapes and their endearing charms all over again. There is no other continent like ours, where over a distance of just 150 kilometres you can travel through three different landscapes. In Europe you encounter a broad range of people over a relatively short distance, and you hear a wide range of languages and dialects. I was particularly touched by the dialects. What richness! WELT AM SONNTAG: But do you also occasionally despair of Europe? Anzeige Juncker: There is no reason to despair of Europe. But of course one may have one's doubts. I have every confidence that the European Union has a future. You only need to visit a war cemetery to see what the alternative to European integration is. What does make me very angry, however, is the fact that the decision-making processes in the EU are sometimes too slow. And there is something else I find worrying: I used to have the feeling that the continent was continuously growing closer together. Over the past ten years, however, I have increasingly gained the impression that people in Europe are growing apart. We have to ensure that these rifts do not become too deep. WELT AM SONNTAG: Your term of office is slowly coming to an end. Are you already in the mood of taking stock? Juncker (laughs): It would be too early for that. But there is one thing I can say with absolute certainty: when I leave office on 1 November 2019, Europe will not break down. Anzeige WELT AM SONNTAG: There are a number of battles still to be fought before then. In the dispute with Donald Trump over car tariffs you scored an unexpected victory and secured concessions from the US President, whereas many European leaders such as Chancellor Merkel and President Macron had previously failed miserably. How did you do that? Juncker: I would simply say that the chemistry between us was right. And above all, I was able to convince him because I was speaking on behalf of 500 million Europeans, and because I had looked at the White House's figures beforehand. In this trade dispute, I realised that I would not win him over with European figures. I had learned from my experience at the G7 summit in Taormina, where the US President constantly called my figures into question. Of course our figures were correct, but I got through to him in the Oval Office because he thought I was still arguing on the basis of our statistics. At the decisive moment, I was able to say: 'These are your figures, Mister President.' WELT AM SONNTAG: Do you trust Trump and his assurances? Anzeige Juncker: I trust him for as long as he keeps his word. And if he no longer keeps it, then I will no longer feel bound by my word either. WELT AM SONNTAG: The European elections will be taking place in May. Will the dispute about the right way to deal with migration overshadow the election campaign? Juncker: That is something I would deeply regret. Migration is of course an important issue, but it is certainly not our biggest problem. It seems that when it comes to migration we have lost our ability to see things in perspective. King Abdullah II of Jordan was recently on a visit here. He shook his head and asked me if we were really serious. Refugees account for 25% of the Jordanian population. In absolute figures, fewer refugees have come to Europe, and yet there are those who see our continent on the verge of downfall because of them. That is quite simply an exaggeration. At the same time, however, we should recognise that the integration of refugees is a major challenge for many local authorities. I would caution against labelling as stupid those people who are concerned at the prospect of having to tackle these huge tasks. WELT AM SONNTAG: But how is this balancing act i.e. taking concerns seriously while at the same time not allowing the subject to be talked up out of all proportion to be accomplished? Juncker: Responsible politicians have to find the courage to address this divisive subject. And they need to have the patience to explain to people that taking in refugees is not an unsurmountable problem. If we achieved more orderly cooperation in Europe, the dimension of the challenges would be even smaller than at present. This can be seen in the case of the highly controversial Turkey deal, which has made a major contribution towards reducing the number of refugees coming to Europe. The agreement costs money, but it is money well invested. WELT AM SONNTAG: But which head of a European government addresses the subject with that kind of clarity? Juncker: I have been somewhat surprised by a number of recent events. For over two years, all EU heads of state or government have been calling for better protection of Europe's external borders. The European Commission has taken this call seriously and drawn up a proposal to strengthen the protection of our external borders by increasing the number of EU border guards to 10 000 by the end of 2020. But now, all of a sudden, reservations are being expressed on many sides about a perceived impact on national sovereignty. Everything is moving too fast, we are told, and the figures cited are said to be too high. This is blatant hypocrisy! First they ask the European Commission to do something, then we make a proposal, and now it is precisely those who have so far loudly criticised the insufficient protection of the EU's external border who do not want to make a commitment. Europe cannot operate like that. We have to act quickly to ensure that we are prepared and that the EU's external borders are really under control. The Member States concerned should put their reservations aside and swiftly adopt the proposal for protecting the EU's external border. Anzeige WELT AM SONNTAG: What would be your advice to the election campaigners in Europe on keeping the populists in their place? Juncker: I think it is a big mistake for a growing number of people in the traditional 'party families' to imitate the populists without due consideration. Those who run after the populists will only be seen from behind. We must not imply that the populists are right. We have to show them up for what they are by making it abundantly clear that they are just loud and do not have any specific proposals to offer on solving the challenges of our time. WELT AM SONNTAG: Who do you have in mind? Juncker: I am not seeking to name and shame anyone here. WELT AM SONNTAG: You allow the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is in the same political group as yourself, to get away with his tirades against Europe, although Hungary clearly benefits from the EU. Why? Juncker: I am constantly arguing with him. I tabled a motion for the exclusion of Viktor Orban's Fidesz Party from the European People's Party (EPP). In my opinion, the Christian Democratic values on which the EPP is based are no longer compatible with the politics of Fidesz. My motion was rejected. WELT AM SONNTAG: The populists thrive by bad-mouthing Europe. What can you counter that with? Juncker: The truth. Anzeige WELT AM SONNTAG: What do you mean by that? Juncker: We have notched up successes and we all need to talk about them more loudly. The last European Commission launched 100 legislative initiatives each year, whereas we have launched only 20 to 25 because I want to focus Europe on the essentials. We have withdrawn more than 130 proposals and slimmed down 160 laws. This year alone, three free trade agreements have been concluded. The European economy has been growing steadily for two years, 12 million new jobs have been created since I took up office, and budget deficits have decreased considerably. The Juncker Plan has generated investments worth 371 billion euro. This represents a joint effort by all Europeans in which the EU can take pride. WELT AM SONNTAG: In southern Europe in particular, however, many people are demanding that the EU become more social. Would a European unemployment insurance scheme, for example, be a good idea? Juncker: Even though I am very much in favour of a European unemployment insurance, this must not be a 'carte blanche' for countries that do not carry out reforms and find themselves in difficulties as a result. In our proposal for the medium-term financial planning, the Commission put forward two instruments: 25 billion euro for a reform support programme and 30 billion euro for a stabilisation function, a shock-absorption mechanism to cope with asymmetrical, external shocks this can also include a re-insurance for national unemployment insurance schemes. This instrument could help to mitigate sudden economic crises in a particular country caused by external developments, and thus provide re-insurance at European level for national insurance systems. It is not right that a particular EU country has to reduce unemployment benefits because of rising jobless numbers in a crisis that is not of its making. It is important not to respond to crises with the wrong type of spending cuts, lowering investments, education spending and unemployment benefits. Welt am Sonntag: Are you worried about a possible outside interference during the European election campaign in the form of hacker attacks or targeted disinformation, such as we have seen in the US? Juncker: I am indeed worried that there could be unlawful attempts to influence the European elections. We are not well enough prepared for that in Europe. At the European Commission we have recently stepped up our in-house staff capabilities in order to tackle misinformation more effectively. But of course that is not yet enough. All Member States must join forces. Europe must be united in combating the trolls and hacker groups from China or Russia. Anzeige Welt am Sonntag: The European elections are no longer on the agenda for London. The United Kingdom is set to leave the EU on 29 March 2019. Will that happen? Juncker: I am working on the assumption that it will leave, because that is what the people of the United Kingdom have decided. Welt am Sonntag: Do you see any chance of a second referendum? Juncker: That is for the British to decide. Welt am Sonntag: What should the future relationship look like after the UK's withdrawal, particularly having regard to Northern Ireland? Juncker: It is not us who are leaving the United Kingdom - it is the United Kingdom that is leaving the European Union. I find it entirely unreasonable for parts of the British public to believe that it is for the EU alone to propose a solution for all future British problems. My appeal is this: get your act together and then tell us what it is you want. Our proposed solutions have been on the table for months. Welt am Sonntag: The Parliament in Westminster is due to vote on the withdrawal agreement on 15 January. Do you expect the agreement to be approved? Juncker: If the House of Commons backs the withdrawal agreement in mid-January, then we should begin preparations for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union the very next day and not wait until after the official withdrawal date of 29 March. I have the impression that the majority of British MPs deeply distrust both the EU and Mrs May. It is being insinuated that our aim is to keep the United Kingdom in the EU by all possible means. That is not our intention. All we want is clarity about our future relations. And we respect the result of the referendum. Welt am Sonntag: Romania will take over the presidency of the Council of the EU in January and will thus share responsibility for negotiating with London. Does that worry you? Juncker: Romania is technically well-prepared for the six-month presidency of the Council of the EU starting in January - thanks also to the active support of the European Commission. I believe, however, that the government in Bucharest has not yet fully understood what it means to take chair over the EU Member States. For prudent negotiations, you also need a readiness to listen to others and the firm will to put your own wishes aside. I have some doubts there. What is more, Romania's internal situation is such that the country cannot act as a compact unit in Europe. There needs to be a united front at home to foster unity in Europe as well during the presidency. Welt am Sonntag: Is this disunity a danger for Europe? Juncker: I see a risk, but the whole thing does not necessarily have to end dangerously. Welt am Sonntag: Who would you like to see as your successor? Juncker: No comment. Welt am Sonntag: We thought the answer would come like a pistol shot: Manfred Weber, the EPP Spitzenkandidat. Juncker: I never shoot. And especially not too quickly. Welt am Sonntag: What will you do after your term of office comes to an end in the autumn? Juncker: I became a minister at the age of 27. Apart from a period of a few months, I have held a political office ever since. Much of my private life has taken a back seat, and I will dedicate more time to redressing the balance. We may remember 2018 as the year when technology's dystopian potential became clear, from Facebook's role enabling the harvesting of our personal data for election interference to a seemingly unending series of revelations about the dark side of Silicon Valley's connect-everything ethos. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1075 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this April 18, 2018, file photo, a graphic from the Cambridge Analytica website is displayed on a computer screen in New York. Among the most troubling cases of what made 2018 so ominous was the revelation in March that political data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica swept up personal information of millions of Facebook users for the purpose of manipulating national elections. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) We may remember 2018 as the year when technology's dystopian potential became clear, from Facebook's role enabling the harvesting of our personal data for election interference to a seemingly unending series of revelations about the dark side of Silicon Valley's connect-everything ethos. The list is long: High-tech tools for immigration crackdowns. Fears of smartphone addiction . YouTube algorithms that steer youths into extremism. An experiment in gene-edited babies . Doorbells and concert venues that can pinpoint individual faces and alert police. Repurposing genealogy websites to hunt for crime suspects based on a relative's DNA. Automated systems that keep tabs of workers' movements and habits. Electric cars in Shanghai transmitting their every movement to the government. It's been enough to exhaust even the most imaginative sci-fi visionaries. "It doesn't so much feel like we're living in the future now, as that we're living in a retro-future," novelist William Gibson wrote this month on Twitter. "A dark, goofy '90s retro-future." More awaits us in 2019, as surveillance and data-collection efforts ramp up and artificial intelligence systems start sounding more human , reading facial expressions and generating fake video images so realistic that it will be harder to detect malicious distortions of the truth. But there are also countermeasures afoot in Congress and state government and even among tech-firm employees who are more active about ensuring their work is put to positive ends. "Something that was heartening this year was that accompanying this parade of scandals was a growing public awareness that there's an accountability crisis in tech," said Meredith Whittaker, a co-founder of New York University's AI Now Institute for studying the social implications of artificial intelligence. The group has compiled a long list of what made 2018 so ominous, though many are examples of the public simply becoming newly aware of problems that have built up for years. Among the most troubling cases was the revelation in March that political data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica swept up personal information of millions of Facebook users for the purpose of manipulating national elections. "It really helped wake up people to the fact that these systems are actually touching the core of our lives and shaping our social institutions," Whittaker said. FILE - In this April 10, 2018, file photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify before a joint hearing of the Commerce and Judiciary Committees on Capitol Hill in Washington, about the use of Facebook data to target American voters in the 2016 election. We may remember 2018 as the year in which technologyAos dystopian potential became clear, from FacebookAos role enabling the harvesting of our personal data for election interference to a seemingly unending series of revelations about the dark side of Silicon ValleyAos connect-everything ethos. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) That was on top of other Facebook disasters, including its role in fomenting violence in Myanmar , major data breaches and ongoing concerns about its hosting of fake accounts for Russian propaganda . It wasn't just Facebook. Google attracted concern about its continuous surveillance of users after The Associated Press reported that it was tracking people's movements whether they like it or not. It also faced internal dissent over its collaboration with the U.S. military to create drones with "computer vision" to help find battlefield targets and a secret proposal to launch a censored search engine in China. And it unveiled a remarkably human-like voice assistant that sounds so real that people on the other end of the phone didn't know they were talking to a computer. Those and other concerns bubbled up in December as lawmakers grilled Google CEO Sundar Pichai at a congressional hearing a sequel to similar public reckonings this year with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other tech executives. "It was necessary to convene this hearing because of the widening gap of distrust between technology companies and the American people," Republican House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said. Internet pioneer Vint Cerf said he and other engineers never imagined their vision of a worldwide network of connected computers would morph 45 years later into a surveillance system that collects personal information or a propaganda machine that could sway elections. "We were just trying to get it to work," recalled Cerf, who is now Google's chief internet evangelist. "But now that it's in the hands of the general public, there are people who ... want it to work in a way that obviously does harm, or benefits themselves, or disrupts the political system. So we are going to have to deal with that." Contrary to futuristic fears of "super-intelligent" robots taking control, the real dangers of our tech era have crept in more prosaically often in the form of tech innovations we welcomed for making life more convenient . Part of experts' concern about the leap into connecting every home device to the internet and letting computers do our work is that the technology is still buggy and influenced by human errors and prejudices. Uber and Tesla were investigated for fatal self-driving car crashes in March, IBM came under scrutiny for working with New York City police to build a facial recognition system that can detect ethnicity, and Amazon took heat for supplying its own flawed facial recognition service to law enforcement agencies. In some cases, opposition to the tech industry's rush to apply its newest innovations to questionable commercial uses has come from its own employees. Google workers helped scuttle the company's Pentagon drone contract, and workers at Amazon, Microsoft and Salesforce sought to cancel their companies' contracts to supply tech services to immigration authorities. "It became obvious to a lot of people that the rhetoric of doing good and benefiting society and 'Don't be evil' was not what these companies were actually living up to," said Whittaker, who is also a research scientist at Google who founded its Open Research group. At the same time, even some titans of technology have been sounding alarms. Prominent engineers and designers have increasingly spoken out about shielding children from the habit-forming tech products they helped create. And then there's Microsoft President Brad Smith, who in December called for regulating facial recognition technology so that the "year 2024 doesn't look like a page" from George Orwell's "1984." In a blog post and a Washington speech, Smith painted a bleak vision of all-seeing government surveillance systems forcing dissidents to hide in darkened rooms "to tap in code with hand signals on each other's arms." To avoid such an Orwellian scenario, Smith advocates regulating technology so that anyone about to subject themselves to surveillance is properly notified. But privacy advocates argue that's not enough. Such debates are already happening in states like Illinois, where a strict facial recognition law has faced tech industry challenges, and California, which in 2018 passed the nation's most far-reaching law to give consumers more control over their personal data. It takes effect in 2020. The issue could find new attention in Congress next year as more Republicans warm up to the idea of basic online privacy regulations and the incoming Democratic House majority takes a more skeptical approach to tech firms that many liberal politicians once viewed as allies and prolific campaign donors. Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The "leave them alone" approach of the early internet era won't work anymore, said Rep. David Cicilline, a Rhode Island Democrat poised to take the helm of the House's antitrust subcommittee. "We're seeing now some of the consequences of the abuses that can occur in these platforms if they remain unregulated without meaningful oversight or enforcement," Cicilline said. Too much regulation may bring its own undesirable side effects, Cerf warned. "It's funny in a way because this online environment was supposed to remove friction from our ability to transact," he said. "If in our desire, if not zeal, to protect people's privacy we throw sand in the gears of everything, we may end up with a very secure system that doesn't work very well." ___ AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Jose, California, contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - Three confidantes of President Donald Trump, including his departing chief of staff, are indicating that the president's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would not be fulfilled as advertised. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The North Portico of the White House is seen, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, in Washington. The partial government shutdown will almost certainly be handed off to a divided government to solve in the new year, as both parties traded blame Friday and President Donald Trump sought to raise the stakes in the weeklong impasse. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) WASHINGTON - Three confidantes of President Donald Trump, including his departing chief of staff, are indicating that the president's signature campaign pledge to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would not be fulfilled as advertised. Trump sparked fervent chants of "Build that wall!" at rallies before and after his election and more recently cited a lack of funding for a border wall as the reason for partially shutting down the government. At times the president has also waved off the idea that the wall could be any kind of barrier. However, White House chief of staff John Kelly told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Sunday that Trump abandoned the notion of "a solid concrete wall early on in the administration." "To be honest, it's not a wall," Kelly said, adding that the mix of technological enhancements and "steel slat" barriers the president now wants along the border resulted from conversations with law enforcement professionals. Along the same lines, White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway called discussion of the apparent contradiction "a silly semantic argument." Tourists arrive to visit the U.S. Capitol on a rainy morning in Washington, Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, during a partial government shutdown. The partial government shutdown will almost certainly be handed off to a divided government to solve in the new year, as both parties traded blame Friday and President Donald Trump sought to raise the stakes in the weeklong impasse. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) "There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements," Conway told "Fox News Sunday." ''But only saying 'wall or no wall' is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border." Sen. Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who is close to the president, emerged from a Sunday lunch at the White House to tell reporters that "the wall has become a metaphor for border security" and referred to "a physical barrier along the border." Graham said Trump was "open-minded" about a broader immigration agreement, saying the budget impasse presented an opportunity to address issues beyond the border wall. But a previous attempt to reach a compromise that addressed the status of "Dreamers" young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children broke down last year as a result of escalating White House demands. Graham said he hoped to end the shutdown by offering Democrats incentives to get them to vote for wall funding and told CNN before his lunch with Trump that "there will never be a deal without wall funding." Graham proposed to help two groups of immigrants get approval to continue living in the U.S: about 700,000 young "Dreamers" brought into the U.S. illegally as children and about 400,000 people receiving temporary protected status because they are from countries struggling with natural disasters or armed conflicts. He also said the compromise should include changes in federal law to discourage people from trying to enter the U.S. illegally. "Democrats have a chance here to work with me and others, including the president, to bring legal status to people who have very uncertain lives," Graham said. The Capitol is mirrored in the Reflecting Pool in Washington, as a partial government shutdown heads into a second week, Friday night, Dec. 28, 2018. Both chambers of Congress are gone, likely leaving the impasse till next week when the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The partial government shutdown began Dec. 22 after Trump bowed to conservative demands that he fight to make good on his vow and secure funding for the wall before Republicans lose control of the House on Wednesday. Democrats have remained committed to blocking the president's priority, and with neither side engaging in substantive negotiation, the effect of the partial shutdown was set to spread and to extend into the new year. In August 2015 during his presidential campaign, Trump made his expectations for the border explicitly clear, as he parried criticism from rival Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor. "Jeb Bush just talked about my border proposal to build a 'fence,'" he tweeted. "It's not a fence, Jeb, it's a WALL, and there's a BIG difference!" Trump suggested as much again in a tweet on Sunday: "President and Mrs. Obama built/has a ten foot Wall around their D.C. mansion/compound. I agree, totally necessary for their safety and security. The U.S. needs the same thing, slightly larger version!" Aside from what constitutes a wall, neither side appeared ready to budge off its negotiating position. The two sides have had little direct contact during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington until Thursday, to keep Congress in session. Talks have been at a stalemate for more than a week, after Democrats said the White House offered to accept $2.5 billion for border security. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told Vice-President Mike Pence that it wasn't acceptable, nor was it guaranteed that Trump, under intense pressure from his conservative base to fulfil his signature campaign promise, would settle for that amount. Conway claimed Sunday that "the president has already compromised" by dropping his request for the wall from $25 billion, and she called on Democrats to return to the negotiating table. "It is with them," she said, explaining why Trump was not reaching out to Democrats. Democrats maintain that they have already presented the White House with three options to end the shutdown, none of which fund the wall, and insist that it's Trump's move. "At this point, it's clear the White House doesn't know what they want when it comes to border security," said Justin Goodman, Schumer's spokesman. "While one White House official says they're willing to compromise, another says the president is holding firm at no less than $5 billion for the wall. Meanwhile, the president tweets blaming everyone but himself for a shutdown he called for more than 25 times." 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. After cancelling a vacation to his private Florida club, Trump spent the weekend at the White House. He has remained out of the public eye since returning early Thursday from a 29-hour trip to visit U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldn't deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. "For those that naively ask why didn't the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us "NONE" for Border Security!," he tweeted. "Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown." Democrats have vowed to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that won't accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. The shutdown has forced hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. ___ Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report. LOS ANGELES - It was supposed to be a great year for marijuana entrepreneur Brian Blatz. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - This Sept. 11, 2018, file photo shows blankets of frost known as trichomes on a budding marijuana flower at an artisanal cannabis farm SLOgrown Genetics, the coastal mountain range of San Luis Obispo, Calif. Liberal California became the largest legal U.S. marketplace, while conservative Utah and Oklahoma embraced medical marijuana. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel,File) LOS ANGELES - It was supposed to be a great year for marijuana entrepreneur Brian Blatz. When California broadly legalized pot on Jan. 1, the lawyer with a background in banking and health care had been working for a year to set up a trucking company that would whisk fragrant marijuana buds, infused juices and other products from fields and production plants to store shelves. On its website, Long Beach-based Verdant Distribution said the company's goal was to be the United States' pre-eminent business for transporting cannabis. But it's all gone. The trucks were sold to cover debt, a warehouse vacated, its license expired. The choppy rollout of California's legal market saddled the company with costly delays, but it was undone by an abrupt state rule change that allowed just about any marijuana business to become its own distributor, undercutting the need for stand-alone companies like Verdant. In California's emerging market, "the challenges are tremendous," said Blatz, who is now advising clients in the fledgling industry. "Suddenly, the whole game changes on you." In a nation increasingly embracing legal cannabis, California stands out as the country's biggest pot shop . Top-shelf marijuana, concentrates, balms and munchies are being produced and sold. Some companies are doing well, especially those with deep pockets that can handle the market's twists and turns. But many are not. And some, like Blatz's company, already are casualties. At year's end, California's effort to transform its longstanding illegal and medicinal marijuana markets into a unified, multibillion-dollar industry remains a work in progress. It's a mix of success stories, struggles and crashes. The illegal market continues to flourish by some estimates, up to 80 per cent of the sales in the state still are under the table, snatching profits from legal storefronts. FILE--In this Jan. 4, 2018, file photo, customers line up inside the Harborside cannabis dispensary in Oakland, Calif. State regulators get credit for taking on the massive job of transforming the longstanding illegal and medicinal marijuana markets into a unified, multibillion-dollar industry, but the results have been mixed. Some companies are doing well, but many others are not. (AP Photo/Terry Chea, file) With many communities banning marijuana sales, limiting the number of licenses or simply not creating rules for the legal market to operate, the supply chain is fragile, leaving some shops with sparsely stocked shelves. A battle over home deliveries of pot in communities that have banned marijuana businesses could end up in court. A promised state tax windfall has yet to arrive, while businesses complain about hefty tax rates that can approach 50 per cent in some communities. The number of testing labs remains tight. Meanwhile, shifting rules and start-up costs are taking a toll. In Los Angeles, where the pace of licensing has lagged, Adam Spiker, who heads an industry group, summed up the condition of most companies with one word, "Pain." He says tax rates need to be cut to entice buyers into the legal market, and the city needs to rapidly expand the number of licenses for shops to sell cannabis. "The encouraging sign, the state is open for business," said Spiker, executive director of the Southern California Coalition. But "if you have limited access to retail, that's going to force a lot of companies to fail." A year into broad legal sales, "no one has it figured out in California," he said. "It's so new, so big, so turbulent." In general, California treats cannabis like alcohol, allowing people 21 and older to legally possess up to an ounce and grow six marijuana plants at home. What's emerged is a patchwork. Marijuana farms proliferate in Santa Barbara County and legal pot shops are never far away in San Francisco. But other places ban all commercial marijuana activity, or allow cultivation but not sales. The state's top pot regulator, Lori Ajax, said her goal in 2019 will be to get more licensed businesses in the marketplace, while increasing enforcement against illegal operators. One of the fortunate ones has been Arizona-based Harvest Health & Recreation, which has operations in a dozen states and over 400 employees, including in California, and recently started trading on the Canadian stock exchange. By the end of next year, the company expects to have at least 20 retail shops in California, a manufacturing plant and a statewide distribution system. Company president Steve Gutterman praised the state's efforts to open the legal market the consumer is getting quality, safe products. But he said he'd welcome a more aggressive push against illegal operators, and pot companies need access to banking most financial institutions won't do business with cannabis companies because it remains illegal at the federal level. "There has been good and bad," he said, but "California is a great place for us." That's not the case for many retail businesses in Los Angeles. Drive through California's largest city and there are plenty of shops and billboards advertising pot sales, and some businesses provide Apple store-like settings to pick from buds with names like Blue Dream and Chocolate Gelato. But the number of shops is part of the problem hundreds are illegal. Here, and elsewhere, the illicit market that thrived for decades continues to do robust business, often in plain sight. Police do periodic crackdowns on individual businesses, but it barely makes a dent in the illicit marketplace. In a letter to Los Angeles officials in November, the United Cannabis Business Association said legal shops are struggling to keep their doors open while illegal storefronts flourish, selling products for as much as 50 per cent below legal rivals. Those illegal shops "do not pay taxes, do not pay the cost of ... city and state regulations, and do not follow required worker protections," wrote the group, which represents legal retailers. 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. Larger companies can weather the transition to the legal market some say government rules favour them but smaller operators are taking out second and third mortgages, industry experts say. In L.A., "we are seeing a regulated industry that is bleeding out," said Ruben Honig, the business group's executive director. ___ Blood is a member of AP's marijuana beat team. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MichaelRBloodAP. Find complete AP marijuana coverage here: apnews.com/tag/LegalMarijuana. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the last name of the business group director is Honig, not Hoing. OTTAWA - The Royal Canadian Mint is creating two commemorative coins to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2018 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - The Royal Canadian Mint is creating two commemorative coins to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The Liberal cabinet approved the design of the new toonies, one of which will have multiple colours instead of the usual two-toned coin, to commemorate a key turning point in the Second World War. The Royal Canadian Mint is being given the green light to create two commemorative coins next year to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Bernieres-sur-Mer, France; June 6,1944--SECOND WORLD WAR--View looking east along 'Nan White' Beach, showing personnel of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade landing from LCI(L) 299 of the 2nd Canadian (262nd RN) Flotilla on D-Day.(CP PHOTO) 1998 ( National Archives of Canada-Gilbert Alexandre Milne ) PA-137013 *MANDATORY CREDIT* On June 6, 1944 a combined force of about 150,000 Allied troops, made up of largely of Canadian, American and British soldiers, stormed the beaches on France's Normandy coast, coming up against Nazi troops in concrete fortified gun positions. About 14,000 Canadians were involved in the assault, known as Operation Overlord. Canada also contributed some 110 ships and 15 fighter and bomber squadrons. On D-Day, 359 Canadians died as they ran from boats onto Juno Beach and more than 1,000 were injured. The invasion marked the start of months of fighting to free France from Nazi occupation and would eventually lead to victory in Europe. The Mint regularly creates commemorative coins to mark these kinds of anniversaries, having done so earlier this year with three million limited-edition toonies to mark the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First World War in 1918. And in 2014, for the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the Mint created a commemorative silver coin depicting soldiers in full battle gear disembarking a landing craft towards Juno Beach. But the Mint only created 8,400 of the coins, for collectors. The new toonies are to be "circulation" coins, used as regular money. Alex Reeves, a spokesman for the Mint, said the Crown corporation couldn't discuss the new coins because it doesn't disclose information beyond what is published in official notices prior to the launch of a new commemorative coin. The government order says the D-Day toonies will have an image of four soldiers and one sailor, all wearing helmets and one holding a rifle, in a landing craft at Juno Beach. The helmet of the middle soldier will be olive green on the coloured toonie. 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. There will also be renderings of a Canadian destroyer, barrage balloon and Spitfire fighter planes. The terms "D-Day" and "Remember," along with the French "Le Jour J" and "Souvenir" will be inscribed around the coins. Separately, the Liberals have also approved a commemorative loonie to mark the 50th anniversary of Parliament's decriminalizing homosexual acts. Up until 1969, sexual acts between consenting same-sex adults were deemed crimes in Canada and punishable by jail time. The loonie to be created by the Mint will have two faces overlapping to create one face, with a small hoop earring on the left ear, surrounded by wavy and curved lines, the official posting says. The words "Equality" and the French "Egalite" will be inscribed on the coin along with the year. Medi Futures, a Seoul, South Korea-based biomedical ultrasound company raised US$5M in funding through common stocks. The investment came from Korean investors such as Samho Green Investment and ST Capital, and strategic investors from the U.S. and China. The investment is expected to accelerate FDA and CFDA approvals. Medi Futures has commercialized ultrasonic endoscopic disk surgical instruments and enzyme-free ultrasound stem cell separators based on ultrasonic platform technology. Recently, the company has developed and exported medical sutures with high-precision anchoring points (barbed sutures). Medi is a member company of the K-ICT Born2Global Centre and recently participated in a training program held at Medtronics Asia-Pacific Headquarters. FinSMEs 30/12/2018 The following companies are subsidiares of Brinker International: BI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LLC, BI MEXICO HOLDING CORPORATION, BIPC GLOBAL PAYROLL COMPANY LLC, BIPC INVESTMENTS LLC, BIPC MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER AIRPORTS LLC, BRINKER ALABAMA INC., BRINKER ARKANSAS INC., BRINKER ASIA INC., BRINKER BRAZIL LLC, BRINKER CANADIAN HOLDING CO. ULC, BRINKER CANADIAN RESTAURANT CO. ULC, BRINKER CB LP, BRINKER CB MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER FHC B.V., BRINKER FLORIDA INC., BRINKER FREEHOLD INC., BRINKER GEORGIA INC., BRINKER INTERNATIONAL PAYROLL COMPANY L.P., BRINKER LOUISIANA INC., BRINKER MICHIGAN INC., BRINKER MISSISSIPPI INC., BRINKER MISSOURI INC., BRINKER NEVADA INC., BRINKER NEW JERSEY INC., BRINKER NORTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER OF BALTIMORE COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CARROLL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CECIL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OKLAHOMA INC., BRINKER OPCO LLC, BRINKER PENN TRUST, BRINKER PROPCO FLORIDA INC., BRINKER PROPERTY CORPORATION, BRINKER PURCHASING INC., BRINKER RESTAURANT CORPORATION, BRINKER RHODE ISLAND INC., BRINKER SERVICES CORPORATION, BRINKER SOUTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER TEXAS INC., BRINKER VIRGINIA INC., CHILIS BEVERAGE COMPANY INC., CHILIS INC. a Delaware corporation, CHILIS INC. a Tennessee corporation, CHILIS INTERNATIONAL BASES B.V., CHILIS OF BEL AIR INC., CHILIS OF KANSAS INC., CHILIS OF MARYLAND INC., CHILIS OF WEST VIRGINIA INC., Grady's Inc., MAGGIANO'S OF ANNAPOLIS INC., MAGGIANO'S OF HOWARD COUNTY INC., MAGGIANO'S OF KANSAS INC., MAGGIANOS BEVERAGE COMPANY, MAGGIANOS HOLDING CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS INC., MAGGIANOS OF TYSONS INC., MAGGIANOS PROPERTY CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS TEXAS INC., PEPPER DINING HOLDING CORP., PEPPER DINING Inc., and PEPPER DINING VERMONT INC.. . 9- 4 2022 . . ... The following companies are subsidiares of Sherwin-Williams: Acquire Sourcing LLC, CTS National Corporation, Comex North America Inc., Compania Sherwin-Williams S.A. de C.V., Contract Transportation Systems Co., Dongguan Lilly Paint Industries Ltd, Duron, EPS (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., EPS B.V., Geocel Holdings, Geocel Limited, Guangdong Valspar Paints Manufacturing Co Ltd., Inver East Med S.A., Inver France SAS, Inver GmbH, Inver Industrial Coating SRL, Inver Polska Spoka Z O.O, Inver Spa, Invercolor Bologna Srl, Invercolor Ltd, Invercolor Roma Srl, Invercolor Torino Srl, Invercolor Toscana Srl, Isocoat Tintas e Vernizes Ltda, Isva Vernici Srl, Leighs Paints, M.A. Bruder & Sons, Omega Specialty Products & Services LLC, Oy Sherwin-Williams Finland Ab, PT Sherwin-Williams Indonesia, PT Valspar Indonesia, Paint Sundry Brands, Pinturas Condor S.A., Pinturas Industriales S.A., Piton Paints Limited, Plasti-Kote Co. Inc., Plasti-kote Limited, Productos Quimicos y Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Quest Automotive Products UK Limited, Quetzal Pinturas S.A. de C.V., Ronseal (Ireland) Limited, SWIMC LLC, SWIPCO Sherwin Williams do Brasil Propriedade Intelectual Ltda, Sherwin Williams Colombia S.A.S., Sherwin-Williams (Australia) Pty. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Belize) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Caribbean) N.V., Sherwin-Williams (Ireland) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Coatings Technology Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Nantong) Company Limited, Sherwin-Williams (S) Pte. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Shanghai) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sherwin-Williams (Vietnam) Limited, Sherwin-Williams (West Indies) Limited, Sherwin-Williams Argentina I.y C.S.A., Sherwin-Williams Aruba VBA, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Mexico S.de R.L.de C.V., Sherwin-Williams Balkan S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Bel Unitary Enterprise, Sherwin-Williams Benelux NV, Sherwin-Williams Canada Inc., Sherwin-Williams Cayman Islands Limited, Sherwin-Williams Chile S.A., Sherwin-Williams Coatings India Private Limited, Sherwin-Williams Coatings S.a r.l., Sherwin-Williams Czech Republic spol. s r.o, Sherwin-Williams Denmark A/S, Sherwin-Williams Deutschland GmbH, Sherwin-Williams Diversified Brands Limited, Sherwin-Williams France Finishes SAS, Sherwin-Williams Italy S.r.l., Sherwin-Williams Norway AS, Sherwin-Williams Paints Limited Liability Company, Sherwin-Williams Peru S.R.L., Sherwin-Williams Pinturas de Venezuela S.A., Sherwin-Williams Poland Sp. z o.o, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings, Sherwin-Williams Realty Holdings Inc., Sherwin-Williams Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sherwin-Williams Spain Coatings S.L., Sherwin-Williams Sweden AB, Sherwin-Williams UK Coatings Limited, Sherwin-Williams do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., Spanyc Paints Joint Stock Company, Syntema I Vaggeryd AB, Taiwan Valspar Co. Ltd., The Sherwin-Williams Acceptance Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Headquarters Company, The Sherwin-Williams Manufacturing Company, The Sherwin-Williams US Licensing Company, The Valspar (Asia) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Australia) Corporation Pty. Ltd., The Valspar (Finland) Corporation Oy, The Valspar (France) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (France) Research Corporation SAS, The Valspar (Malaysia) Corporation Sdn Bhd, The Valspar (Nantes) Corporation S.A.S., The Valspar (Singapore) Corporation Pte. Ltd, The Valspar (South Africa) Corporation (Pty) Ltd, The Valspar (Spain) Corporation S.R.L., The Valspar (Switzerland) Corporation AG, The Valspar (Thailand) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar (UK) Corporation Limited, The Valspar (Vietnam) Corporation Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Valspar Corporation Limitada, UAB Sherwin-Williams Baltic, Valspar (India) Coatings Corporation Private Limited, Valspar (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Valspar (Uruguay) Corporation S.A., Valspar (WPC) Pty Ltd, Valspar Aries Coatings S. de R.L. de C.V., Valspar Automotive (UK) Corporation Limited, Valspar Automotive Australia Pty Limited, Valspar B.V., Valspar Coatings (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Valspar Coatings (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Valspar D.o.o Beograd, Valspar Industries (Ireland) Ltd., Valspar Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Valspar Industries GmbH, Valspar LLC, Valspar Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Valspar Paint (Australia) Pty Ltd, Valspar Paint (NZ) Limited, Valspar Powder Coatings Limited, Valspar Rock Company Limited (Japan), Valspar Specialty Paints LLC, and ZAO Sherwin-Williams. The Bank of Nova Scotia provides various banking products and services in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Colombia, the Caribbean and Central America, and internationally. It operates through Canadian Banking, International Banking, Global Banking and Markets, and Global Wealth Management segments. The company offers financial advice and solutions, and day-to-day banking products, including debit and credit cards, chequing and saving accounts, investments, mortgages, loans, and insurance to individuals; and business banking solutions comprising lending, deposit, cash management, and trade finance solutions to small businesses and commercial customers, including automotive financing solutions to dealers and their customers. It also provides wealth management advice and solutions, including online brokerage, mobile investment, full-service brokerage, trust, private banking, and private investment counsel services; and retail mutual funds, exchange traded funds, liquid alternative funds, and institutional funds. In addition, the company offers international banking services for retail, corporate, and commercial customers; and lending and transaction, investment banking advisory, and capital markets access services to corporate customers. Further, it provides Internet, mobile, and telephone banking services. The company operates a network of 952 branches and approximately 3,540 automated banking machines in Canada; and approximately 1,400 branches, 5,200 ATMs, and 22 contact centers internationally. The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in 1832 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada. Read More Big Rock Brewery Inc. produces, markets, and distributes craft beers, ciders, and ready-to-drink beverages primarily in Canada. The company operates through two segments, Wholesale and Retail. It offers a selection of beer, ciders, and RTD beverages under the Big Rock, Tree Brewing, Rock Creek Cider, Dukes Cider, AGD, Shaftbury, Bow Valley, and Cottage Springs brands. The company also provides apparel and accessories, including jackets, headwear, sweaters, glassware, belt buckles, and coolers. It sells its products to provincial liquor boards, grocery chains, on-premise and contract manufacturing customers; and through premises owned and/or operated by the Corporation, Big Rock's website, and third-party delivery services. Big Rock Brewery Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Fidelity National Information Services: 11601 Roosevelt Boulevard Realty LLC, AFSF II AIV Investors D-LP, AGES Participacoes Ltda., AKC Insurance Company LLC, Advanced Portfolio Technologies Ltd., Alphakinetic Ltd., Armed Forces Financial Network LLC, AssetExchange, Automated Securities Clearance LLC, Best Payment Solutions Inc., Bibit Spain S.L., Bitpay Payments KK, C&E Holdings Luxembourg S.a.r.l., CPRS Holdings Inc., Canadian Envoy Technology Services Ltd., Capco, Central Credit Services Limited, Certegy Canada Company, Certegy Card Services B.V., Certegy Dutch Holdings B.V., Certegy France Limited, Certegy SAS, Certegy UK Holdings B.V., Chex Systems Inc., Clear2Pay, Clear2Pay (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Clear2Pay APAC Pte. Ltd., Clear2Pay APAC Pty Ltd., Clear2Pay BV, Clear2Pay Belgium BV, Clear2Pay China Limited, Clear2Pay France SAS, Clear2Pay Germany GmbH, Clear2Pay Limited, Clear2Pay Nanjing Co. Limited, Clear2Pay Nederland BV, Clear2Pay Poland Sp. z o.o., Clear2Pay Scotland Holdings Limited, Clear2Pay Scotland Limited, Clear2Pay Spain S.l., ClearTwoPay Chile SpA, Complete Payment Recovery Services Inc., Compliance Coach, Credit Management Solutions, Decalog (UK) Limited, Decalog N.V., Envoy Services Bulgaria Limited, Envoy Services Ltd. (Asia) SDn BHD, Envoy Services Pty Ltd., Envoy Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, F.I.S. Systems (Middle East) Limited, FIS (Switzerland) SA, FIS (Tunisia) I SARL, FIS (Tunisia) II SARL, FIS Ambit Holdings Pty Ltd, FIS Apex (International) Limited, FIS Apex (UK) Limited, FIS Asia Pacific Inc., FIS AsiaPacRim Holdings Ltd., FIS Australasia Pty Ltd., FIS AvantGard LLC, FIS Banking Solutions UK Limited, FIS Bilgisayar Hizmetleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, FIS Brokerage & Securities Services LLC, FIS Business Integration (UK) Limited, FIS Capital Markets UK Limited, FIS Capital Markets US LLC, FIS Card Services (Caribbean) Ltd., FIS Card Services (Thailand) Co. Ltd., FIS Consulting Services (Ireland) Limited, FIS Consulting Services (UK) Limited, FIS Denmark ApS, FIS Derivatives Utility Services (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., FIS Derivatives Utility Services (UK) Limited, FIS Derivatives Utility Services LLC, FIS Energy Solutions Limited, FIS Financial Solutions Canada Inc., FIS Financial Systems (France) SAS, FIS Foundation Inc., FIS GCS LLC, FIS Global Business Solutions India Private Ltd., FIS Global Execution Services (Ireland) Limited, FIS Global Execution Services Limited, FIS Global Holdings S.a.r.l, FIS Global Recovery Services India Private Limited, FIS Global Solutions Philippines Inc., FIS Global Trading (Deutschland) GmbH, FIS Global Trading (Hong Kong) Limited, FIS Global Trading (Iberica) S.L. Unipersonal, FIS Global Trading (Nederland) B.V., FIS Global Trading (Portugal) Unipessoal Lda, FIS Global Trading (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., FIS Global Trading (Suisse) SA, FIS Global Trading (UK) Limited, FIS Healthcare Trustee Limited, FIS Holdings (Germany) GmbH i.L., FIS Holdings Limited, FIS Holdings Mauritius, FIS Insurance Services Limited, FIS International Subsidiaries Holdings Inc., FIS Investment Systems (UK) Limited, FIS Investment Ventures LLC, FIS Investor Services LLC, FIS Japan KK, FIS Kingstar Cayman Islands Limited, FIS Korea Ltd., FIS Management Services LLC, FIS Management Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., FIS Pakistan (Private) Limited, FIS Payment Solutions & Services India Private Limited, FIS Payments (Ireland) Limited, FIS Payments (UK) Limited, FIS Pensions Limited, FIS Romania SRL, FIS SG (Italia) S.r.l., FIS SG International Holdings LLC, FIS SG Systems Philippines Inc., FIS Sherwood Systems Limited, FIS Solutions (India) Private Limited, FIS Solutions LLC, FIS Solutions Software (India) Private Limited, FIS Systeme GmbH, FIS Systems (Hong Kong) Limited, FIS Systems (Luxembourg) S.A., FIS Systems (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., FIS Systems (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., FIS Systems Canada Inc., FIS Systems International LLC, FIS Systems Kenya Limited, FIS Systems Limited, FIS Systems NZ Limited, FIS Systems Pty Ltd, FIS Systems South Africa (Pty) Limited, FIS Systems de Colombia S.A.S., FIS Technology (Beijing) Co. Limited, FIS Technology Services (Poland) Sp. z o.o., FIS Technology Services (Tunisia) SARL, FIS Technology Services Singapore Pte. Ltd., FIS Treasury Systems (Europe) Limited, FIS Treasury Systems (UK) Limited, FIS UK Holdings Limited, FIS Vietnam LLC, FIS Worldpay (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, FIS Worldpay Jersey Limited, FIS-SG Holding Corp., FNIS Istanbul Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, FV General Partner LLC, Fidelity Holding Ltda., Fidelity Information Services (Hong Kong) Limited, Fidelity Information Services (Iberia) S.L.U., Fidelity Information Services (Israel) Ltd., Fidelity Information Services (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Fidelity Information Services (Thailand) Limited, Fidelity Information Services Front Arena AB, Fidelity Information Services GmbH, Fidelity Information Services Holdings B.V., Fidelity Information Services India Private Limited, Fidelity Information Services International Holdings Inc., Fidelity Information Services LLC, Fidelity Information Services Limited, Fidelity Information Services Operations GmbH, Fidelity Information Services SARL, Fidelity Information Services Slovakia s.r.o., Fidelity Information Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fidelity International Resource Management Inc., Fidelity National Card Services Inc., Fidelity National Global Card Services Inc., Fidelity National Information Services (Netherlands) B.V., Fidelity National Information Services C.V., Fidelity National Information Services Inc., Fidelity National Participacoes e Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Fidelity National Servicos de Tratamento de Documentos e Informatica Ltda., Fidelity National Servicos e Contact Center Ltda., Fidelity Participacoes e Servicos Ltda., Financial Insurance Marketing Group Inc., GL Settle Limited, GL Trade (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, GL Trade CMS (Thailand) Limited, GL Trade Software DOO, GL Trade Solutions CMS (Thailand) Limited, Glesia S.r.l., GoCart LLC, Information Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Integrity Treasury Solutions Europe Limited, Integrity Treasury Solutions Inc., Integrity Treasury Solutions Limited, Integrity Treasury Solutions Pty Limited, Link2Gov Corp., Memento, Metavante Corporation, Metavante Payment Services LLC, Metavante Technologies Inc, Metavante Technologies Limited, Minorca Corporation NV, Monis Management Limited, Monis Software Limited, NYCE Payments Network LLC, Oshap Software Industries Ltd., Oshap Technologies Ltd., PT FIS Systems Indonesia, PT Fidelity Information Services Indonesia, Panther Holdco 2 Inc., Panther Holdco Inc., Payment Brasil Holdings Ltda., Payment Chile S.A., Payment Trust Limited, Paymetric Inc., Pazien Inc., People's United Merchant Services LLC, Platform Securities Holdings Limited, Platform Securities International Limited, Platform Securities International Nominees Limited, Platform Securities LLP, Platform Securities Nominees Limited, Platform Securities Services Limited, Reech Capital Limited, Reliance Financial Corporation, Reliance Integrated Solutions LLC, Reliance Trust Company, Rocket Partners Holdings LLC, Sanchez Computer Associates Pty Limited, Secondco Limited, Ship Holdco Limited, Ship Luxco 2 S.a.r.l., Ship Luxco 3 S.a.r.l., Ship Midco Limited, Solutions Plus Consulting Services Limited, SunGard, SunGard Data Systems Beijing Co. Ltd., SunGard Global Services (Tunisia) III, SunGard Global Trading (Australia) Pty. Ltd., SunGard India Sales Private Limited, TP Technologies N.V., Tayvin 346 Limited, Transax Limited, Trax BV, Valuelink Information Services Limited, Valutec Card Solutions LLC, Virtus Fund Services, Virtus Group LP, Virtus LP Holdings LLC, Virtus Partners Fund Services Cayman Ltd., Virtus Partners Fund Services Holdings Company, Virtus Partners Fund Services Ireland Limited, Virtus Partners Fund Services Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Virtus Partners Ireland Ltd., Virtus Partners Ltd., Virtus Trade Settlement LLC, WebTone Technologies, Worldpay, Worldpay (HK) Limited, Worldpay (NZ) Limited, Worldpay (UK) Limited, Worldpay AP Ltd., Worldpay Argentina SRL, Worldpay B.V., Worldpay Canada Corporation, Worldpay Cayman Holdings Limited, Worldpay Company LLC, Worldpay Do Brasil Processamento De Pagamentos Ltda., Worldpay Finance Limited, Worldpay Gaming Solutions LLC, Worldpay Governance Limited, Worldpay Group Limited, Worldpay Holdings (Barbados) SRL, Worldpay Holdings Brasil Participacoes Ltda., Worldpay ISO Inc., Worldpay India Private Limited, Worldpay Integrated Payments Canada LLC, Worldpay Integrated Payments LLC., Worldpay Integrated Payments Solutions Inc., Worldpay International Group Limited, Worldpay International Holdings Limited, Worldpay International Limited, Worldpay International Payments Limited, Worldpay International Solutions Limited, Worldpay K.K., Worldpay LLC, Worldpay Latin America Limited, Worldpay Limited, Worldpay Marketing Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Worldpay Payments (Barbados) SRL, Worldpay Processing Services SRL, Worldpay Pte Ltd., Worldpay Pty Ltd., Worldpay S.a.r.l., Worldpay Services Company, Worldpay Services SRL, Worldpay Solutions SRL, Worldpay Technology Bucharest S.R.L., Worldpay Treasury Solutions SRL, Worldpay US Inc., Worldpay eCommerce LLC, Worldpay eCommerce Limited, Xpede, YES-Secure.com Limited, YESpay International Limited, Zenmonics Inc., Zenmonics Software Private Limited, eFunds Corporation, eFunds Holdings Limited, eFunds International Limited, i DLX International B.V., and mFoundry Inc.. Valley National Bancorp is a bank holding company, which engages in the provision of retail and commercial banking services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Lending; Commercial Lending; Investment Management; and Corporate and Other Adjustments. The Consumer Lending segment consists of residential mortgage loans, automobile loans and home equity loans, as well as wealth management and insurance services. The Commercial Lending segment includes the floating rate and adjustable rate commercial and industrial loans as well as fixed rate owner occupied and commercial real estate loans. The Investment Management segment refers to investments in various types of securities and interest-bearing deposits with other banks. The Corporate and Other Adjustments segment represents the income and expense items not directly attributable to a specific segment. The company was founded on November 12, 1982 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, a diversified financial institution, provides various financial products and services to personal, business, public sector, and institutional clients in Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through four strategic business units: Canadian Personal and Business Banking; Canadian Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; U.S. Commercial Banking and Wealth Management; and Capital Markets. The company offers chequing, savings, and business accounts; mortgages; loans, lines of credit, student lines of credit, and business and agriculture loans; investment and insurance services; and credit cards, as well as overdraft protection services. It also provides day-to-day banking, borrowing and credit, investing and wealth, specialty, and international services; correspondent banking and online foreign exchange services; and cash management services. The company serves its customers through its banking centers, as well as direct, mobile, and remote channels. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More First American Financial Corp. operates as an insurance company. It provides title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries. The company operates its business through the following segments: Title Insurance & Services and Specialty Insurance. The Title Insurance & Services segment provides title insurance, escrow, closing services and similar or related financial services domestically and internationally in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. It also maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images and provides banking, trust and investment advisory services. The Specialty Insurance segment issues property & casualty insurance policies and sells home warranty products. It also provides title plant management services, which include title and other real property records and images, valuation products and services, home warranty products, property and casualty insurance and banking, trust and investment advisory services. First American Financial was founded in January, 2008 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, CA. Read More Greetings, No doubt, there is a lot to be concerned about this year; however, 2020 has also been quite a year for recorded music. Let u... Global X MSCI Greece ETF's stock reverse split before market open on Tuesday, April 28th 2020. The 1-3 reverse split was announced on Monday, April 13th 2020. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the closing bell on Monday, April 27th 2020. An investor that had 100 shares of Global X MSCI Greece ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 33 shares after the split. Augusta Gold Corp., a junior exploration company, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in the United States. It primarily explores for gold, silver, and other metals. The company holds interests in the Bullfrog gold project located in the north-west of Las Vegas, Nevada. It also owns, controls, or has acquired mineral rights on Federal patented and unpatented mining claims in the state of Nevada for the purpose of exploration and potential development of metals on a total of approximately 7,800 acres of land. The company was formerly known as Bullfrog Gold Corp. and changed its name to Augusta Gold Corp. in January 2021. Augusta Gold Corp. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. Read More Guess?, Inc. engages in designing, marketing, distributing and licensing of contemporary apparel and accessories for men, women and children that reflect the American lifestyle and European fashion sensibilities. It operates through the following segments: Americas Retail, Americas Wholesale, Europe, Asia, and Licensing. The Americas Retail segment includes the Company's retail and e-Commerce operations in North and Central America and its retail operations in South America. The Americas Wholesale segment consists of the Company's wholesale operations in the Americas. The Europe segment comprises the Company's retail, e-commerce and wholesale operations in Europe and the Middle East. The Asia segment refers to the Company's retail, e-commerce and wholesale operations in Asia and the Pacific. The Licensing segment includes the worldwide licensing operations of the Company. The company was founded by Paul Marciano and Maurice Marciano in 1981 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Read More iSIGN Media Solutions Inc., a data-focused software-as-a-service company, provides location-based security alert messaging and proximity marketing solutions in North America. The company integrates with signage networks, kiosks, and point of sale devices to provide rich media content. It also offers Smart Antenna, a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi transceiver device that identifies mobile devices, such as phones and tablets, as well as to push messages to these devices when they are within 300ft. iSIGN Media Solutions Inc. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Richmond Hill, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Franklin Resources: AdvisorEngine, AdvisorEngine Inc., Alumcreek Holdings LLC, Athena Capital Advisors, Balanced Equity Management, Balanced Equity Management Pty. Limited, Benefit Street Partners, Bissett & Associates Investment Management, Brandywine Global Investment Management Europe Limited, CCPF GP Holdco No.2 Limited, CCPF No.2 (GP) Limited, CCPF No.2 LP, CP Industrial Management LLC, CP Intermediate Holdco Inc., CRM Software LLC, Clarion Gramercy (Deutschland) GmbH, Clarion Gramercy (UK) Limited, Clarion Gramercy Limited, Clarion Partners Europe Ltd., Clarion Partners Holdings LLC, Clarion Partners LLC, Clarion Partners Securities LLC, Clarion REIM South America Holdings LLC, Clarion REIM South America Invsetimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure (North America) Pty Limited, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure International Pty Limited, Darby - Hana Infrastructure Fund Management Co. Ltd., Edinburgh Partners, FT FinTech Holdings LLC, FT Opportunistic Distressed Fund Ltd., FTC Investor Services Inc., FTCI (Cayman) Ltd., FTPE Advisers LLC, Fiduciary International Holding Inc., Fiduciary Investment Management International Inc., Fiduciary Trust (International) Sarl, Fiduciary Trust Company International, Fiduciary Trust Company International of Pennsylvania, Fiduciary Trust Company of Canada, Fiduciary Trust International LLC, Fiduciary Trust International of California, Fiduciary Trust International of Delaware, Fiduciary Trust International of the South, Franklin Advisers GP LLC, Franklin Advisers Inc., Franklin Advisory Services LLC, Franklin Marketplace Loan GP LLC, Franklin Mutual Advisers LLC, Franklin SystematiQ Advisers LLC, Franklin Templeton Alternative Investments (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Franklin Templeton Asset Management Mexico S.A. de C.V. Sociedad Operadora de Fondos de Inversion, Franklin Templeton Austria GmbH, Franklin Templeton Capital Holdings Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Chile SpA. V., Franklin Templeton Companies LLC, Franklin Templeton Digital Advisory Services GmbH, Franklin Templeton Fund Management Limited, Franklin Templeton GSC Asset Management Sdn. Bhd., Franklin Templeton Global Investors Limited, Franklin Templeton Holding Limited, Franklin Templeton International Services (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton International Services S.a r.l., Franklin Templeton Investment Management (Shanghai) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited, Franklin Templeton Investment Services GmbH, Franklin Templeton Investment Services Mexico S. de R.L., Franklin Templeton Investment Trust Management Co. Ltd., Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments (ME) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Australia Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Franklin Templeton Investments Japan Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Poland sp. z o.o., Franklin Templeton Investments South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Franklin Templeton Investor Services LLC, Franklin Templeton Investimentos (Brasil) Ltda., Franklin Templeton Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Magyarorszag Kft., Franklin Templeton Management Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Franklin Templeton Private Equity LLC, Franklin Templeton Services (India) Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Services LLC, Franklin Templeton Servicios de Asesoria Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Franklin Templeton Slovakia s.r.o., Franklin Templeton Social Infrastructure GP S.a r.l., Franklin Templeton Strategic Investments Ltd., Franklin Templeton Switzerland Ltd., Franklin Templeton Trustee Services Private Limited, Franklin Templeton Turkey Advisory Services A.S., Franklin Templeton Uruguay S.A., Franklin Venture Partners (Talos Cayman GP) LLC, Franklin Venture Partners LLC, Franklin/Templeton Distributors Inc., ITI Capital Markets Limited, K2 Advisors, LM (BVI) Limited, LM Holdings 2 Limited, LM Holdings Limited, LM International Holding LP, Legg Mason & Co (UK) Limited, Legg Mason & Co. LLC, Legg Mason (Chile) Inversiones Holdings Limitada, Legg Mason Asset Management Australia Limited, Legg Mason Asset Management Hong Kong Limited, Legg Mason Asset Management Singapore Pte. Limited, Legg Mason Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Legg Mason Holding (Switzerland) GmbH, Legg Mason Inc., Legg Mason Investment Funds Limited, Legg Mason Investments (Europe) Limited, Legg Mason Investments (Switzerland) GmbH, Legg Mason Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor LLC, Legg Mason Royce Holdings LLC, Onsa Inc., RARE IP Trust, RARE Infrastructure Limited, REDROSE Caesar S.a r.l., Random Forest Capital, Random Forest Capital LLC, Rensburg Sheppards plc, Riva Financial Systems Limited, Royce & Associates GP LLC, Royce & Associates LP, Royce Fund Services LLC, Royce Management Company LLC, TSEMF III (Jersey) Limited, TSEMF IV (Jersey) Limited, Templeton Asset Management (Labuan) Limited, Templeton Asset Management (Poland) TFI S.A., Templeton Asset Management Ltd., Templeton Global Advisors Limited, Templeton Global Holdings Ltd., Templeton International Inc., Templeton Investment Counsel LLC, Templeton Restructured Investments III Ltd., Templeton Restructured Investments IV Ltd., Templeton Restructured Investments L.L.C., Templeton Turkey Fund GP Ltd., Templeton Worldwide Inc., Templeton do Brasil Ltda., Templeton/Franklin Investment Services Inc., WHITEROSE Caesar S.a r.l., Western Asset Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Western Asset Management (Brazil) Holdings Limitada, Western Asset Management (Cayman) Holdings Limited, Western Asset Management Company Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios Limitada, Western Asset Management Company LLC, Western Asset Management Company Limited, Western Asset Management Company Pte Ltd., Western Asset Management Company Pty Ltd, and Winfield & Company. Cape Lambert Resources Limited engages in the investment, exploration, and evaluation of mineral properties. It primarily explores for iron ore, cobalt, copper, gold, uranium, lithium, and lead-silver-zinc assets in Australia, Europe, Africa, and South America. The company also has an option to acquire 70% interests in the Kitwe cobalt-copper tailings project. The company was formerly known as Cape Lambert Iron Ore Limited and changed its name to Cape Lambert Resources Limited in November 2009. Cape Lambert Resources Limited is headquartered in West Leederville, Australia. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Tesco: Adminstore Limited, Adsega Limited, Alfred Preedy & Sons (Trustees) Limited, Alfred Preedy & Sons Limited, Anthony Heagney Limited, Arena (Jersey) Management Limited, Armitage Finance Unlimited, Armitage Luxembourg s.? r.l., BLT Holdings 2010 Limited, Bath Upper Bristol Road Management, Bedminster Estates Limited, Beehythe Estates limited, Berry Lane Management Company Limited, Blinkbox Books Limited, BlinxBox, Booker Group, Brian Fords Discount Store Limited, Broadfields Management Limited, Brookmaker (GP) Limited, Broughton Retail Park Nominee 1 Limited, Broughton Retail Park Nominee 2 Limited, Broughton Retail Park Nominee 3 Limited, Broughton Retail Park Nominee 4 Limited, Buckingham Road (Bletchley) Management Company Limited, Bugden Ltd, Buttoncable Limited, Buttoncase Limited, Canterbury Road Management Limited, Cardiff Cathays Terrace Management Company Limited, Careneed News Limited, Cheshunt Finance Unlimited, Cheshunt Holdings Guernsey Limited, Cheshunt Hungary Servicing Limited Liability Company, Cheshunt Luxembourg S.? r.l., Cheshunt Overseas LLP, China Property Holdings (HK) Limited, Chirac Limited, Cirrus Finance (2009) Limited, Cirrus Finance Limited, Cirrus Luxembourg s.? r.l., Clarepharm Limited, Clondalkin Properties Limited, Comar Limited, Commercial Investments Limited, Crazy Prices, Crest Ostrava a.s, Cullens Holdings Limited, Cullens Stores Limited, Daily Wrap Produce Limited, Day And Nite Stores Limited, Delamare Cards Holdco Limited, Delamare Cards MTN Issuer plc, Delamare Finance PLC, Delamare Group Holdings Limited, Delamare Holdings BV Netherlands, Delamare Luxembourg s.? r.l. Luxembourg, Delamare One Limited, Dunnhumby Ventures LLC, ELH Insurance Limited, Edinburgh Butterfly Farm Limited, Edson Investments Limited, Edson Properties Limited, Ek-Chai Distribution System Co. Ltd., Euphorium (London) Limited, Euphorium (North London) Limited, Euphorium Group Limited, Euphorium IP Limited, Europa Foods Limited, Faraday Properties Limited, Flitwick Pharmacies Limited, Food & Wine Lovers Limited, Forum Liberec s.r.o, Freds Food Construction Limited, Freehold and Leasehold Property Fund, Gain Land Limited, Genesis sp. z o.o., Gibbs News Limited, Gibbs Newsagents Limited, Gida Sanayi A.S., Giraffe, Giraffe Cafe Limited, Giraffe Concepts Limited, Golden Island Management Services Limited, HIT hypermarket Sp. z o. o., Halesworth SPV Limited, Harris and Hoole Holdings Limited, Harris and Hoole Limited, Harris and Hoole Nominees Limited, Homeplus, Hymall Co. Ltd., J E Properties Holdings Limited, Jasper Sp. z o. o. Poland, KSS Retail Limited, Kabaty Investments Tesco (Polska) Sp. z o. o. Sp.k, Kingsway Fresh Foods Ltd, Koxka Hungary Refrigeration LLC, Launchgrain Limited, Launchtable Limited, Laws Stores Limited, Lazada Group S.A., Lee (Southern) Limited, Lek?ren? Tesco Bansk? Bystrica k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Dunajsk? Streda k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Ko?ice k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Lama k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Nitra k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Petr?alka k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Pie?tany k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Pre?ov Vukov k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Senec k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Spi?sk? Nov? Ves k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Trenc??n s.r.o. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Zlat? Piesky k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Lek?ren? Tesco Zvolen k.s. Slovakia Limited Partnership, Linebush III Holdings Limited, Linebush III Limited, Linebush IV Limited, Linebush Limited, Linebush V Limited, London and Home Counties Superstores Limited, Lowfoods Limited, M & W Limited, Merrion Shopping Centre Ltd, Mills (East Midlands) Limited, Mills (West Midlands) Limited, Mills Group Holdings Limited, Mills Group Limited, Mobcast Services, Monread Developments Limited, Morgam Holdings Limited, Morgam News Limited, Motorcause Limited, NPL (Hardgate) Limited, Nabola Development Limited, NutriCentre Limited, OC FORUM Liberec Ltd., Oakwood Distribution Limited, Obchodn? dom Bratislava s.ro, Obchodn? dom Ko?ice s.ro., Obchodn? dom Nitra s.ro., Obchodn? dom Pre?ov s.ro., Old FEHC Inc., Old FEPC LLC, One Stop Community Stores Ltd, One Stop Convenience Stores Limited, One Stop Stores Limited, One Stop Stores Trustee Services Limited, Orpingford, Orpington (Station Road) Limited, Oxford Fox and Hounds Management Company Limited, PEJ Property Developments Limited, Paper Chain (East Anglia) Limited, Pharaway Properties Limited, Power Supermarkets Limited, Premier Garage (Worthing) Limited, Pulford Foods Limited, R.J.D. Holdings, Retail Property Co. Ltd, S Bottomley & Bros Limited, Sanders Supermarkets Limited, Sandtable Limited, Sarcon (No. 239) Limited, Seacroft Green Nominee 1 Limited, Seacroft Green Nominee 2 Limited, Shire Park Limited, Shuke Advertising (Shanghai) Co. 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Z O.O., TESCO STORES SR a.s., Tapesilver Limited, Teesport (GP) Limited, Teesport (Nominee) Limited, Telegraph Properties (Kirkby) Limited, Tesco (Foxtrot 1) Limited, Tesco (Foxtrot 2) Limited, Tesco (Fujian) Industry Limited, Tesco (Jersey) Limited, Tesco (Overseas) Ltd, Tesco (Yorkshire) Limited, Tesco Aqua (1LP) Limited, Tesco Aqua (3LP) Limited, Tesco Aqua (FinCo1) Limited, Tesco Aqua (FinCo2) Limited, Tesco Aqua (GP) Limited, Tesco Aqua (Nominee 1) Limited, Tesco Aqua (Nominee 2) Limited, Tesco Aqua (Nominee Holdco) Limited, Tesco Atrato (1LP) Limited, Tesco Atrato (GP) Limited, Tesco Barbers Wood Limited, Tesco Bengaluru Private Limited, Tesco Blue (1LP) Limited, Tesco Blue (FinCo2) Limited, Tesco Blue (GP) Limited, Tesco Blue (Nominee 1) Limited, Tesco Blue (Nominee 2) Limited, Tesco Blue (Nominee Holdco) Limited, Tesco Capital No. 1 Limited, Tesco Capital No. 2 Limited, Tesco Card Services Limited, Tesco Card Services Limited, Tesco Card Services Ltd., Tesco Chile Sourcing Limitada, Tesco Coral (GP) Limited, Tesco Corporate Treasury Services PLC, Tesco Depot Propco Limited, Tesco Distribution Holdings Limited, Tesco Distribution Limited, Tesco Dorney (1LP) Limited, Tesco Dorney (GP) Limited, Tesco Dystrybucja Sp. z.o.o., Tesco EU IT Services s.r.o., Tesco Employees Share Scheme Trustees Limited, Tesco Estates Limited, Tesco Europe B.V. 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Limited, Tesco High Beech Limited, Tesco Holdings BV, Tesco Holdings Limited, Tesco Home Shopping Limited, Tesco Hungary (Holdings) Limited, Tesco International Franchising s.r.o., Tesco International Internet Retailing Limited, Tesco International Services Limited, Tesco International Sourcing Limited, Tesco Ireland Holdings Limited, Tesco Ireland Limited, Tesco Ireland Pension Trustees Limited, Tesco Jade (GP) Limited, Tesco Joint Buying Service (Shanghai) Co Limited, Tesco Kipa Kitle Pazarlama Ticaret Lojistik ve, Tesco Kirkby (General Partner) Limited, Tesco Kirkby (LP) Limited, Tesco Kirkby (Nominee 1) Limited, Tesco Kirkby (Nominee 2) Limited, Tesco Kirkby (Nominee Holdco) Limited, Tesco Kirkby (Unitholder 1) Limited, Tesco Kirkby (Unitholder2) Limited, Tesco Lagoon GP Limited, Tesco Licences Limited, Tesco Lotus Retail Growth, Tesco Lotus Retail Growth Freehold and Leasehold Property Fund, Tesco Maintenance Limited, Tesco Mauritius Holdings Limited, Tesco Mobile (Thailand) Co. 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Limited, Tesco Navona (1LP) Limited, Tesco Navona (GP) Limited, Tesco Navona (Nominee 1) Limited, Tesco Navona (Nominee 2) Limited, Tesco Navona (Nominee Holdco) Limited, Tesco Navona PL Propco Limited, Tesco Opticians Limited, Tesco Overseas (Holdings) Limited, Tesco Overseas Investments Limited, Tesco Overseas ULC, Tesco Passaic (1LP) Limited, Tesco Passaic (GP) Limited, Tesco Passaic (Nominee 1) Limited, Tesco Passaic (Nominee 2) Limited, Tesco Passaic (Nominee Holdco) Limited, Tesco Passaic PL Propco Limited, Tesco Pension (Jade) Limited, Tesco Pension Investment Limited, Tesco Pension Trustees Limited, Tesco Personal Finance, Tesco Personal Finance Compare Limited, Tesco Personal Finance Group Limited, Tesco Property (No.1) Limited, Tesco Property (Nominees) (No.1) Limited, Tesco Property (Nominees) (No.2) Limited, Tesco Property (Nominees) Limited, Tesco Property A.S., Tesco Property Finance 1 Holdco Limited, Tesco Property Finance 1 PLC, Tesco Property Holdings (No. 2) Limited, Tesco Property Holdings Limited, Tesco Property Limited, Tesco Property Nominees (No.5) Limited, Tesco Property Nominees (No.6) Limited, Tesco Property Partner (GP No.2) Limited, Tesco Property Partner (GP) Limited, Tesco Property Partner (No.1) Limited, Tesco Property Partner (No.2) Limited, Tesco Red (1LP) Limited, Tesco Red (GP) Limited, Tesco Red (Nominee 2) Limited, Tesco Red (Nominee Holdco) Limited, Tesco Sarum (1LP) Limited, Tesco Sarum (GP) Limited, Tesco Seacroft Limited, Tesco Secretaries Limited, Tesco Services Limited, Tesco Sourcing India Private Limited, Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Tesco Stores (Thailand) Ltd, Tesco Stores CR a.s., Tesco Stores Limited, Tesco Technology Services HK Limited, Tesco Treasury Services PLC, Tesco Trustee Company of Ireland Limited, Tesco Underwriting Limited, Tesco Vin Plus SA, Tesco Worldwide Limited, Tesco for Thais Foundation, Tesco-Global Stores Privately Held Co. Ltd, Tesco.Com Limited, The Brookmaker Limited Partnership, The Teesport Limited Partnership Limited Partnership, The Tesco Aqua Limited Partnership Limited Partnership, The Tesco Atrato Limited Partnership, The Tesco Blue Limited Partnership Limited Partnership, The Tesco Coral Limited Partnership, The Tesco Dorney Limited Partnership, The Tesco Kirkby Limited Partnership Limited Partnership, The Tesco Navona Limited Partnership Limited Partnership, The Tesco Passaic Limited Partnership Limited Partnership, The Tesco Property (No.2) Limited Partnership, The Tesco Red Limited Partnership, The Tesco Sarum Limited Partnership, Trent Hypermarket Private Limited, Trigger Retail Ltd, Valiant Insurance Company DAC, Value House Properties Limited, Variable Preference, Ventnor High Street Management Company Limited, Verulam Properties (2001) Limited, Verulam Properties Limited, Victoria BB Sp z.o.o., WE7, WSC Properties Limited, Wanze Properties (Dundalk) Limited, Weymouth Avenue (Dorchester) Limited, Whitecastle Properties Limited, Wm. Low Supermarkets Limited, Woolwich Central Residents Management Company Limited, Worple Road Plc, Xiamen Firste Property Limited, Xiamen Firste Property Limited, aAcklam Management Company Limited, dunnhumby (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, dunnhumby (Thailand) Limited, dunnhumby Canada Limited, dunnhumby Consulting Services India Private Limited, dunnhumby Czech s.r.o., dunnhumby Employment Company Limited, dunnhumby Holding Limited, dunnhumby Hungary Kft, dunnhumby IT Services India Private Limited, dunnhumby Inc, dunnhumby International Limited, dunnhumby Ireland Limited, dunnhumby Italia Srl., dunnhumby Limited, dunnhumby Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., dunnhumby Netherlands B.V., dunnhumby Norge A.S., dunnhumby Overseas Limited, dunnhumby Poland Sp z.o.o, dunnhumby Slovakia s.r.o., dunnhumby South Africa (Pty) Ltd, dunnhumby Trustees Limited, and dunnuhumby. Vitamin Shoppe, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a omni-channel specialty retailer and contract manufacturer of nutritional products in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Retail and Manufacturing. The company provides custom manufacturing and private labeling services for vitamin, mineral, and supplement products, as well as develops and markets own branded products. It offers vitamins, minerals, herbs, specialty supplements, sports nutrition products, and other health and wellness products of approximately 900 brands, such as own brands comprising The Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech, True Athlete, Mytrition, plnt, ProBioCare, Next Step, and Betancourt Nutrition; and national brands, including Optimum Nutrition, Cellucor, Garden of Life, Quest Nutrition, Solaray, Solgar, Megafood, and Nature's Way. The company sells its products through Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements retail stores, as well as through its vitaminshoppe.com Website. As of November 7, 2018, it operated 775 company-operated retail stores under the Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements retail banners. It also operates franchise stores. The company was formerly known as VS Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Vitamin Shoppe, Inc. in November 2009. Vitamin Shoppe, Inc. was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey. Read More Last year Ifeanyi Ugokwe was arrested and locked up for weeks. His crime: he tried to take his own life. After weeks of being hungry and jobless, the 25-year old says he reached breaking point after a security guard pushed him to the ground while he was searching for work at a building site. Africa Arrests Continents and regions Corrections system Crime, law enforcement and corrections Criminal law Criminal offenses Employment and income status Labor and employment Lagos Law and legal system Law enforcement Nigeria Prisons and jails Social and economic status Societal issues Society Suicide Unemployment Western Africa Workers and professionals Assisted suicide Death and dying End of life decisions Policing and police forces "I was tired of walking around that day. And I was determined to work there... so I tried to force my way in, then he pushed me, and I fell down flat on the floor," Ugokwe told CNN. "I started begging him because I was tired, I really needed that job because I needed to eat." Humiliated, Ugokwe went to a nearby lagoon and jumped in. After being rescued by passing fishermen, Ugokwe says he was handed over to police officers who arrested him and put him in jail. Attempting suicide is a criminal offense in Nigeria, under Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act, and carries a penalty of up to one year in prison. A holdover from when Nigeria was a British colony, the law was abolished in Britain under the Suicide Act of 1961, which happened after Nigeria gained its independence in 1960. Ugokwe says he's speaking out about his attempt to take his own life despite stigma around the subject in Nigeria because he doesn't want people to suffer as he did. When he woke up on the fisherman's boat, Ugokwe says he was angry that his attempt had failed. Following his arrest, Ugokwe was held at a cell near the Lagos lagoon, in the country's economic capital, before being transferred one week later to another cell on the Lagos mainland. Ugokwe says he was unaware that attempted suicide was a crime in Nigeria. "When they put me in the cell, the first thing that came to my mind was what did I do? I didn't kill anybody. I did not steal. What am I doing here? What did I do wrong? It's my life, not (the) government's life," he said. Shortly after his arrest in February, Ugokwe appeared before a magistrate to determine whether he had committed an offense. His case was postponed and he was transferred to another facility on Lagos Island. Read more: Jailed at 15 she dreamed of being a fashion designer. No trial and six years later, she's still missing It was there he met Imanuella Ojeah, a criminal lawyer and a member of the Elevation Church in Lagos, whose volunteer prison unit makes weekly trips to local prisons. "I remember he seemed tired of life. He begged me to get him out of that place. He told me... I am not mad. I am just depressed and don't have money to eat," Ojeah told CNN. Ojeah and her team represented Ugokwe at his next court appearance at Sabo Magistrates Court, a few weeks later, in April 2017. They were asked if someone was willing to act as a guarantor for Ugokwe and look after his welfare if he were released. Ojeah found someone from the Elevation Church who agreed to look after Ugokwe and the magistrate dismissed the case. Although Ugokwe found freedom, the legal process around these types of cases is lengthy and complicated for people suffering from serious mental health issues, says health law expert Cheluchi Onyemelukwe who is campaigning to abolish the suicide law in the country. "What happens in the legal process is the police arrest you, put you in a cell, and then charge the matter to court and you are arraigned before a magistrate who determines whether it appears an offense has been committed," she says. As in Ugokwe's case, the survivor is then remanded to jail to wait for a trial date. If found guilty, they may be imprisoned for a maximum of one year. Although jail terms for suicide survivors are rare, Onyemelukwe says it is the process of arresting and taking them through a legal process that is particularly cruel. "I believe it doesn't reflect who we are as Nigerians... it is inhumane and I know that we can do better than that. I think it is probably the worst possible thing that you could do to somebody who finds themselves in that sort of situation," she said. "People who are thrown into a cell right after... wonder why the suicide wasn't successful. It makes people that I have spoken to feel helpless and feel like there really isn't a reason to go on." Ugokwe says he contemplated suicide again while in jail because of the conditions he was held in. "The worst part of it was not just that they put me in prison, it was that they locked me in a cell with crazy people. I was with mentally disturbed people. Most of the people there were talking to themselves and jumping around." Read more: How a social media movement against police brutality prompted Nigerian government to act In jail, Ugokwe says he and other inmates were forced to take pills. "At first, when they brought the pills to me, I refused... there was nothing wrong with me, but then I was beaten and forced to take the pills. "Those pills had terrible effects on me... all I want to do is sleep and eat." A spokesman for the Lagos division of the Nigerian Prisons Service, which operates prisons in the country, denied Ugokwe's allegations. "Allegations and incidents of force-feeding, beating and or forceful admission of medication on inmates are false and do not occur in any prison within the Lagos Command," Rotimi Oladokun told CNN in an emailed statement. "The Controller of Prisons, Lagos Command has no tolerance for such excesses and will not condone such under his command," he added. The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem told CNN that although attempted suicide is criminalized in the country, the state does not recommend that anyone should be locked up. Suicide rates are usually underreported in Nigeria because of the stigma associated with it. However, the World Health Organization estimates that there are 9.5 suicides per every 100,000 people in the country. Some common causes are depression and anxiety linked to high levels of poverty. A 2017 WHO report found that Nigerians have the highest incidences of depression in Africa, with around 7,079,815 suffering from depression, a figure that represents 3.9% of the population. In 2015, Lagos State amended its law to recommend hospital treatment for those who have attempted suicide. But the law has yet to be changed at a national level and is not currently being considered for review, according to health law expert Onyemelukwe. "We are guided by what the law says," Kazeem says. "But in the hierarchy of offenses, this is a simple offense, and the recommended action is hospitalization. "The law does not say anyone should be incarcerated. Attempted suicide is not a crime. It shows some form of disorder which needs medical attention." Kazeem added: "My office has not prosecuted anyone. The state government does not prosecute attempted suicide victims. We are not aware of any prosecutions, if it was brought to my attention, we would advise against it." Kazeem said police officers do have prosecutorial powers in Lagos State and he could not speak to whether such a trial went ahead in Ugokwe's case. Read more: The #MeToo stories you haven't heard: Meet the women speaking out in Nigeria However, Kazeem acknowledged that more training was needed for police officers. "We are going to do that education process. They are doing the wrong thing if they lock up victims," he said. CNN made several requests for a comment from the Lagos State Police Commissioner but did not receive one. There are frequent reports in local media of survivors being arrested and tried for attempting suicide. In July this year, a 27-year-old man was charged in court with attempting suicide in June. Other African countries like Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Gambia, and South Sudan also outlaw suicide. Onyemelukwe says the suicide law, a legacy of the colonial era, has no place in Nigeria today. "I want Nigerians to see real people who have attempted suicide and have survived and realize that these are people who could be our friends, our brothers, our sisters, our mothers, our fathers. "Attempted suicide in itself is a risk factor for contemplating suicide. In fact, it is the predictor of the fact that somebody will commit suicide. We are in a place where all of these laws deserve a second, a third, a fourth look until we change it," she added. She believes police need to be given the power to refer survivors for treatment rather than arrested and put through the legal system. "The person doesn't have to spend any time in prison," she says. Life has started to get better for Ugokwe in recent months. He's found friends he can call on when he's feeling sad but he's still trying to get back on his feet. Thinking back on his time in jail, Ugokwe says he wouldn't want anyone to go through what he experienced. "No one deserves that," he said. "At that time, I needed love. I didn't need to be put in prison and punished for something I don't even understand." ONEONTA- According to Allotsego.com a former Oneonta firefighter is dead after a fire early Saturday morning. The mayor confirmed John Heller was killed in the fire that happened at 5 Walling Ave. at 4 a.m. on Saturday. Allotsego.com says there were four children in the home at the time who made it out safely. The Red Cross is assisting two adults and four children, ages two through nine. They're providing them with clothing, food, emotional support and comfort kits. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) Goble Heal Chiropractic is giving away 1,000 pairs of socks and underwear to children in need. The business normally asks for mittens for their annual holiday drive but this year they decided to pick an item that school nurses say is very needed and often forgotten. Goble Heal has been collecting for its "Seats and Feet Underwear and Sock Drive" since Nov. 1. On Friday, Dec. 28 the business reached its goal of collecting 1,000 donated sets of socks and underwear. Dr. Samantha Kreinbring said she's proud of the way the community has stepped up to help our local kids. Being able to help provide the basic needs in some way for children in this area is huge. It's what being a community is all about, said Kreinbring. Kreinbring said the community exceeded expectations for this years holiday drive. I'm just floored by the response and being able to make it a few days before the deadline has just been... I can't wait to see what the turnouts going to be for the rest of the time here, said Kreinbring. Goble Heal Chiropractic is still collecting donations until Dec. 31st. The items will be distributed to schools in all three corporations in Tippecanoe County. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Heartford House in Lafayette is seeing more and more children for interviews. The non-profit is a place that conducts interviews with children who may be victims of sexual or domestic violence. Recently they have grown to help in cases where kids are witnesses or victims of crimes. They provide a safe, secure, and private place for forensic interviewers to learn more about what kids may have experienced. "We do everything we can," said Jen Buschore-Barry, Executive Director of Heartford House. "How can we help them to feel comfortable and how can we help them feel comfortable talking about anything they might need to?" As of mid-December Heartford House had conducted more than 800 interviews in 2018. In all of 2017, they only conducted 685 interviews. Heartford house has two comfortable rooms where the interviews take place. They have lots of toys, crayons, and coloring books to help keep kids who come through their doors at ease. Buschore-Barry said it's not that this is a growing problem, it's that Heartford House has grown to a place where it's finally able to meet the needs of the community. "I think that the counties that we serve, they are trusting us to do the work that we do and so we are seeing an increase from those counties," she said. Heartford House has a seven-county region that it serves. They moved to a new location with more room and have grown their staff, which has helped them to be able to address more children in need. Buschore-Barry said they are always looking to the community for support. They are always looking for monetary donations, but people can also shop for them off their Amazon wishlist. She said they are in need of crayons and coloring books, which they often will give out to children to keep as they go through other processes of the investigation. Find more information on how to donate on their website. (CNN) A Chinese court ordered a retrial Saturday in a case involving a Canadian convicted of drug smuggling after prosecutors claimed new evidence. The High People's Court in Liaoning province heard the appeal by the Canadian, whom it identified as Robert Lloyd Schellenberg. The case is the latest to test relations between Ottawa and Beijing following the detention of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou earlier this month in Vancouver, British Columbia. Meng is out on bail pending an extradition hearing to the United States on charges of violating sanctions against Iran. Since her arrest, multiple Canadian citizens have been detained in China, even as both governments refused to link the cases. Until the appeal hearing, it was unclear when Schellenberg had originally been convicted or what his sentence was, but on Saturday the court provided details of the first trial verdict from November. According to a court statement published online after the appeal hearing, he was found guilty of drug smuggling and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, ordered to pay about $22,000 (150,000 yuan) and to be deported. Schellenberg had appealed after the verdict. But the court ordered a retrial after it adopted the prosecutors' opinion that they had found new evidence revealing the defendant was "very likely" to have played "an important role in the activities of drug smuggling." Prosecutors insisted Schellenberg had been given a lenient punishment in the first trial that was "obviously inappropriate" with the latest evidence, the statement said Saturday. The court ordered the case to return to the trial court, but a retrial date has not been set yet. In a statement, Maegan Graveline, a spokeswoman for Global Affairs Canada, said the department "has been following this case for several years and has been providing consular assistance to the Canadian citizen." "We will continue to provide consular services to them and their family," she told CNN. Asked about the Canadian's detention at a press conference Thursday, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she was "not aware of the specifics of the case." China severely punishes those caught smuggling or trafficking drugs, including foreigners. Anyone found with more than 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of a controlled substance can face the death penalty. This story was first published on CNN.com, "China court orders retrial for Canadian charged with drug smuggling." CASPER A small contraction in mining activity in early summer dented the otherwise broad growth in Wyomingites personal income during the third quarter of the year, according to state economists. Personal income is the entire income individuals take in, from their wages or salaries to their unemployment or social security benefits. In Wyoming, personal income rose by 3.3 percent in late... Rep. Winters reflects on his role as a pastor and a representative in the Wyoming House THERMOPOLIS It is a common belief that there are no honest politicians and that they say whatever they need to say to get elected, even if what they are saying goes against what they really believe and plan to do. So believing that a pastor can be a politician is a stretch, too hard for many to believe. But when Nathan Winters, associate pastor for the First Baptist Church in Thermopolis, decided to run for the position of Wyoming House Representative for House District 28 in 2013 he didnt see where there would be a conflict of interest, and to this day, still doesnt. Winters stated that when he ran he made sure that he was abundantly clear about where he stood on certain issues. Thats the most crucial decision, when you are voting for someone you need to know what they believe because there are certain areas, life, liberty, the traditional conservative values that America and Wyoming has always stood for, that I will not bend on. I was always abundantly clear with those who would elect me; this is who I am, this is where I stand, Winters said. I had someone ask me one time, because I am very strong on the subject of abortion. I believe that it is murder. I had someone ask me the first time I ran, where I stood on the subject of abortion and I was very clear and they said, I dont agree with you on that. How can you represent me? I said, I will be very honest with you, on the subject of abortion and where I stand. I said, there isnt really an in-between between your position and mine because you cannot have a half dead child. So there are times when you are very clear and express exactly what you believe. Youre honest and you let people know it, he added. I think having a moral background, having an ethic that you are clear about helps drive thoughtful solid thinking in the midst of debate. Heres the thing; if you dont have a moral ethical person running, you have an amoral or unethical person running and that amorality in essence becomes so malleable that a person can be immoral. Amorality doesnt mean that you vote with no morals it just means that you are susceptible to the morals of the most persuasive person, and that is a dangerous thing. Thats something that I think we should work very hard to stay away from in our culture, Winters said. Winters explained that people get frustrated about politics in general because at times they feel that they are voting for someone who walks around with a finger in the air, just trying to see which way the wind blows. I think having someone of substance and fiber who is clear about what they believe is what America needs, thats who our founders were. They were studious men who knew what they believe and would go and articulate it to the people back home and they thought, thats a person who cares, Winters said. A pursuit of truth and honesty has always been a deep desire of mine that does resonate with people. I will also say the Wyoming Legislature is different than the overall perception of politics. The reason I say that is because when you have people that are going down there to serve 40 days one year, 20 the next, they are living next door to you the majority of the year, you know them. Ive spent, in February, 13 years ministering here and I saw peoples faces when I made decisions down there, he added. Regarding the Wyoming Legislature being different, he said, I think being a person of moral substance which is historically what people looked for in politicians in America, that is so vital important and thats the reason why I think that even while I was there I had the opportunity to develop deep friendships across the spectrum because, being someone who is trust worthy is the most important. The other thing to is, if you break someones trust, you rarely ever are able to win it back and so you go down there to do something and that actually is one of the foremost things on your mind being straight forward, honest and working hard in good faith. If you want to be successful at it, thats actually something that you want to pursue. If there are people who are not honest and trustworthy they may be there but they will not be effective long term. Someone may try to do that once but you burn someone and they are not going to trust you again. Actually being trustworthy, its not just a pastoral thing, its something that one would have to learn very quickly if they want to be effective at all. I think people are pretty straight forward at least in Wyoming and thats a good thing. RUNNING FOR STATE AUDITOR When Winters decided to leave the Wyoming Legislature to pursue the state auditor position, he did it with a heavy heart but felt compelled to do so. Winters stated with tears in his eyes that he loved the people of his community and that he was saying that not as a politician, as he is no longer a politician but as Nathan Winters, local citizen. To give that up, I would explain to people that it was because I believe it to be the best way to serve the people back home in the long run by giving them the information that is necessary, that can only come through the auditors office. It was a desire to serve the people of House District 28 but also the entire state in the same way that drove me to run for the state auditors office, Winters said. One of the things that prompted Winters to run for auditor was the lack of government transparency in Wyoming. When you look at the scope of our budget and you look at the compressed timeframe in the Legislature to actually make solid decisions on that, the one thing you have to rely on is transparency in government. You have to make sure you are seeing the whole scope; you can only make good decisions if you have all the information. Wyoming is known as one of the three least transparent states in the United States, Winters said. In most states you can go to the web portal and you can take a look at how your state spent its money over the last budget period. You can compare it to previous periods; you can take a look at it as a whole. I was thinking of one in West Virginia, I really looked at this and this was a model of what I wanted to see in Wyoming, where you can go and look at pie charts and graphs, however you like to see it, you can look at everything in the aggregate, but then you can also click through and look down to each line item in there, if you have the time. Someone, the press, could take a look at how government spent its money over the previous year and report it to the people. Wyoming doesnt have that, the information is there but it is spread over a large number of places. A lot of times the actual line items are given to members on the appropriations committee in the Legislature, they can see everything, Its kind of in an old-fashioned book but it certainly is not the modern way in which actually the vast majority of people in most states enjoy today, that needs to change. I believe daylight is one of the greatest disinfectants in government and if people can see how their dollars are being spent they are going to be able to weigh-in to the conversation more and more. That is how government in America is supposed to work. We can do better at that, I know we can do better than that, he stated. Winters feels that even though he was not elected as the state auditor that he still did well in the polls. He stated that in two and half months you can only shake so many hands and talk to so many people. We actually did pretty well considering how little money we had to spend. There is a point in the middle of the campaign where every candidate begins to recognize there is no way to get your information to people unless you send it through the mail. There are two reactions to that because to put out one mailer is right around $30,000, the primary cost there is postage. That was where I ran into a challenge; I was only able to put out one mailer at the very end, Winters said. You dont make money in the Wyoming Legislature, you dont. You get paid for basically salary replacement for the days you are in session and you get a per diem so that you can get a place to stay while you are there and beyond that there are no benefits. Usually, you just break even, at best. In Wyoming and with the Wyoming Legislature it works very differently than the perception most people have across the country, he added. INTO THE FUTURE While Winters term as a legislator ends Dec. 31, he still plans on working with the Wyoming Legislature in a different role. There are still some things that I know and believe so strongly need to be advocated for in the Legislature that I am going to take my family and move to Cheyenne and work with others to advocate for; religious liberty on life issues, on the traditional family values that Wyoming has historically stood for and stand up in organization. There isnt anything like it in the state of Wyoming, many states have an organization who will work on family issues and Wyoming doesnt have something like that. That is a real need that I have seen and I feel strongly the burden to go and fill that need, Winters explained. CASPER The New York Stock Exchange has warned one of Wyomings largest coal producers that it could be delisted, following consistent weak performance of the companys stock. Gillette-based Cloud Peak Energys common stock has been trading below $1 per share at the close of the market for 30 days in a row, prompting a notification on Wednesday that the company had six months to reme... CASPER, Wyo. (AP) State officials say Wyomings public school enrollment has stabilized after two consecutive yearly declines. The Casper Star-Tribune reported Thursday the number of students in kindergarten through 12th grade rose 53 this academic year, to just over 93,000. The Wyoming Department of Education says 22 districts gained students, 25 lost enrollment and one was unchanged. Sh... Good Morning America President Joe Biden on Thursday released a new strategy on how to combat the spread of coronavirus into the winter season, an announcement that comes at a critical juncture as the omicron variant spreads throughout the world and the first case has been confirmed in the U.S. In response to unknowns of the new SARS-CoV-2 variant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that all adults should receive a COVID-19 booster if it's been at least six months since receiving a two-dose mRNA vaccine or more than two months since getting the Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccine. No matter how transmissible or evasive the omicron variant turns out to be, our best defense right now is a fully vaccinated public. When hurricanes come crashing into the Caribbean islandsas we have seen too many times in the past few yearswe are riveted and alarmed, but the news fades all too quickly. What happens in the aftermath of the storms, once the spotlight has moved on to the next tragedy, isnt what you expect. A common chain of events often occurs: Emergency responders fall short of demand, opposing politicians take to verbal sparring, and charities struggle to ensure donations end up in the right handsall of which protracts an already dire situation. But a new path is being forged by businessesin particular hotels and hospitality groupsusing their vast networks and on-the-ground knowledge to bypass the red tape for quicker and more effective recovery. Its business leaders like Federico Friedel Stubbe who are rebuilding the islands and business. The Puerto Rican native and owner and chairman of Prisa Groupwhich has developed many of the islands high-end hospitality and real estate properties, including the luxury resort Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (which just reopened following a full renovation)quickly banded together with a collective of the islands most connected entrepreneurs and experts to form what would become the Resilient Puerto Rico Advisory Commission. While the U.S. government was still debating statistics and cost assessments, the independent group was devising a blueprint for the islands future, outlining everything from how to overhaul the failed infrastructure and power grid to how to improve the education and healthcare systems. It provided the kind of swift action the island needed during its darkest days, supporting the installation of reliable backup energy systems and solar panels at hospitals, schools, and emergency shelters, and helping small businesses get back on their feet. In disasters like these, how do democracies work? Stubbe asks. You have the left and the right and the center just like anything else. But personally, Im not interested in the politics; Im just interested in building a better Puerto Rico. Story continues In the case of Resilient Puerto Rico which has directed millions of dollars to recovery as well as new developments aimed at preparedness for future storms that betterment comes as the result of well-coordinated networks with broad support. In other cases throughout the Caribbean however, it comes from bootstrap missions like the one launched last year by Barry Sternlichts Starwood Capital Group, the global investment firm that owns the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla. As the largest private employer on Anguilla, Starwood took matters into its own hands when Hurricane Irma damaged roughly 85 percent of all structures on the 35-square-mile island. Within days of the Category 5 hurricane, the firm had formed a local committee to determine the islands needs for recovery. Within weeks, it had launched Anguilla Stronger, an emergency relief effort composed of hotels across the island, including the Belmond Cap Juluca and Malliouhana, Auberge Resorts Collectionboth of which were severely damagedas well as Zemi Beach House. Starwood Capital Group is a huge global company, so we have a lot of procurement expertise, says Beth Shanholtz, who has directed the nearly $1.5 million (comprising the corporations own capital as well as tax-deductible donations) that Anguilla Stronger has provided for food distribution, building materials, and contractors to help rebuild their employees homes. Anguilla received a ton of donations, but there was no other organization that did what we did on this levelnot even the government. The inability of local governments to enact fast change is as much a matter of finances as a function of bureaucracy. Puerto Rico was in the midst of an economic crisis long before Maria hit, and even without a recession, Anguillas modest treasury couldnt cover the damages of Irma. Our annual budget is $200 million. The damage from Irma is more than that, Anguillan parliamentary secretary Cardigan Connor said last year when questioned about the islands recovery plan. Overseas aid cant always be counted on, either: In the case of the Caribbeans British territories (including Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Barbados, and Turks and Caicoswhich suffered a combined $3.6 billion in damages in last years hurricanes), the question of which government entity would foot the bill led to delayed and insufficient funds. Though Great Britain eventually sent more than $70 million to its territories, a significant portion of those monies came as loans that will no doubt leave the islands in debt for years to come. Given that the development of a single hotel can exceed the annual budget of an entire island, its no surprise that these destinations are increasingly turning to the hospitality industry to get back on their feet. The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort in Puerto Rico shelled out $60 million for its post-Maria renovations, and the Four Seasons in Anguilla paid roughly $20 million for its damages. But hotels are also dipping into their private coffers to ensure that the community that sustains their businesses bounces back just as quickly. Stubbe, for instance, contributed $1 million directly to his staff of 500 to help rebuild their homes and recoup other losses. But its more than just moneyits resources, too. In the British Virgin Islands, Richard Branson, who rode out Hurricane Irma in the wine cellar of his Necker Island resort, transported aid via his fleet of Virgin Atlantic airplanes. And Royal Caribbean canceled its cruises after the hurricanes in order to use its ships to deliver supplies to the islands and evacuate residents in need. Of course, theres no arguing that these efforts, well-intentioned as they may be, are wholly altruistic. Hospitality has a vested interest in rapid recovery if its businesses are to remain lucrative enterprises. (Last years storms alone cost roughly $900 million just in lost revenue.) Whether that recovery extends beyond the immaculate walls of the hotels themselves, however, is another story. A year after Irma, a drive through the back roads of Anguilla, a few miles from the whitewashed walls of the Four Seasons, reveals many homes still damaged, with roofs covered in blue tarps and broken windows obscured by wooden boards. Still, the prevailing attitude is one of optimism. Anguilla Stronger continues to deliver aidincluding build- ing supplies and contractor serviceseven as the islands hotels are once again up and running. If we didnt do this, what would have happened? Shanholtz asks. This is not just about assets; its about people. When the hotels arent open, it impacts the entire economic system the taxis, the boat operators, the restaurant owners. Weve been able to prove that our model works: Weve stimulated the economy. Related stories St. Barts's Legendary Hotel Manapany Reopens After a Multimillion-Dollar Makeover Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger's Recipe for Success The Most-Read Robb Report Travel Stories of 2018 Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson From House Beautiful After a two-foot fall from a queen-sized bed left her infant son in critical condition, one mom has taken to social media to share just how scary these types of accidents can be. Paige Ferguson and Blake Linton were at a friends house with their six-month-old son Colton when he dozed off, according to Babble. Like so many parents do, they placed him in the middle of their friends bed, surrounded him with pillows, then went just outside the room to sit down. But the situation quickly turned tragic when Colton rolled off the bed and fell two feet to the floor. He had a bump on his head. A bump, Ferguson wrote in a Facebook post on March 19 that has now been shared over 16 thousand times. "He was crying, acting alert and at one point even smiled. Because we are paranoid parents, we decided to get him evaluated." Because Paige and Blake had always heard that a bump that sticks out isn't as concerning as one that sinks in, and Colton had the former, they expected the doctor to give Colton a quick look over, say he was fine, and send them home. Instead, they found out that their sons injury was much worse than they originally thought. He fractured his skull and bled half of his entire blood volume into his brain," wrote Paige in her Facebook post. Before Paige knew it, a helicopter was on its way to rush Colton to a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where he was put under the care of nearly 20 doctors and nurses. I knew something was wrong when I kept asking if he was going to be okay and everyone kept replying with We will do what we can, Paige told Babble. No one would simply say yes. Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson As it turns out, the fall caused enough bleeding in Coltons brain that he went into cardiac arrest. Over the next month, Colton underwent surgery and an MRI revealed significant brain damage that doctors predicted would leave him in a vegetative state, if he survived at all. Paige tells GoodHousekeeping.com that she decided to share Colton's story to warn parents that even a small fall could leave a child fighting for his life. Story continues "I just want parents to take hits to the head seriously," she explains. "They need to understand that just because your kid looks 'okay' doesn't mean they are. Get them checked out. Demand a CAT scan and make sure. Just because a bump comes out instead of sinking in, doesn't mean it's okay. Also, don't leave your babies [on an adult bed] for even a second no matter how safe you think you are being." The scariest part about Paige's story is that it's easy for so many parents to relate to her situation. While theres no guaranteed way to stop your child from taking a fall, the Mayo Clinic recommends taking a few precautions at home to make tragic spills less likely, including installing safety gates at the top and bottom of staircases, installing window guards, never leaving a child unattended on any furniture like changing tables, installing safety rails on beds for toddlers, and always placing portable car carriers on the floor. Read the full list of recommendations here. Miraculously, Colton has taken a turn for the better since his fall. In April, he was able to open his eyes and doctors let him return home after a month in the hospital. However, he still uses a feeding tube and needs to take multiple medications for seizures. Paige says their lives are forever changed as a result of Colton's fall. "He's doing okay, as well as he can," says Paige. "He smiles at us, which is the best thing in the world. But, doctors have explained that we need to understand that Colton suffered a very significant brain injury and in most cases, kids with this injury do not live. He will have a very hard life." At the end of the day, Ferguson says she is just thankful her baby boy is alive and hopes other parents can learn from her story. Photo credit: Courtesy of Paige Ferguson "I don't want other parents going through this ... I don't want any kid to go through this. Please take any hit to the head seriously. I cant say this enough." Follow House Beautiful on Instagram. ('You Might Also Like',) Paris (AFP) - Some 15 suspected jihadists have been killed near the Niger-Mali border by a joint franco-nigerien task force, the French military high command said. "On the night of December 27 (...) an air raid mounted by fighters and Tiger attack helicopters struck" jihadists gathered near Tongo Tongo, in southwestern Niger, the high command said in a tweet overnight Saturday to Sunday. Tongo Tongo was the site of an ambush on October 4, 2017 where jihadists killed five Nigerien and four US special forces' soldiers. Nigerien and French soldiers, backed by helicopters, took control of several key positions in the area before mounting a 48-hour sweep. Overall, about 15 jihadists were "put out of action", a term generally used by the military to say they were killed. During the sweep, "some 20 motorbikes were recovered, along with 26 weapons, including machine guns, and ammunition, the high command said. French Defence Minister Florence Parly praised the operation in a tweet as "an exemple of a successful joint operation in western Niger". "The strengthening of the G5 Sahel armies is continuing," she added, referring to the regional force consisting of troops from Niger, Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Mauritania which has been set up to fight jihadists. France, the former colonial ruler, has deployed a 4,500-member 'Barkhane' force in the region to conduct counter-terrorism operations. Valletta (AFP) - A group of 69 migrants on a rickety wooden boat were rescued Sunday off Malta, the navy said, while 49 more were still at sea waiting for a country to allow them to dock. The migrants sent out a distress call 117 nautical miles southwest of Malta and a Maltese navy vessel was sent to their aid, a statement said. Meanwhile, the German NGO Sea-Eye said its rescue ship was responding to a report of another boat in difficulty with 24 migrants on board. The German-flagged ship already has 17 migrants from West Africa on board who were rescued on Saturday in international waters off the coast of Libya. At the same time, the Dutch-flagged Sea-Watch said it already had 32 migrants rescued on December 22 including three young children, three unaccompanied adolescents and four women from Nigeria, Libya and Ivory Coast. While Italy, Malta, Spain and the Netherlands have refused to accept the Sea-Watch 3 migrants, several German cities have offered to take them in. On Saturday a government spokesman, however, said Germany would only accept some of the migrants if other European countries also agreed to do so. Last week, a newborn baby and his mother were helicoptered from a boat to Malta More than 1,300 migrants have perished trying to reach Italy or Malta since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). By Serajul Quadir, Krishna N. Das and Zeba Siddiqui DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling party took a big lead over the opposition in a national election on Sunday, early results and trends showed, in a poll that was marred by allegations of vote rigging and violence that killed 17 people. A third straight term for Hasina's Awami League was widely expected, but the main opposition led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rejected the election and called for a fresh vote in the country of 165 million people. The Election Commission said it was investigating complaints of rigging, even as at least three voters in southeast Bangladesh, including a journalist, said they were barred from entering polling booths or were told their ballot papers had already been filled in. "Allegations are coming from across the country and those are under investigation," commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman said. "If we get any confirmation from our own channels then measures will be taken as per rules." But as results started coming in showing the Awami League winning 48 seats and one for the BNP, Asaduzzaman declined to comment if its investigation would have any bearing on the final outcome. Hasina's party was leading in 114 seats while the BNP was ahead in two, according to TV channels. There are 300 parliamentary constituencies in Bangladesh. "The election is a cruel mockery with the nation," BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said. "This type of election is harmful to the nation. The country has suffered so much through this election." Reuters saw a group of about 50 women chanting "Sheikh Hasina! Sheikh Hasina!" on a deserted street in Dhaka as election results started trickling in. Reuters reporters across the country saw sparse turnout at polling booths during the election. In nine polling centers Reuters reporters visited in Dhaka, posters bearing the Awami League's "boat" symbol far outnumbered those of the opposition. Mahbub Talukdar, one of the five election commissioners who stirred a controversy last week by saying there was no level-playing field for the parties, told Reuters he did not see any opposition polling agents near the Dhaka booth where he voted, suggesting they had been kept away. Clashes in the Muslim-majority country broke out between workers of the Awami League and its opponents, led by the BNP of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. At least one of the victims was attacked by a machete-carrying group, police said, adding a man from a paramilitary auxiliary force also died. Police spokesman Sohel Rana said seven victims were workers of the ruling party and five from the BNP. He said around 20 people were wounded. 'VOTE MANIPULATION' Alleging vote manipulation, at least six candidates fighting against the Awami League withdrew from the contest in Khulna, a divisional headquarters 300 km (186 miles) southwest of Dhaka. Media reports said across the country more than 40 out of 287 opposition candidates in fray pulled out alleging vote rigging. Rasel, a 34-year-old voter in the southeastern district of Chittagong, said he saw police and some Awami League workers he knew stopping people from entering one polling centre. "They told me that 'voting is going on nicely, you dont need to go inside'. If you try to enter, you will be in trouble'," Rasel, who declined to give his second name fearing reprisals, told Reuters by phone. The local electoral officer said he had investigated the incident and "found long queue in these centers and people were casting votes with a festive mood". The Awami League said opposition supporters were wrongly accusing the party. Soon after voting finished at 4 pm (1000 GMT), Reuters saw polling officials unsealing see-through ballot boxes and pouring the contents onto a blue plastic sheet on the floor of an election booth in Dhaka. Final results are expected to be clear early on Monday. The BNP boycotted the last election in 2014 claiming it wouldn't be free and fair. The party has been hobbled by the absence of its chairperson Khaleda, 74, who has been in jail since February on corruption charges which she says are politically motivated. Hasina and Khaleda have alternated in power for most of the last three decades and this is the first election the BNP has contested without its leader. It stitched together the National Unity Front alliance with smaller parties, but has alleged its supporters and candidates faced attacks and intimidation, including shootings and arrests, at the hands of ruling party activists during campaigning. Hasina's party has denied the charges. After voting in Dhaka, she told reporters people favored her party to "continue the pace of development". She has already invited foreign journalists and poll observers to her official residence on Monday. Under Hasina, the country's $280 billion economy grew 7.8 percent in the 2017/18 financial year that ended on June 30, compared with 5.1 percent when Hasina took over in 2008/09. Over the same period, annual sales of its economic mainstay, the garment industry, nearly tripled, with garment exports worth $30.6 billion in 2017/18, making up 83.5 percent of total exports. One of Hasina's top jobs if she retains power will be to address demands by garment workers for a higher minimum wage. At a polling booth in old Dhaka on Sunday, some were afraid to comment on the polls, describing an atmosphere of fear. A middle-aged businessman who declined to be named said: "I am here to vote, but my family says, 'what's the point?' The ruling party will come back in power in any case." Hasina has been praised internationally for providing refuge to Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar, but her government is accused of suppressing dissent and jailing critics. Hasina has faced accusations in the West of increasing authoritarianism. Her son, Wazed, told Reuters Hasina regarded such accusations as a "badge of honor". (Additional reporting by Ruma Paul, Serajul Quadir, Rafifqur Rahman and Mohammed Ponir in Dhaka; Enamul Haque in Khulna; Hasibur Rahman in Bogra; Nazimuddin Shyamol in Chitagong; Nurul Islam is Cox's Bazar; Editing by Nick Macfie, William Maclean) Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazil is about to experience its moment of truth with its new president, Jair Bolsonaro, who takes power on Tuesday as an untested leader vowing a crackdown on crime and corruption and ideological opposition to the left. The 63-year-old former paratrooper, long an obscure politician, won electoral legitimacy with a comfortable win in October, triumphing in a country left bitter and demoralized by a record recession, graft exposed at the highest levels, and a soaring murder rate. Bolsonaro and his far-right policies seduced where a divided left and a marginalized center-right floundered. His ultraconservative Social Liberal Party scooped up 52 seats in the 513-member Congress, making it the second-biggest group in the fractured legislature. To ensure he can govern, Bolsonaro will rely on deputies belonging to key lobbies rallying to his party to pass legislation. They include those defending the interests of agribusiness, burgeoning evangelical churches, and pro-gun groups. Initially at least, he will also enjoy the support of investors, hoping he can see through fiscal reforms to drag Brazil out of its unsustainable accumulation of debt. - 'A lot of unknowns' - The task before him is formidable. To overhaul the over-generous pension system, for instance, his economic team that views this as a priority is certain to butt heads with Bolsonaro allies who do not want to upset voters. Bolsonaro's high-profile embrace of Israel has alarmed the country's big meat exporters which fear losing lucrative Arab markets. An announcement of moving Brazil's embassy to Jerusalem was hastily rowed back to "not decided yet." The president-elect has warmly welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his inauguration. Netanyahu said Sunday in Rio de Janeiro that Bolsonaro had told him the Brazilian embassy move was a question of "when" rather than "if." "We are on the eve of the president-elect taking office and there are still a lot of unknowns about his government," said Rogerio Bastos Arantes, a political science professor at the University of Sao Paulo. Story continues A few of the concrete policy moves to come are Brazil's withdrawal from a United Nations global pact on migration, an end to Cuba's sending doctors to poor parts of Brazil, and an imminent decree making gun ownership far easier. These appeal to Bolsonaro's base, which wants to see an end to Brazil's friendly-to-all-countries policy reinforced during the 2003-2016 period of center-left rule under the Workers Party. Bolsonaro, criticized during the electoral campaign for his long track record of disparaging women, blacks and gays, has promised to be a leader for all of Brazil's 210 million inhabitants, though there was no sign yet of any unifying agenda. Bastos Arantes said the country could face a "crisis of governability" if Bolsonaro does not quickly make good on that promise. "Bolsonaro has to tell society what positive things he wants to do, not just negative ones," the analyst said. "It's very difficult to govern and deal with institutions on the basis of campaign rhetoric." - Avoiding scrutiny - Observers also noted Bolsonaro's stated intention to deliver his messages directly to Brazilians via social media, which he is as big a user of as US President Donald Trump. "New technologies allow a direct relationship between a voter and his representatives," the president-elect told the Supreme Court when his upcoming mandate was validated. But such tactics, which would skip around checks and balances provided from direct questioning by journalists, could permit Bolsonaro to create narratives around external enemies in an effort to concentrate more power, Bastos Arantes said. Already, Bolsonaro has pledged to do all he can to challenge the left-wing governments of Cuba and Venezuela. "Inventing an external enemy to reinforce domestic control is a well-known formula," Batsos Arantes said. - Ex-military ministers - Openly nostalgic for Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship, Bolsonaro has formed a government with a third of ministries going to ex-military men. But the team also includes Paulo Guedes, a US-trained economist determined to bring in free-market dogma, and a formerly mid-ranking foreign ministry employee, Ernesto Araujo, as foreign minister. A star anti-corruption judge, Sergio Moro, has been named justice minister. The government, much of it inexperienced, will use its first 100 days in office to identify challenges and propose solutions. That period will be revelatory for the sort of stewardship Brazil will encounter under President Bolsonaro. Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazil will definitely move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, with only the date of the transfer to be decided, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said Sunday during a visit to Rio de Janeiro. "It's not a question of 'if' but of 'when'," Netanyahu told members of Rio's Jewish community, according to multiple Brazilian media. He said Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro assured him of the move in a meeting on Friday. The issue of the embassy has been hovering over Netanyahu's visit to Brazil, the first-ever by an Israeli prime minister. He arrived on Friday to hold talks with far-right Bolsonaro, who is to be sworn-in in a ceremony in Brasilia on Tuesday, with Netanyahu among the foreign dignitaries attending. Bolsonaro said in early November he intended to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump in moving his country's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But then he backtracked, saying "it hasn't been decided yet." Brazil's important meat producers are worried that an embassy move could see threaten the $1 billion in exports to Arab countries. Those countries, and Palestinians, view east Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. But Israel asserts all of Jerusalem is its capital and is keen to see embassies move there to bolster that claim. Most countries however back Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to settle Jerusalem's status as part of a wider peace deal. - Following Trump - Trump broke with that consensus a year ago, and in May this year the US embassy was established in Jerusalem. Guatemala followed suit two days later. Bolsonaro has said he wants closer ties with the US and Israel, breaking with decades of center-left policies which sought to position Brazil as a Latin American power nurturing relations with all countries. In their talks Friday, Bolsonaro and Netanyahu talked up their budding "brotherhood" which they said would boost military, economic, technological and agricultural cooperation. Neither man raised the embassy issue when they spoke to journalists shortly afterward, however. Nor did they post anything on it on their Twitter accounts, despite Bolsonaro in particular being a fervent social media user. Netanyahu had told reporters as he flew in to Rio that he was going to raise the embassy topic as a priority when he met Bolsonaro. Kinshasa (AFP) - A marathon vote count got underway on Monday in DR Congo, central Africa's unstable giant, for presidential elections scarred by political turmoil and haunted by memories of violence. A day after a relatively peaceful vote, election officials began the task of counting and collating ballots in a climate of deep suspicion about fraud. The first verbal shots were fired over alleged interference and the opposition accused the authorities of cutting off the internet to thwart activism. The Democratic Republic of Congo has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, and bloodshed marred previous elections in 2006 and 2011. Worries of a new spiral into violence deepened two years ago after President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, refused to quit when his two-term limit expired. But Sunday's vote -- delayed three times since 2016 -- was "relatively calm," the influential Catholic church's national conference of bishops declared. In the worst incident, four people were killed late Sunday when violence erupted at a polling station in the Walungu area of South Kivu province. An electoral official was accused of trying to rig the vote in favour of Kabila's preferred successor, said opposition figure Vital Kamerhe. The official was killed along with a policeman and two civilians, Kamerhe said. A spokesman for an independent monitoring mission, Symocel, confirmed that "an election agent tried to cheat, to get people to vote for the government candidate, and this set people off. The police intervened, and then the casualties happened." There were wounded in addition to the fatalities, the spokesman said. Provisional results are due to be announced by January 6, followed by the final results on January 15 and the swearing-in of the next head of state on January 18. The presidential elections took place alongside legislative and municipal polls. - Claims and accusations - Story continues Voting was swiftly followed by early claims of victory and the first accusations of meddling in the count. Kabila's champion Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and Felix Tshisekedi, head of the veteran opposition UDPS, each claimed they had won as the election ended. On Monday, the campaign director for the other big opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu -- until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive -- maintained he was "way ahead" after, he said, more than a third of the vote had been counted. At Mbuji-Mayi in the central region of Kasai, the UDPS accused Governor Alphonse Ngoyi Kasanji of trying to stuff ballot boxes in favour of Shadary. Ngoyi's spokesman in turn accused UDPS supporters of trying to make off with voting machines. All three main candidates have set up "compilation centres" to track the vote. While turnout failed to reach 50 percent at some polling stations, many voters said they were exhilarated at taking part in the first elections after the nearly 18-year Kabila era. But there was also much evidence of organisational problems, including with the contested electronic voting machines. The Catholic monitoring mission said that, as of early Monday, its observers had checked overall tallies of the vote in 4,161 polling stations. In 3,626 stations, the number of paper ballot sheets tallied with totals kept by the voting machines, the observer mission said -- a figure that by extrapolation suggests possible discrepancies in 535 bureaux. - War and poverty - A country almost the size of continental western Europe which straddles central Africa, the DRC is rich in gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other minerals. Little of that wealth trickles down to the poor. Poverty, corruption and government inertia are etched into the country's history, along with a reputation for violence. In the last 22 years, it has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from central and southern Africa. That legacy endures in eastern DRC, where militias control swathes of territory and battle over resources, wantonly killing civilians. Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March. Around 1.25 million people in a national electoral roll of around 40 million voters are affected. Despite this, elections in the rest of the country went ahead. The city of Beni held a symbolic vote in protest at the exclusion, drawing more than 60,000 people out of a local electoral roll of 182,000, the organisers of the event said on Monday. Miandoab (Iran) (AFP) - It is one of the worst ecological disasters of recent decades, but the shrinking of Iran's great Lake Urmia finally appears to be stabilising and officials see the start of a revival. A rusty cargo ship and a row of colourful pedal boats lying untouched on the bone-dry basin are a sign of the devastating loss of water in what was once the largest lake in the Middle East. Situated in the mountains of northwest Iran, Lake Urmia is fed by 13 rivers and designated as a site of international importance under the UN Convention on Wetlands that was signed in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971. The lake has been shrinking since 1995, according to the UN Environment Programme, due to a combination of prolonged drought, over-farming and dams. By August 2011 the lake's surface was 2,366 square kilometres (914 square miles) and shrank drastically to just 700 km2 in 2013, according to the United Nations. The catastrophe has threatened the habitat of shrimp, flamingos, deers and wild sheep and caused salt storms that pollute nearby cities and farms. That finally triggered a coordinated effort to save the lake in 2013 -- with a joint programme between Iran and the UN Development Programme funded by the Japanese government. The project became a priority for the incoming administration of President Hassan Rouhani. "One of my promises was to revive Urmia lake, and I am still committed to that promise," Rouhani said during a recent visit to the region. Some positive results are finally emerging and the lake's surface area reached 2,300 km2 last year, according to UN Development Programme figures. "This is the beginning of the lake's revival," said Abolfazl Abesht, who heads the wetlands unit of Iran's environment department. He warned it would take "decades" to return to the 5,000 km2 it once covered, but at least "now the trend has stopped". - Sustainable farming - Story continues Rising temperatures and reduced rainfall have been a major factor in the lake's decline, experts say. So, too, was the construction of a causeway in 2008 to shorten driving times between Urmia and the nearby city of Tabriz that cut the lake in two. But people were also a major part of the problem due to a rapid rise in the population and farming around the lake, which provides a livelihood to some six million people. The rejuvenation effort therefore focused on redirecting rivers to irrigate farmland, thus avoiding use of water from the lake, and the promotion of more sustainable farming methods. "Almost 85 percent of the water is used for agriculture, and we are trying to help farmers reduce usage through cheap and effective techniques," said Abesht. Measures such as using natural instead of chemical fertilisers, or levelling the land to avoid run-off, have shown major improvements for local farmer Afshin Medadi. The 47-year-old had to invest in new equipment, but says "things are more cost-effective now", with his farm using a tenth of the water. There has also been a noticeable reduction in the salt and dust pollution whipped up from the desiccated lake floor during storms, he added. Others have launched their own green initiatives. One group of 20 women set up a collective to raise awareness among lakeside communities about water waste, and encourage the production of handicrafts to boost sustainable employment. One of the organisers, 39-year-old Kobra Asghari from the village of Gharehgozlou, hopes industries such as carpet and doll-making can gradually overtake traditional farming. They are also encouraging women to plant less thirsty crops such as saffron and olives. "We gradually managed to encourage the men to do the same," she said. "People are paying more attention to their environment and the dying ecosystem." Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's foreign ministry protested to Jordan on Sunday after a minister was pictured stepping on an image of the Israeli flag while entering a meeting. Jordanian minister of state for information Jumana Ghneimat was pictured last week stepping on the flag design when entering a meeting at a trade union complex. The image of the flag has been affixed to the floor just inside the entrance to the complex for several years to protest Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories and Jordan's normalised ties with the Jewish state, union officials say. Israel called Jordan's ambassador in for clarifications on Sunday, the foreign ministry said. "The foreign affairs ministry considers the incident in which a Jordanian minister insulted the Israeli flag in Amman as serious," a statement said. Jordan's foreign ministry later responded, reaffirming "the (Jordanian) government's respect for the peace treaty with Israel". Jordan had told Israeli officials "that the building was private property and that the minister entered via the main entrance to attend an official meeting", said spokesman Majed al-Qatarneh. Jordanian Prime Minister Omar al-Razzaz was reported to have entered the building through a side door. Jordan and Egypt are the only two Arab countries to have diplomatic relations with Israel. Berlin (AFP) - European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Sunday urged Britain to "get your act together" on Brexit, as he rejected accusations that the EU had a hidden agenda of keeping Britain in the bloc. "I find it unreasonable that part of the British public seems to think that it's entirely up to the EU to present a solution for all future British problems," Juncker told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. "My call is: get your act together. And tell us what you want. Our proposals have been on the table for months." Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Theresa May postponed a vote in the House of Commons on the withdrawal deal she struck with the EU in November, fearing a huge defeat as many of her own MPs oppose it. She is seeking further clarifications from Brussels on arrangements relating to the Irish border, and has said the vote would take place the week of January 14. It also means the parliamentary decision would come just weeks before Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29. The main opposition Labour party has accused May of "running down the clock" to try to force MPs to back her deal rather than risk Britain leaving the EU with no arrangements in place. "I get the impression that the majority of the British lawmakers deeply distrust the EU and Madame May," said Juncker. The European Commission president also rejected claims that Brussels was stalling to stop Britain from leaving. "One insinuates that our aim is to keep Britain in the EU with all means possible. But that's not our intention," said Juncker. "We only want clarity about the future relationships. And we respect the result of the referendum." Berlin (AFP) - Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday said Germany must "stand fast, argue, and fight for our own convictions" and assume greater responsibilities at a time when multilateralism is coming under intense pressure. In her New Year's address to Germans, Merkel said long-held certainties about international cooperation were being put to the test. Global challenges including climate change, immigration and the fight against terrorism could not be solved by countries going it alone, she warned. "For our own interests, we want to solve all these questions, and we can do that best when we also take into consideration the interests of others," she said in a speech to be broadcast in full later Monday. "That is the lesson from two world wars of the last century," she said, warning however that "certainties about international cooperation is falling under pressure." "In our own interest, we must take on more responsibilities," she said. With an eye to Germany taking on a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council in 2019 and 2020, the leader of Europe's biggest economy said her country would push for "global solutions". She also pledged to raise spending for humanitarian and development aid, as well as defence. Although Merkel did not name US President Donald Trump in her speech, she has on previous occasions rejected his criticisms of multilateralism. In his second appearance before the UN's annual gathering in September, Trump told the General Assembly that he and his administration "reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism". A week later, Merkel had warned Trump against "destroying" the UN. "I believe that destroying something without having developed something new is extremely dangerous," Merkel said at a regional election campaign event then. LANSING, Mich. (AP) Republican Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday signed a law making it harder for groups to put proposals on the Michigan ballot, imposing a geographical-based requirement that may prevent them from gathering signatures for petitions mainly from the most populated areas. The move followed voters' passage of three Democratic-backed proposals last month and Republicans' unprecedented tactic enacted by the term-limited governor two weeks ago to weaken minimum wage and paid sick time laws that began as ballot initiatives. Legal challenges are expected in Michigan and neighboring Wisconsin, where the GOP recently passed more sweeping laws to curtail incoming Democrats. Also Friday, Snyder vetoed a bill that would have automatically empowered the Republican-led Legislature to intervene in certain lawsuits, which had been seen by critics as an attempt to especially hamstring incoming Democratic Attorney General-elect Dana Nessel but also Democratic Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer. He also vetoed a measure that would have blocked future attempts to force the disclosure of donors to nonprofits, including political groups whose sway has grown in elections. He signed a law requiring his successor's administration and future governors to have a "clear and convincing" need to adopt environmental and other state regulations that are tougher than federal standards, despite Whitmer's objections. Snyder finished acting on bills days before he leaves office after a frenetic lame-duck session in which GOP lawmakers passed some measures criticized as power grabs. The ballot drive law will affect groups initiating constitutional amendments, bills and referendums by capping the number of signatures that can come from an individual congressional district at 15 percent. There is no geographic threshold currently to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures. Democrats, along with Republicans involved in past anti-abortion and tax-limiting citizen initiatives, had urged a veto and had called the legislation blatantly unconstitutional and an affront to voters. Mark Brewer, an election lawyer and former state Democratic Party Chairman, tweeted that it is another example of Snyder "denigrating the people's reserved power to enact and repeal laws." Story continues But Snyder's office said the law will promote "geographic diversity" in support of ballot drives, similarly to region-based signature requirements for gubernatorial candidates. The legislative intervention bill had been criticized by opponents as an attempt to undercut Nessel, who will be the first Democratic attorney general in 16 years and who has said she may not defend state laws she believes are unconstitutional. GOP legislators had disputed the allegation, saying the legislation would ensure that the legislative branch has a voice as more laws are challenged in the courts. In a veto letter to lawmakers, Snyder said the "well-intentioned" measure would have complicated a governor's ability to manage litigation, adding that it would not have been "prudent" for him to sign it as his term comes to an end. "We are grateful to Gov. Snyder for demonstrating his integrity and commitment to upholding the Michigan Constitution," Nessel said in a statement. Republicans legislators previously abandoned an attempt to strip Secretary of State-elect Jocelyn Benson of her campaign oversight authority and instead shift it to a new bipartisan commission. She will be the first Democrat to lead the office in 24 years. Both Benson and Nessel applauded Snyder for vetoing the bill that would have made it a crime for government agencies to require the disclosure of nonprofits' donors, which some see as a pre-emptive strike against any potential attempts by Benson or Nessel to target the influence of "dark money" in elections. Republicans had said the move would protect First Amendment rights. Snyder said the legislation "is a solution in search of a problem that does not exist in Michigan" because unlike in other states, the attorney general has not probed for information relative to nonprofit donors. He said a 1958 U.S. Supreme Court ruling "effectively prohibits the type of activities that this legislation is seeking to prohibit." Snyder's office said he signed the measure requiring state agencies to better justify tougher regulations because it differs from a similar one he vetoed seven years ago. Whitmer had pushed for him to veto it again. In a statement late Friday, she credited Snyder for vetoing bills that she said would have undermined Nessel, Benson and herself. But she cited "serious concerns" about the rule-making and ballot drive laws. "These bills were the product of partisan gamesmanship by outgoing Republican legislators and only reinforce my commitment to focusing on common-ground issues," Whitmer said. ___ Follow David Eggert on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/David%20Eggert Antananarivo (AFP) - Thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets in the capital of Madagascar on Saturday to protest against the victory of ex-president Andry Rajoelina in last week's elections. Around 2,000 supporters of defeated candidate Marc Ravalomanana gathered in the May 13 Square in the heart of Antananarivo, demanding a recount of the vote in the Indian Ocean island state. The protest, the first in a series of planned demonstrations, came as the country's top court reviews a petition filed by Ravalomanana challenging Rajoelina's win because of fraud allegations. Opposition lawmaker Hanitra Razafimanantsoa, told the crowd gathered in the square that if there's a vote recount "you will find that our candidate Marc Ravalomanana won this election". Supporters of Ravalomanana, who came second in the December 19 run-off, are planning to stage daily protests in the square, until the High Constitutional Court formally pronounces the winner. "We will come here every day, from January 2, 2019", until the HCC finalises the case, vowed Razafimanantsoa. The court has until January 7 to formally name the new president after it has reviewed the petition. Early this year, hundreds of both Ravalomanana and Rajoelina's supporters occupied the same central square for weeks protesting electoral legislation which they had said was crafted to bar their candidates from participating in the elections. The Constitutional Court ordered the then president Hery Rajaonarimampianina to form a government of national unity and to name a consensus prime minister in a bid to end the political crisis sparked by controversial electoral reforms. Results published by the electoral commission on Thursday showed that Rajoelina had won 55.66 percent of the vote against 44.34 percent for Ravalomanana. Ravalomanana immediately went to court challenge the results complaining about missing serial numbers on some ballots, among other allegations of fraud and irregularities. Story continues In a statement on Friday, Ravalomanana's party alleged that "several hundred grave anomalies have been identified" and mentioning among other examples, ballot box stuffing and use of non-compliant voting materials. It called on the people of Madagascar "to defend their choice and fight against fraud". At the square, protesters held placards calling for the disqualification of Rajoelina and denouncing "corruption" and "fraud". "Any electoral fraud is a serious crime" read one placard inscribed in red. The two former presidents were both banned from running in a 2013 election as part of an agreement to end recurring crises that have rocked Madagascar since it gained independence from France in 1960. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte drew outrage Sunday after saying he "touched" his maid when he was a teenager, with women's rights groups accusing him of attempted rape and encouraging sexual abuse. Duterte frequently sparks uproar with his comments on women, including rape jokes and boasting about adultery. In his latest remarks, Duterte recounted a confession he had with a priest in high school, detailing how he had entered the room of his maid while she was sleeping. "I lifted the blanket... I tried to touch what was inside the panty," Duterte said in a speech late Saturday. "I was touching. She woke up. So I left the room." Duterte recounted telling the priest that he had then returned to the maid's room and again tried to molest her. Women's rights political party Gabriela denounced Duterte's "repulsive" comments and called for him to resign, saying he had confessed to attempted rape. "Rape does not happen only through penile insertion. If it is a finger or an object it is considered rape," said Joms Salvador, secretary general of Gabriela. Responding to the criticism, Duterte's spokesman said Sunday that the president had "made up" and "added and spliced" the story. "He has made up a laughable anecdote to dramatise the fact of sexual abuse that was inflicted on him and his fellow students when they were in high school," said Salvador Panelo. Duterte, 73, made the remarks as he blasted the Catholic Church over allegations of sexually abusing children. The president, who brands the church the "most hypocritical institution" in the mainly Catholic nation, said Saturday that he and his classmates at school were molested during confession. It was his latest tirade against bishops and priests who have been critical of his drug war which has left more than 5,000 people dead, according to official figures. Duterte and his aides often dismiss his controversial statements about women as a "joke" or insist they are taken out of context. Story continues Duterte provoked fury in 2016 when during an election campaign speech he said he had wanted to rape a "beautiful" Australian missionary who had been murdered in a Philippine prison riot. Women's advocates said Duterte's latest comments endangered domestic workers. More than a million Filipinos work abroad as domestic workers, according to the labour ministry. "Flaunting abusive practices encourages the rape culture and in this case, sexual abuse of domestic workers," said Jean Enriquez, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific. Moscow (AFP) - Thirty Russian children whose mothers are in prison in Iraq for belonging to the Islamic State arrived Sunday in Moscow from Baghdad, Russian authorities said. The fathers of the children, aged three to ten years old, are believed to have been killed in combat during Iraq's three-year war against the jihadists, a Russian diplomatic source told AFP before their plane departed. "The plane of the Russian emergency situations ministry has landed," Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on his Telegram account, adding that it had touched down at Moscow's Zhukovsky airport. Kadyrov said their arrival was "undeniable proof of the rigorous fulfilment of the mission set out by Russian President Vladimir Putin to save the women and children in Syria and Iraq". "If we do not bring them home, they will become the target of the special services of other countries," he added. The children were taken to hospital on arrival for "thorough examinations", the press service of Russia's health ministry said according to Russia's Interfax news agency. Kadyrov posted a video clip on the popular Russian network VKontakte of the children's departure from Baghdad, adding that 24 of them were from Dagestan, and another three were from Chechnya. Several thousand Russians travelled to join the jihadists in their once sprawling "caliphate" straddling Syria and Iraq, according to estimates from the Russian security services. Some took their families with them. Since last year, around 100 women and children -- mostly from Russia's Muslim-majority Caucasus -- have returned under a programme championed by Kadyrov. But in mid-November, Chechen activist Kheda Saratova accused Russia's FSB security service of blocking attempts to bring back the remaining widows and children of Russian IS fighters. "According to our organisation, there are over 2,000 of them left in Syria and Iraq," Saratova, who is on Kadyrov's human rights council, said at the time. Story continues Meanwhile on Sunday Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi held talks in Baghdad with Anna Kuznetsova, the Russian president's envoy for the rights of children. During the meeting, Abdel Mahdi said a "distinction should be made between humanitarian issues and terrorist crimes", according to a statement from his office. "These children are also victims," he added. More than 300 people, including around 100 foreigners, have been sentenced to death and many others to life imprisonment in Iraq for joining IS, the Sunni extremist group which at its peak controlled nearly a third of the country. Baghdad declared victory against IS in December last year, but the jihadists maintain sleeper cells and have carried out periodic hit-and-run attacks. Beirut (AFP) - Almost eight years into Syria's civil war, President Bashar al-Assad seems closer than ever to securing a comeback at home and in the Arab region, analysts say. As 2018 ends, the Moscow-backed government in Damascus is in control of nearly two-thirds of Syria, after notching up a string of victories against rebels and jihadists. And after a shock announcement by the US this month that it is to pull all 2,000 of its troops out of Syria, the regime also seems on track to regain influence in parts of the country under Kurdish-led control. On Friday, Damascus sent troops to a northern area near the border with Turkey to stave off a long-threatened Turkish assault on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces there. It did so at the invitation of the Kurds, who feel exposed by the shock withdrawal announcement by the US, their principal backer. The Kurds reaching out to the regime represented the latest in a string of achievements for Assad, said Mutlu Civiroglu, an expert in Kurdish affairs. "He is consolidating his power day by day diplomatically and militarily," he said. Assad had previously threatened to retake SDF-held oil-rich territory, whether through ongoing talks or by force. "Rather than fighting with the Kurds, the government is now invited by the Kurds to enter these regions," Civiroglu said. "There can be nothing better than this for Assad," the analyst added. Aside from SDF-held northeastern Syria, the rebel-held region of Idlib remains beyond Assad's control, but is subject to a ceasefire deal. The SDF are battling to expel the last Islamic State group fighters from their eastern holdout near the Iraqi border. But the jihadists also retain a presence in the country's vast Badia desert. - 'Signal to the Arab states' - Kurdish fighters have spearheaded the fight against IS in Syria, and the presence of US-led coalition members alongside the SDF in northern Syria had previously deterred Turkey from attacking. Story continues The US announcement last week sparked renewed fears of an assault, after two previous Turkish incursions inside the war-torn country. But President Donald Trump's pullout order has also sent a message to fellow Arab countries in the region, says Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security. "Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria sent the signal to the Arab states that they need to engage with Assad on their own terms and not wait for US policy to come into focus," he said. Even before any US troops pull out, a drive to bring Assad back into the Arab fold seems to have picked up momentum in recent weeks. The United Arab Emirates embassy in Damascus reopened on Thursday, ten days after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir made the first visit of any Arab leader to the Syrian capital since the start of the war. Bahrain has announced it will re-open its diplomatic mission. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it began with the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests in 2011. The United Nations estimates the conflict has cost the country close to $400 billion (350 billion euros). Heras said the president would be seeking deals with wealthy Gulf states to help rebuild. "Assad will look to build on his success in 2018 by scoring deals with the Arab states, especially the Gulf, to kick start the reconstruction of Syria," he said. - 'Reactivate Syria's membership' - Syria was suspended from the Arab League in November 2011, as the death toll was escalating and several regional powers bet on Assad's demise. Most Gulf states closed their embassies in 2012. An Arab diplomat in Beirut who did not want to be named spoke to AFP about an unprecedented Arab "openness towards Damascus". The United Arab Emirates "got the green light from Saudi Arabia to re-open their embassy," the diplomat said, hinting at Riyadh eventually following suit. And a high-ranking Iraqi official has told AFP Baghdad was helping to mediate a restoration of ties between Damascus and Qatar, a country in a bitter feud with its Gulf neighbours. These efforts come ahead of the next Arab League summit to be held in Tunis in March. On January 19 and 20, the Arab Economic Summit in Beirut could provide a further opportunity to discuss Syria's possible attendance at the Tunis event. Several sources say Egypt is playing a key role in efforts towards Assad's comeback on the Arab scene. On December 22, Syrian intelligence chief Ali Mamluk, a key regime figure, visited Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials. A Lebanese diplomatic source who asked to remain unnamed told AFP "there is a project to reactivate Syria's membership" at the Arab League. "Egypt is supporting it," this source said. By Jibran Ahmad KABUL/PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - The Taliban have rejected Kabul's offer of talks next month in Saudi Arabia where the militants, fighting to restore strict Islamic law in Afghanistan, will meet U.S. officials to further peace efforts, a Taliban leader said on Sunday. Representatives from the Taliban, the United States and regional countries met this month in the United Arab Emirates for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan. But the Taliban have refused to hold formal talks with the Western-backed Afghan government. "We will meet the U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi," a member of the Talibans decision-making Leadership Council told Reuters. "However, we have made it clear to all the stakeholders that we will not talk to the Afghan government." Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said the leaders of the group would not talk to the Afghan government. The militants have insisted on first reaching an agreement with the United States, which the group sees as the main force in Afghanistan since U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban government in 2001. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified after Taliban representatives started meeting U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad this year. Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times to discuss the withdrawal of international forces and a ceasefire in 2019. But the United States has insisted that any final settlement must be led by the Afghans. According to data from the NATO-led Resolute Support mission published in November, the government of President Ashraf Ghani has control or influence over 65 percent of the population but only 55.5 percent of Afghanistans 407 districts, less than at any time since 2001. The Taliban say they control 70 percent of the country. A close aide to Ghani said the government would keep trying to establish a direct line of diplomatic communication with the Taliban. "Talks should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned," the aide said on condition of anonymity. "It is important that the Taliban acknowledge this fact." U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a pullout of American troops from Syria, a decision that prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis, and there have been reports that he is considering a partial pullout from Afghanistan. (Additional reporting by Rupam Jain in Kabul, Editing by Nick Macfie) By Michael Hirtzer and Tom Polansek CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S.-China trade war resulted in billions of dollars of losses for both sides in 2018, hitting industries including autos, technology - and above all, agriculture. Broad pain from trade tariffs outlined by several economists shows that, while specialised industries including U.S. soybean crushing benefited from the dispute, it had an overall detrimental impact on both of the world's two largest economies. The losses may give U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, motivation to resolve their trade differences before a March 2 deadline, although talks between the economic superpowers could still devolve. The U.S. and Chinese economies each lose about $2.9 billion annually due to Beijing's tariffs on soybeans, corn, wheat and sorghum alone, said Purdue University agricultural economist Wally Tyner. Disrupted agricultural trade hurt both sides particularly hard because China is the world's biggest soybean importer and last year relied on the United States for $12 billion worth of the oilseed. China has mostly been buying soy from Brazil since imposing a 25 percent tariff on American soybeans in July in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. The surge in demand pushed Brazilian soy premiums to a record over U.S. soy futures in Chicago, in an example of the trade war reducing sales for U.S. exporters and raising costs for Chinese importers. "Its something that's crying for a resolution," Tyner said. "It's a lose-lose for both the United States and China." Total U.S. agricultural export shipments to China for the first 10 months of 2018 fell by 42 percent from a year earlier to about $8.3 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The most actively traded soybean futures (Sv1) contract averaged $8.75 per bushel from July to December 2018, down from an average of $9.76 during the same period a year earlier. As of Dec. 28, futures in the last month of the year were averaging $8.95-1/2 a bushel. That was down from $9.61-3/4 for all of December last year. Story continues To compensate suffering farmers, the U.S. government has allocated about $11 billion to direct payments and buying agricultural goods for government food programs, after consulting economists, including Tyner. In North Dakota, which exports crops to China through ports in the Pacific Northwest, soy farmers face at least $280 million in losses because of Beijing's tariffs, said Mark Watne, president of the North Dakota Farmers Union. "You could almost put another $100 million on top of this because all commodity prices are down and that affects North Dakota farmers indirectly," Watne said. China's tariffs improved margins for U.S. soy crushers such as Archer Daniels Midland Co (ADM.N) by leaving plentiful supplies of cheap soybeans on the domestic market. Chinese soybean mills, on the other hand, front-loaded soy purchases ahead of the tariffs. This led to an oversupply that reduced Chinese processing margins and led factories this summer to make the biggest cuts in years to the production of soymeal used to feed livestock. China resumed purchases of U.S. soybeans in early December following a trade truce agreed to by leaders from the two countries during G20 summit in Argentina. But Beijing kept its 25 percent tariffs on the oilseed from America, which effectively curbed commercial Chinese buying. "With the tariffs, the beans can't go into the commercial system," said a manager at a major Chinese feed producer, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The buying will have a very limited impact on the market." China also suffered as products such as phone batteries were hit by U.S. tariffs, and customers began looking to buy from other countries. A study commissioned by the Consumer Technology Association showed U.S. tariffs on imported Chinese products cost the technology industry an additional $1 billion per month. The conflict also squeezed U.S. retail, manufacturing and construction companies that had to pay more for metal and other goods. "Input price pressures remained elevated in part due to tariffs, particularly in manufacturing and construction, and firms were struggling to pass these higher costs onto customers," the Dallas Federal Reserve said. The Big Three Detroit automakers - General Motors Co (GM.N), Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCHA.MI) have each said higher tariff costs will result in a hit to profits of about $1 billion this year. The pain is ongoing, economists say: Ford and Fiat expect a similar hit in 2019. (Reporting by Michael Hirtzer, Rajesh Kumar Singh and Tom Polansek in Chicago, Ann Saphir in San Francisco, Humeyra Pamuk and David Lawder in Washington, Ben Klayman in Detroit and Hallie Gu in Beijing. Editing by P.J. Huffstutter and Jonathan Oatis) Washington (AFP) - Gun deaths have been on the rise in the United States but supporters of tighter firearms laws say 2018 may mark a turning point. Several state legislatures strengthened gun laws during the past year including Florida, which has seen a spate of mass shootings. And while gun control advocates say much more remains to be done, they are heartened by the election in November of members of Congress and governors who back stricter gun laws. Shannon Watts, founder of "Moms Demand Action," pointed to the progress made in 2018, in an opinion piece in The Huffington Post titled "2018 Was The Year We Turned The Tide On Ending Gun Violence." Watts said the February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 14 students and three staff members dead was the defining moment. "Millions of Americans took to the streets, marching for gun safety, following the lead of teens who would no longer allow lawmakers to turn a blind eye to gun violence," she said. The Giffords organization, named for Gabby Giffords, an Arizona congresswoman critically wounded in a January 2011 mass shooting, also said 2018 gave rise to optimism that America's gun laws could be changed. Related Video: David Hogg Announces Plans to Attend Harvard University "2018 made one thing clear: Americans are ready to address gun safety and reject the gun lobby's dangerous agenda," it said in a statement. The Giffords Law Center said the gun lobby "passed far fewer significant pieces of legislation and suffered more losses in 2018 than in previous years." According to the Giffords Law Center, legislators in 26 states and the nation's capital, Washington, passed 67 new gun safety laws this year. In seven states, background checks for gun buyers were added or existing laws strengthened. Four states raised the minimum age to purchase firearms. - Ban on bump stocks - Eleven states passed laws intended to prevent domestic abusers from obtaining guns while eight states and Washington made it easier to restrict access to firearms to "at-risk individuals." Story continues At the same time, however, the Giffords Law Center noted that several states enacted laws backed by the gun lobby. These included allowing firearms in private schools in South Dakota and houses of worship in Wyoming. There was also little progress at the federal level aside from a December ban on "bump stocks" -- devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns. Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock added bump stocks to some of the guns he used to kill 58 people and wound 500 at an open concert last year, the deadliest mass shooting in recent US history. Owning a gun is seen by many Americans as a fundamental right enshrined in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution and there are more than 300 million firearms in the United States. A Pew Research Center survey done this year found that 57 percent of Americans support stricter gun laws, up from 52 percent a year earlier. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 39,773 gun deaths in the United States in 2017, up from 38,658 in 2016 and 36,252 in 2015. Sixty percent of the gun deaths in 2017 were suicides. About a month after the Parkland shooting, more than a million Americans took to the streets nationwide for emotional "March For Our Lives" rallies demanding tighter gun control. Florida -- known as "The Sunshine State" but nicknamed "Gunshine" because of its lax gun laws -- was moved to tighten controls. - NRA spending down - Florida's Republican Governor Rick Scott signed a bill in March raising the minimum age for firearms sales from 18 to 21 and imposing a three-day waiting period for all gun purchases. In signing the legislation, Scott, who won a US Senate seat in November, defied the National Rifle Association (NRA), which had previously given him an "A+" rating. The powerful gun lobby has doled out millions of dollars over the years to candidates who support its agenda but this November -- for the first time -- gun control groups outspent the NRA. Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, founder of "Everytown for Gun Safety," opened his purse strings and 83 percent of the 66 candidates he supported were victorious. Among the winners was Lucy McBath, a Democrat who defeated a Republican incumbent to win election to the House of Representatives from Georgia. McBath's 17-year-old son, Jordon Davis, was gunned down at a gas station in November 2012. She will be among the newcomers taking up seats on January 3 in the Democrat-controlled House, where incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised to introduce gun control laws within the first 100 days. "The new Democratic majority will act boldly and decisively to pass commonsense, life-saving background checks that are overwhelmingly supported by the American people," Pelosi said. Cairo (AFP) - Relatives of Vietnamese tourists hit by a roadside bomb near Egypt's famed pyramids arrived on Sunday in Cairo, an airport source said. A group of five, which included family members, arrived in the capital two days after a blast hit a tour bus killing three Vietnamese holidaymakers and an Egyptian guide. It was not immediately clear if representatives of the tour company that arranged the trip were part of the group. The attack, which took place in the Giza governorate, wounded 11 other Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian bus driver, Egypt's public prosecutor said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The group was received at Cairo International Airport on Sunday by the deputy Vietnamese ambassador to Egypt and representatives from Egypt's tourism, health and foreign ministries, the source said. Saigon Tourist, the company that organised the trip, had said the Vietnamese tourists were "on their way to a restaurant for dinner" when the bomb exploded. Company officials were heading to Cairo on Saturday and plans were made to allow some relatives of the victims to also fly to Egypt. One of those heading to Egypt was Nguyen Nguyen Vu whose sister Nguyen Thuy Quynh, 56, died in the bombing, while her husband, Le Duc Minh, was wounded. The couple, both aged 56, were in the seafood business and holidaying in Egypt when the tragedy occurred, Quynh's younger brother said. "We were all very shocked... My sister and her husband travel quite a lot and they are quite experienced in travelling abroad. Their hobby is travelling," Vu told AFP. Egypt's tourism industry has been struggling to recover from terror attacks and domestic instability that followed the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime ruler Hosni Mubarak. Visitors to Egypt reached 8.2 million people in 2017, up from 5.3 million the year before. The figures remain a far cry from the 14.7 million who visited Egypt in the year before the uprising. New York (AFP) - Wells Fargo agreed to a $575 million nationwide settlement over its opening of millions of unauthorized customer accounts and other alleged predatory practices, the bank and US authorities announced Friday. The agreement between the bank and attorneys general from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia covers a series of scandals that have dogged the big US bank since 2016, when it was fined $185 million by US regulators over its so-called fake accounts scandal. Wells Fargo, which replaced its chief executive and overhauled its system for compensating staff in the wake of the debacle, said the deal "underscores our serious commitment to making things right in regard to past issues as we work to build a better bank." In addition to the payments, San Francisco-based bank agreed to maintain a dedicated team and website to help consumers work through the problem and to periodically report to the states on the status of remediation efforts. The agreement will help address conduct that was "unlawful and disgraceful," said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, whose state will receive $148.7 million, by the far the largest settlement. "Instead of safeguarding its customers, Wells Fargo exploited them, signing them up for products -- from bank accounts to insurance -- that they never wanted," Becerra said. "This is an incredible breach of trust that threatens not only the customers who depended on Wells Fargo, but confidence in our banking system." Wells Fargo has identified some 3.5 million accounts and 528,000 online bill pay enrolments that may have not been authorized by customers, according to allegations listed in the settlement. Other alleged violations short-changed consumers on auto insurance, mortgage rates and collateral protection insurance. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The Jewish Home party expressed its thanks to Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked for their five years of great service and achievements for the Jewish people on Saturday. The Jewish Home also expressed its trust in Bennett and Shakeds new party, the New Right. We believe that they are destined to do great things in their leading of the rightists camp, it was said. The statement further said that a special team is working to explore the Jewish Homes future options, after the two ministers have left the party. It was almost a sacred custom that every Friday at 5pm, the phone rang at the home of the late Israeli statesman Shimon Peres, as his friend and author Amos Oz called for a conversation that ranged from politics to hope to sorrow to the profane. "Maybe they had one of their chats in heaven this afternoon," said Peres' son, Chemi, shortly after Oz's death. Oz was no stranger in Peres' home. The latter would read drafts of Oz's books to offer his comments, and would often host him for lunch on Shabbat. Some of these meals were also joined by Chemi Peres, who defined them as observing two learned people in conversation. "There was a wellspring of wisdom, dreams and stories," he said. "Those were hours of joy and pride for those in attendance to be part of such a wise and wonderful nation, a special, unique country, a country born of a dream." Amos Oz and Shimon Peres The friendship between the former president and the writer, who was considered one of the greatest Israeli writers of the 20th century, was not exceptional on the Israeli left. While Peres was stamping his feet in the Knesset in order to bring about a dialogue with the Palestinians, Oz was largely the voice of the camp that could write about the ideas that so many believed in, but did not know how to express. As his friends defined him: "In a world without rabbis, he was the lighthouse of the left." Oz's views were never secret. He dreamed of a world in which we and our neighbors would live in peace, but nonetheless he never felt the need to apologize for being Israeli or that the values of the state were important to him. Many on the Israeli left saw him as their spokesman, but Oz was never been an official mouthpiece for the left-wing, anti-settlement movement "Peace Now," according to one of its founders, Tzali Reshef. 'He was our voice' Oz's political activism stemmed from the early 1960s, as an activist in the social-democratic group "Min Hayesod" ("from the foundations"). From there, he went on to support the Moked party. In 1978, with the release of a letter penned by IDF officers to then-prime minister Menachem Begin, which later grew into the Peace Now movement, Oz asked to meet with some of the group's leaders. Tzali Reshef recalls: "We were about 15 years younger than him when he sought a meeting with us. He was also young, but already known for his literary achievements, and he was our voice, a voice to be identified with Peace Now. In February 1988, during the first intifada, Oz, poet Yehuda Amichai and novelist A.B. Yehoshua co-wrote a letter in the New York Times , urging American Jews to express their views on Israel's policy in the territories. In his speech at a Peace Now rally a year later, Oz called the supporters of radical far-right Rabbi Meir Kahana a "messianic sect" and said he would not be complicit in the expulsion of Arabs. "We must stand up and say strongly and simply: This is an impossible idea because we will not allow you to expel the Arabs, even if we have to create a right between the army and the state." Amos Oz with Shulamit Aloni Over the years, Oz was close to the Labor party, but left in the 1990s to join Meretz under the leadership of Shulamit Aloni. The two were friendly, and would regularly discuss peace initiatives. In 1993, Oz welcomed the creation of the Oslo Accords, publicly supporting them and giving inspiration to his associates who backed the agreement. But before the 2001 elections, Oz and a group of peace activists published a statement in Haaretz that rejected the right of return for Palestinian refugees to Israel, on the grounds that such an event would lead to the destruction of the Jewish state. In the Knesset elections that took place two years later, Oz appeared in Meretz election broadcasts and called on voters to support the party. Amos Oz with Palestinians after an olive harvest in 2002 "He was deeply rooted in this country, loved it very much, but also criticized it," says Amos Oz's close friend and former Meretz MK Haim Oron. "The people lost a writer and a man, I lost a friend," he says. "Our friendship was both ideological and geographical," Oron says. "We had an ideological connection and a political connection, and I think that Amos was a person with exceptional wording and expression, he said and wrote what many of us thought, but he could precisely encapsulate our thoughts." 'When Rabin was murdered we cried like little children' In October 2003, Oz was one of the authors of the Geneva Initiative. The architect of the initiative, Yossi Beilin, says that Oz was usually the most hawkish man in the room during the talks. "He was very active in the negotiations, and very aggressive," says Beilin. "He assumed the role of teacher for the Palestinians, explaining to them the (Jewish) connection to Jerusalem. He had influence over the negotiations; there were a few things that we argued about with the Palestinians, and he was always on the more demanding side of those arguments." Beilin, who met Oz in 1965, recalls Oz's reaction to the assassination of Labor Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin at a Tel Aviv peace rally. On the night of the murder, November 4, 1995, the two sat at the Consulate General in New York. "We were on the way to the hotel after dinner and we went up to the room. I told him that they had announced the murder, and we both cried there like little children, His death saddens me not only because he was the moral compass of our camp, but also personally because he was a true human being. " North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he wants to hold more summits with South Korea's Moon Jae-in next year to achieve the goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, Moon's office said on Sunday. Kim sent a letter to Moon on Sunday to commemorate the dramatic detente they engineered this year, including three summits, after years of confrontation marked by a series of the North's nuclear and missile tests. About the Author The midterm elections ushered in twenty new governors who will join a class of state executives to face a vexing conundrum: harvesting the fruits of rapid technological progress as these same advancements threaten to displace millions of Americans from the workforce. Theories abound as to how the country can keep pace, but one thing remains certainany potential solution must include the demanding work of improving the nations schools.What it really comes down to is this: The longer our graduation lines are today, the shorter our unemployment lines will be tomorrow, said President George H.W. Bush nearly twenty years ago . Governors and chief state school officers have been handed a unique opportunity to further increase the length of those graduation linesand their states future prospectswith the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the most recent reauthorization of the federal education law.At the heart of this opportunity are fifty-two state plans (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) that outline how each state will ensure educational excellence and equity in their lowest-performing schools. This effort will require a massive undertaking, matched only by these commensurately sized plans, which were written over a year ago with broad public input Recently, I participated in an independent peer review of school improvement efforts in seventeen of these states , which were selected because they had the most publicly available information at the start of our review process. Along with a bipartisan group of national education experts, we looked at how each of these states planned to go about the work of improving schools based on a number of key criteria. The results of our studycalled Promise to Practicecan be found at PromisetoPractice.org What we found was that too many states are missing the mark on equity when it comes to doing whats needed to improve low-performing schools. From resource allocation to human capital, many states are choosing a hands-off approach that creates a greater risk in schools and districts that have historically struggled. Stronger planslike Tennessees and New Mexicosare more assertive in supporting school improvement, and reflect a greater understanding of the mission-critical nature of a states education system.My advice for these governor-elects and their staffs: make excellence and equity a priority in your state. Use Promise to Practice to better understand what states are doing well, and ensure your state is adopting the best strategies by utilizing the information from our expert review. Theres undoubtedly a lot on your plate as you build out your team and transition to the daily grind of governing. But when it comes to education, no other issue deserves more thought and care.It is anticipated that a number of states will revampand hopefully improvetheir plans (the federal government has already outlined a revision process ). However, these revisions will likely be done without the same level of public scrutiny as when states initially drafted their plansleaving it open for debate as to whether states might end up squandering the opportunity.Our report provides a set of recommendations in the hope that states dont choose the path of least resistance. While its still relatively early on in the process, now is the time to impress upon state education leaders the importance of finding the right policies, practices, and interventions to prevent our most marginalized students from falling through the cracks. It wont be easy. Regardless of whether youre a policymaker or a private citizen, following the ins and outs of school improvement is not for the faint of heart.New governors have a real opportunity and a responsibility to provide all of their students with an excellent education. Getting a good plan in place, without delay, is critical to putting a governors vision for education into action. But a plan is only as good as the implementation that follows. Promise to Practice offers the first glimpse into how states will implement their school improvement plans. With this report, every state can utilize an evidence-based approach to drive meaningful school improvement, and better prepare its schools and students for the ever-changing economy.Dale Chu is an independent education consultant. His experience includes senior positions at the Indiana and Florida Departments of Education.Twitter: @Dale_Chu Email: dcstrategies@icloud.com Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked may have split from their Jewish Home party to form the New Right, but are expected to return to the fold once the elections are over, Israeli media reported Sunday, citing senior officials from both parties. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter In fact, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation said, the entire endeavor is a way of garnering more votes for the right-wing camp. Shaked and Bennett are justice and education ministers in the outgoing coalition, respectively. Jewish Home and New Right intend to form a joint bloc during coalition negotiations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, should he be tasked with forming the new government, as polls suggest. The New Right intends to draw votes from the secular right-wing, currently the domain of Netanyahu's Liukud Party. Meanwhile, Jewish Home will focus on gathering voters from the religious-Zionism population. Once the elections end, and each party has secured the maximum votes possible, the two will reportedly form a joint faction on the assumption that this plan will exceed the Knesset seats currently held by Jewish Home undcer Bennett's leadership. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (L) and Education Minister Naftali Bennett announce their 'New Right' party, December 29, 2018. (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Bennett and Shaked announced on Saturday night that they were splitting from the Jewish Home. In the past, we were able to prevent things like releasing terrorists or the establishment of a Palestinian state, but weve lost our ability to influence (the government)," Bennett said. "The prime minister understands that he has the religious Zionists in his pocket and that theyll go with him wherever he leads. We offer a true partnership.. My wife Gilats family is secular, but were one family. The new party is rightist, no ifs and buts. If we'd existed 13 years ago, the disengagement from Gaza wouldnt have happened." Jewish Home issued a statement supporting Bennett and Shaked. "The Jewish Home party thanks Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked for five years of great work for the State of Israel. We believe they have a lot more to do as they lead the Right," said the party's director-general, Nir Orbach. Environmental Protection Minister Zeev Elkin (Photo: Oren Aharoni) Meanwhile, Likud minister Zeev Elkin on Sunday slammed Bennett and Shaked for their decision to split, saying that it would weaken the right-wing camp. "This moves jeopardize the right-wing bloc and an electoral win," Elkin told Ynet. "This reminds me of what happened in 1992. Many heads of parties popped up, the right gained a lot of voices, but lost in the general elections." Elkin also rejected the claim by Bennett and Shaked that Netanyahu only appealed to the religious-Zionist bloc. "How is this new party different from Jewish Home? They just took an eight-seat party and divided it in half," Elkin said. "One of the parties might not pass the the electoral threshold (of four seats) and squander the right-wing bloc's seats." He added: "This is a dangerous move. Those who want a niche party, should vote for the old Jewish Home. Those who seek a party for both religious and secular rightists should vote for the Likud," he said. Israeli security forces on Sunday arrested at least two Jewish youths in the West Bank, as part of a far-reaching investigation into Jewish terrorism. A gag order has been placed on details of the investigation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The Israel Police and the Shin Bet domestic security service have in recent weeks carried out numerous raids across Jewish communities in the West Bank, which led to the detention of the two minors on Sunday. The Times of Israel said that the two were detained at a yeshiva in the northern West Bank and have been prevented from seeing a lawyer. Jewish settlers clash with Palestinians in West Bank (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) Also Sunday, far-right attorney Itamar Ben Gvir, known for his prior defense of Jewish terror suspects, issued a statement condemning the security forces' handling of the investigation. Ben Gvir is the lawyer for another Israeli youth who was arrested earlier Sunday. "Over the past week, we've witnessed horrible footage of policemen abusing, hurting, starving, threatening and manipulating a minor in order to get a confession out of him," Ben Gvir said. "Issuing an order prohibiting a minor from seeing his lawyer is meant to increase the pressure on him and the abuse he is experiencing." Attorney Itamar Ben Gvir Six weeks ago, two masked men vandalized 15 vehicles in the Palestinian village of Asira al-Qibliya near Nablus, spray-painting malicious graffiti on the homes and vehicles there. Aisha al-Rawbi and her husband Furthermore, tires of some 13 vehicles were punctured in the adjacent town of Huwara. The Palestinians residing there said a hateful writing saying "Yitzhar evacuation equals price tag" was sprayed on a school wall. In October, Aisha al-Rawbi, 47, from the village of Biddya in the West Bank, was killed after settlers reportedly hurled stones at a vehicle she and her husband were riding in near the Tapuach junction. Her husband was also wounded. MANBIJ, Syria - The city of Manbij has switched control more than most places in Syria's civil war. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter With U.S. troops set to leave after President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw them, residents fear others will rush to fill the vacuum, causing more upheaval: Syrian government forces have deployed nearby while Turkey is threatening its own assault on the city. U.S. forces have underpinned stability in Manbij since Islamic State's defeat here in 2016. Some 30 km (20 miles) from the Turkish border, it occupies a critical spot in the map of the Syrian conflict, near the junction of three separate blocks of territory that form spheres of Russian, Turkish and - for now - U.S. influence. While U.S. forces have yet to leave, the consequences of Trump's decision are already playing out in Manbij. Russian-backed Syrian government forces entered the outskirts on Friday for the first time in years at the invitation of Kurdish YPG militia who fear the U.S. departure could open the way for a Turkish attack. "We have been living in fear for the past few days and we don't know what is happening and who will enter the city," said Ismail Shaalan, 41, who has lived in Manbij since fleeing fighting in the Aleppo area two years ago. "Is it the Turks or the Syrians?" Trump has said the withdrawal will be slow. U.S.-led coalition jets and attack helicopters could still be seen in the skies over Manbij on Saturday. Local fighters with the U.S.-backed militia that has held the city since 2016, the Manbij Military Council, were conducting their normal patrols on Saturday wearing red berets and armed with AK-47 assault rifles. "We survived the war. We will never see worse than Daesh," he said, referring to Islamic State, said Abu Hamze, 43, a father of five. But he too is worried: "We are scared. The situation is confusing." Manbij has changed hands three times since the Syrian conflict began in 2011. Free Syrian Army rebels seized it from President Bashar al-Assad's government early in the conflict. Then it fell to Islamic State which declared it part of its "caliphate." Islamic State was dislodged from Manbij in 2016 by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a militia force spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG and backed by the U.S.-led coalition. Manbij has been held by SDF-allied forces since then, angering neighbouring Turkey which views the influence wielded by the YPG in northern Syria as a national security threat. Turkish and U.S. forces have been conducting joint patrols near Manbij since November, agreed as part of U.S. efforts to satisfy Turkish concerns. 'Partial' Syrian deployment Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey would have nothing left to do in Manbij once the "terrorists" leave, a reference to the YPG, which says its forces have already withdrawn from the city. Turkey says the YPG is indistinguishable from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a 34-year insurgency in Turkey. It has vowed to crush the YPG with help from Syrian rebel allies, some of whom come from places now held by the SDF and are fiercely hostile to the Kurdish fighters. Turkey-backed rebels have been mobilizing for an attack on Manbij in nearby areas that have been under Turkey's control since it swept into northern Syria in 2016, part of its effort to roll back the YPG. Erdogan signaled Friday that Turkey was not in a hurry to carry out the operation. The YPG, taken aback by Trump's withdrawal decision, called on Damascus on Friday to protect Manbij. Shortly afterwards, the Syrian army said it had deployed to Manbij where it would guarantee security "for all Syrian citizens and others present." The Syrian troops did not enter the city but nearby frontlines with the hostile Turkey-backed rebels. A military source in Manbij Military Council said discussions with the Syrian government had yielded agreement on the need to halt "the Turkish occupation of Manbij." The Syrian army's deployment in the Manbij area was so far "partial," the source said, adding that further Syrian army deployment into the area would take into account the U.S. presence. As to whether the Syrian state was poised to restore its authority over Manbij, the source said: "Committees will be formed later on about how to administer the city." The question of whether the Syrian government will return to rule Manbij is of critical importance to many in the city. One primary concern is fear of being enlisted to the army. Yet the return of Assad's rule is seen by some as preferable to the prospect of a Turkish offensive. "People are scared. They disappeared since rumours started circulating that the Syrian army will enter," said Hussein Khalaf, 30, a fruit seller from Manbij with six children. "I will not stay here if the SDF left. I will go with them wherever they go. We have adapted to them and we found safety under their rule." Yasser Abdulaziz, 31, who fled to Manbij from nearby areas of Aleppo two years ago, said he was tired of war and did not want to be uprooted again with his four children. "If I have to choose between the Turkish army and the Syrian army I will certainly choose the Syrian army. At the end of the day, they are our fellow citizens ... whereas Turkey is an occupying force," he said. A top official at a Indian state-run university urged his students to "murder" fellow students if confronted instead of complaining to him, amid a wave of violence being reported from across the state where the school is based. "If you're a student of this University, never come crying to me," said Raja Ram Yadav, vice-chancellor of Purvanchal University, in a speech, video from Reuters partner ANI showed. Israel's Foreign Ministry says its embassy in Jordan has filed a strong condemnation with the kingdom over a picture of a Jordanian government minister stepping on an image of the Israeli flag. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The ministry said Sunday it took the incident extremely seriously and had also summoned Jordan's acting ambassador to Israel to convey its objection. A photo published on the Jordanian website Jfranews showed Information Minister Jumana Ghuneimat stepping on a large image of the Israeli flag. Footprints were also printed on the flag, which Israel said was displayed at a gathering of Jordan's engineering union. Jordan's inofrmation minister steps on Israeli flag (Photo: Jfranews) Israel and Jordan signed a peace agreement in 1994, but relations have often been frosty amid differences over Israeli policies in Jerusalem, where Jordan is custodian over Muslim sites, and toward the Palestinians. Last October, Jordan's King Abdullah announced that he intends to cancel the appendices to the peace treaty with Israel, reclaiming Jordanian sovereignty over some territories in the Arava region and the surrounding agricultural areas near Naharayim. The appendices to the peace agreement concern mainly the lease of the Island of Peace in Naharayim and the Tzofar enclave in the Arava, leased by Israel since the signing of the peace treaty between the two countries nearly 25 years ago. Jewish immigration to Israel rose by some 5 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year, with the largest number of immigrants arriving from the countries of the former Soviet Union. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The figures released by the Jewish Agency, which is the primary organization that encourages Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel), show that over 29,600 people immigrated to Israel this year, compared to 28,220 olim (Jewish immigrants) who came to the country in 2017. Immigration from Russia spiked by some 45% from 2017, with over 10,500 Jewish immigrants relocating to Israel, with another 6,500 olim arriving from Ukraine, although in this case the agency registered a 9% drop from last year. Jewish immigrants arrive at Ben Gurion Airport (Photo: Nir Cafri) The number of immigrants making their way from the United States and Canada remained steady, with 3,550 people arriving in Israel in 2018. The number shows no significant change compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, there has been a 25% drop from last year in the number of Jewish immigrants coming from France, with only 2,660 making Aliyah in 2018. The number of people arriving from the United Kingdom and Brazil also registered a 4% decline, with 660 and 330 olim making their way to Israel in 2018 respectively. Jewish Agency Chairman of the Executive Isaac Herzog There has been an increase in the number of people coming from Argentina (17%) and South Africa (2%) although in both cases the figures still remained relatively low, with only 330 and 320 new olim relocating to the Jewish state. Jewish Agency Chairman of the Executive Isaac Herzog said he welcomes the overall increase in Jewish immigration to Israel. Every Jew who comes to Israel and establishes a home here completes another piece of the wonderful mosaic of the Jewish people in their historic homeland. After 70 years of the states independence and the tremendous number of olim who have already made it to Israel, the potential for even greater Aliyah remains significant, and The Jewish Agency will continue to work to achieve that goal, Herzog said. The children of Rona Ramonwidow of Israeli astronaut killed in Space Shuttle Columbiawho died two weeks ago after a battle with cancer, received Sunday an honorary degree on their mother's behalf from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Be'er Sheva. Ramon was scheduled to attend the ceremony back in November but the event had been postponed due to an escalation on the southern border. A senior Republican senator said he would try to persuade US President Donald Trump at a White House lunch on Sunday to reconsider his order for a total US military pullout from Syria and leave some US troops there. Senator Lindsey Graham warned that removing all US forces would hurt US security by allowing Islamic State to rebuild, betraying US-backed Kurdish fighters battling remnants of the militant group, also known as ISIS, and enhancing Iran's ability to threaten Israel. Prosecutors announced Sunday that model and television presenter Bar Refaeli is set to be indicted for money laundering. The 33 year old might also be indicted for tax offenses since Refaeli argued for years that because she spends a majority of her time abroad, she is not obliged to pay taxes in Israel. News Phoenix, Arizona - Attorney General Mark Brnovich today announced Wells Fargo Bank N.A. will pay a total of $575 million, including $37.1 million to Arizona, to resolve claims that the bank violated state consumer protection laws by: opening millions of unauthorized accounts and enrolling customers into online banking services without their knowledge or consent, improperly referring customers for enrollment in third-party renters and life insurance policies, improperly charging auto loan customers for force-placed and unnecessary collateral protection insurance, failing to ensure that customers received refunds of unearned premiums on certain optional auto finance products, and incorrectly charging customers for mortgage rate lock extension fees. Arizona will receive $37.1 million, the third-highest amount under the nationwide settlement. The funds will be used by the Attorney General's Office to help further strengthen consumer protection enforcement efforts, as well as pay for the states attorneys' fees. Arizona was a lead state of the executive committee that helped negotiate the settlement on behalf of the parties involved. Arizonans suffered the second highest number of Wells Fargo sales practice violations in the country, said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. Wells Fargo's egregious behavior towards Arizona consumers was particularly offensive, and it's why I wanted to make sure our office was one of the four head states leading the investigation. This settlement holds Wells Fargo accountable for their previous actions and will deter similar future activity by other banks and financial institutions." Through this settlement with 50 states and the District of Columbia, Wells Fargo will also create a consumer redress review program through which consumers, who have not been made whole through other restitution programs already in place, can seek review of their inquiry or complaint by a bank escalation team for possible relief. To date, this settlement represents the most significant engagement involving a national bank by state attorneys general acting without a federal law enforcement partner. Wells Fargo has identified more than 3.5 million accounts where customer accounts were opened, funds were transferred, credit card applications were filed, and debit cards were issued without the customers knowledge or consent. The bank has also identified 528,000 online bill pay enrollments nationwide that may have resulted from improper sales practices at the bank. In addition, Wells Fargo improperly submitted more than 6,500 renters insurance and/or simplified term life insurance policy applications and payments from customer accounts without the customers knowledge or consent. The states alleged Wells Fargo imposed aggressive and unrealistic sales goals on bank employees and implemented an incentive compensation program where employees could qualify for credit by selling certain products to customers. The states further alleged the bank's sales goals and the incentive compensation program created an impetus for employees to engage in improper sales practices in order to satisfy such sales goals and earn financial rewards. Those sales goals became increasingly harder to achieve over time, the states alleged, and employees who failed to meet them faced potential termination and career-hindering criticism from their supervisors. The states also alleged Wells Fargo improperly charged premiums, interest, and fees for force-placed collateral protection insurance to more than two million auto financing customers, despite evidence that the customers regular auto insurance policy was in effect, and despite numerous customer complaints about such unnecessary placements. Wells Fargo has agreed to provide remediation of more than $385 million to approximately 850,000 auto finance customers. The remediation will include payments to over 51,000 customers whose cars were repossessed. Additionally, the states alleged Wells Fargo failed to ensure that customers received proper refunds of unearned portions of optional Guaranteed Asset/Auto Protection (GAP) products sold as part of motor vehicle financing agreements. As a result, the bank has agreed to provide refunds totaling more than $37 million to certain auto finance customers. Finally, the states alleged Wells Fargo improperly charged residential mortgage loan consumers for rate lock extension fees, even when the delay was caused by Wells Fargo, a practice contrary to the banks policy. Wells Fargo has identified and contacted affected consumers and has refunded or agreed to refund over $100 million of such fees. Wells Fargo has previously entered consent orders with federal authorities including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) related to its alleged conduct. Wells Fargo has committed to or has already provided restitution to consumers in excess of $600 million through its agreements with the OCC and CFPB as well as through settlement of a related consumer class-action lawsuit and will pay over $1 billion in civil penalties to the federal government. Additionally, under an order from the Federal Reserve, the bank is required to strengthen its corporate governance and controls and is currently restricted from exceeding its total asset size. As part of its settlement with the states, Wells Fargo has agreed to implement within 60 days a program through which consumers who believe they were affected by the bank's conduct but fell outside the prior restitution programs, can contact Wells Fargo to be reviewed for potential redress. Wells Fargo will create and maintain a website for consumers to use to access the program and will provide periodic reports to the states about ongoing restitution efforts. More information on the redress review program, including Wells Fargo escalation phone numbers and the Wells Fargo dedicated website address for the program, will be available on or before February 26, 2019. News Yuma, Arizona - Every New Years Eve the Yuma Police Department responds to numerous reports of shots fired within the city limits. Some people discharge a firearm into the air to bring in the New Year. The Yuma Police Department would like to remind the community this is a felony offense and encourage anyone that witnesses this type of criminal activity to call the police department immediately. Shannon's law is named after Shannon Smith, a fourteen-year-old Phoenix girl killed by a stray bullet in June 1999. Shannon's law refers to specific changes in Arizona statutes, enacted in 2000, making it a felony offense to discharge firearms randomly into the air. Per Arizona Revised Statute 13-2904.6 Disorderly conduct: A person commits disorderly conduct if, with intent to disturb the peace or quiet of a neighborhood, family or person, or with knowledge of doing so, such person: Recklessly handles displays or discharges a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. This violation is a class 6 felony. This is an illegal and unsafe practice that could lead to tragic consequences. Officers will respond, investigate and arrest anyone that is involved in this type of activity. We want our community to enjoy New Years Eve with family and friends; we just ask to please do it safely. Health News Yuma, Arizona - On Thursday, January 10th, the Foothills Library will host Exploring the Bowen Technique for Healing at 10:30 a.m. The Bowen technique is a gentle, hands-on approach to healing that signals a response in the brain, creating an impulse to re-align the body. Join certified expert Kasia Voorhies to learn more about this international healing practice that can address every system in the body. There is no charge to attend. The Foothills Library is located at 13226 E. South Frontage Road. For more information, call (928) 342-1640. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - The Yuma Fire Department has responded to over 15,037 emergency calls for service so far in 2018. Many of these calls were for preventable injuries. For 2019, make a Resolution for Safety and think about what you can do to make the coming year a safer one for you and your family. Preventable injuries occur on the street, at home, and at work. Here are a few safety resolutions to consider for 2019: Be patient and allow extra time when driving, and plan your route to avoid congestion. This can help you avoid traffic related accidents. Avoid leaving things cooking unattended on the stove. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children, and never leave an unattended candle burning Learn CPR and Basic First Aid. Prepare a 72-hour emergency kit, have and practice emergency plans in your home or at work. This can better prepare you should a personal, family, or community emergency or disaster occur. Oh, and lets not forget, firearms are not toys or noisemakers for celebrating the New Year. Using firearms to ring in the New Year is not only a serious crime, it is also dangerous. AND, fireworks that explode (firecrackers), leave the ground (bottle rockets), or send flaming material into the air (roman candles) are all still illegal. Fireworks are also not legal on sidewalks, streets, or in parks and can only be used on private property. Please dont start your year off with a criminal charge or an emergency room visit! Have a Safe and Happy New Year! For more information about fire and injury prevention classes we offer, contact the Yuma Fire Department Public Information Office at 928-373-4855 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. Nigerian model, Roman Goddess, has set social media on fire, by displaying her huge melons. Goddess has really carved a niche for herself due to the hot photos and videos she has been posting on Instagram. In his latest post which has been sighted by YEN.com.gh, Goddess took the photo in her bedroom as she displayed her curvaceous body. READ ALSO: Money Beast sprays millions of cash at Accra Mall (Video) In the photo, the controversial Instagram queen flaunted her big melons. With her cleavages showing, her fans took to the comment section to expressed their views regarding the photo. @jcrod_74 says he is ready to serve Goddess: "That is a complete woman, i will be your slave at home. @segunsesan admired Goddess melons: I like what i see in ur front even the back. @kelechukwu10 simply wrote: Gorgeous. READ ALSO: Jonathan Mensah marries longtime girlfriend @ben_benoto commented: So so hot bby. @brainhoyer also wrote: Nice. YEN.com.gh had earlier reported how Goddess has outshined the likes of Moesha Boduong and Princess Shyngle on Instagram. Goddess is regarded as the female celebrity with the biggest melons in Africa. READ ALSO: Moesha Bodoung goes to Stonebwoy's Bhim Concert half-naked Ghana News Today: Sarkodie Storms Manifestivities| #Yencomgh Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place Source: Yen (CNN) Sudanese opposition leader Omar el-Digeir has been arrested after a crackdown on anti-government protests held across Sudan on Friday, his Sudanese Congress Party said. "Omar el-Digeir, President of the Sudanese Congress Party, was captured by security forces at 5:45 p.m. on Friday night and taken to an unknown location," the party's leadership said in a statement on its official Facebook page. "This is within a wider crusade to stop and punish the Sudanese people for protesting the shortages and lack of money, corruption and repression," it said. "The Congress Party is not going to be intimidated or frightened by the terrors of the regime and will fight until we get rid of [Sudanese President Omar] al-Bashir and his followers." Sudan's security forces fired shots into the air Friday to disperse anti-government protesters in the capital, Khartoum, on what was the 10th consecutive day of protests in the north African country. The protests against Bashir, led by grassroots neighborhood protesters, were triggered by fuel shortages and a spike in food prices that saw the cost of bread double in the past year. Larger protests, organized by professional unions representing doctors, lawyers, teachers and students, are planned and are supported by two of the largest opposition parties. The violent clashes have left at least 19 people dead and another 406 injured, Sudan's Minister of Information Bushara Juma told reporters on Thursday. Amnesty International said at least 37 people had been killed since the protests began. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Sudan opposition leader arrested after protest crackdown, party says." Why does the US Embassy in Helsinki need a big warehouse near Malmi Airport and what are the contents of thousands of kilograms of cargo sent to Helsinki from Baghdad? A dilapidated warehouse in Malmi is being used by the US Embassy for unknown operations after a Wikileaks release revealed its location. The anonymous looking building on Takoraudantie is notable only for the new 427 meter perimeter fence that according to the Wikileaks' database was ordered by the US Embassy in April 2018. Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R)agreed here Friday to establish a strategic partnership between the two countries. rRio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dec. 28, 2018. EPA-EFE/ Fernando Frazao/Brazil Agency/ EDITORIAL USE ONLY / NO SALES A group of doctors seeking to ease the pressure on Argentinas overtaxed health system are giving up some of their time to provide free care to the homeless and other marginalized people. Founded four years ago in Buenos Aires by cardiologist Mariano Masciocchi, the organization Me regalas una hora? (Will you give me an hour?) has inspired a wave of solidarity among medical professionals and volunteers. Maybe its not having a coffee at a bar or not going to salsa class, and in that hour you can give a whole lot of things - more than you imagine - to somebody who doesnt have anything, Masciocchi tells EFE. He says that he got the idea in 2014 after a period of reflection spurred by the death of his father and the end of his marriage led him to the realization that he wasnt doing anything for others. Those blows that life dealt me in that moment helped me to try to come out of that bubble, the physician says. In the beginning, he treated a couple of patients a week during a Saturday morning free clinic at a church, but Masciocchis call for collaborators on social media was met with a great response and the group now sees around 500 people a month at locations around the city. There is a big situation on the street in Buenos Aires. People who live on the sidewalks outside homes with cardboard for shelter and suffer many hardships, as much as in summer - with terrible heat that can reach 40 C (104 F) - as in winter, with temperatures that can reach 0 C (32 F), he says. Karen Arauz, a Bolivian doctor who is part of the organizations board of directors, noted that patients present problems that range from the flu to skin problems and from hypertension to diabetes. Me regalas una hora? comprises some 60 physicians from various disciplines, psychologists, nutritionists, nurses and lay volunteers, while more than two-dozen other specialists accept referrals from the group. Besides providing primary care, the group offers an opportunity patients a chance for positive, friendly interaction. There are people who have lived on the street for 20 years and the people who pass by dont even see them. They tell us: We feel like part of the furniture of the city of Buenos Aires, Arauz says. Me regalas una hora?, already with outposts in other parts of Argentina, has ambitions to expand to neighboring countries such as Bolivia, Colombia and Venezuela. US President Donald Trump said Saturday that great progress has been made in trade negotiations between the United States and China, though he gave no specific details. EFE-EPA/Jim Lo Scalzo/File Tyer To Deliver Her Third State of The City Address PITTSFIELD, Mass. Mayor Linda Tyer's "state of the city" address will be held on Monday, Jan. 7. The annual mayoral address will start at 5:30 p.m. at Taconic High School. It is free and open to the public. It will be Tyer's third state of the city. The first year she spoke at the Colonial Theatr e and last year at Zion Lutheran Church. Each address has tended to last about an hour and has highlighted successes from the year before and introduces new initiatives in the works for the upcoming year. Following the presentation, there will be refreshments and tours of the new high school. President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday, visited Sokoto state to pay a condolence to the family of late ex president, Shehu Shagari. Shagari, Nigerias first executive president passed away after a brief illness at the national hospital, Abuja at the age of 93. Buhari, who has suffered much criticisms since the death of Shagari was announced on Friday, by members and supporters of the opposition. Buhari took to Twitter on Sunday to share photos from the condolence visit via his handle. The party added that the planned military operation is a subterfuge to unleash heavy security presence to instill fear in voters in PDP strongholds Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the planned nationwide military operation codenamed Operation Python Dance 3. The Nigerian Army in launching the operation on Friday Daily Times The Nasarawa state Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-makura yesterday, presented the 2019 Budget proposal of N86.64 billion to the State House of Assembly for consideration and Daily Trust Osinbajos comment on 2023 Presidency, a personal opinion Chief Ebenezer Babatope is one of the prominent politicians in the South-West and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The former National Secretary of the PDP in this interview with Leadership The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG) have committed the greatest self-deprecating blunder yet by selecting only five presidential and vice presidential candidates for their organised debates. Regardless of whatever parameters were used, an otherwise engaging and illuminating episodic medium beamed on live television to interrogate folks, who seek Tribune Primate Elijah Ayodele is the founder of Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church with headquarters in Lagos. In this interview, he speaks on what Nigerians and the rest of the world should expect in 2019 and beyond. Senator Ben Murray Bruce has quoted former President Olusegun Obasanjo as saying that, his former vice, Atiku Abubakar is now the countrys beacon of hope. The senator said that the former president told this to Peter Obi, running mate to Atiku, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate for the 2019 election. According to the commonsense senator, the duo, Obasanjo said Atiku and Obi, is what all Nigerians that have had it so tough in the last four years, need. Although, Mr Bruce didnt reveal where whereas he said conversation held and when, he quoted the former president, who has since withdrawn his support from incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari as saying that Obi and Atiku must think out of the box to take this country out of the woods caused by incumbent clueless administrators. The PDP senator made this known via Twitter on Saturday evening. He wrote: You and Atiku have become the beacon of hope to all Nigerians who have had it so rough in the last four years. You need to think out of the box to take this country out of the woods caused by incumbent clueless administrators.-President Obasanjo to PeterObi President Muhammadu Buhari has again paid tribute to late former president, Shehu Shagari, who passed away in Abuja, on Friday evening. The president, has been under criticisms from some members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for ousting Shagari out of power in 1983, and yet finds it OK, to eulogize him at his demise. Buhari, who is unfazed by the backlash hauled at him, since reports of the passing of Nigerias first executive president, has ordered that flags should fly at half-mast in military and para-military formations, as well as public buildings for three days, starting from Sunday, December 30, 2018. President Buhari also declared in a statement personally signed by him that: The late President represented almost the last link with the government of our Founding Fathers under Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. He was also the first elected President of Nigeria. The late Alhaji Shagari was a man of many parts: teacher, local authority administrator, politician, minister, and finally President. He served his country with dedication and moderation. Over the years, through interactions at the Council of State, he and I came to understand and appreciate each other, whatever the differences we may have had in the past. On behalf of the Federal Government, myself and family, I send my condolences to the people of Nigeria, particularly to the late Presidents family and the Government and people of Sokoto State. May his soul rest in peace. Nacogdoches, TX (75965) Today Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds light and variable. 100 Light Air Defence Gun Missile Regiment Lahore Cantt Job Latest Pakistan Army Army jobs Posts Lahore 2021 Pakistan Army 100 Light Air Defence Gun Missile Regiment required the service of experienced and responsible person for the post of Mess Waiter in Lahore Cantt. How to Apply on Pakistan Army 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. Company Secretary Job in National Engineering Service Latest National Engineering Services Pakistan NESPAK Management Posts Lahore 2021 Company Secretary is required in National Engineering Services Pakistan NESPAK in Lahore. Applicant must have chartered Accountant with at least 2 year relevant experience. How to Apply on National Engineering Services Pakistan NESPAK 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. Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services PIPS Jobs 2019 Latest Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services PIPS Posts Islamabad 2021 Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services PIPS Government of Pakistan requires the services of experienced and strong persons for the posts of Office Attendant in Islamabad Pakistan 2019. How to Apply on Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services PIPS 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. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Small business owners demand call on the government to scrap the new wage system that obligates employers to give paid leave to workers near the Government Complex in Sejong, Friday. Yonhap The conflict between the government and business owners has intensified in South Korea ahead of the scheduled implementation of a new wage system that obligates employers to give paid leave to workers, industry watchers said Sunday. Under South Korean law, an employer must provide employees with paid leave depending on their weekly work hours. For example, if an employee works 40 hours a week, he or she must be granted extra pay worth eight hours of labor every week. It not only applies to regular workers but part-timers as well. The regulation, already stipulated by law, however, has often been ignored by business owners as there were no clear cut guidelines on how that should be applied when it came to calculating the minimum wage. Accordingly, the government plans to pass a related ordinance to clarify the rule at a Cabinet meeting slated for Monday. If the ordinance is passed, an employer must include paid leave in workers' paychecks. Business owners claim the change will give an excessive burden to small shops already suffering from a steep rise in the minimum wage. The hourly minimum wage for 2019 is set at 8,350 won (US$7.48), up 10.9 percent from this year's 7,530 won. The new amount marks a 29.1 percent rise since President Moon Jae-in took office two years ago. The employers argue the change will force them to use more temporary workers, as the regulation does not apply to employees with fewer than 15 hours of work per week. Local businesses also claim the government is pushing to adopt the change to induce employers to hire more workers to pump and cope with the high unemployment rate. The Federation of Korean Industries, which represents the interest of employers, said the government needs to fully reconsider the ordinance and added the paid-leave system does not exist in major advanced economies. The Korea Economic Research Institute (KERI), a private think tank, said the change may lead to a 40 percent hike in the actual minimum wage provided to workers. Taking the new minimum wage of 8,350 won into account, KERI argued the mandatory paid leave will increase the actual hourly pay provided to workers to a whopping 11,661 won. Full-time workers who receive pay for two days off a week and receive the minimum wage will receive 2.02 million won monthly based on the calculation that they work 174 hours, along with paid leave of 69 hours. Accordingly, KERI said the change will effect even some workers at conglomerates. "As the revision is anticipated to have a great ripple effect in the economy, policymakers should listen closely to businesses and shop owners who must deal with the burden of added expenses," a KERI official said. The government, on the other hand, stressed the paid-leave system has been in existence for 30 years and that the ordinance only aims to provide a clear guideline. "The revised ordinance only clarifies ambiguous expressions in the law, and nothing much has changed. It is an exaggeration to say that businesses' burden will increase," said professor Kim Sung-hee of Korea University. Neutral observers, meanwhile, are calling on the government to set aside a grace period and exemptions for small firms. "Conglomerates and midsized firms are already following the law. In reality, small business owners face hurdles in complying with it," said professor Lim Chae-un of Sogang University. "Even if the ordinance is revised, there should be a buffer zone, like delaying the applications on businesses with a staff fewer than five people." South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un / Joint Press Corps Kim Jong-un is willing to meet Moon Jae-in more often in 2019 By Park Ji-won North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed his willingness to visit Seoul in the unspecified future in a letter sent to President Moon Jae-in, according to the presidential office Sunday. Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters the North Korean leader expressed regret for not being able to make his visit to Seoul this year as he wished and agreed with Moon in Pyongyang. He expressed willingness to pay a visit to the capital city while monitoring the situation, the spokesman added. The presidential official, however, didn't specify when the North Korean leader will be visiting Seoul. The presidential spokesman said Kim was willing to meet Moon more often in 2019 to discuss peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula as well as to resolve issues related to denuclearization. The move came after he didn't pay an expected visit to Seoul in December as he had promised to do so in the Pyongyang agreement signed with Moon in September. Expectations were high that Kim will mention the possible visit during his New Year speech which is slated to be held on the first day of next year as well as reconciliatory remarks to boost inter-Korean relations. It is Kim's first letter to Moon in 10 months. On Feb. 10, Kim's sister Yo-jong, the first vice-director of the North's Workers' Party Central Committee, delivered a letter to Moon at Cheong Wa Dae when she visited the South to participate in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Cheong Wa Dae also said Kim assessed that the two leaders made bold decisions through three meetings and they helped ease the longtime tension between the two Koreas. The spokesman said the office summarized Kim's two-page letter and paraphrased it in different words and what he said wasn't a direct quote from the North's leader as it is a violation of diplomatic custom. The aide declined to reveal further details about how the letter was delivered to the presidential office for "a security reason." A senior presidential officer said there are many ways to communicate with the North, but the letter was delivered by people this time. Cheong Wa Dae added that Moon will likely send a response to Kim in a letter sooner. All eyes and ears are concentrated on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for his New Year speech, with speculation on whether he will say anything to encourage stalled denuclearization North-U.S. talks in response to the softened U.S. stance on the North and further details on his anticipated visit to Seoul. Kim gives a New Year's Day message on television to provide general directions of the country's policies. Officials in neighboring countries follow the speeches closely to obtain overall information about the country and how it will act on diplomatic issues such as its nuclear weapons program. The U.S. stance toward North Korea appears to have softened recently before and after an inter-Korean ceremony to mark the launch of railway and road projects involving the North and South. The U.S. granted an exemption on sanctions against the North to give it access to materials needed for the projects. "We are eager to move to the next stage of discussions with our North Korean partners," U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun told reporters after a meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul on Dec 21. Following the shifts, critics expect the North could send more flexible messages about resuming talks with neighboring countries, and especially with the U.S. The U.S. has been critical of North Korea recently, raising internationally the issue of human rights abuses. The move may be aimed at gaining leverage for their leaders' planned second summit, which has not taken place yet for a number of reasons. The two countries' high-ranking officials have continued to meet -- without palpable results -- since June when the first historic summit was held in Singapore. After continuing U.S. pressure on Pyongyang over its human rights violations, including recently the imposition of sanctions on top North Korean officials, Pyongyang had responded by threatening to stop denuclearization efforts. Another key issue was whether Kim might signal his intent to visit the South soon as he pledged during the Pyongyang summit in September, and send another message on inter-Korean ties. Kim promised to make a return visit to Seoul within 2018 in a joint statement with President Moon Jae-in unless there were special circumstances. The conciliatory mood has continued to grow ever since Kim extended a rare olive branch to South Korea in his New Year speech at the start of this year to express his willingness to improve inter-Korean relations. The North sent a delegation, including Kim's sister Kim Yo-jong, to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics held in February. The leaders of the two Koreas then held inter-Korean summits three times stepping up cooperation in various fields, such as family reunions, railway and road projects and easing military tension. Members of the Seoul Filipino Catholic Community sing carols in front of GME Remittance's new Hyehwa Branch in Hyehwa-dong area in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Dec. 23. Photos courtesy of GME Remittance By Ko Dong-hwan The joy of Filipinos celebrating Christmas in Korea highlighted the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the sixth branch of a Seoul-based multinational money remittance service. The celebration marking the expansion of Global Money Express Remittance took place at Hyehwa Rotary in Seoul's Jongno-gu District on Dec. 23. Dozens of Filipino community members, business officials and people from other foreign communities joined in the traditional Filipino Christmas prayers and blessings, entitled "Paskong Kay Saya." Father Jude, a Catholic Filipino community priest active in Gyeonggi Province districts, including the city of Cheonan, led the prayers, blessing GME's CEO John Sung, the company's director Mr. Subash and chief finance officer Mr. Choi. The Filipinos told The Korea Times that religion was "the strongest binder of the community." Filipino staff from GME Remittance perform a traditional courtship song "Harana" at the opening of the company's Hyehwa Branch on Dec. 23. The event was also joined by Nash Ang, founding director of Filipino-Korean culture and arts organization Pinoy Artists in Korea (PAK), and the group's executive director Rosie Peralta. Kim Taerin, 10, a performer from the PAK, presented a dance performance. GME's female Filipino staff performed "Harana," a traditional way of courting a woman by wooing her with a love song. Crowds at the new Hyehwa branch sang along. Jayar Manalo, vice president of Filipino EPS (Employment Permit System) Workers' Association, and chairman of FEWA's monthly newsletter "Sulyapinoy," Jhumar Tablatin, also took part in the ceremony. GME Remittance staff enjoy traditional Filipino hand food. Elle Kim, the head of GME's marketing team for the Philippines, orchestrated the event. She said she was showcasing "one of the most unique Christmas cultures of my country." "The main reason why I chose to do this is that most of these working Filipinos here in South Korea haven't got the chance to visit home for a long period of time," Kim told The Korea Times. "My goal with this event is to give Filipinos a break from the reality of hard work and reconnect their souls once again to their identity as Filipinos. I wish that other Filipinos in Korea will be aware of their own tradition and culture that seem to fade out due to all influences surrounding them." GME Remittance CEO John Sung, fourth from left, joins in the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the company's Hyehwa Branch on Dec. 23. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe listens to questions from Japanese reporters at his residence on Oct. 30 after South Korea's Supreme Court ruled for Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal to compensate victims of forced labor during Japan's colonial rule. / Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun A dispute is snowballing over Japan's release of footage of its warplane flying over a South Korean naval destroyer in the East Sea as reports stated the release of the video was ordered by the Japanese Prime Minister. Japan's defense ministry released the footage last week prompting immediate protests from South Korean authorities for "threatening acts" by a Japanese plane in international waters. Multiple Japanese media outlets reported that its defense ministry had been reluctant to release the video, concerned about generating a backlash from South Korea and further deteriorating relations, but did so on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's order. The Sankei Shinbun reported that Abe called Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya a day before the release, to deliver the order. This is seen as a political move amid strained relations between the countries. South Korea's Supreme Court ruled in recent months for two Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule. In addition, the South Korean government announced it would disband a foundation that was established according to a controversial deal on sex slaves reached between the countries in December 2015. Bilateral relations have deteriorated as Tokyo condemned the developments. The Tokyo Shimbun, citing sources, reported that Abe was angered by the disbanding of the foundation set up to carry the sex slave deal as well as the court rulings that ordered Japanese companies to compensate Korean forced labor victims. Cho Kuk, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, attends a ceremony to appoint new Supreme Court justice Kim Sang-whan at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap By Park Ji-won President Moon Jae-in's top two aides chief of staff Im Jong-seok and civil affairs senior secretary Cho Kuk will speak about Cheong Wa Dae's alleged illegal surveillance of citizens at the National Assembly today. Lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties are expected to trade barbs over the illegal surveillance claims raised by Kim Tae-woo, a former Cheong Wa Dae staffer, who is now under a corruption investigation. Opposition parties have raised political offensives against the ruling camp over Kim's claims, while Cheong Wa Dae denied them. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Kim, a prosecution investigator who has worked under the Cheong Wa Dae special inspection team three times under the administrations of Lee Myung-bak, Park Geun-hye and Moon Jae-in, is making false accusations and releasing confidential information obtained during his time at the presidential office. Cheong Wa Dae filed a criminal complaint against Kim on those charges. Kim, meanwhile, is claiming he did his job as instructed by the presidential office. If the allegation is proven to be true, it could deal a major blow to the ruling bloc as it had strongly denounced the former Park Geun-hye administration's blacklist on artists and activists critical of the government. Cho had been repeatedly asked to appear at the Assembly to be questioned by lawmakers over his job during the parliamentary audit. However, he never did so citing he was occupied with state affairs. Opposition parties, especially the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), will likely go all-out to criticize Cho for spying on citizens under his supervision. The LKP has been criticizing the presidential office, asking Cho to resign from the post to take responsibility for the controversy. The LKP has formed an investigation team to step up its criticism against the ruling camp and revealed documents obtained from Kim. However, the ruling camp is actively defending the officials of the presidential office that the allegation is part of a political attack by the opposition camp. Also likely on the table are questions related to an alleged "blacklist" made by Kim that lists the names of executives at public firms under the supervision of the environmental ministry to manage the figures who worked for former administrations. The list, released by the main opposition LKP last week, outlined whether the heads of ministry-affiliated organizations, who were appointed by previous administrations, were planning to resign or not. The LKP claimed the Moon Jae-in administration made the list to force the heads to step down and appoint those close to the current administration to the posts. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), however, claimed that "A human resource document is not always a blacklist." The footage provided by Japan's defense ministry on what it claims was the South Korean Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer's operation of a fire-control radar on a Japanese warplane. / Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun Relations between South Korea and Japan are going from bad to worse after Tokyo released footage last week of its warplane flying over a South Korean naval destroyer conducting a rescue mission in the East Sea. South Korea immediately protested the "act of threat" by a Japanese plane in international waters and the video release. This case is becoming a new source of diplomatic tension between the two countries, which have been in a growing feud in recent months over historical issues. Some observers say the new row represents a rift in military cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo over Pyongyang. The controversy is being fueled as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reported to have ordered the release of the video. Japan's Ministry of Defense on Friday released a video clip of its Maritime Self-Defense Force P-1 patrol aircraft. Missouri Gov. Michael Parson hates gays and hates democracy harder to toughen standards for protecting drinking water from certain toxic chemicals. In line with other Republicans leaving office and crapping all over the governors' offices, Snyder signed a bill requiring Democratic Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer to justify new stricter regulations and as a capper he signed a law making it harder for groups to put proposals on the statewide ballot by limiting to 15% the number of proposition signatures from any congressional district. That's aimed to limit the power of voters in Detroit-- and a lesser extent in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Dearborn and Kalamazoo-- to get proposals onto the ballot. And Snyder isn't the only Republican trying to limit the ability of voters to go around the gerrymandered Republican legislatures to make laws. On Friday, the Associated Press reported that Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder had signed and vetoed loads of bills on one of his last days in office. He signed a phony environmental cleanup bill that will actually make itto toughen standards for protecting drinking water from certain toxic chemicals. In line with other Republicans leaving office and crapping all over the governors' offices, Snyder signed a bill requiring Democratic Gov.-elect Gretchen Whitmer to justify new stricter regulations and as a capper he signed a law making it harder for groups to put proposals on the statewide ballot by limiting to 15% the number of proposition signatures from any congressional district. That's aimed to limit the power of voters in Detroit-- and a lesser extent in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Flint, Dearborn and Kalamazoo-- to get proposals onto the ballot. And Snyder isn't the only Republican trying to limit the ability of voters to go around the gerrymandered Republican legislatures to make laws. Associated Press also ran a piece about the right-wing kook who took over as governor of Missouri when Eric Greitens was forced to resign. Lt. Gov. Michael Parson was an extreme right member of the legislature from 2005 until last year. Well known in the gay community as a homophobic fanatic , Parson is also a corrupt shitbag. And everyone in the state knows it since his former chief of staff revealed that he proposed legislation for lobbyists who paid him off. He has been accused numerous times of taking "gifts" from lobbyists who have business with the state. One state legislator who knows him well told me that Parson is the "embodiment of corruption... He's the most crooked politician in [Missouri]." A firm believer in austerity for the citizens of his state, the first things he did as Lt. Governor was to approve a $54,000 remodeling and renovation budget for his office, request a $125,000 increase to his $463,000 budget, which included $35,000 to reimburse himself for travel expenses. On top of that he demanded $10,000 for out-of-state travel and then an additional $25,000 to pay for a personal driver. Now he's trying to repeal a voter-approved constitutional amendment to establish nonpartisan redistricting for the state legislature and is pushing for an opportunity to make it harder for Missouri citizens to get proposals onto the ballot. First let's look at Amendment 1-- the redistricting initiative that also deals with lobbying and campaign finance reform. The results were not at all ambiguous and horrified Parson. The amendment requires a state demographer and a non-partisan commission to consider specific criteria in drawing legislative districts, including partisan fairness and competitiveness, contiguousness, and compactness. It also forbids the state Legislature from passing laws allowing for unlimited campaign contributions to candidates for the state legislature and establishes campaign contribution limits for legislative candidates and their committees for a single election cycle to $2,500 per person to a state Senate candidate and $2,000 per person to a state House candidate. The measure prohibits making or accepting contributions using a fake name, using the name of another person, or through another person to conceal the actual donor's identity. It also requires legislators and legislative employees to wait 2 years after the conclusion of the legislative session before they can become paid lobbyists. On top of that, it prohibits legislators and legislative employees from accepting gifts from lobbyists in excess of $5. Amendment 1 almost sounds like a personal rebuke to Parson, who is now working to overturn it, something likely to help elect a Democratic governor of the state in 2020. He seems certain he knows better than the 62% of voters who passed it. Beyond that, Parson said in an interview with The Associated Press, it may also be time to raise the bar for initiative petitions to appear on the ballot. The Republican governor acknowledges that neither of those things may sound good to voters. "Fundamentally, you think when the people vote you shouldn't be changing that vote," Parson told the AP. "But the reality of it is that is somewhat what your job is sometimes, if you know something's unconstitutional, if you know some of it's not right." ... An AP analysis found the formula is likely to increase Democrats' chances of winning elections and cut into Republicans' supermajorities in the state House and Senate. The measure doesn't change congressional redistricting, which is handled by state lawmakers. Repealing it would require a new measure to be placed before voters... Republican legislative leaders also have said they may consider changes to Amendment 1 during the session that starts Jan. 9. Despite Republican legislative efforts to hold up the Florida ballot initiative that will allow ex-felons to vote, local election officials said last week they will begin adding voters to the rolls in January, including those who have served time for felonies. Amendment 4 automatically restores the right to vote for people with prior felony convictions-- except for murder or a sexual offense-- upon completion of their sentences, including prison, parole, and probation. Governor-elect Ron DeSantis and the Republican legislature have been trying to figure out a way to kill it. It affects more than a million and a half Floridians and is expected to help Democrats even up the gerrymandered state legislative districts a bit. It's likely that in 2020 the new voters will help Democrats defeat Michael Waltz (FL-06), Ross Spano (FL-15), Vern Buchanan (FL-16) and Brian Mast (FL-18) and is likely to also jeopardize the 2020 reelection efforts of Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), Ted Yoho (FL-03), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) and Bill Posey (FL-08). As for the 29 electoral votes Florida has in presidential elections... Liberty Revisited by Nancy Ohanian By Andrew Hammond As 2018 transitions into 2019, attention is turning to the wide range of key national elections in the next 12 months. These span the globe from Asia-Pacific to the Americas, and will have potentially big impacts for domestic politics, economics, and international relations well into the 2020s. In Asia-Pacific, there is an Indian and Australian general election, an Indonesian presidential ballot, a national election in the Philippines, plus an Afghan presidential ballot (unless the latter is delayed because of security concerns). Perhaps most eye catching will be the Indian election, with 850 million people eligible to vote, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a landmark second term of governmental office against the Indian Congress Party under the dynastic leadership of Rahul Gandhi who is the son, grandson and great grandson of previous prime ministers. In Europe, there is a European Parliament election, Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary ballots, a Greek parliamentary ballot, plus a significant possibility of a snap U.K. Brexit-related general election. The ballot for the European Parliament, which has the ultimate say in selecting in 2019 the replacement for Jean Claude Juncker as the new European Commission president, is likely to be center stage across the continent and will be the first such election where there are scheduled to be no British representatives returned to office since the early 1970s when the United Kingdom joined the Brussels-based club. There are growing concerns within mainstream, centrist European parties that populists will poll strongly. If so, this would build on the results from five years ago, which saw Euroskeptics prospering, including the far-right National Front and the United Kingdom Independence Party, finishing first in France and the U.K., respectively. In the Middle East and North Africa, there is an Israeli general election, a Tunisian parliamentary and presidential ballot, and a UAE legislative election. Many eyes will be on the Israeli ballot with the possibility that Binyamin Netanyahu could win a new mandate and become the first prime minister in Israeli history to win five terms in office. In Africa, there are general elections in South Africa and also Nigeria, two of the continent's key countries, plus a presidential ballot in Algeria, and a general election in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In South Africa, the BRICS and G20 state, a key question will be the degree to which voters abandon the African National Congress, which has governed the nation since 1994, for opposition parties. In the Americas, there is a Canadian general election, and an Argentinian presidential election. The latter is being closely watched to see if Mauricio Macri can win a second term given that his public approval ratings have sunk as Argentina's economic woes have mounted. While the exact statistical outcome of these ballots is uncertain, what is far surer is that foreign political consultants will be working behind the scenes in many of these countries trying to steer candidates to success. It is estimated that U.S. consultants, alone, have already worked in more than half of the countries in the world. In 2018, that tally will only grow as firms reach out to more uncharted international territory. Indeed, originating in the United States, political campaigning has become a mini-industry driven by the potentially significant rewards on offer. For instance, it is estimated by the U.S. Center for Responsive Politics that the overall cost of the 2018 U.S. congressional elections was over $5 billion, the costliest ever. Of that massive sum, consultants earned a significant slice for their services, including polling, campaign strategy, telemarketing, digital advice, and producing advertisements. While the success, internationally, of this army of consultants is mixed, the phenomenon has had a lasting impact, prompting what some have called the globalization of politics. However, in the eyes of critics it is an international triumph of spin over substance that has tended to promote more homogenous campaigns with a repetitive, common political language. A key underlying premise is that the technologies and tactics of the consultants can achieve success just about anywhere. Thus, many foreign countries are sometimes deemed as mere international counterparts of U.S. election battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Florida. What started, in the 1960s and 1970s, as international elections and campaigning work soon branched out into providing more foreign governments, leaders and bodies such as tourism and investment authorities with international communications advice and ultimately what is now known as "country branding." Country branding is founded on the realization that, in an overcrowded global information market place, countries and political leaders are, in effect, competing for the attention of investors, tourists, supranational organizations, non-government organizations, regulators, media and consumers. In some cases, a single damaging episode can fundamentally damage a country's standing, as China found after Tiananmen Square. Other countries may simply wish to promote an opportunity based on a specific single goal, such as wanting to attract more foreign direct investment or increasing tourism as the "Incredible India" campaign illustrates. Looking to the future, demand for elections, communications and branding advice may only grow. Indeed, globe-trotting firms may be on the threshold of some of the most challenging work they have yet encountered with so many key ballots across the world in 2019. Andrew Hammond ( ) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. Sixteen years into the scandal of clergy sex abuse within the Roman Catholic Church, the horrors of these crimes still shock and disgust Americans. The exploitation of children, adolescents and adults by authority figures they had been taught to trust is reprehensible. We've written often of the lax, arguably criminal behavior of some local bishops and other church officials who shrouded grave misconduct in secrecy and didn't share reports of abuses with civil authorities. In August a report from Pennsylvania's attorney general cataloged 70 years of such cases in that state. Attorney General Lisa Madigan responded with a comparable effort in Illinois, and last Wednesday her office issued nine pages of preliminary findings about cases in this state's six dioceses. The report is a step toward the transparency that's been uneven in Illinois. The dioceses have had years to disclose credible allegations of abuse in some standardized way that's easy to comprehend, and accept. For any church officials who haven't done so, that's the urgent Job One. Yet while Madigan's document includes strong accusations, it doesn't offer a clue about which church officials allegedly fell short in which diocese, past or present. We hope the final report, whenever it emerges, will be structured to make it more useful to citizens and civil authorities going forward. We appreciate that Madigan has barely three weeks left in office, and wanted to share some fruit of her staff's work. Her successor, Kwame Raoul, has a chance to fill in the blanks. Given the severity and sweep of the accusations, the lack of specifics or evidence here leaves us yearning for more detailed information chiefly the extent to which these problems persist to this day. Among the accusations: The scope of clergy abuse of minors in Illinois is significantly more extensive than dioceses have previously reported. Dioceses often disregarded allegations by not investigating them or finding reasons not to substantiate them. Increased transparency would serve the dioceses' stated goal of holding clergy accountable and promoting healing for survivors. "Flawed processes and practices: The Illinois Dioceses' response to clergy sexual abuses is not uniform across Illinois and is often inadequate." Dioceses' processes often don't prioritize survivor healing, "particularly when conflicts of interest are present with respect to the Dioceses' own interests and liabilities." We see these findings less as new revelations than as pathways forward for the state, prosecutors and others, including the church. If bad practices persist, we want civil authorities and lawmakers to know that. While the report acknowledges that the dioceses have had different policies and practices in handling complaints, it draws no distinction between dioceses that have moved to make information public and others that evidently have not. Here's one example of why that matters: News stories about the report have focused on its finding that, over time, Illinois dioceses logged abuse complaints against some 690 clergy, with 185 of those complaints found credible. The report says that math leaves allegations involving "more than 500 clergy that the Illinois Dioceses have not shared with the public." The suggestion: Illinois could have had many more predator priests than the church wished to acknowledge. That caught our eye because of previous news coverage on the Archdiocese of Chicago's practice for some 25 years of handing every allegation to sex crimes prosecutors in the offices of the Cook and Lake County state's attorneys. (The protocol included a look-back provision giving the authorities access to earlier allegations.) If some dioceses have kept 500 accusations secret, we want to know who did so. And if some accusations haven't been shared with the public the report's phrase because criminal prosecutors decided not to take action, we want to know, too, how common that is. But that brings us to the question Madigan's report provokes but doesn't address: Should accusations that have been discredited or otherwise found lacking by law enforcement be shared with the public? In other words, it remains unclear to us how many, if any, of the 500 accused clergy should be added to the 185 already proven to have committed wrongdoing. If we may offer a suggestion to Madigan and Raoul: The final version of this report should include chapters on each of the six dioceses. Tell the people and policymakers of Illinois who has shaped up and who currently is flouting church regulations or civil oversight. That's what all of us need to know. We're acquainted with victims of clergy abuse, and we'll perpetually condemn what they've suffered and their perpetrators. If the attorney general can supplement our anger by giving us metrics or other information that clarifies the past and present scope of this scandal, good. But if it makes no distinction among locales, church officials and their failings, and doesn't offer some evidence of what is or isn't happening today, the final report won't much help Illinois law enforcement and lawmakers decide what, if anything, to do next. The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Japan should stop raising tension over radar spat Japan has gone too far in claiming that a South Korean naval destroyer targeted its Maritime Self-Defense Force's patrol plane with fire-control radar Dec. 20. It is difficult to understand why Tokyo has been overreacting to the radar spat, which happened in international waters in the East Sea while the 3,200-ton Gwanggaeto the Great destroyer was involved in a rescue operation of a North Korean fishing boat in distress. It is also regrettable to see the incident turning into a military and diplomatic conflict between the two countries. The radar row is adding fuel to the fire in bilateral ties that have already become frayed since the Supreme Court of Korea ruled recently in favor of forced labor victims under 1910-45 Japanese rule. Relations have also deteriorated due to the Seoul government's decision to disband a Tokyo-funded foundation to help wartime sex slavery victims. The decision has virtually nullified a controversial 2015 agreement between the two countries to settle the "comfort women" issue. Against this backdrop, Japan has continued to raise the radar issue, alleging that what the Korean warship did was tantamount to a hostile act just one step away from actual firing. The nationalist Shinzo Abe government has aggravated the situation further by releasing on Friday a 13-minute video footage showing the operation of its P-1 patrol plane. The purpose of the release was to back up Japan's claim that the Korean destroyer repeatedly locked its targeting radar on the aircraft. But the Ministry of National Defense of South Korea rejected the claim, expressing "deep concerns and regrets" over the unilateral release of the video clip. We now cannot help questioning Tokyo's real intention of making pubic the video footage, which does not appear to be objective evidence proving the destroyer's "hostile" act. The release came a day after the two sides held a working-level video conference to discuss the matter. The video release only undermined Seoul's effort to find a solution through dialogue. According to some Japanese media reports, Prime Minister Abe ordered the release of the footage, despite a cautious approach recommended by Japan's defense ministry. If that is true, Abe cannot avoid criticism that he is trying to use the radar dispute as a political ploy to ramp up tension between Seoul and Tokyo. This criticism could hold water, considering that he badly needs to do anything he can to divert attention from his government's falling approval rating. The video clip proved only that the Japanese patrol plane was flying about 150 meters above the South Korean warship. It showed that the plane carrying missiles and torpedoes could be seen as posing a threat to the destroyer, which was involved in a humanitarian search-and-rescue mission. Tokyo cannot justify its aircraft's low-altitude flight, which was threatening to the destroyer and also could have hampered the rescue operation. Japan should release its analysis of the radar frequency that could verify whether the Korean destroyer aimed its fire-control radar at the Japanese plane or not. Authorities should set up better security system The government has come under fire for failing to prevent hackers from stealing personal information of nearly 1,000 North Korean defectors. In a word, this data theft was the direct result of a lack of proper information security measures to protect those who escaped from North Korea seeking a better life here. According to the Ministry of Unification, the names, birthdates and addresses of 997 defectors from the North were leaked last month when a personal computer at the Hana Center in North Gyeongsang Province was infected with malware. There are 25 Hana Centers across the country helping North Korean defectors smoothly settle in South Korean society after they complete a three-month re-education program at Hanawon. It goes without saying that Hana Centers should be equipped with watertight security to protect privacy of defectors. The reason is because if their confidential personal information is leaked, they could face a serious threat to their lives, apparently from the brutal North Korean regime, and put their family members still living in the North at risk. For this reason, the government should have paid more attention to cybersecurity measures for Hana Centers affiliated with the unification ministry. However, the authorities have so far failed to establish a proper security framework to safeguard defectors' information. The data leak only demonstrated how poorly the government has managed sensitive information of those who might be vulnerable to possible retaliation by the North for their defection to the South. It is the first such massive information leak involving North Korean defectors. The ministry said it carried out an on-site probe Dec. 19, two days after officials learned of the leak, in cooperation with the center and the provincial government. It immediately notified the affected defectors of the leak. There have been no reports of damage. But the case should be dealt with more seriously and carefully. Most of all, the authorities should conduct a thorough investigation to find the data thieves and whether they are connected with North Korea. And then they need to apply stricter security rules and strengthen oversight to better protect North Korean defectors whose number is estimated at around 30,000. By Tong Kim The South and the North held a joint ceremony recently in Gaeseong, declaring a renewed agreement to undertake an ambitious railway linking and modernization project to bring about mutual economic benefits, consolidate their peace efforts and hopefully contribute to the process of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. The event reflected Seoul's symbolic determination to implement inter-Korean agreements wherever possible, as it was agreed to have a groundbreaking ceremony by the end of 2018. This project was one of the several elements of agreement in the Panmunjeom and Pyongyang summit declarations along with denuclearization. President Moon Jae-in has envisioned an East Asia railway initiative that will link a trans-Korean Peninsula rail to a transcontinental system in conjunction with Russian and Chinese railways. However, actual work for the project that includes a further survey of the rail conditions of the North and a joint modernization plan will not begin unless the South is granted special waivers from the sanctions that prohibit shipment to the North materials needed for the rail project. The South has funds, technology as well as the political will to help the North in this regard. The North has land and manpower. The bottom line is any South Korean assistance is simply not possible under the current sanctions regime, with which Seoul says it is committed to comply. In other words, the North is unable to get any economic aid whether through the reopening of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex or resumed tourism to Mount Geumgang other than limited aid on humanitarian grounds, unless the sanctions are lifted, which in turn will not happen unless measurable progress is made in denuclearization. While U.S. President Donald Trump still wants to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in January or February, his advisers and other foreign policy elites in Washington seem to believe sanctions are the only tool that works and that they can rely on. Some of them are concerned he might settle for a partial, not "complete," denuclearization. Trump being the way he is unconventional, inconsistent and impulsive, nobody knows what Trump might do in the end. Trump's foreign policy is based on the simplistic economic terms of "America first," ready to discard all the norms of trade and security apparatus that the United States has spearheaded since the end of World War II. At times Trump is seen willing to undermine traditional U.S. alliances, if they are not willing to pay for their shares of the burden. Or abandoning the role of international police in the name of burden sharing. Not to mention the role of the world's leader of democracy or freedom rooted in American values. There is no international law or providence that there should be a unipolar world under American supremacy. History is not a guide because there never was a president like Donald Trump. To everyone's surprise, he may turn out to be an innovative or inventive president who may end up resolving the intractable North Korean issue and more sources of trouble around the world that no other U.S. presidents were able to resolve. Trump's inaugural statement two years ago that he does want to impose an American system on other nations may resonate well in North Korea and other autocracies, who oppose foreign powers' interference in their internal affairs. The question is whether the world is ready for such a sharp shrinkage of the American role. As seen in Trump's decision to pull out of Syria, he is capable of making decisions, overruling his advisers' objections. He fires his secretaries and advisers whose views are "not aligned with his views." The departure of Defense Secretary James Mattis, in addition to the firing of former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other big shots, should not cause concerns that Trump's impulsiveness or his recklessness might trigger another security crisis. Now he is two years in office, with a steady base of support in the electorate. Both Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton seem fully supportive of Trump's success with North Korea. Even if they may not agree with him, neither of them will be likely to resign in protest. In conclusion, it will all depend on Trump, who has been successfully keeping the nuclear drama in suspense thus far. Eventually, a breakthrough can only come through either Trump's decision to lift sanctions or a new set of Kim's unilateral initiatives to denuclearize the North. Kim has more room to make the next positive move such as freezing nuclear missile production activities. Until then, the show of a standoff is bound to continue. Tong Kim (tong.kim8@yahoo.com) is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Corean-American Studies. Hyundai Motor North America Headquarters CEO Lee Yong-woo, right, shakes hands with Todd Hochrad while handing over the Nexo fuel-cell SUV at Keyes Hyundai dealership in Van Nuys, California, Friday (local time). Hochrad, a retired engineer interested in the environment, became the first buyer of the eco-friendly vehicle in the U.S. / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor By Park Jae-hyuk Ebadom, a Korean restaurant franchise specializing in "gamjatang," spicy pork spine stew, is in the hot seat for online ads that feature "geisha," Japanese women who entertain men through traditional art, dance and singing, according to industry officials, Sunday. The franchiser said it was not involved in making the controversial ads, claiming its U.S. partner solely made them without consultation. But Koreans living here and abroad cast doubts on the company's hidden intention behind the ads. The ads featuring Asian women wearing Japanese traditional costume and makeup included phrases, "Ebadom Jeju Island Korean BBQ" and "Geisha Sushi & Steak House," a Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas that formed a partnership with Ebadom for its U.S. expansion. A Korean news outlet wrote an article recently about the controversial ads, and angry Koreans began criticizing the restaurant franchise for using the image of Japan to promote Korean food. Japanese internet users also began ridiculing Korea after reading the article. Amid the growing controversy, Ebadom issued a statement. "Geisha House, a Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas run by a Korean-American for 40 years, is our partner that established a joint venture with us," the company said in the statement. "The controversial ads were made to promote Geisha House, and the restaurant used our name without consultation." Claiming it was never involved in making the ads, Ebadom said it is considering taking strict measures against the untruthful report, for its investors, franchisees and customers. The company added its U.S. subsidiary will open Chosun Hwaro Korean BBQ in February. Korean consumers, however, said the explanation is nonsense as the franchiser claims it has never paid attention to its partner's ads. A "Yellow vest" (gilets jaunes) anti-government demonstrator holds up the French flag as he stands infront of a fire during protests in the western French city of Bordeaux on Dec. 29. Police fired tear gas at "yellow vest" demonstrators but the turnout for round seven of the popular protests that have rocked France appeared low. The yellow vests movement originally started as a protest about planned fuel hikes but has morphed into a mass protest against President's policies and top-down style of governing. AFP Protestors stand in a cloud of tear gas during a yellow vest anti-government demonstration on Dec. 29 in Nantes, western France. AFP Police fired tear gas at "yellow vest" demonstrators in Paris on Saturday but the turnout for round seven of the popular protests that have rocked France appeared low. Several hundred people wearing the symbolic hi-visibility vests had gathered near the offices of several state-run television stations and the BFM TV channel in the centre of the capital shouting "Fake news" and calling for the resignation of President Emmanuel Macron. Protesters spilled onto tram lines and lobbed projectiles at police who replied with tear gas grenades and detained several people. Several cars were also set alight outside the offices of the Le Parisien newspaper, although a fire service spokesman said it was not clear if the blaze was linked to the protests. Tear gas was also fired in Nantes, western France, and protests were expected in Lyon, Bordeaux and Toulouse. In the southern city of Marseille, police said 900 protesters turned out, amid cries of "Macron out". People march during a yellow vest anti-government demonstration in the northern city of Lille on Dec. 29. AFP The official turnout numbers have plunged with the passing weeks. The government recorded 38,600 demonstrators on December 22 compared to 282,000 for the first major demonstrations on November 17. But leading figures within the movement that has flourished outside of trade union and political groups, say the low numbers are due to the holiday season and January will bring a resurgence of the street protests. The focus of the protests has morphed from anger over fuel taxes to a broad rebuke of Macron, accused by critics of neglecting the rising costs of living for many in rural and small-town France. "We want to get our purchasing power back and have a say in the decisions," said Priscillia Ludosky, who launched the yellow vest petition against fuel price hikes. Government tax concessions to boost disposable income among the low paid "are not enough", Ludosky said in Marseille. The movement has increasingly targeted Macron and 40 "yellow vests" on Thursday tried to storm the medieval fort of Bregancon that serves as his official summer retreat on the Mediterranean before being turned back by police. Die-hard yellow vest supporters believe the movement will live on in 2019 and plans are underway for New Year's Eve protests. Nearly 8,000 people are listed on Facebook as intending to attend, insisting it will be "festive and non-violent". Paris officials said preparations would continue for a fireworks display and sound and light show on the Champs-Elysee, the epicentre of repeated violent action against the government, with the Arc de Triomphe ransacked on December 1. Tens of thousands of tourists and locals traditionally ring in the new year on the wide shopping boulevard, which rises to the Arc monument. (AFP) The first sign of trouble was the ever-extended launch date. One customer of space tourism firm Xcor Aerospace Inc. thought his flight would come in 2011. Nael Hamameh expected 2015 to be the year he would finally achieve his childhood dream of going to space, having paid Xcor $100,000 for a ticket. For the record: A previous version of this story misspelled Sabine Daniels van der Sluis last name. But 2015 came and went. After hearing no word of progress, Hamameh asked for a refund. Xcor told him it would try to find someone else to buy his ticket by the end of 2017, but at the least, he would receive $35,000. Then, it all came crashing down in November 2017, when Xcor filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The story of Xcor and its ticket holders 282 of them, as of the most recent count is a cautionary tale for the space tourism age. In purchasing tickets for a brief bout of weightlessness at the fringes of space, would-be astronauts are placing the ultimate speculative bet. None of the space vehicles developed by the two major players, Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, are fully operational yet. But some tourism firms have collected money upfront; Virgin Galactics price is as much as $250,000. Advertisement In the case of Xcor, the bet came up snake eyes. Its aspiring astronauts have been left grounded, wondering whether theyll get a portion of their ticket price back. Steve Jones, 43, applied to be a creditor in Xcors bankruptcy case but has since learned he would not receive any funds. The ticket holder hired a lawyer, David Keesling, about a year and a half ago. Keesling said in an interview in November that there is some slim chance that funds could be recovered, but the number of entities involved in the case complicates the process. Is there a possibility? Sure, Keesling said. Is there a probability? I cant tell you today that it is; I cant tell you that its not. Its easy to file a lawsuit. Its not necessarily easy to collect. Jones, a commercial pilot who lives in Tulsa, Okla., said scraping together the money for the Xcor ticket was a sacrifice. I live in an apartment. I dont drive the newest car, he said. Thats a lot of money. Youre talking kids college or buying a house. Hamameh, 37, said news of Xcors bankruptcy was disheartening. I was very disappointed, but not because of the money, said Hamameh, the chief executive of a French internet start-up. Because of the dream that will never come true. 90 seconds of weightlessness When Xcor unveiled its plans for the two-seat Lynx space plane in 2008 at a press conference in Beverly Hills, company officials estimated flight tests would begin in 2010. They said the vehicle could eventually fly tourists to space up to four times a day. Flights would reach an altitude of about 38 miles above the Earth below the height that the U.S. military and Federal Aviation Administration consider to be the edge of space, but high enough that passengers would feel 90 seconds of weightlessness. The Mojave-based company was founded by Jeff Greason, Aleta Jackson, Doug Jones and Dan DeLong, who had worked together at a now-defunct reusable rocket company. That company had planned to send a 63-foot-tall, thumb-shaped vehicle to space that would return to Earth via a giant propeller. Xcor eventually raised at least $19.2 million, according to Crunchbase, a platform that tracks fundraising. Customers who wanted to be among the first 100 people to ride the Lynx paid $100,000 upfront, while others who chose to wait could pay in installments. By 2011, NASA lent the firm a measure of credibility when it announced its intent to hire Xcor to carry experiments into space. At the time, the company was seen as the main competitor to British billionaire Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic, which had also set up shop at the Mojave Air and Space Port. The companies took very different approaches to the challenge of reaching space. Virgin Galactic uses a twin-fuselage carrier aircraft to hoist a space plane known as SpaceShipTwo up to a high altitude; it releases the smaller craft, which ignites its own rocket motor to blast into space. Earlier this month, the company reached space with its SpaceShipTwo vehicle for the first time on a test flight. Using another vehicle or booster to propel a crew craft to space is considered a much more traditional approach, said Sonya McMullen, assistant professor of aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. But Xcor would have the Lynx climb all the way up under its own power. They really took the hard technological approach to the same problem, McMullen said. Looking good on paper As development proceeded on the Lynx, the company wooed potential customers. Steve Jones, left, was a ticket holder for Xcors Lynx suborbital space plane, pictured here in 2016 (Steve Jones) A major draw for Cyril Bennis, 70, was the private flight, with just him and a pilot. Virgin Galactics space plane can seat eight people, including the two pilots. Bennis has wanted to go to space since meeting NASA astronaut John Glenn as a child in Ireland. He did some training on his own, including experiencing G-forces at the commercial National Aerospace Training and Research Center outside Philadelphia to make sure he could handle the trip. Then in 2008, he paid the $100,000 ticket price. The vision Xcor had at that time, obviously on paper, looked very good, said Bennis, a retired resident of Stratford-upon-Avon in the U.K., who served as that citys mayor and worked in the hotel business. It had good, established people around it. Bennis and other would-be space tourists trekked to Mojave several times to visit the companys Lynx production facility, view prototypes and chat with staff. On one particular trip, the group underwent jet fighter training, which Bennis described as a great thrill. We were never any wiser, he said. There was never any doubt in our minds any inkling that there was a problem within the company. But behind the scenes, Xcor was finding it had underestimated the complexity of the Lynxs development and the funding needed to pull it off. I think we had a really good ship, recalled Dale Amon, a former senior engineer at Xcor responsible for working on the electronics, data and software in the Lynxs cockpit. But things always take longer and cost more than you expect, so you have to keep fundraising until youre done. Greason, Xcors CEO, was replaced in 2015 by Jay Gibson, a former Beechcraft Corp. executive who had previously served as assistant secretary of the U.S. Air Force. A year later, the company shelved Lynx development and turned its focus to a contract to build an upper-stage rocket engine for United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. that launches national security satellites for the U.S. government. That was the companys most promising near-term source of revenue. That same year, Xcor laid off about half of its 50- to 60-person workforce, including Amon. In January 2017, Xcor executives sent a letter to ticket holders, pledging the delay in no way diminishes our will and actions to finish building the Lynx and start the flight test phase. For now, we are unable to share a reasonable time frame for your anticipated space flight, wrote Gibson and Tom Burbage, president of the board of directors. This rankled Hamameh, the French internet entrepreneur. He purchased his Xcor ticket using a significant amount of funds reaped from the sale of his social media marketing agency. Even before the January letter, he was pushing the company for a refund. I said, Guys, it has been one year late; you are making no progress, Hamameh said. Search for a white knight Xcor was counting on funds from the ULA contract, but that ran out abruptly. Without mentioning ULA by name, Gibson told a Senate committee hearing last year that Xcor had thought it had a funding commitment from the prime contractor on a propulsion project through the year and beyond. But Xcor was told the contract was terminated with less than 30 days notice, Gibson said during his confirmation hearing to be deputy chief management officer of the Defense Department. Gibson left Xcor in June 2017, less than two weeks after his nomination was announced. Xcor board member Michael Blum was named acting chief executive. Gibson was later promoted to chief management officer at the Pentagon but resigned in November. The Wall Street Journal reported prior to Gibsons resignation that he was forced out for a lack of performance. An attempt to reach him through LinkedIn was unsuccessful. In July 2017, Blum sent an email to the aspiring space tourists, saying in the coming weeks and months, we hope to share the news of new partners and capital sources to support our business. But on his third or fourth day on the job, Blum said, he was forced to terminate all remaining employees. The company had run out of money and was unable to make payroll due to the loss of the ULA contract. An early Xcor customer himself, Blum insists a customer liaison representative was in touch with him regularly throughout 2016 and into the next year, making the January 2017 letter a disappointment but no surprise. I had held out hope that a white knight could be found, even in a distressed sale of the company, he said in a LinkedIn message in October. This did not materialize. A dream grounded News of the bankruptcy devastated Sabine Daniels van der Sluis, 39, an Amsterdam resident who won an Xcor ticket through a contest sponsored by a shopping rewards program. To prepare for her trip, she had been strapped into a motion-training simulator in the Netherlands for about three minutes to experience the type of G-forces she would encounter in space. A subsequent medical check proclaimed her good to go. She thought she would fly by 2014. This was a prize of a million lifetime opportunities, she said. I work part time, and I thought, well, if I do go to space I was trying to maybe give lectures in schools or try to do something with it. After the bankruptcy filing, some Xcor customers asked what had happened to the $35,000 that was part of their deposits but supposed to be kept separate in an escrow account and refunded in the event of an incident like the bankruptcy. A number were unsuccessful in connecting with or getting answers from Intertrust Group, the organization they said oversaw those escrow accounts. A spokesman for Intertrust Group, a corporate management group based in the Netherlands, said in an email that when there is an escrow agreement in place, Intertrust will execute according to whats been defined in that escrow agreement. The spokesman said he could not provide any further detail. U.S. Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee Jeffrey Vetter referred questions about the Xcor customers escrow accounts to the Justice Department. A Justice Department spokeswoman said in a November email that information about the escrow accounts was not of the public record in this pending matter. Milan Karki, 41, is a ticket holder for Xcors Lynx suborbital space plane. He is pictured here in Xcors Mojave hangar in 2016. (Milan Karki) Ticket holder Milan Karki, 41, did receive $34,500 from the escrow account. He reached out to Intertrust in May and received the funds in September, after Intertrust said there was an escrow account with his name. He purchased his ticket in 2013. I had lost hope, said the New York resident and management consultant. Hes using the funds to buy property for his parents in their homeland of Nepal. Bennis plans to go to Amsterdam to meet Intertrust officials face-to-face and get answers on behalf of the group. It was felt the plug was pulled, and we were left to our own devices, he said. Bennis and Jones have not given up hope of achieving spaceflight. Each talks about trying to get a spot on a future Blue Origin suborbital flight. I think the technology that has come forward, and [with the] extraordinary amount of talented people who are working behind the scenes, theres got to be a future in suborbital space, Bennis said. I want it to come in my lifetime. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com Twitter: @smasunaga The scene of the bomb attack (Photo: AFP/VNA) The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to conduct citizen protection, support treatment for the injured and facilitate conditions for their relatives to come Egypt to perform relevant procedures. Vietnam strongly condemns the terror act that killed and injured many Vietnamese nationals. Vietnam requests Egyptian authorities to carry out an inspection to look for and mete out fitting punishment to attackers, the ministrys spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said. She said on December 29th that Vietnam highly appreciates cooperation from the government and people of Egypt in helping treatment and citizen protection for the Vietnamese victims. Vietnam calls on countries to join hands to fight terrorism to ensure the peaceful life and safe travelling for citizens across around the world, she added. Earlier, the MoFA contacted the Egyptian Embassy in Vietnam, proposing granting emergency visas to relatives of the victims, in order to help them to come Egypt soon to solve interests of the victims. The Ministry also instructed the Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt to continue keeping close watch on the situation and work closely with local authorised agencies to ensure legitimate rights of Vietnamese citizens. Three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian were killed in Egypt when a roadside bomb blast hit their tour bus near the world-famous Giza pyramids at 18:15 of December 28th (Egypt time). There were 18 people on the bus at that time, including 15 Vietnamese tourists and three Egyptians, said the Vietnamese Embassy in Egypt. Of the 12 Vietnamese injuries, 10 are seriously injured and being treated in hospital./. For the members of Sons of the Desert, the recent release of Stan & Ollie is akin to a new Star Wars episode for armchair Jedis. Sons of the Desert is the official international appreciation society celebrating the lives and films of the comedy team Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Members are ecstatic this holiday season about Stan & Ollie, starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly in the title roles. Who would have thought in 2018, when Laurel and Hardy have long been off the pop culture radar, that a major motion picture with a heralded cast would be produced about the duo? A dozen members of A Haunting We Will Go, one of the august but irreverent organizations 100-plus global chapters or as members call them, tents donned fezzes or signature derbies in honor of the Boys to attend the films North American premiere last month at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Hollywood based A Haunting We Will Go tent member Diana Wright poses with actor John C. Reilly, who plays Oliver Hardy in the movie "Stan and Ollie' at the movie premiere's after-party, Nov 14, 2018. Ray Karch Everyone was absolutely thrilled, reports Ray Karch, the tents grand sheik. John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan created such a powerful illusion that we all felt we actually saw Stan and Ollie on screen, and it was truly wonderful to have that magical feeling again. But then again, who would have thought that the Sons of the Desert formed in 1965 to perpetuate the spirit and genius of Laurel and Hardy, according to the groups constitution would still be around to offer fans of the comedy team a safe space to enjoy their G-rated humor in the company of kindred spirits? Certainly not Orson Bean, the last surviving founder. Not for a moment could I imagine the Sons of the Desert would still be around, he said with a laugh in a phone interview. I am astonished. Laurel and Hardy, fortuitously partnered by producer Hal Roach, made just over 100 shorts and features as a team. Sons of the Desert takes its name from their 1933 feature one of their best which finds Laurel and Hardy as members of the titular fraternal organization who lie to their wives about attending its annual convention (unlike the movie, wives indeed all women are welcome to join). The founders included John McCabe, author of the seminal 1961 biography Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy, Bean, cartoonist Al Kilgore, comedian Chuck McCann and John Municino. It is said when the legend becomes fact, print the legend; the founding of the Sons of the Desert has at least two. I loved them as a kid, and when I became a stand-up comic, I used to study them, Bean recalled. I bought a 16-millimeter projector and I invited friends to watch [their films]. I think it was Chuck who said that Laurel and Hardy were underappreciated, so we said, Lets form this club. We got together once a month, got drunk, and watched Laurel and Hardy movies, which seems appropriate in this day and age . McCabe, who became friends with Laurel in 1953 after seeing him and Hardy perform onstage in England (the tour dramatized in Stan & Ollie), claimed inspiration to create Sons of the Desert came from Laurels fan mail. "His fans wished there was some way to honor Laurel and Hardy, he told the Chicago Tribune in 2005. There was nothing really to perpetuate their fame. I was determined I would have something much more than a fan club. It would be socially active and yet concerned with scholarship." Laurel himself not only gave his blessings but provided the organizations motto (Two minds without a single thought) and suggested a design for the logo, which, he joked, would lend the proceedings a half-assed dignity. Laurel died in 1965; McCabe in 2005. The Sons of the Desert constitution prescribes meetings to follow a set routine that includes several rounds of cocktails, after-dinner speeches, and toasts to Laurel, Hardy and their frequent eternally ever-popular costars, Jimmy Finlayson, Mae Busch and Charlie Hall; the screening of a Laurel and Hardy film; an after-film critique; and finally, as suggested by Laurel, All members are requested to park their camels and hire a taxi; then return for 'One for the desert'!" The Sons of the Desert have their own anthem, courtesy of the film: We are the Sons of the Desert / Having the time of our lives / Marching along, two thousand strong / Far from our sweethearts and wives / God bless them. There are 111 tents, 72 in the United States and 39 international, according to Scott MacGillivray, the groups corresponding secretary (California has the most with 13). The individual tents are led by a grand sheik (or exhausted ruler to quote a Laurel malapropism from Sons). Founded in 1967, the Way Out West tent, based in Hollywood, counts itself among the first five tents established. It has a mailing list of roughly 200 and is open to the public. Members of the Way Out West tent meet every other month at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood. The tent was established more than 50 years ago by the Sons of the Desert, the international Laurel and Hardy appreciation society. Jim Wiley Tents do things their own way, observed Jim Wiley, whose parents became members of Way Out West 44 years ago when he was 1. The group meets every other month. There are tents that do not do the toasts or sing the song, said Wiley, who remains involved with the group. Some tents are far more social, and some are far more academic. We stick pretty close to the rules for a club that has no rules. We do have an occasional guest, such as an author. We used to have people who were in the films, and they would share their memories. We have a full bar in our meeting place, but we dont emphasize the drinking. We dont follow the constitution that carefully. Another Hollywood-based tent, Hollywood Party, do the toasts proudly, notes Grand Sheik Stan Taffel, who is also president of Cinecon, an annual film festival that focuses on silent films and early talkies. From his personal film collection comes the widest breadth of Laurel and Hardy motion pictures [for screening] available, some not even available on home video, he said. Like many baby boomer Laurel and Hardy fans, he discovered the teams films on television. Brats, in which Laurel and Hardy had dual roles as their own children, was the first to make an impression on him. The year, he recalled, was 1966 B.C. (before cable), when content-starved networks tended to show Laurel and Hardy films during after-school hours. He would eventually become grand sheik of the founding tent in New York and started his own when he moved to Los Angeles in 1997. Hollywood Party meets five times a year at the Hollywood Heritage Museum. But what began as a way to honor Laurel and Hardy has evolved into a community, Taffel said. It is as much about the people who come to the meetings. I have friends all over the world because of Laurel and Hardy. Not surprisingly, he says he is more excited about Stan & Ollie than Ive been about any movie in a long time. That delights Reilly, who has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance. Growing up in Chicago, he too watched Laurel and Hardy movies after school and on Family Classics, a family film showcase. His father was a fan, and when VCRs were introduced, Sons of the Desert was one of the films in his collection, Reilly said in a phone interview. He jokingly thinks of himself as an honorary member of the organization. John C. Reilly as Oliver Hardy, left, and Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel in a scene from the movie Stan and Ollie. Aimee Spinks / Sony Pictures Classics Im definitely simpatico with them, Reilly said. [It] is testament that what Laurel and Hardy did was so profound. I love Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, and Im sure there are fan clubs [for them], but Laurel and Hardy tapped into some kind of quintessential human experience. Theyve moved everyone from little kids to Samuel Beckett. Im honored to be part of this. Wiley hopes Stan & Ollie serves to introduce a new generation to the team. Any time Laurel and Hardy are mentioned, people say, I like those guys; hey, is there still that club? and they might check it out. The films stand up; the comedy is timeless. We have members who came in as a lark and keep coming back. And there are plenty of members who own all the films; they just want to watch them and laugh with a crowd. Adds Karch, Current humor runs toward being dirty or denigrating someone. Laurel and Hardy are not mean-spirited or super violent; theyre just funny. I encourage members to bring kids to our meetings, and they laugh. In comedy, timing is everything, and at a time of seemingly unprecedented discord and fractious partisanship, Bean says the time is right for a Laurel and Hardy revival. The Titanics going down and the band is playing, he joked. And Laurel and Hardy are still making us laugh. Thank God for the Sons of the Desert. Thats whos been keeping them alive. calendar@latimes.com The fate of Paradise was cast long before a windstorm last month fueled the deadliest fire in California history. The ridge settlement was doomed by its proximity to a crack in the mighty wall of the Sierra Nevada, a deep canyon that bellowed gale-force winds. It was doomed by its maze of haphazard lanes and dead-end roads that paid no heed to escape. Infrared image (Jon Schleuss / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement It remained doomed because for all the preparations community leaders made, they practiced for tamer wildfires that frequently burned to the edge of town and stopped not a wind-driven ember storm. In the aftermath of the Camp fire 86 dead, more than 13,900 homes destroyed and Paradise decimated local and state officials said the tragedy was unforeseen and unavoidable, an unprecedented monster of fire. In truth, the destruction was utterly predictable, and the communitys struggles to deal with the fire were the result of lessons forgotten and warnings ignored. The miracle of the tragedy, local officials now concede, is how many people escaped. A Los Angeles Times investigation found that Paradise ignored repeated warnings of the risk its residents faced, crafted no plan to evacuate the area all at once, entrusted public alerts to a system vulnerable to fire, and did not sound citywide orders to flee even as a hail of fire rained down. Historical records show the Camp fire was typical of the catastrophic wind-driven fires responsible for Californias greatest wildfire losses. A state fire planning document warned in 2005 that Paradise risked an ember firestorm akin to the one that ripped through Berkeley and Oakland 14 years earlier, killing more than two dozen people and destroying more than 2,000 homes. But Paradise officials framed risk in historical terms: In 50 years, no wildfire had crossed the Feather River. Cars destroyed by the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) The roads out of Paradise gridlocked within an hour of the first evacuation order, and began moving again only by a herculean effort of firefighters, police, bureaucrats and politicians who rushed to jammed intersections to try to unsnarl the knot, the benefit of having practiced for small fires. In another three hours, hundreds of residents were trapped deep within town, cut off by flames. The town communications system was dead, as were cell towers. Police radios were crippled. People jumped from cars and fled on foot. Hundreds sought refuge in parking lots and commercial buildings never intended to be temporary shelters in a firestorm. The remains of scores of residents were found inside the homes they never left. The disaster occurred despite the fact that Paradise was proactive about preparing for fire, not just with drills and plans, but advertising its warning system, promoting pack and go preparations by residents, and even writing fire precautions into public construction projects. City leaders believed no other California community, except perhaps fire-dogged San Diego, was better prepared. National transportation planners say the towns destruction should set a new bar for emergency planners in wildfire areas, the way Hurricane Katrina reshaped evacuation planning on the Gulf Coast. But despite vows to create statewide evacuation standards after previous deadly wildfires, California has yet to take action and evacuation planning remains a local responsibility. The question is more urgent than ever after two wildfire seasons with a staggering death toll: More than 40 killed by fires in wine country, more than 20 dead from the Montecito mudslides. But experts fear the lessons will go unheeded. Memories are very short and people will soon forget how terrible Paradise was, said Michael Robinson, director of the Center for Innovative Transportation Solutions at Old Dominion University, which helps communities plan for evacuations. Or theyll think, It was terrible for Paradise, but it wont happen to me. Drone video showing charred remains of the Ridgewood Mobile Home Park after the Camp fire An imperfect place Paradise was built upon a system of volcanic ledges bisected by a fan of deep ravines emptying into the Sacramento Valley. Developers started with what had been gold mine trails and then apple orchard roads to pave a street system that maximized buildable space the way blood vessels branch into capillaries. There are nearly 100 miles of private roads that dead-end on narrow overlooks and few connector streets. For more than 38,000 people, access to the outside world came via four roads running south, down finger ridges and through forest canopy. After 2008, a forest road north was paved to provide escape for residents on the upper ridge above Paradise. On the day of the fire, the narrow winding passage jammed and was impassable. Other historic mining towns in the Sierra Nevada foothills follow similar chaotic, organic layouts. The DNA of these towns is such that theyre set up for disaster, said Zeke Lunder, a Chico-based fire specialist and geographer whose company helps private landowners and public agencies conduct prescribed burns and prepare for inevitable wildfires. The population boom for Paradise came in the 1960s and 70s. Nine out of 10 homes were built before 1990 and most were more than three decades old. Tax assessor records show that only 285 homes were built on the Paradise ridge since new fire codes went into effect in 2008. A Times analysis of assessor records and fire surveys showed those newer structures had a 13% survival rate in the Camp fire, compared with 3% for older homes. Paradise officials repeatedly told The Times they never envisioned a firestorm reaching the town. But the 2005 state fire management plan for the ridge, developed in consultation with some of those same Paradise planners, warned that canyon winds posed a serious threat to Paradise. Hospital workers and first responders evacuate patients from the Feather River Hospital as the Camp fire moves through Paradise, Calif. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) The greatest risk was an east wind fire, the document said, the same type of fire that impacted the Oakland Berkeley Hills during the Oct. 20, 1991, firestorm that killed 25 people. The plan also warned of a high potential for large damaging fires and loss of life and property in the Concow Basin beside Paradise. Heavy fuel loads, steep terrain, poor access and light flashy fuels create severe fire hazards. The increased population in this area creates a high potential for catastrophic life and property loss. Subsequent fire plans created by Butte County and Paradise officials in conjunction with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection use much less direct language. Those plans warn only of extreme fire, a step below catastrophic. Canyon wind fires are not mentioned at all. The towns vulnerability to fire was evident in 2008, first by the Humboldt fire that destroyed 87 homes west of Paradise, then a week later by a lightning storm that sparked dozens of fires to the east. Residents trying to flee were caught in massive traffic jams, flames burning on both sides of the road as they sat trapped in their cars. One person died of a heart attack. The 2008 fires primed the land around Paradise to burn again, Lunder said, leaving both dead timber and open spaces for thick grass. It was as if the gun had been cocked. A year later, the Butte County grand jury warned that the town faced disastrous consequences if it did not address the capacity limits of its roads. But Butte County supervisors and planners rejected the panels call for a halt to growth until the evacuation problem was met. The largest paper in Chico ran an editorial concluding that sufficient evacuation roads could not be built, and that those who chose to live in Paradise needed to be aware of the risk they took and be prepared to leave early. Five of the grand jurors, interviewed by The Times, said the improvements that were made paving of the forest road and straightening of another route were inadequate. They felt they had been ignored. Embers fly as wind and flames from the Camp fire tear through Paradise, Calif. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images) Among them was Walt Sipher, a Chico resident whose sister followed their parents to Paradise and remained on the ridge after they died. Sipher called his sister the morning of the Camp fire to warn her to leave. She told him she didnt need to it would be contained. Judith Sipher was typical of those who perished that day: elderly, infirm with congestive heart failure and ill in bed with the flu. She had a car but seldom drove. Walt tried driving into Paradise to fetch her, but hit blocked traffic and could not get in. He was summoned weeks later to the old Sears store in Chico to submit a saliva sample for the coroner, who was using DNA to identify the human remains found in his sisters apartment. There are a lot of folks on that ridge, and so few escape routes, Sipher said. The possibility was always on everybodys mind. You hope its not going to be that bad, but it was. Narrowing the main road out The same month the grand jury released its June 2009 report, Paradise was deep into plans to narrow its main evacuation route, Skyway. Eight pedestrians had been injured by passing cars in the narrow business district, and heavy traffic gave the strip an expressway feel. The engineering firm that designed the project said it would reduce the number of vehicles that could pass through and advised against further improvements, such as a concrete median, citing the need to remember that the road was a fire evacuation route. More than half the ridge population lived above the strip. Town recordings show a lone voice of concern at the 2014 council meeting giving final approval to the road narrowing. The main thing is fire danger, said Mildred Eselin, 88. If the council is searching for a way to diminish the population of Paradise, this would be the way to do it. City Fire Chief David Hawks pointed to Paradises plan to evacuate neighborhood by neighborhood rather than all at once. When everybody tries to evacuate at one time, thats when the bottleneck creates, Hawks said. Police officers prepare to remove human remains that were found in a car destroyed by the Camp fire in Paradise, Calif. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images) Not preparing for the worst Staggered evacuations have been at the heart of Paradise evacuation plans since 1998. An updated plan approved in March 2015 codified decisions after the 2008 fires to convert Skyway into a one-way route during emergencies, doubling its capacity for evacuations. The town practiced its plan during a 2016 drill, part of regular mock disasters, and warned residents ahead of time so they could detour if need be. Jim Broshears, the citys emergency management director during the fire and its former longtime fire chief, estimated Paradises roads could support the combined evacuation of four zones in two hours less than a fourth of the population. But city officials told The Times they had no idea how long it would take to empty the entire town. They said they never envisioned a need. We trained on what was most probable, said town engineer Marc Mattox. Planning for a firestorm would have been akin to, Is the L.A. Basin in its entirety planned for an earthquake that may devastate the L.A. Basin? Hawks said. I dont think thats realistic. Obviously, its the largest or most devastating fire in Californias history, he said. It didnt get that [way] because it was a normal event. Traffic simulation software housed at Old Dominion University and required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency for emergency plans around nuclear power plants was used by The Times to analyze Paradises roads. It showed the entire town would need eight hours for residents to leave under blue sky conditions, and more than five hours if Skyway were immediately converted to one-way traffic out. Those estimates are without a rain of embers, burning obstacles, exploding propane tanks and heat blasts that melted tires. They do not account for roads that were blocked by falling power poles and abandoned cars the day of the fire or the two hours that it took police to establish one-way traffic on Skyway. Paradise did not make use of such software. Told of The Times findings, Mattox said he would have liked to have had that information before Nov. 8. Every public works planner, every emergency planner across the country should be aware about what those types of models would say for their community, he said. Broshears, the architect of most of the towns emergency plan, and others acknowledge their plans were built around the sort of slower-moving wildfire Paradise had seen in the past. Lets all just be honest, Broshears said. We didnt have a plan that addressed a fire that would be everywhere. ...We had an evacuation plan built for a wildland fire. We had a hydrogen bomb. ... We were so overmatched. Failing to prepare for the larger disaster is hardly unique to Paradise, said former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. Flaws in such planning are so common that Fugate describes them as the deadly sins of emergency management: Practicing drills that guarantee success; assuming that plans can be scaled up when a massive disaster strikes; relying on government systems to work under pressure; failing to plan how to protect vulnerable populations, such as the elderly; and mistrusting the public, which often leads to not warning the public early enough. We plan for what were capable of, and we hope it isnt any worse, he said. Walt Scherer, who lost an earlier house to fire in the foothills of Loomis, where he was a city official, moved to Paradise in April and knew there was high fire risk. Again he lost his house. He said he was stunned when he later heard Paradises mayor answer a public question about the snarled fire evacuation by stating that enough roads could never be built to evacuate the whole town at once. Anybody in their right mind would know that the whole town was a large oak forest, and everybody was at risk, Scherer said. It was a colossal failure, he added, not to warn residents that the entire community couldnt be evacuated at once. Youve got to recognize the risk. Firebrands and embers The Feather River Canyon, where the Camp fire began, was well-known for high winds. The so-called Jarbo Gap winds rocket down the canyon from the northeast every fall, caused by high-pressure air parked over the Great Basin seeking a path through the Sierra Nevada to fill the low-pressure voids on the California coast. Graphics reporting by Paige St. John and Rong-Gong Lin II. (Jon Schleuss / Los Angeles Times) Meteorological records show 36 days since 2003 with gusts of 100 mph or more, and as high as 200 mph. Paradise sat in the path. The morning the Camp fire ignited, the drying winds had been blowing for a week. According to weather equipment atop the fire station at Jarbo Gap, the probability that a single spark would ignite a fire big enough that fire crews would be needed to put it out was 76%. The station recorded gusts of up to 52 mph hours before the fire. Rather than spreading as a flame front working its way through the forest, the Camp fire became wind-borne, lofting firebrands and embers that landed like rain. They fell on receptive fuels trees and brush stressed by several years of drought, thick grass grown during heavy spring rains and now dry. The fuels also contained stands of gray pine, notorious for spouting embers. The fire grew at a rapid clip about 4,600 acres an hour, according to a Times analysis of fire maps and satellite imagery. Town and state fire officials called the speed of the fire unprecedented. But the analysis shows other devastating California fires moved as fast, or faster. In San Diego, the Cedar fire in 2003 kindled for hours until a Santa Ana wind rolled in at midnight. By 3 a.m., the wind-driven fire had jumped a river and a reservoir and ran nearly 17 miles. In the three-hour run, the fire spread an average of more than 19,600 acres an hour. Fifteen people were killed and more than 2,200 homes destroyed. The Tubbs fire in 2017 matched the Camp in speed, roaring 12 miles in four hours into Santa Rosa, killing 22 people and eventually destroying more than 5,000 homes. As the Camp fire blew into Paradise, the same high-pressure, low-pressure gradient set up a Santa Ana wind event that pushed the Woolsey fire into Malibu. Its pace in the first three hours was 21,290 acres an hour. After the Camp fire was reported at 6:31 a.m., the wind carried embers to nearby Concow, where a mandatory evacuation order was demoted to warning status at 7:17 a.m. Fifteen minutes later, embers were setting houses in Concow on fire and the evacuation order became mandatory. In short order firefighters were trapped with residents who had no time to flee. They deployed their fire shelters. Some people jumped into a lake. The bodies of at least six people were found outside or inside their cars. No warnings In Paradise, the first order to evacuate part of the city came at 7:57 a.m., and the first report of fire at the edge of town two minutes later. Immediately there were a dozen spot fires in town. The ember storm hailed on most of the town at once. Within an hour, spot fires were spread halfway across Paradise, congealing into substantial fires in backyards and on houses. They primed Paradise for the big burn hours before the arrival of the main wildfire, creating an urban firestorm that moved horizontally house to house and left trees overhead untouched. As planned, evacuation orders began zone by zone. Calls, texts and emails were sent via CodeRed, a private service that contracted for the city and county. But interviews and records released by the city and county show the emergency warning system failed on many levels. Only a fraction of Paradise residents were signed up for the service city officials at first estimated there was no better than 30% enrollment, then later told The Times they did not have access to the subscription list. Many of the emergency alerts failed to go through CodeRed logs showed initial call failure rates of 40%, climbing to 60% as the fire progressed. Many subscribers told The Times they never received calls. A large portion of Paradise received no evacuation order before the fire. Documents released under the states Public Records Act show that three of Paradises 14 zones received only warnings not mandatory orders to leave the morning of the fire, and no notifications at all were sent to three others. The loss of fiber optic lines and cell towers shut down the warnings entirely Paradise police abandoned their dispatch center without ever sending a citywide order for other residents to flee. Most residents said they relied on word of mouth, emergency vehicles driving down their streets with loudspeakers, or the sight of flames. Get people moving now! It took only an hour for Paradise to jam so thoroughly that a sheriffs sergeant jumped on the radio, his voice urgent. Flames! he shouted. Get people moving now! The order to open all of Skyway to one-way traffic finally came, but what took 45 minutes during a mock drill required an hour under fire conditions. The road wasnt fully converted to one-way traffic until shortly after 10 a.m. By then, dispatch recordings indicate that Skyway was choked down to Chico, and entire stretches began to be lost to fire. The sheriff hasnt released the location of 25 victims. One person was transported and died at UC Davis Medical Center. Sources: Nextzen, OpenStreetMap, Butte County Sheriffs Office. Graphics reporting by Paige St. John and Rong-Gong Lin II. (Jon Schleuss / Los Angeles Times) Broshears said he was surprised by how quickly intersections became a choke point. Traffic backed up on secondary roads so solidly that motorists were trapped on dead-end streets. On one, Edgewood Lane, the bodies of five people were recovered in or just outside their cars. Firefighters were summoned to rescue burn victims at the end of another, after they attempted to flee down a horse trail. Motorists for the most part did not panic, and stayed in their slowly moving cars as the wind-driven fire shifted around them, requiring detours and double-backs and turning the 16-mile exit into a five-hour escape. By 3 p.m., seven hours into the exodus, Paradise Mayor Jody Jones said, the evacuation was complete. Graphics reporting by Paige St. John and Rong-Gong Lin II. (Jon Schleuss / Los Angeles Times) But at the north end of town, firefighters radioed reports of civilians leaving their cars and running on foot, leaving behind a blockade of abandoned vehicles. Hundreds of residents had to ride out the fire until heavy equipment arrived to bulldoze a path for buses to carry them out. Lessons from Paradise In the aftermath, local emergency leaders defended their preparations. The scale of the disaster, they said, would have been much worse had Paradise not repeatedly conducted drills. We set the goal on traffic control, said Hawks, the citys fire chief. We set the bar on evacuations. Broshears said he wants an intensive study to account for every decision that was made. He now favors a siren system that could warn everyone at once, and better plans to do what Paradise did by default shelter people in place when escape is not possible. Mattox, the town engineer, said he wanted to dispel the narrative that people died while trapped on Skyway in traffic. But he said Paradise should grade new emergency routes out of town. During the early hours of the fire, Mattox stood in the smoke directing traffic on Skyway and watched his own family pass by. He lost his home. He now struggles with the question of whether Paradise failed to heed warnings of a wind-driven fire. I dont want to say No, we werent prepared because we worked so hard, he said. And what would have been different? I just dont know. Times staff writer Jon Schleuss contributed to this report. In 1860, a young botanist raised in New York and schooled in Connecticut found himself on the payroll of the newly formed California Division of Mines and Geology. His job: Roam the vast, new state, taking samples and observations of plants and animals. Over four years journeying across California, William Brewer witnessed torrential rains that turned the Central Valley into a vast, white-capped lake; intolerable heat waves that made the fats of our meats run away in spontaneous gravy; violent earthquakes; and fires he described as great sheets of flame, extending over acres. He, like explorers, journalists and settlers before him, wondered whether people could permanently settle in California, said David Igler, a professor of history at UC Irvine. People were flabbergasted by what was happening, said Igler, referring to the droughts, floods and quakes of the mid-1800s. They wondered whether this was a place where we could even really settle and where agriculture could be maintained. Advertisement Since people first migrated across the Bering Sea and down the coast several thousand years ago, the destructive and formidable natural forces that have formed and shaped this state have been chronicled, recorded and woven into the stories, myths and practices of Californias inhabitants. And with each new wave of arrivals Native Americans, Spaniards, Russians, American explorers, as well as modern-day transplants and migrants Californians have striven to adapt to, live with, harness, prevent or subdue the environment, in an ever-evolving, and increasingly tenuous, relationship. But after this years devastating Camp and Woolsey fires, which came on the heels of the landslides in Montecito and Santa Barbara, just months after the Thomas, Tubbs and Atlas fires, it seems a ripe time to ask whether the precarious balance weve held onto for so long has finally been lost. Were finally realizing that human-centered activities have played a role in these most recent events, and that human activities are not going to be able to rectify the situation, said William Deverell, a professor of history at USC. The genies out of the bottle here, and thats terrible and terrifying. A NASA satellite image captures the 2007 firestorm in Southern California. (Los Angeles Times) Humans, the thinking goes, have so drastically altered the environment at both a global and local scale with worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, unchecked development, ecosystem damage, forest overgrowth and groundwater and surface water overusage that weve unwittingly bowled ourselves into not just a new normal, but a new era increasingly defined by destructive forces. The question is whether what were witnessing now is the latest swing in the evolving human-natural hybrid system weve been building since people first arrived a shift well adjust to, like we always have done before. Or have we truly and finally tipped the scales too far? Any way you look at the 2018 fire season, it was the most destructive on record. From the number of deaths (104) to the sheer burnt acreage (1,893,913), the devastation was unparalleled even when compared with 2017, when fires led to 47 deaths and burned 1,381,405 acres. And that was on the heels of the 2007 and 2008 seasons, which were, until 2017, the worst known. At first glance, it is hard to think someone hasnt stepped on the gas, propelling our fate off a cliff. Such sentiment, however, is not new. As far back as California has been recorded in history, its settlers have been living on the edge, ready at any moment to be throttled, beaten, burned, drowned, choked and starved out of existence. Yet, were still here, the fifth-largest economy on the planet, the food basket of the nation and the worlds driver of technological innovation. What these latest events call for, said Jon Christensen, an author and lecturer at UCLAs Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, is not for us to wring our hands and wonder when the end is coming, but for us to be conscious of our history, our role in shaping our environment, then figure out how to manage it. This old story line of our decline and fall from paradise, it is one of the oldest stories in the book, Christensen said. When you have a story line that old, one that keeps repeating itself every few years, you have to be skeptical. Wildfire destruction in Santa Rosa in 2017, when California blazes caused 47 deaths and burned 1,381,405 acres. (Los Angeles Times) Over the years, the perceived cause of the states impending doom has shifted from God, to our shared sin, to climate change and overdevelopment but the notion were living at the edge of existence has remained a constant theme. Consider 1992 to 1995, when damaging floods, firestorms and the Northridge earthquake pummeled Southern California with 97 deaths and nearly $44 billion in damages. As Los Angeles Times columnist, Peter H. King, wrote in 1995, Theres no question California is caught in the middle of something strange maybe God, as the biblical sorts preach, is mad at us for making all those dirty movies. In Ecology of Fear, Mike Davis 1998 book about the culture of disaster in Los Angeles, he pondered whether the cluster of disaster was coincidental or eschatological. In other words, a statistical anomaly, or the arrival of the Apocalypse. Malibu residents flee a 1935 brush fire. (Los Angeles Public Library) As he and others noted, the idea of disaster was largely built upon a northern European and East Coast American environmental framework that suggests normality means predictability with the same amount of rain or snow falling every year and roughly the same temperature variation every season. Normal implies a constant or some stability, said Christensen, the UCLA historian. What is definable in California is variability. The average here is meaningless. And for thousands of years, the first settlers understood that, successfully adapting to the mercurial environment by living in small groups of 500 to 1,000 people and moving seasonally within tribal boundaries to forage and hunt where food was plentiful, said Steven Hackel, a professor of history at UC Riverside and author of Children of Coyote, Missionaries of Saint Francis. They also managed the land with small, prescribed burns estimates suggest 15% of California was burned every year to harvest, seed and stimulate the growth of grasses, acorns, berries and environments conducive for hunting quail and deer, Hackel said. They used fire in the same way we use dams and aqueducts, he said. They were intentionally and skillfully managing the land. And as Christensen noted, they were creating a hybrid landscape as much formed by nature as human hands. When the Spanish arrived, they outlawed fire, Hackel said, and soon the California environment morphed again. They diverted rivers and snowmelt to saturate and irrigate farms. And they wiped out the native flora via widespread cattle and sheep grazing, replacing it with hardier, nonnative weed species. As American settlers followed from eastern and Midwestern states, they left their own footprint: Cities, aqueducts, dams, reservoirs, roads, railroads and bridges built for earthquakes, droughts, and floods. But as our population has exploded, roughly doubling every 10 years, were now pushing into landscapes and areas we havent lived before, and as a result, experts are beginning to wonder if were losing our grip on the human-nature chimera we created. Especially if you throw climate change into the mix, Christensen said. It sometimes feels like we take two steps forward and one step back, he said. Actually, maybe more like one step forward two steps back. But fire historians and experts, such as Scott Stephens, co-director of the Center for Fire Research and Outreach at UC Berkeley, are certain we can face this challenge, like we have others. We can change the trajectory, he said. We just have to change our M.O. Prescribed burns, brush removal, fire-resistant building materials and codes, as well as local and rural fire education can all help to reduce the catastrophic effects of fires, said Stephens and Stephen Pyne, a native Californian and professor of history at Arizona State University. For too long, weve been tinkering at the edges of fire policy and management, said Pyne, but not changing the fundamentals that could prevent the disasters we have seen in the last few years. The Camp fire levels residences in a neighborhood in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 15. The 2018 fire season was the most destructive on record. (Noah Berger / Associated Press) But it will take political will, he said, and hard decisions and choices that many will not like. California is built to burn, Pyne said. If we left tonight, itd still burn tomorrow and would burn all the way to the Pacific. Its always burned. Its just that the whole process of colonization really upended the balance that had happened before. And while Pyne, Stephens and Christensen see solutions and adaptations that can be made to avert destructive conflagrations, they, and others, voiced concern about our political will and the possibility that choices made beyond state boundaries will send us on a trajectory weve never witnessed before. I think we have to reach a tipping point, Pyne said. If we dont, I worry well treat these mass burnings like we treat mass shootings. Well think about it for a day, and then move on. Not really addressing it. At least 1.1 million structures, or roughly 1 in 10 buildings in California, lie within the highest-risk fire zones in maps drawn by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Los Angeles Times) Others worry that despite Californias leadership in environmental policy, disaster response and technological savvy, the problem may now be beyond our control. All the policies we establish to limit our own climate footprint will have little effect on this new, runaway environment if the rest of the world chooses to continue burning fossil fuels. Hopefully, well lead the rest of the world on this issue as we have done on so many others, Hackel said. Its a vexing question. Yet, if we can take any comfort from the voices of our past, as William Brewer noted as he watched Californians rebuild their cities and towns after the Great Flood of 1862, there are no people (who) can so stand calamity as this people, he said. They are used to it. susanne.rust@latimes.com Twitter: @susrust As the year draws to a close, the massive effort to reunify migrant families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border is nearly complete, yet the landmark litigation based in San Diego is far from over. Some 2,100 families, both in the U.S. and abroad, have been reunified over the past six months. It has been a logistical challenge one of the governments own making, a San Diego judge has repeatedly noted that required enormous federal resources and scores of pro bono lawyers from around the country. Now, with as few as eight remaining eligible children moving toward possible reunification, the focus of the case has shifted to restoring the rights of the migrants and to preventing such a crisis from happening again. Advertisement At the forefront is the implementation of a settlement agreement that allows reunited families still in the U.S. another chance to plead for asylum. For many of the parents, their first credible fear interviews which occurred shortly after being forcibly separated from their children, with little to no explanation were disastrous. Parents were just too distraught to advocate for asylum to the interviewing officer. So far, 127 reunited parents and children have been re-interviewed by asylum officers to determine whether their original findings should change, according to a joint status report filed in San Diego federal court this month. Most, if not all, of those families have been detained together in immigration custody. Hundreds more reunited parents and children who have been released on parole into the community are in the process of being notified of their right to such an interview. What is unknown is the outcome of those re-interviews. The Department of Justice, which has been litigating the case on behalf of the Trump administration, has been reluctant to release numbers on how many asylum decisions have changed as a result of the settlement. Lawyers for the migrants have argued that it is a matter of transparency and a way to monitor how the government has been implementing the settlement agreement. Lawyers for the government have called the data request too burdensome. On Dec. 14, U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw ordered the data to be released. With the federal government shutdown, its unclear when that will occur. All deadlines in this case, and other non-essential civil cases, have been stayed as a result of the failure to reach a federal budget deal. The next scheduled court hearing is Friday, and it is unknown whether that will remain on the calendar. Another legal battle is brewing as to who is considered a class member. While attorneys have identified roughly 2,600 children as being part of the case, more families continue to come forward with unique circumstances of separation, asking for relief under the litigation. Some of those families were reunited before Sabraws June 26 injunction against separation. Lawyers for the migrants argue those families should not be excluded from getting new interviews, while the government maintains the class contains only those who were still separated when the injunction was filed. Meanwhile, there are still more than 100 separated children in government care. Rather than be reunited with parents, these children are still waiting to be placed with sponsors often extended family or friends in the United States to try for asylum. Twenty-eight of these children have parents who were deemed to be unfit or a danger. An additional 84 children have parents who were deported and have waived reunification, many hoping their child will have a better opportunity in the U.S. than back home in dangerous and impoverished Central American countries. Eleven parents who remain in the U.S. have also waived reunification. The sponsorship process has been slow going for many children as the government conducts background checks on the potential sponsors. Already, 377 other separated children either have been placed with sponsors or have turned 18, therefore aging out of the system. There are indications the litigation is beginning to move into its final stages. Sabraw has asked the lawyers to begin to work on the last piece of his ruling: to come up with a system that links parent and child upon apprehension or surrender at the border. The lack of such a system is largely blamed for creating the family separation crisis during the Trump administrations zero tolerance policy. When parents were either arrested to be criminally prosecuted for illegal entry or detained upon claiming asylum at a port of entry, there was often no notation that they had come with a child. Children were taken to government shelters without indication that they had come with parents. When parents were released from criminal custody, many couldnt find out where their children had been taken. Parents were deported, leaving their children behind. Sabraw is encouraging the government to implement a central database, accessible to all of the agencies that may touch the immigration system at some point: Justice, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While authorities may under law separate families while a parent goes into criminal custody, Sabraw ordered that the reunification process be started immediately upon the parents release. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Davis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune It is the most significant change to the federal criminal justice system in decades. The First Step Act, signed into law this month by President Trump, will begin to undo some of the harshest tough on crime policies of the 1990s, giving nonviolent offenders a chance at earlier release and shortening future prison sentences. But the law will barely make a dent in the countrys overall prison and jail population, because most crimes are prosecuted locally not by the federal government and the vast majority of people behind bars are in state or local facilities. Advertisement Only about 8% or roughly 181,000 people are in federal custody. The new law is expected to lead to the release of 53,000 of them over the next decade. The more than 1.9 million state and local inmates, however, are likely to benefit from the same forces that led to the bipartisan passage of the federal law: crunched budgets, shifting public opinion and a growing consensus that the old policies have been ineffective. Were at a unique moment where politicians, voters and big donors tend to be in agreement, said John Pfaff, a law professor at Fordham University who researches criminal sentencing. Many states already match or go beyond whats in the federal law, and legislators in others can now point to federal reform as they push for local criminal justice changes, said Ashley Nellis, a researcher at the Sentencing Project, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that supports reducing incarceration. Most of the progress needs to be made at the state level, she said. But this certainly gives states political cover to take bold action. Here are three areas where where state- and local-level elected officials have also recently pushed for changes in criminal justice: Guards at San Quentin State Prison in California. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) Reducing prison populations The U.S. incarcerates people at a higher rate than any other country. In 2016, the most recent year for which data were available from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2,136,000 people were in prison or jail or 860 for every 100,000 adults. That rate, the lowest in two decades, has been falling since its peak in 2008, when there were 2,310,300 inmates, or 1,000 for every 100,000 adults. The reasons for the decline include a sharp decrease in violent crime since the 1990s as well as local efforts to reduce prison populations. The drop has been concentrated in 10 states California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina and Vermont according to the Vera Institute for Justice, a nonprofit criminal justice research group. The most notable changes were in California, where the government responded to a 2011 Supreme Court order to fix its overcrowded state prisons by shifting inmates to county supervision. Often, that meant parole rather than jail. In addition, voters have approved two ballot measures since 2014 that reduced incarceration. Proposition 47 changed drug and most theft convictions from felonies into misdemeanors, and Proposition 57 gave nonviolent criminals better chances for early release. Workers remove stems and leaves from newly harvested marijuana plants in Avondale, Colo., in 2016. (Brennan Linsley / Associated Press) Marijuana legalization Under federal law, marijuana is an illegal drug. But since 2012, when Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize pot for recreational use, California and seven other states as well as the District of Columbia have followed suit. In other places, cities have sought to override state law by decriminalizing marijuana. In February, the city council in Jackson, Miss., voted unanimously to limit the maximum punishment for possession of 30 grams or less to a $100 fine instead of arrest. This month, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who had already instructed police to no longer arrest people for smoking marijuana in public, said publicly for the first time that he supports legalizing recreational marijuana. Together, legalization and decriminalization have led to significant declines in arrests for marijuana usage or possession, according to the pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance. The group highlighted Oregon, where annual marijuana arrests dropped 96% from 2013 to 2016, and Washington, D.C., where they fell 76%. Rachael Rollins answers questions from inmates during a forum at the Suffolk County House of Correction in Boston. (Steven Senne / Associated Press) District attorneys A wave of local prosecutors have ridden into office in recent years on campaign promises to reform criminal justice. In Boston last month, Democrat Rachael Rollins won the race for Suffolk County district attorney on a platform that included a vow to not prosecute people for low-level, nonviolent crimes such as shoplifting, trespassing and drug possession. Incarceration should be reserved for violent offenders that are disrupting the safety of our communities, says her campaign website, which lists 15 crimes her office will not prosecute. By looking at the root causes of many of the non-violent, property crimes and crimes of desperation, we can see that addiction, mental-illness, and poverty are the real culprits, it says. Services, not sentences are the solutions. In Bexar County, Texas, which includes San Antonio, Democrat Joe Gonzales won the race for district attorney on a platform that included reforming the bail system to grant bail even to people who cant pay as long as their charges are for nonviolent offenses and they are deemed unlikely to flee. People who are presumed innocent should never have to sit in jail awaiting trial simply because they are too poor to post bond, his campaign website says. Kimberly Foxx, who won the Cook County states attorney position in Illinois in 2016, has dramatically reduced prosecutions for retail theft and other low-level offenses. Philadelphia Dist. Atty. Larry Krasner, who was elected in 2017, issued a memo to assistant district attorneys this March promoting new procedures to end mass incarceration and bring balance back to sentencing. They include not issuing charges for prostitution against people with fewer than three previous convictions and charging retail thefts of under $500 as civil offenses rather than misdemeanors. jaweed.kaleem@latimes.com Twitter: @jaweedkaleem More national headlines I get emotional watching movies on airplanes. It doesnt matter what the story line is or how many times Ive viewed it stoically on terra firma. At 40,000 feet, I submit to tears. It turns out this is a thing. The phenomenon of crying during in-flight movies has been explored by several outlets, including This American Life, which devoted 11 minutes to the topic in a 2004 segment titled Contrails of My Tears. A few unscientific surveys blame low oxygen levels and the existential intensity of hurtling through the stratosphere in a man-made tube. But I have my own theory: Its not the movie or the altitude, but rather the intimate audio experience in a moment of solitude. Your headphones a buffer from the world injecting dialogue into your ear become a conduit to your soul. When I fly now, I skip the movie, put in my AirPods and take my catharsis in podcast form. Advertisement Given their portability, podcasts also affect me while Im shopping, commuting to work or feeding a baby in the middle of the night. I may not cry, but I might well up with delight, melancholy or outrage. Or I laugh out loud. Or Im stopped in my tracks, astonished. When it came out four years ago, the investigative crime series Serial propelled podcasts from a slow-growing niche to a media breakthrough. With its episodic pacing and the unexpectedly human tone of its reporter-host, the series was engrossing. Its three seasons have now been downloaded 420 million times. To put this in perspective, consider that more than 328 million people live in this country, and that CNN.com, the most popular online news site, gets around 121 million unique visitors a month. As podcasts have surged in popularity, so have the range of offerings. According to one estimate, there are now more than 600,000 shows in circulation in 100 different languages. About 2,000 more spring up each week. A Nielsen survey conducted last year found that half of all American homes contain podcast listeners. The boom has been helped along by technology, too. Just as web-enabled TV viewing took off when the technology became reliable, podcasts gained traction with the rise of on-demand audio; smart speakers like Alexa; car stereos that connect seamlessly to our feeds; Apples pre-installed podcast app and sleek wireless AirPods, the opposable thumbs of podcast listening. (These have had the fastest rise in popularity of any product in the brands history.) Of course, Serial and tech cannot alone account for Podcast Nation. They dont explain the addictiveness of talk shows like Call Your Girlfriend, Armchair Expert and Pod Save America; documentary deep dives like Dirty John, Slow Burn and Caliphate; or quirky meditations like Heavyweight and Family Ghosts. Here, in my view, we have to return to the airplane theory. Media experiences can become profoundly therapeutic and habit-forming by showing up at exactly the moment when we need them most. Because they are right there in your ear wherever you go, podcasts are intertwined with our personal routines. They are unusually capable of compelling us to pay attention and feel deeply. The power of podcasts today is perhaps most tangible in the context of a traditionally impersonal form of information delivery: news. Recently, news organizations, including the Washington Post, ABC News, the Guardian and Vox, have been venturing into the podcast space with impressive results. Take The Daily, the New York Times show hosted by my former colleague Michael Barbaro. It was created in early 2017, after the last presidential election revealed a disconnect between the news media and civilians, and quickly became the most popular new show on Apple Podcasts. In five 20-minute episodes each week, The Daily offers a toehold within the news blizzard thats as personal as it is informative. Weve pierced whatever membrane there was that kept people from having a deep emotional connection to the news, Barbaro recently told me. Something about audio just ripped that open, and I think it has forever changed how people relate to The Times. The rip went both ways. For first-season listeners, the membrane was pierced most powerfully when, in an interview with a coal miner, Barbaro himself choked back tears and admitted the limitations of his own reporting. While some journalists might quibble over the collapse of objectivity in a conventional sense, there is no debating the growth in audience engagement podcasts bring for news organizations. Where readers spend an average of two to three minutes scanning an article online, data show that podcast listeners tend to stay to the end of episodes. They also subscribe, donate, proselytize on social media and attract lucrative advertisers. Indeed, the producers of the most popular podcasts are achieving a trifecta that has long eluded publishers of digital media: deep audience engagement, financial profit and crucial brand-building with young listeners, the next generation of loyal subscribers. For these and other reasons, Malcolm Gladwell, the bestselling author and host of Revisionist History, and Jacob Weisberg, the former editor-in-chief and chairman of Slate and former host of Trumpcast, recently quit their day jobs to start a new podcast company called Pushkin Industries. There is a certain kind of whimsy and emotionality that can only be captured on audio, Gladwell told me. Both he and Weisberg believe podcasts are spurring another massive transformation in journalism. The moment reminds me of the early days of the Internet because of the scale of both the creative and commercial opportunity, Weisberg said. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Other podcasts personalize complex topics by exploring them entirely through the lenses of nonprofessionals. The runaway hit Ear Hustle is made by two inmates at San Quentin, Earlonne Woods and Antwan Williams, and a prison volunteer, Nigel Poor. The show, which ended its third season this month, never takes a broad look at criminal justice policy or employs Voice of God narration. It instead offers the even more illuminating dialogue of individual prisoners. As Julie Shapiro, the executive producer of Radiotopia, a network of podcasts that includes Ear Hustle, told me: When real humans tell and share their stories, the emotional investment is immensely powerful. In a recent essay, the Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig argues that podcasts offer more than a helping hand when it comes to journalisms Internet-era challenges. The architecture of the podcast, he says, is also the precise antidote for the flaws of the present. It is deep where now is shallow, Lessig writes. It is a chance for thinking and reflection; it has an attention span an order of magnitude greater than the tweet. It is an opportunity for serious (and playful) engagement. It is healthy eating for a brain-scape that now gorges on fast food. As a journalist, I am encouraged to see podcasts winning. As an American living through the most bitterly divided era in modern history, it feels good to believe that podcasts are making us better listeners. If nothing else endures from the golden age of podcasts, that is still a victory. Lexi Mainland is a writer and editor. Her New York Times audio series One in 8 Million won a news and documentary Emmy, and she was part of a team that received a Pulitzer for breaking news. Her podcast roots go way back; a show she created about Albert Einsteins theory of general relativity was No. 1 on iTunes for a few days in 2005. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson live round-by-round coverage Jon Jones is widely regarded as the best fighter in the history of the sport. He is ostensibly unbeaten and has taken out a collection of legends over the course of his storied career. In recent years, controversy has engulfed him as drug test failures and incidents outside the Octagon have sullied his reputation. Tonight he returns looking for redemption and attempting to regain the light heavyweight title that was stripped from him. In his way is Alexander Gustaffson, the Swedish mauler who gave Jones the toughest fight of his career in 2013 and now looks to hand Jones his first true loss. Round 1. Jones goes for a takedown early but gives up on it quick. Jones tries again and they end up in a clinch where they trade knees. Gustafsson takes a low blow but quickly returns to action. They trade low kicks, with Jones throwing more of them. Both are cautious with their boxing. Jones catches a kick and goes for a takedown but Gustafsson defends well. Gustafsson lands a few solid punches in a brief exchange. Gustafsson follows with an overhand right. Close round. 10-9 Gustafsson. Round 2. Jones lands a few nice body kicks early in the second. Jones goes for a takedown. Gustafsson blocks it and threatens with a guillotine choke but doesnt come close. Gustafsson lets his hands go a little bit but nothing lands too strongly. Jones continues to use low kicks as his primary weapon. Jones clinches and lands a knee to the body. Jones lands a head kick. Gustafsson connects with a solid right hand. Another close round. These are tough to score. 10-9 Jones. Round 3. Jones lands a stiff jab that snaps back Gustafssons head an elicits a loud response from the audience. Jones scores a takedown. Jones lands a few elbows from the top. Jones moves into side control, takes the back, and lands some heavy punches until the fight is stopped. Winner: Jon Jones, TKO, round 3. Jones put away an opponent there that gave him a tough time last time out. That has to be tremendously satisfying. Still, between the drug test irregularities that caused this card to be moved and the way this fight went, there are still open questions about where Jones game is at right now as compared to the lofty standards he set in years past. I know we usually start the newsletter with something that isnt a race, but because we are in the midst of eight of these in a row, we thought we would highlight the Grade 1 $300,000 Ameircan Oaks for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf. But first, a couple of you took exception to my idea that the Pegasus is too short at 1 1/8 miles because of the layout at Gulfstream, which penalizes horses on the far outside because of the short run to the first turn. Well, yes, Gun Runner won last years race from the 10, so that buys it a few more years. And, another reason, you say, is that the 1 1/8-mile distance can attract milers looking to stretch out and the fact that the distance wouldnt be a problem for 1 -mile horses. Well, how about 1 3/16 miles, which, at one time, Stronach big shot Tim Ritvo said was under consideration? Well, a change didnt happen. Heres what could work, rotate the race, along with the accompanying turf race which Im not sure anyone cares about just yet, between Gulfstream, Santa Anita and Laurel. Yes, I know the giant Pegasus hood ornament sits in the Gulfstream parking lot but I write about Southern California racing and I think Santa Anita deserves the chance to host it and Laurel needs some practice hosting a big event before the Preakness and Breeders Cup go there. (No, nothing has been decided on those issues.) Competitionofideas went from last to first, all in the stretch, to win by a widening 2 lengths. She paid $12.20, $8.00 and $4.60. K P Pergoliscious was second and Amandine was third. Its great to finish out the year like this, Hernandez said. This filly had settled in real good here at Santa Anita and she was doing good coming into this race. She finished up really strong today. She broke well, we saved ground, and we took one shot, Rosario said of Competitionofideas. I thought we would be closer but everybody wanted their spot so I just let her settle. I always have to thank everybody for giving me the chance to ride here again and I really appreciate everybody. Now, Rob Henie didnt ask me to mention this, but I wanted to anyway. Those of you who soaked in his Saturday lesson were treated to a $17.00 winner in Truffalino. And, if you read his explanation, hours in advance, understand why it happened. So, the way I see it, the $17.00 or more you won more than pays for your years subscription to our newsletter. Oh, thats right, its free. Talk about value, which I know I always bring down, but my stellar list of contributors always elevate the product. Thanks to all who make this worth reading. We talked about the big Grade 1 up top, so well cover the other stakes race right here. Fahan Mura went gate to wire in winning the Grade 3 $150,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the turf. The 4-year-old filly had little trouble going to the lead and kept a comfortable pace all the way around and held on for a yielding -length win. The fractions were good for her, but they were good for her last time, too [when she ran 12 th in Grade 1 Matriarch], Cerin said. For some reason she just didnt fire. I leave it in Edwins hands. Hes improved her by letting her be herself. He never interferes with her. Hes a big reason why shes doing well. Shes a really fun horse to ride, Maldonado said. Shes become so much more professional. She used to pull quite a bit, but now, she relaxes so niceI want to thank Vladimir and the owners for putting me on her. [Saturday], she made the lead easy and then she did all the work. Sundays 10-race card isnt that great unless you really like to watch 2-year-old fillies. Four of the races are written for those horses that will turn 3 in a couple days. Four of the races are on the turf. The feature is a minor stakes, the $75,000 Blue Norther Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf. Actually, if you look at the national schedule, youll only find one race worth at least $100,000 on Sunday. The favorite is the heavily raced Lady Prancealot at 5-2. She runs for Richard Baltas and Joel Rosario. She is one-for-eight lifetime with only her last three races in the U.S. She finished 14 th in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Hard-knocking sophomore colt moves up a notch off the Alfredo Marquez claim (trainer hitting at 20% this year) and cuts back in distance after settling for second going a mile at Del Mar. He has won two of three starts down the hill and has good tactical speed, which is a big asset over this layout. He was third in a much-stronger-than-normal maiden $4,000 field in last when facing winner dropping down from a maiden $12,500 claimer. His new trainer, Jorge Farias , does well with first-out claims and gives the gelding a positive class hike boost. Either one of his prior two races makes him a major threat in this field. Always looking to add more subscribers to this newsletter. Cant beat the price. If you like it, tell someone. If you dont like it, then youre probably not reading this. Either way, send to a friend and just have them click here and sign up . Remember, its free, and all we need is your email, nothing more. Santa Anita Charts Results for Saturday, December 29. Copyright 2018 by Equibase Company. Reproduction prohibited. Santa Anita, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California. 3rd day of a 61-day meet. Clear & Firm FIRST RACE. 1 1/8 Mile Turf. Purse: $54,000. Maiden Special Weight. Fillies. 2 year olds. Time 23.97 48.24 1:12.69 1:37.24 1:49.05 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 3 Truffalino 122 3 7 8 8 8 5hd 11 Talamo 7.50 7 Out of Balance 122 7 5 51 3hd 4 3hd 2 Prat 7.70 1 Mercy Mercy 122 1 4 4hd 4hd 3hd 41 3 Bejarano 9.60 5 Speedette 122 5 6 21 21 2 1 41 Desormeaux 18.80 4 Hello Bubbles 122 4 3 3hd 51 51 71 5nk Rosario 2.30 2 Stylin Ocean 117 2 1 72 72 72 6 62 Espinoza 91.40 8 My Sweet Baboo 122 8 2 1hd 11 11 21 71 Smith 2.10 6 Fashion Island 122 6 8 6 6hd 6hd 8 8 Van Dyke 4.40 3 TRUFFALINO 17.00 8.00 4.60 7 OUT OF BALANCE 7.80 5.00 1 MERCY MERCY 5.60 $2 ROULETTE (GREEN) $9.80 $1 EXACTA (3-7) $43.90 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (3-7-1-5) $245.19 50-CENT TRIFECTA (3-7-1) $154.25 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (3-7-1-5-4) Carryover $964 WinnerTruffalino Ch.f.2 by English Channel out of Joy's Kitten, by Kitten's Joy. Bred by Calumet Farm (KY). Trainer: Richard E. Mandella. Owner: Calumet Farm. Mutuel Pool $234,827 Roulette Pool $823 Exacta Pool $107,179 Superfecta Pool $41,810 Trifecta Pool $68,278 X-5 Super High Five Pool $1,265. ScratchedMaxim Rate. TRUFFALINO broke a bit slowly, settled off the pace inside, came out leaving the second turn and four wide into the stretch, rallied under left handed urging to the front in deep stretch and proved best. OUT OF BALANCE stalked three deep to the stretch and finished with interest to get up for second three wide on the line. MERCY MERCY saved ground stalking the pace, came out into the stretch, split rivals past midstretch and was edged for second between foes on the wire. SPEEDETTE had speed between horses then dueled inside, came a bit off the rail to stalk on the first turn and backstretch, bid again outside the pacesetter on the second turn, took the lead into the stretch, inched away past midstretch and was edged for a minor award late. HELLO BUBBLES stalked between horses, came out in upper stretch and was outfinished. STYLIN OCEAN pulled and tossed her head early, saved ground stalking the pace, came out for room in midstretch, split rivals in deep stretch and also was outfinished. MY SWEET BABOO three deep early, dueled outside a rival then inched away and angled in on the first turn, set the pace inside, dueled along the rail on the second turn and to midstretch and weakened late. FASHION ISLAND broke a bit slowly and was squeezed just after the start, chased a bit off the rail then outside a rival, came out three deep into the stretch, was crowded off heels in upper stretch and weakened in the final furlong. SECOND RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $18,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $12,500-$10,500. Time 22.30 46.05 1:11.16 1:17.77 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 3 Facts Matter 122 3 1 4 41 11 12 Rosario 1.00 4 Blame Joe 122 4 4 62 5hd 31 22 Cruz 2.80 8 Caiifornia Clone 124 8 2 31 2 22 3 T Baze 4.70 7 June Two Four 122 7 5 53 62 4hd 44 Gutierrez 15.70 1 Lucky Patrick 115 1 7 7hd 8 8 52 Fuentes 83.60 5 Rolls Royce Deal 117 5 8 8 72 62 64 Figueroa 8.30 2 Celebrate Life 124 2 3 1hd 1hd 51 71 Bejarano 19.60 6 Optimum 122 6 6 2hd 31 7 8 Pedroza 35.20 3 FACTS MATTER 4.00 2.80 2.20 4 BLAME JOE 3.20 2.60 8 CAIIFORNIA CLONE 3.00 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.20 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (3-3) $40.80 $1 EXACTA (3-4) $6.80 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (3-4-8-7) $9.58 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (3-4-8-7-1) $518.40 50-CENT TRIFECTA (3-4-8) $11.15 WinnerFacts Matter Dbb.g.3 by The Factor out of Alpha Tammy, by Golden Missile. Bred by Maccabee Farm (KY). Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer. Owner: Hollendorfer, LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds and Robertson, Richard. Mutuel Pool $248,770 Roulette Pool $1,809 Daily Double Pool $46,509 Exacta Pool $127,174 Superfecta Pool $64,812 Super High Five Pool $2,813 Trifecta Pool $96,869. Scratchednone. FACTS MATTER stalked a bit off the rail, bid three deep into the stretch to gain the lead and drew clear under some urging and strong handling then a hold late. BLAME JOE chased just off the inside, angled in on the turn, swung three wide into the stretch and gained the place. CAIIFORNIA CLONE dueled three deep, angled in between horses into the stretch and held third. JUNE TWO FOUR chased off the inside, came out four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. LUCKY PATRICK broke a bit slowly and steadied, chased inside, came out leaving the turn and into the stretch and could not summon the necessary response. ROLLS ROYCE DEAL also broke a bit slowly, settled outside a rival, angled to the inside into the stretch and did not rally. CELEBRATE LIFE went up inside to duel for the lead, fought back into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. OPTIMUM had good early speed and dueled between horses, dropped back into the stretch and also weakened. THIRD RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $32,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies. 2 year olds. Claiming Prices $50,000-$40,000. Time 22.33 46.37 59.34 1:13.11 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 7 Naomi Fraley 122 6 9 32 21 1 11 Blanc 3.80 5 Meritocracy 122 4 3 41 3 31 2nk Roman 8.10 8 Sierra Sunrise 122 7 2 8hd 8 51 33 Fuentes 5.00 1 Twirling Diamond 122 1 8 1 1hd 21 4 Talamo 4.10 11 A Dime for Me 122 10 7 5hd 52 42 5 Pedroza 4.60 2 Athleisure 122 2 6 101 104 61 65 Quinonez 45.70 6 Starship Sky 122 5 11 11hd 12 11hd 7 Vergara, Jr. 91.60 10 Jellybeankristine 120 9 5 12 11hd 12 82 Franco 126.60 13 Princess Lili B 122 12 4 61 7hd 9hd 91 Pereira 83.10 4 Miss Boisterous 115 3 12 9hd 9hd 101 10hd Figueroa 56.10 12 Comegowithme 122 11 10 72 61 71 114 Maldonado 2.90 9 Ron's Cat 120 8 1 2hd 41 81 12 E Garcia 97.60 7 NAOMI FRALEY 9.60 5.80 4.00 5 MERITOCRACY 7.40 4.60 8 SIERRA SUNRISE 4.20 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (3-7) $19.80 $1 EXACTA (7-5) $29.00 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (7-5-8-1) $54.05 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (7-5-8-1-11) $882.30 50-CENT TRIFECTA (7-5-8) $66.30 WinnerNaomi Fraley Ch.f.2 by Lucky Pulpit out of Stash, by Maria's Mon. Bred by Nick Alexander (CA). Trainer: William E. Morey. Owner: Nicholas B. Alexander. Mutuel Pool $347,737 Roulette Pool $2,196 Daily Double Pool $29,684 Exacta Pool $224,596 Superfecta Pool $97,162 Super High Five Pool $2,312 Trifecta Pool $141,186. ScratchedThe Pet. 50-Cent Pick Three (3-3-7) paid $49.75. Pick Three Pool $66,012. NAOMI FRALEY went up to duel between horses then outside a rival on the turn, took a short lead in the stretch, inched clear past midstretch and held under urging. MERITOCRACY stalked a bit off the rail, angled out three deep into the stretch and edged a rival for the place. SIERRA SUNRISE chased between horses then three deep on the turn and into the stretch, drifted inward in midstretch and again late and was edged for second. TWIRLING DIAMOND had good early speed and dueled inside, fought back in the stretch and weakened late. A DIME FOR ME bumped just after the start, was between horses early then chased off the rail, came three wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. ATHLEISURE saved ground chasing the pace, went around a rival in the stretch, drifted in a bit and could not offer the needed late kick. STARSHIP SKY broke a bit slowly, settled between foes then off the rail, angled in leaving the turn and improved position in the drive. JELLYBEANKRISTINE chased four wide then outside or off the rail, angled in on the turn and did not rally. PRINCESS LILI B chased outside on the backstretch and turn, came four wide into the stretch and lacked the necessary response. MISS BOISTEROUS a bit slow into stride, settled between foes on the backstretch and turn and outside a rival into the stretch and was not a threat. COMEGOWITHME broke in and bumped a rival, angled in off the rail on the backstretch, found the inside on the turn and weakened in the drive. RON'S CAT sped to the early lead off the rail, dueled three deep, angled in some and stalked on the turn and weakened in the stretch. FOURTH RACE. 1 1/8 Mile Turf. Purse: $150,000. 'Robert J. Frankel Stakes'. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Time 23.48 47.43 1:11.15 1:34.78 1:46.85 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Fahan Mura 122 4 4 12 12 12 12 1 Maldonado 1.70 8 Excellent Sunset 120 8 8 73 4hd 4hd 3 21 Bejarano 2.40 3 Quebec 120 3 2 2hd 21 2hd 21 31 Rosario 4.90 2 Escape Clause 122 2 3 5 7hd 8 8 4 Fuentes 8.70 7 Amboseli 120 7 7 8 8 61 5hd 51 Desormeaux 10.00 1 Lucy De 120 1 1 31 52 5 61 61 Prat 21.80 6 Gliding By 120 6 6 6 61 7hd 7hd 7 Van Dyke 50.20 5 Sweet Charity 120 5 5 41 32 31 41 8 T Baze 8.50 4 FAHAN MURA 5.40 3.40 2.80 8 EXCELLENT SUNSET (IRE) 3.60 2.80 3 QUEBEC 3.40 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.00 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (7-4) $28.00 $1 EXACTA (4-8) $9.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-8-3-2) $11.61 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (4-8-3-2-7) $196.10 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-8-3) $16.95 WinnerFahan Mura Ch.f.4 by English Channel out of Celtic Cross, by Giant's Causeway. Bred by Michael J. Moran (PA). Trainer: Vladimir Cerin. Owner: Bran Jam Stable and Clark, David W.. Mutuel Pool $478,100 Roulette Pool $2,625 Daily Double Pool $35,200 Exacta Pool $241,227 Superfecta Pool $92,148 Super High Five Pool $2,829 Trifecta Pool $154,651. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (3-7-4) paid $12.45. Pick Three Pool $41,465. FAHAN MURA sped to the early lead, angled in and set all the pace along the inside and held on gamely under urging. EXCELLENT SUNSET (IRE) broke a bit slowly, chased three deep then outside a rival on the backstretch and second turn, came three wide into the stretch and finished well. QUEBEC angled in and stalked inside, came out in midstretch and went on willingly to the wire. ESCAPE CLAUSE a bit crowded at the start, tugged and steadied briefly between foes early, angled in and saved ground chasing the pace, was in tight off heels midway on the second turn, came out for room leaving that turn and three wide into the stretch, split rivals in the drive and finished with some interest. AMBOSELI angled in and settled inside then outside a rival on the backstretch, went three wide into and on the second turn and into the stretch and could not quite summon the necessary late kick. LUCY DE broke out a bit, saved ground stalking the pace throughout and lacked the needed rally. GLIDING BY pulled some and chased between horses then outside a rival, went between foes again on the second turn and into the stretch and did not rally. SWEET CHARITY (FR) close up stalking the pace outside a rival or a bit off the rail, continued alongside a foe leaving the backstretch and on the second turn, came out some in the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. FIFTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $18,000. Claiming. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Price $8,000. Time 22.07 45.42 57.71 1:10.85 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 4 Papa Turf 124 4 1 11 11 11 1ns Pedroza 3.00 3 Boy Howdy 122 3 3 2hd 2hd 2 21 Talamo 1.80 5 Matriculate 122 5 7 4hd 4 56 31 Pereira 4.30 6 Tomasino 122 6 2 31 32 31 4 Payeras 21.60 1 Will Tell 122 1 4 7 51 4hd 57 Franco 9.20 7 Monterey Shale 124 7 5 6hd 7 64 613 T Baze 5.60 2 Whiskey Ginger 122 2 6 52 62 7 7 Blanc 8.00 4 PAPA TURF 8.00 3.80 3.00 3 BOY HOWDY 3.40 2.60 5 MATRICULATE 3.20 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-4) $24.80 $1 EXACTA (4-3) $10.90 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (4-3-5-6) $22.72 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (4-3-5-6-1) $709.30 50-CENT TRIFECTA (4-3-5) $15.25 WinnerPapa Turf B.g.7 by Yes It's True out of Wadena, by Saint Ballado. Bred by T/C Stable (KY). Trainer: Reed Saldana. Owner: Tristan Saldana. Mutuel Pool $322,237 Roulette Pool $1,943 Daily Double Pool $33,525 Exacta Pool $171,270 Superfecta Pool $69,985 Super High Five Pool $2,790 Trifecta Pool $110,681. ClaimedPapa Turf by Brian Koriner. Trainer: Brian Koriner. ClaimedBoy Howdy by Barnes, Michelle and Holden, Mark. Trainer: Kristin Mulhall. ClaimedMonterey Shale by Saratoga West. Trainer: Jeffrey Metz. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (7-4-4) paid $26.70. Pick Three Pool $54,546. 50-Cent Pick Four (3-7-4-4) 4231 tickets with 4 correct paid $47.25. Pick Four Pool $262,001. 50-Cent Pick Five (3-3-7-4-4) 618 tickets with 5 correct paid $728.05. Pick Five Pool $523,445. PAPA TURF sped to the early lead, set the pace a bit off the rail then inside on the turn, inched clear in the stretch and held on gamely under urging. BOY HOWDY angled in early and stalked inside, came out leaving the turn and into the stretch and finished willingly to just miss. MATRICULATE chased outside a rival then off the rail on the turn, came four wide into the stretch and gained the show. TOMASINO close up stalking the winner outside a rival, came three wide into the stretch the stretch and lost third late. WILL TELL saved ground chasing the pace throughout and lacked the needed late kick. MONTEREY SHALE four wide early, chased outside a rival, came out into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. WHISKEY GINGER in a bit tight along the inside early, chased just off the rail, came out into the stretch, drifted inward in the drive and weakened. SIXTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $33,000. Claiming. 3 year olds. Claiming Prices $25,000-$22,500. Time 22.10 45.22 1:10.87 1:17.77 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 8 J T's A. T. M. 122 8 1 1hd 21 12 1 Franco 2.20 6 Saratoga Morning 124 6 2 31 31 2hd 21 Desormeaux 3.40 4 George From Tahoe 122 4 9 51 51 42 3nk Fuentes 8.00 7 Oh Man 117 7 3 21 1hd 31 42 Figueroa 13.30 5 Madarnas 122 5 4 72 61 62 5 Maldonado 8.60 1 My Heart Awakens 122 1 8 84 84 7hd 6 Roman 44.80 2 Neighborhood Bully 124 2 7 9 9 8 7nk Van Dyke 12.00 9 Treasure Hunter 122 9 5 4hd 41 5 84 Pereira 2.90 3 C R Bullitt 122 3 6 6hd 71 9 9 Flores 82.80 8 J T'S A. T. M. 6.40 3.60 3.00 6 SARATOGA MORNING 4.40 3.00 4 GEORGE FROM TAHOE 4.40 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $4.00 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (4-8) $32.20 $1 EXACTA (8-6) $13.40 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (8-6-4-7) $46.04 50-CENT TRIFECTA (8-6-4) $53.50 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (8-6-4-7-5) Carryover $2,004 WinnerJ T's A. T. M. Dbb.g.3 by Bold Chieftain out of Neon Princess, by Royal Anthem. Bred by John Tipton (CA). Trainer: Isidro Tamayo. Owner: John Tipton. Mutuel Pool $398,773 Roulette Pool $2,585 Daily Double Pool $33,441 Exacta Pool $234,622 Superfecta Pool $98,747 Trifecta Pool $152,883 X-5 Super High Five Pool $2,626. ClaimedSaratoga Morning by Ryan, Gloria and O''Neill, Doug. Trainer: Doug O'Neill. ClaimedTreasure Hunter by Granja Mexico and Palma, Hector. Trainer: Hector Palma. Scratchednone. 50-Cent Pick Three (4-4-8) paid $21.75. Pick Three Pool $67,140. J T'S A. T. M. dueled outside a rival, regained the lead leaving the turn, kicked clear in the stretch, drifted out some past midstretch and held under urging. SARATOGA MORNING stalked a bit off the rail then inside, came out leaving the turn and three deep into the stretch and continued willingly but could not catch the winner. GEORGE FROM TAHOE angled in and stalked inside, came out on the turn and four wide into the stretch and edged a rival for the show. OH MAN dueled inside the winner but a bit off the rail, angled in on the turn, came out a bit in the stretch and was edged for third. MADARNAS chased outside a rival then off the rail on the turn, came three deep into the stretch and lacked the needed rally, then did not return to be unsaddled and was vanned off. MY HEART AWAKENS saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and could not offer the necessary late kick. NEIGHBORHOOD BULLY dropped back a bit off the rail, came out leaving the turn and three deep into the stretch and went between foes on the line. TREASURE HUNTER stalked outside then alongside a rival, came out leaving the turn and five wide into the stretch and weakened. C R BULLITT saved ground chasing the pace, continued inside on the turn and in the stretch and also weakened. SEVENTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $23,000. Maiden Claiming. 2 year olds. Claiming Price $30,000. Time 22.05 45.81 58.77 1:12.02 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 12 Gleyber 122 10 3 41 31 11 1 Bejarano 6.30 11 Violent Behavior 122 9 2 71 4hd 32 23 T Baze 0.80 9 Silent Alarm 122 7 1 6 51 51 33 Pereira 11.60 4 Shake N Fries 122 2 10 2hd 21 2hd 4nk Van Dyke 10.20 13 Bull Fighter 122 11 5 51 61 65 55 Flores 103.90 7 Anvil Rock 122 5 9 11 11 11 6nk Blanc 81.50 8 Samurai Jack 122 6 4 105 8hd 7 71 Prat 25.10 10 Redrock Trail 122 8 6 8hd 103 81 8 Rosario 8.90 3 Tanker 122 1 11 1hd 1 4hd 9 Franco 30.10 6 Do Something Easy 117 4 8 91 9hd 101 10nk Figueroa 17.50 5 Bachchan 122 3 7 3hd 72 9 11 Pedroza 9.40 12 GLEYBER 14.60 5.60 4.40 11 VIOLENT BEHAVIOR 2.60 2.20 9 SILENT ALARM 4.40 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $5.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (8-12) $47.40 $1 EXACTA (12-11) $16.30 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (12-11-9-4) $63.52 50-CENT TRIFECTA (12-11-9) $50.00 $1 X-5 SUPER HIGH FIVE (12-11-9-4-13) Carryover $3,884 WinnerGleyber B.c.2 by Goldencents out of Lemon Twist, by Seeking the Gold. Bred by Arthur St. George (KY). Trainer: Doug F. O'Neill. Owner: Pappas Horse Racing, Corp, W.C. Racing Inc., Haymes, Neil and Strauss, William. Mutuel Pool $388,287 Roulette Pool $1,662 Daily Double Pool $39,854 Exacta Pool $248,379 Superfecta Pool $108,789 Trifecta Pool $154,920 X-5 Super High Five Pool $2,463. ClaimedViolent Behavior by Hale, Jr., Richard, Lambert, Jeffrey and Paradise Farms Corp. Trainer: Robert Hess, Jr. ClaimedBachchan by B G Stable and Palma, Hector O. Trainer: Hector Palma. ScratchedRoyal Aspirations, Thin Line. 50-Cent Pick Three (4-8-12) paid $63.15. Pick Three Pool $66,494. GLEYBER dueled four wide then stalked outside on the turn, re-bid three deep into the stretch to gain the lead, inched away under urging in midstretch and held gamely. VIOLENT BEHAVIOR chased outside then four wide on the turn and into the stretch and finished well. SILENT ALARM between horses early, chased off the rail then inside, came out some in the stretch, went around a rival under urging past midstretch then had the rider lose the whip late but bested the rest. SHAKE N FRIES dueled between horses then outside a rival on the turn, put a head in front nearing the stretch, drifted inward in the drive and weakened. BULL FIGHTER stalked outside then four wide into the turn and three deep into the stretch and lacked a rally. ANVIL ROCK dropped back just off the rail early, came out three wide into the stretch and improved position. SAMURAI JACK settled off the rail, split horses leaving the turn, came three deep into the stretch and lacked a rally. REDROCK TRAIL chased outside then four wide on the turn and into the stretch and weakened. TANKER broke out a bit, went up inside to duel for the lead, fought back leaving the turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. DO SOMETHING EASY chased off the rail then inside, came out past midway on the turn and clipped heels to drop back, angled in again and lacked a response in the drive. BACHCHAN dueled between horses, dropped back and angled in some on the turn and had little left for the stretch. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the run leaving the turn before ruling DO SOMETHING EASY was the cause his own trouble. EIGHTH RACE. 1 Mile Turf. Purse: $300,000. 'American Oaks'. Stakes. Fillies. 3 year olds. Time 24.02 47.86 1:11.95 1:35.84 1:59.77 Pgm Horse Wt PP 1 Mile Str Fin Jockey $1 8 Competitionofideas 120 7 8 8 8 8 4hd 12 Rosario 5.10 3 K P Pergoliscious 120 2 11 11 11 1hd 1hd 2hd T Baze 90.70 4 Amandine 120 3 21 21 21 22 22 31 Smith 4.20 2 Colonia 122 1 51 5hd 6hd 7hd 72 4hd Bravo 5.10 6 Paved 122 5 6hd 71 72 61 51 5 Van Dyke 3.50 5 Princess Warrior 122 4 3 41 3hd 31 31 61 Hernandez, Jr. 10.10 9 Californiagoldrush 122 8 71 6hd 5hd 4hd 6hd 77 Prat 2.00 7 Retro 120 6 4hd 3 41 5hd 8 8 Blanc 81.50 8 COMPETITIONOFIDEAS 12.20 8.00 4.60 3 K P PERGOLISCIOUS (IRE) 48.20 13.80 4 AMANDINE (GB) 4.40 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (12-8) $108.40 $1 EXACTA (8-3) $232.90 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (8-3-4-2) $501.73 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (8-3-4-2-6) $17,226.30 50-CENT TRIFECTA (8-3-4) $595.80 WinnerCompetitionofideas Dbb.f.3 by Speightstown out of Devil by Design, by Medaglia d'Oro. Bred by John D. Gunther, Tony Chedraoui &Eurowest Bloodstock Services (KY). Trainer: Chad C. Brown. Owner: Klaravich Stables, Inc.. Mutuel Pool $638,279 Roulette Pool $2,452 Daily Double Pool $56,373 Exacta Pool $278,983 Superfecta Pool $126,882 Super High Five Pool $17,482 Trifecta Pool $188,728. ScratchedKodiak West (IRE). 50-Cent Pick Three (8-12-8) paid $110.65. Pick Three Pool $77,402. COMPETITIONOFIDEAS four wide early, angled in leaving the hill, saved ground off the pace, came out on the second turn and four wide into the stretch, rallied under left handed urging to the front in deep stretch and won clear. K P PERGOLISCIOUS (IRE) took the early lead and inched away, set the pace inside, fought back along the fence on the second turn and through the stretch, was not a match for the winner in deep stretch but gamely held second. AMANDINE (GB) stalked just off the rail, bid outside the runner-up into and on the second turn and through the stretch and was edged for the place. COLONIA (FR) saved ground stalking the pace, came out a bit into the stretch, went around a rival nearing midstretch and lacked the needed late kick. PAVED was in a good position chasing the pace between horses, continued between foes through much of the stretch and could not quite summon the necessary response. PRINCESS WARRIOR three deep on the hill, angled in and stalked outside a rival, continued off the rail into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. CALIFORNIAGOLDRUSH four wide on the hill, stalked three deep to the stretch and could not summon the necessary late response. RETRO between foes early, angled in through the stretch the first time, stalked inside, dropped back in the lane and had little left for the drive. NINTH RACE. 6 Furlongs. Purse: $33,000. Starter Allowance. 2 year olds. Claiming Price $50,000. Time 22.19 45.45 58.00 1:11.36 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 7 Macwinnon 122 6 1 1hd 1hd 11 11 Maldonado 2.90 3 Kid Cantina 122 3 5 5hd 5 31 2 Franco 3.30 2 Mayan Warrior 122 2 4 61 65 42 32 Delgadillo 5.90 8 Oracle of Omaha 117 7 2 21 23 22 46 Figueroa 1.80 1 Damiano 122 1 6 42 3hd 5hd 5nk T Baze 9.20 4 Runningwscissors 122 4 3 3hd 4 65 6nk Gutierrez 14.60 5 Mad Mike 122 5 7 7 7 7 7 Pedroza 22.70 7 MACWINNON 7.80 4.20 3.20 3 KID CANTINA 5.20 3.20 2 MAYAN WARRIOR 3.60 $2 ROULETTE (RED) $3.40 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (8-7) $60.40 $1 EXACTA (7-3) $19.70 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (7-3-2-8) $19.17 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (7-3-2-8-1) $693.30 50-CENT TRIFECTA (7-3-2) $42.50 WinnerMacwinnon Dbb.g.2 by Prospective out of Sacred Jewel, by Saint Ballado. Bred by Bobby Jones Equine, LLC (FL). Trainer: Doug F. O'Neill. Owner: ERJ Racing, LLC, Keh, Steven, Lewis, Gregory S. and Strauss, William. Mutuel Pool $330,700 Roulette Pool $2,179 Daily Double Pool $46,355 Exacta Pool $163,329 Superfecta Pool $73,779 Super High Five Pool $6,361 Trifecta Pool $110,084. ScratchedI Belong to Becky. 50-Cent Pick Three (12-8-7) paid $89.70. Pick Three Pool $58,984. MACWINNON had speed between foes then dueled just off the rail, angled in and battled inside on the turn and into the stretch, kicked clear under left handed urging in the drive and held. KID CANTINA chased outside a rival, came out leaving the turn and four wide into the stretch and edged a foe for the place. MAYAN WARRIOR settled inside chasing the pace, moved up on the turn, steadied off heels a quarter mile out, came out and split foes into the stretch and was edged for second. ORACLE OF OMAHA had speed off the rail then four wide, dueled outside the winner on the backstretch and turn and into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. DAMIANO was sent along inside then pulled under a hold and was in a bit tight a half mile out, saved ground stalking the pace and weakened in the drive. RUNNINGWSCISSORS pulled between horses pressing the pace then was in a bit tight a half mile out, stalked outside a rival, came three deep between foes into the stretch and also weakened. MAD MIKE bobbled some at the start, settled three deep then off the rail to the stretch and lacked a response in the drive. TENTH RACE. About 6 Furlongs Turf. Purse: $32,000. Maiden Claiming. Fillies and Mares. 3 year olds and up. Claiming Prices $50,000-$40,000. Time 22.52 45.14 1:07.51 1:13.31 Pgm Horse Wt PP St Str Fin Jockey $1 11 Madaket Sunset 122 11 8 11 1hd 12 12 Bejarano 4.00 3 Storming Lady 122 3 2 3 3hd 21 21 Rosario 1.20 7 Breezy Bee 122 7 4 92 9hd 4hd 3 Desormeaux 6.90 10 Strengthinnumbers 122 10 5 5 41 31 4hd Franco 3.70 5 Cat's Desire 122 5 11 10 105 91 5nk Fuentes 69.50 4 Beyond Pleasure 122 4 6 6hd 71 7hd 6 Prat 18.90 2 Baladera 122 2 9 4hd 6hd 6hd 7 Quinonez 19.70 9 Weather Market 124 9 3 81 5hd 8hd 8 Roman 23.30 6 Etching 122 6 7 7hd 81 107 92 Gutierrez 25.90 1 Fuega 122 1 1 2hd 21 5 105 Pedroza 87.10 8 Grey Tsunami 120 8 10 11 11 11 11 Sanchez 102.60 11 MADAKET SUNSET 10.00 3.80 3.40 3 STORMING LADY 2.80 2.40 7 BREEZY BEE 5.00 $2 ROULETTE (BLACK) $3.60 $2 DAILY DOUBLE (7-11) $36.80 $1 EXACTA (11-3) $12.80 10-CENT SUPERFECTA (11-3-7-10) $21.96 $1 SUPER HIGH FIVE (11-3-7-10-5) $2,746.40 50-CENT TRIFECTA (11-3-7) $39.95 WinnerMadaket Sunset Grr.f.3 by Point of Entry out of Red Hot Buddha, by Buddha. Bred by Popatop, LLC (KY). Trainer: Philip D'Amato. Owner: Sheep Pond Partners, Long Lake Stable LLC and Newport Stables LLC. Mutuel Pool $474,426 Roulette Pool $1,848 Daily Double Pool $154,657 Exacta Pool $280,458 Superfecta Pool $176,304 Super High Five Pool $21,591 Trifecta Pool $209,723. ClaimedMadaket Sunset by R3 Racing LLC and Calara Farms. Trainer: Doug O'Neill. ClaimedStorming Lady by Goodwin, Tim and Goodwin, Kelley. Trainer: Alfredo Marquez. ScratchedColdwater. 50-Cent Pick Three (8-7-11) paid $85.45. Pick Three Pool $194,419. 50-Cent Pick Four (12-8-7-11) 942 tickets with 4 correct paid $566.90. Pick Four Pool $700,011. 50-Cent Pick Five (8-12-8-7-11) 168 tickets with 5 correct paid $2,207.95. Pick Five Pool $486,036. 20-Cent Pick Six Jackpot (4-8-12-8-7-11) 38 tickets with 6 correct paid $4,173.64. Pick Six Jackpot Pool $296,889. Pick Six Jackpot Carryover $196,943. MADAKET SUNSET sped to the early lead, angled in off the rail, dueled outside a rival on the hill, inched away into the stretch, kicked clear under urging and proved best. STORMING LADY hopped at the start, pulled her way up a bit off then briefly stalked between foes, continued just off the inside leaving the hill, came out three deep into the stretch and was clearly second best. BREEZY BEE chased between foes early then off the rail, angled to the inside on the hill, continued inside in the stretch and outfinished foes for the show. STRENGTHINNUMBERS stalked outside then alongside a rival, came out four wide into the stretch and lost third late. CAT'S DESIRE broke a bit slowly, settled just off the rail then outside a rival, came out five wide into the stretch and put in a late bid at a minor award. BEYOND PLEASURE stalked between horses down the hill, came out three deep into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. BALADERA pulled between horses to stalk the early pace, angled to the inside midway on the hill, came out some into the stretch and could not offer the necessary late kick. WEATHER MARKET stalked outside then four wide on the hill, was fanned five wide into the stretch and weakened. ETCHING chased between horses then outside a rival leaving the hill, came out four wide into the stretch, angled in through the drive and lacked a rally. FUEGA stalked inside then bid along the rail to duel for the lead, came a bit off the fence in the stretch and weakened. GREY TSUNAMI bumped at the start, settled just off the rail, angled in on the hill, came out some into the stretch and lacked a response in the drive. Rail on hill at zero. Military vehicles and armed soldiers were visible at strategically important places in Dhaka and elsewhere in the county on December 28. In Dhaka, they were seen mainly checking vehicles at key points of the capital city. Elsewhere in the country army teams reportedly searched buses, cars and pedestrians. As part of an unprecedented series of security measures to be in force in Bangladesh during Sunday's general elections, army troops were deployed in 389 out of about 500 sub-districts on December 31 morning. They will stay until January 2. Nearly 1 million security personnel including army, police and the Border Guard Bangladesh have already been deployed to ensure free and fair elections. Authorities have already imposed a ban on all types of motor vehicles for the polling day. Around 1,861 candidates are contesting in the country's upcoming general election for 299 constituencies out of 300. Election at a constituency election has been postponed by the commission due to the death of a candidate. Some 100 million registered voters will elect 299 representatives to parliament by casting their votes on Sunday in around 40,000 polling stations nationwide. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking a third five-year term in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation of about 165 million people. In the forthcoming elections, as always Hasina's Awami League-led Grand Alliance will be locking horns with former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allies, which boycotted the 2014 elections. Zia's BNP in October this year forged a new alliance "Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front)" led by Kamal Hossain, once a stalwart of the Awami League, who left the party in the early 1990s and established his own "Gono Forum" in 1992. Since February, Zia has been serving a 17-year jail term for a graft conviction, which her party said is politically motivated in an effort to sideline her from politics and elections. Prime Minister Hasina said the issue of her arch-rival Zia is a matter of court. She accused the opposition alliance of flexing muscles, killing her party's five leaders and activists and leaving over 400 injured since December 10. In response, BNP spokesman Sayrul Kabir Khan said more than 11,000 opposition men were arrested in a crackdown since the beginning of electoral campaign on December 10. At least 152 BNP candidates including party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were attacked and hundreds of leaders and activists were injured in clashes, Khan claimed. No police spokesman was available to confirm any figure for the arrests and incidents of pre-polls violence. I was happily gobbling up Crazy Memory of Chaotic Christmas [Dec. 16], complete with tuna casseroles and Pier 1 accessories, when I realized that it had been written by the amazing Sandra Tsing Loh. It brought back memories of a long-ago Christmas at La Fonda Inn in El Paso, where my parents drew our tree on the dresser mirror (with lipstick) and unsuccessfully hid our gifts in the motel bathtub. Sherry Dycaico Runyon South Pasadena :: Advertisement After such thoughtful essays about holiday travels, Gayle Abrams putdown of her mother at Thanksgiving dinners spoiled the section [Finding Family Joy in the Jell-O, Dec. 16]. I dont know if her mother is still alive, but that cruel essay had to hurt. I didnt need to know about her parents antagonism, her feeling judged by them or the spirit of perfectionism ruining her life, if not her dinner. Suggesting therapy to her would have been kinder to your readers than printing this piece. Jan Brown Panorama City Dust bunnies? Not here Regarding Heres a Closer Look at Hotel Inspections, by Catharine Hamm (On the Spot, Nov. 25): In November 2006, my husband and I toured the Galapagos. We had spent the night before and after at the Marriott Quito Hotel in Ecuador. As we were getting ready to depart, I misplaced the paper indicating our departure time and flight information. I looked all over for it and finally looked under the bed, where I found this note: Si, tambien limpiamos debajo de la cama (Yes, we also clean under the bed). I included it in my photo album. Judy Alexander Torrance River cruise realities Regarding European River Cruise Update, by Rosemary McClure (Need to Know, Dec. 16): Words of caution to those planning a river cruise: Beware. Because of drought, there is a difficulty in navigating the main rivers in Europe used by river cruise lines. The cruise lines do not necessarily volunteer this information unless you do some research and ask that they disclose the conditions you will possibly face. Nor do they offer any cautions or alternatives. We booked an Eastern Europe trip on the Danube more than a year ago. We were to fly out of LAX on Oct. 17, stay in a hotel overnight and board on Oct. 18 for seven nights of cruising and visiting various cities using that vessel as our transportation and lodging, which meant we did not have to move luggage or rooms, the primary benefit and convenience of river cruising. As the date approached, we began hearing about navigation problems from sources other than our cruise line. We contacted customer service, which informed us that the only problem we might encounter involved being bused 50 miles downriver for boarding. We found that acceptable. On Oct. 16, after we had packed and made reservations for an airport shuttle, we received an email from the cruise line saying that conditions were worse than expected and that we would be spending approximately four days of our cruise time on buses going back and forth between cities and ports. They offered nothing in return, other than a 25% discount on a future trip; nor did they offer the option to reschedule at a better time. We were still to pay in full for this trip. No one can predict the weather, but a credible business will warn you of conditions in plenty of time, and most businesses allow you to cancel services they cannot provide. Jim Matlock Ventura travel@latimes.com @latimestravel * German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on December 28 urged Russia to release the Ukrainian sailors who were detained during the tensions in the Sea of Azov, Ukrainian media reported. * US President Donald Trump on December 28 threatened to close the southern border amid an ongoing partial government shutdown, resuming his push for the funding of a long-promised US-Mexico border wall. * Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte used his final press conference of the year to double down on the government's belief that the Italian economy will grow fast next year than anyone else predicts. * Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on December 28 signed an order on creating a high-level working group with Belarus to discuss various aspects of bilateral integration and controversial issues, Russian media reported. * A deadly landmine explosion has killed six four Afghan women and two children in restive northern province of Faryab, authorities said Saturday. * Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro and visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on December 28 agreed to strengthen bilateral ties in technology, security, defense and agriculture. * Russia and Britain have reached in principle an agreement to gradually restore diplomatic staff starting January, Russian Ambassador to London Alexander Yakovenko said on December 28 . * The Syrian army declared on December 28 entering the northern city of Manbij and raising the Syrian flag in it, following the withdrawal of Kurdish militia, according to the state TV. * A major blizzard in the US state of New Mexico from December 27 night to December 28 has caused cancellation of flights and closure of many highways in the southwestern state. Winter Storm Warnings and Blizzard Warnings remain in effect for much of northern New Mexico. * Turkish police arrested 62 Iraqi nationals suspected of having links to the Islamic State (IS), state-run Anadolu Agency reported on December 28. * Anti-bomb disposal units of the pro-government forces on December 28 began to defuse hundreds of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and landmines laid by the Houthi rebels in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. * Turkish Defense Ministry on December 28 called on all parties to prevent the escalation of instability in Manbij, northern Syria. * An upgraded long range Russian multimode missile carrying bomber Tu-22M3M performed its maiden flight on December 28, the designer of the aircraft said. * Pakistani Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa on December 28 confirmed death sentences to 22 "hardcore terrorists" who were involved in offenses related to terrorism in the country, the military said. YANGON, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Huawei telecommunications company and Myanmar's Rectors' committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Saturday for ICT talent development under the management of the Education Ministry. The agreement covers cooperation on establishing ICT diploma course system, sponsoring "Seeds for the Future" program, establishing the Huawei Authorized Information and Network Academy, providing ICT Talent Scholarship to outstanding university students, organizing the Youth Open Day at Huawei Customer Solution Innovation and Integration Center as well as assisting in ICT related scientific research in Myanmar. "We appreciate and thank Huawei for the efforts and contributions to Myanmar ICT development. Establishing collaborative partnerships both national and internationally is one of the main approaches which support the development of regional universities," Dr. Myo Kywe, chairman of National Education Policy Commission, told the event. The MoU is an elevated version of the previous one which was signed in 2014 and over 1,500 ICT talents have been trained under the program in the past four years. Zhang Liman, CEO of Huawei Myanmar, called for cooperation from other organizations and individuals in promoting Myanmar's human resources development as well as the sustainable economic and social development. Following the signing ceremony, a total of 50 outstanding students from technological and computer universities across the country were awarded 1,000 U.S. dollars each as part of the ICT Talent Scholarship initiative. The BBC has gone out of its way to voice concern over the personal details of its staff in Russia appearing on social media and on a news site, not long after staying puzzlingly silent when UK media doxxed Sputnik staff in the UK. A list featuring 44 names of BBC employees with their pictures published on a couple of Russian social media platforms and a news website did not sit well with the British broadcaster, which lamented the groundless publication of our Moscow teams details and then requested that Russian authorities investigate the matter. The BBC said it was concerned with this worrying and troubling development and called it a leak. The statement seemed to implicate Russian officials, as the list contained information the broadcaster said it had shared with the Russian authorities. The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier said that the list seemed to contain open-source data. Also on rt.com Names of BBC journalists in Russia made public after Sunday Times doxxed & shamed Sputnik staff Other British media were even less discreet as they spread conspiracy theories, linking the publication of the details to the Kremlin. The leak comes a week after Russia said it would launch an investigation into the BBC for violating fairness standards, the Guardian said in its report, adding that the information appears to have come from official documentation. The Daily Star went further and squarely called the publication a part of a feud over Salisbury spy coverage between Moscow and London right in the headline. The media buzz around the leaks, while understandably concerning for the BBC, has at the same time revealed a glaring contradiction in relation to how the British media handled the doxxing of Sputnik news agency employees in the UK. Not stopping at publishing the journalists profiles, The Times newspaper outright called them Kremlin stooges in its article. The story, which appeared days before the Russian BBC list, attempted to shame the journalists for merely working for the Russian media outlet. It even cited a Scottish MP who was calling on the British authorities to seize their assets. Also on rt.com Harassment that may put lives at risk: British journalist slams the Times for doxing Sputnik staff Far from being outraged at the attempt to ostracize alternative media, UK papers seemed to only have gotten really interested in the Sputnik doxxing in the context of Moscows perceived retaliation to what, some implied, was British media regulator Ofcom targeting RT. No calls to investigate the naming and shaming of Sputnik employees ever followed. to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media wont tell you. Egyptian security forces have neutralized dozens of militants suspected of plotting atrocities across the country during the holiday season. The raids in Giza and North Sinai came a day after jihadists targeted a tourist bus. Security forces managed to foil a number of terrorist plotters that were seeking to commit terrorist operations during celebrations of the New Year and Christmas, the Egyptian Interior Ministry said Saturday, noting that 40 suspects were killed in three simultaneous raids. Also on rt.com 4 dead, 10 injured in tourist bus blast near Giza pyramids in Egypt (VIDEO) Two of the operations took place in the Giza Governorate, popular with tourists, where a total of 30 militants were killed. The third raid took place in the North Sinai region. Large quantities of firearms, ammunition and explosive material were seized in the operations, authorities said. The ministry did not comment on whether the dismantled terrorist cells were connected to Fridays roadside bomb attack on a tourist bus near the iconic Giza pyramids. Three Vietnamese tourists and their Egyptian tour guide were killed, while at least 10 others were injured in the explosion. So far no group has admitted responsibility for the atrocity. Like this story? Share it with a friend! 2018 marked the 40th anniversary of Chinas reform and opening up, and with it, the country achieved new progress in regards to opening up, new results thanks to policies and reform, and further improvement to the livelihood of its citizens. At the end of this year, lets review the top 10 news stories that have defined China in 2018. Moroccan authorities have detained a dual Swiss-Spanish national in connection with the brutal murder of two Scandinavian tourists. The suspect, authorities believe, was a local terrorist recruiter. The man, whose name was not released to the public, was arrested in the city of Marrakech on Saturday, over his alleged links to a group of men linked to the horrific murder of the two young hikers. Earlier, the country's authorities detained 18 people in connection with the killings, including four suspects believed to be inspired by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). Also on rt.com Swedish media blasted for playing down horrific details of hikers IS-inspired murders in Morocco The dual national is suspected of teaching some of those arrested about communication tools involving new technology and training them in marksmanship, the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) said Saturday. The extremist, authorities believe, was also involved in the recruitment of Moroccans and sub-Saharans to carry out terrorist plans in Morocco. Also on rt.com Two Scandinavian backpackers hacked to death in Morocco, mother spammed with gruesome images On December 17, the bodies of two Scandinavian tourists, Louisa Jespersen, a 24-year-old Danish student, and Maren Ueland, a 28-year-old Norwegian, were found at a secluded tourist site not far from Marrakech. They had been brutally stabbed and one of them was beheaded on camera. The news of the gruesome murder shocked Denmark and Norway, as well as Morocco, which had not experienced a major terrorist act since the April 2011 Marrakesh bombing. Like this story? Share it with a friend! US-led coalition admits 1,100+ civilians killed in Iraq & Syria in latest death toll US-led coalition admits 1,100+ civilians killed in Iraq & Syria in latest death toll The US-led coalition has published the latest casualty figures for its airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since the start of Operation Inherent Resolve in 2014. At least 1,139 civilians have been unintentionally killed by coalition strikes, the statement said. The death toll, presented monthly by the US, has been repeatedly challenged by Amnesty International. The group says that the coalition was deeply in denial about the large number of civilians killed and injured by [its] strikes.Source : RT - Daily news 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. Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, Pennsylvania Horticulture Societys Harvest program ends season with almost 19,000 pounds of produce donated and $30K raised to fight food insecurity While the grand opening is scheduled for January 8th the high tech new concept store located at 5901 Far Hills Ave is doing a soft opening this week. The spot most recently housed Clarks Pharmacy and before that was a Wendys restaurant. I stopped in at the new Dunkin today and was greeted by a painter, still doing some last minute touch ups on the newly renovated building. Tuesdays Grand Opening Celebration will run from 7-11am and will include gift card giveaways , the Dunkin pink carpet, the official ribbon cutting at 10am, photo opportunities with the Dunkin mascot and a chance to spin the prize wheel for sweet giveaways. The 2,000 square foot space in Washington Township is the first new concept store in the Dayton market and just the 3rd in Ohio. With a crisp, clean look, gone is the plastic pink and orange decor of the old shops. Speaking of gone, so to is the Donuts part of the business name. Moving forward with just the Dunkin moniker, they will keep the familiar DD as still part of their company branding. Inside a very friendly staff were proud to show off all the new equipment and innovations in the shop run by General Manager Gaston Herding, The highlight of which is the new innovative tap system allows them to consistently serve eight cold beverages such as coffees, iced teas, cold brew coffee and nitro infused cold brew coffee. Josh(pictured right) talked me into sampling the Nitro Cold Brew with an added pump of Thin Mint flavoring and I have to admit as a now coffee drinker, I could see myself getting used to this little sweet caffeine buzz. One of the other great things about Dunkin is they serve their breakfast sandwiches all day long! No having to race the clock to make the cutoff time for breakfast like at some other fast food joints! They showed off the new soft heat brewers, which they explained do a better job of keep the coffee at exactly the right temperature, which allows them to offer a fresh product more consistently. Something else they shared is that the new concept stores small coffee will now be 12 oz, vs the 10 oz that is served up at all the other locations. Each cup of coffee is now labeled when you order, which should help with accuracy on orders, especially when they are busy. All furniture is also moveable, so its easy to pull together seating for a coffee meeting. And staying with the high-tech concept, there is even a high top wireless charging table for your phones. One of the other big changes is the chains double drive-thru, with one lane dedicated exclusively for mobile ordering, allowing customers who order ahead via the companys mobile app to go straight thru the order ahead lane for quick pick up. The second lane is the traditional drive-thru, where youll order via a speaker. Two large glass containers showcase the donuts and there is also an expanded grab and go section, allowing you to grab a drink or some coffee beans to go. You can pick up a box of Jo-to-Go for just $14.99, which holds a gallon of coffee, which is about 10 cups. I also found out that there is a Dunkin happy hour, from 2-6pm each day, where you can pick up a medium cappuccino or latte for just $2. Dunkin also offers a 20% military discount and a 10% senior citizen discount on all orders. . Dunkin 5901 Far Hills Ave. Dayton, OH 45429 Hours Monday Saturday 5am 8pm Sunday 6am 8pm Franchise owner Pat Gilligan expects to open 5 more shops in the Miami Valley this year. New benefits and major events expected to happen in China in 2019 Less personal income tax Chinas new individual income tax law is to take effect on Jan. 1, 2019, while the country has already raised the threshold for personal income tax exemption from 3,500 yuan (about $509.05) to 5,000 yuan per month and enforced new tax brackets in October. To further reduce peoples tax burdens, the revised individual income tax law will also include additional deductions for those who have certain expenditures including children's education, continuing education, treatment for serious diseases, housing loan interests, rent and elderly care. WALLINGFORD Several people living nearby the former Bristol-Myers Squibb campus voiced their disapproval with a proposal to develop the site earlier this month at a Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing. Calare Properties, owner of 5 Research Parkway, applied to develop about 80 acres of the 180-acre property for warehouse and office use. The two structures would total 1.1 million square feet. Warehouse No. 1 would be 641,725 square feet, have 488 parking spaces, 142 trailer stalls and 136 loading docks. Warehouse No. 2 would be 459,800 square feet, have 482 spaces, 101 trailer spaces and 108 loading docks. The neighbors who spoke at the public hearing gave reasons ranging from diminished quality of life to the potential harm of construction in a watershed protection district. The campus is 3.5 miles north of Mackenzie Reservoir, which provides the towns drinking water. The objection that neighbors raised the most was anticipated traffic, and thats where one town resident found his argument against the plan. Richard Schartman, 27 Cliffside Drive, lives in the neighborhood near BMS. He said in an email to the Record-Journal that the project would be better described as a truck terminal rather than warehouses, and believes town officials stretched the definition of warehouse to enable a proposal for a truck terminal on a site for which it is not zoned. The towns permissive zoning regulations mean if something is not explicitly stated as a permitted use in the zone, its not allowed. Town regulations do not define truck terminal. When a term isnt defined, the definition in the American Heritage College Dictionary is used. That dictionary doesnt define truck terminal either. When asked, Schartman said he would define it as an area where trucks come in, and exchange goods between themselves, and leave and a warehouse as a storage facility. There are going to be trucks in and out every day, he said on Friday. When you listen to the meeting, theres absolutely no promise of this being a storage facility. Its not a storage facility, nobodys committing to that. No tenants have been announced for the buildings. Theres no commitment to use of the facility as a warehouse, he said. Calares attorney, Dennis Ceneviva, said Friday the truck terminal argument is more of the misinformation that has been part of the campaign against the proposal. At the end of the day, its a warehouse facility, he said. You dont build 1.1 million square feet of warehouse in a truck terminal. Town Planner Kacie Hand submitted 24 recommended conditions of approval. No. 23 on the list stipulates that the site is not to be used as a truck terminal. No vehicle repairs, washing or long-term storage would be allowed. Weve already agreed to that, Ceneviva said. The property is zoned IX, or Industrial Expansion District. Under IX zone regulations, permitted uses include warehouses and offices. A plan thats a permitted use only would need site plan approval to move forward, but IX zone regulations state that if the anticipated project would produce 100 or more vehicle trips during its peak hour, a special permit is required. Hand said Thursday the special permit application gives PZC a higher level of discretion. A vehicle trip is in one direction, in or out, and types of vehicles are not distinguished. Trips are calculated based on the the most recent edition of the Trip Generator Manual published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Under IX zone regulations, a traffic impact analysis is required for a special permit. Civil engineering firm BL Companies, hired by Calare, conducted the traffic analysis. About 30 percent of the total site traffic would be heavy vehicles, according to the traffic study. The town then hired CDM Smith, an engineering and construction firm, to perform a peer review on a traffic study. The review was paid for by Calare. Hourly traffic volumes were presented in BLs traffic study. Warehouse No. 1 would generate an estimated 119 trips and Warehouse No. 2 would generate an estimated 92 trips, both during a peak hour of 3-4 p.m., for a total of 211 peak hour trips. Warehouse No. 1 would generate an estimated 1,060 total trips per day, and Warehouse No. 2 would generate 772. Town Engineer Rob Baltramaitis noted in his land use review from Dec. 7 that the development will generate fewer site trips than that of the Bristol-Myers Squibb facility at its projected peak of operation. BMS was approved for 538 trips in and 30 out during the morning peak hour in February 2001 when owners sought approval for two new wings that were never ultimately built, and were approved for up to 620 trips in the morning peak hour. In 2004, a 25,000 square-foot expansion of the central utility plant that also was never completed would have brought the number of peak hour trips up to 655. Baltramaitis pointed out that, under Calares plan, a larger portion of the site trips will be tractor-trailers, (which) can have a passenger car equivalent of 3 to 4 from a capacity standpoint. LTakores@record-journal.com 203-317-2212 Twitter: @LCTakores WALLINGFORD An upcoming production by the Square Foot Theatre will give student actors a chance to portray some of the most reviled figures in American history. Assassins, the 1990 musical by Stephen Sondheim, explores the crazed motives of both would-be and successful presidential assassins, allowing the historical figures to transcend time and meet each other. The show is a production of the theaters college intensive program, where college-age actors can hone performance skills during winter break in a show thats produced in two-and-a-half weeks, so fast students needed to arrive at the first rehearsal with lines memorized. Were not condoning the assassination of presidents, said Jared Andrew Brown, theater co-founder. But rather choosing a show that makes history interesting, learning exciting and the arts alive. Brown said that he has a great board of directors that allow us to do these shows that otherwise might be rejected by a school board or other groups of theater advisers. When I first talked to the cast of Assassins, Brown said, I told them Patrick (Laffin, theater co-founder) and I are blessed to have a theater company that we can bring works like this to the community, and allow them an opportunity to see something they might not have been privy to before. The characters are based on real assassins, including the infamous John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald and the lesser-known, like anarchist Leon Czolgosz, who killed President William McKinley in 1901, and Charles Manson follower Lynette Squeaky Fromme, who attempted to kill President Gerald Ford in 1975. The actors are learning so much about them that we see their characters really jump off the page, Brown said. Kaity Marzik, 20, plays Sara Jane Moore, who also attempted to assassinate Ford, just 17 days after Fromme. She said her character is kind of a mess. Her gun keeps going off and she cant keep it together. But during her imagined conversations with Fromme, plotting their attempts to kill Ford, she feels more like shes in control, like she has a purpose and a cause. Marzik, of West Hartford, said she has participated in seven Square Foot Theatre shows and is applying to theater conservatories. Meriden native Kuhlken Gorman, 23, plays Charles Guiteau, who mortally wounded President James A. Garfield in 1881. Garfield died two months after being shot when his wounds became infected. Guiteau is the optimist of the show, almost to like a narcissistic sense, Gorman said, adding that his character feels like he can do anything while the others are stuck in a rut. That comes to a head once he confronts President James Garfield, he said. Gorman attends Salem State University in Massachusetts. Watching Assassins, Brown said, is like watching Titanic and knowing how it will end but getting something out of it anyway. Im hoping that the appeal is in supporting the local community theater, Brown said. Im hoping that somebody that is in town, who loves the arts, will give community theater a chance. The set makes use of the entire house in a traverse stage, a first for the theater. Audiences can bring food and drink to shows, and seating is cabaret-style. The theater opens an hour before show time. Assassins is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16-19 and 2 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Square Foot Theatre, 950 Yale Ave. Tickets are available at www.squarefoottheatre.com/tickets. The one-act show runs about 90 minutes. LTakores@record-journal.com 203-317-2212 Twitter: @LCTakores International Taliban dismiss Afghanistans talks offer KABUL/PESHAWAR, Dec 30 (Agencies) | Publish Date: 12/30/2018 12:04:31 PM IST The Taliban have rejected Kabuls offer of talks next month in Saudi Arabia where the militants, fighting to restore strict Islamic law in Afghanistan, will meet U.S. officials to further peace efforts, a Taliban leader said on Sunday. Representatives from the Taliban, the United States and regional countries met this month in the United Arab Emirates for talks to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan. According to Reuters, but the Taliban have refused to hold formal talks with the Western-backed Afghan government. We will meet the U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia in January next year and we will start our talks that remained incomplete in Abu Dhabi, a member of the Talibans decision-making Leadership Council told Reuters. However, we have made it clear to all the stakeholders that we will not talk to the Afghan government. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said the leaders of the group would not talk to the Afghan government. The militants have insisted on first reaching an agreement with the United States, which the group sees as the main force in Afghanistan since U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban government in 2001. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have intensified after Taliban representatives started meeting U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad this year. Officials from the warring sides have met at least three times to discuss the withdrawal of international forces and a ceasefire in 2019. But the United States has insisted that any final settlement must be led by the Afghans. According to data from the NATO-led Resolute Support mission published in November, the government of President Ashraf Ghani has control or influence over 65 percent of the population but only 55.5 percent of Afghanistans 407 districts, less than at any time since 2001. The Taliban say they control 70 percent of the country. A close aide to Ghani said the government would keep trying to establish a direct line of diplomatic communication with the Taliban. Talks should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, the aide said on condition of anonymity. It is important that the Taliban acknowledge this fact. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a pullout of American troops from Syria, a decision that prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis, and there have been reports that he is considering a partial pullout from Afghanistan. By AFP SHANGHAI: Chinese firms are encouraging staff to buy Huawei smartphones following Canada's arrest of a top Huawei executive on a US extradition request, which has triggered an outpouring of nationalist support. Several companies are offering employees subsidies for Huawei phone purchases, while others have even warned staff against buying Apple products. In eastern China, Fuchun Technology said "nearly sixty" out of its 200 employees have taken advantage of 100 to 500 yuan (USD 15 to USD 29) Huawei phone subsidies as of Saturday. Another tech firm, Chengdu RYD Information Technology, has offered 15 per cent subsidies, though it declined to disclose how many employees have actually taken advantage of the benefits. "We are supportive of good China-made brands," a spokeswoman told AFP, adding that the subsidies are part of employee benefits and were not "guided by the government." One company has even threatened to fine employees who buy iPhones, charging them 100 per cent of the smartphone's market price. "Stop buying US brands for company equipment," Shenzhen-based Menpad said in an internal notice, confirmed by AFP. The surge of patriotism began after Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, was detained in Canada on December 1 on a US extradition request linked to sanctions-breaking business dealings with Iran. She has since been released on bail pending her US extradition hearing, and is now living under electronic surveillance in a luxury home in Vancouver. Ottawa has repeatedly said Meng's arrest was not political but rather part of a judicial process in keeping with an extradition treaty with Washington. But some in China see Meng's arrest as part of a broader conspiracy to suppress China's high-tech enterprises, with nationalist tabloid Global Times accusing Washington of "resorting to a despicable rogue's approach" because it cannot stop Huawei's progress in the 5G market. The internal notices announcing the Huawei subsidies started circulating on China's Twitter-like Weibo earlier this month, and have split Chinese internet opinion. Some users were in favour of buying phones in the name of patriotism, while others questioned whether or not Chinese firms were simply leveraging Huawei's case as a marketing strategy or branding opportunity. "Those companies are conscientious for standing by Huawei's side," praised one Weibo user, using a thumb's up emoji. "The government should also publish an official document to support domestic brands." But another user, who said they supported Huawei, criticised the practise of punishing staff who purchase Apple products. To win respect, domestic tech brands should "keep fighting despite setbacks and adopt an attitude of not accepting defeat," they said. By PTI MUMBAI: The Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) said Saturday that it has requested the government to intervene in the on-going dispute between online travel aggregators (OTA) and hotels. FHRAI has written to Tourism Minister K J Alphons outlining major issues concerning the industry and sought urgent intervention for redressal of hoteliers' grievances, a release said here. "The hotel industry, especially the budget and mid-market hotel segment is reeling under the adverse business tactics of the OTAs. The OTAs' malpractices are affecting the hoteliers' livelihood and business. These hoteliers who are part of the local and city hotel associations across the country have approached FHRAI seeking consultation and support, and are in solidarity with the Federation," FHRAI vice president Gurbaxish Singh Kohli said. The FHRAI tried to resolve the issue directly with the OTAs, however, OTAs have chosen to dismiss FHRAI's role in the matter, he said. "It leaves us with no choice but to ask the government to step in and create a norm for the OTAs just as the Commerce Ministry has done for the e-tailers recently," he added. Early this month, hoteliers in Gujarat boycotted OTAs citing biased and unilateral business conduct by them. "One of the most glaring irregularities is the illegal and unlicensed bed and breakfast (B&B), motels or accommodations hosted by the OTAs on their platforms. More than 40 per cent of the room inventory available on the OTAs is illegally operated," FHRAI vice president (north) S K Jaiswal alleged. By Express News Service MUMBAI: The Central government will infuse around Rs 10,086 crore in Bank of India (BoI). The government has intimated BoI about the capital infusion, the bank said in a regulatory filing on Saturday. The market, meanwhile, has been abuzz with news about three public sector banks (PSB) including Bank of India, UCO Bank and United Bank of India getting capital infusion to the tune of Rs 28,615 crore this month. BoI said the Finance Ministry had sent the intimation on December 26 and that the equity infusion would be by way of preferential allotment. The Board of Directors would be considering by way of circular resolution on or after January 2, 2019, the proposal for raising capital by this infusion and further issue of equity shares at an appropriate time and other incidental matters, it said. United Bank of India intimated stock exchanges on December 27 that the government would invest Rs 2,159 crore in the bank, also by way of preferential allotment. There are 11 PSBs under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework that restricts them from lending to high credit risk categories, in turn preventing the growth of their loan books. BoI said it cut down on corporate lending and grew its retail loan book to overcome the PCA restrictions. BoI, as well as United Bank, had earlier said they hoped to be out of PCA by the end of FY19. Three banks are within the threshold-1 of PCA and four-five PCA banks will get additional recapitalisation this year. The four-five banks have a high chance of coming out of PCA, said Rajeev Kumar, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, recently. The government had earlier announced an infusion of Rs 65,000 crore in PSBs in FY19, of which Rs 23,000 crore has already been disbursed, while Rs 42,000 crore is remaining. Earlier this month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government would put an additional Rs 41,000 crore in PSBs over and above what was announced earlier. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Over 500 residents of Ranka Colony Road in Bilekahalli formed a human chain and blocked traffic on Bannerghatta Road on Saturday to highlight the plight of their road which is plagued with issues like lack of hygiene, garbage and dog menace. According to the residents, the stink of garbage dumped by miscreants in the area and an unauthorised segregation point have made their lives miserable. Irked by lack of attention from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the residents, including students, senior citizens, commercial establishments and citizen groups, participated in the protest.Residents said local authorities should vacate the unauthorised waste segregation point at the intersection of Ranka Colony Road and Dr Ambedkar Road. In addition to this, the area has turned into dump yard. The garbage is mixed with water from a drain, eventually polluting the Madiwala Lake. The area is being infested with mosquitoes, insects, rodents and pests leading to diseases. Stray dogs and pigs numbers are increasing by the day making the area unsafe for pedestrians, said residents. The residents have threatened that they will resort to indefinite protest if their woes are not addressed. Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and U.S. President Donald Trump [File photo: China Plus] Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday held a telephone conversation, expressing their willingness to push for implementation of their agreements reached during the G-20 summit in Argentina. Trump wished Xi and the Chinese people a happy new year, saying that the U.S.-China relations are very important and closely followed by the whole world. He said he values the great relations with Xi, adding that he is pleased to see the teams of both countries are working hard to implement the important consensus reached between him and Xi during their meeting in Argentina. Trump said relevant talks and coordination are producing positive progress. He hopes results will be reached to the benefit of both U.S. and Chinese peoples as well as people of all nations. Xi, for his part, extended best wishes to Trump and the U.S. people upon the arrival of the new year. Xi said both he and Trump hope to push for a stable progress of the China-U.S. relations, adding that the bilateral ties are now in a vital stage. The Chinese president said he and Trump had a very successful meeting early this month and reached important consensus in Argentina. The teams from both countries have since been actively working to implement such consensus, he said, expressing hopes that both teams can meet each other halfway and reach an agreement beneficial to both countries and the world as early as possible. Xi said next year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the United States and China, adding that China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations and appreciates the willingness of the U.S. side to develop cooperative and constructive bilateral relations. China is willing to work with the United States to summarize the experience of 40 years of the development of China-U.S. relations, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in fields of economy and trade, military, law enforcement, anti-drug operations, local issues and culture, Xi said. Xi added that China is also willing to work with the United States to maintain communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, respect each other's important interests, promote China-U.S. relations based on coordination, cooperation and stability, and let the development of bilateral relations better benefit the two peoples and people around the world. The two heads of state also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Xi reiterated that China encourages and supports further talks between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and hopes for positive results. By Express News Service CHENNAI: With the plastic ban in the State all set to kick in from new year, residents of the city have been asked to surrender all banned plastic items at their respective Corporation Ward Offices on Monday. This includes plastic cups, sheets, straws and bags, according to a release from the civic body. This decision to collect all banned plastic items comes after Corporation Commissioner D Karthikeyan met with officers from all corporation departments on Saturday regarding implementation of the plastic ban in the city. ALSO READ: Paper cups may escape plastic ban Special teams which will include the zonal officer, engineer, health officer, tahsildar, assistant commissioner of police have also been formed to seize banned plastic items from consumers, sellers and hoarders. These banned plastic items which are seized from residences and commercial places will be used to lay tar roads in the city. The corporation will continue with its plastic ban awareness programs and has requested its citizens to switch to eco friendly alternatives such as cloth bags, paper cups and straws. By Express News Service CHENNAI: A 27-year-old woman burnt her son to death near Poonamallee and dumped him in the septic tank on Friday night. She was allegedly depressed that her family disrespected her after she married a man of her choice against her parents will. Police said that the mother, Meenakshi, wanted to kill herself too by hanging but abandoned the idea out of fear. Meenakshi, who settled in Krishnagiri after marriage, had come to her house on Avadi Road in Karayanchavadi for her six-year-old son Srikanths vacation. They stayed in a room behind the house. After everyone in the family slept on Friday, she poured kerosene on her son and set him ablaze, said police.Meenakshi has been arrested for murder. She has alleged that she underwent abuse at the hands of her husband as well as father-in-law, and is said to have been upset that her family members also did not care for her. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: As many as four students from the city, who are stuck in Malaysia after they were allegedly duped on the pretext of securing good jobs, appealed to Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj to intervene into the matter and arrange for their repatriation. Apart from the four students, six more from the State and Andhra Pradesh are also stuck there. One of the students who is stuck in Malaysia The four mechanical engineering students, Syed Zubair ur Rehman, Ahmed Asif Abbas, Panduri Ravendra and Nakka Venkateswarulu were allegedly cheated by a travel agent Rajender Naik Ramavathu and have been stuck in the country since March. They were purportedly promised jobs in Malaysia and were asked to pay `2 lakh each to the travel agent. One of the victims, Abbas, in a video from Malaysia said, After coming here and after many months, we realised that we were given fake job cards. All other documents such as job letters also turned out to be fake. After we found these out, we have been trying to get back to India. He has taken our passports, and he (the travel agent) is saying that it is not possible to send the passports. Zubair said, Whenever we asked him to take us to the Embassy, he did not let us. When we tried to go to the Embassy, he scared us saying that police would nab us as we are staying illegally. This is why, we are asking you Mrs Swaraj to rescue us from here. In their letter to Swaraj, they said that the agent Ramavathu was also running a recruitment agency in Malaysia. He has cheated number of students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana State in the name of providing job visa in Malaysia...Many students who were sent by him have been arrested by police in Malaysia and were in jails for months. One of the victims brother, a resident of Kalapatthar area also approached the police to take action against the travel agent. However, he was turned to Saidabad police. Majilis Bachao Tehreek spokesperson Amjed Ullah Khan said, Inspite of so many cheating cases being reported in Hyderabad, no stringent action has been taken by city police against fake travel agents. Not a single travel agent has been booked under PD Act by them. Aishik Chanda By Express News Service KOLKATA: Legendary filmmaker Padma Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke awardee Mrinal Sen died of cardiac arrest at his Kolkata residence at 10.30 AM on Sunday. He was suffering from age-related health problems and was aged 95. Mrinal Sen is survived by his son Kunal Sen. His wife Gita Shome passed away last year. Sen's mortal remains will be preserved at Peace Haven mortuary till his son returns from Chicago on January 2. The filmmaker had urged that his mortal remains should not be given any state honours. Along with contemporaries Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak, Sen was considered as one of the greatest ambassadors of Bengali parallel cinema on the global stage. He began his film direction in 1955 with 'Raat Bhore' but shot to international fame with his third film 'Baishey Shrabon'. Sen's 1969 Hindi movie 'Bhuvan Shome' launched the 'new cinema' movement in the country. Several of his films won national and international awards for merging existentialism, surrealism, German expressionism, postmodernism and Italian neo-realism in his movies. His movies were known for not ending on a happy note or presenting any definitive conclusion. Born in Faridpur town in present-day Bangladesh on May 14, 1923, Sen left for Kolkata after finishing his high school to study physics at Scottish Church College and then earned a post-graduate degree at University of Calcutta. He was involved in communist student politics. Though he was lifelong an ardent Marxist, he was never a member of the undivided Communist Party of India but was close to socialist Indian People's Theatre Association. On July 24, 2012, Sen was not invited by the Trinamool Congress regime to a West Bengal government programme to felicitate film personalities due to his political views. Sen had briefly worked as a medical representative outside Kolkata but returned to the city to work as an audio technician in a film studio which brought him into the film industry and ultimately launched his film career. The entire Tollywood film industry, President Ram Nath Kovind and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed grief over the loss. Honours and awards By PTI NEW DELHI: The year grabbed the headlines for fake news, but the Indian reader's faith, in fact, remained undeterred with non-fiction emerging the most popular literary category in 2018. Continuing last year's trend, readers continued their love affair with non-fiction in all genres, including autobiographies, business and self-help books. ALSO READ | Poetry on wheels to make a stop in Bengaluru Michelle Obama's memoir "Becoming", "The Spy Chronicles" by retired spy chiefs of India and Pakistan, and politician-author Shashi Tharoor's "Why I am a Hindu" were among the titles that did well, according to data released by Crossword bookstore. Mark Manson's "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k" was one of Hachette India's most popular titles this year, said publisher Poulomi Chatterjee. Chatterjee, who is the Editor-in-chief of Hachette India noted that the book that witnessed "massive worldwide sales", was among "the self-help, self-improvement-to-negotiate-the-world kind of non-fiction" books that dominated the year. "The Indian readership has traditionally always been partial to non-fiction, and that's what continues to rule today," Chatterjee said. She added that this success in 2018 was not due to "one or two obvious sellers" but a number of books that have sold very well. According to Prasun Chatterjee, editorial director, Pan Macmillan India, the year saw a spike in the interest for "non-fiction which relates to daily lives". The publishing house's best-selling titles this year included "The Jobs Crisis in India", and "The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India", which, Chatterjee said, relate to the "questions of employment, aspirations of the youth which are relevant while our country goes into general elections in 2019". Serious non-fiction also heated up the market significantly, with books like "The Dravidian Years", "Healers or Predators?", and "The Aadhar Effect". "We are extremely happy with these books - in terms of both sales and reviews," Sugata Ghosh, Director, Academic Division, Oxford University Press (OUP) India, said. However, Indians' love for non-fiction was not limited to new titles alone, as several publishing houses said 2018 was a hit for backlisters in the segment too. ALSO READ | 2018 was phenomenal, perfect for books, say publishers While Penguin India witnessed growth in the sales of previous works of authors like Sudha Murthy, Ruskin Bond, and Yuval Noah Harari, Pan Macmillan's "India After Gandhi" by historian Ramachandra Guha continued to grow in sales along with the two parts of "Wonder That Was India" by AL Basham and SAA Rizvi. "'Inner Engineering' by Sadhguru, launched in 2016, continues to be sold in big numbers," Nandan Jha, Senior Vice President, Penguin Random House India, said. According to data shared by Crossword bookstores, other best-sellers in non-fiction this year included "The Heartfulness way", a book on spirituality by Kamlesh D Patel and Joshua Pollock, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Exam Warrior". From a business perspective too, publishers have declared 2018 a year of "reasonably good success". While Pan Macmillan India registered an overall "growth of 7.5 per cent", Ghosh from OUP India said the sale was "decent" for academic titles, "great" for serious non-fiction and "not so great" for fiction. "India remains to be one of the largest book markets and is seeing growth in both print and digital printing," Nandan Jha of Penguin Random House said. Meanwhile, Crossword bookstores revealed a rise in the sale of fiction books like "Sacred Games", and "To All The Boys I've Loved Before", which have been adapted into TV series or movies aired on online streaming service Netflix. The year has also been successful for Indian fiction writers like Chetan Bhagat and Twinkle Khanna whose respective books "The Girl in Room 105" and "Pyjamas Are Forgiving" were chart-toppers. By PTI LONDON: Taking part in 'Dry January' challenge, which involves abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the new year, can help people regain control over their drinking and spending, as well as boost health, a study has found. Researchers from the University of Sussex in the UK took data from over 800 people who took part in Dry January in 2018. ALSO READ | Binge drinking in students linked to social media addiction The results showed that Dry January participants were drinking less in up to August. They reported that the frequency of being drunk dropped from 3.4 per month to 2.1 per month on average. "The simple act of taking a month off alcohol helps people drink less in the long term: by August people are reporting one extra dry day per week," said Richard de Visser, from the University of Sussex. "There are also considerable immediate benefits: nine in ten people save money, seven in ten sleep better and three in five lose weight," he said. "These changes in alcohol consumption have also been seen in the participants who didn't manage to stay alcohol-free for the whole month - although they are a bit smaller. This shows that there are real benefits to just trying to complete Dry January," said de Visser. The research showed that 88 per cent saved money, 70 per cent had generally improved health, 71 per cent slept better, and 58 per cent lost weight. De Visser's findings come from three self-completed online surveys: 2,821 on registering for Dry January; 1,715 in the first week of February; and 816 participants in August. By IANS LONDON: While many parents blame Snapchat for keeping their kids engaged on phones for a very long time, the popular messaging app's Co-founder Evan Spiegel limits screen time for his seven-year-old stepchild, the media reported. The 28-year-old billionaire, who is the CEO of Snapchat's parent company Snap Inc. allows his stepson, Flynn, 90 minutes of screen time a week, The Sunday Times reported. ALSO READ | Snapchat terrorist on flight: Kolkata lover boy lands in police net Flynn is the son of Spiegel's wife, the Australian model Miranda Kerr, from her marriage to the actor Orlando Bloom. Spiegel, who is credited with making selfie mainstream and building himself a $1.4 billion fortune at the same time, is not alone in limiting screen time for kids at home. Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs never let his kids use iPads at home. "We limit how much technology our kids use at home," Jobs had told The New York Times. ALSO READ | How Snapchat filters are leading to body dysmorphia Microsoft founder-turned-philanthropist Bill Gates, in an interview to the Mirror last year, said he has set strict rules for how his three kids grew up "in a home that forbade cell phones until age 14, banned cell-phone use at the dinner table, and set limits on how close to bedtime kids could use their phones". Research has found that excessive use of social media including Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram is associated with poor well-being which could lead to depression and loneliness. A study, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, showed that limiting screen time on these apps could boost one's wellness. Ravi Shankar By The four pillars of Indian democracy have weathered many assaults from within and outside, since Indias midnight tryst with destiny on August 15, 1947. Since then, Parliament has risen above its ever-changing political, religious and caste pigmentation to enact diverse reformist legislations such as compulsory education, food security and divorce law. Prime Ministers of various political persuasions and regions emerged, some damaging institutions while others created new edifices that strengthened our democracyVP Singh caused a national caste conflagration and went down in an ash cloud of ignominy while PV Narasimha Rao opened up the countrys moribund Socialist economy thereby initiating a reform revolution. The media remains independent and noisy, though television has brought down the standard of news and opinion by many notches. The most hallowed of the four pillars, the Indian Judiciary, stands immutable in credibility and fairness. However, it has never been at the centre of such turbulent constitutional and social storms in 71 years as in 2018. Epoch-changing rulings, judicial integrity crisis, public revolt at the top and populist siege have made 2018 unquestionably the Year of the Judiciary. While inaugurating the Supreme Court (SC) building on October 29, 1954, the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad, said: I do not think it will fall into the lot of any of my successors to declare open such a Temple of Justice. The temple has held firm while political gods have risen and fallen as the SC continues to exercise its role as the conscience keeper of Indian democracy. Justices Kurian Joseph, J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi and MB Lokur address the media in New Delhi in January, alleging then CJI Dipak Misras arbitrary way of assigning important cases to benches headed by junior SC judges STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE Except during the Emergency in 1975 when Indira Gandhi emasculated the courts, Indias judges have upheld their freedom of wisdom. On the lawns of the SC building stands a sculpture in black bronze, showing a woman representing Mother India sheltering a child symbolic of the Republic, who is holding an open book inscribed with a pair of scales that represent equal justice to everyone. The Oppositions charge against the Narendra Modi government is that it has thrown the book at the judiciary itself. The apex court that operationally came into existence on January 28, 1950, upholds the principle that its law is binding on all courts across India. With the instrument of judicial review, it can strike down legislative and executive actions that judges feel are unconstitutional or disturb the federal power balance. This year, judges came under public, media and political scrutiny in the manner they approached their mandate. At a legal summit in New Delhi in November, Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal said the SC had garnered to itself vast powers, which no one apex court in the world has ever exercised and that its interpretation of Article 142 of the Constitution, in a manner, conveyed that it was above the law. Senior advocate K V Dhananjay does not agree. He says, Contrary to public perception, the SC hasnt intruded into the executive domain. The rapid sequence of rulings, striking down several unfair legal provisions and common practices, gave the public the impression of judicial overreach. It decriminalised homosexuality between consenting adults and adultery, barred automatic arrests in SC/ST atrocity cases, allowed women of menstruating age into a government-administered Hindu temple and made triple talaq a crime, all of which are legitimate and much-needed actions. NO PUSHOVER The Centre is on occasion known to be short on patience when it encounters obstacles to its economical, political and social agenda. It has passed radical social reforms such as criminalising triple talaq, made controversial economic decisions such as demonetisation and GST, announced the swift purchase of fighter aircraft to speedily fill up gaps in air defence and tweaked Planning with Niti Aayog. The SC has been the main point of reference for personalities and parties seeking to counter the governments plans. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed all petitions seeking a direction to the CBI to register an FIR for alleged irregularities in the Rafale deal. Celebrations erupted as the Supreme Court, in a historic judgement, decriminalised sexual relations between consenting homosexual adults The judiciarys objectivity was apparent when the bench, comprising Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph, ruled out commercial favouritism to any private entity in the dealsignificantly, the Centres delay in the elevation of Justice Joseph had given the Opposition ample opportunities to allege interference in legitimate judicial process. But all was not well in the hallowed chambers of the pink and white building designed in Indo-British style by public architect Ganesh Bhikaji Deolalikar on 17 acres. Open confrontations between the judiciary and government representatives have marred the atmosphere, of which a long-standing complaint has been the delay in judicial appointments. In May, a bench comprising Justice MB Lokur who is part of the Collegium lashed out, This is the problem with you (the government). When it comes to attacking the judiciary you have the data. But when it comes to the government you dont have the figures. He was referring to the AGs admission that he doesnt have the number of judges recommendations. TROUBLE AT HOME The worst low came with an open confrontation between the judges themselves. For the first time in modern Indias history, the judiciary laundered its dirty robes in public. The year began with Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, MB Lokur and Kurien Josephthe four senior-most judges in the SC after the then CJI Dipak Misraholding a press conference on January 12 to protest the CJIs style of functioning which they felt had a pro-Centre tilt, that seemed obvious in the allotment of important cases to junior judges. Even after Justice Misra retired in October, the shadow deepened when retiring Justice Joseph observed in December that the SC wasnt going in the right direction. He said, Someone from outside was controlling the Chief Justice of India, that is what we felt. Justice Chelameswar warned, Unless this institution (SC) is preserved, democracy cant be protected in this country. However, in July the CJI had supported Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals petition against the Lieutenant Governors (LG) interference in the state governments functions. If a well-deliberated legitimate decision of the Council of Ministers is not given effect to due to an attitude to differ on the part of the Lieutenant Governor, then the concept of collective responsibility would stand negated, the CJI ruled. The AAP government has been accusing the Centre of blocking its development programmes through the LG sitting on files and encouraging the bureaucracy to sabotage the state administration. Former Delhi High Court Judge S N Dhingra, however, criticises the preferential treatment given to some cases while human rights cases do not make it to the roster. Courts, especially Supreme Court, should try to look into such cases and not the other way around. People have been awaiting justice for 20 years and more, some of whom even die waiting. Its time the courts prioritised cases according to merit. THE LETTER OF THE LAW There is no obvious pattern behind the SCs judgments to justify the Oppositions claims that the judiciary has been compromised. The SC under CJI Misra denied pleas to set up an independent investigation into the mysterious death of Judge Brijgopal Harkishan Loya who was overseeing a SIT investigation of the Sohrabuddin encounter case that involved accusations against BJP President Amit Shah. The same judge had ruled, within 10 days of taking over as CJI, in favour of investigative transparency: all states were ordered to upload all FIRs online within 24 hours of its registration to enable speedy judicial redress. In another ruling, a bench headed by Justice Misra had said, Sunlight is the best disinfectant, allowing live streaming of court proceedings. On its part, the Union government sees judicial activism as the worst hurdle to policy-making by interfering in its orders by supporting PILs. At a National Law Day function in 2017, then CJI Misra had snubbed the law ministry, declaring it was the sacrosanct duty of the judiciary to protect fundamental rights of citizens when officialdom encroaches upon their rights. In September 2018, a bench comprising Justices Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta defended judicial acknowledgment of PILs since the system was not protecting the rights of the marginaliseda ruling that acquires significance in election year. The same month, it delivered a landmark ruling curtailing the Aadhaar even as it observed that the biometric identity system did not violate the privacy of people. The Right to Privacy was declared intrinsic part of Article 21 of the Constitution in 2017 and 2018 have seen. Thanks to the SCs judicial activism, a plethora of rights enshrined in Article 21 have been upheld. Its heartening to see this happen since the legislature and executive seem to have failed in their duty, says social activist and lawyer Amit Sahni. Putting an end to a centuries-old tradition, the SC ruled that women of any age can enter Keralas Sabarimala Temple; (below) seven opposition parties, led by the Congress, in April sought the impeachment of the then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra PUBLIC DEFENDER For decades, Indias Supreme Court has functioned as the supreme activist on behalf of the great Indian public, which has been at the mercy of a skewed socioeconomic power structure. When the social implications of an issue overshadow its political nuances, the courts have acted firmly on behalf of the citizens. September 2018 was a good month for civil rights: the court struck down a British-era law that defined adultery a crime. Another colonial law was overturned when judges lifted an over 150-year-old ban on homosexuality. In November, it set aside a Punjab and Haryana High Court ruling that criticising a judge on Facebook is contempt. The SC has on its own taken up suo moto issues and set up fact-finding committees and panels to ensure that citizens rights are protected. It has been a green champion, cracking down on polluting coal plants and ordering Delhis public transport, taxis and autorickshaws are CNG-driven. The anguish of judges comes out in their rulings such as girls and women are getting raped left, right and centre, or that lynchings are becoming a Typhon-like monster. The SC was called upon to solve Delhis mounting garbage crisis that was encouraging epidemics. A newspaper report on the death of a dengue-affected child moved judges to order government agencies work as one to solve the garbage crisis. What is the use of passing the orders when no one is bothered to implement it? India will go down under the garbage one day, fumed one of the justices. The court has been mercilessly chastising the government on various welfare issues. In August, AG Venugopal requested the courts to restrain itself from criticising governance and making rulings without understanding the financial implications of cancellation of 2G licences affecting foreign investments and removal of liquor vends on highways affecting livelihoods. Justice Lokur responded saying the courts order ensured the government collected over Rs 1,50,000 crore as penalties for illegal mining. A bench of Justices Lokur, Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta has been hearing petitions on pollution, environment, garbage, overcrowding of prisons, conditions of women and children in jails, shelter homes for children, rehabilitation of widows, illegal mining and others. The court has always acted in the national interest: in August, it put off hearing petitions against the Constitutions Article 35A to January after the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir government warned of unrest ahead of the coming panchayat and local body elections. Advocate Anas Tanvir calls 2018 an incredibly momentous year in the SC. With regular Constitution benches, it showed its inclination towards the development of jurisprudence. Indeed, it has been overactive, sometimes even encroaching on what could be called executive domain. The governments failure in curbing mob violence forced the SC to issue guidelines and direct the Centre to come up with legislation. The Sabarimala judgment followed the sacrosanct doctrine of Equality under the law, he says. MOMENT OF RECKONING The biggest trial the SC faces today is the challenge to its authority from organised religion. For the first time in India, political parties accused the court of communal bias. Building the Ram temple at Ayodhya is one of the main poll planks of the BJP, its ideological parent RSS and allies. Many saffron leaders have been demanding a law to facilitate the construction. The official party line is that legislation or even an ordinance is not possible since the matter is pending in court. A bench of CJI Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph had ordered the date of the hearing to be set in January 2019 since it had its own priorities. The government is under pressure from within as well. At a Parliamentary Committee meeting in late December, BJP MP Harinarayan Rajbhar from UP said, People should not wait anymore. They did not need any permission in 1992 to demolish the Babri mosque. They dont need any court order or government permission to build the temple. VHP has vowed to launch a countrywide agitation and pressure-campaign on MPs by Hindus if the SCs verdict goes against their faith. However, when there is a conflict between religion and rights, the SC takes an unambiguous stance. In September, a 4-1 majority ruling declared that the tradition of barring women from entering the Sabarimala Temple violated Article 25 (Clause 1) and Rule 3(b) of Kerala Hindu Places of Worship, stoking a war between the Left-led state government and the BJP, and escalating to an election plank for later in the year. The significance of the SCs guardianship of Indian democracy and its wide spectrum rulings in 2018 are bound to shape the narrative of 2019. In spite of the occasional clouds that have marred the impartial serenity and majesty of justice, the highest judicial body of the country stands as the bulwark of conscience against political pressure, populism and social injustice.with inputs from Kanu Sarda. TOTAL RECALL Landmark judgments of the Supreme Court, 2018 Mar 8: The Hadiya case Restores the marriage of Hadiya with Shafin Jahan, setting aside a Kerala High Court order that had annulled the validity of the marriage last year. Hadiya, a Hindu girl, had converted to Islam to marry Shafin. Mar 9: Passive euthanasia legal Legalises passive euthanasia with guidelines for patients suffering from terminal and irreversible illness. Observes that human beings have the right to die with dignity. Mar 20: Stringent provisions of SC/ST Act overturned Dilutes the stringent provisions of the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989. Aiming to curb the misuse of the law and protect honest public servants from arrest, the court holds that an arrest is not mandatory under the Act. Says the accused public servant is entitled to anticipatory bail, and a preliminary inquiry must be conducted by the police within seven days before taking any action against him. Jul 4: LG vs Delhi govt Rules in favour of the AAP government in Delhi and says the Lieutenant Governor doesnt have independent decision-making powers and is bound to act on the aid and advice by its Council of Ministers. The judgment also holds that the LG cannot act as an obstructionist. Jul 7: CJI the master of the roster Reiterates the Chief Justice is the master of roster and he alone has the powers to allocate cases to different benches. Jul 17: Parliament asked to make law against mob lynching Condemns the growing incidents of mob lynching and asks Parliament to consider enacting a new law to effectively deal with such incidents. Horrendous acts of mobocracycant be allowed to become a new norm, the top court says. Jul 31: No recall of Judge Loya case judgment Dismisses a plea by the Bombay Lawyers Association, seeking a review and recall of its judgment that held Special CBI court Judge BH Loya had met with natural death. Sep 14: Ex-ISRO scientist vindicated Awards a compensation of `50 lakh to former ISRO scientist S Nambi Narayanan and holds he was arrested unnecessarily, harassed and subjected to mental cruelty in the 1994 espionage case. The court orders a probe into the role of Kerala Police officers in it. Sep 6: Homosexuality decriminalised Rules that gay sex among consenting adults is not a criminal offence, striking down as unconstitutional a part of Section 377 of the 158-year-old IPC that criminalised homosexuality. Sep 26: Aadhaars Constitutional validity Upholds the Constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act. The court, however, mandates that the 12-digit identifier will not be required for obtaining SIM cards, opening bank accounts, school admissions, UGC, NEET and CBSE examinations. The linkage of PAN cards with Aadhaar remains compulsory. Sep 26: No SC/ST quota for promotions Rules that there will be no reservation in promotion for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs. Sep 27: Adultery decriminalised Strikes down Section 497 of the IPC, calling it unconstitutional and arbitrary and decriminalised adultery, which remains a civil offence and can serve as a ground for divorce. Sep 27: The Ayodhya verdict Declines to refer to a five-judge Constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of its 1994 observations that a mosque was not integral to Islam that arose during the hearing of Ayodhya land dispute. Sep 28: Womens entry into Sabarimala Temple Allows women of all age groups to enter the temple of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala in Kerala and offer worship, contrary to the practice that did not allow women of menstruating age (10 to 59 years) to enter the shrine. Oct 23: Green crackers for Celebrations Ahead of Diwali, allows licenced traders to sell crackers, and that too eco-friendly only. It puts a ban on the sale of firecrackers online and allows people to burst crackers only between 8 pm and 10 pm on Diwali and between 11.45 pm and 12.30 am on Christmas Eve and New Year. Dec 14: No Rafale probe Dismisses all the petitions that had sought a court-monitored probe into the multibillion-dollar Rafale fighter jet deal with France. The apex court says no Rafale probe was required. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: In all 19 persons were arrested on Sunday against three FIRs lodged in connection with the violence, rioting and killing of head constable Suresh Vats in Ghazipur on Saturday. Moreover, 22 persons were detained by the district police and interrogation was on in the case, said the police sources here on Sunday. According to Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh, 11 of 19 persons were held for killing the constable and rest 8 for violence and trouble making. Total 32 persons were named in the FIR lodged for Vats murder. Notably, head constable Suresh Vats (48) was killed on Saturday when protesters of Nishad Party, an ally of Samajwadi Party, hurled stones at vehicles returning after attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi public rally in Ghazipur. The slain head constable sustained a grievous injury when a stone hurled at him by the angry mob hit him on head. The cop was leading a police team to end the traffic jam by evicting Nishads who had squatted on state highway while protesting in support of their demand for reservation. They were also demanding the district administration to release three of their aides. On the other, the bereaved son of the slain cop, said the compensation provided by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was meaningless as he would not get his father back with it. He also deplored the state police for its failure to protect its own in face of violence. In UP, murder of Vats is the second such incident within a month. Early on December 3, inspector Subodh Kumar Singh was killed by an angry mob in Bulandshahr. Inspector Singh was shot when he trying to placate the mob of villagers protesting over alleged cow slaughter. Confirming the arrest of around a dozen persons for killing the cop, ADG Varanasi zone, PV Rama Sastry said that according to the Ghazipur CMO, the reason of death of the constable was believed to be head injury. Around 70-80 unidentified persons were booked for stone pelting and violence. Meanwhile, Ghazipur Superintendent of Police, Yashveer Singh claimed that protesters were workers of the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue as they moving towards it. "After the PM left Ghazipur, the protestors blocked traffic at various places and started pelting stones on the vehicles returning from the programme venue," said the SP. He added that to zero in the culprits video footages of the incident were being scanned. Directing the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to take strict action against unruly elements and arrest them immediately, CM Yogi Adityanath had announced a compensation of Rs 40 lakh for the wife of Vats and Rs 10 lakh for his parents, the state has government said. Meanwhile, slamming the state government for alleged lawlessness, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav attributed the incident to CM Yogi's encounter policy. Whether he is in his office or on stage, he only supports encounters, said Yadav The unfortunate incident that happened on Saturday in Ghazipur could have been averted by the administration had it been alert, said the SP chief . Also the local intelligence might have had inputs about the planned protest. Even then the administration was busy with the PMs programme and failed to assess the situation," Yadav said. C Shivakumar By Express News Service CHENNAI: The New Year is unlikely to ring in festive cheer for the 10 Indian crew members of M V Azraqmoiah, who have been stranded at sea, five miles from Dubai port, after the United Arab Emirates owner of the vessel abandoned them without paying their salaries. The 10 crew members, including three from Tamil Nadu, are living on hope with minimal provisions and without passports, which were taken by the UAE Coast Guard after the vessel was detained by an Ajman court. They are among 40 crew members of three Dubai-based Elite Way Marine Services EST vessels that have been detained by UAE. Thirty-eight of the crew members are Indian, MV Azraqmoiah Captain Ayyappan Swaminathan, a native of Nagapattinam, told Express in a telephonic conversation. Express efforts to contact Elite Way Marine Services EST for a response were in vain. Swaminathan said the crew was stuck on the vessel as the company had not signed them off by paying their salaries.We have been asking the company to sign us off since January 2018... Till November, the company has to pay us a minimum of 15 months of salary, said Swaminathan, whose hometown was hit by the recent Cyclone Gaja. Photo of crew member sleeping on the deck of the vessel sent by Swaminathan We approached UAEs Federal Transport Authority, Indian consulate in Dubai, and ITF London. FTA banned the companys vessels from commercial operation... It has filed a case against the company in a Dubai court, he said. The Indian Consulate has been giving food and other provisions to the crew. They said they could not intervene as the matter is sub-judice, he said. The crew wants high-level government intervention. Officials at the Ministry of External Affairs told Express the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai were working to resolve the issue at the earliest. Without a penny to send home, the crew is not ready to vacate the ship till they are paid. We did not get any salary from the company for the last one year. And with the natural disaster affecting my native place, the pending salary is more important to me, he said. According to Swaminathan the vessels cook has been working onboard for 33 months. Recently his father passed away. We informed the company about the situation and urged them to clear him and send him back home immediately. But it failed to take action to do so. As a result, he couldnt attend his fathers funeral ceremony, Swaminathan said. They never help us in any emergency situation. We are very unsafe onboard. If anything happens to us, who will be responsible? They are not treating us like fellow humans... Not only are we struggling onboard, our family is struggling in our country without us and our salary... Passing each day onboard the ship is tough and the situation is getting worse, he said. P Muthuswamy, an advocate at Madras High court and legal coordinator, Sailors Helpline, says the crew members were recruited by a Navi Mumbai-based firm which is a Recruitment and Placement Services Licence (RPSL) holder. The recruiting agent has moral responsibility to see that the crew is paid and ensure their safety. Since the recruiting firm failed, the Directorate General of Shipping should take stern action and the deposit amount with the RPSL agent, should be recovered and given to family members, he added. Manoj Joy, Community Development Manager, Sailors Society, said the immediate concern was the families of the crew members. Our communication is open with some family members who require medical assistance. We will be providing them with basic emergency relief as early as possible, he said. A Menaga, Swaminathans wife, highlighted the struggle of the families. We have a child studying in standard 1. We have a lot of commitments from paying house rent to school fees and other expenses for our survival. We are really struggling for everything. Recently, our property was destroyed due to cyclone Gaja. We also have a housing loan and have to pay EMI which we cannot now. The salary is very important for us. It is hard-earned money, she says. Cook onboard 33 months, missed dads funeral According to Swaminathan, the vessels cook has been onboard for 33 months. Recently his father passed away. We told the company but it failed to clear him. He couldnt attend the funeral, he said. Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, speaks during a central rural work conference in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held in Beijing from Dec. 28 to 29, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) The central rural work conference was held in Beijing from Friday to Saturday, mapping out plans for the country's rural and agricultural work in 2019. The meeting summarized and exchanged local experiences on the implementation of the rural vitalization strategy, outlined major tasks related to agriculture, rural areas and rural people in the next two years and mapped out plans for rural and agricultural work in 2019, according to a statement released Saturday after the conference. President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made important instructions on work related to agriculture, rural areas and rural people. Xi stressed that new achievements were made in the rural and agricultural development in 2018, with a good grain harvest and a good start for rural vitalization. The year 2019 is the key year to secure a decisive victory in achieving the country's first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Solid work related to agriculture, rural areas and rural people will play a significant role in effectively handling various risks and challenges and ensuring steady and healthy economic development and social stability, Xi said. The CPC should enhance leadership over the issues related to agriculture, rural areas and rural people and make addressing these issues central on the work agenda of the Party, Xi said. The country should make relentless efforts on grain production, press ahead with the supply-side structural reform in agriculture and strive to win the battle against poverty, he said. Work should also be done to improve the rural living environment, push forward a new round of agricultural reform, improve weak areas in rural infrastructure and public service and seek progress in rural planning and building, as well as social governance, Xi said. The country should give full play to the principal function of rural people, raise their sense of fulfillment, happiness and security and make new strides on the modernization journey of agriculture and rural areas, Xi said. Premier Li Keqiang said that pursuing headway in the agricultural and rural work next year will be vital to the country's social and economic development. At the conference, a draft guideline on prioritizing the development of agriculture and rural areas was deliberated. By PTI JAMSHEDPUR: Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) president Ajoy Kumar on Sunday said the party has no intention to stall screening of the movie "The Accidental Prime Minister" or demand for its ban in the state. Congress will neither stall screening of the movie nor demand for its ban in the state, Kumar told a press conference here. READ | "Manmohan Singh was world's best PM, did not work to get his photos published" The JPCC president refused to comment about the movie based on former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and said unlike BJP, it was not the culture of Congress to stall screening of a movie. Kumar claimed that chief minister Raghubar Das has spent Rs 330 to 370 crore on advertisements only while public sector units in the state had "incurred a loss" of Rs 2000 crore between 2009 to 2017. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service BHANGNAMARI (ASSAM): Saheb Ali still shudders at the mention of Ksan in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills where 15 miners have been trapped in an illegal coal mine for more than a fortnight now. Ali, 21, is among the five miners who managed to climb out of the coalmine unscathed, clinging on to dear life by clutching the wires of a motor pump even as flood waters rose rapidly in the dark pits of the mine 380 feet below. I held on to the wire and started climbing, four others did the same, he said at his home in Bhangnamari village located in Lower Assams Chirang district. Three others from the village were not so lucky, they are still trapped in the flooded mine and villagers have given up hope of their survival. Recalling the incident, Ali said they entered the mine early in the morning of December 13. I went to bed early the previous night as work begins at dawn. It was around 5 am when 22 of us went down around 380 feet into the pit, he said, his voice still quivering with fear. READ | Meghalaya's mine of death: No light at the end of the tunnel The surface inside a coal mine where the miners are dropped by trolleys is called the ground. It is from here that coal stacked in baskets is lifted out of the mine with the help of cranes, he explained. Once at the ground of the coal mine, miners have to enter tunnels to extract coal. Eighteen miners, including me, were working inside the tunnels while four were in the ground to load the coal into the baskets. I was around six to seven feet inside a tunnel. Some others had entered 300-400 feet, Ali said. My job was to carry the extracted coal to the ground. READ | Meghalaya mine mishap: No way trapped miners will come out alive, says survivor He said it was around 7 am while they were busy working inside the tunnels when he heard the sound of water flowing. Suddenly I heard a loud noise of the flow of water and a strong wind. Realising what was in store, I thought I have to save my life. So, I came out of the tunnel as fast as I could. By then the water had flooded the ground and its level was rising, he said. Trapped, Ali thought it was the end. I thought I would die and I prayed that my body reaches home. It was then he and his four fellow survivors noticed the wires of a motor pump. They caught hold of the wires and started climbing. As they climbed, they noticed a miner coming down into the pit sitting in a trolley. They thought he had come to rescue them. But to their dismay, the trolley did not stop and went further down the pit. As it reached the water, the man jumped out and he too held on to the wires. Call it a stroke of luck or otherwise, after a while, the trolley emerged from the water and started going upwards. All six of them somehow managed to climb into it and were eventually rescued. Even though I have survived, I have no joy as there are people trapped inside. One of them is my relative. I dont think any of them is alive now. I spent that night with a friend at another coal mine. The next day my brother came and brought me home, Ali said. Despite knowing the dangers of working in these illegal mines, many labourers from far and wide flock there as the wages are high. Miners can earn up to Rs 1,500 a day. In contrast, farm labourers get only Rs 200-400. Contrary to reports, Ali claimed that 17 miners, not 15, are still trapped as altogether 22 had gone down. Two of those who survived are locals. Alis mother, Sarita Bibi, said on learning about the risks involved in rathole mining, she asked him to return to the village. Just three days before the incident he had told me on the phone how risky it was to work in a coalmine. I told him to come back home but he said he had to run the family, she said outside their thatched house. Alis sister Rejia Khatun thanked God for saving his life. I came from Mangaldoi (where she is married) to see my brother. I am thankful to Allah for saving his life. It is sad that three youth from this village are among those who are trapped and are possibly dead, she said. Ali is the familys sole breadwinner. His elder brother, Saijal Rahman, too worked as a miner earlier but returned to the village after marriage. He now is a daily-wage earner. As he looked at the verdant paddy fields and reminisced, Ali said he would return to Meghalaya to work as a coal miner. Else, he stares at an uncertain future. By Express News Service JAIPUR : Just weeks after coming to power in Rajasthan, the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government on Saturday reversed the previous Vasundhara Raje governments decision to let only those with a minimum educational qualification fight Panchayat and local-body elections. An amendment to this effect will soon be moved in the state Assembly. The Congress also decided to review all changes the BJP made with regard to saffronisation of education, including decisions like removing Nehru from the syllabus and making surya namaskar compulsory in government schools. Swinging into reversal mode on Saturday after its first meeting of Cabinet ministers, the government also opted to remove the logo featuring RSS ideologue Deendayal Upadhyaya from all circulars issued by government bodies. The government will also form a committee of historians to review the changes made to the school syllabus in the Raje era. Daily Public hearings by Ministers All ministers of the state government will hold public hearings from 9 to 10 am every day to address peoples grievances quickly and effectively. Besides, two universities started by Gehlot in his previous tenure as chief minister will be revived Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service With 15 men still trapped inside a rathole mine in coal- and limestone-rich Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills on the 17th day and the rescue teams only managing to find three helmets, the families of the unfortunate miners appear to have given up the hope of seeing them alive. Three of the trapped miners are from Bhangnamari village in lower Assams Chirang district bordering Bhutan. The families of all three believe they are dead by now and want the bodies to be retrieved and brought back home. Abdul Mian, father of Md. Chaher Islam, 33, who is among the three youth trapped, worries are about his sons family. Chaher has three children daughters Morjina and Mafsina, aged five and four, respectively, and son Sajidul, 9. We are daily wagers. Who will look after his three children and wife (Sajeda)? She has already lost both her parents. I dont know how Ill take care of them, Abdul breaks down as he says. READ | From the jaws of death: Survivor from Meghalaya mine narrates his account Chaher himself is to be blamed for what has happened. After passing 7th standard, I enrolled him into a madrasa. He studied for five years and dropped out. Had he continued for one more year, he would have become a moulavi, he laments. A day before the mishap, Chaher had called up his elder brother Shah Alom Sheikh. He would have never gone to Meghalaya and risked his life had he not suffered losses in his bamboo business. He used to sell bamboos and was doing brisk business. He befriended a man from outside our village who, too, was in the same business. This man took bamboos worth `4 lakh from the villagers on credit, making my brother the guarantor. Months passed by but he didnt show up to pay the loan. My brother was under tremendous pressure to repay the money to the villagers. So, he went to Meghalaya to work as a miner because the daily wages are Rs 1,500, Shah Alom says. Chahers mother Mostofun Bibi, 55, hasnt eaten properly since she heard of the tragedy. I pray to Allah to send him back home, she says. Her husband is not so optimistic. Over two weeks have passed. He cannot be alive. I have accepted that. I want the body of my son. I urge the Meghalaya and Assam governments to offer financial assistance to my family, otherwise, we will starve, says a grief-stricken Abdul. Korim Hussain, who had worked as a coal miner in Meghalaya for two years, says it is a risky job as there are no safety measures in place. If something happens down there in the pit or the tunnel, there is no way to detect it, he says. Abhijan Khatun, too, fears the worst for her husband Amir Hussain. With two daughters aged 10 and seven and a two-year-old son to fend for and her husband unable to send any money back home, she doesnt know how to sustain. Amirs father and elder brother have failed to help or support her in any way. For the past few days, the locals have provided us with food. But how long can they do it? If we dont get any financial help from the government, I and my children will have no option but to commit suicide, says Abhijan. Amir had last visited home a month before the accident. Before leaving, he said he would work there for about a week and then go elsewhere. Two weeks have elapsed since the mishap. How can he be alive? I ve lost hope, Abhijan bemoans. Solibur Rahman, too, believes theres no way his son Monirul Islam, 20, still survives. Monirul is the second of Soliburs three sons. The eldest, Manik Ali, has also been a coal miner for eight years. Solibur, too, worked in coal mines in Meghalaya for 20 years till 2003. I know how dangerous it is. There is so much water in the minehe (Monirul) cant be alive. He died possibly due to lack of oxygen, the grieving father says. If the state government had the will, it could have retrieved the bodies, he says. The Meghalaya government must help all the victims financially, Manik, 26, insists. He says he will never work in the coal mines again. I am not going back. I will look to do something else in Assam. It is the lure of money that draws the poor Muslim villagers of Assam and Meghalayas Garo Hills to the coal mines.The village is in shock and grief. Every time a stranger visits, they feel he is a government officer who has come to deliver the tragic news to the families. From stone factories to coal pits Scores of youth from village Bhangnamari had gone to work in stone-crushing factories in Haryana, only to fall prey to tuberculosis. At least 50 youth from our village, who worked in the stone factories died of TB. Now, the youth prefer to work in the coal mines due to higher wages. Most villagers do not have land. So, despite the risks, they work in mines, says Manik Ali By PTI NEW DELHI: Violence perpetrated by Pakistan-sponsored terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir, natural calamities such as the floods in Kerala and security threats posed by social media were among the big issues that kept the Home Ministry busy in 2018. Besides, providing logistics for smooth assembly elections in nine states, preparation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and the Amarnath pilgrimage were part of the key tasks in the year gone for the sensitive ministry, which looks after the country's internal security. In the fag-end of 2018, the ministry was hit by a controversy over giving power to 10 central agencies to intercept information from any computer. However, the government said rules for intercepting and monitoring computer data were framed in 2009 when the UPA was in power and its order only notified the designated authority. "The internal security scenario during 2018 remained largely peaceful while the situation on the borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar and China has significantly improved, even though cross-border firing along the Indo-Pak border has been a regular feature," a senior Home Ministry official said. Along the western borders, security forces have retaliated with equal measure to ceasefire violations and neutralised infiltration attempts. Till early December in 2018, 86 security personnel and 37 civilians were killed in Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 238 terrorists were eliminated by security forces during the same period, which also saw 759 incidents of stone pelting in the Kashmir Valley. As Jammu and Kashmir has been under the Governor's/President's rule since June, the ministry is now more involved in maintaining security in the state where it has provided over 60,000 paramilitary troops to assist local police in ensuring law and order. "The Centre took a major conciliatory initiative in Jammu and Kashmir in 2018 by declaring the suspension of operations in the state coinciding with the holy Ramzan month," the official said. However, after a review it was not extended beyond Ramzan following which security forces launched concerted anti-militancy operations resulting in significant gains, he said. In the Northeast, the security scenario has improved significantly which led to withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Meghalaya and parts of Arunachal Pradesh during the year. Left-wing extremism (LWE) affected districts have decreased from 76 in 2013 to 58. The draft NRC, a list of Assam's residents, was published without any incidence of violence and the final NRC is on course. Natural calamities, especially floods and cyclone hit large parts India in 2018 when the ministry provided emergency help by way of men, materials and food to affected people. Kerala, which witnessed the worst floods in a century, was provided Rs 3,048-crore assistance from the Centre. At least 488 people have killed in the southern state due to rains and floods this monsoon, which hit 14 districts of Kerala. Circulation of fake news through social media, which led to over two dozen incidents of lynchings and communal tension, upload of pornographic material and abuse of women online, were some of the new age crime that invited the ministry's intervention on several occasions throughout 2018. Before the end of the year, the Home Ministry was hit by a controversy over giving power to 10 central agencies to intercept information from any computer, a move that set off a political storm with the opposition accusing the government of trying to create a "surveillance state". But the government said the rules for intercepting and monitoring computer data were framed in 2009 when the Congress-led UPA was in power and its new order only notified the designated authority which can carry out such action. It has also rejected the opposition's charge of snooping. On women's safety, another official said it is a "matter of concern for all and in order to channelise the government's efforts, the Home Ministry has created a new division in May to address issues of women's safety comprehensively. " Setting up of special fast-track courts, strengthening of forensic setup and building up a National Registry of Sexual Offenders are among the steps taken by the ministry. The ministry has also launched two pilot projects of smart fencing along the Indo-Pak international border in Jammu. The smart border fencing projects built under the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) programme is the first of its kind in the country. The two projects, each covering a 5. 5 km stretch along the international border, have got a hi-tech surveillance system that creates an invisible electronic barrier on land, water, and even in air and underground. It helps the BSF detect and foil infiltration bids in the most difficult terrains. The CIBMS is designed to guard stretches where physical surveillance is not possible either due to inhospitable terrain or riverine borders. For the first time, India-China high-level meeting on bilateral security cooperation was held which was participated by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Zhao Kezhi, State Councillor and Minister of Public Security of China. An agreement on security cooperation between the Home Ministry and the ministry of public security of China was signed by the two sides. "The pact further strengthens and consolidates discussions and cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism, organised crimes, drug control and other such relevant areas," the official said. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: The rescuers are unlikely to reach the 15 miners, trapped inside a 380-ft rat-hole coalmine in East Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya, in the next four to five days. Mining expert Jaswant Singh Gill, who has been roped in to share his expertise in the search and rescue operation, told this correspondent that it would take at least five days to drain out the water from the flooded coal mine. ALSO READ | From the jaws of death: Survivor from mine narrates his account NDRF I had suggested that high-powered submersible pumps are used to drain out the water. These are not submersible pumps but ordinary pumps. They have to be set up on the platform inside the coal pit. It is a crude method, he said. According to him, the platform is likely to be built inside the pit on Monday and if that happens, the high-powered pumps will be used. ALSO READ | Navy team leader, NDRF personnel enters mine shaft to ascertain water level Unless the water is drained out, we cannot reach the persons or the bodies. The water has to be drained out continuously with three to four high-powered pumps. I believe we can drain it out in five days time. As long as the water is there, the divers cannot reach every nook and corner of the coalmine, Gill added. Six divers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Navy went deep inside the pit on Sunday. However, there was no breakthrough. The NDRF lowered down a boat inside the pit which the divers utilized as a platform. ALSO READ | Meghalaya's mine of death: Families of the trapped miners lose hope The divers could go up to a place which was not far off from the pits surface. They said the place was favouarble for the Indian Navy to send down equipment that will help to take images of the surroundings. The Navy has to decide on whether or not to install the equipment, NDRF assistant commandant Santosh Kumar Singh, who is supervising the operation being carried out by the NDRF, said. He said multiple agencies such as the Kirloskar Brothers Ltd, Coal India, Odisha Fire and Emergency Services, State Disaster Response Force besides the NDRF were engaged in the search and rescue operation. At least 20 miners had entered the coalmine on December 13. Of them, five managed to survive. The mishap occurred due to flooding inside the pit. Saheb Ali, who is among the survivors, claimed 22 miners, not 20, had entered the mine that day. He said the trapped miners should be dead by now. By PTI SRINAGAR: After meeting a suspected militant's sister, who was allegedly beaten up by Jammu and Kashmir police, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday warned of "dangerous consequences" if harassment of militants' families is not stopped. She met the woman, Rubina, at her residence in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. "Visited Patipora Pulwama where Rubina (whose brother happens to be a militant)was, along with her husband & brother, beaten mercilessly in police custody. The severe nature of her injuries has left her bedridden," Mufti wrote on Twitter. Visited Patipora Pulwama where Rubina (whose brother happens to be a militant )was along with her husband & brother beaten mercilessly in police custody. The severe nature of her injuries has left her bedridden. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/HX3JwVf8gh Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) December 30, 2018 Urge the @jandkgovernor to initiate action and prevent such incidents in the future. If harassment of families of militants isnt stopped, it will have consequences leading to further alienation in the valley. 2/2 Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) December 30, 2018 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president appealed to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik to take action against police officials involved in the incident. "Urge the jandkgovernor to initiate action and prevent such incidents in the future. If harassment of families of militants isn't stopped, it will have consequences leading to further alienation in the valley," Mufti said. Later, talking to reporters, she said such incidents would not be tolerated. "What is the fault of the sister of a militant? She has been stripped and beaten by the SHO of Trikuta Nagar and of Bhatindi (in Jammu). First, you (male police officials) cannot touch a woman and you should have women police for that. Then, her husband and brother have (also) been beaten," Mufti said. @MehboobaMufti questions harassment of militant families while travelling to the interiors in Pulwama, a day after encounter. "wont allow bloodshed and making South Kashmir a battle ground." pic.twitter.com/VRFBNXvUnM J&K PDP (@jkpdp) December 30, 2018 "I want to ask the governor that if you have a fight with a militant, why are his relatives, especially his sister, beaten? We will not allow this. I want to tell the governor and warn the police as well that if there is another such incident, then there will be dangerous consequences," she said. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The Vice-Chancellor of Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University, Jaunpur, created a flutter by exhorting his students to indulge in violence and even commit murder, if need be, with the assurance of taking care of the rest. Kicking up the row while speaking at a seminar at an affiliated college in Ghazipur on Saturday, Vice-Chancellor of Purvanchal University Raja Ram Yadav asked his students never to come cribbing or crying to him after picking up a fight with their adversary. If you are student of this university and ever pick up a fight with someone, never come crying to me. Thrash your enemy, he suggested and went a step ahead by advising them to even murder him if the need arose. READ | Omar Abdullah stunned over Purvanchal University VC's 'murder' comment Tumhara bas chale to uska murder kar ke aana. Aur uske baad hum dekh lenge (If it is possible for you, go ahead and murder that person. We will take care of it later)," assured the V-C. #WATCH Purvanchal University Vice-Chancellor Raja Ram Yadav at a seminar in the University in Ghazipur: If youre a student of this University, never come crying to me. If you ever get into a fight, beat them, if possible murder them, well take care of it later. (29.12.18) pic.twitter.com/omFqXN55z9 ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 30, 2018 In fact, the video of his speech were doing rounds on social media extensively. Raja Ram Yadav was a professor of the Allahabad University, who was appointed the vice-chancellor of Purvanchal University -- which has 350 affiliated colleges -- in April, 2017. In October, he came under fire for allegedly saffronising the institution as he had organised a Ram Katha on the university campus. Amid round of applause, the V-C continued his speech by saying: Yuwa chahta wahi hota hai jo chattano me pair marta hai to pani nikalta hai. Chhatra jo apne jeevan me sanklap leta hai aur use pura karta hai usi ko Purvanchal university ka chhatra kahte hai (A young student is one who can do unimaginable. The one who takes a resolution in his life and fulfils it with passion is called the student of Purvanchal University). Reacting to his utterly insane suggestions, while the state government authorities were contemplating action against the V-C, the opposition parties rushed to draw an analogy between his comments and the alleged ideology of the ruling BJP. Responding to the V-C's speech, Uttar Pradesh minister for health and official spokesman of state government, Siddharth Nath Singh accused him of propagating hooliganism. "It was wrong. He can't make such comments. He should teach students the way of peace but he's asking them to indulge in hooliganism. V-C with such a mentality has no right to stay in his position. I hope Deputy CM (Dinesh Sharma) will take appropriate action," said Singh. However, reacting to his thoughts, SP leader Sunil Singh Sajan could see the reflection of state governments ideology in the statement of Raja Ram Yadav. The V-C is speaking in a language which is similar to that of Uttar Pradesh Government," said the SP leader adding that both were encouraging people to indulge in violence. Expressing shock over the V-Cs speech, Congress leader Dwijendra Tripathi said it was unbecoming of a person holding the position Vice- Chancellor. What good will he be able to inculcate in his students or what lesson was he imparting to his students by making such statements? Tripathi asked. Shankkar Aiyar By In one of his most profound reflections, Albert Einstein observed, Time is an illusion. And politics is probably the most eloquent and live installation of the distilled insight. It is, after all, what lies between what was and what will be. Those who do not learn to leverage what is tend to be left lamenting about what was and struggle to confront what will be. It is barely nine months since the BJP declared, rather re-declared its invincibility from Dwarka to Dimapur after winning in Tripura. In March 2018, the political map of India was awash with saffron flags. Prakash Javadekar coined from 5 to 21 states, a line to articulate the march of the juggernaut to power in states accounting for 70 per cent of the population. The Congress, sans a stance or subscription, was stranded in a shrinking bubble. Post the historic victory in Tripura, BJP President Amit Shah quipped, Left is not right, and asserted, we will win in Karnataka. In politics, nothing happens by accident. Even though electoral outcomes frequently seem accidental, political destinies are inexorably the consequence of neglected causes. A week, it is said, is a long time in politics. Two months after Tripura, the BJP juggernaut stalled in Bengaluru. The intense battle was not about ideology or ideas but give-aways. Notwithstanding a parade of sopsincluding loan waivers, pilgrimage subsidies, zero to one per cent loans, grants, gold, free phonesit was the futures and options player, JD(S), which wrested power in the state. The party which came third won the trophy. Failure in Karnataka made it imperative for the BJP to retain power in the Hindi hinterland. That was not to be. The debacle in the three states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh altered the political hues and the colours on the political map of India. The causes of the defeat of December 2018 were visible in the victory of December 2017 in Gujarat, where the apparition of doom made a brief appearance in the last days of the polls. What was the Gujarat mandate telling India? Rural Gujarat illustrated that the farmer wanted to be heard, the distress in the deteriorating viability of agriculture to be addressed. The small and medium entrepreneur in small-town Gujarat was speaking for businessmen everywhere expressing the hit from the twin shocks of demonetisation and the badly designed GSTworsened by poor access to credit. The youth who rallied with the three musketeers of the Gujarat polls defined unmet expectations of jobs. Hubris in contemporary usage denotes overweening presumption, inexplicable optimism and arrogant confidence. Its etymology is rooted in Greek language. Hybris, the early avatar of hubris, characterised intentional use of deeds and words to humiliate or degrade. Aristotle is said to have observed, Hubris consists in doing and saying things that cause shame to the victim simply for the pleasure of it. The point is less about reality and more about the growing perception of arrogance within and outside. The question is as much about words as it is about deeds. The issues flagged in Gujarat and later in Karnataka were not unknown. The solutions were discussed as were the problems. The ideas for redressal are mentioned in the budgets, in the reports of ministries, in the drafts authored at the behest of the PMO by Niti Aayog. To the voter at large the indolent system seemed to be simultaneously staring at problems and solutions. Yes, the solutions may have been in the domain of state governments, but the Central ministers could not persuade their colleagues in 20-odd states where the BJP was in powerthese include the draft for a labour code, the draft for a leasing land law, the draft for contract farming, the need for establishing PPP for skills training, the need to decentralise clearances to enable investment and job creation. The BJP has struggled to find champions to shepherd changethe success stories of Jan Dhan, Ujjwala or Saubhagya have been commanded by executive action from the prime ministers office. The gap between intent and execution can only be explained by ministerial incapacity to confront systemic sloth. In 2014, the BJP won over 171 million votes and the Congress around 107 million. The historic mandate was fuelled by haplessness, frustration with the Congress-led UPA. The middle had shifted to the right persuaded by promise, pursuing expectations of solution-oriented politics. The ground, it would appear from the details of the electoral verdicts, is shifting from hope to cynicism. The fog of winter, it would seem, has set on popular perception. The accepted wisdom of March, there is no stopping the BJP in 2019, has morphed into the quintessential doubt. That question, Can the BJP make it in 2019?, represents ominous portents. The callisthenics of Baba Ramdev and the reflective ruminations of Nitin Gadkari have introduced fuzzy logic into the discourse. The hope of getting the sarkar out of business, the expectation that agriculture will get a new deal, the idea of development through team India, the anticipation of much-needed administrative reforms and the promise of 100 smart cities await deliverance. In politics, data recitation is not enough. It is the experiential narrative which drives affiliation. shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com B Thipperudrappa By Express News Service CHIKKAMAGALURU: Gupta-Shettyhalli is no ordinary hamlet. The name itself tells a story. Thirty-five families living in Tatkola reserve forest who had nowhere to go remember IPS officer Madhukar Shetty, who passed away in Hyderabad on Friday, with gratitude. ALSO READ: Enquiry claims Madhukar Shetty did not contract H1N1 They are proud to have a roof over their heads and an identity now, thanks to Shettys relentless efforts. Shetty, who was superintendent of police in Chikkamagaluru in 2006, and then deputy commissioner Harsh Gupta, ensured that these families had their own houses and land to cultivate at their new hamlet which they named it after Gupta and Shetty. Umesh, a resident of the village, said in 2006, forest officials evicted them from Tatkola forest. These included Dalits and small landowners. We were left in the wilderness not knowing what to do next with no houses to live in and land to cultivate, he said. Mani, another villager, said they later appealed to the two officers. Shetty took up their cause and in consultation with Gupta, succeeded in getting 64 acres of land to them on the border of the Sargod Kundur reserve forest. The entire hamlet was drowned in sorrow on Saturday over Shettys death. Paying rich tributes to Shetty at a condolence meeting, they said how his heart always beat for the poor. They said his death is a loss for poor people like themselves. Li Zhanshu (1st L), chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, presides over the closing meeting of the bimonthly session of the 13th NPC Standing Committee in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 29, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) closed its bimonthly session Saturday, adopting a revised law on contracting rural land and arrangements on the NPC's annual plenary session in 2019, among others. Presiding over the closing meeting, Li Zhanshu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, highlighted that about one-third of the subjects covered in this session were closely connected to China's reform. He stressed the standing committee's duty in implementing reform and ensuring that all major reform measures are taken in accordance with the law. He also called on the NPC and its standing committee to perform due diligence to improve the NPC system and the performance. Before the closing meeting, Li presided over a chairpersons' meeting of the NPC Standing Committee. NEW LAWS AND REVISIONS At the closing meeting, lawmakers voted to adopt revisions to the law on contracting rural land to better protect the rights of farmers who have migrated to urban areas. They also passed two new tax laws on farmland occupation and vehicle purchases to replace their respective interim regulations. In addition to revisions to the civil servant law, a package of revisions on 17 laws, including the Product Quality Law and the Electric Power Law, were also adopted to facilitate institutional reform and improve the government's service. MAJOR DECISIONS A decision on the second annual session of 13th NPC was adopted at the closing session, which set March 5, 2019 as the starting date of the annual session. Moreover, lawmakers approved the extension of a trial project in 33 county-level areas concerning the adjustment of laws related to the use of rural land and authorized the State Council to speed up local government bond issuances before the approval of the annual fiscal budget. They also ratified the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Convention on Countering Extremism and approved five reports on the handling of NPC deputies' bills during the March session. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS During the weeklong bimonthly session, NPC Standing Committee deliberated a number of newly submitted drafts, including the draft foreign investment law, draft sections of the civil code and draft revisions to the patent law. Lawmakers also deliberated reports on the implementation of the law on the protection of marine environment, healthcare spending, mid-stage evaluation of the implementation of the 13th five-year plan (2016-2020) and the results of the 2017 central budget spending audit, among others. By Express News Service KANNUR: The New Year is unlikely to ring in festive cheer for the 10 Indian crew members of MV Azraqmoiah, who have been stranded at sea, five miles off Dubai port after the United Arab Emirates owner of the vessel abandoned them without paying their salary. The 10 crew members are living on hope and without their passports, which were taken by the UAE Coast Guard after their vessel was detained by an Ajman court in that country. They are among the 40 crew members of three Dubai-based Elite Way Marine Services EST vessels that have been detained by UAE officials. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The State seems to have seen a lot more drunk motorists in 2018 than last year. According to the an annual report by Road Safety Authority, fines collected by the authorities from them have more than tripled from Rs 2.2 crore in 2017 to Rs 7.2 crore in 2018. The numerous drunk and drive initiatives taken up by the traffic department seem to have made an impact - the number of cases booked rose from 68,954 to 91,375 in just one year. Chairman of RSA T Krishna Prasad says the drives are proactive measures by policemen to catch perpetrators in the act. It seems to have made an impact as many choose to abstain from drinking when they in a group while at a pub. Some groups have designated drivers, he said. However, the larger question seems to be whether imposing challans and sending offenders to jail really works? K Vinod Kumar, the chief functionary of Indian Federation of Road Safety, thinks it doesnt. The government has postponed the closing time of pubs, bars and wine shops. This, in a way, contributes to a number of incidents. We need to have tailor-made interventions to put an end to these issues, he says. Number of cases against riders surge The total number of cases booked against motorists in Telangana has increased to 91,375 in 2018. Those riding two-wheelers without a helmet and driving cars not wearing a seatbelt were especially affected Express News Service By NEW DELHI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed the Delhi Police to ensure that the Supreme Court order on the burning of crackers are adhered to on New Years Eve. The apex court had, in October, enforced a partial ban on bursting firecrackers. It had only allowed selling and bursting of green crackers which have low emission and permissible sound limits on festivals, across Delhi-NCR. However, it set a time limit of two hours for the bursting of crackers. The order, however, was flouted with gay abandon on the festival of lights, as the city reported rampant bursting of toxic crackers. On November 9, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) sought an explanation from the police commissioner on violation of the apex court order. In a notice issued earlier this week, CPCB chairperson SP Singh Parihar asked the police commissioner to ensure that the apex court order on the burning green crackers for a stipulated period of two hours is complied with. The pollution watchdog said that in response to its notice issued on November 9, the Delhi Police said no temporary licences were issued to cracker manufacturers and inspection of premises of all 18 licence holders was carried out and show-cause notices issued against two of them. ALSO READ | Strictly implement SC order on fire crackers on New Year and Christmas, says CPCB The Delhi police also informed the CPCB that as many as 613 people have been arrested for violating the apex court direction and 8,286 kg of crackers were seized. A thick haze had engulfed Delhi on the morning after Diwali, as the city recorded its worst air quality of the year. The pollution level in the national capital hit the severe-plus emergency category, which is 10 times the permissible limit. The CPCB has also sought a report from the police on compliance with the top court order, by January 7. What sc SAID Baishali Adak By NEW DELHI: Nature enthusiasts in south Delhi managed to get an arbitrary tree canopy removal exercise in Vasant Kunj halted on Saturday. The exercise involved around 95 fully-grown neem, semal and satparni trees in Sector A Pocket C of the area, which some residents wanted lopped to allow sunlight to reach their balconies. Conscious residents of the area protested this move, saying, There are public parks and roofs on which sunlight could be enjoyed. Merciless lopping, removing all branches and reducing trees to poles and stumps is unjustified. The action came after Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain tweeted on Saturday, After (public) complaints were received regarding violation of conditions of permission, detailed inspections were carried out twice by the Forest department staff. All recent permissions for concerned Horticulture Wing have been kept in abeyance and offence proceedings have already been initiated, he said. Verhaen Khanna of the New Delhi Nature Society said, The Forest Department had only sanctioned light pruning of the 95 trees which is different from heavy pruning and headbacking, as per guidelines. In light pruning, branches of approximately 20 cm girth can be cut. But the South MCD Horticulture department, on being prodded by some residents, chopped off branches of 80 cm girth. We condemn this behavior by some narrow-minded people as we cant destroy our environment for their sake. In winter, they want sunlight and trees chopped. In summer, the same sunlight will be too harsh for them and they will sit indoors and switch on their air conditioners complaining of Delhis heat and pollution, Khanna said. Saving the citys tree cover The exercise involved around 95 fully-grown neem, semal and satparni trees in Sector A Pocket C, which some residents wanted lopped to allow sunlight to reach their balconies. Shagun Kapil By NEW DELHI: Every Sunday, for the past one and a half years, 50-year-old Manvendra Dev Manral picks up brooms and shovels at 8 AM and visits the Nigam Bodh Ghat to join like-minded citizens in cleaning garbage along the Yamuna bank at Kashmere Gate. For Manral and his fellow Uttarkhandis working across Delhi-National Capital Region, the work to clear the litter lying at the ghat from 8 AM-12 PM on weekend is a ritual every week. What started in June 2017 as an initiative of six to seven people, now involves scores of volunteers, ranging from doctors and government officials to private firm employees. Manvendra Dev Manral (centre in top photo) and his group members make it a point to clean Nigam Bodh Ghat on Sunday | EXPRESS The Nigam Bodh Ghat is the citys oldest cremation ground where over 50-60 pyres are lit every day. Flowers, clothes, plastic bags, agarbatti (incense sticks) boxes are among the garbage that are dumped by the people who arrive for cremation. When we used to visit the ghat initially for cremations, there used to be a lot of talk and criticism about how dirty it is. This ghat is mostly visited for cremation by natives of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal, said Manral, originally from Almora in Uttarakhand and works in the sales department of a private firm in Rohini. Instead of relying on the authorities, Manral and a few others took upon themselves to spruce up the ghat. Inspired by the Swachh Bharat Mission, they started with writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approvals to take over the cleaning exercise, the permission for which they received later from local authorities. The group, under the banner of Uttaranchal Bhratri Sewa Sansthan, kept getting bigger with more people joining in. Even though most of the people are into jobs and get only a Sunday as an off, the group says it make sure that volunteers dont miss the cleaning drive. Today there are thousands of us involved in the exercise. Most of us only get one off-day in a week. Sometimes, a few cant make it every Sunday, and then the others fill in, said Manral. In August, when a flooded Yamuna rose to its highest danger mark in five years and submerged and muddied the ghat, the group took the responsibility to clear the muck, and rubbish. Now we have taken a resolution to convert it into a mini Haridwar. We have prepared a layout to conserve and beautify it. The people will be contributing money and the work will start in some time, said Burari resident Jagat Singh, an employee of the east civic body. For now, the volunteers have beautified the ghat with plants, put up boxes to donate clothes, and urged authorities to install proper street-lights. I get a lot of peace of mind taking part in this service and seeing that so many people are working selflessly for the society, said Manju Bhadola, a social worker. Express News Service By Veteran actor Kader Khan, 81, was hospitalised in Canada after he developed breathing issues. Khan has been suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy, a denigrative brain disorder that affects movement, walking and balance. Doctors have reportedly transferred him from a regular ventilator to a non-invasive BiPAP ventilator. The actor has also shown signs of pneumonia, according to reports. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Khan acted in over 300 films and wrote dialogues for over 250. He made his acting debut in the 1973 Rajesh Khanna-starrer Daag. Popular for his comic appearances in films like Dulhe Raja, Judaai, Aunty No.1, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan and Raja Babu, he shared screen-space with Amitabh Bachchan in Do Aur Do Paanch and Mr. Natwarlal among others. By AFP DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was heading for a landslide win in a general election Sunday that was marred by opposition claims of vote-rigging and violence between rival supporters that killed at least 17 people. Hasina's ruling Awami League party easily crossed the 151 seats required to form a majority government, according to local TV station Channel 24, which is compiling results from around the country. Sheikh Hasina. (Photo | ANI) As midnight approached, the Awami League and its allies had won 191 seats -- some by tens of thousands of votes -- while the opposition coalition had only five, the channel said. The alliance running against Hasina, led by the main opposition Bangladesh National Party, branded the vote "farcical" and urged the country's election commission to void the results. "We are demanding that a fresh election is held under a neutral government as early as possible," Kamal Hossain, who heads the coalition, told reporters. ALSO READ | Bangladesh opposition alliance rejects polls, demands fresh vote Deadly violence and bitter rivalry that marred the election campaign spilled over into voting day, even as authorities imposed tight security with 600,000 troops, police and other security forces deployed across the country. Thirteen people were killed in clashes between Awami League and BNP supporters, police said, while three men were shot by police who said they were protecting polling booths. An auxiliary police member was also killed by armed opposition activists, according to officials. Hasina, 71, has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor South Asian nation during her decade in power and for welcoming Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar. But critics accuse her of authoritarianism and crippling the opposition -- including arch-rival and BNP leader Khaleda Zia who is serving 17 years in prison on graft charges -- to cling on to power. The BNP-led opposition alliance on Sunday accused Hasina's party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result, which was to be officially announced by the election commission on Monday. BNP spokesman Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal told reporters there were "irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats contested. ALSO READ | Poll-bound Bangladesh shuts down high-speed internet services, restores it 10 hours later "Voters are not allowed to enter booths. Especially women voters are being forced to vote for the boat," Alal said, referring to the Awami League symbol. We'll cast your vote Bangladesh election commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman told AFP the body had "received a few allegations of irregularities" and was investigating. Hasina did not immediately respond to the accusations but said in the run-up to the vote that it would be free and fair. Bangladeshis line up to cast their votes outside a polling station in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018. (Photo | AP) Voting in the capital Dhaka was largely peaceful as convoys of soldiers and paramilitary forces were on the streets where most traffic was banned. However, voters in provincial areas reported intimidation. Atiar Rahman said he was beaten by ruling party activists in the central district of Narayanganj. ALSO READ | Voting ends in Bangladesh election; 17 killed in poll-related violence "They told me not to bother, 'We'll cast your vote on your behalf'," he told AFP. The opposition said the unrest was stirred up to deter voters, and presiding officers reported a low turnout across the country. Sunday's deaths brought to 21 the official police toll for election violence since the ballot was announced on November 8. Police said they acted "in self-defence" when they fired on opposition supporters who stormed a polling booth, killing one. A man was also shot by police after he tried to steal a ballot box. Free and fair? Experts say a Hasina victory would be sullied by accusations that she hamstrung opponents. The opposition claims more than 15,000 of its activists were detained during the campaign, crushing its ability to mobilise support. Bangladesh's opposition coalition leader Kamal Hossain speaks to Associated Press at his residence in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018. (Photo | AP) Seventeen opposition candidates were arrested over what they claim are trumped-up charges while another 17 were disqualified from running by courts, which Hasina's opponents say are government controlled. Human Rights Watch and other international groups said the crackdown created a climate of fear which could prevent opposition supporters from casting ballots. The United States raised concerns about the credibility of the election while the United Nations called for greater efforts to make the vote fair. The leadership of Bangladesh has alternated between Hasina and Zia, allies-turned-foes, over the last three decades. Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was gifted victory in the 2014 election when the BNP boycotted the vote claiming it was not free and fair Rights groups have since accused her administration of stifling freedom of speech by toughening a draconian anti-press law and the enforced disappearance of dissenters. Hasina rejects accusations of authoritarianism but analysts say she feared young voters would support the BNP. Her government was criticised this year for its heavy handling of weeks of major student protests that brought Dhaka to a standstill. By PTI WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Saturday said "big progress" is being made on trade talks with China, following a long telephonic conversation with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The US has imposed punitive tariffs on Chinese goods worth USD 250 billion per year. In retaliation, China imposed tariffs on USD 110 billion of American goods. A standstill agreement reached between Trump and Xi on the margins of the G20 summit at Buenos Aires in November 30 and December 1 deferred the imposition of tit-for-tat tariffs by the two countries till March 1 to allow for negotiations. "Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China. Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made!" Trump tweeted. Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China. Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018 After the two countries agreed to resolve their trade disputes in 90 days, American and Chinese officials held several round of telephonic calls over the last few weeks. Details of the trade deal is not yet out. Trump wants China to address the issue of massive trade deficit in bilateral trade along with the issue of theft of intellectual property. In recent weeks, China has showed signs of some relaxation in its trade policies with the US as it opened up its market for some American products. By Associated Press In his first public statements on the deaths of two Guatemalan children in U.S. custody, President Donald Trump claimed they were "very sick" before they reached the border and foisted responsibility for their deaths on Democrats, yet both young migrants passed initial health screenings by Border Patrol. While Trump and Democrats traded barbs over immigration policy, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was visiting medical officials and Border Patrol agents at the southern border in Arizona and Texas, promising additional wellness screenings for migrant children. Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! The two..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 29 December 2018 Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! The two..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 29 December 2018 Trump, whose administration has faced widespread criticism over the deaths, pointed on Twitter at Democrats "and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally." Trump's accusations came as the partial government shutdown wore on with no sign of ending over funding for sections of a border wall. Most Homeland Security employees, including Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, are among those federal employees required to report for work without pay. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said last week that prior to this month, no child had died in their custody in more than a decade. On Sunday McAleenan called for a "multifaceted solution" to the immigration crisis, including not only better border security and new immigration laws but providing more aid to the Central American countries from which many of the migrants have fled. This is at odds with a recent tweet from Trump threatening to cut off aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. "The State Department's announcement of an unprecedented increase in aid, I think, is a tremendous step forward," McAleenan said on ABC's "This Week." ''There are green shoots of progress both on security and the economic front in Central America. We need to foster that and help improve the opportunities to stay at home." In Guatemala, the mother of 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo, who died Christmas Eve, told The Associated Press that her son was healthy when he left with his father on their journey hoping to migrate to the U.S. "When he called me, he told me he was fine. He told me not to worry because he was fine," Catarina Alonzo said from the family's home in the remote village of Yalambojoch, her stepdaughter Catarina Gomez translating her indigenous language Chuj into Spanish. Catarina Alonzo said the last time she spoke with Felipe he was in Mexico at the U.S. border and said he was eating chicken. Their village is in Nenton municipality in Huehuetenango province, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Guatemala City. The other child, 7-year-old Jakelin Caal, died Dec. 8 in El Paso. She showed signs of sepsis shock, a potentially fatal condition brought on by infection, officials said. An initial screening of Jakelin "revealed no evidence of health issues," U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Dec. 14. It wasn't until several hours later that Jakelin's father, Nery Caal, told agents she was "sick and vomiting," CBP said. Attorneys for the Caal family have also denied claims that Nery "hadn't given her water in days," as Trump wrote. And CBP said Tuesday that agents logged 23 welfare checks of Felipe and his father in the first several days the two were was detained. Felipe's father, Agustin Gomez, told a Guatemalan official the boy first showed signs of illness the morning of the day he died. Despite Trump's claim that Democrats were responsible for "pathetic" immigration policies, at least one of the laws his administration has blamed legislation that prevents the immediate deportation of unaccompanied children from Central American countries was signed in 2008 by President George W. Bush, a Republican. Democrats lambasted the president's tweets. In a tweet addressing the president, Sen. Mazie Hirono wrote: "Obviously nothing is too low or cruel for you. A collective New Year's wish: For the sake of our country, you can stop now." "You slander Jakelin's memory and re-traumatize her family by spreading lies about why she died," said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas. Meanwhile, Nielsen traveled to Yuma, Arizona, on Saturday to meet with medical staff at the border. She said in a statement that "the system is clearly overwhelmed and we must work together to address this humanitarian crisis" and she called on Congress to "act with urgency." She was also briefed in El Paso, Texas, on Friday on "recently instituted secondary medical screenings and the more thorough initial health screenings of migrants." El Paso Mayor Dee Margo, a Republican, said he met with Nielsen and told CNN on Saturday that he agreed with her that immigration policy is "broken." Felipe and Agustin Gomez were apprehended by border agents Dec. 18 near the Paso del Norte bridge connecting El Paso to Juarez, Mexico, according to border officials. The two were detained at the bridge's processing center and then the Border Patrol station in El Paso. They were transferred Dec. 23 to a facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) away. After an agent noticed Felipe coughing, father and son were taken to an Alamogordo hospital, where Felipe was diagnosed with a common cold and found to have a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celsius), officials have said. Felipe was held for observation for 90 minutes, according to CBP, before being released with prescriptions for amoxicillin and ibuprofen. But the boy fell sick hours later on Dec. 24 and was re-admitted to the hospital. He died just before midnight. New Mexico authorities said late Thursday that an autopsy showed Felipe had the flu, but more tests need to be done before a cause of death can be determined. The government of El Salvador is pushing back against Trump's assertion it doesn't do enough to stem migration to the United States. In a statement released Saturday, the government says it has made strides in economic and social improvements to try to tamp down the root causes of the phenomenon, and has pushed a media campaign urging its citizens not to risk their lives making the dangerous journey. It says migration from the country has fallen significantly this year. By PTI LAHORE: Five pilots of Pakistan's flag carrier PIA have not even completed their matriculation, the country's aviation body told the Supreme Court after finding the academic credentials of seven pilots bogus. Justice Ijazul Ahsan said a non-matric person could not even drive a bus but these people were flying planes, putting the lives of passengers in danger, Dawn news reported. At least 50 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees have been suspended for not furnishing their documents, the three-judge bench of the apex court was told, it said. Academic credentials of seven PIA pilots were found to be bogus and five of them had not even done matric, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) revealed before the Supreme Court (SC) bench, headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, on Friday, the report said. The bench was hearing a matter relating to the verification of degrees of pilots and other staff of the PIA. The CAA complained that educational boards and universities were not cooperating with it in carrying out the degree verification process. It said that cases of 4,321 employees of the PIA had been verified while 402 were pending, the report said. Justice Nisar asked the PIA to submit a list of its all 498 pilots along with their result of licence examination, the report added. Last month, the cash-strapped Pakistani government approved a Rs 1,700 crore bailout package for its ailing national flag carrier PIA which has been running into losses for years. The government approved the bailout package to keep it afloat. The PIA's accumulated losses surged to Rs 36,000 crore by the end of June, which, according to the finance ministry, speaks volumes about the persistently deteriorating performance of the carrier. The PIA has been in losses for years but successive governments have failed to improve its financial situation. In 2019, we will mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Over the past four decades, China-US ties have traversed a tortuous journey and kept forging ahead. The exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have scored historic achievements. Forty years ago, only several thousand visits were made between the two countries each year. In 2017, over 5.3 million visits were made between the two sides. Forty years ago, the bilateral trade volume was less than $2.5 billion. In 2017, it surpassed $580 billion. Forty years ago, the two-way investment between China and the US was almost zero. In 2017, two-way investment in various forms amounted to over $230 billion in accumulative terms. Over the past forty years, from advancing the proper settlement of regional hot-spot issues to fighting international terrorism, from tackling the global financial crisis to promoting global growth, China and the US have conducted extensive cooperation at bilateral, regional and global levels. Facts have fully shown that the development of China-US ties has not only delivered huge benefits to the two peoples but also contributed to peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and the world. The progress achieved in the past forty years has not come by easily and experience should be derived from that. The two sides should view each others strategic intentions in a rational and objective manner, step up strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust and avoid strategic misjudgment. The two sides should stick to the general direction of bilateral cooperation and keep expanding the areas for mutually beneficial cooperation so as to deliver more benefits to the two peoples. The two sides should respect each others sovereignty, security and development interests and properly manage differences in an effort to avoid disturbing the general picture of bilateral ties. The two sides should expand people-to-people exchanges to continuously cement the social foundation for China-US relations. By PTI LAHORE: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif will challenge his conviction in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case in the Islamabad High Court this week, his lawyer said on Sunday, after the PML-N supremo was sentenced to seven years in jail for corruption. 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 as prime minister in the high-profile Panama Papers case in July last year. Last Monday, an anti-corruption court in Islamabad sentenced 68-year-old Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case but acquitted him in the Flagship Investment case. The accountability court had also imposed a fine of USD 2.5 million and 1.5 million pounds on Sharif. ALSO READ | Ousted Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore "We have almost finalised the draft of the appeal against the verdict (against Sharif) and will file it in the Islamabad High Court this week," Sharif's lawyer Khwaja Haris told PTI. He said "We are hopeful to get relief from the high court as there are many loopholes in the judgment of the accountability court". Sharif's legal team also called on him at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore on Saturday and discussed with him legal matters related to the appeal challenging the accountability court's verdict. They also met his daughter Maryam Nawaz at the Sharif's Jati Umra residence in Raiwind and discussed the case. The accountability court had also barred Sharif from holding public office for 10 years after completing his sentence. It also ordered confiscation of his Hill Metal Establishment firm and issued perpetual warrants of arrest for his sons - Hussain and Hassan - who had been declared proclaimed offenders. This was the second conviction of three-time prime minister Sharif this year, as he had been convicted for 10 years, along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz (seven years) and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar (one year), in the Avenfield case in July. ALSO READ | Pakistan court summons Nawaz Sharif in treason case over Mumbai attack remarks The Islamabad High Court had suspended their sentence and they were released on September 19 after spending 63 days in prison. The three corruption references were filed in the court against the Sharif family following revelations of their offshore holdings in the Panama Papers in 2016. Sharif spent a night in Adialia jail in Rawalpindi after his conviction on Monday and was shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail the next day. Sharif's younger brother and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif is also incarcerated at the Kot Lakhpat jail in the Rs 14 billion Ashiyana Housing scam. According to jail sources, both brothers meet each other as they are in the same barrack. Shahbaz, also the opposition leader in the National Assembly, will be shifted to Islamabad when the parliamentary session is underway. The PML-N has expressed hope that Sharif will get relief from the high court as no corruption has been proven against him. "According to our legal team the judgment of the accountability court is very weak and we have strong grounds to pin hopes to get relief from the high court," said PML-N senior leader and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal. He said in the Al-Azizia case "justice has not been served as there are many loopholes in the judgment". By AFP MOSCOW: Russia and Turkey on Saturday agreed to coordinate ground operations in Syria after the shock announcement of a US military withdrawal, Moscow's top diplomat said. President Donald Trump's move has already hastened a shift in alliances with Syrian troops deployed Friday in support of Kurdish forces around a strategic northern city. The Kurds, under threat from Ankara, had been supported by US forces. "Of course we paid special attention to new circumstances which appeared in connection with the announced US military pullout," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu. The Syrian deployment pleased ally Russia but upset Turkey ahead of Saturday's talks in Moscow. "An understanding was reached of how military representatives of Russia and Turkey will continue to coordinate their steps on the ground under new conditions with a view to finally rooting out terrorist threats in Syria," Lavrov said. Cavusoglu confirmed the two countries would coordinate Syria operations, adding they also discussed plans to help refugees to return home. "We will continue active work (and) coordination with our Russian colleagues and colleagues from Iran to speed up the arrival of a political settlement in the Syrian Republic," he said in remarks translated into Russian. "We have the common desire to cleanse Syrian territory of any terrorist organisation, Cavusoglu added. Lavrov said he was "optimistic" following the talks which included Russian and Turkish defence ministers Sergei Shoigu and Hulusi Akar. Trump last week said he was pulling all 2,000 troops from Syria, declaring that Washington had achieved its objective as the Islamic State group had been "knocked" out. The extremist movement, also known as ISIS, has lost nearly all its territory, although thousands of its jihadists are thought to remain in war-battered Syria. Nearly eight years into Syria's deadly conflict, the US pullout has led to another key step in President Bashar al-Assad's Russian-backed drive to reassert control over the country. The Syrian army announced its return to Manbij, a strategic city close to the Turkish border where Kurdish forces have been deployed since 2016 and where US-led coalition forces are also stationed. A US withdrawal will leave them exposed to an assault by Turkey, which has thousands of proxy fighters in northern Syria and wants to crush Kurdish forces it considers terrorists. The Syrian army's arrival creates a regime buffer arching across northern Syria that fully separates the Turkish army and its proxies from the Kurds. Ankara reacted to the deployment by warning "all sides to stay away from provocative actions". On Friday, Russia said it would host a three-way summit with Turkey and Iran on the Syrian conflict early next year following their last such meeting in September. Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 The Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday it regretted the position of French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on some aspects of Russia-Ukraine relations. Macron and Merkel issued a joint statement Friday, saying they were deeply concerned with the "human rights situation in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia, Russia's use of military force in the Kerch Strait, and excessive inspections in the Azov Sea." They called for all ships using the Kerch Strait to be given "safe, free, and unhindered passage" and urged the immediate and unconditional release of the Ukrainian sailors detained by Russia in a recent incident in the Black Sea. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it believes all attempts to doubt the legal status of Crimea and Sevastopol as part of Russia are futile. It reiterated that Russia continues to ensure freedom of navigation in the Kerch Strait in accordance with the existing Russian-Ukrainian agreements, domestic legislation and applicable international standards. At the same time, Moscow will also consider the real risks to Russia's security, threats and possible provocations from Ukraine and its western "friends." Russia shot at and seized three Ukrainian naval ships attempting to sail through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov on Nov. 25, alleging they breached Russian territorial waters. In response, Ukraine imposed martial law in certain regions bordering Russia for 30 days ending on Dec. 26 and banned Russian men between 16 and 60 from entering the country, except for humanitarian purposes. The Russian Foreign Ministry called on Paris and Berlin to pay attention to the human rights violations by the Ukrainian government, primarily those of Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens. Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department Field Officer Tam Kin-chung is an expert on butterflies and is well-versed in their behaviour. A camera is very useful in identifying butterfly species. Butterflies are cold-blooded and like to bask in the sun on warm days. The locally uncommon species of Red Lacewing has been spotted recently in Lung Kwu Tan, Lung Kwu Chau, Pui O and Shing Mun Country Park. It is not difficult to find the Pale Grass Blue butterfly in urban parks. The Tawny Mime is adept at imitating the appearance of the poisonous Chestnut Tiger to ward off predators. Male Blue Tiger butterflies convert chemicals in plants into pheromones to attract the females. Hong Kong is home to more than 200 butterfly species, which add a dash of colour to the city all year round due to the mild climate. Tam Kin-chung joined the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department in 2012 and is an ecological surveyor in its Butterfly Working Group. The Field Officer is an expert on the winged insects and is well-versed in their behaviour. The male butterflies usually put in a lot of effort to attract females. They try to find a plant with some special chemicals to convert them into pheromones to attract female butterflies. And some other butterflies, the male butterfly, will go to a hilltop. Such behaviour, we call that hill-topping. They go there to wait for a female butterfly to fly across so that they can have the courtship behaviour with them. Survival skills The intricately detailed Tawny Mime is adept at imitating the appearance of the poisonous Chestnut Tiger to ward off predators, Mr Tam said. They have a black forewing and a brown hindwing with some pale blue colour, colour stripes on their wings. It is quite a beautiful butterfly but if you want to find one, it is quite difficult because the adults of Tawny Mime only appear in March and April every year. If you miss it, you will need to wait for another year to see this rare butterfly. Mr Tam traverses the city to collect information on butterflies and finds it meaningful to help broaden peoples knowledge about the beautiful insects and to share the importance of environmental conservation. Butterfly survey and investigation is very important to the public because butterflies are a part of our ecosystem. When there are more butterflies, it means that there are more flowers and the vegetation should be quite good in the surrounding environment. They can support the butterflies, so that they come by. It is very important for us to protect our environment so that more butterflies and animals can live there. Butterfly appreciation There are five families of butterflies in Hong Kong, each different in shape, colour, flight pattern and other characteristics. A diverse selection of the creatures take wing in spring and summer between April and June, and in autumn between October and November. Butterflies are cold-blooded meaning they cannot regulate their own body temperature, so they like to bask in the sun on warm days. Sunny periods following a rainfall is also one of the best times to watch them. Key sites for observing butterflies include Wu Kau Tang, Lai Chi Wo, Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, Shing Mun Country Park, Pak Tam Chung, Fung Yuen Valley, Lung Kwu Tan and Victoria Peak. Mr Tam advised those who plan to go butterfly watching to bring some essential equipment. You should bring a pair of binoculars. They really help you to observe and to notice the details on the butterflys wings. Also you can take a camera as well. A camera can take photo record of course and it is very useful when you want to identify a butterfly species. He added that people should observe the butterflies quietly and not capture any. Since 2002, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department has been surveying butterflies to establish a systematic database crucial to future monitoring and conservation. More details are available at the departments HK Biodiversity Database. The community should respect the professional judgement of the Department of Justice, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung said today. Mr Cheung made the statement in response to media enquiries about the departments decision to not prosecute former Chief Executive CY Leung in the UGL case. He said: First of all the Basic Law itself, Article 63 stipulates clearly that it is the role of the Department of Justice to conduct prosecution independently in Hong Kong, without any interference - a very important point. The second point is, I think we should respect the professional judgement of the Department of Justice. Mr Cheung also said Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng will consider attending the Legislative Council Panel on Administration of Justice & Legal Services meeting on January 28. Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip (second right) views the nanosystem fabrication facility at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Patrick Nip today visited the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) and a secondary school in Sai Kung. Mr Nip toured HKUSTs nanosystem fabrication facility, robotics institute and big data for bio intelligence laboratory. Mr Nip said he was pleased to learn the HKUST has signed collaboration agreements with the Guangzhou Municipal Government and Guangzhou University to establish the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (Guangzhou) in Nansha. This marked an important milestone in co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in nurturing innovation and technology talents. This win-win collaboration will help inject new impetus into the I&T development of Hong Kong as well as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Mr Nip said. He then visited a secondary school that enrols non-Chinese speaking students and was briefed on its curriculum, which is specially designed for such students. He also met students who participated in a visit to Myanmar under the umbrella of the Belt & Road Initiative. Mr Nip encouraged the students to keep up with their studies, maintain a positive and proactive attitude and grasp every opportunity to widen their horizons and embark on new initiatives. He wrapped up his visit by meeting Sai Kung District Council members. Government officers today met local pig farmers and stakeholders related to the supply of live pigs to discuss plans to guard against the spread of African Swine Fever to Hong Kong. The officers elaborated on preventive measures, contingency plans, culling arrangements under different scenarios, government assistance to the trade and compensation for culling of pigs. The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department briefed local pig farmers on the Government's plans. The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department also met representatives of slaughterhouse operators, livestock agents, buyers and meat transportation companies to explain the arrangements. The meetings allowed all parties to exchange views on the contingency plans, the Food & Health Bureau said. (Newser) Meet Jermaine Massey, who was apparently kicked out of a hotel for making a phone call. "Tonight I was racially profiled and discriminated against for taking a phone call in the lobby of my hotel," he writes on Instagram, per CNN. Massey, 34, has posted videos showing a hotel security guard and later police telling him to leave a DoubleTree hotel in Portland, Oregon, last Saturday. Massey says he was talking to his mother on his phone in the lobby when a white guard, identified only by his "Earl" nameplate, asked him what room he was in. "I said: 'I don't know, I'm having a conversation right now,'" Massey recalls in a video. "'Can you leave me alone right now?'" That's when the guard called Massey a trespasser and warned he was notifying police, per the New York Times. story continues below Massey then began recording videos that show "Earl" telling Massey the cops are coming. Massey mentions that he's a hotel guest, and the guard replies: "Not anymore." Soon a hotel employee tells Massey the guard "wouldn't ask me to call 911 without any cause," and another employee says Massey should calm down. The videos climax with a Portland Police Bureau officer informing Massey that the guard is "in control of the property." Now the hotel says it has "terminated the employment of the two men involved" and plans to investigate further. But Masseywhose lawyers say he was "calling his mother while black"isn't just letting this slide: "I will be seeking justice," he writes. "Believe that." (A white New Yorker was caught on video telling his neighbor, "You don't live here.") (Newser) Mourners at a mosque in California said goodbye Saturday to a 2-year-old boy whose Yemeni mother successfully fought the Trump administration's travel ban to hold the dying boy again in the United States, the AP reports. Abdullah Hassan died Friday at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland, where his father, Ali Hassan, brought him in the fall to get treatment for a genetic brain disorder, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said. He had been on life support when his mother, Shaima Swileh, arrived last week. "We are heartbroken. We had to say goodbye to our baby, the light of our lives," Hassan, a US citizen, says in a statement released by the advocacy group. Hassan and his wife moved to Egypt after marrying in war-torn Yemen in 2016. story continues below Swileh is not a US citizen and remained in Egypt as she fought for a visa for over a year so the family could move to America. Citizens from Yemen and four other mostly Muslim countries, along with North Korea and Venezuela, are restricted from coming to the United States under President Trump' s travel ban. When the boy's health worsened, the father went ahead to California in October to get their son help. As the couple fought for a waiver, he started losing hope and was considering pulling his son off life support to end his suffering; but then a hospital social worker reached out to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which sued on Dec. 16, and the State Department granted Swileh a waiver. "In his short life, Abdullah has been a guiding light for all of us in the fight against xenophobia and family separation," says a family lawyer. (Read more Yemen stories.) (Newser) A civil rights group has sued the US government, saying it needs more information about surveillance of Americans' phone and financial records to guide the public debate over what will happen when the law that regulates the scrutiny expires next year, the AP reports. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the National Security Agency, the director of national intelligence, the CIA, and the Justice Department on Friday in Manhattan federal court, seeking information about a program that collects records during investigations into terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities. According to the lawsuit, the government has not responded to requests made last month for information about its surveillance of Americans under a 2015 law. story continues below Congress used the law to set boundaries on the NSA's bulk collection of call records and other data after former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked documents revealing extensive government surveillance. The law requires annual reports to Congress from the intelligence community and forces the government to seek a court order to collect call records to obtain intelligence. Requests of records of US citizens for investigations cannot be based solely on activities protected by the First Amendment. A government spokesman declined comment. The limits on the surveillance are due to expire in 2019, and the ACLU says more information is needed for a healthy debate before the law is reauthorized or changes are made. (An NSA whistleblower got 5 years in prisonbut is that fair?) (Newser) Britain's Royal Mail decided to roll out a commemorative stamp in honor of the 75th anniversary of D-Day next year, which is completely fitting. What wasn't so fitting, however: The image used on the stamp, which was captioned "D-Day: Allied soldiers and medics wade ashore." That caption isn't entirely inaccurate, reports the New York Times, in that yes, the image shows Allied soldiers and medics wading ashore, but those troops are wading ashore in Indonesia not Normandy, and the image was shot weeks ahead of D-Day. In addition, it shows the wrong ship. story continues below "Wrong theatre; wrong date; wrong vessel; wrong troops. This gross insult to veterans and those who didnt make it should be withdrawn," tweeted Andy Saunders, a history consultant. The Royal Mail is apologizing and a rep says that "this stamp will not be part of our set to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings." The error was caught before any stamps were printed, but a British stamp dealer notes that "The reign of Queen Elizabeth II is actually considered to be the golden era of British stamp errors for collectors." (Read more Royal Mail stories.) (Newser) Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin have racked up plenty of headlines in 2018, and they end the year with one more: Both sent New Year letters that are attracting attention, the former to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, the latter to President Trump. Moon described Kim's letter as "warm" in a tweet, which included a photo that showed the top portion of the letter, reports the AP. It reads, "Dear your excellency President Moon Jae-in. Our meeting in Pyongyang feels like yesterday but about 100 days have already passed and now we are at the close of an unforgettable 2018." Moon's office said the letter expressed Kim's intention to keep up a frequent pace of meetings with Moon following three summits this year, and passed along Kim's regrets that he did not visit Seoul in 2018, a planned visit the leaders had agreed upon in September. story continues below As for Putin's letter to Trump, in a statement quoted by Reuters, the Kremlin said the letter "stressed that the [Russia-United States] relations are the most important factor for providing strategic stability and international security. [Putin] confirmed that Russia is open for dialogue with the USA on the most wide-ranging agenda." NBC News terms it a "friendly letter" and notes the Kremlin's own description: a "Christmas and New Year greeting." Putin also sent letters to Theresa May, Shinzo Abe, Xi Jinping, and Bashar al-Assad. (Read more Kim Jong Un stories.) Egypts Minister of Tourism Rania Al-Mashat said on Saturday that the ministry will coordinate with the embassy of Vietnam to ease travel to Egypt for the families of the Vietnamese tourists who were injured in a bomb blast which hit their bus on Friday. In a statement, Minister Al-Mashat expressed her condolences to the Vietnamese ambassador in Cairo for the attack, which killed three Vietnamese and one Egyptian tourism worker. Egypt's Prosecutor-General Nabil Sadek has said that 11 other Vietnamese were injured. The explosion occurred when an IED detonated as the tourist bus was moving along Marioutiya Road in the Haram district of Giza; 14 Vietnamese tourists and two Egyptian tourism workers were on board. Search Keywords: Short link: (Newser) In a quadruple murder that "looks and smells like a death penalty case," Missouri police have charged a man in the shooting deaths of his girlfriend, her mother, and her two children. The mother, 61-year-old Jane Moeckel, called 911 late Friday to report a man with a gun in the house in St. Charles; gunshots could be heard in the background, and Moeckel said she'd locked herself in a downstairs room with her two grandchildren, 8-year-old Zoe Kasten and 10-year-old Jonathan Kasten. By the time authorities responded, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that all three were dead, and the children's mother, 39-year-old Kate Kasten, was mortally wounded. "It was a gruesome, gruesome scene," says a prosecutor. "What can possess someone to take the life of a child is beyond me." story continues below Following an all-night manhunt, police arrested Darren Emery, who authorities believe was Kate Kasten's boyfriend and lived in the home. Police say they exchanged gunfire with Emery as they were arriving on the scene; they say he fled on foot and attempted to carjack a woman he stabbed seven times. Police later found Emery with two gunshot wounds in a convenience store bathroom. He's charged with 15 counts that include first-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and attempted robbery. The Post-Dispatch notes that the murders are a tragic coda to a family already beset by heartbreak: Kate Kasten's husband and the children's father, former Marine Kody Kasten, died of cancer last year. (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday authorized Iraqi forces to attack the Islamic State inside Syria without waiting for permission from authorities in Damascus, state news agency SANA said, as the two allies coordinate their fight against extremists ahead of a planned US withdrawal from Syria. The announcement highlights the close relations between the two neighboring Arab countries that are both allied with Iran, reports the AP. Iraqi warplanes and artillery have in the past pounded ISIS positions inside Syria after getting the green light from Syrian authorities. The extremists have been defeated in Iraq but still hold a small area in Syria close to the Iraqi border. On Saturday, Assad received a letter from Iraq's Prime Minister Abdul-Mahdi calling for both countries' coordination in "fighting terrorism." story continues below The main US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces has expressed concerns that the US plans to pull out could lead to the revival of ISIS, saying that the extremists have not been defeated yet in Syria. In Washington, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, said he is going to encourage Trump to sit down with generals and reconsider pulling troops from Syria. "Slow this down, make sure that we get it right, make sure ISIS never comes back," Graham said on CNN. "Don't turn Syria over to the Iranians. That's a nightmare for Israel." Graham said that it's possible for the US to reduce its footprint in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, and that he supports the goal of having allies "do more and pay more." But he added that he also sees the US military playing a role in all three countries for "a while to come." "I want to fight the war in the enemy's backyard, not ours," Graham said. (Read more Syria stories.) The Houthi militia has begun to withdraw from the port of Hodeida, the countrys key aid lifeline, under an agreement reached in Sweden earlier this month, a UN official said yesterday. The official, who requested anonymity, said that the Houthis began to pull back from the Red Sea port at midnight. The Iranian-aligned Houthis have agreed with the government to implement a ceasefire in Hodeidah province and withdraw their respective forces. Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, the head of a UN advance team in charge of monitoring the ceasefire, arrived in Hodeidah this week. Under the deal, international monitors are to be deployed in Hodeidah and a Redeployment Coordination Committee including both sides, chaired by Cammaert, will oversee implementation. The committee started its meetings this week. A recent report said Houthi militia fired on bulldozers of the Yemeni army during the opening of the Kilo 16 road linking Sanaa, Hodeidah and Taiz, despite both sides agreeing to open all closed humanitarian corridors from key port to the Yemeni capital. The Arab coalition fighting to restore the legitimate Yemeni government said on Saturday that the Iran-backed Houthi militia is blocking access to a relief convoy, carrying 32 tonnes of flour, from Hodeidah port heading to a UN organisation in the rebel-held capital Sanaa. The Arab Women Media Network has conferred on the Representatives Council Speaker Fawzia Zainal the title of Best Political Achievement for Arab Women in 2018. In a statement, the network hailed the Bahraini Representatives Councils election of Fawzia Zainal as the councils Speaker to become the first woman to take up this high profile post in the history of the Kingdom. In a statement issued to media, the Representatives Council Speaker extended heartfelt congratulations to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women on the achievement. She described the accomplishment as an achievement to the kingdom of Bahrain as a whole and Bahraini women, in particular, pledging to continue assuming role and responsibility in promoting the kingdoms civilisational accomplishments. About criteria of granting the title, the Arab Women Media Network pointed out that Fawzia Zainal participated in the Bahraini parliamentary elections in two previous sessions. Her determination and strong will enabled her to win the elections last November, it said. Egypt has been bolstering security arrangements at its airports nationwide, with several countries resuming suspended flights Egypt's Sharm El-Sheikh received Serbian tourists from Belgrade Saturday aboard the first direct flight from the city to Sharm El-Sheikh since 2012. Egypt's Ambassador to Serbia Amr El-Goweily said Saturday that an Air Serbia flight was set to land carrying 144 tourists, who will spend their New Year's holiday in the resort town. They are set to return home 4 January. The flight comes after Air Serbia resumed charter flights to the Red Seas Hurghada this summer after a four-year hiatus. Egypt has been bolstering security arrangements at its airports nationwide since a Russian airliner crashed in 2015 after take off from Sharm El-Sheikh, leading to a suspension of flights to Sharm El-Sheikh and other Egyptian airports by a number of countries, including Russia and the UK. Several countries have since resumed flights to Egyptian airports. Search Keywords: Short link: The 11-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact entered into force on Sunday, creating a free trade area covering more than a tenth of the global economy. The trade deal, signed in March, will cut tariffs on agriculture and industrial products, ease investment restrictions and enhance protection of intellectual property. The 11 countries hope that the CPTPP will serve as a counter to growing protectionism as China and the United States engage in a trade war. The U.S. had been a member of the original pact but Washington withdrew just days into the administration of President Donald Trump. Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore became the first six members to ratify the pact, setting the stage for its entry into force. Vietnam is expected to complete its domestic procedures in January. The CPTPP accounts for 13 percent of the worldas gross domestic product and provides access to an economic bloc of 500 million people. The participating nations will scrap tariffs on most products. Japan, for its part, will eliminate import duties on 95 percent of items, with some key sectors such as rice and beef continuing to receive a certain level of protection. Still, consumers will be able to buy imported beef and other food items at much cheaper prices while manufacturers can boost exports with the elimination of tariffs. Automakers, for example, will see Canada reducing its 6.1 percent tariff on imported passenger cars to zero in five years. President Muhammadu Buhari may be in for another showdown with members of the National Assembly on resumption of plenary in January... President Muhammadu Buhari may be in for another showdown with members of the National Assembly on resumption of plenary in January if the executive fails to release funds appropriated to the federal parliament in the 2018 budget. Some of the federal lawmakers, who spoke with our correspondents on Friday, alleged that the executive arm of government had withheld their money as a form of punishment. The National Assembly increased its budget from N125bn allocated to it in 2017 to N139bn in 2018. They, however, said rather than implement the N139bn allocated to them in 2018, the executive was still paying them based on the N125bn appropriated for them in the 2017 national budget. The development worsened penultimate week, forcing the House of Representatives to summon the Minister of Finance, Aisha Mohammed, to explain the delay in the release of the funds, categorised as first-line charge. But the minister attributed the non-implementation of the 2018 National Assembly budget to a gross revenue shortfall recorded by the Federal Government in the current fiscal year. Obviously not satisfied with the ministers explanation, the representatives demanded immediate full payment of the monthly release to the assembly put at N11bn monthly. They lamented that the executive was still releasing N10bn monthly to the federal parliament based on the 2017 appropriation despite the fact that the 2018 national budget was assented to in June this year. The Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, said, Clearly, the Appropriation Act has been breached; the law has been breached. Each month, the National Assembly receives money less by N1.2bn. A member of the House of Representatives from Ondo State, who spoke with one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said his colleagues booed the President while presenting the 2019 budget proposal last week to show their grievances. He said, We will show him (Buhari) our true colours in January if he fails to release our money in full. He is deliberately treating us like this to ensure that we have nothing to mobilise our constituents for the February 16 elections. The Buhari government has also failed to fund our constituency projects, thereby depriving us of the opportunity to count them as part of our achievements. Another member from Oyo State, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that his colleagues were warming up for a showdown with the President, if he failed to fund their budget in full. He stated, That is exactly why we booed him when he came for the budget presentation and he should expect more in the New Year. As it is now, we cannot meet our obligations to our constituents, staff and National Assembly maintenance. According to investigations by our correspondents, based on the new arrangement, a senator now goes home with N11m as monthly running cost while their counterparts in the House collect N8m. A senator from the North-West confirmed off record that the National Assembly budget was not being properly funded, adding that the development was affecting their financial obligations. The senator, representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, in March, revealed that he and his colleagues received N13.5m monthly as running cost. He said the amount did not include a N700,000 monthly consolidated salary and allowances, which they also received. A legislative source, also in March this year, confided in SUNDAY PUNCH that because of their high number (360), members of the House received slightly lower amount for the running cost than senators. The source had said, For the money to go round, the Reps usually take lower than senators. Depending on the flow of allocation into the account of the National Assembly, the running cost for members is between N9.3m and N12m. There are times though when what is available is N8m. The senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Kabir Marafa, said some of his colleagues actually complained about the inadequate funding of their constituency projects when President Buhari was presenting the budget. He, however, directed one of our correspondents to the Committee on Senate Services to know the implementation of the National Assembly budgets. Attempts to speak with the Chairman, Committee on Senate Services, Ibrahim Gobir, failed as calls made to his mobile did not connect and he had yet to respond to a text message sent to his telephone as of the time of filing this report. The Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mr Idris Wase, who admitted that the legislature was underfunded, said it was due to revenue shortfall recorded by the Federal Government. President Muhammadu Buhari has left Abuja for Sokoto on a condolence visit over the death of former President Shehu Shagari. The... President Muhammadu Buhari has left Abuja for Sokoto on a condolence visit over the death of former President Shehu Shagari. The presidents plane took off from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja some few minutes after 9 am Sunday. Mr Shagari, Nigerias first elected civilian president from 1979 to 1983 died Friday evening at the National Hospital Abuja after a brief illness. He was buried Saturday afternoon at his hometown, Shagari, in Sokoto State. Mr Buhari was represented at the funeral rites by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha. T hree policemen attached to Ijanikin Division in Lagos State have been dismissed from the Force for robbing a Togo-based Nigerian of 3... hree policemen attached to Ijanikin Division in Lagos State have been dismissed from the Force for robbing a Togo-based Nigerian of 350,000 CFA (about N221,508).The Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs), namely: Sgt. Gbemunu Afolabi, Sgt. Afolabi Oluwaseun and Cpl. Adigun Omotayo, were dismissed over corruption charges.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had reported on Wednesday that four policemen were arrested for allegedly robbing one Theodore Ifunnaya of 350,000 CFA (about N221,508).The dismissed personnel accosted the victim, a Nigerian based in Togo, who came to celebrate Christmas in Nigeria, and subjected him to tortuous search and interrogation.When the dismissed officers discovered the sum of money on him, they collected the money, exchanged to Naira and gave N2000 to the victim to go home.The policemen also threatened to arrest him for alleged robbery if he speaks out.Lagos State Police Command Spokesman, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed the dismissal on Sunday, stressing that the fourth policeman, an Inspector, was recommended to the AIG Zone 2 for dismissal.The authorities of the Lagos State Police Command wishes to inform members of the public that the Commands Provost Section, trying four policemen attached to Ijanikin Division for discreditable conduct and corrupt practice, has found them guilty on all counts and accordingly recommended them for dismissal from the Force.Based on the recommendation of the adjudicating officer, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Imohimi Edgal, approved the dismissal.Meanwhile, the recommendation for the dismissal of Insp. Amiete has been forwarded to the Assistant Inspector- General of Police, Zone 2 for approval, Oti said.Oti said that the policemen had conducted themselves in a manner unbecoming of their status in the Force.He said the CP has redeployed the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ijanikin Division, CSP Eugene Ubine, for lacking in supervision of his men.He, therefore, warns Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and Heads of departments to strictly monitor the activities of their men for better service delivery.He added that the punishment meted out to the undisciplined policemen is intended to serve as a deterrent to others. (NAN) The two sides discussed the recommendations of the 16th session of the Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee in a meeting held in Cairo last week Egypt and Saudi Arabia have discussed establishing a joint industrial zone in Egypt, the head of the Ministry of Trade and Industry's Trade Agreements Sector, Amany Al-Wassal, said in a statement Saturday. The two sides held the first meeting of a working group tasked with following up on recommendations of the 16th session of the Saudi-Egyptian Joint Committee held in Cairo last week. The meeting also reviewed legislative reforms in the field of industrial investment in Egypt, Al-Wassal added. During the meeting, the two sides mulled ways of boosting cooperation in many economic fields, including trade, investment, industry, finance, customs, agriculture, electricity, transport and housing, in addition to some social, cultural, media and other areas. A logistics area for storing, packaging, processing and exporting dates was also proposed. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended its deepest condolences over the death of Nigeria's former president Shehu Shagari. In a press release, the ministry offered condolences to the Nigerian government and people. Shagari died Friday in Abuja at the age of 93. Search Keywords: Short link: Security is being tightened across the country at vital installations and tourist sites ahead of the New Year and Coptic Christmas celebration period Egypt's Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik said Sunday, "Terrorism will not lessen our resolve," and that, "Officials will deal firmly against any deviation from the law." Tawfik's comments came during a meeting with security officials to discuss tightening security measures ahead of New Year and Coptic Christmas celebrations, a statement by the interior ministry read. The minister held a meeting with a number of security leaders at the Information and Crisis Management Centre at the ministry. He also discussed means of securing different governorates in a video conference with the heads of directorates across Egypt. Tawfik affirmed that the security officials will not hesitate to take measures to protect the country's security and stability. He stressed that the interior ministry will not allow the law to be broken and will deal with utmost firmness with any attempts to harm the security and safety of citizens. During the meeting, Tawfik praised security efforts exerted which brought stability to the Egyptian street and the restoration of national development efforts. The minister affirmed that preparations are underway to deploy security forces at places of worship, important installations and vital tourist destinations in the country during the holiday period. He stressed the importance of caution and vigilance while tightening efforts to secure vital facilities. The minister pointed to the readiness of security forces to deal with various emergency situations. He also stressed that the ministry's efforts in pre-emptive strikes against terrorist elements are continuing in coordination with all state bodies. Search Keywords: Short link: Hotel Business News and Analytics Important! This article is written by orangesmile.com editors and is protected by copyright law. The article can only be re-used with a direct link to www.orangesmile.com NEWS BLOCKS: Meininger Opens a Hotel in Reykjavik Meininger Hotel Group has announced the signing of a new agreement, in accordance to which the company will manage a hotel in Reykjavik. The hotel, which is set to open in the second quarter of 2020, will enjoy a beneficial location not far from the city center and the Harpa Concert Hall. The hotels building is not new. It is a converted building of a famous warehouse constructed in the 40s of the previous century. Needless to say, the property will be modernized so it fits all strict standards of Meininger. The gross floor area of the new Reykjavik hotel exceeds 5,500 square meters. It will have 442 beds in 122 rooms of different categories that will be scattered across 5 floors. Customers are welcome to choose from several room types. The standard rooms will be classic double rooms. There will also be rooms in a dorm and rooms with numerous beds. Among the public areas available to guests, it is important to mention a lounge, lobby and reception, breakfast room, and a bar. Besides that, the new Reykjavik hotel will feature the guest feature and the zone where visitors can play games. The hotels design will be individual and will be developed in accordance with its location and heritage of the place. The decision to open a hotel in Iceland is totally understandable as the country is currently the fastest growing market in Europe. Last year, as many as 2.2 million tourists visited Iceland. That is five times more than in 2010. Quite an interesting fact the number of visitors is approximately six times more than the permanent population of Iceland. Because of such unprecedented growth, Reykjavik hotels have the highest market-wide occupancy in whole Europe. Fabulous nature of the region remains the main driving force for numerous travelers. That said, Reykjavik is perfectly suitable for cultural tourist as there are many museums. The city regularly hosts various events and festivals. The size of Iceland is one more advantage for travelers. As all landmarks are located relatively not far away from each other, it is possible to see most places of interested within a day or two. Meininger CEO expressed the companys delight about the deal. As air accessibility of Iceland is improving, the country becomes an important destination for travelers from both Europe and North America. The hotelier hopes that their new hotel will be suitable for individual tourists, groups of visitors, and a small number of business travelers that visit the capital. The Reykjavik project is not the only one for Meininger as the hotelier plans to open hotels in Budapest and Paris in 2019. 30.12.2018Stay in touch with the latest news of a worldwide hotel industry. All up-to-date analytics, reports , and news about hotel business trends on OrangeSmile.com. The families of Vietnamese tourists who were killed or wounded in a bomb blast near Egypt's famed Giza pyramids arrived in Cairo on Sunday, state news agency MENA reported. Three Vietnamese tourists and an Egyptian tour guide were killed in the Friday attack while on their tour bus on the outskirts of Cairo. Nine other Vietnamese tourists were wounded, as was the Egyptian driver. Five family members of the Vietnamese tourists arrived at Cairo International Airport on board a Turkish Airlines flight and were received by the Vietnamese deputy ambassador, as well as representatives from the foreign and tourism ministries Egypts interior ministry said the bus was hit by an improvised device hidden near a wall in the late afternoon. The attack came as Egypt's tourism sector recovers from a sharp decline in visitors since the 2011 uprising. A day after the bombing, Egypt's interior ministry said that security forces had killed 40 militants suspected of involvement in three separate incidents in North Sinai and Giza, but did not specify whether the extremists were linked to Friday's attack. Search Keywords: Short link: President Nana Akufo-Addo has said he promised God a National Cathedral before he became president, and will redeem that pledge. Launching the National Cathedral Fundraising Campaign on Friday, 28 December 2018 at the forecourt of the State House, Accra, President Akufo-Addo said just as pertained to Solomons dedication of the first temple to God as taught by the Bible, he knows that God cannot be contained in a physical edifice. Rather, and again like Solomon on that occasion, the building of the National Cathedral is to serve as a gesture of thanksgiving to God for his blessings, favour, grace and mercies on our nation, and to give me an opportunity to redeem a pledge I made to Him before I became President, he said. The president made a personal contribution of GHS100,000 towards the construction of the edifice at the event. The National Cathedral, the president explained, is more than just another piece of infrastructure or national monument. It will provide us with an avenue to call the nation to prayer, to worship, to celebrate, and to mourn. It will house a Bible Museum, and will be an iconic infrastructure for national, regional and international pilgrimage and tourism. It will create jobs, and serve as a catalyst for technology and skills transfer into our country, President Akufo-Addo stressed. He continued, The Cathedral will also provide a platform to promote deep national conversations on the role of faith in building the progressive and prosperous Ghana we all want. I am convinced that out of these conversations would emerge the ideas and values that should help us build a new Ghanaian civilization. This is the basis on which I identify it as a personal priority. Reiterating his earnest wish that the building of the National Cathedral should not be a burden on the state, President Akufo-Addo noted that it was for this reason that the Christian community, home and abroad, is being mobilised in partnership to raise the needed resources to build the Cathedral. Whilst respecting the views of those who differ with him on the matter of the construction of the Cathedral, the President indicated that: I am comforted in my decision by the vast numbers of enthusiastic supporters of this project, whose spiritual dimension is limitless. The President was confident that like the statement of the Prophet Nehemiah in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, it is Almighty God who will prosper us and make us succeed in this endeavour. I am confident of the support of the Ghanaian people for this coalition of churches, corporations and individuals in bringing this project into fruition. This coalition, he added, will be a historic coalition, and the names of its supporters will be written in gold in the annals of our history I am proud to call myself a leading member of this coalition, and I pledge GHS100,000 as my personal contribution, President Akufo-Addo said. 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 cast of "Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine," through Jan. 16 at the Pershing Square Signature Center. Read more What a fabulous word fabulation is. Leaving aside the arcane lingo of lit crit, the word means the creation of fables filled with fantasy. Lynn Nottages Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine creates the fable, and director Lileana Blain-Cruz creates the fantasy in Pershing Square Signature Centers revival of her early (2004) bold, funny play. And whoever would have thought to find funny and Lynn Nottage in the same sentence if you knew only her later work, the two Pulitzer Prize winners, Sweat and Ruined, both grim and powerful dramas? Fabulation is about identity. Undine (Cherise Boothe) is being investigated by the FBI for identity fraud. That pretty much describes the last 14 years of her life: Having escaped from the Brooklyn ghetto life she was born into, this woman, originally named Sharona, has won scholarships that gave her access to a posh boarding school and then to Dartmouth, where she read Edith Whartons novel The Custom of the Country, about an ambitious social climber named Undine. Sharona renames herself Undine and proceeds to become a ferocious diva of a boutique PR firm catering to the vanity and confusion of the African American nouveau riche. Nottage offers lessons to be learned, most of which weve heard before, but this family context Mother, Father, and Brother are all security guards who love their uniforms, plus theres a heroin-addicted grandma is novel, and the satire is too complicated for sit-com laughs, although Social Services takes a hilarious and deserved beating. Not to mention the Yoruba priest with a Harvard MBA. Once Undines Argentine husband, Herve (their tango has to be seen), absconds with all her money, she finds herself broke, pregnant, and in trouble with the FBI. No place to go but down. Rock bottom turns out to be home. After a heroin bust and a drug rehab circle, she meets a sweet guy (played by the same actor who plays Herve). The terrific supporting cast of seven (MaYaa Boateng, Dashiell Eaves, Heather Alicia Simms, Ian Lassiter, Nikiya Mathis, J. Bernard Calloway, and Marcus Callender) play many, many characters, switching accents and costumes and wigs with speed and daring, while Undine narrates developments. Nottages keen eye can create over-the-top stereotypes that somehow ring true, and her keen ear creates wild and sharp dialogue. And its always a pleasure to see a playwright range from the tragic to the comic as she tracks womens lives and predicaments. Her residency at Pershing Square Signature Center will give us a revival of another of her satires, in a very different milieu, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, beginning performances Jan. 29. FILE - In this July 27, 2018, file photo, the Dave Johnson coal-fired power plant is silhouetted against the morning sun in Glenrock, Wyo. The Trump administration on Friday targeted an Obama-era regulation credited with helping dramatically reduce toxic mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants, saying the benefits to human health and the environment may not be worth the cost of the regulation. The 2011 Obama administration rule, called the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, led to what electric utilities say was an $18 billion clean-up of mercury and other toxins from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. Read more Theres a dangerous myth that Donald Trumps presidency is too buffoonish to be ranked anywhere on the Chavez-Mussolini scale of authoritarianism, that a commander in chief who spends much of his day curled up in the Lincoln Bedroom rage-tweeting his favorite shows on Fox News Channel may be bad for Americas global image as a serious nation but that no actual humans were harmed in this production. To those who still believe this, I say: Let them go to the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. In recent weeks, a journalist for the New York Times, Eric Lipton, did exactly that as part of an extraordinary year-end project from the Times with the depressing but accurate moniker of This Is Our Reality Now. It looked at how the Trump administrations unprecedented rollback of environmental protections is changing life, and not for good, for everyday Americans. The fact that some of the grossest pollution is befouling some of the states with the highest election margins for Trump adds another grimy layer of irony. At the Fort Berthold reservation, Lipton found that while surging oil and gas production has brought some much-needed economic benefit to a remote piece of land in western North Dakota, a growing number of tribal members are questioning the trade-off. For example, a $1 million early-childhood learning center was paid for by a pipeline company, but only as a fine for a spill of more than 1 million gallons of polluted fracking wastewater that reached the reservations main drinking water supply. When Lipton arrived on the reservation, he found the frigid night sky was a weird orangey-yellow from all the lit flares of oil and gas wells. Not only have flaring emissions roughly doubled during Trumps presidency, but in September with little fanfare the presidents so-called Environmental Protection Agency gutted an Obama-era rule that had been imposed to curb methane and related pollution from well flaring. It was a rule that not only would have aided the fight against climate change methane is a significant greenhouse gas but also sought to make the air less foul to breathe for people who live near these wells. Lisa DeVille, whose family has lived on the North Dakota reservation for decades, told the Times shes been treated for the respiratory sickness known as the Bakken cough because its been frequently reported by oil-field workers in the Dakotas. My children and grandchildren breathe in this air, she said. How is this going to affect our health? Residents of North Dakota (which Trump won in 2016 with 63 percent of the vote) arent the only ones breathing dirtier air or drinking more polluted water because of decisions that Trump or his minions at EPA made with the stroke of a pen, sometimes aided by the GOP-dominated Congress of the last two years. Times reporters on the This Is Our Reality Now beat found that efforts to curb toxic industrial pollution on the Kanawha River in West Virginia (Trump: nearly 68 percent in 2016) have ground to a halt, while Team Trump is allowing coal plants in states like Texas (Trump: 52.2 percent) to keep polluting the air at high levels, and has blocked rules intended to protect California farm workers from exposure to a toxic pesticide. Rivaling the tax cut that enriched big corporations and billionaires and caused the federal deficit to soar (but didnt do a darned thing for Wall Street), the Great Environmental Rollback is probably the most consequential policy maneuver of Trumps nearly two years in the Oval Office. In some cases, the measures have meant higher short-term profits for executives saving money on pollution controls, at the cost of long-term damage to the communities where they do business. Other times, like rolling back fuel-efficiency standards for new vehicles, Trump has gone farther than even the industry wanted to go, let alone the public. When I was growing up, there was a genre of James Bond-type movie thriller in which a maniacal billionaire or evil genius is holed up in an inaccessible mountain lair having invented some kind of doomsday device that threatens to destroy the whole planet until our hero saves the day with seconds to spare. A part of me always questioned the logic of these films who would actually do such a thing? Little did I expect to see this scenario play out in my lifetime, with the earth-destroying madman not under the North Pole but barricaded in a White House bedroom with a TV remote, wreacking havoc not with the push of a button but the stroke of a pen. And things are likely to get worse in the second half of Trumps term. Over Christmas week, when few were watching, the Times reported that Trumps EPA is now reversing yet another Obama-era rule meant to curb toxic mercury pollution from coal-fired power plants. And this is a case where the why is arguably worse than the what -- because the administration is claiming that impact assessments should only cover the economics, not the cost of declining human health. That opens a Pandoras box for all sorts of rulings to make polluters richer amid the din of everyone elses Bakken cough. President Evil strikes again. As the calendar flips to 2019, were coming up on the 50th anniversary of several landmark events that convinced America that it was time to start saving the Earth, or else. On June 22, 1969, news that a passing train had lit on fire the toxic sludge that passed for the Cuyahoga River in the heart of Cleveland became a battle cry in the fight to clean up the nations rivers. A massive oil slick that fouled beaches and killed wildlife near Santa Barbara, Cali., that same summer provided momentum for 1970s first Earth Day. It was the beginning of a half century in which a United States that disagreed about most everything else found remarkable solidarity around protecting the environment. It was a Republican law and order president, Richard Nixon, who created the EPA and signed the earliest landmark antipollution bills into law. In many ways, that consensus has held up all the way into 2019. A 2018 poll conducted by academics from Yale and George Mason University found 56 percent of Republicans yes, Republicans are part of a broader U.S. consensus that favors both a carbon tax and curbs on power-plant pollution, even if it causes electric bills to increase. So how does Trump get away with this literal garbage? While the real beneficiaries of these policies may be a handful of coal or oil executives and their highly paid lobbyists, the president sells it to the millions in his base -- somewhere from 35 to 46 percent of the electorate -- not on the specific policies (which weve seen they dont like) but on the attitude, or attytood. Trumps reactionary EPA infuriates the Left, the talking heads on CNN, and pointy-headed know-it-all scientists on the East and West Coasts. So therefore it must be making America great again. Trump voters are destroying their lungs or drinking toxic tea in order to own the libs. Some of them may be laughing all the way to the grave. And while the short-term, devastating health impacts are going to hit the hardest in the communities where less-privileged citizens live, the long-term effects of climate change are going to wallop all of us especially those kids and grandkids you just showered with shiny new toys over the holiday season and who will grow into a world marred by global warming. Another hallmark of the New Years season is the year-in-review article that trumpets the big headlines of the previous 12 months the Trump-Russia scandal, school shootings, a Supreme Court nomination fight. Its hard for the drip-drip-drip of planetary destruction to break through. But I cant help think historians if future society is still healthy enough to even have historians will look back on this environmental dereliction of duty as the biggest story of the Trump era. The time to start fighting back is now. A Democratic House cant write new laws, but it can block potential bad ones and use its subpoena powers to expose the ongoing ecological nightmare to the public, setting the stage for a new age of environmental protection to commence in 2021. The clock is ticking and I dont mean the one counting down to the new year in Times Square. A turkey vulture perched on the roof of the seven-story Burlington County Courthouse. Dozens of vultures circle above the courthouse, which is expected to host a high-profile trial in a $400k GoFundMe scam. Read more On the fourth floor of the Burlington County Courthouse, a crush of TV crews waited for Johnny Bobbitt Jr., a once homeless vet charged with fabricating a story that went viral on the GoFundMe website during the holidays last year. Bobbitt and his coconspirators, Kate McClure and Mark DAmico, raised nearly $403,000 with a fake story about how Bobbitt helped McClure when she ran out of gas in Philadelphia and how they, in turn, wanted to raise money to help find him housing, prosecutors say. But the courthouse in Mount Holly isnt just the epicenter of this high-profile criminal case where the first hearings were held this month. The seven-story brick building has some wild scenes of its own, starting with a curious flock of vultures that circle above. Turkey and black vultures, with wingspans reaching five feet, soar above the courthouse almost daily. Then theres the bomb-sniffing chocolate Lab that lives in a space behind a plastic baby gate in the courthouse lobby. Tail wagging, the dog happily accepts pats from court visitors when hes not busy checking out suspicious packages. . Theres plenty to notice here, besides the characters summoned to appear before the judges. From the top floor, visitors can see the Philadelphia skyline, more than 20 miles away. But at ground level, as visitors are poised to enter the courthouse, they may be surprised by what flies into view. Vultures. The same birds Alfred Hitchcock used as a handy image to evoke a chill. As many as 30 of the menacing birds sat together along the edge of the orange flat roof last week, their hunched silhouettes resembling gargoyles. One spread its enormous wings and sat frozen in that position, letting the sun dry them out. Five years ago, Mount Holly residents called federal wildlife officials to report that their neighborhood was being invaded by dozens of vultures roosting in their trees, creating a nuisance and piles of messy droppings. Nicole Rein, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recommended hanging a carcass of a vulture, upside down with wings spread, from a tree and it quickly warded them off. It makes the other vultures uncomfortable to see that," she said in a recent interview. But the vultures seem to like the Mount Holly area. Rein has seen the vultures gathering at the courthouse and said they likely chose it because its the tallest building around. They like to find a place where they can have a 360-degree view," she said. Vultures' eyesight is poor and they scan the area to look for other birds swooping toward a food source that they might want for themselves, she said. Typically, the vultures would not roost, or sleep overnight, on the roof, so they pose less of a problem at the courthouse than they did for the residents, Rein said. Donna Mazzanti, a court spokesperson with an office on the seventh floor, often sees the vultures from her windows and loves watching them soar. Theyre huge, and majestic. ... Honestly, it makes you jump when they fly right for you. They come within a foot of the windows, but they dont fly into it, she said. Sometimes the vultures sit atop each of the four spires at the St. Andrews Episcopal Church a block away and create quite a sight, she said. Most courthouse visitors interviewed recently said they too were not bothered by the birds. Never mind their Hollywood reputation as flesh-eating scavengers and as omens of misfortune. Oddly, to enter the courthouse, visitors must first pass by two 5-foot-tall painted sculptures of bald eagles that stand up against the door. Eagles are the only predators of vultures in this area, Rein said. Visitors must first be screened by security in the county administration building and choose an exit elevator, escalator, or stairway to get into the adjacent courthouse. Its a labyrinth and people often approach the Information Desk in the courthouse lobby to ask for help. Detective Christopher Snyder, who works for the county sheriff, sits behind that desk. He fields questions, handles court security, and tends to Scottie, his K-9. The rescue dog, who is presumed to be 8 and has a few gray hairs on his chin and a badge under his neck, is a beloved courthouse fixture. His crate sits behind the Information Desk and is corralled by a 2-foot-tall baby gate that gives him a 12-by-15-foot area to roam about and to chew on his stuffed hedgehog, George, when hes not taking breaks or working. Sometimes he and Snyder play fetch outside the courthouse, beneath the soaring vultures. Snyder became Scotties master when the dogs previous owner, a warrant officer, left the department four years ago. Since Snyders post is at the courthouse, he brings Scottie with him for convenience. Jill Gianetti, another sheriffs officer, brings Niko, her German shepherd, to work with her each day at the nearby historic Old County Courthouse. The explosive-sniffing dog performs sweeps of the buildings before court begins each day. Sheriff Jean Stanfield said the courthouse K9s are good for public relations and for safety." So, visitors to Burlington Countys courthouse can catch an interesting trial, go to the seventh floor to enjoy a birds-eye view of the area, or come to check out the vultures. Or just come to say hi to Scottie. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has issued an order to set up a higher committee to prevent sectarian incidents in the country, the official gazette said on Sunday. The committee will comprise members of the Armed Forces, military intelligence, general intelligence, the Administrative Control Authority and the National Security Agency. The committee will be chaired by the president's advisor on security and anti-terrorism affairs. The committee will be tasked with "developing a general strategy to prevent and combat sectarian incidents and follow up on its implementation, as well as mechanisms to deal with sectarian incidents when they occur." The committee will draw up regular reports on its operations and recommendations that will be submitted to the president. Sectarian attacks occur occasionally in Egypt, and the past few years have seen attacks on churches, the torching of Christian homes, and the forced displacement of Christians. Search Keywords: Short link: Crew members of a mob movie filmed in Philadelphia this summer have filed a lawsuit against the film's production company and executive producer, alleging that they have not yet been paid for two weeks of work, including overtime. Made in Chinatown's 53-person crew, lead by primary plaintiff Derrick Berry, filed the lawsuit against Lansdale's Mark V. Wiley and Suza-Mark Productions last week. As part of the suit, Berry, who was hired as a director of photography and cameraman for the film at a base rate of $34 per hour, claims that he and the rest of the crew were not paid for 120 hours of work performed during the final two weeks of Made in Chinatown's filming. Filmed primarily in Philadelphia's Chinatown, Made in Chinatown is listed as an action-comedy on its IMDB page, and deals with a Chinese man who attempts to join the Italian Mafia after falling in love with an Italian woman. Set in New York, the movie stars several Sopranos alumni, including Vincent Pastore (Big Pussy), Tony Sirico (Paulie Walnuts), Tony Barese Darrow (Larry Boy), and Tony Ray Rossi (informant Fabian "Febby" Petrulio). The film is scheduled for release on Nov. 10. According to the suit, Berry and other crew members put in 20 hours of overtime per week in addition to their regular 40-hour work weeks between July 21 and Aug. 3, when production on the film wrapped, but were not paid for any of their time during that period. Crew members are allegedly owed wages totaling about $200,000, which the suit claims Wiley has admitted to in emails to Berry and other crew members. Berry claims Wiley told crew members that they would be paid once he sold Made in Chinatown to a distributor. Wiley told the Inquirer in an email that "Made in Chinatown has zero outstanding debt for crew and cast" as of Wednesday, when he said final payments went through. "[The] crew had been notified in dozens of emails that their final two weeks were in process," Wiley wrote. Wiley added that investors had pulled out of the film after the last day of filming, which prompted the payroll issue. He says more than 100 emails were exchanged between himself, the crew, and the film's payroll service as the issue was being resolved. "In no way, ever, were we 'not paying them' or 'refusing to pay them,'" Wiley wrote. "As of this morning, all of their outstanding pay has been direct deposited or checks mailed to themThere is no outstanding payroll due." Crew members are seeking all unpaid wages, plus damages totaling 25 percent of the unpaid wages, as well as attorney's fees and other court costs, according to the suit. FILE - In this Wednesday, June 20, 2018, file photo, President Donald Trump gives the pen he used to sign the executive order to end family separations to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen during an event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. On Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, the president deflected any blame from his administration for the deaths of two Guatemalan children in December in U.S. government custody as his Homeland Security adviser visited Border Patrol medical officials amid promises of more thorough health screenings for migrant children. Read more President Donald Trump sought to deflect blame for the deaths of two Guatemalan children in U.S. custody by claiming they were very sick when they arrived, even though immigration authorities have said both children passed initial health checks. The mother of the boy who died Christmas Eve told the Associated Press on Saturday that her son was healthy when he left with his father on their journey hoping to migrate to the United States. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen visited Border Patrol agents and medical officials at the southern border amid promises of more thorough health screenings for migrant children. Trump, whose administration has faced widespread criticism over the deaths, pointed on Twitter at Democrats "and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally." He also said that both children "were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol." The two tweets were his first comments on the Dec. 8 death of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal and the death on Christmas Eve of 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Felipe's mother, Catarina Alonzo, told the AP that her son reported he was doing well every time that he and his father called home during their trek. She spoke with AP journalists at the family's home in the remote Guatemalan village of Yalambojoch, her stepdaughter Catarina Gomez translating her indigenous language Chuj into Spanish. "When he called me, he told me he was fine. He told me not to worry because he was fine," Catarina Alonzo said. The mother said the last time she spoke with Felipe he was in Mexico at the U.S. border and said he was eating chicken. Their village is in Nenton municipality in Huehuetenango province, about 250 miles west of Guatemala City. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued detailed statements about both children's deaths. An initial screening of Jakelin "revealed no evidence of health issues," CBP said on Dec. 14. It wasn't until several hours later that Jakelin's father, Nery Caal, told agents that she was "sick and vomiting," CBP said. Attorneys for the Caal family have also denied claims that Nery "hadn't given her water in days," as Trump wrote. And CBP said Tuesday that agents logged 23 welfare checks of Felipe and his father in the first several days the two were was detained. Felipe's father, Agustin Gomez, told a Guatemalan official that the boy first showed signs of illness Monday morning, the day he died. Despite Trump's claim that Democrats were responsible for "pathetic" immigration policies, at least one of the laws his administration has blamed legislation that prevents the immediate deportation of unaccompanied children from Central American countries was signed in 2008 by President George W. Bush, a Republican. Democrats criticized the president's tweets. "You slander Jakelin's memory and re-traumatize her family by spreading lies about why she died," said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas. The presidents comments came Saturday afternoon, the same day Nielsen was in Yuma, Ariz., to meet with medical staff at the border. Nielsen said in a statement that the system is clearly overwhelmed and we must work together to address this humanitarian crisis. She called on Congress to act with urgency. Her office said she was briefed in El Paso, Texas, on Friday on "recently instituted secondary medical screenings and the more thorough initial health screenings of migrants." El Paso Mayor Dee Margo said he met with Nielsen and told CNN on Saturday that he agreed with her that the immigration policy is "broken." "El Paso is dealing with the symptoms as a result of the lack of fortitude in Washington, on both sides of the aisle, to deal with our immigration policy," the Republican said. Felipe and Agustin Gomez were apprehended by border agents Dec. 18 near the Paso del Norte bridge connecting El Paso to Juarez, Mexico, according to border officials. The two were detained at the bridges processing center and then the Border Patrol station in El Paso, until being taken at about 1 a.m. Sunday to a facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico, about 90 miles away. After an agent noticed Felipe coughing, father and son were taken to an Alamogordo hospital, where Felipe was diagnosed with a common cold and found to have a fever of 103 degrees Fahrenheit, officials have said. Felipe was held for observation for 90 minutes, according to CBP, before being released with prescriptions for amoxicillin and ibuprofen. But the boy fell sick hours later Monday and was readmitted to the hospital. He died just before midnight. New Mexico authorities said late Thursday that an autopsy showed Felipe had the flu, but that more tests need to be done before a cause of death can be determined. CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said this week that prior to this month, no child had died in their custody in more than a decade. Trump threatened via Twitter the previous day to cut off aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in Central Americas so-called Northern Triangle region. He has made similar threats in the past without following through. The government of El Salvador is pushing back against Trump's assertion it doesn't do enough to stem migration north to the United States. The Central American nation says it has made strides in economic and social improvements to try to tamp down the root causes of the phenomenon. A statement released Saturday said that the Salvadoran government has pushed a media campaign urging its citizens not to risk their lives making the dangerous journey, and especially not to expose children. It says migration from the country has fallen significantly this year. Associated Press writers Marcos Aleman and Sonia Perez D. contributed to this article. The arrest Friday of a man in the shooting death of a California police officer has renewed criticism of sanctuary laws, with a local sheriff suggesting that the state's efforts to protect undocumented immigrants could have contributed to the killing. Gustavo Perez Arriaga, a 32-year-old undocumented immigrant, was charged with homicide in connection with the shooting death of 33-year-old Newman police officer Ronil Singh, according to law enforcement. Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson assailed sanctuary laws that limit state and local governments' cooperation with federal immigration agents, but he did not detail how those rules applied to Perez's case or how they would have prevented Singh's death. He said Perez Arriaga publicized his gang affiliation and had been arrested twice for driving under the influence, but did not provide additional details about those arrests. "Law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws, and that led to the encounter with Officer Singh," Christianson said. "I'm suggesting that the outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasn't restricted, prohibited or had their hands tied because of political interference." California's sanctuary laws contain exemptions for serious criminals, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should receive notification of any arrest, as well as fingerprints if an individual is booked and fingerprinted. Without more details, it is unclear how sanctuary rules would have applied in Perez Arriaga's case. ICE did not immediately respond to an email request Saturday for information on Perez Arriaga. Singh, a native of Fiji who joined the Newman police department in 2011, was killed after he stopped Perez Arriaga in Newman early Wednesday morning on suspicion of drunken driving. The officer called out "shots fired" over the radio, police say, and was found at the scene with gunshot wounds. Singh was pronounced dead at a hospital, sparking a multiagency manhunt for his killer. "Ronil Singh was my older brother. Yes, he's not coming back, but there's a lot of people out there that misses him," Singh's brother, Reggie, said during a Friday news conference. He added of the suspect's arrest, "I was waiting for this to happen. . . . Thank you for working day and night to make this happen." Christianson said Perez Arriaga had illegally entered the United States at the Arizona border and was trying to flee to his home country, Mexico, when he was apprehended at a residence in Bakersfield, Calif. In addition to Perez Arriaga's arrest, Christianson said that Perez Arriaga's brother, 25-year-old Adrian Virgen, and a co-worker, 27-year-old Erik Razo Quiroz, were arrested Thursday for allegedly helping Perez Arriaga escape after Singh was shot. Virgen and Quiroz are also in the country illegally, Christianson said. Also arrested on charges of aiding and abetting were Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, 59, Erasmo Villegas, 36, and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, the Kern County Sheriff's Office said. They were arrested inside the residence where Perez Arriaga was apprehended. On Friday afternoon, the Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said it had arrested two more people for allegedly aiding Perez Arriaga in his attempt to escape: his girlfriend, 30-year-old Ana Leyde Cervantes, and another of his brothers, 34-year-old Conrado Virgen Mendoza. "Anyone who aids and helps this criminal was going to go to jail," Christianson said. Christianson's criticism of sanctuary laws echoes sentiments often leveled by President Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with California over the enforcement of immigration rules. On Thursday, before the arrest was announced, Trump tweeted about the case: "There is right now a full scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop. Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!" In the past, the president has invoked the case of Kate Steinle to justify his attempts to withhold federal assistance to sanctuary cities. An undocumented immigrant was acquitted in Steinle's death. While Trump has suggested that sanctuary cities "breed crime," there's little research on the connection. Why are we providing sanctuary for criminals, gang members? Christianson said. Its a conversation we need to have. ARUA The Arua Municipality by-election in August had been billed to be one of the usual political tussles between the opposition and the ruling NRM party. The previous ones held this year in Rukungiri, Jinja East and Bugiri Municipality had all been tightly contested and the Opposition, especially Bobi Wines people power political pressure group, had won them. So the Arua Municipality seat declared vacant following the death of the incumbent, Col Ibrahim Abiriga, was bound to be another tough contest. As usual, the Opposition bigwigs, including Bobi Wine and Dr Kizza Besigye, and President Museveni, in his capacity as the chairman of the ruling NRM party, all descended on Arua Municipality to campaign for their respective party candidates. On the final day of the campaigns, an unprecedented incident happened. Violence broke out when one of the vehicles in the presidential convoy was allegedly hit by stones from supporters of Kassiano Wadri, then independent candidate in the poll. This was at the tail end of the campaigns in the evening. The result was soldiers under the Special Forces Command, an elite group that guards the President, started shooting and arresting opposition supporters and leaders. In the ensuing chaos, the driver of Bobi Wine was shot dead while MPs Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo Municipality), Paul Mwiru (Jinja East) and Kassiano Wadri were arrested. Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality) and Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine (Kyandondo East) suffered the most as they were brutalized by SFC soldiers. Their torture and eventually being charged with treason later attracted condemnation both globally and locally and put the government in the limelight over human rights violations. In the resultant protests in Kampala on Monday, August 20, several journalists such Hebert Zziwa, Ronald Galiwango and Juma Kirya, all of NTV, James Akena of Reuters and Alfred Ochwo from the Observer were brutalised by security agencies while covering the riots. Akena sustained a clot in the back head as a result of the Monday beatings. Parliament at one point threatened not to pass Bills if President Museveni did not punish members of his Special Forces Command for beating up and torturing two Members of Parliament (MPs). In a heated debate, the members from both opposition and ruling party condemned what they described as impunity of the ruling party in condemning torture of MPs Robert Kyagulanyi (Kyadondo East), Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality MP), Gerald Karuhanga (Ntungamo Municipality) and Paul Mwiru (Jinja Municipality East) following arrest over the Arua election chaos. Leader of the Opposition Betty Aol Achan was the first to draw blood. This is not the first time [soldiers are beating up MPs. The first time, members were tortured right here. This is the second time. There will be a third and fourth time if we continue to move like this, Ms Aol said. The African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), an organization that promotes professional journalism in Africa, also condemned the arrest, torture and brutality of journalists by security officers during the Arua chaos and in Kampala over the detention of several Opposition MPs, including Robert Kyagulanyi, aka, Bobi Wine. Clearly, the security forces that have responded to protesters in the last week want to carry out their wanton abuse of the rights of Ugandans in darkness, said Dr Peter Mwesige, the ACME Executive Director, in a statement released on Tuesday. Globally, the US House of Congress warned the Ugandan government against suppressing political dissent in the wake of the arrest of Members of Parliament and others in Arua by-election chaos. It has also asked Kampala to drop all charges against Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and others who were arrested in the August 13 chaos. In a September 21 letter to the Ugandan Ambassador to the US Mull Katende, the US Congress said the continued suppression of political dissenters by the Uganda government contradicts the principles of cooperation which the two countries share. We urge the government of Uganda to immediately drop all charges filed against Robert Kyagulanyi and his colleagues, we also call for a thorough investigation into all allegations of violence against Kyagulanyi, his colleagues, demonstrators and journalists, reads the letter in part. It adds: Suppressing political dissent is a dangerous trend one must be reversed if Uganda wants to truly embrace democratic ideas. The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the Federal government of the United States. The legislature consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Congress also condemned the continued use of tear gas and live ammunition on demonstrators during and after the arrest of Bobi Wine and beating journalists. The US added that it has worked with Uganda to promote rule of law and protection of human rights as well as support the advancement of health and economic well-being of the country, which values must be respected. On Thursday, September 13th, the European Parliament accused Uganda of continued violation of human rights during and after the Arua municipality by-elections. The European Parliament also asked Uganda drop what they described as trumped-up charges against Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine and all other suspects implicated in the Arua chaos. The EU parliament expresses its deep concern at the arrest of opposition parliamentarians in connection with the Arua by?election; Stresses that it is vital for Ugandan democracy that the President and Government of Uganda respect the independence of the countrys Parliament as an institution and the independence of the mandate of its members and ensure that all members of parliament can freely pursue their elected mandates and Calls on the Ugandan authorities to drop what appear to be trumped-up charges against Bobi Wine and to stop the crackdown against opposition politicians and supporters, part of the resolution reads. The Arua Municipality chaos, therefore, was a turning point in the political history of the country as it exposed the worst side of the government. Related 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 A Cairo appeals court upheld on Sunday a two-year prison term for prominent Egyptian activist Amal Fathy, who was arrested after posting a video online about being sexually harassed earlier this year. The court rejected an appeal by Fathy against a two-year prison sentence in September and a fine of EGP 10,000 over charges of spreading false news that threatened national security in a video that went viral where she spoke about her experience with sexual harassment at a local bank. Fathy, a member of the now-banned 6 April Youth Movement, was arrested in May, days after she took her rage online, accusing the government of failing to protect women from sexual harassment, and criticising poor service at a state-owned bank and the deterioration in living conditions and public services. Sunday's decision comes less than a week after she was granted a conditional release in another case with similar charges, including joining an outlawed group; requiring her to report in to a police station one day a week. Fathy can still appeal Sunday's sentence with the Court of Cassation. Search Keywords: Short link: Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking her third consecutive term in a general election on Sunday, in which more than 100 million people are expected to vote, according to the reports. Security forces are on high alert ahead of the poll, with some 600,000 security personnel deployed across the nation. More than a dozen people have been killed in clashes between supporters of rival political parties. Ms Hasina is expected to win, while her main rival is in jail for corruption. High-speed mobile internet has been ordered to be shut down until after the elections, a decision made to prevent rumours and propaganda from triggering unrest, an official reportedly said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News President meets with Head of Political Security Service [30/December/2018] SANAA, Dec. 30 (Saba) - President Mahdi al-Mashat, met on Sunday with Head of the Political Security Service, Major General Abdul Qadir al-Shami. The meeting discussed aspects of coordination between security agencies to maintain security and stability and fight crime. The meeting touched on the achievements of the Political Security service during the year 2018 and its plans for the coming year, in line with the current challenges, especially in light of the continued aggression. The president stressed the importance of doubling efforts to enhance coordination between the security services to maintain security and stability, public tranquility and thwart the schemes of aggression targeting Yemen land and human. AA Saba A Morocco prosecutor on Sunday presented to an anti-terror judge 15 people suspected of links to the murder of two Scandinavian women in the Atlas Mountains, Rabat's attorney general said. The prosecution asked that the suspects be investigated for "setting up a gang to prepare and commit terrorist acts", "premeditated attacks on life" and "advocating for terrorism", the attorney general said. Seven other detainees will be referred to the prosecution in the coming days, the statement added. 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. The two women were beheaded, authorities have said. Moroccan authorities have arrested some 20 people over their alleged links to the double homicide, labelled a "terrorist" act by Rabat. Among those arrested was a Spanish-Swiss man living in Morocco and detained in Marrakech on Saturday over alleged links to some of the suspects. He subscribed to "extremist ideology", according to Morocco's central office for judicial investigations. The four main suspects were arrested in Marrakesh and belonged to a cell inspired by Islamic State group ideology, Morocco's counter-terror chief Abdelhak Khiam told AFP. None of the four had contact with IS members in Syria or Iraq, he said. The head of the suspected cell is 25-year-old street vendor Abdessamad Ejjoud, according to investigators. He was identified in a video filmed a week in which the four main suspects pledged allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to authorities. 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. Search Keywords: Short link: Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls and amid talks of anti-BJP Mahagatbandhan in Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav ' title=' Samajwadi Party Chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav '>Samajwadi Party Chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said there will be "confulence of thoughts and people" in the state. "Uttar Pradesh me vicharo ka sangam hoga, logo ka sangam hoga. Aur bahot jaldi wo aap logo ke samne aa jayega aur dikhai de jayega (in Uttar Pradesh, there will be a confluence of thoughts and of people and it will be known very soon)," he said while addressing a press conference here. He was responding to a question on the alliance in the state ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. When asked further that Congress will be a part of this confluence, he said, "Hamne kaha vicharo ka sangam hoga, logo ka sangam hoga, usi me pura jawab hai (I said that there will be confluence of people and thoughts. All answers are included in that)." The SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party had defeated the ruling BJP in several by-polls including the state's Chief Minister Gorakhpur parliamentary seat. The BJP and its allies had won 73 out of 80 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. On December 26, the Samajwadi Party leader had lashed out at the Congress for not including its sole legislator in Madhya Pradesh in the cabinet despite its support in formation of the government and in attaining the majority mark. Talking to the media, the former UP Chief Minister said that by doing so, the Congress had "cleared the path for UP". This statement from the 45-year-old leader is being seen as another indication of the growing space and disenchantment of the SP from the Congress and the likelihood of the Congress being kept out of the proposed "grand alliance" in Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. On the other hand, Mayawati, the BSP supremo and a prospective partner in the 'mahagathbandhan' has already given enough hints about acting tough on the Congress. Miffed with the Congress, the BSP chief had, soon after extending support to that party in MP, said that people had with heavy heart voted for the Congress and that she was extending support only to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party at bay. More than 100 people turned up on Friday for the declaration service of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa in Lotofaga. Those who attended included prominent leaders of Samoa, local villagers and members of the village who live abroad, who helped raise funds for the construction of the new church. The formalities began on Thursday with members of village groups visiting from overseas making contributions, and the morning of the day after, there were traditional ceremonies before the service was held. It was a happy moment for the congregation members as they celebrated the united efforts and the generous spirit of giving to ensure the project was completed. Since 2012, the villagers have had to use the village hall for their church service, as Tropical Cyclone Evan had destroyed their church that year. The building project was also a humbling experience as despite many villagers being self-employed, they managed to pull it off after seven years of trying to gather sufficient funds and resources. The celebration which concluded with traditional formalities and lunch attracted a number of high profile guests. They included the Head of State, His Highness Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II and the Masiofo, Faamausili Leinafo, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi and the Deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa. Lotofaga families that currently live abroad and travelled to Samoa for the occasion included Sydney-based GP, Seagaitumua Dr. Paniani Patu and his wife Minerva. The couple are part of the Mafutaga Lotofaga Sydney group that did fundraising in Sydney, Australia. Never underestimate the strength of a woman in carrying the weight of the world. And 42-year-old Malae Siotalima of Fusi, Safata has her childrens weight on her shoulders, as a mother who is now singlehandedly raising her four children. Speaking to the Village Voice team of her daily struggles, she said the condition of their home is her main concern right now. I am a single mother and my main objective is to care for my children, it is not an easy job to do alone. But I have great faith that a mothers love for her children can help her withstand the weight of the world. In other words, whatever the world can throw at her, she may fall at times but believe me she can get back up again stronger than before. As a mother that struggles daily to provide food for my kids, my main concern is a safe and secured home for them, she said. Malae said their house is not stable and remains vulnerable in the current wet season. The roof of our house leaks during rainy days and it makes it worse during windy days as well because the tarpaulins are not good enough to stop the rain from entering our home. I pray every day that Samoa does not get affected with any cyclones because our home cannot withstand it, she added. The 42-year-old said that she does not worry about her wellbeing but only that of her children. I want to provide them with a safe home so they can feel secured but it breaks my heart that I do not have that privilege. I only earn $30 a week if I am lucky, our source of income is through selling woven mats which costs $10 each and sometimes a bucket of nonu fruit for $10 if the truck that collects it comes around, but that is not a stable source which is why I have to be smart in allocating the money we receive for our necessities. Sometimes when people come to buy my mats, I always feel sorry for them so I give them a discounted price. In all honesty, I already know how it feels to have nothing, and be grateful for what you have and I believe kindness is very essential in life, she added. Malae said no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. The reason why I have that mentality is the fact that even small acts of kindness can make a profound difference to somebody else. There is no father of the family and we do not have much but it means so much that we still have each other. We thank God that we have access to water supply and my three kids are able to attend school so they can have a better chance of getting a successful future. If you are willing to help the family of Malae Siotalima from Fusi, Safata please contact the number 7729407. Well here we are today on the last day of 2018 Samoa. What a year it has been. As we reflect on the past 12 months, we rejoice in many gloriously wonderful moments, we remember with sadness the tough times and some extremely tragic events that have unfolded before us. But thats life, isnt it? It goes without saying that wherever there are mountains, there will inevitably be valleys for the simple reason that we cannot have mountains if it werent for the valleys, just as we cannot have victories without fights. The good news is that in any situation, there will always be light at the end of the tunnel. Joy comes in the morning. Which means that as we are about to farewell 2018, the year that has been, we look back with a smile and maybe a few tears. Each and every one of us would have a story to tell about our journey this year. We will have memories to cherish, treasure and then some we want to forget. The good, the bad and the ugly. What we must accept though is that all those experiences make us better and stronger. Perfect people if there are any - simply cannot improve. They are already perfect. But people who accept faults, admit to them can learn and become better. That is the only way forward. That said, in Samoa today, we are extremely grateful for so many things especially the gift of life. We are thankful to the Almighty God for his guidance, protection, provision, mercies, forgiveness, eternal love and grace. Where would be without grace? As a people and a nation, we are grateful for our leaders starting from the Church leaders, Head of State, Prime Minister, Members of Parliament, business leaders, village leaders and every individual family leader, fathers, mothers and guardians. We embrace our faasamoa, our tender loving nature, our aiga spirit and the oneness that makes us stronger. We thank our families, friends and everyone including our enemies - believe it or not - who in one way or another contributed to our development. We acknowledge with appreciation the efforts of everyone who have and continue to work through the holidays to ensure safety and convenience. We are talking about Police officers, emergency workers, health workers, shopkeepers and many others. Thank you for the sacrifice. On the pages of this newspaper today, we celebrate with great joy the work of individuals and groups who are highlighted in this special edition. As is our tradition at this time of the year, we choose a few people to highlight their work, and how they are making a difference. There are many more people who should be on that list, but we simply cannot have everyone. Each story is different, and inspiring in their own special way. From the highest ranked politician on the land, to a young girl healing others and an ordinary man who died saving another, they are all heroes in our eyes. They are stories of hard work, dedication and commitment that should inspire us all. As we read through them today, we here at the Samoa Observer want to extend a big thank you and faamalo to each and everyone. We also accept that there are many more deserving individuals and groups both here in Samoa and abroad - who are not on the list. Some are not on the list because we have highlighted their work in previous years. God knows who you are and we pray that you will be justly rewarded. It would be remiss of us not to mention that this year we have lost so many great men and women who were called home by their Maker. Flicking through the wrap up from pages 18 and more, we remember the legendary figure and a generous gentleman, Laauli Alan Grey. We mourn the passing of Tuiloma Pule, Lameko Dr. Ueta Solomona, Hans Joachim Keil, Geoffrey Marfleet and Maposua Rudolf Keil. We remember Manumea Schwalger, Mailo Ben Vai, Sooalo Roger Stanley, Tiumalu Dylan Mika, Sau Justina Sau, Laeimau Oketevi Tanuvasa and many others. And how can we forget our colleague, Ilia L. Likou. Weve missed her a lot at Vaitele. If anything, we should never take anything for granted. This includes our loved ones, friends, families and people who matter to us, for you never know when they will not be around. Make time for them quality time at that. In Samoa today, its encouraging to see the common drive by many people to improve this countrys prospects both economically and socially. Here at the Samoa Observer, weve had a wonderful time serving you. Our 40th Anniversary is behind us now, as we look to the future with some exciting plans in the pipeline to keep you, our dear readers, adequately informed. Today on the verge of a new year, let us be thankful, let us think and be inspired by hope. Lets not become weary of doing good. Let us, as a people, persevere, endure and continue to do our bit to make our families, villages, churches, communities, work places and ultimately this nation of ours a better place to live. Have a happy and prosperous 2019 Samoa, God bless! COP26 has to be the turning point from climate negotiations to climate solutions The European Union Ambassador for the Pacific, Sujiro Seam puts pen to paper with his thoughts on the importance of the COP26 currently underway in Glasgow, UK. By Sujiro Seam 02 November 2021, 12:30PM In October this year, Samoa lost a man his colleagues repeatedly called a hardworking, loving and caring person, who was completely selfless right to the end. Talalelei Vou lost his life, caught in a dangerous rip off the coast of Return to Paradise Resort, but not for nothing. He saved the life of a guest, Peng Lin Chris, who had been caught in the same rip before Talalelei rescued him. Referred to by his colleagues as Tala, the 31-year-old porter, driver and even Zumba instructor from Salamumu, is dearly missed. His ultimate sacrifice is why he is a nominee for Samoa Observers Person of the Year 2018. Talas former general manager of Return to Paradise, Ramona Sua Pale Gilchrist, held back tears sharing her memories of him. I dont think there is any person here, staff or guest on the resort who didnt love Tala, she said. He went out of his way to make everybody feel special, even the little children. He would never walk past anyone without acknowledging them. His gentle attention to the resorts youngest guest was remembered by his former front of house manager, Mika Colaudolu as well. Some staff will say talofa to the kids, and keep going, but Tala? No, he will stop, he will make them laugh, try to be friendly, and make them feel at home. He said unlike many people working in tourism, Tala did not ignore the children. Tala put himself down to earth, down to the childrens level, and played with them, and that is how the parents remember him. What I learned is to put yourself down to be the same level as other people and to have an open heart to help them, Mr Colaudolu said. Talas spirit and impact on the people around him, especially the guest he saved Mr Peng Lin, has inspired a memorial fund for tertiary education. Fundraising began in earnest this month with a dinner in New Zealand, organised by Mr Peng Lin, and the Chinese community around him. After it was clear Talalelei could not be revived at the shore, Mr Peng Lin asked to visit the victims family. Thinking they might refuse in their grief, the management were surprised when the Vous accepted a visit from Mr Peng Lin. So 7pm that Sunday evening, myself and the general manager and his family, we all went. Little did we know they had an envelope of T$5000 tala already, they wanted to give it straight to Talas dad and mum. And they promised they would come back for the funeral. And he did come back, with two big suitcases of clothes for the children, said Mr Colaudolu. Three of his colleagues, Isaac Warren, Faletoese Faletoese and Kapeli Mauigoa, sat with the Samoa Observer to remember their loved friend and brother. A helping hand. A skilful and experienced man. Full of life, with a can-do attitude. These are just some of the many qualities his friends repeated of Talalelei Vou. Mr Faletoese is also a porter and driver. The two of them used to make regular trips to the airport together to collect guests from the airport. Today, Mr Faletoese still thinks of Tala sitting next to him in the passenger seat as he makes the familiar drive to Faleolo Airport. Their last day together, they made that trip together as they always did. And it being Mr Faletoeses birthday, Tala invited him home to celebrate. He invited me to his Nanas birthday, and they celebrated my birthday there too, he said. I didnt know that would be my last time for me and Tala - that was on Saturday, and on Sunday I heard the news. I can feel that he is there for me, there with me when I go to the airport. For all his colleagues, Talas smile was something they each remembered fondly. Most of the time when guests come I will always think of Tala saying smile, just smile, welcome the guests in the way that were supposed to do, from the heart, Mr Faletoese said. I think that its hard for me to forget about Tala because he smiles every day, said Isaac Warren, assistant food and beverage manager. If I come with a problem from home or whatever, his smile can make my day perfect. Food and beverage supervisor Kapeli Mauigoa added that he and Tala used to plan resort activities together, which he would always do with that big smile. He is a brave man. I think thats why he lost his life, because of his bravery, just like Jesus Christ: he gave his life to save the people. All the good things that Tala has done for our family here are unforgettable, Mr Mauigoa said. Talas sister Annie Vou was offered a job in housekeeping by Return to Paradise. She joined the colleagues with a word about her brother. His presence lit up any room he walked into and you couldnt help but smile every time he was around, Ms Vou said. Life will certainly not be the same without him but we know that if he was still here that he would want all of us to be happy and live life to the fullest. Strong people stand up for themselves. Stronger people stand up for others. Fly high, Tala, said Ms Gilchrist. Service with a heart is what sets Tofilau Fiti Leung Wai apart from any other ordinary business person. The owner and president of Samoa Stationery and Books (S.S.A.B.) attributed her success story to God and her upbringing, which molded her to become a hardworking, dedicated and compassionate leader. She told the Samoa Observer that the numerous awards that she has won, and the international recognition of her companys service over 10 years, couldnt have been possible without the support of her family and her employees. It is her success in business and the phenomenal growth of Samoa Stationery and Books in the last decade, which makes her a nominee for the Samoa Observer People of the Year 2018. Establishing her business in 2008 emerged out of her passion in reading, and bridging the gap in the market by providing stationery, books and office supplies that were of high demand by consumers. Tofilau understood that to run a business, one needs to understand the market and how it can be improved so she did research of the market and customer needs. People wanted a variety of office chairs, but stores were not offering what the people wanted. So when I started S.S.A.B., I was filling in those gaps. The prices were reasonable. We first opened a really small store in Tamalini. Tofilau said the business than relocated to Lotemau, and it was at that point that the business grew. When I was talking to principals they were saying there were no really good book stores in Savaii, so I went there to scout the place, and see where we can be relocated. We rented a place at Salelologa in 2011, and whatever we had we went to set up there. A lot of people think you need a lot of capital to set up, but we just took whatever we have. SSAB Mega Store in Togafuafua was established in 2012, and a land was also bought by the business in just a span of 10 years. I started with four employees and then to Lotemau I hired another three. The business grew fast because I hired people quickly. I now have about 150-160 employees. Raised by her grandmother at Moataa, Tofilau learned the art of becoming a successful person by living an orderly life. The upbringing I had with my grandmother at Moataa was always about church, honouring God, pretty orderly because my grandmother had a set time for food, sleep, she said. My aunty Epe then looked after me. She was all about loving and a very kind person. I came back to my real parents when I was still at a young age, they were at Togafuafua. My dad was a businessperson. My mum used to be a teacher and then she left her job to help out with our business. It was that environment that really nurtured hard work, because straight after school we had to go look after our shop. We used to have supermarkets, and chains of shops, buses, and a bakery. Tofilau said it was a miracle that she passed and got a law scholarship as everything was centered on the business. We were really nurtured for school and then business, not like school and then university. That is why my other siblings straight after school they go on to set up their own business or help my dad. That was kind of the trend with my family. I remember being so tired, and theres no excuse you have to help out with the shop. It was not easy. I think from that environment, it helped us to work hard, she said. My mother is a very strong Christian, and she taught us values that are still with us, but my dad was total opposite. Tofilau said she is the fourth of six siblings of her mother and father, and she has 15 other half siblings. Tofilau attended Apia Primary School and then Samoa College before attending the National University of Samoa to pursue her Foundation studies. She later attained a scholarship to study law at the Waikato University in New Zealand where she met her husband, who was also on the same scholarship. Her work experience has included stints with the Ministry of Finance and the National University of Samoa as a senior law lecturer, after she got her Masters from Australian National University. But it was at the NUS, when she was head of the commerce department, when she decided it was time to set up a bookstore and a consultancy law firm. Tofilau said good leaders need to be connected to their staff and have a good heart to help and serve others. On her future plans for the company, she said she would like to improve products within and provide to the needs of schools and parents. Plan is to open a branch in Samoa next year, but if opportunity arises then we will open up a branch in the region. S.S.A.B. is looking at doing an e-waste project. There are actions that define certain time periods. And there are decisions that save lives. One such decision was made right here in Samoa at the beginning of this year which is worth reflecting upon. It is a decision that certainly saved a womans life. Yes one precious life. The man behind that decision, Lemalu Mathew Mualia, is not someone to seek glory and praise. But what he did that is worth a mention in this edition of the Samoa Observer as we look back at people who have made a difference in 2018. In February, a woman became the victim of a vicious stabbing by her estranged husband in front of the National Bank Building on Beach Road. She was basically left to die on the streets of Apia. But then there was Pharmacist Lemalu Mathew Mualia. He was among the first to help the woman and saved her life. In an email to the Samoa Observer earlier this year, he recalled the shocking ordeal, where he also wanted to highlight two issues he found extremely sickening. I cant express how sad I was for this young woman, he told the Samoa Observer. On the day of the incident, I ran to my Pharmacy to get gauze but when I got to get her, the people around her were just standing there. They were just taking pictures. Some of them were videoing what was happening, while this young woman was dying. Lemalu said he couldnt fathom how peoples behaviour has changed, from a country of loving helpers, to a bunch of social media-hungry heartless people who were more concerned about their photos, than the life of a woman who was dying with no family around. I tried my best to stabilize her while waiting for the ambulance, Lemalu said. Her wounds were horrific. I took her into the ambulance. I tried and asked her to say a prayer with me, which she did. Jesus got my back, she whispered to me. It was an instinctive reaction that I ran over, after finding out what happened, to try and stabilise her neck wounds, while we waited for the ambulance. The pictures alone are worth a thousand words, so Ill leave it there. This young woman suffered nine stab wounds on her neck and back plus lacerations. The woman has since recovered. Her husband has been convicted and jailed. But Lemalu said that having witnessed the horrific attack and the injuries, he had a message for all the women of Samoa. No woman has to be a victim of physical abuse from her husband or partner, he said. For those women out there reading this and are going through physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse in your marriage, I can only say this to you, when you have to start compromising yourself or your morals for a husband or partner who is abusing you constantly its probably time to leave him. It might save your life. There is no safe way to remain in a relationship with a husband, partner, ex-husband or ex-partner with no conscience. The only solution is to escape. Women have to feel like they are not alone. Lemalu also wanted to acknowledge the work of the hospital staff. The young woman survived thanks to the excellent reaction response by the Director General of Health, Leausa Dr. Take Naseri, the Ambulance Drivers and excellent doctors and nurses who saved this young womans life. Lastly, he said everyone should be grateful for the little things. No matter how good or bad you think life is, wake up each day and be thankful for life. Somewhere in this world, someone else is fighting to live. I hope that by sharing this story that it helps save the life of at least one woman this year. Thank you Lemalu. Thank you for sharing this story. And thank you for caring. This September, anyone doubting the existence, and prevalence of family violence in Samoa was proved wrong. A ground-breaking, 300-page report packed with first person evidence and nearly 40 recommendations on ending the violence, was released by the Office of the Ombudsman. Led by Ombudsman Maiava Iulai Toma, the small team from Samoas National Human Right Institution (a Pacific first) conducted a national inquiry into the social ill that is family violence. Designed to be the beginning and not the end of what will undoubtedly be a long road to liberty from a problem affecting 9 out of 10 Samoans, Maiava wrote in his foreword to the report how the goal was to begin a national conversation like never before. We endeavour to accurately reflect the conversations, opinions, submissions and debates which took place in the course of this Inquiry. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind or heart that if the findings and recommendations of this Report are universally accepted (not just among the political powers, traditional and religious leaders, but among every one of us) then we can not only defeat family violence and violence as a whole, but we can also strengthen and reaffirm our cultural beliefs and Faith, he wrote. And by facilitating, and reporting on this national conversation, the Office of the Ombudsman has indeed begun the work of ending family violence. Just this month, the Ending Violence in Samoa roundtable meeting addressed the role of the church in this task, leading to lively debate about how much responsibility lies on the shoulders of pastors, priests and reverends. The inquiry suggested the church, as well as village councils need to shoulder this burden for real change to happen. One inquiry finding reads: The church is generally failing in its role to prevent family violence and is reinforcing the patriarchal framework which underpins family violence. The church contributes to the impunity of perpetrators and allows perpetrators within its ministry. Another, on village councils says: In failing to adopt any formal measures to address family violence, Village Fonos are generally complicit in its prevalence. The inquiry report will be the foundation on which all action against family violence is built. But it is not all the office has been busy with in 2018. This year, Maiava and his team have been weighing in on issues of corporal punishment in schools, an investigation into a hiring matter at the Samoa National Provident Fund, supported the signing into law of the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2017 and this year, his calls to ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture have been answered. As Samoas Human Rights Institution, Maiavas office is responsible for ensuring citizens live according to the U.N Human Rights Declaration, which Samoa has obligations to uphold. Samoa ratified the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women in September 1992, the convention on the rights of the child in November 1994, the international covenant on civil and political rights in February 2008, the convention for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance in November 2012 and the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities in December 2016. All in all, Samoas human rights situation is pretty good, Maiava said earlier this month. But family violence remains Samoas biggest problem, encroaching on the individuals rights to live out their full potential, unhindered by assault, trauma, or death at the hands of their family members. How we treat each other and how weaker members of society are disadvantaged in the way they are treated, its something that has been below the surface for a long time, said Maiava. Now, people not only want to talk about it, they want to do something about it. Dr Ueta Matautia Pene Solomona passed on in January this year but his legacy will live on as Samoas greatest composer and musician. His trailblazing music career included being a composer, music educator, arranger, performer, keyboardist, and choir maestro and conductor. The first Samoan to be awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to the United States, he studied music at the Fredonia Campus, New York State University, and later became the first recipient of the Officer of the Order of Samoa for achievements in music. He received music tutelage at a very young age on the piano and also played in brass bands and conducted choir rehearsals in the company of his father, the late Matautia Pene Solomona. Upon completing his studies, Dr. Ueta returned to Samoa and worked extensively to establish a choral culture of great uniqueness. But academia beckoned and he became a senior lecturer in music and expressive arts at the University of the South Pacific (U.S.P.) for 30 years. In 2005 he retired and returned to Samoa to fulfill a life-long dream of establishing the National Orchestra of Samoa, which he subsequently led for a few years. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi commended Dr. Uetas work at his funeral early this year, saying it will be remembered forever. Its been years since the Government has been using Ueta in conducting and composing hymns in so many of the government occasions. He joined and contributed to the best of his abilities in whatever way he could. Today we salute his service in all these years, and may you rest in peace Ueta, he said. Susau Solomona described Dr. Ueta as a loving person. Ueta loved and adored not only his children, but his family as well. His niece Seutatia Solomona gave the eulogy on behalf of his family. Ueta enjoys giving challenges to people, especially when it comes to his field, she said. She said Uetas music speaks for him. As Rosa mentioned last night that we were very fortunate that we didnt have to pay any tuition fees in order to learn music, Seutatia said. When we grew up, we were surrounded with musical instruments that allowed us to receive music education from both Ueta and his father. All we had to do was to go back to university just to get our pieces of paper to make it official. She said there was an organ at the Anglican Church, where Ueta and his younger brother Ioselani, were assigned by their father to play and look after. This church used to have an organ that when its played, it chimes through the bell tower and I can hear it every Sunday morning. He continued on serving the church until he was granted with a scholarship to pursue his studies in New York. Seutatia said his love of classical music influenced so many people who have known him. Ueta is very committed to his students as well, whether its piano or any other instrument, he makes sure that his students play with confidence. And that is why he held recitals at every semester break for his students in order to perform with confidence in front of an audience. A former student of Dr Ueta, Gloriana Roebeck, said he was a truly remarkable man. Now this last trait might not seem that interesting except for this his gift was music. And I thought it apt that he and Beethoven would share a trait because that shouldve limited their reach, but didnt. Ueta Solomona not only created music, he brought out the music in those he taught. His heart was always in his craft and therefore, always for his student, no matter how incapable they felt they were. Some of my most vivid memories revolve around Ueta Solomona making me sing pieces of music I could never dream of doing justice to. But such was his faith in my ability, he didnt care if I did badly, hed just make me sing it again and again and again until I sang it right and he was always, always patient. Not many of us acknowledge we stand on the shoulders of giants and even fewer truly recognise we are in the presence of greatness, as was the case here. His defining trait - his humility - belied his brilliance and I think due to this, it often felt like no one really appreciated the genius of this man, said Roebeck. Afghanistan's presidential election will be delayed until July 20, an official said Sunday, three months later than the ballot had been scheduled to be held. Provincial and district council elections, as well as a previously postponed parliamentary vote in Ghazni province, will be held on the same day, Independent Election Commission chief Abdul Badi Sayyad told reporters. Search Keywords: Short link: NEW YORK (AP) It's an Auld Lang Syne of the times: For the first time, a police drone will be keeping watch over the New Year's Eve celebration in New York's Times Square. The unmanned eye-in-the-sky is the latest wrinkle in the New York City Police Department's ever-evolving plan to keep revelers and "Rockin' Eve" host Ryan Seacrest safe. About 7,000 police officers will be on duty for Monday night's festivities in Times Square, including counterterrorism teams with long guns and bomb-sniffing dogs. Police cars and sand-filled sanitation trucks will be positioned to stop vehicles from driving into the crowd. And, above it all, a remote-controlled quadcopter will be giving police a unique view of the merriment and any potential mayhem. It's the first time the NYPD is sending up a drone for a big event. "That's going to give us a visual aid and the flexibility of being able to move a camera to a certain spot with great rapidity through a tremendous crowd," Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller said. Police Commissioner James O'Neill said there are no known, credible threats to the city or the New Year's Eve event. He encouraged spectators to remain vigilant and to alert officers if they suspect something is awry. "There's probably going to be a cop within 10 feet of you," Miller said. "If you see something, you can go right to them directly." Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that the city is expecting "up to 2 million people in Times Square itself" for the ball drop, repeating a figure often cited by city officials, organizers and television broadcasters. Crowd-size experts say it's impossible to cram that many people into the area, a bow-tie-shaped zone running five blocks between Broadway and 7th Avenue, and that the real total is likely fewer than 100,000. No matter how many people actually show up, they'll all be screened with metal detectors at security checkpoints and funneled into penned off areas to prevent overcrowding. Umbrellas, backpacks and coolers are banned, but those kitschy "2019" glasses are most definitely allowed in. And there won't be any popping champagne at midnight. The NYPD says alcohol is strictly prohibited. That might be for the best. There aren't any bathrooms, and anyone leaving the secure area won't be allowed back to their original spot. That means they'll risk missing the ball drop or having to squint hard to see it from a faraway vantage point. Like last year, the NYPD is embedding detectives in hotels around Times Square in an attempt to thwart a potential attack like the one in Las Vegas last year in which a gunman shooting from a hotel room killed 59 people at an outdoor country music festival. Police are also harnessing new technology to detect drones that aren't authorized to fly. The NYPD's drone adds to a vast array of visual surveillance that includes more than 1,200 fixed cameras and feeds from police helicopters circling above. The department started using drones this month. It says they'll mainly be used for search-and-rescue missions, documenting crime scenes and monitoring large events. Several of the NYPD's drones are equipped with thermal-imaging and 3D-mapping capabilities and strong camera lenses that can greatly magnify a subject. For safety, Chief of Department Terence Monahan said the New Year's Eve drone will be tethered to a building and flown in a cordoned-off area so that no one gets hurt if it happens to fall. The drone will never fly directly above the crowd, he said. Unlike a helicopter, a drone is small and makes little noise. Between the sounds of performers like Christina Aguilera and Bastille and the confetti that'll be swirling at midnight, Monahan said some spectators might not even notice it. "Once it's up in the air, it will probably be hard to see," he said. Think a minute These are the names of some of the most famous lawyers in U.S. history. Only one of them dropped out of law school. See if you can guess which one? John Jay became a successful lawyer and later the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the highest judge in the land. William Wirt was barely 20-years-old when he passed his law exams in Virginia. He later became the United States Attorney General. Remember, one of these famous lawyers was a law school dropout. Roger Taney started as a lawyer and worked his way up to become the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Daniel Webster became a lawyer in Boston where he built a great legal record and reputation. He then became a highly respected Senator and was later appointed Secretary of State. Salmon Chase became well known as a defense attorney helping slaves. Later he became a U.S. Senator and then the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, actually started as a lawyer, which helped prepare him for his exceptionally wise and diplomatic leadership that kept the States of America united through its terribly divisive and devastating Civil War. Clarence Darrow became possibly the most famous lawyer of all, particularly for his case of the Scopes or so-called Monkey trial of 1925. Of these seven successful and famous lawyers, which one do you think was the law school dropout? It was Clarence Darrow: the one name which is so often associated with the practice of law. Clarence Darrow attended law school for only one year and then dropped out to study law on his own. But what is more amazing is those other six successful lawyers could not drop out because they never even went to law school! They all studied law on their own. Actually, for every one of us the school of life is always in session. We are designed never to stop learning our Creators laws and ways of life. In fact, the word disciple means a lifelong learner or lifetime student of Jesus, the Maker and Master of life. Once and for all, wont you ask Him to become the Maker and Master Teacher of your completely new life with Him today? Just think a minute SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday calling for more peace talks between the leaders in the new year following their active engagement in 2018, South Korea's presidential office said. Moon's office said Kim also expressed regret that he couldn't make a planned visit to Seoul, South Korea's capital, by the end of December as pledged by the leaders during their last summit in September in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. The Blue House didn't fully disclose Kim's letter. Moon later thanked Kim for his "warm" letter in a tweeted message and said without elaborating that Kim expressed strong willingness to carry out the agreements he made this year during a series of inter-Korean summits and a historic June meeting with President Donald Trump. "There will still be a lot of difficulties ahead," Moon said in his message. "However, our hearts will become more open if we put in that much effort. There's no change in our heart about welcoming Chairman Kim (to the South)." The tweet also included a photo that showed a ruby-colored folder emblazoned with the seal of Pyongyang's powerful State Affairs Commission and the top part of Kim's letter, which started with: "Dear your excellency President Moon Jae-in. Our meeting in Pyongyang feels like yesterday but about 100 days have already passed and now we are at the close of an unforgettable 2018." Through three summits between Moon and Kim this year, the Koreas agreed to a variety of goodwill gestures and vowed to resume economic cooperation when possible, voicing optimism that international sanctions could end to allow such activity. The rivals have also taken steps to reduce their conventional military threat, such as removing mines and firearms from the border village of Panmunjom, destroying some front-line guard posts and creating buffer zones along their land and sea boundaries and a no-fly zone above the border. "Chairman Kim said that the leaders by meeting three times in a single year and implementing bold measures to overcome the long period of conflict lifted our (Korean) nation from military tension and war fears," Kim Eui-kyeom, Moon's spokesman, said in a televised briefing. "Chairman Kim said he will keep a close eye on the situation and expressed strong will to visit Seoul. ... Chairman Kim also expressed his intentions to meet President Moon frequently again in 2019 to advance discussions on the Korean Peninsula's peace and prosperity and discuss issues on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," the spokesman said. Moon's office did not reveal how Kim Jong Un's letter was delivered or whether he made any comments about his planned second summit with Trump in 2019. The letter comes days before Kim is expected to address North Koreans in a New Year's speech that North Korean leaders traditionally use to announce major policy decisions and goals. Kim used his New Year's speech a year ago to initiate diplomacy with Seoul and Washington, which led to his meetings with Moon and a historic June summit with Trump. In his meetings with Moon and Trump, Kim signed on to vague statements calling for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing when or how it would occur. Post-summit nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang quickly settled into a stalemate as the countries struggled between the sequencing of the North's disarmament and the removal of U.S.-led international sanctions against the North. There continue to be doubts about whether Kim will ever voluntarily relinquish his nukes, which he may see as his strongest guarantee of survival. Kim and Trump are trying to arrange a second summit in early 2019. In its effort to make the airport security screening process faster, the Transportation Security Administration is employing new high-tech baggage scanners, facial-recognition cameras and automated lanes to eliminate passenger gridlock. But TSA Administrator David Pekoske said the agency is also making at least one new change to reduce traveler stress: deploying more floppy-ear dogs, rather than pointy-ear dogs, to sniff out explosives in public areas. During a recent tour of Washington Dulles International Airport, Pekoske told the Washington Examiner that his agency believes floppy-ear dogs are less intimidating to travelers than dogs with pointy ears. We find the passenger acceptance of floppy-ear dogs is just better, he said. It presents just a little bit less of a concern. Doesnt scare children. Advertisement A chocolate lab with the kind of ears the TSA is looking for. (Ellen ONan / AP) The TSA has more than 900 teams of officers and explosive-sniffing dogs either screening passengers at airports or sniffing cargo and baggage behind the scenes. About a third of those dogs interact with passengers in airports, according to the TSA. The agency says it trains seven breeds of dogs: German shepherds (pointy ears), Labrador retrievers (floppy ears), German shorthaired pointers (floppy ears), wirehaired pointers (floppy ears), Vizslas (floppy ears), Belgian Malinois (pointy ears) and golden retrievers (floppy ears). Because of the federal shutdown, TSA representatives could not be reached to comment on how the agency will transition to more floppy-ear dogs. hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. For the past two years, Qualcomm has traded legal jabs with Apple and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over its patent licensing business practices. Now the preliminary rounds of this massive legal fight are coming to a head. Harder punches are about to be thrown. The trial in the FTCs lawsuit against Qualcomm is scheduled to begin Jan. 4 in U.S. District Court in San Jose. Barring a last-minute settlement, the 10-day bench trial before U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh will center on FTC allegations of anti-competitive practices that strike at the heart of Qualcomms patent licensing business model. Advertisement Patent royalties have been a leading driver of the San Diego companys success in the smartphone era. Theyve delivered on average $6.3 billion per year in revenue to Qualcomm over the past decade funding a good portion of the companys profit, and research and development efforts. If the court forces significant changes to Qualcomms business model, it could jeopardize the companys financial incentives to continue to invest in cutting-edge mobile technologies on the cusp of new 5G mobile networks rolling out next year. Qualcomm has always been known as an aggressive licensor, said Jorge Contreras, a professor at the University of Utahs S.J. Quinney College of Law. Is being aggressive illegal? They have been doing it for a long time -- 20 years. This is the first serious U.S. challenge to a lot of those practices. Qualcomm has been fined nearly $3 billion by competition agencies in China, South Korea and elsewhere over the past three years though both China and Europe left the companys patent licensing business model intact. Qualcomm is appealing penalties in South Korea and Europe. The FTC is not seeking hefty fines. It wants the court to order Qualcomm to prevent certain business practices that the FTC alleges violate competition law. The outcome of the FTC litigation could bleed over into other upcoming legal actions, however, where billions are at stake. That includes Apples lawsuit against Qualcomm in San Diego federal court, where Qualcomm claims Apple owes $7 billion in unpaid patent royalties. Apple and contract manufacturers that build iPhones claim they were overcharged for years and seek to claw back excessive royalty payments. Apples legal arguments are similar to those being made by the FTC. A jury trial in the case is scheduled for April 15. Consumer class-actions lawsuits also are pending against Qualcomm for raising smartphone prices, with some 250 million class members roughly equivalent to the number of people in the U.S. who bought smartphones since 2011, said Stacy Rasgon, an analyst with Bernstein Research. Qualcomm is a leader in cellular technology that links smartphones to wireless networks. (Qualcomm) The FTC alleges Qualcomm engages in a scheme that coerces smartphone makers to pay too much to access Qualcomms patents. The argument centers on Qualcomms unusual business model of selling smartphone chips and licensing its mobile patent portfolio as separate products. That is unique, said Contreras. Most companies try to do one or the other. They dont try to do both. Qualcomm has been very successful doing both, and the real legal question here is: Is that OK? Qualcomm says its patent licensing business model actually sparks competition by allowing all kinds of companies to easily enter the smartphone business without having to make big investments in core cellular research and development. Without its technology particularly its inventions that support wireless broadband Internet access iPhones would be pricey, glorified iPods. The trial will be watched closely in legal circles not only because of the tech giants involved but also because it could break ground on how patent rights coexist with antitrust laws. By and large one case doesnt shape the law, but I can see this case shaping the law even though it is a district court trial, said David Reichenberg, an antitrust lawyer with Cozen OConnor in New York. It seems to be a great test case on the interplay between antitrust and intellectual property. How do one set of rights counterbalance against the other? Qualcomm licenses its portfolio of 130,000 mobile patents to smartphone makers. The price, established years ago, used to be 5 percent of the bill of materials cost of the phone up to a cap of $500. So the maximum amount device makers would pay was $25 per phone. Earlier this year, Qualcomm changed licensing terms. It now offers two licenses one for standard essential patents at 3.25 percent of the wholesale device price and a second for the entire portfolio at 5 percent. It also lowered the cap to $400. So a standard essential patent only license today tops out at $13 per phone. There are several wrinkles to the FTCs case. A key element is Qualcomms promise to cellular standards organizations to license its core patents under whats known as fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. Qualcomms royalty rates are substantially above those charged by other companies that also have important, standard essential cellular patents, according to the FTC. Smartphone makers ordinarily would fight against these high rates -- including going to court. They dont, the FTC argues, because Qualcomm also has dominant market share in leading cellular chips that smartphone makers need -- particularly 3G CDMA and top-tier 4G LTE processors. Qualcomm refuses to sell chips to smartphone makers unless they first take a patent license a policy the FTC calls No License, No Chips. So unless smartphone makers acquiesce to license rates that Qualcomm says it is owed, they are not going to get the indispensable chips they need for their phones, according to the FTC. Qualcomm says the FTC is wrong. Smartphone makers often challenge its patent licensing terms and negotiate hard for better rates, according to the company. It has never cut off chip supply to an existing customer during a licensing dispute. Qualcomm even continues to supply chips used in older iPhones -- despite its bitter legal fight with Apple that has cut off billions in royalty payments. Qualcomm also refuses to offer patent licenses to rival cellular modem chip makers such as Intel, MediaTek and Samsung a move the FTC contends is aimed at suppressing competition. And Qualcomm entered into a series of exclusive supply deals with Apple starting in 2011, which the FTC claims harmed competition. Both Samsung and Intel have filed legal briefs supporting the FTC. Qualcomm disputes that the Apple supply deals sought to harm competition. Apple a giant company with massive market power entered into these deals voluntarily for its benefit, according to Qualcomm. Qualcomm also says its not required to license rival chip makers under its agreements with top standard setting organizations. Since it inks license deals with smartphone makers collecting royalties based on a percentage of the wholesale price of the entire device -- it doesnt need to license myriad individual components inside those devices, according to the company. It doesnt sue rival chip makers for patent infringement. If you have great product, charging a lot for it is perfectly fine, said Contreras. But this case has a lot of moving parts, and Qualcomm also has this FRAND obligation where it agrees to license on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. If I violate that charge unreasonable rates or have unreasonable practices -- then I am violating that commitment. And that, in and of itself, might be an uncompetitive practice. In a blow to Qualcomm, Judge Koh ruled in November that the contract language between Qualcomm and two U.S. cellular standard setting bodies required it to offer licenses to rival chip makers. Qualcomm has already lost a summary judgment in the case regarding their obligation to license standard essential patents to chipset vendors, raising the specter of patent exhaustion and chipset versus device level royalties, said Rasgon, the Bernstein analysts. Kohs ruling, however, did not find that Qualcomm violated any antitrust laws. It simply interpreted the contract language of the two standards bodies to require that a license be offered to all comers. Qualcomms latest smartphone chip, the Snapdragon 855, is expected to power several flagship Android phones next year. (Qualcomm) The FTC sued Qualcomm in the waning days of the Obama administration under a rarely used statute that prohibits unfair methods of competition. The move was controversial, with a sitting FTC commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen writing that the agency was relying on a flawed legal theory. To prove that Qualcomms practices violate competition law, the FTC must show that consumers and the overall competitive process were harmed not individual chip makers. And that might be difficult given the popularity of smartphones, which are the most successful consumer electronics product in history with billions of devices sold worldwide. The argument the defendant has in these cases is: Are you kidding me? We have an incredibly robust and competitive smartphone market, said Reichenberg, the antitrust lawyer. Innovation is increasing every day. Prices are predominantly coming down. How are you really showing harm to competition? The FTC is likely to argue that prices would have come down even more and there would be more innovation absent Qualcomms unfair practices. Qualcomm will counter that invests billions to drive mobile innovation and lower prices bringing features that consumers want to market faster, said Reichenberg. Qualcomm has claimed IP rights. The FTC says there is a harm to competition. Which one wins? said Reichenberg. Both set of laws are aimed at consumer benefits and innovation. Obviously Qualcomm is going to argue that not only do our IP rights prevail but we also prevail because competition is robust and there clearly has been no harm to competition. Business mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com; Twitter:@TechDiego 760-529-4973 CITY COUNCILS CARLSBAD The city of Carlsbad is looking to fill a vacancy on the Beach Preservation Committee. To apply, fill out the application at carlsbadca.gov/cityhall/boardsandcommissions.asp and submit to the City Clerks Office at clerk@carlsbadca.gov, or in person at the City Clerks Office, 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive, by noon Friday. DEL MAR Advertisement The city of Del Mar is requesting public input on plans to replace the 86-year-old Camino del Mar Bridge over the San Dieguito River. Construction is expected to begin in 2023. The replacement bridge will have one lane in each direction and bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides. A study of the existing, 600-foot-long bridge has identified corrosion, vulnerability to earthquakes, and poor hydraulics and concluded that replacing the structure is the most cost-effective solution. To provide information and gather feedback, the city is hosting a public open house at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Del Mar Civic Center, 1050 Camino del Mar. Contact Deputy Public Works Director Mohsen Maali at mmaali@delmar.ca.us or (858) 704-3680. Visit the project web page: delmar.ca.us/CDMBridge. SAN MARCOS The city of San Marcos is looking for applicants to fill newly elected Mayor Rebecca Jones council seat. Those interested in applying must submit an application and a resume to the City Clerks office by 5:30 p.m. Jan. 10. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, live in the city limits and be registered to vote in the city. All candidates who meet the criteria will be interviewed by the council during a special meeting at 6 p.m. Jan. 15 that is open to the public. Applicants may be asked to respond to questions from the council. For application materials, visit www.san-marcos.net/councilappointment or contact the city clerk at (760) 744-1050, ext. 3105. SOLANA BEACH The city of Solana Beach has several openings on its citizen commissions. These volunteers serve on behalf of the City Council. Applications are being accepted through Jan. 14 for these commissions: Budget & Finance (three vacancies), Climate Action (four), Parks & Recreation (four), Public Arts (three) and View Assessment (three). Applications and other information are at ci.solana-beach.ca.us or at Solana Beach City Hall, 635 S. Highway 101. VISTA The Vista City Council is seeking applicants for its 2019 scheduled vacancies on these boards and commissions: Central Vista Business Improvement District Advisory Board; Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee; Community Safety Commission; Investment Advisory Committee; Parks & Recreation Commission; Planning Commission; Public Arts Commission; Sales Tax Oversight Committee; Senior Citizens Affairs Commission; Traffic Commission; and Youth Advisory Commission. Application deadline for incumbents is Jan. 31; for all other applicants, Feb. 10. Youth applications are due May 1. Applications are available from the City Clerks Office, 200 Civic Center Drive, or from the City Commissions, Boards & Committees web page at cityofvista.com. Contact City Clerk Kathy Valdez at (760) 643-5320 or kvaldez@cityofvista.com. SCHOOL DISTRICTS FALLBROOK The Fallbrook Union Elementary School District board will hold a special meeting to discuss proposed district maps at 6 p.m. Jan. 7 in Room 106 of the district office, 321 N. Iowa St. SAN MARCOS The San Marcos Unified School District is seeking applications from interested residents within the school districts boundaries to fill the balance of a four-year term on the board, which will be up for election in November 2020. A vacancy resulted after trustee Randy Walton was elected to the City Council. The appointment is expected to be filled immediately after interviews are conducted at a special meeting on Jan. 28. Applications are available at smusd.org or by contacting the Superintendents Office at (760) 752-1299. Applicants must be residents and registered voters of the school district and Trustee Area B. Application materials must be received by Jan. 22. I knew it was a mistake to make an appointment for my physical the day after Christmas. I did OK for the most part except that I got a severe reprimand for gaining 10 pounds. The doctor yelled at me for a while and then handed me a bill for $150. I dont know how your doctor computes his prices, but mine apparently charges by the pound. Sort of the way the airlines charge for excess baggage. The bill came to $15 a pound, which is exactly what I paid for filet mignon. I wouldnt mind so much about that rate structure if he would agree to cut me a check if I lost weight. Advertisement That doesnt seem very fair, I complained to my wife. What are you going to do, she questioned, file a complaint with the medical board? I was thinking the Bureau of Weights and Measures, I replied. Filet mignon, coincidentally, is what I gave my wife for Christmas. Really. She loves a good steak, but she wont buy it for herself because she feels its an extravagance. So every Christmas, when Im trying to decide what to get her, I always agonize over the same question: Meat or jewelry? So far, judging by her reaction, meat has always proved a winner. One day I might try jewelry just to see if Id get a similar response. Im sure I would have fared a lot better at the doctors office had my visit been before that Christmas dinner. An amazing feast prepared by Aunt Anna, my wife, and other relatives and friends. My daughter-in-law made a fabulous baked brie melting inside puff pastry. It served as a delicious appetizer along with stuffed mushrooms and assorted cheeses, compliments of my sister-in-law. For the main course, Aunt Anna prepared stuffed shells, which are large pasta shells filled with ricotta cheese smothered with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and grated Parmesan, then baked until bubbly. My wife was in charge of the meatballs, which she seasons with garlic and heaps of imported Pecorino-Romano. Our dear friend Aggie made eggplant Parmesan, which she knows is my favorite. Its gastronomical bliss. I tried hiding it in the refrigerator, the one we keep in the garage, because I really didnt feel like sharing it. Unfortunately, my wife discovered it. Dont you love your children? she chided. Of course I love my children. That wasnt the issue. The question is do I love them enough to give up Aggies eggplant? The argument became moot when my wife popped it in the oven. In addition to making the eggplant, Aggie baked a fabulous cheesecake, probably because we werent having enough cheese. It was an Italian-style recipe substituting ricotta for cream cheese. It weighed in at 10 pounds. The dinner was fabulous. The only thing we couldnt finish was that mammoth cheesecake. Theres enough left to get me through to my next doctors appointment. Contact humor columnist Irv Erdos at IrvErdos@aol.com. To fully appreciate the 23,000 acres of the privately owned Rancho Guejito, one has needed an invitation and a helicopter. Seeing the property from the air -- its mountains, mesas, meadows and thousands of rare Englemann oaks -- is breathtaking. But now, for those willing to lighten their pocketbooks and who have an affinity for nature, wine and adventure, Rancho Guejito will be available to all. We dont want to be an enigma so much anymore, said Hank Rupp, the chief operating officer of Rancho Guejito. We want to be a sustainable enterprise and pay our own bills. To that end, the ranch has gotten into agriculture in a big way. They grow citrus and avocados and wine grapes. Lots of wine grapes. Advertisement And soon they will start offering a unique wine-tasting adventure involving a helicopter tour of the property followed by three or four stops where live musicians will serenade guests as they taste various wines being produced by the Rancho Guejito Vineyard. I like to call it Bach in the backcountry, Rupp said. Were going to do this. Its going to catch on because we have the capital to make it catch on. The entire property is licensed as one huge wine-tasting area. I believe its the largest wine-tasting room in the world, said Mike McColloch, an attorney in charge of dealing with the state and federal agencies that oversee wine licensing. I suppose there could be bigger ones, but not that Ive heard of. Certainly not around here. 1 / 21 Amy Serrano Burcombe plays the electric violin with the backdrop of the Maxcy Winery ruins, circa 1852, at Rancho Guejito, one of the stops on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 2 / 21 Nicole Park pours wine from the Rancho Guejito Vineyard with a backdrop of the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, the first stop on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure that includes a helicopter tour of the ranch. Tours will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 3 / 21 Anderson Flats, part of Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch may see. Tours begin in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 4 / 21 Pilot Greg Mattson of Cherry Helicopters lifts off from the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, after dropping off passengers at the first stop on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure. Tours will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 5 / 21 Hank Rupp, Rancho Guejito Chief Operating Officer welcomes visitors at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, the first stop on the Rancho Guejito wine-tasting tour which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 6 / 21 Horses feeding is one of the things visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting adventure which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch visitors may see at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north. The tours will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 7 / 21 Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, is one of the stops on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine-tasting tour which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch, when the tours are offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 8 / 21 Pilot Greg Mattson files over Rancho Guejito, heading toward the first stop, the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which will begin being offered to the public in the near future and includes a helicopter tour of the ranch. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 9 / 21 Guejito Creek in the Anderson Flats area of Rancho Guejito visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch may see when the tours begin being offered to the public in th near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 10 / 21 The water fountain in the courtyard at the main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors will visit on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine-tasting tour when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 11 / 21 Citrus growing at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch may see, when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 12 / 21 A lemon tree at the main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors will visit on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 13 / 21 Nicole Park, background, pours Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine, while Daniel Plane, right, plays the cello for visitors at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the first stop on the wine tasting tour which will be offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 14 / 21 The Maxcy Winery ruins, circa 1852, at Rancho Guejito, one of the stops on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour which will begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 15 / 21 Wine from the Rancho Guejito Vineyard is served at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito during the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour which will be offerd to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 16 / 21 Daniel Plane plays the cello for visitors at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the first stop on the wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 17 / 21 Jonathan Alvarado, foreground, pours wine from the Rancho Guejito Vineyard with a backdrop of the Maxcy Winery ruins, circa 1852, while Amy Serrano Burcombe, background, plays the electric violin during the wine tasting tour at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped ranch near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north. Tours will begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 18 / 21 Pilot Greg Mattson prepares to land at the Anderson Homestead, circa 1875, at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, during the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch. Tours which will begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 19 / 21 The main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors will visit on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour, which includes a helicopter tour of the ranch, when they start being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 20 / 21 Anderson Flats, part of Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north, visitors on the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tour may see during a helicopter tour of the ranch, when tours offered to the public begin in the near futue. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) 21 / 21 Rancho Guejito Chief Operating Officer Hank Rupp looks out from from the main hacienda at Rancho Guejito, the 36-square mile privately owned, undeveloped tract near Valley Center that stretches from state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley nearly to state Route 76 about 12 miles to the north. Visitors will visit the hacienda during the Rancho Guejito Vineyard wine tasting tours, when they begin being offered to the public in the near future. (Howard Lipin / The San Diego-Union-Tribune) Within the ranchs boundaries lies the last undivided Mexican land grant in the state. Environmentalists and historians often call Rancho Guejito the conservation jewel of San Diego County. The pricing structure for the wine-tasting adventure has not yet been set, but Rupp thinks that for $399 per person, the three-hour tour will soon be offered to anyone willing to pay. The ranch recently did a test run with a reporter and photographer tagging along. After a 45-minute aerial tour of the land, which sits about 400 feet above sea level at its southern boundaries in the San Pasqual Valley and rises to over 4,000 feet in the north bordered by the La Jolla Indian Reservation, the first stop was at the ruins of the Anderson Homestead, circa the 1870s. A rose wine-tasting table was set up with crackers and cheese and fruit. Cellist Daniel Plane played some Bach and other pieces as various red wines were sipped. A Massachusetts native who moved to the San Diego area just five months ago, Plane, 35, said it was a bit odd to be playing his music in the middle of a vast area. They want to expand everything theyre offering and I think theyve got something good going on here, he said. All thats left of the Anderson Homestead ruins are the brick fireplaces because in 2007 thanks to SDG&E, Rupp says the Witch Creek/Guejito fire destroyed the ruins and thousands of oak trees on the property. The ranch settled a lawsuit against the utility for an undisclosed sum. Some of that money has been used to plant new oaks, by the thousands, all over the property. From there, the wine-tasting group traveled by SUV to the Maxcy Winery ruins. In the 1850s, Asher Maxcy, whose California Gold rush dreams didnt materialize, got into cattle and wine. He grew 1,500 acres of grapes and built a winery in 1852 that existed for about four decades. There, where white wines were being offered for tasting, an electric violin was being played in front of the winery ruins by 29-year-old Amy Serrano Burcombe, who was wearing a black, sequined cocktail dress and knee-high boots. She said the boots were both practical and fashionable. I heard there were rattlesnakes out here so Im being cautious walking around, she said. These boots are style and protection. The final stop was at the hacienda built in 1974 by the late Benjamin Coates, the billionaire owner of the property who purchased it that year after efforts by the state to acquire it for a park failed. The ranch is now owned by a corporation headed by Theodate Coates of New York City, Benjamins daughter, who comes to visit a couple times a year. The red wine station featured a singing guitarist and 360-degree views of the southern part of the property from atop a hill. The man pouring the wine, who has been a ranch hand and security officer at the park, is Rupps nephew, Dominic, who said the whole wine thing has opened his eyes to a new experience. For years, the ranch has been off-limits to the public. Hunting is not allowed because of the fire danger. Rupp said deer and mountain lions use the ranch as a refuge, a free zone where they feel safe and reproduce in vast numbers. Its like Switzerland to them, Rupp said. Guejito is also a cattle ranch, home to 1,000 to 2,000 head, depending on the time of year. Every way we can figure out how to make money on this ranch means we can take better care of the property, Rupp said. The most important thing to the survival of this ranch is a diversified income string. We have cows, we have produce, we have wine. That is what will insure the survival of the ranch and the maintenance of our agricultural enterprises. It costs a lot of money to maintain this property and to keep it as pristine as it is. For the past year and a half, the ranch has also been offering wine tasting on Sundays near its headquarters off state Route 78, about three miles east of Safari Park on what is known as Rockwood Ranch, which Rancho Guejito purchased in 2007. Currently, about 40 acres of grapes, 17 varieties, are being grown on the property at different elevations and more vineyards will be planted each year, Rupp said. The grapes are then shipped to a wine-making operation in Escondido where they are crushed, fermented, bottled and labeled. The finished product is sold at the ranch and selected stores in the Escondido area. There are a lot of wine-tasting rooms in San Diego County. What do we have thats different from the other wineries? We just happen to back up into a 36-square-mile ranch, Rupp said. We try to capitalize on what we have thats different from the other wineries in addition to having great wine. We want to promote the agri-tourism that can go with the wine. Whats more enjoyable than having a nice glass of wine and looking at what San Diego County looked like 5,000 years ago? For more information about Rancho Guejito visit ranchoguejitovineyard.com on the web. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones Finding the right cure for your ailments may be a lot easier now that Realm of the 52 Remedies speakeasy cocktail bar has arrived on the scene in Kearny Mesa. Housed within Common Theory Public House, the upscale, Asian-themed bar brings an edgy new nightlife option to the Convoy Districts Asian food and karaoke mecca. The innovative cocktail list at Realm of the 52 Remedies, which officially opened in early December, is categorized into three parts: Recipes for your Ailments, signature cocktails that put an Asian spin on classics; Prescriptions from the Old Days, straightforward cocktail classics; and Modern Remedies Around the World, more contemporary concoctions curated by mixologists from across the globe. Some of the innovative flavor profiles seen on the cocktail menu are based on drinks that lead bartender Chris Lee (formerly of the now closed SOHO Gastropub) shared as a child with his grandmother in Seoul, South Korea. Lead bartender Chris Lee. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) Advertisement Lee honed his skills while living in Seoul, where he worked at the pre-Prohibition themed Bar Old-Fashioned. The Sunday Morning cocktail on Realm of the 52 Remedies menu containing black lava salt, egg white, bacon-infused maple, Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters, chocolate ice cream, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky and nutmeg was created by Lees mentor in Korea. When developing the new cocktail list, Lee spent a month perfecting The Opium Den (a twist on a Sazerac). The alternative concoction is made with shiitake mushroom cordial, salt, Aurora Oloroso Sherry, Chateau de Laubade VS Bas Armagnac and Monkey Shoulder Whiskey, smoked with brandy oak chips and served with pretzels. A whirl of smoke from the wood chips produces an incense-like aroma, while the drink has an earthy mushroom flavor thats enhanced by pretzels. Some of the innovative flavor profiles seen on the cocktail menu are based on drinks that lead bartender Chris Lee shared as a child with his grandmother in Seoul, South Korea. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) In Seoul, I told my mentor we should use all the fresh ingredients you can find in Korean markets, where youll see so many dried mushrooms, Lee said. I always wanted to make a mushroom cocktail. The drink menu, which is still being finalized and will continue to expand, also contains a few wines. Soon, sparkling wines will be added, and bottle cocktails for larger groups will be available. Co-owners Cristian Liang and Joon Lee both grew up frequenting the Kearny Mesa area to dine and shop with their families. They opened craft beer bar Common Theory Public House more than four years ago, and when the adjacent space became available, they were ready to take on a new project with a different focus. Food options at Realm of the 52 Remedies. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) We had just gotten a liquor license and had always been big fans of craft cocktails, Liang said. We wanted to splash Kearny Mesa with something out-of-the-box that would draw a younger generation. Their two concepts have different staffs and are adjoined by an apothecary shop that marks the discreet yet intriguing entrance to Realm of the 52 Remedies. The shop plans to sell related novelty items like bottles of shrubs, bitters, teacups and cocktail sets. Eventually, Realm of the 52 Remedies plans to offer an omakase-style cocktail program where guests can book special seats at their emperor bar, decide on a price point, and work with Lee to develop custom cocktails. Similar to a sushi bar, the goal would be for guests to interact with the person serving them and ask questions about the ingredients as drinks are being made. Realm of the 52 Remedies lead bartender Chris Lee spent a month perfecting this twist on a traditional Sazerac. Behind the emperor bar, which seats four people at a bar top covered with leather, a secret shelf marked by the Jade Emperor (a supreme Chinese deity) swivels to reveal the speakeasys collection of top-shelf liquors, including a bottle of Yamazaki 18-year-old Japanese whisky that sells for about $80 per shot, or $1,200 for a bottle. Creative cocktails may initially draw guests into Realm of the 52 Remedies, but the extravagant, Far East-inspired decor by designer Michael Soriano of Onairos Design (Vin de Syrah, The Pearl Hotel, Queenstown Public House) is another key element of the project. Inside the speakeasy Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) I try to incorporate elements, palettes and sensibilities that discover exploration, Soriano said. Sensory overload for the sense of shock value I dont like but if it teases you to want to know more or see more, thats different. Soriano was particularly mindful that the cultures represented in his design elements were historically accurate, and he worked with several independent artists to bring this project to life. We wanted to pay tribute to our backgrounds and to Convoy Street, Liang said. Im Chinese and my business partner Joon Lee is Korean so we wanted to tie in our Asian culture to the concept. Inside the speakeasy Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) We gave Michael Soriano a lot of flexibility in researching our ethnic backgrounds for the design, he said. He stayed the course and made something classic but chic, with Asian accents that arent overpowering. Hes a true artist. "(For the food and drink offerings) we knew we wanted to use spices and ingredients that would differentiate ourselves, and while doing research, we stumbled across the ancient Chinese medicinal document 52 Recipes for 52 Ailments that paved the way for Eastern Medicine. Now, Liang and Lee think of the conjoined spaces as having Common Theory representing the present, the apothecary as the future, and Realm of the 52 Remedies as the past. To be transported to the past, guests must place their hand over a special Chinese character thats part of the 52 Recipes for 52 Ailments document printed on a door inside the apothecary. Inside the speakeasy Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) Once inside the speakeasy, some of the standout design elements include an oversized booth shaped like a lotus flower, with light fixtures hanging down to resemble lotus tendrils; private, elevated tables custom-made with layered wood and resin, with Chinese lanterns and silks hanging above to give a nod to The Silk Road; a textured plaster motif of a mountainscape that hangs behind the bar, with iron fixtures shaped like smoke clouds floating from above; a section of the bar top made of jade onyx thats backlit to give off a green glow; and strands of decorative dragon eggs hanging from the ceiling that were hand constructed using flotation buoys and cheesecloth. The use of mirrors and materials in the rafters creates a borderless environment for a full immersion experience, Soriano said. You can get suspended in time there four hours can go by and you dont even realize it. I like to create spaces where you can just exist in the space and be present. And, while getting lost in time, Realm of the 52 Remedies offers a menu of shareable small appetizers that will evolve based on available seasonal ingredients. Lighter dishes offered in the speakeasy space are in contrast with heavier dishes seen at Common Theory, which is known for its popular duck fat fries. Instead, Realm of the 52 Remedies works with an outside consulting chef to serve dishes like roasted carrots with crunchy sesame seed granola, fish sauce caramel, anise yogurt, mint and Thai basil. Or, theres the crispy sunchokes (a root vegetable that looks like ginger), served with Chinese long beans, salsa matcha, sweet soy, puffed quinoa and cilantro, for a savory bite with a touch of heat. 1 / 17 Inside the Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 2 / 17 Inside Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 3 / 17 Lighter dishes offered at Realm of the 52 Remedies are in contrast with heavier dishes seen at Common Theory, which is known for its popular duck fat fries. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 4 / 17 Lighter dishes offered at Realm of the 52 Remedies are in contrast with heavier dishes seen at Common Theory, which is known for its popular duck fat fries. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 5 / 17 Inside the speakeasy Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 6 / 17 Lead bartender Chris Lee. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 7 / 17 Some of the innovative flavor profiles seen on the cocktail menu are based on drinks that lead bartender Chris Lee shared as a child with his grandmother in Seoul, South Korea. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 8 / 17 Lighter dishes offered at Realm of the 52 Remedies are in contrast with heavier dishes seen at Common Theory, which is known for its popular duck fat fries. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 9 / 17 Inside the Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 10 / 17 Lead bartender Chris Lee. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 11 / 17 Lead bartender Chris Lee spent a month perfecting The Opium Den (a twist on a modern Sazerac). (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 12 / 17 Lead bartender Chris Lee spent a month perfecting The Opium Den (a twist on a modern Sazerac). (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 13 / 17 Lead bartender Chris Lee spent a month perfecting The Opium Den (a twist on a modern Sazerac). (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 14 / 17 Lead bartender Chris Lee spent a month perfecting The Opium Den (a twist on a modern Sazerac). (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 15 / 17 Food options at Realm of the 52 Remedies. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 16 / 17 Inside the speakeasy Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) 17 / 17 Inside the speakeasy Realm of the 52 Remedies in the Convoy Area. (Auda & Coudayre Photography) For more filling bites, opt for the creamy crab and corn croquettes served with housemade tonkatsu sauce and Chinese mustard which are comparable to fried crab cakes or the crispy fried eggplant dish with scallions, jalapenos, chili and five-spice, served with a hoisin-rhubarb-barbecue sauce that packs a flavorful punch. On the lighter side, the furikake chips or vegetable crudites are good for snacking. Reservations are strongly recommended at Realm of the 52 Remedies, which seats up to 42 people or can accommodate up to 60 for a full buyout of the space, by calling 858.256.0441 or emailing 52remedies@commontheorysd.com. Realm of the 52 Remedies, 4805 Convoy St., Kearny Mesa, 858.256.0441, 52remedies.com Recreation.gov, the website that books campsites for many national parks, forests and other public lands, is telling travelers theres no guarantee their reservations will be honored during the partial shutdown of the federal government. Be aware that if you have an existing reservation during this lapse of funding period, and the location is not staffed, your reservation may not be honored, a message on the campground reservation website says. The shutdown started at midnight Dec. 22 and remains in effect as President Trump and congressional Democrats are at an impasse over Trumps demand for funding of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Welcome to Joshua Tree. Sorry about the shutdown. Now, about the toilets Advertisement For campers, that may mean forfeiting a winter camping trip to, say, the popular Indian Cove Campground at Joshua Tree National Park, or forgoing a last-minute New Years Eve outing, even if campsites are available online. The scenario is that you show up, and somebody could be occupying your site, said Rick DeLappe, Recreation.gov program manager and National Park Service employee. Until the shutdown is lifted, Recreation.gov has no control over how the campgrounds in their reservation system are being managed. The program cant advise travelers which parks and forests are open or closed because it has no way of knowing, DeLappe said. If you have a Recreation.gov reservation and dont go, you can file for a refund and wont be charged the usual $10 cancellation fee. Californias nine national parks, such as Joshua Tree, Death Valley and Yosemite, are open. But park rangers and other workers have been furloughed, meaning theres no one to process and enforce camping reservations. Campground reservations operated by concessionaires are being honored. For example, private campgrounds at the Oasis at Furnace Creek Ranch and Panamint Springs Resort in Death Valley are open and honoring reservations. Also, federal lands and campgrounds operated by the Army Corps of Engineers are open. travel@latimes.com Twitter: @latimestravel A look through Egyptian films that made big headlines in festivals, locally and internationally, and how they found their ways to the red carpet Fitful though it has been since then, Egyptian cinemas participation in major international film festivals started during the first half of the 20th century. In the fourth Venice Film Festival in 1936, Egypt competed for awards with Studio Misrs inaugural production Wedad directed by Fritz Kramp and starring Um Kolthoum, first Arab film to be screened at an international festival. In 1946, Egypt was an integral part of the very first Cannes Film Festival when the iconic film and theatre actor Youssef Wahbi became a jury member while Dunia directed by Mohamed Karim was in the competition. Mohamed Karims Zainab also took part in the second round of the Berlin Film Festival in 1952 before a younger generation of directors Salah Abu Seif, Kamal Al-Sheikh, Henry Barakat and, perhaps most notably, Youssef Chahine took their films there. Abu Seifs The Adventures of Antar and Abla (1949), The Monster (1954) and A Womans Youth (1956), Al-Sheikhs Life or Death (1955) and Last Night (1964), Barakats The Sin (1965), and Chahines Son of the Nile (1952), Struggle in the Valley (1954), The Land (1970), Adieu Bonaparte (1985) and Destiny (1997) all took part in Cannes, where Chahine won the 50th Anniversary Award in 1997. Abu Seifs The Tough (1957), Al-Sheikhs Chased by the Dogs (1963), Barakats Hassan and Naaima (1959) and The Nightingales Prayer (1965), Chahines Bab Al-Hadid (1958), Alexandria Why? (1979) all took part in the Berlinale, where Alexandria Why? won the Silver Bear. Chahines An Egyptian Story (1982), his last film Chaos (2007), co-directed by Khaled Youssef, and his segment of 110901 September 11 (2002) participated in the Venice Film Festival, where Shadi Abdel-Salams landmark The Night of Counting the Years (1969) was also screened. Like Chahine, Yousri Nasrallah has made his mark on the festival circuit. His After the Battle (2012) was in the Cannes competition and his Scheherazade, Tell Me a Story (2009) was in the official out-of-competition selection at Venice. Mercedes (1993), The City (1999) and Brooks, Meadows and Lovely Faces (2016) all took part in the Locarno festival, where The City won the four prizes including the Youth Jury Award. Younger directors whose work was featured in international festivals include Ahmed Maher, Ibrahim Al-Batout, Atef Hetata and Kamla Abu Zikri. This year a remarkable number of Egyptian filmmakers have carried on the tradition. Abu Bakr Shawkys long narrative debut Youmeddine took part in Canness official competition. A road movie, it is the story of a middle-aged Copt named Beshay who long since cured and now accompanied by a Nubian child friend named Obama heads out of the leprosy colony where he has spent most of his life and goes in search of his family in Upper Egypt. Shawkys first long film, The Colony (2009), was a documentary on a leprosy colony. In Youmeddine he uses two devices to avoid falling into the trap of victimisation and tragedy. He gives his main character the gift of humour, with which he confronts societys negative response to his illness. He also fills the journey with subplots. Directing his mostly first-time actors very carefully, Shawky makes use of simple but clever cinematography that brings out the beauty in such locations as the rubbish dump where Beshay works. Youmeddine was well received by both audience and critics, and frequently put forward for the Camera dOr, which is given to filmmakers presenting a first or second feature film. Marouan Omara and Johanna Domkes Dream Away screened at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic focuses on a group of young hotel workers in the Sinai resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, where tourism has been in recession: a girl in the animation team, another in house-keeping, a swimming pool DJ, a chauffeur and a street performer. Following the 2011 Revolution and especially the Russian plane crash of 2015, Sharm El-Sheikh became a ghost city, making it impossible for these people who face not only idleness but salary cuts to maintain enthusiasm for their work but releasing their imagination. A huge monkey doll on a lorry occasionally serves as the characters confessor, but remains a powerful metaphorical image throughout. Using non-professional actors, Dream Away blurs the line between documentary and fiction, offering a powerful mix of fantasy and social-economic commentary in the same breath. Ahmed Fawzi Salehs Ward Masmoum (Poisonous Roses), screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, is set in the tanneries of Old Cairo, drawing on Salehs experience making a documentary in the area, Living Skin, seven years ago. Based on Ahmed Zaghloul Al-Shitis novel Poisonous Roses for Saqr, the film prioritises the image, with both the obvious and the hidden aspects of the story told in a more or less purely visual language. Saleh conveys day-to-day details so convincingly that the viewer ends up conjuring up the smell of the leather and the chemicals used to produce it. Yet he also manages to use the picture to generate his own aesthetics within this harsh reality. The camera follows a young woman in hijab, Taheya, down the narrow, winding alleyways into the Tanneries until she reaches her brother Saqr, whom shes bringing lunch. This journey is repeated in more than one scene, suggesting that this display of devotion defines her relationship with her brother. The filmmaker draws on Sufi ritual in such repetition and in the way he employs the sounds of the tanning machinery in the soundtrack, recalling the rhythms of dhikr. The Egyptian-Lebanese documentary Al-Gameiya (What Comes Around), directed by Reem Saleh screened in the Panorama section of the 69th edition of the Berlinale is a 79-minute documentary shot in Rod Al-Farag, one of Cairos poorer residential areas, where the hardships of daily life are the focus. Saleh delves into the inhabitants economic struggles, and their use of the widespread middle- and working-class practice of al-gameiya (or the assembly). Ten people, say, will each contribute LE100 every month for 10 months, so that each month one of them can receive LE1,000. It took Saleh seven years to make her film, in which she avoids any reference to the turmoil of 2011. Rather than rallying sympathy, she simply tells peoples stories, including as much laughter as pain. These filmmakers share an interest in the dispossessed and no-linear narrative, which may be how they found their way to the red carpet. This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: December 30, 1923 The San Diego Union The San Diego Union-Tribune will mark its 150th anniversary in 2018 by presenting a significant front page from the archives each day throughout the year. Sunday, December 30, 1923 In 1923, the suburb of East San Diego was annexed to the city of San Diego. East San Diego had incorporated as a city on Nov. 7, 1912 with a population of 4,000. The municipality had its own police and fire department and a city hall at University and Van Dyke. Rapid population growth and accompanying water and sewer problems forced the community's annexation to San Diego after World War 1. That move figured in the 1925 bribery trial of San Diego City Councilman Harry K. Weitzel. The community is now known as City Heights. Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: East San Diego Formally Annexed; All Pleased COUNCILMEN AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS OFFICIALLY TAKE OVER THRIVING SUBURB Join Hands With No Note of Discord and Face Future Together for a Greater San Diego; Acting Mayor Bruschi Officiates as Legal Head of Proceedings; Annexation Gives City 115,000 Population, Estimate. JUST as the New Year is about to make its appearance, the city of San Diego and the city of East San Diego yesterday joined hands and promised to face the future together with a Greater San Diego as the mutual goal. Thus officially spliced, they will begin the year 1924 as one linking their interests and their best endeavors for the common advancement of this entire section. When members of the San Diego city council and all San Diego department heads drove to East San Diego shortly before noon yesterday to take over the government of what was once San Diegos largest suburb, the welcome sign was out. Not one note of discord was in evidence. The East San Diegans received the San Diego officials just as home folks, and told them to step right in and take a good, firm grip on the steering wheel. No Note of Discord Heard Flags were waved, horns honked and whistles blown. The passing of East San Diego was greeted with expressions of joy and little lament. In reply to the welcome extended, Councilman Virgilio Bruschi, vice president of the city council, acting as mayor because of the illness of Mayor Bacon, announced that the two cities really have always been one big municipality, but now that they have been legally cemented, even greater things can be expected of both. In union there is strength, and Councilman Bruschi lost no time in saying so. In this all gathered at the nuptials of the two cities seemed to agree. And then came another announcement that seemed to meet with unanimous approval. Acting Mayor Bruschi asserted that the big electric sign at the border reading East San Diego will not be taken down, but that the sign will be made to read Greater San Diego. This will be accomplished merely by removing the word East and substituting the word Greater. Bruschis idea called for cheers, and City Manager Rhodes was then instructed by the councilmen to see that the change is made. GREATER SAN DIEGO The uniting of the two cities undoubtedly means a Greater San Diego, said Bruschi, and for that reason the sign should be allowed to stand indefinitely. The annexation of Normal Heights and Kensington Park ought to come later, and will make San Diego even greater. Perhaps La Mesa will come next, and then we can put up another sign out that way bearing the Greater San Diego slogan. Councilman Harry K. Weitzel not only approved of Acting Mayor Bruschis plan, but yesterday suggested to the council that a resolution be adopted notifying Normal Heights, Kensington Park and other across the line communities that San Diego is in a receptive mood, if they want to come in. City clerk Wright then announced that his office has been informed that petitions for annexation elections already are in circulation in Normal Heights and Kensington Park. About the happiest man in the throng at the East San Diego city hall yesterday was City Attorney S.J. Higgins, who for the last six months has been kicking numerous legal obstacles to smithereens in a successful effort to consolidate the two cities. 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. For the past 40 years, I have documented migration stories that speak of the dreams, nightmares, successes and failures for millions of people seeking a new life in the United States. My lifes work has been a long-range documentary project that has made me an eyewitness to one of the greatest migrations in human history, a story that stretches from Central America to our border in San Diego and onward into America. Its been the result of an exhausting amount of research, physical strength, and an unwavering belief that Im still recording history in the making. Some of my late 1970s work was done while I was a photojournalist on the staff of the San Diego Union (now the Union-Tribune.) Between 1984 and my retirement in 2015, I authored hundreds of photo essays while on the staff of the Los Angeles Times. I also assigned myself thousands of hours of independent work as history was also unfolding not far from my North San Diego County home. When the Central American caravan reached Tijuana last month, I felt compelled to continue telling the migration story. But the latest surge of a thousand people running towards the San Ysidro Port of Entry from Tijuana on November 25, 2018 was unlike anything Id witnessed in the past. It also felt like a breaking news story that had already happened. Advertisement The value of carefully researched and crafted photographs about the border help translate the mind-numbing statistics into something real. Ive dedicated the soul of my career to witnessing those for whom the ills and joys of migration for survival make up their very existence. From the late 1970s through the 1990s the San Diego Sector of our southern frontier was like theater. As a photojournalist I was attracted to the visual dynamic and a journalistic obligation to record the drama. Please dont mistake these photographs as my agenda for open borders, closed borders or anything in between. The primary author of each picture is not me; its the people and places in that image. Of course I decided what to leave in and what to leave out but the fact that youre reading this story and looking at the pictures makes you an author too. I hope youll examine them from edge to edge, foreground to background. Photographs preserve what you may have missed. The value of carefully researched and crafted photographs about the border help translate the mind-numbing statistics into something real. I can only hope my storytelling has done justice to this important subject. Top Photo On October 9, 1979, I photographed people looking through a flimsy chain link fence flanking a marble obelisk that to this day marks the western end of the U.S./Mexico border. It sits solidly on the bluff above the beach where Tijuana locals and hopeful migrants could get a view of San Diego in the distance. Middle photo On November 18, 2018, a young man from the Central American migrant caravan scaled the steel pickets and perched on top for a couple of minutes. A squad of U.S. Marines thwarted any possibility of him successfully dropping into the U.S. Bottom photo On March 28, 2006, Wilfredo Ramirez posed for me down on the nearby beach with a tiny American flag that came in a packet with his newly minted naturalization certificate he received at a citizenship ceremony at the San Diego Convention Center earlier that morning. Years before, he had entered the U.S. through that flimsy fence on the bluff. But under President Ronald Reagans amnesty declaration Ramirez was able to legally work in San Diego, take English classes and study to become a citizen. Over the coming years the 6-foot tall fence morphed into a towering barrier topped with coils of concertina wire. Surprisingly some of my old photographs are a prequel of todays news. Top photo Nearly three decades ago, from a hill above the Tijuana River Valley, I focused a 1200 mm telephoto lens at hundreds of Mexican and Central American migrants waiting on the concrete levees for an opportunity to outfox the Border Patrol. In a version of Wild West crowd control, the agents in Ford Broncos zoomed along the fence line and kicked up clouds of dust. That June 25, 1989 multitude wasnt an organized migrant caravan but scores of individuals and small groups who had made their way to the frontier on their own. Middle photo On November 15, 2018, hundreds of Central Americans who had come north together in the caravan surged across that same river valley. Then as many as 1,000 people bounded towards the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Some ran with backpacks, bedrolls, loaves of bread and drinks in hand. Im certain they believed they were finally on the last leg of their long journey to America as they teetered precariously on a plank across the polluted Tijuana River. Bottom photo On the night of February 14, 1992, some 26 years ago, I was in that very river bottom photographing families wading across the same sewage-filled waterway with a similar hope of better times ahead. Top left photo When the caravan throng reached the border fence near the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Nov. 25 of this year, a dozen or so squeezed through a gap they managed to pry open between the 1990s-era steel panel fence and the recently built picket fence. Steps inside U.S. territory, an even higher second steel barrier and a squad of U.S. Border Patrol agents immediately confronted them. They made a hasty retreat back into Tijuana amid puffs of tear gas smoke. Top right photo Like ghosts from the past, I was transported back to June 18, 1992 and similarly determined young men all but flying over that old fence. But unlike those who came after them these guys landed with a grunt and sprinted past me in pursuit of their futures. Middle photo During the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s there were larger versions of todays Tijuana migrant caravan shelters about 60 miles north of the border in communities like Fairbanks Ranch, Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad and Vista. Thousands of newcomers from Central America and Mexico independently created de facto shelters (locals called them squatter camps) camouflaged in the chaparral brush of canyons and hillsides. Bottom left photo And, like todays shelter residents in Tijuana they made do in spite of trying circumstances. Bottom right photo Squatter camp residents stubbornly sheltered in place without sanitation, electricity or running water. Eventually lawmakers and nativists demanded the makeshift homeless shelters be condemned. Some moved on, some returned home. Now the only evidence of these way stations are photographs. The great northbound migrant caravan of 2018 will be remembered in no small way because skilled journalists took the time to pay attention. As long as people are driven to survive, more chapters are bound to be written. Its a never-ending story as old as humanity, unstoppable as the wind, and frequently misunderstood. Don Bartletti was the first American photojournalist to document the saga of children fleeing poverty and violence in Central America. Bartlettis love of photography began in 1968 with a summer class at Palomar College. In 1971, after a tour of duty as an Army Infantry first lieutenant he came home from the Vietnam War and began his photojournalism career at the Vista Press. He then moved to the Oceanside Blade-Tribune and from 1977-83, the San Diego Union. He joined the San Diego County Edition of the Los Angeles Times and in November 2015 he retired from The Times after 32 years. His work has been displayed in museums across the U.S. and Mexico and he is a guest lecturer at universities, high schools and civic organizations. He was awarded the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography for his 6-part photo essay in the Los Angeles Times, titled Enriques Journey The Boy Left Behind. Children who are not residents of a school district are not supposed to go to school there, but an effort to identify cases in which that law is enforced has so far turned up few examples. The San Diego Union-Tribune sought records from school districts enforcing the rule, after a story about children from Mexico crossing the border daily to attend schools in the U.S. Some told the U-T the children are U.S. citizens whose families moved to Mexico because of the less expensive cost of living or for other reasons. They use addresses of relatives, or other means of enrolling in U.S. schools, which they believe provide better opportunities for their children. The more students who attend school, the more money a school district gets, and federal law prevents schools from inquiring about students immigration status. Advertisement Districts send letters to families whose students may not be eligible to attend, and the U-T sought records of that correspondence. The National School District produced one letter in which officials notified a family of a suspected residency issue. South Bay Union School District officials said they sent no letters. Some school districts, such as San Diego Unified, Sweetwater Union High, San Ysidro and Chula Vista Elementary, have not yet fulfilled the request, sent Dec. 4. Mountain Empire Unified sent 22 letters to parents and guardians in the past two years warning them that school officials have found reason to believe that their children may not live within district boundaries, citing the state Education Code and other laws. The districts schools enrolled about 1,700 students last school year, and about two-thirds of those students were socioeconomically disadvantaged. Its required in the law that they be residents of our districts, said Bill Dennett, Mountain Empire Unifieds director of pupil services. Thats why its important to us. Its straight from Ed Code. Our district policy follows Ed Code so its just us being diligent. In most cases, Mountain Empire Unified employees found out that students didnt have current addresses or in-district addresses on file when mail sent to that students family was returned. In some cases, Dennett used poor attendance to corroborate such findings. Sometimes, it was the children themselves or their caregivers who revealed to district employees that they dont live in the district. Sometimes, the district confirmed that a student didnt live at the address given by their family when a district employee visited the address on file and found no evidence that the student was living there. One parent or guardian had hoped to keep attending Mountain Empire Unified under a homeless classification after losing her housing in the district, according to one letter dated in January. But Dennett ended up denying them because the family admitted living in Tecate, Mexico. The children of one family were revealed to not be residents of the district when an employee was told they take the bus to their homes in Tecate, according to letters dated in September of last year. Most of the letters didnt mention where the student was living. Dennett said in an interview that most families provided the district with documents proving residency after they received his letters. The few families that actually were breaking the residency rule ended up leaving the school themselves, he said. There are some exceptions to the residency rule. Families living in one California school district can apply for a chance to attend another school district under certain circumstances. Federal law also technically allows children not living in a school districts boundaries to attend a public school there if they pay for the cost of their education. Usually this ends up being the case for a few foreign students. That seems to rarely, if ever, happen with families who are found to be attending school as non-residents. Interviews with school district officials and families have shown that families who break the residency rule often do so because they cant afford to live in the school district where they want their children to attend. Dennett did not say in his letters that the families could stay if they paid the cost of their education. Instead, he said they could stay if they moved to Mountain Empire Unified or if they could provide new proof that they do live there. He also offered all families the chance to appeal his decision to ban them from attending the school. Kristen Taketa Email: kristen.taketa@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @Kristen_Taketa Retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, sharply criticized President Donald Trump on Sunday, calling him immoral and untruthful and taking aim at his foreign policy decisions. In an interview on ABC Newss This Week, McChrystal told host Martha Raddatz of Trump, I dont think he tells the truth. The general also responded affirmatively when asked whether he believes Trump is immoral. McChrystal said that contrary to Trumps claim, the Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS, has not yet been defeated. I dont believe ISIS is defeated. I think ISIS is as much an idea as it is a number of ISIS fighters. Theres a lot of intelligence that says there are actually more ISIS fighters around the world now than there were a couple of years ago, he said. Advertisement The president tweeted this month that we have defeated ISIS in Syria and abruptly announced plans to withdraw all U.S. forces from that country, against the counsel of his top advisers. The decision - along with Trumps directive days later to withdraw nearly half of the more than 14,000 troops deployed to Afghanistan - prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. McChrystal, who recently co-wrote a book on leadership, on Sunday praised Mattis as selfless and committed and said his departure should give Americans pause. He also decried Trumps decision on Afghanistan, saying it effectively traded away U.S. leverage against the Taliban and rocked (the Afghan people) in their belief that we are allies that can be counted on. McChrystal has been outspoken in his criticism of Trump earlier, as well. Last month, when the president pushed back against criticism from retired Adm. William McRaven by saying the decorated Navy SEAL and Special Operations commander should have caught Osama bin Laden more quickly, McChrystal rallied to McRavens defense, saying there has to be a confidence in the basic core values of the countrys leaders. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of Trumps closest allies on Capitol Hill, said ahead of a lunch with the president on Sunday that he would try to get him to reconsider his decision to withdraw troops from Syria. Im asking the president to make sure we have troops there to protect us, Graham said on CNNs State of the Union. But after the lunch, Graham told reporters that he had come around to Trumps point of view on the troop withdrawal, which he described as a pause situation. We talked about Syria, Graham said. He told me some things I didnt know that made me feel a lot better about where were headed in Syria. In Sundays interview, McChrystal said he would decline if asked to work in the Trump administration, citing what he described as the presidents lack of honesty. Id say no. Its important for me to work for people who I think are basically honest, who tell the truth as best they know it, the retired general said. McChrystal added that although he couldnt tell others not to support Trump, Americans should ask themselves whether the president embodies the countrys values. If we want to be governed by someone we wouldnt do a business deal with because their background is so shady - if were willing to do that, then thats in conflict with who I think we are, he said. And so I think its necessary at those times to take a stand. It had been months since retired Lt. Cmdr. Michele Fitzpatrick paid attention to news coverage. She was turned off by President Trumps tweetstorms and attacks on critics such as the late Republican Sen. John McCain, a war hero. But as the November midterm elections approached, she fired up her laptop. A member of the U.S. Coast Guard Academys Class of 1980, the first to include women, Fitzpatrick began researching candidates and poring over issues. On Election Day, she voted without hesitation: all Democrat. I just dont think whats happening now is helpful, Fitzpatrick, of Groton, Conn., said in a telephone interview, pointing to the negative discourse in Washington. Its almost like watching kids and bullies on the playground instead of people actually doing something about helping this country to survive and to thrive. Thats hardly a startling view from a Democrat these days. But from a military vet? Advertisement Long seen as a bastion of support for Republicans, the face of the U.S. military and its veterans is changing and perhaps too is their political bent. Veterans, by and large, did vote for GOP candidates Nov. 6, affirming Trumps frequent claim that they stand among his strongest backers. But more women are joining the military, and they are bucking the pattern, according to data from AP VoteCast. The 60-year-old Fitzpatrick recalls suppressing her opinions as a young hardcore Democrat in an overwhelmingly Republican military but finding other ways to promote change, such as supporting other female cadets. Now, women in the military are helping elect new Democratic lawmakers and spur discussion on once little-mentioned topics such as sexual harassment and women in combat roles. As political candidates, female veterans also had a breakout performance in the midterms, sometimes campaigning as a foil to Trump: empathetic and competent on issues such as health care while also trustworthy on military and defense, typically a GOP strength. I see this as a beginning edge of a larger movement, said Jeremy Teigen, professor of political science at Ramapo College and author of Why Veterans Run: Military Service in American Presidential Elections, 1789-2016. Both current and former female service members were more likely to vote in the 2018 midterm elections for Democrats than Republicans, 60% to 36%, according to the data from VoteCast. Men with military backgrounds voted Republican by roughly the same margin, 58% to 39%. A record number of female veterans four were elected to the House, all Democrats. Three won in political swing districts, helping give the party control of the chamber next year. Democratic Rep.-elect Chrissy Houlahan, a former Air Force captain, said she was motivated to run after organizing a bus trip last year to the Womens March in Washington. She felt her election would serve as a repudiation of Trump, but she avoided sharp rhetoric in favor of a message of service to country and getting things done. She recalled Pennsylvania voters telling her they were exhausted by gridlock and partisan attacks and would like our nation and our democracy and our values to stabilize to what we can recognize. All told, 55% of voters who had served in the military backed Republican candidates in the elections, compared to 42% who supported Democrats, according to VoteCast data. AP VoteCast is a nationwide survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters including more than 4,000 current and former service members conducted for the Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Currently, there are more than 20 million veterans of the U.S. armed forces, about 10% of them female, the fastest growing subgroup. In the U.S. military forces, 16.6% of those enlisted are women, up from about 2% in 1973. Women now make up 20% of the Air Force, 19% of the Navy, 15% of the Army and 8.6% of the Marines, according to Defense Department figures. In the Coast Guard, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, women make up 22% of the officers and 13% of those enlisted. The Coast Guard Academy, where Fitzpatrick was among the first women to attend in 1976, enrolled a class this year that is 40% female, a new high. Teigen, who studies military voting, said that in the context of the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, female veterans running for office provided a contrast for voters, someone who was willing to volunteer to take time out of their youth to serve their country and stand up for others, compared to Trump, a New York billionaire with five wartime draft deferments and a fraught history with women. Of the military veterans who ran for the House, 12 were women, the highest number ever. With a partial government shutdown in its ninth day, President Trump appeared increasingly isolated in his demand for $5 billion for a border wall and his insistence that such a barrier would have prevented the deaths of two child migrants in U.S. custody this month. Senior Republican allies of the White House, appearing on news-talk shows Sunday, acknowledged that the presidents full demands on border security would almost certainly go unmet. They also said no quick resolution is in sight, even as the detrimental effects of the shutdown for which Trump earlier declared he was proud to take responsibility -- are becoming more pronounced. Right now were at a standoff, said Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the head of the Appropriations Committee. Advertisement One-quarter of the government is shut down, and about 800,000 federal workers are either working without pay or on furlough. The impact on the general public is expected to widen after the Christmas-New Year holidays. Appearing on CBS Face the Nation, Shelby said he had tried to get Trump to compromise on his demands, but the president wants more than the $1.3 billion Democrats have offered on border security. If we blame each other, this could last a long, long time, Shelby said. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a staunch Trump supporter on most issues, is floating a potential deal that would give the president $5 billion for border security in exchange for guarantees for Dreamers brought illegally to the United States as children and extension of temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from several countries in Central America and Africa whom the administration is seeking to deport. That proposal highlighted the diminishing leverage the White House has with Democrats controlling the House as of Thursday. A year ago, Democrats agreed to a deal that Graham backed that would have given Trump five times as much, $25 billion for border security, in exchange for roughly those same conditions. Trump briefly agreed to that deal, then reneged. Graham, who said he was meeting with Trump on Sunday to try to temper the presidents abrupt announcement that he was pulling U.S. troops out of Syria, vowed that there will never be a deal without wall funding. But the senator, interviewed on CNNs State of the Union, said Republicans were prepared to offer something as an incentive for such expenditures. Graham also opened the door to greater scrutiny of the deaths this month of two Guatemalan children in U.S. custody after being apprehended near the border. The South Carolina Republican, the likely incoming head of the Judiciary Committee, said he would hold hearings on the deaths of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal, and 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Trump tweeted Saturday that the deaths were strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies and added that Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end. Critics swiftly noted that the immigration policies Trump says he objects to had been in place for years with no child deaths until now. They also faulted him for failing to show any compassion or concern over the childrens deaths, or to look to any preventive measures other than a border wall. By contrast, the head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Kevin McAleenan, called the childrens deaths absolutely devastating for us on every level and urged a multifaceted approach to prevent such fatalities in the future. Speaking on ABCs This Week, McAleenan cited the need to invest in Central America, praising a State Department plan to increase aid to several violent and impoverished countries that have produced a spike in attempted migration. But Trump moved last week to torpedo that initiative and instead cut off aid to the countries in question, tweeting that Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador are doing nothing for the United States but taking our money. Once the newly Democratic-majority House convenes this week, members are expected to move quickly to pass a measure to provide funds to reopen government agencies. Whether the Republican-controlled Senate will take up that measure remains unclear. Senior White House aide Kellyanne Conway suggested Sunday that Trump would veto a spending plan that did not include money for the border wall, which he long insisted would be paid for by Mexico. Trump made the wall a central element of his campaign, describing it at the time as a concrete structure the length of the border. More recently, he has alternated between demands for the wall and suggestions that he now wants a steel-slat barrier, similar to the fences that have been constructed by the last three administrations along lengthy parts of the border. His outgoing chief of staff, John F. Kelly, said in an interview Friday with The Times that the administration, if not Trump, himself, early on had moved away from the concept of a wall. To be honest, its not a wall, Kelly said. Trump has blamed Democrats for failing to come on over and make a deal on Border Security, and suggested on Twitter that a Democratic focus on presidential harassment Trumps term for the various legal cases being built against him by federal prosecutors was preventing a resolution of the deadlock. Democrats again Sunday described Trumps demands as a nonstarter. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), a member of the House Budget Committee, said the president and the GOP wanted to waste $5 billion in taxpayer money on an ineffective medieval border wall. Speaking on This Week, Jeffries called the presidents desired barrier a 5th-century solution to a 21st-century problem. laura.king@latimes.com Twitter: @laurakingLAT San Diego police on Saturday arrested a 47-year-old man suspected of threatening a woman with a Taser and then kidnapping and raping her in an attack earlier this month. Officers arrested Phillip Terrell McLeod on Saturday afternoon on Euclid Avenue near Imperial Avenue as he was walking near his home, said San Diego police sex crimes Lt. Jason Weeden. McLeod is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday. Police had appealed to the public for help in identifying the assailant, although Weeden said tips werent used to make the arrest. Police said the 27-year-old victim had been approached around 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 as she was walking near Delta Street and South 39th Street in Shelltown. The driver of a pickup pulled alongside her, got out of his truck and threatened to use a stun gun on her if she did not comply with his demands, Weeden said. Advertisement The man then drove her to a secluded area near Broadway and 39th Street in Mount Hope, where he parked and sexually assaulted her, the lieutenant said. After the attack, the assailant drove her to National Avenue and South 32nd Street in Logan Heights and let her go. Detectives from the San Diego Police Departments sex crimes unit said a man similar to the suspect had carried out a sexual assault earlier that same night in Chula Vista. Chula Vista police are investigating that incident, Weeden said. Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com A 30-year-old man suffered major injuries after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in Hillcrest early Sunday morning, police said. The man was crossing northbound on University and Richmond Avenues in a crosswalk around 2:30 a.m. when a sedan traveling eastbound on University hit the pedestrian, according to San Diego police Officer Robert Heims. The victim was taken to a hospital with a skull fracture and bleeding of the brain. The sedan fled the scene, police said.. Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call San Diego police at (619) 531-2000 or (858) 484-3154 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. Advertisement Twitter: @karenkucher (619) 293-1350 karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com In 2018, Egypts two biggest festivals the 40th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), and the second El Gouna Film Festival paid more attention to financially and technically supporting film projects by aspiring filmmakers through new fund programmes. With sponsor contributions, CIFFs Cairo Film Connection and the CineGouna Platform spent over $200,000 on supporting 29 films in development and post-production by filmmakers from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Algeria, Libya, Syria, Palestine, Sudan and Egypt. Two films from Lebanon Embodied Chorus by Mohamed Sabbah (in development) and 1982 by Oualid Mouaness (in post-production) won the CineGouna Platform Certificate and a cash award of $15,000 each. Smaller awards went to filmmakers from Tunisia, Lebanon, Palestine and Sudan as well as two Egyptians: Ayten Amin for Soad (in development), Mina Nabil for I Am a Script Girl (in post-production). Ten awards of the Cairo Film Connection went to films from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya and Syria as well as three from Egypt: Spray by Sherif Al-Bendari, The Fountain of Bakhchisarai by Mohamed Taher, and My Mohamed Is Different by Inas Marzouk. Suggesting greater awareness of the necessity of supporting film in Egypt, sponsors and partners who contributed to these awards include Badya Palm Hills, New Century Production, Dollar Film, Aroma Studios, the Cell Post Production, NI Capital, Tayarah, Beelink Productions, IProductions, Synergy Films and Dakhli West Al-Balad. And, reflecting greater desire to play a regional role, the awards focus was not Egyptian. All of which reflects the more contemporary idea of the film festival not just as a screening platform but also an industry prop and opportunity generator. This is especially important to Arab filmmakers who suffer from lack of funding and inadequate technical support. Though a very young festival, El Gouna started the trend, and was able to increase money and sponsors in its second round. CIFF had launched its initiative in 2010 but it hadnt been implemented since. Its return this year promises something substantial and stable, however. And well it should in the light of the number of regional film festivals dropping and the concept of industry support all but disappearing. The Doha Film Institute is still working as a film fund after the closing of the Doha Tribeca Film Festival (2009-2012), it is true but the Abu Dhabi Film Festivals funding programme Sanad was discontinued after the festival folded in 2015. In May 2018 it was confirmed that the Dubai International Film Festival would henceforth be held once every two years a shocking decision that left Arab filmmakers wondering about the future of its funding programme, Injaz still unclear. The two other major festivals in the region, the International Festival of Carthage and the International Film Festival of Marrakech, have no plans for funding programmes in the foreseeable future. There is cause for optimism regarding Arab film festivals abroad such as the newly established Development Funding programme at the Malmo Arab Film Festival and the Arab Cinema Centres newly established film fund programme. Aside from film festivals, sizeable regional film funds also remain available as part of broader grant strategies through the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture (AFAC) and the Cultural Resource. But otherwise there are only local state programmes in the Maghreb, temporary and limited cultural institution or embassy support mostly for projects in pre-production, and small, technical or educational support in Lebanon and Jordan. The dearth of opportunities available to Arab filmmakers proves the steps taken by CIFF and El Gouna an urgently needed life raft, but the trick is to find the right strategy to make them sustainable. This should involve reviewing regional funds that failed and local festivals that started ambitious funds only to end up abandoning their targets. In its second round the Luxor Festival for African Films, for example, announced the ETISAL Fund, worth $100,000, for the production, promotion and distribution of 10 short films by African filmmakers in 2014, adding another programme, Step, to support five projects in post-production by African filmmakers as of 2015. Due to financial challenges, however, in 2018 the festival was only able to support one film, Sudanese filmmaker Amjad Abu Alalas You Will Die at Twenty. Likewise the Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts, which launched the Ismailia Co-Production Platform in 2014 as the first co-production forum in the MENA region dedicated exclusively to documentaries with four film projects from Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, and Tunisia receiving nearly $20,000 in addition to technical support. But, once again due to financial pressure, as of 2015 the funding programme was discontinued. This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Four people escaped unharmed when a fire badly damaged their home in Vista early Saturday morning, a fire official said. The fire broke out around 6 a.m. at a house on Lado de Loma Drive near Phillips Street, according to Vista Deputy Fire Chief Ned Vander Pol. The neighborhood is near the Civic Center Drive exit off state Route 78. Firefighters from Vista, San Marcos and Oceanside found smoke and flames coming out several openings in the home, including a skylight and windows on two sides of the house, Vander Pol said. The four residents -- two adults and two children -- had already evacuated. Advertisement It took crews about 30 minutes to knock down the flames, according to Vander Pol. The cause of the fire was under investigation and a damage estimate wasnt immediately determined, but the deputy fire chief said there was significant smoke and fire damage throughout the home. Vander Pol said the home didnt have working smoke detectors, but the residents told firefighters they had often practiced an escape plan -- which turned out to be useful when the fire broke out. The Red Cross assisted the displaced residents with temporary shelter. pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @pdrepard President Donald Trump was firing Twitter barbs at Democrats this weekend as talks to end a weeklong partial government shutdown remained at a stalemate. Trump was cooped up in the White House after canceling a vacation to his private Florida club. As the disruption in federal services and public employees pay appeared set to continue into the new year, there were no signs of any substantive negotiation between the blame-trading parties. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Sunday that Trump is not reaching out to Democrats, rather hes waiting for Democrats to reach out to him. It is with them, she told Fox News Sunday. Trump is holding out for billions in federal funds for a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, which Democrats have said they were intent on blocking. Trump tweeted Saturday that he was in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal on Border Security. But there has been little direct contact between the sides during the stalemate, and Trump did not ask Republicans, who hold a monopoly on power in Washington for another five days, to keep Congress in session. As he called for Democrats to negotiate on the wall, Trump brushed off criticism that his administration bore any responsibility for the recent deaths of two migrant children in Border Patrol custody. Trump claimed the deaths were strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. His comments on Twitter came as his Homeland Security secretary met with medical professionals and ordered policy changes meant to better protect children detained at the border. Trump earlier had upped the brinkmanship by threatening anew to close the border with Mexico to press Congress to cave to his demand for money to pay for a wall. Democrats are vowing to pass legislation restoring the government as soon as they take control of the House on Thursday, but that wont accomplish anything unless Trump and the Republican-controlled Senate go along with it. Talks have been at a stalemate for more than a week, after Democrats said the White House offered to accept $2.5 billion for border security last Saturday. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told Vice President Mike Pence that it wasnt acceptable, nor was it guaranteed that Trump, under intense pressure from his conservative base to fulfill his signature campaign promise, would settle for that amount. Conway claimed Sunday that the president has already compromised by dropping his request for the wall from $25 billion, and she called on Democrats to return to the negotiating table. But Conway indicated that Trump has moved off his demand for a physical wall along parts of the border, as he promised during his 2016 campaign, calling discussion of a wall is a silly semantic argument. There may be a wall in some places, there may be steel slats, there may be technological enhancements, Conway said. But only saying wall or no wall is being very disingenuous and turning a complete blind eye to what is a crisis at the border. Trump has remained out of the public eye since returning to the White House early Thursday from a 29-hour visit to U.S. troops in Iraq, instead taking to Twitter to attack Democrats. He also moved to defend himself from criticism that he couldnt deliver on the wall while the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. For those that naively ask why didnt the Republicans get approval to build the Wall over the last year, it is because IN THE SENATE WE NEED 10 DEMOCRAT VOTES, and they will gives us NONE for Border Security!, he tweeted. Now we have to do it the hard way, with a Shutdown. Meanwhile, the effects to the public of the impasse grew as the Environmental Protection Agency, which had the money to function a week longer than some agencies, implemented its shutdown plan at midnight Friday night. EPA spokeswoman Molly Block said many of the agencys 14,000 employees were being furloughed, while disaster-response teams and certain other employees deemed essential would stay on the job. That includes workers needed for preventing immediate public health threats at more than 800 Superfund hazardous-waste sites. Also running short on money: the Smithsonian Institution, which said its museums, art galleries and zoo in the capital will close starting midweek if the partial shutdown drags on. But federal flood insurance policies will continue to be issued and renewed, in a reversal prompted by pressure from lawmakers, said Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Trump appeared no closer to securing money for his signature border wall, which he vowed during the campaign that he would make Mexico pay for. Hes failed to do so. Now Democratic leaders are adamant that they will not authorize money for the project, calling it wasteful and ineffective. They show no signs of bending, either. The shutdown is forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and contractors to stay home or work without pay. The White House has not directly engaged in weeks with the House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, who has all but locked up the support she needs to win the speakers gavel after the new Congress convenes on Thursday. Pelosi has vowed to pass legislation to reopen the nine shuttered departments and dozens of agencies now hit by the partial shutdown as soon as she takes the gavel. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill added that Democrats are united against the wall and wont seriously consider any White House offer unless Trump backs it publicly because he has changed his position so many times. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Lisa Mascaro and Juliet Linderman in Washington contributed to this report. 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. A collection of mud brick sarcophagi from the Roman period with the remains of mummies has been unearthed in Damietta During excavation work at Tel Al-Deir in Egypt's Damietta, an Egyptian mission has uncovered a collection of cylindrical mud-brick sarcophagi painted in red. The sarcophagi are dated to the Roman period, and the lids of some of them are decorated with the facial features of the deceased and others are engraved with deep lines and geometrical symbols. discovery Mostafa Waziri, the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, told Ahram Online that the sarcophagi hold the remains of cartonnage made of white limestone to reflect the facial features and body of the deceased after wrapping the corpses with linen. The mission has also uncovered remains of clay pots and 700 amulets of different shapes and sizes, including amulets in the shapes of the deities Isis, Horus and Tawusert. Five gold rings were also found, including three decorated with grapes and dolphins. discovery Nadia Khedre, director of the central department of antiquities in lower Egypt, said that the mission had previously uncovered in the area remains of a 26th dynasty cemetery from the reign of kings Psamtik II and Nefer Ib Re, where a large collection of stone sarcophagi was found along with amulets, scarabs and ushabti figurines with the name of King Psamtik II, which have been transferred to the new Grand Egyptian Museum. discovery discovery Search Keywords: Short link: Press Release December 30, 2018 Emulate Rizal's courage; speak out vs injustices, hopelessness - De Lima to Filipinos As the nation commemorates the life of national hero Dr. Gat Jose Rizal today (Dec. 30), Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima urged Filipinos to emulate his courage and values by reawakening their sense of bravery in standing up against intimidation, injustices and hopelessness. De Lima, a known human rights defender here and abroad, said her countrymen should inspire hope and courage in fighting the oppressors instead of promoting the use of brute force, which continues to be the tactic of the present administration. "During this dark chapter in our history, when there is a prevailing culture of impunity and blatant attempts to desensitize us to violence and corruption, we are called upon to speak up, stand up and fight back," she said. "Let us inspire hope and courage to change the course of our history. Let us fulfill our duty to our country and fight for what is just and right to never again repeat the mistakes of the past," she added. Like Rizal, De Lima said Filipinos should not resort to silence amid growing threats to democracy and rampant human rights violation because "silence in the face of evil is itself evil." "There is a saying: 'The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.'" she shared. "It further benefits the oppressor and burdens the oppressed. It helps tyrants and greedy officials to continue deceiving our people, steal from our national coffers, and run the country based on their whims." "Sa kabila ng tagumpay na nakamit sa edukasyon at propesyon, maaari sanang nanatili na lamang si Rizal sa ibang bansa o namuhay nang tahimik at matiwasay. Subalit pinili niyang isiwalat ang kabulukan sa umiiral na sistema, at tumindig laban sa mga mapang-abuso sa kapangyarihan," she added. De Lima noted that Rizal, who was executed at Bagumbayan (present day Luneta or Rizal Park) on December 30, 1986, stood up and defended the Philippines and his countrymen against the then abusive Spanish government in the Philippines, which resembles the present administration. The lady Senator from Bicol said she hopes that the commemoration of the life and heroism of Rizal can remind Filipinos of the sacrifices of Rizal and their forefathers who fought for people's rights and freedom to encourage them to follow their lead. "Let us remember that anyone can be a hero; all it takes is to shed one's apathy," she said. "The times call for more patriots--true patriots who are ready to protect the country from the evil that has overtaken our government and nation." The New Zealand dollar held above 67 US cents as investors grew optimistic the US and China will find common ground in addressing their trade dispute, allaying a major threat to global growth. The kiwi traded at 67.01 US cents at 8am in Wellington from 67.12 cents on Friday in New York and 67.06 cents in Asia last week. The trade-weighted index was at 73.26 from 73.37 last week. Traders are heading into the final day of the year on an upbeat note after US President Donald Trump said he had a "long and very good call" with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping ahead of next week's trade talks. That was confirmed by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who said the nations' ties are at a "historic new starting point." Tensions between the world's two biggest economies have stoked investors' fears that an all-out trade war would crimp global growth. "With both sides in the US and China talking up progress in the trade talks, that has to be positive news," said Stuart Ive, a foreign exchange dealer at OMF. "The kiwi may move higher against the US dollar given it's some positive news, and there's been a scarcity of positive news." Ive said the kiwi may come under pressure against the Australian dollar, which has been sold off aggressively over the heightened trade tensions because of its exposure to China's economy. The kiwi traded at 94.93 Australian cents from 95.07 cents last week, and declined to 4.6073 Chinese yuan from 4.6148 yuan. The trade news came out on the weekend after trading on Wall Street closed, meaning stock markets won't have reacted to the China-US trade talks optimism yet. Stocks on Wall Street were very turbulent last week during the holiday-shortened period, robbing Trump of the 'Santa Rally' seen consistently since the 1940s over the Christmas-New Year period. The kiwi traded at 58.53 euro cents from 58.65 cents on Friday and decreased to 52.76 British pence from 52.91 pence. It traded at 73.96 yen from 74.01 yen last week. (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. 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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 New Iraq minister quits over videos linking her brother to IS Baghdad, Dec 30 (AFP) Dec 30, 2018 Iraq's newly appointed education minister has said she tendered her resignation over online accusations her brother was a member of the jihadist Islamic State group. Shaima al-Hayali announced her decision in a tweet on Saturday, two weeks after parliament approved her nomination, saying she had handed her resignation to Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. "I announce that I have submitted my resignation to the prime minister... and it is up to him to decide whether he will accept it once he has ascertained any link between me and terrorists," she said in the tweet. Her decision comes days after MPs and local officials from Mosul made accusations online that her brother, Layth al-Hayali, was an IS member. The accusations were accompanied by two videos dating back to 2016 showing Layth in IS propaganda videos, at a time when he worked for a local administration in IS-held Nineveh province, where Mosul is located. In these videos, the man, whose whereabouts are currently unknown ,can be heard denouncing US-led air strikes against the jihadist group. "He was forced, under the threat of arms, to work in an administration controlled by IS," Shaima al-Hayali said. But she added that her brother "never touched a weapon and never helped kill a fellow Iraqi citizen". According to media reports and two activists, one of Layth al-Hayali's sons was killed while carrying out a suicide attack and another while fighting against Iraqi forces. There was no immediate reaction from the prime minister's office concerning Hayali's resignation. Children of Russian IS fighters return home from Iraq: Russian official Baghdad, Dec 30 (AFP) Dec 30, 2018 Thirty Russian children whose mothers are in Iraqi prison for belonging to the Islamic State group left Baghdad on Sunday to return home, a Russian diplomatic source said. The fathers of the children, young boys and girls between the ages of three and 10, are believed to have been killed in combat during Iraq's three-year war against the jihadists, the source said. Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov said earlier this week that he expected the children to arrive in Moscow on Sunday. He said 24 of them were from Dagestan, and another three were from Chechnya. Several thousand Russians travelled to join the jihadists in their once sprawling "caliphate" straddling Syria and Iraq, according to estimates from the Russian security services. Some took their families with them. Since last year, around 100 women and children -- mostly from Russia's Muslim-majority Caucasus -- have returned under a programme championed by Kadyrov. But in mid-November, Chechen activist Kheda Saratova accused Russia's FSB security service of blocking attempts to bring back the remaining widows and children of Russian IS fighters. "According to our organisation, there are over 2,000 of them left in Syria and Iraq," Saratova, who is on Kadyrov's human rights council, said at the time. Meanwhile on Sunday Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi held talks in Baghdad with Anna Kuznetsova, the Russian president's envoy for the rights of children. During the meeting, Abdel Mahdi said a "distinction should be made between humanitarian issues and terrorist crimes", according to a statement from his office. "These children are also victims," he added. More than 300 people, including around 100 foreigners, have been sentenced to death and many others to life imprisonment in Iraq for joining IS, the Sunni extremist group which at its peak controlled nearly a third of the country. Baghdad declared victory against IS in December last year, but the jihadists maintain sleeper cells and have carried out periodic hit-and-run attacks. English30/12/2018 MAP-RELATED UNNECESSARY ULTIMATUMS FROM FBIH ISTOCNO SARAJEVO, December 30 /SRNA/ - BiH Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik stated today in Istocno Sarajevo that linking the election of the Council of Ministers chair with the NATO Membership Action Plan /MAP/ is totally unnecessary ultimatum set by political parties from the Federation of BiH /FBiH/. Commenting on the question asked by SRNA how he sees the fact that FBiH-based political parties link the formation of the Council of Ministers with the MAP activation, Dodik has said that there is no conditioning there. "We are very clear. They know we do not want it. It is now an attempt to gain international publicity against us, as we are, seemingly, the problem for forming the Council of Ministers," Dodik has stated at a major annual press conference. The BiH Presidency chairman pointed out that Republika Srpska representatives at the state level are not entering a coalition with anyone, but taking seats belonging to the Serb people. "At the mutual level, BiH gains power by composing it of electoral winners and representatives at different levels in the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska. There is not a single seat in BiH at a state level that is elected at the level of entire BiH through direct elections," Dodik has reminded. He has emphasized that Republika Srpska can form the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH and the Council of Ministers at the moment, but it seems that the parties from the FBiH will not, or cannot agree. "As the chairman of the BiH Presidency, I tried to put it on the agenda, but there was no consent for that. In the mandatory consultations with all political parties, no one had any remark to have a Serb for the chairman of the Council of Ministers, according to an agreement," Dodik has reminded. He has pointed out that during the consultations, he informed representatives of political parties that the coalition gathered around the SNSD has nine deputies in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH who propose Zoran Tegeltija for the candidate for the chairman of the Council of Ministers. No one had any objections. As far as we are concerned, adequate conditions have been created to finish this matter as soon as possible. The only remaining thing was to agree on the possible distribution of the departments and it is very rude to do it without a candidate for the chair. He is the one to coordinate this job," added Dodik. He has noted that there are positions of some political parties representatives that there should be a full agreement before anything is done. Dodik has said that the ambition to build a coalition platform at the level of BiH is too big and rejected it as impossible, given the already expressed demands of the FBiH parties for the MAP as a condition. "These can be their goals, but at the same time these are not our goal, but the military neutrality. If someone sets this type of goal, so the one prevents the election," adds Dodik. The BiH Presidency chairman has pointed out that it is time for the Republika Srpska's flag to be wherever the political representatives of Republika Srpska are in Sarajevo. Dodik has recalled the fact that the High Representative imposed the BiH flag and that it was not the result of a compromise. "Where I stay as a member of the Presidency there should be a feature of Republika Srpska. BiH is nothing outside, because Republika Srpska has entered an integral part of its sovereignty and territory," Dodik has said. Dodik has pointed out that this can be seen clearly in the papers that were in circulation in Geneva and New York before the Dayton Agreement was signed, when Republika Srpska was accepted as a party in agreement. /end/vos Would better access to the Mississippi River be advantageous to Ste. Genevieve? Yes! It would boost tourism and be awesome for locals. Not really. Anyone who really wants to see it can drive to the ferry landing. View Results Hasina heading for landslide after deadly Bangladesh election day Dhaka, Dec 30 (AFP) Dec 30, 2018 Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina appeared headed for a landslide win in a general election Sunday that was marred by clashes between rival supporters that killed 14 people and opposition claims of rigged voting. Early results showed Hasina's Awami League racing into a clear lead, quickly securing 61 seats against one for the opposition -- some by tens of thousands of votes -- according to Channel 24, which is compiling results from around the country. The alliance of parties running against Hasina branded the election "farcical" and urged the country's election commission to void the results. "We are demanding that a fresh election is held under a neutral government as early as possible," Kamal Hossain, who heads the coalition, told reporters. Deadly violence and bitter rivalry that marred the election campaign spilled over into voting day, even as authorities imposed tight security with 600,000 troops, police and other security forces deployed across the country. Ten people were killed in clashes between Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) supporters, police said, while three men were shot by police who said they were protecting polling booths. An auxiliary police member was also killed by armed opposition activists, according to officials. Hasina, 71, has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor South Asian nation during her decade in power and for welcoming Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar. But critics accuse her of authoritarianism and crippling the opposition -- including arch-rival and BNP leader Khaleda Zia who is serving 17 years in prison on graft charges -- to cling on to power. The BNP-led opposition alliance Sunday accused Hasina's party of using stuffed ballot boxes and other illegal means to fix the result, which was to be officially announced Monday. BNP spokesman Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal told reporters there were "irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats contested. "Voters are not allowed to enter booths. Especially women voters are being forced to vote for the boat," Alal said, referring to the Awami League symbol. - 'We'll cast your vote' - Bangladesh election commission spokesman S.M. Asaduzzaman told AFP the body had "received a few allegations of irregularities" and was investigating. Authorities shut down high speed internet services during polling "to prevent the spread of rumours" that could trigger unrest. One independent television news channel complained that its broadcasts were blocked. Voting in the capital Dhaka was largely peaceful as convoys of soldiers and paramilitary forces were on the streets where most traffic was banned. "I have never missed voting in my life. This is probably the last election for me and I want a suitable candidate for my country," 98-year-old Abdus Salam said at a Dhaka polling station. However voters in provincial areas reported intimidation. Atiar Rahman said he was beaten by ruling party activists in the central district of Narayanganj. "They told me not to bother, 'We'll cast your vote on your behalf'," he told AFP. The opposition said the unrest was stirred up to deter voters, and presiding officers reported a low turnout across the country. Sunday's deaths brought to 18 the official police toll for election violence since the ballot was announced on November 8. Police said they acted "in self-defence" in the southern town of Bashkhali, when they fired on opposition supporters who stormed a polling booth, killing one. In a separate incident a man was shot by police after he tried to steal a ballot box. - Free and fair? - Hasina needs 151 seats to control parliament but experts say a victory would be sullied by accusations that she hamstrung opponents. The opposition says more than 15,000 of its activists were detained during the campaign, crushing its ability to mobilise support. Human Rights Watch and other international groups said the crackdown created a climate of fear which could prevent opposition supporters from casting ballots. The United States raised concerns about the credibility of the election while the United Nations called for greater efforts to make the vote fair. Seventeen opposition candidates were arrested over what they claim are trumped-up charges while another 17 were disqualified from running by courts, which Hasina's opponents say are government controlled. The Bangladeshi leadership has alternated between Hasina and Zia, allies-turned-foes, over the last three decades. Hasina rejects accusations of authoritarianism but analysts say she feared young voters would support the BNP. Her government was criticised this year for its heavy handling of weeks of major student protests that brought Dhaka to a standstill. Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was gifted victory in the 2014 election when the BNP boycotted the vote claiming it was not free and fair. Rights groups have since accused her administration of stifling freedom of speech by toughening a draconian anti-press law and the enforced disappearance of dissenters. Meals on Wheels volunteers who dressed up as Santas for their Meals on Wheels deliveries to their clients, in conjunction with the assistance from the folks at Marriott, with Joan Fowell, long-time Coordinator of the Dorval MOW kitchen. Presidential elections that will shape the future of one of Africa\s biggest and most unstable countries were underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday after a two-year delay. Queues formed at polling stations, where observers reported early hitches, including with electronic voting machines whose introduction has stoked tension. The vote gives the DRC the chance of its first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. But the threat of violence is great, given organisational problems and suspicion of President Joseph Kabila, who refused to quit in 2016 after his two-term limit expired. The election\s credibility has been strained by repeated delays, risk of problems on polling day and accusations that the voting machines will yield a rigged result. On election eve, talks aimed at averting violence after the vote broke down. Opposition frontrunners Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi refused to sign a proposed code of conduct with Kabila\s preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary. They accused officials with the Independent National Election Commission (CENI) of thwarting changes to the text. The UN, US and Europe have appealed for the elections to be free, fair and peaceful a call echoed by the presidents of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and the neighbouring Republic of Congo. Opposition chance? Kabila voted in the capital along with his family, shortly before Shadary and Fayulu. "It\s a great day for me, it\s a great day for Congo," Fayulu said. "It\s the end of dictatorship." "I feel liberated, freed," said Victor Balibwa, a 53-year-old civil servant and one of the first voters to cast his ballot in Lubumbashi, the country\s mining capital in the southeast. "I\m excited to vote, to be able to choose at last. It\s my first election," an 18-year-old student named Rachel told AFP in the eastern city of Goma, an opposition stronghold. An on-the-ground team of 41,000 election monitors set up by the powerful Catholic church said that 830 polling stations failed to open on schedule, in some cases because of "malfunctions" by voting machines. In Lubumbashi, an observer for one of the candidates said, "there are five or six polling stations where the machines aren\t working. You have to wait for a technician." In Kinshasa, an elderly lady said she had trouble with the touch-screen voting. "It\s very complicated. I pressed the button without really knowing who I voted for I didn\t see my candidate\s number or face," she complained. Twenty-one candidates are running in the presidential election, taking place alongside legislative and municipal ballots. The frontrunners include Kabila\s champion Shadary, a hardline former interior minister facing EU sanctions for a crackdown on protesters. His biggest rivals are Fayulu, until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive, and Tshisekedi, head of a veteran opposition party, the UDPS. If the elections are "free and fair," an opposition candidate will almost certainly win, according to Jason Stearns of the Congo Research Group, based at the Center on International Cooperation at New York University. Opinion polls indicate Fayulu is clear favourite, garnering around 44 percent of voting intentions, followed by 24 percent for Tshisekedi and 18 percent for Shadary, he said. However, "the potential for violence is extremely high," Stearns warned. Between 43 and 63 percent of respondents said they would not accept the results if Shadary is declared winner, he said. And between 43 percent and 53 percent said they did not trust DRC\s courts to settle any election dispute fairly. Frail giant The DRC straddles 2.3 million square kilometres (920,000 square miles), making it about the size of continental western Europe. It is rich in gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other minerals, but little wealth trickles down to the poor. In the last 22 years, the country has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from around central and southern Africa. That legacy endures in the jungles of eastern DRC, where militias have carried out hundreds of killings. Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest of the country, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March. Around 1.25 million people in a national electoral roll of around 40 million voters are affected. In the city of Beni, activists set up several symbolic polling stations, using paper ballots, to protest the restriction. Kabila said the vote in the troubled regions would take place "as soon as the situation allows it". There has been no explanation as to how the delayed vote will dovetail with an official outcome announced weeks before. SOURCE: AFP Leading international construction consultancy Linesight said it has completed data centre projects worth over $250 million in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain amid growing demand for such facilities in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. The company said it has seen a 30 to 40 per cent increase in the number of data centre (DC) developments around the world in the last 3 years. To date, Linesight has provided its expertise in the development of over 180 projects worldwide including providing cost management services on the first modular DC project in the GCC region, it added. The top construction consultancy pointed out that the global data centre market was expected to see an 11 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) increase between 2016 and 2020, with data storage requirements expected to grow 40 per cent year-on-year. "Since opening our Middle East regional office in Dubai in 2008, weve become the go-to experts for the implementation of data centres in the Middle East," remarked Ciaran McCormack, regional director for the Middle East, Linesight. "Our expertise in cost estimation, tender management and appointment as well as strategy implementation has resulted in several high-profile project wins," he stated. Linesight is currently working in 150 countries on project developments worth over $10 billion. McCormack said: "The increase in demand for data centres, particularly towards hyperscaled centres that can simultaneously process data on thousands of servers, is directly linked to a 28 per cent annual increase in data traffic." "You only have to look at the main players in the market, who invested $26 billion in hyperscale data centres in 2015, to realise the full extent of the opportunities for the construction industry," noted McCormack. "In the Middle East, we are already seeing an increase in demand from several companies looking to get ahead of the curve by developing larger data centres that are capable of coping with the increasing demand," he said. We understand the challenges faced when delivering this critical infrastructure and are able to deliver a seamless process while also delivering cost savings and efficiencies to the client, he added. Linesight provides professional consultancy services, management support and strategic advice to the global construction industry. From initial concept to project completion, the company has been helping clients to build their businesses since 1974. It has a global reach, with staff located in 20 offices around the world including Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the US.-TradeArabia News Service The United Arab Emirates and Unesco Emirates have signed an agreement that renewed the Regional Centre for Educational Plannings special relationship with Unesco, a media report said. Based in Sharjah, this Centre under the auspices of Unesco has trained over educational planners and managers over the years and has also facilitated access to information and materials on educational planning and management, as developed by Unesco and regional centres of expertise, reported Emirates news agency Wam. The agreement was signed by Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, and Unesco assistant director-general for Education Stefania Giannini, in the presence of Abdullah Ali Musabah Al Nuaimi, UAE permanent delegate to Unesco, and Mahra Hilal Al-Matuei, director of the Regional Center for Educational Planning in December at the Unesco's HQ in Paris. Al Hammadi affirmed that the agreement is yet a new international testament to UAE's ambitious vision toward promoting education and following best practices in this field. "The agreement entrusts the UAE with a new commitment and responsibility toward getting the Centre to make more efforts aimed at supporting Unesco's methodology and launching further channels of collaboration with the organisation's member states," he added. The minister underlined the UAE's full support to all initiatives that place a priority on education. Dana Gas, the Middle Easts largest regional private sector natural gas company, has received an additional payment of $44.3 million from its operations in Egypt. This payment, done on Dec 29, is made up of an additional $35 million industry payment from the government and $9.3 million from the sale of 157,350 barrels of El Wastani condensate, with both payments in US dollars. The company has now received two payments worth an equivalent of $55 million in December from the Egyptian government towards overdue receivables. The shipment of El Wastani condensate is the fifth shipment of condensate sales in 2018, resulting in total collections of $54 million from condensate shipments from Egypt in 2018, Dana Gas said. Total receipts from Egypt has reached $199 million year-to-date compared to $164 million in 2017, an increase of 21% year-on-year. The level of the companys receivables in Egypt is now at its lowest since 2011, though the company is hoping for further improvement in payments so as to reduce the level to zero as agreed. Dr Patrick Allman-Ward, CEO, Dana Gas, said: Receiving $55 million in December from the Egyptian government is positive for Dana Gas as it enables us to complete our final preparations to drill our first offshore deepwater exploration well in the Block 6 North El Arish Concession Area early in 2019. This is the first of several high potential prospects in the block. We are encouraged by the governments willingness to make payments against their outstanding receivables before the year-end and we hope this will carry through into 2019 to clear the outstanding balance entirely as per the agreement. The company recently announced that as a result of the ramp-up of production from debottlenecking project in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the completion of the Balsam-8 well in Egypt, its group production reached 70,000 barrels of oil per day (boepd). This represents a 12.4% increase compared to the companys non-month 2018 average of 62,250 boepd, it said. TradeArabia News Service The Heritage Village at the Janadria, the largest cultural festival in Saudi Arabia, has attracted tens of thousands of visitors since its opening on December 20. The heritage village at the festival as well as the shows of the folk groups from various regions of Saudi Arabia and other GCC states are extremely popular and have become a milestone in the most beautiful elements of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia. Organised by the Ministry of National Guard under the slogan Faithfulness and Loyalty. the 33rd edition of Janadria runs for 21 days, till January 9, 2019. The cultural festival aims to intensify attention to the Saudi heritage and help the country gain regional and international visibility. The heritage village at Janadria is attracting thousands of families from different age groups due to its cultural heritage activities, in addition to the artisans who are spread throughout the festival area, especially in the folk market. The visitors learn through workshops and heritage activities the beautiful past of their ancestors and fathers, and at the same time explore the renaissance and development of the kingdom under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Highness the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz. The folk groups programme is one of the most important pillars of the festival and there are more than 700 people that reflect the folk heritage, customs and traditions of all regions of Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries of UAE, Bahrain and Oman. The Saudi teams offer more than 70 distinctive types of heritage activities that reflect the original culture of the different regions of the kingdom. - TradeArabia News Service Oman's Mysk Al Mouj, the flagship hotel of MYSK by Shaza, recently hosted the second local edition of the MYSK SOUL Academy, with attendees from various Shaza and Mysk hotels to enhance their professional capabilities in selling and customer service. With participants from across Oman and Saudi Arabia, the academy delivered a handcrafted programme over five days where staff undertook an intensive workshop, molding their skills and luxury selling experiences. Shafik Alaaeddine, general manager of Mysk Al Mouj, said: This is the second time that we have hosted the SOUL Academy since our inception in 2017, and a demonstration of our enthusiasm for producing extraordinary guest experiences within a stylish delivery of the ever-evolving Arabian lifestyle. The academys programme was created based on the Shaza brands core values, delivered in association with world-class luxury sales trainers, including Signature Inc from the United States, which truly says a lot about the quality of the investments we make in staff. Their commitment to advance themselves and deliver vibrant experiences that will not only be remembered, but inspire return visits is absolutely central to our success. Mysk Al Moujs receipt of an accolade at the prestigious World Travel Awards recently acknowledged the excellence achieved by its employees, denoting the venue as Omans Leading New Hotel in 2018. Majda Al Balushi, assistant sales manager at Mysk Al Mouj, who participated in the course said, I have seven years of professional experience in the local hospitality industry, primarily within hotels, and yet I have never seen anything like that delivered Mysk Soul Academy. This outstanding training programme offered a lot in the way of boosting our knowledge, introducing many new albeit critical areas in sales and customer service for the first time; such as negotiation, and other soft skills centred on interpersonal communication. The learning I achieved at the academy will undoubtedly add value to me as a professional and enrich my everyday performance. A range of attractive propositions, including bespoke facilities and themed dining events each week complement the hotels staff development initiatives. Bringing exceptional value to its guests Mysk Al Mouj further introduced Mysk DISCOVERY, a loyalty programme that unveils a whole new travel experience for visitors, allowing guests to indulge in upgrades based on the number of nights they spend at Mysk hotels and GHA branded venues, including 500 hotels, resorts, and palaces worldwide. TradeArabia News Service Pulkovo St. Petersburg Airport achieved a new milestone as it welcomed its 18 millionth passenger this month. The previous highest number was 16.1 million which the airport reached in 2017. The result for 2018 has demonstrated the increase of 11.8 per cent year-on-year. Vladimir Yakushev, chief executive officer of Pulkovo International Airport operator Northern Capital Gateway, said: The year of 2018 was full of firsts and achievements for Pulkovo. We opened 19 new routes and welcomed four new foreign airlines. For the first time, the St. Petersburg air harbour welcomed the world's largest passenger aircraft Airbus A380, as well as one of the newest types of narrow-body aircraft Boeing 737 MAX 8. Serving 18 million people in one year is a historical record for St. Petersburg airport. We are grateful to our passengers for their trust choosing Pulkovo as a starting point for their journey and a gateway to Russia. The record passenger of Pulkovo in 2018 was Lyudmila Bembeeva, departing for Volgograd with Pobeda flight DP517. Yakushev congratulated the traveller and presented her with a set of exclusive gifts from the airport and a certificate for visiting the business lounge. In addition, Bembeeva received a set of branded souvenirs from Pobeda. Mimes and Pulkovo Airport mascot Yellow Cat, greeted passengers in the departures hall. The festive atmosphere was complemented by saxophone music and exquisite treats, including handmade truffle candies, Christmas desserts and tangerines. Pulkovo St. Petersburg Airport is the fourth airport in Russia in terms of passenger traffic. The route network of the airport includes 161 domestic and international destinations to which 75 airlines perform scheduled service. The Northern Capital Gateway International Consortium has been the main operator of Pulkovo International Airport since 2010. The company manages the airport under a public-private partnership agreement with the city of St. Petersburg, and implements the airport reconstruction and development project. - TradeArabia News Service The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is evaluating the possibility of national carriers resuming flights to the Syrian capital of Damascus, a report said. The comment follows the reopening of the UAE embassy in Damascus, a report in Arab News said. UAE airlines Etihad and Emirates suspended flights to Damascus in 2012 because of security concerns, it said. Contributed by Sharon Butler / KK Koziks novel ICEHOUSE Project Space, located on the quaint town green in Sharon, Connecticut, is an old 10 x 15-foot wooden shed that was once used to store ice from nearby Mudge Pond. Stephen Maine hung his first site-specific painting there this past November. However rustic, the effort was auspiciously resonant: his painted canvas was wrapped around the interior walls of the shed, completely covering them. Like much of Maines work, the painting conjured the all-over pattern of printed fabrics, but as usual he rendered it using a process that involves a handmade contraption that mimics commercial screen-printing techniques without focusing on perfect registration or exactitude. I stopped by the closing party, where Maine had invited art colleagues, fellow artists, and friends to bring stretcher bars and select sections of the 10 x 45-foot painting that he would cut out, stretch, and let them take home, gratis. I was in the neighborhood having lunch at the nearby White Hart Inn in Salisbury that day, and I didnt have stretcher bars, but Maine let me choose a piece anyway. I got the lower left corner of the south wall, which he signed and numbered on the backjust in case the pieces are ever brought together in another installation. ICEHOUSE director KK Kozik told me she knew from the beginning that the space, a two hour drive outside the city, was unlikely to attract a lot of traffic, and that much of the exposure for projects would be virtual. Viewers would see its site-specific contents via their inboxes rather than in person. To me this gives projects an Andy Goldsworthy-like existence: the projects come together, last for a period of time and then cease to exist except in documentation. Stephens project was a perfect manifestation of this concept. Called Fire and Ice, Maines painting featured a cool, thinly-painted blue background overlaid with bright yellow splotches and organic shapes. Maine wrote in his notes about the show that he calibrated these two hues to the existing light conditions for maximum optical vibration, but they also seemed to reference the aquatic plant life and the watery surface of the pond itself. I brought the painting scrap to my Brooklyn studio, where the canvas sat for several weeks. When I finally stretched it, I recalled the history of Mudge Pond and others like it, where, in the 19th century, before houses had electricity let alone refrigerators and freezers, many New Englanders engaged in a lucrative, if labor-intensive, ice trade. They cut ice from the pond into slabs and shipped them all over the world. Now, as I look at my evocative, newly-stretched 18 x 24-inch painting, the size, shape, and color remind me of a block of ice. So, more profoundly, does Maines post-composition process. Like the icemen in the 1800s, this cleverly expansive artist has sliced up an isolated surface in a small New England town, and generously sent it out into the universe. Stephen Maine: Fire and Ice, produced in cooperation with Brooklyns ODETTA Gallery. ICEHOUSE Project Space, Sharon, Connecticut. October 3 through November 6, 2018. Future projects at ICEHOUSE Project Space: In February Terri Moore will be rendering the inside of an iceberg crevasse, in the spring, look for a drawing installation and an exhibition by Marilla Palmer and Gelah Penn. Related posts: Stephen Maine on Gorkys Grandaughter IMAGES: Stephen Maines BOOK #14-0103 Editor's note: 2018 was an incredible year for UTSA students, faculty, staff and alumni. It was a year of intense momentum as the university moved forward to become a model for student success, a great research university, and an exemplar for strategic growth and innovative excellence. Join us as we look back at the top ten news stories of 2018, and experience our biggest accomplishments once again. These stories set a rapid pace of accomplishments going into 2019 and our 50th Anniversary celebration. Here's number two. (Dec. 30, 2018) -- UTSA today announced it has received a $15 million gift from San Antonio business leader Graham Weston to support the universitys proposed School of Data Science. The school is a major component in UTSAs phased, 10-year approach to accelerating the development of its Downtown Campus as a destination for producing highly skilled professionals in big data and analytics, advancing economic development in the urban core and creating prosperity for San Antonio. At the same time, UTSA is actively engaged in highly collaborative discussions with the City of San Antonio and Bexar County for the transfer of downtown parcels of land, valued at $13 million, to the university. Those parcels would be the sites for the new school, a National Security Collaboration Center, and for the relocation of the UTSA College of Business. >> City approves land transfer for UTSA Downtown Campus initiative. >> Bexar County Commissioners sign off on land deal to support UTSA vision. Earlier this month, The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved a $70 million Permanent University Fund (PUF) allocation for the School of Data Science and National Security Collaboration Center. Combined with the Weston gift and an additional $5 million in university funds, UTSA has now secured the $90 million needed to fully advance those two construction projects. The Board of Regents recent allocation of PUF funds to support physical space needed to propel UTSAs advancement in data science and national security was a proud moment for us on many levels. While it helped to address UTSAs construction needs, it also demonstrated the Regents confidence in the universitys leadership position in addressing critical workforce areas as well as its effectiveness in developing stronger public-private collaborations to make San Antonio and Texas as competitive as possible in the cyberspace arena, said Sara Martinez Tucker, UT System regents chairman. Westons gift to UTSA, his largest personal gift ever, will help propel the universitys interdisciplinary approach to cybersecurity, big data, cloud computing, machine learning, and artificial intelligence the engines that power the Internet. By locating the school in the heart of San Antonios high-tech corridor, UTSA will provide ready access to faculty experts, cutting edge research and well-trained students. Once approved by UT System Regents and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the School of Data Science will closely align its work with the National Security Collaboration Center, the states largest hub for government, university and industry partners in the cybersecurity field. UTSA is building the best data science program in the world. It will train the smartest students in the field and make them the hottest commodities in the workforce. We hope that as UTSA creates them, the biggest employers in the world will come to downtown San Antonio to recruit their IT workforces, said Weston. The School of Data Science will bring thousands of the most innovative students, faculty and researchers together and will accelerate everything else in our downtown tech ecosystem. "What we are witnessing today is the creation of transformative opportunities for San Antonio for generations to come, said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. This convergence of talent, collaboration and innovation will create new jobs and new prosperity while further elevating San Antonio as a powerhouse for cybersecurity, data science and entrepreneurship. The economic benefits to San Antonio can only be fully realized through a government-university-industry partnership of this magnitude. The City of San Antonio properties identified for transfer to UTSA include 2.5 acres at the intersection of South Santa Rosa and Dolorosa Streets and one acre on Dolorosa near South Flores Street. They would be the sites for the National Security Collaboration Center and the School of Data Science. The mechanism for the property transfers will be negotiated following approvals from the citys planning commission and San Antonio City Council. The properties are valued at $7.3 million. UTSA and the city are also actively exploring the joint development and management of the former Continental Hotel on West Commerce Street as housing for faculty and other urban professionals. The project will involve the renovation of the existing hotel and construction of a new building on the hotels former parking lot. These initiatives will have a profound effect on our growing technology sector in addition to UTSAs drive to become a nationally recognized research university, said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg. It will accelerate downtown San Antonios ongoing resurgence and provide a transformative boost that enhances economic opportunity for generations to come. UTSA is concurrently in discussions with Bexar County for the potential transfer of 2.6 acres of property, valued at $5.7 million and conjoining the city parcels on Dolorosa Street, for the construction of a new building to house the UTSA College of Business, which is currently located on the Main Campus. UTSA will seek $126 million in tuition revenue bonds (TRB) from the Texas Legislature next year for that construction. "Bexar County is a leader in the emerging cybersecurity and entrepreneurship sectors and we are excited and pleased to see that UTSA is going to build a National Security Collaboration Center and School of Data Science downtown on city-owned property. As we restore the section of San Pedro Creek on land abutting this project, we look forward to exploring the feasibility of locating UTSAs College of Business on Bexar County property as funding becomes available from tuition revenue bonds or donor gifts, said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. A property transfer from Bexar County would be subject to approval by the Commissioners Court. Site planning and design for the proposed School of Data Science and National Cybersecurity Collaboration Center will begin immediately, with construction expected to start next fall. The project should be completed in time for the Fall 2021 academic year. Construction of the new College of Business will begin in 2020, contingent on financing from the tuition revenue bonds. Those three construction projects -- supported by the PUF funding, Weston gift, city and county land transfers, institutional funds and TRBs total $229 million in value once all funding and property transfers are completed. As another step in the initial phase of UTSAs 10-year vision, the university will issue a request for qualifications (RFQ) this October for the development of its Cattlemans Square property. Located within UTSAs current Downtown Campus footprint, the project would be a public-private partnership developed as a mixed use residential tower. Additional development on, and west of, the current Downtown Campus is included in the second phase of the universitys 10-year plan. With the downtown initiatives underway, UTSA will have tremendous new potential at its Main Campus to further expand other academic and research programs including brain health, infectious diseases, regenerative medicine and medicinal chemistry, engineering, and liberal and fine arts. A new $95 million Science and Engineering Building is now under construction on the Main Campus and is slated to open in 2020. The 153,000 square foot facility will include classrooms, laboratories and collaborative space, and UTSAs recently added chemical engineering program. By advancing its university-wide research capabilities, UTSA intends to earn designation as a National Research University Fund (NRUF) eligible institution with a Carnegie R1 (highest research activity) classification. Those achievements would garner UTSA millions of dollars in additional research funding, further benefiting the university and the San Antonio community. 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 Fan Jinshi (R2), Zhang Yuejiao (R3), Wang Xiaoyun (L3), Liu Yang (L2), and Huang Xiaowei (L1) attend the live-streaming interview on December 18. [Women Voice] The All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) held a live-streaming talk titled "Reform and Opening-up, the Power of Women" with the website People's Daily Online on December 18 in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening-up drive. During the event, five influential guests shared their thoughts and feelings with audiences regarding their studies of President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the national conference marking the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. Addressing the meeting, Xi, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission, described reform and opening-up as "a great reawakening" of the Party. Moreover, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council jointly awarded medals to 100 Chinese reform pioneers at the conference, and honored 10 foreigners with China Reform Friendship medals during the occasion. The speakers at the live-streaming event were Fan Jinshi, Zhang Yuejiao, Wang Xiaoyun, Liu Yang, and Huang Xiaowei, They also spoke on the important roles and contributions made by women to the prominent progress of reform and opening-up. At the beginning of the interview, organizers broadcast a two-minute short video featuring an introduction to the life stories of 11 women who were as awarded the reform pioneers medals. Among them, Fan is honorary president of Dunhuang Academy in northwest China's Gansu Province and has devoted herself to the preservation and research of Mogao Grottos for over five decades. She said the country has witnessed a "glorious transformation" over the past four decades and that the reform and opening-up initiative has provided the protection of cultural relics with great development opportunities. Fan explained her deep love of the Mogao Grottos and said she cannot live without them. She added that many women have devoted their wisdom and strength to the protection, research and promotion of Dunhuang culture. Meanwhile, Zhang was an independent arbitrator at the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes at the World Bank. She is also the first Chinese justice of the World Trade Organization (WTO). She said she listened to Xi's speech with tears in her eyes at the gathering and felt pride of both the country and the Party. Zhang said China's reform and opening-up drive has not yet been completed and said Chinese women are expected to play a larger role in the international stage in the future. Wang is an expert in cryptology from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. She said reform and opening-up has brought a valuable opportunity to her and many other scientists. Wang emphasized that as a homegrown researcher, she will carry forward the traditions to better serve national development. Liu is China's first female astronaut to go into space. She was born in 1978, the same year that China officially introduced its reform and opening-up policy. She said the dream of every person is closely intertwined with the times. Liu explained technological progress and national development enabled her dream to be an astronaut. She explained that she will never forget her original aspirations and hopes to enter into the space again on behalf of the nation and her female compatriots. Huang, vice-president and first member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, said Xi's speech expounded the significance of the reform and opening-up, summed up the achievements made by the country in 10 aspects, stated nine valuable experiences gained in the process, and demonstrated a greater resolve to carry forward the policy. Huang explained that the firm leadership of the CPC is the key and crucial to the success of China's reform and opening-up, and continued that Xi is the practical leader of reform and opening-up in the new era. In the past four decades, the CPC has viewed the work of women's development as an important component of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics; integrated the work on women's affairs into the Party's overall work on the public; and attached great importance to the basic State policy of gender equality. The Party has also conducted the reform of women's federations under the framework the country's campaign to comprehensively deepen reform and that of mass organizations; adhered to the socialist path with Chinese characteristics for women's development; made important achievements; and, created the wonders of China in the history of the international women's movement. The CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core has, since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, paid much attention to the development of women, come up with guiding principles and major tasks, and opened a new chapter for the work of women's development in the new era. When asked about the achievements and contributions made by Chinese women over the past four decades, Huang spoke about the inspiring stories of several more role models such as Yu Liufen, Zheng Yanping and Zhang Huamei at their workplaces. According to Huang, the millions of women across the country have been hugely relevant in economic and political affairs and their education has reached an unprecedented level. In addition, they have demonstrated a positive image featuring patriotism, loyalty to the Party, continuous self-improvement, pioneering and innovation with self-confidence and an open mind. Huang urged officials from women's federations nationwide to strictly study and act on the spirit of Xi's speech; strengthen their political and ideological guidance of women; mobilize and lead females to firmly follow the call of the Party; and, encourage women to connect the pursuit of personal dream with the development of the Party's and nation's causes. Furthermore, officials should find suitable points to better serve women; encourage females to strive for higher achievements in featured activities; promote core socialist values amongst millions of households; and, safeguard the rights and interests of women and children. Women's federations should also advance the implementation of national policy of gender equality; bring more tangible benefits to women and children; carry forward organizational reform; strengthen their political consciousness, become more advanced and better represent the people; and, improve working styles and the competence. According to organizers, over 7.7 million people watched the interview. The event was streamed on the websites and social media accounts including People's Daily Online, Womenvoice.cn and Clady.cn, as well as on the short video app Kuaishou. Huang Xiaowei [Women Voice] Wang Xiaoyun [Women Voice] Liu Yang [Women Voice] Fan Jinshi [Women Voice] Zhang Yuejiao [Women Voice] The five invited guests [Women Voice] (Source: China Women's News / Translated and edited by Women of China) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 01:52:03|Editor: mmm Video Player Close THE HAGUE, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Mayor Pauline Krikke of The Hague has put an end to a protest by about 150 to 200 people wearing Yellow Vests on Saturday in the city. At the order of the mayor, the police called on the protesters to end the demonstration and they obeyed and left. The protest in the center of The Hague was grim, with the demonstrators throwing fireworks and smoke bombs. When they walked towards the town hall, the police intervened. There was a confrontation between police and activists in the shopping area in the city center. The police managed to prevent the demonstrators from entering the shopping area and arrested a total of eight protesters. No one got wounded, according to the police. The demonstrators in Yellow Vests protested, among other things, against the Dutch government. Earlier this month, they also protested in a quiet and minor demonstration in the city, in which three arrests were made. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 02:02:05|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Despite some "growing pains", the relations between China and the European Union (EU) have made important progress in 2018, and the interests of the two sides have been closely intertwined, Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview. In the year of 2018, which marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the relations between the two sides have maintained a steady growth momentum, with scope of cooperation being expanded and interests further integrated, among others, Zhang said. In the past year, the 20th China-EU leaders' meeting was successfully held. Leaders of many European countries, including Britain, France and Germany, together with about 10 commissioners of the European Commission and more than 50 members of the European Parliament have visited China. "Such frequent high-level exchanges have enhanced mutual trust and injected new political impetus into the development of China-EU relations," Zhang noted. In the economic and trade sector, bilateral trade volume has grown rapidly to a new height this year. The two sides also exchanged offers of bilateral investment treaty, agreed to end the negotiation of the Agreement on Geographical Indications in a timely manner, and signed new cooperation agreements on circular economy, blue partnership and customs cooperation. China-EU relations are bearing more significance on the global level, Zhang added. "China and the EU have more common words in supporting multilateralism and improving global governance; They also issued a joint statement on climate change while maintaining close communication on such global and regional hot issues as the Iranian nuclear and Syria." In addition, China and the EU have deepened their cooperation on the Belt and Road initiative, Zhang said. With a growing positive voice within the Union, the EU's recognition and understanding of the initiative are more objective thanks to their deepened political consensus and more fruitful cooperation. During the 20th China-EU leaders' meeting and the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit, China and the EU reached important consensus on synergizing connectivity between the Belt and Road initiative and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia. Many Chinese and European companies have cooperated in third-party markets including Asia and Africa to carry out major projects in infrastructure, energy, environmental protection and finance. The pragmatic results of China and the EU in 2018 are inseparable from the positive attitude of the EU in developing cooperation with China. The EU's objective voice toward China is rising. And with a greater expectation, the EU is more active in making strategic plan for the development of bilateral relations, Zhang noted. "China appreciates the EU's positive stance on developing bilateral relations and is willing to meet the EU halfway, hoping that the Union could match its words to deeds, respect China's core interests and major concerns, and develop bilateral relations in a fair, equitable, open and win-win manner," Zhang said. Meanwhile, the year 2019 is important to both sides as it marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the European Parliament election. "Amid rising protectionism and unilateralism on the global arena, China and the EU have a greater responsibility to promote bilateral relations, enhance mutually beneficial cooperation for the good of the two peoples while continuously adhering to multilateralism, so as to deal with the uncertainty of the global situation with stable bilateral relations," said the ambassador. "The interests of China and the EU have been closely intertwined, but the potential for cooperation needs to be further explored," Zhang said. For now, EU's investment in China accounts for 4 percent of its total external investment stock, while China's investment to the EU only takes up 2 percent of the latter's foreign investment, according to the ambassador. "There is still pretty much room left to expand bilateral cooperation," he said. Talking about the differences between China and the EU on some specific issues, Zhang said that given their different history, culture, national conditions and developing levels, it is normal to have different views. China and the EU have a solid foundation of political mutual trust, long-standing economic complementarities. As long as the two sides uphold the spirit of mutual respect, working together for mutually beneficial results, the "growing pains" will eventually be solved, Zhang said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 03:52:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said on Saturday that the situation in south Lebanon is calm, the National News Agency reported. Tenenti said that the UNIFIL forces are operating in coordination with the Lebanese army to maintain stability. According to Tenenti, the UNIFIL is assessing with the Lebanese army the damages caused by Israel's explosion of the tunnels allegedly dug by Hezbollah in the south, UNIFIL's website reported. The UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces investigated the premises of an old concrete factory in the southern part of Kafr Kila after the UNIFIL observed liquefied cement flowing out from the building, the UNIFIL said in a statement. The statement added that the liquid overflowing on the Lebanese side was injected by the Israel Defense Forces through a shaft drilled on their end of a tunnel, which the UNIFIL previously independently confirmed to be crossing the Blue Line. On Dec. 4, Israel announced that its army had detected tunnels crossing from Lebanon into northern Israel and the country has started an operation to destroy them. UNIFIL's technical assessments have further determined that at least two of these tunnels cross the Blue Line and constitute violations of UN Resolution 1701. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 04:37:28|Editor: mmm Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the Democrats shall be blamed for the latest deaths of the two children over the execution of U.S. immigration policy. "Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally," he tweeted. "They can't. If we had a Wall, they wouldn't even try! The two ... children in question were very sick before they were given over to Border Patrol," he added. "Border Patrol needs the Wall and it will all end." An 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died in government custody in the U.S. state of New Mexico early Tuesday, and a 7-year-old Guatemalan girl died earlier this month after being apprehended by border agents. Trump on Friday has threatened to close the southern border, accusing Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador of "taking advantage" of his country for years. He further complained that the opposition party shall take responsibility for the current partial shutdown of the U.S. government. Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, tweeted Thursday, "Democrats have offered Republicans three options to re-open government that all include funding for strong, sensible, and effective border security", but not the president's wall. The U.S. Senate convened briefly Thursday afternoon before adjourning until next week, with no signs of a deal to end the budget impasse that has shut down a quarter of the federal government. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the opening session of the Paris Peace Forum as part of the commemoration ceremony for Armistice Day, 100 years after the end of the First World War, in Paris, France, November 11, 2018. (REUTERS PHOTO) MOSCOW, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday it regretted the position of French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on some aspects of Russia-Ukraine relations. Macron and Merkel issued a joint statement Friday, saying they were deeply concerned with the "human rights situation in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia, Russia's use of military force in the Kerch Strait, and excessive inspections in the Azov Sea." They called for all ships using the Kerch Strait to be given "safe, free, and unhindered passage" and urged the immediate and unconditional release of the Ukrainian sailors detained by Russia in a recent incident in the Black Sea. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it believes all attempts to doubt the legal status of Crimea and Sevastopol as part of Russia are futile. It reiterated that Russia continues to ensure freedom of navigation in the Kerch Strait in accordance with the existing Russian-Ukrainian agreements, domestic legislation and applicable international standards. At the same time, Moscow will also consider the real risks to Russia's security, threats and possible provocations from Ukraine and its western "friends." Russia shot at and seized three Ukrainian naval ships attempting to sail through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov on Nov. 25, alleging they breached Russian territorial waters. In response, Ukraine imposed martial law in certain regions bordering Russia for 30 days ending on Dec. 26 and banned Russian men between 16 and 60 from entering the country, except for humanitarian purposes. The Russian Foreign Ministry called on Paris and Berlin to pay attention to the human rights violations by the Ukrainian government, primarily those of Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 13:38:29|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Xinhua chronicle of the top 10 world news events in the year of 2018 is as follows: U.S. Trade Tariffs Harm Multilateralism On March 8, the United States announced tariff hikes on steel and aluminum imports from many of its trading partners, followed by steep additional tariffs later in the year against Chinese imports. The protectionist moves sparked a spiral of extensive trade disputes, which undermined global free trade and rules-based multilateralism, provoking sharp criticism and countermeasures by other countries. China Opens Up Further To World On April 10, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced, at the Boao Forum for Asia, measures that would allow China to open up further, and in November he attended the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai. In December, addressing the conference in Beijing marking the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, Xi urged sustained efforts to open up further and push for a community with a shared future for mankind. The repeated message of China's further opening-up injected strong energy into international efforts to build an open global economy. It was consistent with Xi's calls for efforts to build an open regional economy at the Nov. 17-18 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders meeting, and to stay committed to openness, cooperation and trade multilateralism at the Nov. 30-Dec.1 Group of 20 (G20) summit in Argentina. Korean Peninsula Situation Improves, But Challenges Remain On April 27, Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), crossed the military demarcation line in Panmunjom to attend a historic summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Situation on the peninsula has taken a turn for the better this year, as Kim paid three visits to China and had three North-South summits. On June 12, the first ever Pyongyang-Washington summit took place, with Kim meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore and reaching consensus on the peninsula's denuclearization and peace regime. The peninsula saw a detente under international efforts, with confrontation turning into dialogue. Meanwhile, differences over sanctions and how to denuclearize, among other issues, remain challenges to the peace process. Mideast Geopolitical Hotspots Flare Up Again On May 14, the United States moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, provoking fierce protests from the Palestinians and widespread international condemnation, and worsening regional tensions. In October, the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul caused global concern and affected relations between major stakeholders. In late December, Washington said it would withdraw its troops from Syria, where fighting continued despite an easing of tensions. Geopolitical "games" were fueled in the Middle East turbulence, involving major rivals from within and outside the region and increasing the risk of further destabilizing the Gulf. China's Major-Country Diplomacy Creates New Landscape On July 19, Chinese President Xi Jinping left for the Middle East and Africa in his first overseas visit of 2018. "Xiplomacy" featured four foreign tours and four major home-court events as part of China's diplomatic efforts this year. Among the results were China-Russia ties remaining at a high level, the China-Europe bond strengthened, and the situation in China's neighborhood improved. Moreover, South-South cooperation has increased with more than 50 countries and international organizations signing a memorandum of understanding on Belt and Road Initiative cooperation with China. "Xiplomacy" has helped China achieve win-win cooperation with the rest of the world and play a larger role. Indonesian Quake-Tsunami Causes Heavy Casualties On Sept. 28, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province and triggered a tsunami, causing the heaviest casualties in the year's natural disasters worldwide, with 2,073 people killed, some 680 missing and presumed dead, and 10,700 injured. In December, a tsunami that hit the coastlines of western Java island and south Sumatra caused 431 deaths. International humanitarian aid poured into Indonesia, helping with rescue operations, relief work and rebuilding the affected areas. Latin America's Political Map Features Elections On Oct. 28, Brazil's presidential runoff produced President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who will join the new Latin American leaders elected this year in the countries of Costa Rica, Cuba, Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia and Mexico. The updated political map in Latin America is expected to aggravate the challenges facing regional integration, with left-right conflicts potentially impeding policy-making. Brexit Woes Amid Uncertainties On Nov. 13, Britain arrived at a draft Brexit agreement with the European Union (EU), and on Nov. 25, the EU leaders officially approved the deal amid iterated opposition in Britain. In mid-December, the British parliament vote on the Brexit deal was delayed, and Prime Minister Theresa May survived a no-confidence vote within her own party one day after her efforts to seek to re-negotiate with Brussels failed. Brexit-related arguments were laden with rivalries either between London and Brussels or between British political groupings. Uncertainties remain as the Brexit deadline of March 29 draws near. "Yellow Vests" Movement in France Exposes Deep-Seated Problems On the weekends from Nov. 17, French demonstrators wearing yellow vests usually worn by drivers took to the streets to protest rising fuel prices that have resulted from the government's tax hikes. Protests in Paris and other cities became violent with robberies and arson attacks staged by extremists and rogues, leading to the arrest of thousands. French President Emmanuel Macron announced social measures to appease the public. The chaos has harmed the French economy badly and spread to other countries including Belgium, indicating deep-seated problems such as economic and social gaps in Europe. Chinese, U.S. Leaders Meet, Reach Key Consensus On Dec. 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Buenos Aires on the sidelines of the G20 summit, and reached important consensus. In directing efforts to solve the problems that may affect ties, they agreed to jointly promote a China-U.S. relationship based on coordination, cooperation and stability, and promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields to achieve more results. On trade issues, the two sides reached a principled consensus, including halting additional tariffs, making efforts toward returning to talks to settle disputes. This has created positive expectations for the global economy and trade. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 14:48:38|Editor: mmm Video Player Close KINSHASA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo cast their ballots on Sunday in an election vital to the future of the central African country. The election, which comes after repeated delays, will produce a successor to President Joseph Kabila and is deemed decisive for a peaceful transfer of power. However, there is concern over the credibility of the election following some organizational problems and a government decision to exclude some 1 million voters due to a deadly Ebola virus outbreak in the east. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 14:58:41|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close People visit the booth of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation during the 69th International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany on Oct. 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) by Xinhua writer Zhang Yirong BERLIN, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's Chang'e-4 lunar probe was launched earlier this month, and it is expected to make the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon. During the mission, China has cooperated with four other countries, three of which are from Europe, an epitome of the increasing space cooperation between China and the European Union (EU) in recent years. CHANG'E-4 TO THE MOON The Chang'e-4 mission will be a key step in revealing the mysterious far side of the moon, most of which remains unknown. Germany's scientific payload is a "Lunar Lander Neutron and Dosimetry" instrument, developed by Kiel University, which aims to measure radiation on the moon, mainly for future manned missions there, also the water content beneath the landing unit, said Robert Wimmer-Schweingruber, who is leading the research team. Karl Bergquist, the European Space Agency's (ESA) administrator for the International Relations Department, called the Chang'e-4 mission scientifically and technologically "very impressive," because "no one has ever done it, this mission will therefore advance our knowledge of the moon." He also called the lunar mission "the first step towards future explorations farther afield." Stressing the difficulties of landing on the far side due to spacecraft controlling and signal relay, Wimmer-Schweingruber said that "the satellite is already in place. We're orbiting the moon right now. It has worked well." Earlier, China has already launched a relay satellite "Queqiao," tasked with transmitting signals between Chang'e-4 and ground control. Scientific tasks for Chang'e-4 also include low-frequency radio astronomical observation, surveying the terrain and landforms, as well as detecting the mineral composition and shallow lunar surface structure, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES Wimmer-Schweingruber said he's been working with his Chinese counterparts for nearly two decades, and praised China for its increasing cooperation with international partners. Apart from Chang'e-4, China has offered and promised multiple opportunities for space cooperation with the EU and beyond recently. At the International Astronautical Congress held this October in the German city of Bremen, Zhang Kejian, deputy minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, stressed China's willingness to cooperate with other countries within the space program. Zhang, who is also the head of the CNSA, noted that Chang'e-6, China's second sample return lunar mission, will provide 10 kg of payloads on the orbiter and lander for international partners. China also announced in Vienna this May that all member states of the United Nations (UN) are welcome to cooperate with China to jointly utilize its future China Space Station (CSS). "The CSS belongs not only to China, but also to the world," said Shi Zhongjun, China's ambassador to the UN and other international organizations in Vienna. The CSS, expected to be launched by 2019 and operational by 2022, will be the world's first space station that is developed by a developing country and open for cooperation with all UN member states. Jan Woerner, director general of the ESA, told Xinhua that the ESA welcomes more cooperation with China's space program, and several European astronauts are now learning Chinese in preparation. China and the EU signed an agreement in 2015 concerning cooperation in a manned space program, stipulating that the period from 2015 to 2017 was the stage of technological exchanges, and the two sides taking part in each other's astronaut training programs. Matthias Maurer, an ESA astronaut of German nationality, told Xinhua that he had studied Chinese for over six years. After participating in a sea survival training program in waters off the coast of Yantai in east China's Shandong Province, organized by the Astronaut Center of China in 2017, Maurer hopes to work with astronauts from China and other countries at the CSS. WIN-WIN RESULTS China's achievements and openness in outer space explorations have been welcomed worldwide and are believed to produce win-win results. China's opening its CSS will reinforce international cooperation for the peaceful use of outer space, said Simonetta Di Pippo, director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs. "China is currently the first contributor to our activities in terms of voluntary contributions. This is quite important. It's a sign of the strong interest of China in collaborating with us, opening up to the entire world the possibility of utilizing your facilities," said Di Pippo, who hoped to see more cooperation projects in the future. Maurer viewed the cooperation between China and the EU as win-win. He said China has a lot of advantages such as its own rockets, capsules and a space station. Europe, on the other hand, has abundant experience in long-duration missions in space "which can be brought into our cooperation to make it develop more efficiently," Maurer said. Wimmer-Schweingruber spoke highly of China's openness, saying "to compensate the weakness of one country with the strength of another, that's how we work scientifically." After collaborating on satellites that monitor earthquakes and their effects, "we now hope to collaborate more intensively on their new space station, that could offer us important flight opportunities for our astronauts, but also for the development of experiments and innovative technologies," said Piero Benvenuti, commissioner of the Italian Space Agency. Woerner said the ESA is also discussing using the Chinese manned spacecraft Shenzhou to send European astronauts into space in the future. "Although it is not on the agenda, it's a possibility," he said. "We have worked with the Chinese side for over 25 years. For us Europeans, the exploration of the universe as well as major space science missions are domains in which we collaborate with all space powers: the United States, Russia, China and Japan," Bergquist said. "What's important is to advance our knowledge, and if we can do it together, it's preferable for everyone," Bergquist added. (Xinhua reporters Chen Chen in Paris, Li Jie in Rome, Liu Xiang in Vienna, as well as Li Meng and Ren Ke in Berlin also contributed to the story.) (Reporter: Lian Zhen, Han Qian; editor: Cao Ying) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 14:58:42|Editor: mmm Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed in a helicopter crash in the eastern Siberian city of Ulan-Ude on Sunday, TASS news agency reported. "A helicopter crashed in Ulan-Ude. Four people on board of the aircraft were killed," a local police source was quoted by TASS as saying. The police and rescuers have arrived at the scene in Ulan-Ude, the capital city of Russia's Republic of Buryatia. There are reports that the crash caused fire over the aircraft. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 15:48:49|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least six Taliban militants were killed and nine others wounded following an Afghan forces operation in northern province of Badakhshan, a statement said Sunday. The incident happened late on Saturday, when Afghan forces carried out a powerful operation, resulting in the death of six fighters and injuring nine others, in Ashkan district of Badakhshan province, said the statement issued by army's Division 20 Pamir based in the region. The operation forced Taliban militants to leave many strategic sites, including heights, in Ghori Sang and Ghori villages of the district. Government forces and civilians have not sustained casualties during the operation, said the source. The Taliban militants were not available for comment on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 16:08:54|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close TIANJIN, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- North China's Tianjin Municipality has introduced an action plan to strengthen cooperation with African countries in the next three years. According to the plan, Tianjin will prompt more of its companies to invest and open factories in African countries, including a ketchup processing plant in Ghana, gold mining in Sudan and a copper and cobalt project in Zambia. Several other Africa-bound investment projects are under assessment. The municipal government also encourages local companies to invest in infrastructure construction in Africa and for aviation companies to launch direct flights to African countries. Construction on a marketing and exhibition center for Ugandan products in Tianjin has been stepped up, along with trade fairs for local products to enter African countries. In the field of cultural exchange, vocational colleges are encouraged to open training workshops in countries such as Djibouti and Egypt. The city will continue to carry out martial arts training for students from Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritius, Nigeria and Tanzania. Support will also be offered to medical institutions to build traditional Chinese medicine centers and carry out joint research on infectious diseases in African countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 16:13:55|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Dec.30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Xing Haiming on Sunday delivered a New Year speech via Mongolian media, extending greetings to the Mongolian government and people. In his speech, the ambassador reviewed the progress that the two countries had made in 2018 and looked ahead to 2019. In 2018, China celebrated the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening-up. During the past 40 years, China has changed significantly and contributed to the world, Xing said. "Mongolia has also developed rapidly in recent years. I am especially happy that Mongolia has overcome the economic difficulties in 2018," he said, noting that the country's economic growth is expected to exceed 6 percent this year. According to the Chinese ambassador, the bilateral trade surpassed 8 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, getting closer to the 10-billion-dollars target by 2020. As 2019 will mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mongolia, the two countries will strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation in all sectors to benefit both peoples, Xing said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 16:18:57|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), sent a letter Sunday to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, according to Moon's office Blue House. In the letter, Kim said the leaders of the two Koreas met three times this year and took substantive, bold measures that go beyond old confrontations. Through the measures, Kim said, the two Koreas deviated from the fear of war and the military tensions, according to Kim Eui-keum, the presidential spokesman. Kim proposed to Moon going together next year for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. Moon and Kim held their first summit meeting in April at the truce village of Panmunjom. During their third summit in Pyongyang in September, defense chiefs of the two Koreas signed a comprehensive military agreement to defuse military tensions and prevent accidental clashes. The DPRK leader promised to visit Seoul at an early date after the Pyongyang summit, and the South Korean leader expressed his hope that the visit would be made before the end of this year. Kim said in the letter that he was sorry for his Seoul trip not to happen this year though he anticipated it as agreed upon. According to the Blue House spokesman, Kim showed his strong willingness in the letter to visit Seoul while closely monitoring what would happen in the future. Kim said he had willingness to frequently meet with Moon next year to advance discussions on peace and prosperity of the peninsula and resolve the peninsula's denuclearization issue together. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 16:39:05|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close KINSHASA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Voters in the Democratic Republic of Congo cast their ballots on Sunday in an election vital to the future of the central African country. The election, which comes after repeated delays, will produce a successor to President Joseph Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, and is deemed decisive for a peaceful transfer of power. Polling stations opened early Sunday morning at 6:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) in the capital Kinshasa. Voters arrived amid a heavy rain that had started two hours ago. President Kabila and presidential candidates were among the first to vote at a booth in the Gombe commune in Kinshasa. After casting his ballot, Kabila said that despite the rain, "Our people remain determined to overcome the challenges of these elections, together we are writing our own story." The candidate from the ruling coalition to replace Kabila, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, said he was "confident" about winning the election after casting his ballot. "I am happy that everything is happening in peace in the whole country and here in Kinshasa. As a candidate of the majority, I am confident of my victory in this election," said Shadary, a former interior minister and currently the permanent secretary of the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). There is concern over the credibility of the election following some organizational problems and a government decision to exclude some 1.2 million voters in three cities due to a deadly Ebola virus outbreak and security reasons. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 17:34:11|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- China's central government has allocated a fund of 595 million yuan (86.7 million U.S. dollars) to address the adverse impact of natural disasters in the agricultural sector. The fund will be used for relieving drought and blizzards in Inner Mongolia and Tibet autonomous regions as well as Gansu Province, according to the Ministry of Finance. Part of the money will also be channeled to Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Fujian, Jiangxi, Sichuan and Heilongjiang provinces for plant disease treatment and pest control. Regions in southwestern Yunnan Province, which were affected by floods discharged from a landslide-formed barrier lake on the Jinsha River, will also get funds for disaster relief in the agricultural sector. The ministry urged efforts to intensify management of the central subsidy fund, accelerate fund appropriation and use the funds more effectively. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 19:19:24|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Air Force launched deadly airstrikes, destroying multiple terrorists' hideouts and killing 19 insurgents in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province, a local official said Sunday. The raids were carried out late on Saturday in the troubled Khawja Sabz Posh and Qaysar districts of the province, leaving 19 militants including three of their local leaders, Mullah Ahmad, Qari Feda Mohammad and Mullah Khairullah, dead and seven others wounded, Abdul Karim Yourush, provincial police spokesman, told Xinhua. Those among the killed were three foreign militants, Yourush added. According to him, four civilians including women and children were also killed, when a mortar fired by Taliban militants hit their house in Garziwan district of the province on Saturday. The Taliban militants have not commented on the report. Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east to the once peaceful region in the north. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 19:44:29|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese legislators called for a more effective record review system to better avoid defects in laws and regulations while hearing a report on the record review Saturday. The report by the legislative work committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee was delivered at a week-long bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee that ended Saturday. According to the record review system, the legislative work committee is authorized to review the records of administrative and local-level laws and regulations, judicial interpretations and other normative documents in necessary cases. Content determined as against the Constitution, wrongful or inappropriate will need to be amended or removed. All mistakes found during the reviews must be corrected to ensure laws and regulations at different levels are coordinated, the legislators stressed. The lawmakers suggested more reviews made on laws, regulations and other documents regarding private businesses, intellectual property rights and disadvantaged groups. According to Shen Chunyao, director of the legislative work committee, the committee received 1,229 requests for record reviews made by citizens and organizations in 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 19:49:32|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Wang Xiuqiong BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Braving domestic and external headwinds, China's economy is sailing toward a successful finish to a crucial year for its development. Steered by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, the country secured steady economic growth, gained an initial victory in the "three tough battles," and launched bolder reforms and opening-up. The year 2018 is the first year for implementing the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress and a key year in the decisive stage of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020. It is also the first year of Xi's second term as Chinese president. "China has made new and important achievements in economic and social development in 2018, making a solid step toward realizing its first centenary goal of achieving moderate prosperity in all respects," said Han Wenxiu, an official with the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs. "This has given us greater confidence in overcoming new difficulties and challenges," Han said. WORLD GROWTH DRIVER Despite downward pressure from the Sino-U.S. trade frictions, a deleveraging and restructuring domestic economy and tightening monetary policies in certain developed countries, China has continued to defy doomsayers and inject certainty to the world economy this year. With a 6.7-percent growth for the first three quarters, China is well on its way to deliver the government's annual economic growth target of around 6.5 percent, according to Ning Jizhe, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission. This level of growth means China remains a top performer in the world economic arena. The country's share in the world economy could rise to around 16 percent this year, contributing nearly 30 percent to global growth, Han estimates. The Chinese economy "continues to perform well," according to a World Bank projection earlier this month, which predicted the country's growth to be 6.5 percent in 2018. To shore up growth, authorities have slashed taxes on businesses and individuals, maintained a prudent and neutral monetary policy and revved up financial support for private companies in difficulty. The Sino-U.S. trade frictions have been properly tackled. Employment remains stable, resident income continues to grow steadily and economic development is more balanced and sustainable with higher quality. Consumption is set to contribute 78.2 percent of China's economic growth this year, the highest level since 2001, according to a report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) this month. While consumer spending became a bigger driver of growth, technology and innovation are picking up the slack as certain traditional industries took a hit. High-tech manufacturing and equipment production sectors saw fast expansion. In a ranking by the World Intellectual Property Organization, China became the first middle-income economy on the list of the world's 20 most innovative economies this year. "The economic accomplishments in the past year demonstrate the excellent leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at the core in navigating complex situations, as well as the resilience of the Chinese economy and its ability to withstand risks," Han said. WINNING BATTLES This year has seen a good start in the "three tough battles" against major risks, poverty and pollution, with leverage contained, millions lifted out of poverty and punishment over pollution toughened. Shadow banking has declined sharply, the level of local government debt is well within the official limit, and the leverage ratio of major industrial firms has dropped. "The excessively fast growth of macro leverage ratio has been checked, financial risks have generally retreated, and initial success has been achieved in amending financial dysfunction," the People's Bank of China, the central bank, said in a report last month. Over 10 million people in the countryside are estimated to have been brought out of poverty this year, with marked progress made in areas of extreme poverty. The country aims to reduce the poor population by another 10 million next year, a further step toward China's goal of eradicating poverty by 2020. A full-scale campaign to safeguard clean air, water and soil has been launched, with laws put in place, inspectors mobilized, and officials punished for pollution. Inspections launched in May and October this year have led to over 1 billion yuan (about 150 million U.S. dollars) of fines, with more than 8,600 people held accountable, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. In the first 10 months, Chinese cities had more days with good air quality than in the same period last year, while the density of PM 2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, dropped by 7.5 percent, official data showed. WIDER DOORS, BOLDER REFORM This year marks the 40th anniversary of its reform and opening up, which China commemorates with more concrete moves to open and overhaul its economy. The country has broadened market access, reduced import duties, built new ground in opening up and provided new platforms for win-win cooperation to share the dividends of its growth with other countries. To name a few: foreign ownership restrictions in the financial and auto sectors have been eased, with some equity caps to be removed completely in the coming few years; tariffs were reduced for an array of imported products from cars to medicine; and more import duty cuts will come into effect next year. In November, the world's first import-themed national-level expo was held in Shanghai, with 172 countries, regions and international organizations, as well as more than 3,600 enterprises, participating in the event. China has moved faster in reform on the fronts of taxation, finance, administrative approvals and state-owned enterprises this year, resulting in a better business environment and a greater role of the market in resource allocation. According to a World Bank report on the ease of doing business released in October, China advanced to a global ranking of 46 among 190 economies this year, up from 78 last year, as the country implemented the largest number of reforms in the East Asia and Pacific region. In its latest move, the government announced on Dec. 25 a negative list for market access that is shorter and applies to all market players, allowing them to equally enter sectors that are not on the list. Looking forward, unwavering reform and opening-up will bring enduring resilience and vitality to China's economy, analysts said. China's economy will operate within a reasonable range in 2018 and 2019, with no "hard landing" expected, according to the CASS report. "There will be no changes to the fundamentals of sustained and steady growth for China's economy," said Li Yang, an economist with the CASS. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 20:14:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BANGKOK, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A private, light airplane crashlanded in eastern Thailand on Sunday, killing the pilot, police said. The turboprop airplane, which was descending to land on the ground in the premises of Rajamangala University of Technology East in Si Racha district of Chon Buri province, crashlanded and caught fire, according to police superintendent Pol. Col. Ruangsak Buadaeng. The pilot, identified as Mike Romberg, a 60-year-old South African national, was immediately killed in his aircraft. He had flown from Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand and planned to visit Phuket on Monday. Police are investigating the cause of the incident, which might possibly involve a malfuctioning engine. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 20:44:44|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close by Keren Setton JERUSALEM, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Yaron Bob, a tall and large man with gentle eyes and blunt movements, handles metals briskly, lighting torches and molding pieces into artwork. His workshop is an organized mess. However, they are not merely metals, but were missiles whistling over southern Israel, a volatile area that borders the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. He recalled the day 12 years ago, when a missile exploded just meters away from him and changed the course of his life. He was not physically injured, but the toll on his mental health was immediate. "I went home, sat down and all the emotions started accumulating," Bob told Xinhua. "I wanted to take away all my emotions and ... make something that stands for what I believe." Even years after the incident, a loud noise from a passing car could make Bob all jittery. Only when he realizes it is not a rocket, he eases back into his routine work. At his workshop, Bob is surrounded by hundreds of missiles, either from Gaza or the Israeli Iron Dome system which intercepts rockets. "I want to take the instrument of death and destruction and transfer it into something representing beauty and prosperity," he explained. He went into great detail of each missile, including their specifications. He is careful not to use those that caused injury or death. "I really think it is bad energy," Bob said, referring to the missiles that hurt someone. Many of the missiles fired by Hamas are Qassam rockets, which are cheap, unsophisticated and manufactured from simple metal pipes, standard fertilizer, sugar and basic explosives. They are inaccurate and do not have a long range, Bob said. Throughout the years of the conflict, Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza have upgraded their arsenal with better missiles from Iran and Syria, which have increased range and accuracy, he added. In his large collection of missiles and scrap metals, it is easy to identify the Iron Dome missiles, an Israeli air defense system used to intercept short and medium range missiles. Since its deployment in mid-2011, Iron Dome, a game changer, has been successful in intercepting many of the rockets. Bob uses them to make the "mezuzah," a small decorative case that Jews attach to the doorpost of their home, symbolling God's protection of the home and its inhabitants. Over the past year alone, thousands of missiles from Gaza were launched into Israeli territory, leaving dozens of Israelis killed and thousands others injured, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The current escalations in rocket fire from the Gaza Strip toward Israel all started in the summer of 2017, when Hamas violently took control of the coastal enclave after ousting the security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Among the casualty of these political games are innocent civilians, who are not just physically hurt but tend to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), just like Bob. "I managed to figure out how to take all my fear and bad feelings into good ones," said Bob, patting his large dog who also jumps at every loud noise heard in the vicinity. "No one on both sides of the fence ... wants to live their days in fear ... We just want to live as normal as anybody else in the whole world," he told Xinhua. In Yated, whereb Bob lives, the border near Gaza and Egypt may be clearly marked but the sound of explosions are frequently interrupting the quiet surroundings. "The feeling is very stressful. There is no way you can run away. You just hide and stay low," Bob said. "You pray for the rocket not to hit you." He hopes for the day when his work will be made by other materials and when he will be able to relax and have no trauma to deal with. "I really wish they will stop throwing rockets, so I will not need to do this work," Bob prayed. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 22:35:03|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will pay an official visit to Turkey on Jan. 3-4, 2019, at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the foreign ministry said on Sunday. This will be the prime minister's first official visit to Turkey. Khan, who will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, will meet the Turkish president and discuss the entire spectrum of bilateral relations between the two countries as well as regional and international situation, a foreign ministry statement said. He will also address a business forum, and hold several meetings with Turkish businessmen and potential investors during his stay at Ankara. "The prime minister's upcoming visit to Turkey will further reinforce the historic ties between the governments and the peoples of the two brotherly countries. The visit, moreover, will also help to explore new areas of cooperation and collaboration between the two countries, particularly in the area of economic, trade and commercial relations," the statement said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 23:05:07|Editor: yan Video Player Close ANKARA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday said that Russia and Turkey will continue to strengthen security in the Eurasian region. Putin noted that the efforts of both countries contribute to anti-terror fight and political process in Syria, in a written New Year greeting to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "The construction of the first unit of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant has begun and the offshore section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline has been built. New, promising areas of bilateral cooperation have been outlined," he said. Putin added that he was "pleased with the auspicious development" of Russia-Turkey relations in 2018, and vowed to bolster bilateral cooperation helping peace, security, and stability in the region. The message came just a day after Turkish and Russian delegations discussed recent developments in Syria, as the United States announced to withdraw its troops in early 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 23:35:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close JINAN, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- At 104 years old Zhang Shuzhen passed away, and her family received a condolence letter jointly written by dozens of people who claimed to be her "sons" and "daughters." Zhang is one of the heroic mothers of Yimeng, a group of women who voluntarily took care of soldiers and their children in the Yimeng Mountains, east China's Shandong Province, during WWII. In the summer of 1939, a number of Eighth Route Army soldiers of the Communist Party of China settled down in Yimeng area, which was a famous base for the Party-led armed struggle against Japanese invasion. Amid the flames of war, many children of the soldiers were left unattended. Zhang and her mother-in-law took the responsibility for looking after the children. They adopted over 40 children, eight of whom were orphaned after their parents died in battle. All the children were under 10, and the youngest one was only three days old, according to Zhang's daughter Yu Aimei. In order to protect the children from the Japanese invaders, Zhang and her family dug a big cellar, a facility which usually used by local farmers to store sweet potatoes. She would hide the children there when the Japanese soldiers entered the village searching for Chinese soldiers. Local villagers suffered from poverty during the war. Zhang would let the adopted children share her breast milk with her own children. She also persuaded other women in the village to breast feed the soldiers' children. Four of Zhang's own children died from malnutrition, but she returned all the adopted children safe and sound to their parents when the troops withdrew from the area three years later. "Mother said she had to prioritize the adopted children while feeding us, because their parents were risking their life for the country, and those children could be the only descendants of a family," Yu said. Zhang caught Parkinson disease later in her life. Sometimes she lost her memory. Her son Yu Qianlin recalled that she often woke up at night and opened the front door murmuring, "what if some passing-by soldiers want to come in?" Sometimes, she would force her son to cook kilograms of noodles, saying she would serve them to the soldiers. Zhang is just one of the countless women on the revolutionary base who offered all they had to support the soldiers. They were given the nickname "Hongsao," meaning sister-in-law of Red Army soldiers. Out of her love for the army and her passion for the revolution, Zhang Shuzhen became a member of the CPC in March 1939. In addition to raising the soldiers' children, Zhang took care of wounded soldiers and worked as an advocator for the war of resistance against Japanese aggression. She persuaded over 20 other local villagers to join the CPC. On Dec. 19, Zhang asked her daughter to bring her the three party emblems she had cherished for long. On the next morning, she passed away holding her favorite emblem in hand. Zhang's heroic deeds have been widely remembered, and her children are determined to carry on her spirit. Yu Aimei has joined with a number of other women, making clothes for soldiers and telling stories of the heroic women of Yimeng. "Although they are stories of bygone days, the spirit of Hongsao will always be a source of inspiration for generations to come," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 23:40:13|Editor: yan Video Player Close MANILA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- At least six leftist rebels have been killed during a series of law enforcement operations by Philippine military and police recently, a military spokesman said on Sunday. Colonel Noel Detoyato, chief of the Public Affairs Office of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the military and police launched a series of joint law enforcement operations in Negros Occidental province in the central Philippines from Thursday to Saturday, resulting in the killing of six New People's Army (NPA) rebels and the arrest of 24 others. Detoyato said the joint military and police operations were aimed at serving arrest warrants to 103 target personalities who were involved in illegal drug activities in this area. However, he said that operating teams found out that 30 of them were NPA regulars. NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which is found in 1968. According to the military spokesman, during the law enforcement operations, six NPA rebels who resisted arrest and engaged the government troops and policeman in a shootout were killed. Nearly 65 firearms were confiscated. The Philippine military said the NPA has an estimated 4,000 members. The rebels have been fighting the government since 1969 in one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies. The Philippine government has been trying to forge peace with the leftist rebels since 1986 but the on-off talks have faltered many times in the past. The Duterte administration has scrapped talks to solve the 50-year-old leftist insurgency and has declared a "full-scale war" against the leftist rebel group which has been trying to overthrow the government for five decades. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 23:55:14|Editor: yan Video Player Close DHAKA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Hours after parliament polls closed Sunday, leaving at least 17 people dead, ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led major opposition alliance demanded reelection under a non-partisan interim government. Talking to journalists at a press conference, Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) leader Kamal Hossain rejected the early election results which showed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is heading towards overwhelming victory. He alleged that ruling party men resorted to widespread irregularities, including forcing out of their polling agents, stuffing ballots, assaulting and intimidating their supporters. He said more than 100 opposition candidates have pulled themselves out of election Sunday, complaining of widespread rigging by ruling party men. Speaking at the press conference, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the election proves once again that free and fair election is not possible under any partisan government in Bangladesh. Hasina's ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party brushed aside the allegations, saying the opposition alliance has been resorting to falsehood while sensing it would not be able to win the election. AL leader Abdur Rahman said at a press conference here on Sunday that the election was very much participatory. He said that the number of violence is significantly lesser than the elections of the past. Hasina, who is seeking a straight third five-year term in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation of about 165 million people, would need to win at least 151 out of 300 seats to form her government. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 00:00:16|Editor: yan Video Player Close YINCHUAN, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Longwangba, literally meaning flatland for God of Rain, carries the most sincere yearning of the generations of people living in the mountains in China's dry northwest. Located in Xiji County of Guyuan City in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Longwangba Village was once part of the most impoverished area. Guyuan, along with five other counties, is called Xihaigu, one of the world's most uninhabitable places due to its dry climate, high mountains and harsh environment. Jiao Jianpeng, 37, was the youngest of seven children in a farmer's family, and he grew up in Longwangba. His childhood memory of destitution is still fresh. "We lived in a house made of bare earth, and I had to support myself through college by selling tea-flavored eggs," he said. In 1997, Jiao was admitted to the Ningxia College of Finance and Economics. He was one of the very few college students in his village. Now, with a dedication to developing his hometown, sharp vision for commerce and support from the government, Jiao represents a new generation of poverty reduction champions across China's vast countryside, transforming the landscape of economic backwaters and breathing life into the once barren land. "Business has been quite good this year and we have seen a lot of tourists, campers and trainees. The village used to only be this crowded during the Spring Festival when migrant workers came home. Rural tourism is bringing life to the village," said Jiao. After Jiao graduated from college in 2001, he entered into the advertising business and operated Internet salons. By 2011, he had earned enough money to be able to make a change in his hometown. "I had 4 million yuan and thought I might use the money to achieve something, but I did not expect agriculture investment could be so huge," he said. In 2011, he rented 80 hectares of forest land to build chicken farms, echoing a national call to develop the forest economy. In 2013, he rented another 133 hectares to grow peonies and strawberry. "I'm so glad that the investment helped improve the environment of the village," he said. In 2014, the village was given the award of being one of the most beautiful villages in China by the Ministry of Agriculture. However, the honor did not stop Jiao from pursuing his ambitions further. "There is no brand effect, and our farm products do not fetch high prices," he said. Jiao anticipated the next growth point to be rural tourism, banking on the growing popularity of rural lifestyles and natural beauty among urban holidaymakers. He hired workers to build a cave-style hotel to offer guest houses along terraced fields. "Rural tourism is about getting everyone in the village involved and offering to outsiders something that is genuinely small-town," he said. Li Jing, 27, a receptionist at the cave hotel, takes home about 2,500 yuan each month. She used to work in the capital city of Yinchuan and Beijing as well. "Working near home is much better," said the mother of a four-year-old child. "I can take care of my child every day. The hotel provides accommodation, too." Now 404 families live in Longwangba. More than 200 people in the village work in the tourism sector. About 20 families own rural guest houses, each earning over 20,000 yuan every year. In 2017, more than 130,000 travelers visited the village, and the annual per capita revenue rose to 9,200 yuan (about 1,333 U.S. dollars). "People used to try their best to escape from here. Now with the improved infrastructure, they are coming back," said Jiao Bingnan, a homestay hotel owner, pointing to an array of newly decorated hotels with independent bathrooms. Jiao has succeeded in daredevil entrepreneurship, and he is not hesitant to support young people who have dreams. "Those who could come up with viable tourism programs or business proposals will get my support in office space, training and investment," he said. Now the village offers a great variety of recreational services such as coffee bars, pubs, 5D experience facilities and escape rooms. "The rural rejuvenation is about keeping the young people in the villages and giving them a reason to stay and make a living here," he said. Jiao is married and has an eight-year-old daughter. When he does not need to go on business tours, he spends most of his time in the village. "The pride and satisfaction I get from being able to create value for my fellow villagers and my hometown are immeasurable," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 00:15:21|Editor: yan Video Player Close NHA TRANG, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The remains of a Chinese tourist killed in a canoe accident in Nha Trang Bay in central Vietnam was sent back home by air on Sunday. The remains, accompanied by the victim's relatives, was carried by a China Southern Airlines plane which left Nha Trang city, central Khanh Hoa province on Sunday afternoon for China's southern Guangzhou city. Earlier, a joint working group of the Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Vietnam completed various procedures for the remains to be sent back to China as soon as possible. The canoe, carrying 22 people including 21 Chinese citizens, capsized on Wednesday afternoon in Nha Trang Bay, Khanh Hoa, killing the Chinese tourist and a Vietnamese tour guide, and seriously injuring another Chinese tourist. All other Chinese citizens were rescued. Most of the rescued Chinese tourists safely returned to China by air on Thursday. The injured Chinese tourist is now under treatment in Nha Trang. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 01:05:27|Editor: yan Video Player Close AMMAN, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Jordan and China on Monday signed an agreement under which China grants Jordan Customs Department 10 x-ray machines worth 11.5 million U.S. dollars for the inspection of trucks and cargo into Jordan. "The Chinese grant seeks to enhance the competence and efficiency of the customs department and enable it to deploy the latest technologies in the field to improve its services and accelerate the inspection of cargo crossing the Kingdom's borders," said the Chinese ambassador Pan Weifang at the signing ceremony in capital Amman. The two countries also signed another grant agreement under which China provides rice worth 4.3 million dollars as a grant to Tkiyet Um Ali, a Jordanian non-governmental organization supporting the Jordanians who need help. The rice grant came in line with a Chinese initiative to provide humanitarian aid to countries that were affected by the influx of Syrian refugees, said the Chinese ambassador. Jordan's Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Mary Kawar voiced in her speech appreciations for China's grants and support to Jordan, commending the ties between the two countries. China is considered one of the main supporters for development projects and efforts in Jordan and it has engaged in supporting projects in sectors of health, education, energy and infrastructure over the past years. Pan said China will continue to support Jordan, adding that the two sides are keen on more cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 01:15:29|Editor: yan Video Player Close SKOPJE, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and President Gjorge Ivanov extended on Sunday their New Year wishes to their countrymen. In his end of the year video address, Zaev called 2018 the year of integration and expressed the wishes that 2019 turns goals into reality, making Macedonia a peaceful and stable country and an ally for NATO, a member of the European Union (EU) and that it will become a global and just Macedonia with an economy that functions for everyone. "By building friendship with our neighbor Greece, we have taken up the responsibility to close a dispute that has been dragging Macedonia down for 27 years. We chose the future rather than an uncertain isolation. Today, our country is one step closer to becoming the 30th member of the strongest alliance in the world, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)," underlined Zaev in his address. "We are preparing for the opening of negotiation with the EU (European Union), which is a process used to build a country according to European standards and to become equal with the citizens of the EU," he added. Meanwhile, President Gjorge Ivanov wished Macedonian people health, joy and happiness, urging them to respond to every challenge with wisdom and kindness. "We should be brave facing the call of responsibility and all of us, together, to commit ourselves to building a fair society based on truth, freedom and peace. Only a successful and prosperous homeland will allow us to make our dreams come true," Ivanov said in his speech. Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, is in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Dec. 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) BRUSSELS, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Despite some "growing pains", the relations between China and the European Union (EU) have made important progress in 2018, and the interests of the two sides have been closely intertwined, Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview. In the year of 2018, which marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the relations between the two sides have maintained a steady growth momentum, with scope of cooperation being expanded and interests further integrated, among others, Zhang said. In the past year, the 20th China-EU leaders' meeting was successfully held. Leaders of many European countries, including Britain, France and Germany, together with about 10 commissioners of the European Commission and more than 50 members of the European Parliament have visited China. "Such frequent high-level exchanges have enhanced mutual trust and injected new political impetus into the development of China-EU relations," Zhang noted. In the economic and trade sector, bilateral trade volume has grown rapidly to a new height this year. The two sides also exchanged offers of bilateral investment treaty, agreed to end the negotiation of the Agreement on Geographical Indications in a timely manner, and signed new cooperation agreements on circular economy, blue partnership and customs cooperation. China-EU relations are bearing more significance on the global level, Zhang added. "China and the EU have more common words in supporting multilateralism and improving global governance; They also issued a joint statement on climate change while maintaining close communication on such global and regional hot issues as the Iranian nuclear and Syria." In addition, China and the EU have deepened their cooperation on the Belt and Road initiative, Zhang said. With a growing positive voice within the Union, the EU's recognition and understanding of the initiative are more objective thanks to their deepened political consensus and more fruitful cooperation. During the 20th China-EU leaders' meeting and the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit, China and the EU reached important consensus on synergizing connectivity between the Belt and Road initiative and the EU Strategy on Connecting Europe and Asia. Many Chinese and European companies have cooperated in third-party markets including Asia and Africa to carry out major projects in infrastructure, energy, environmental protection and finance. The pragmatic results of China and the EU in 2018 are inseparable from the positive attitude of the EU in developing cooperation with China. The EU's objective voice toward China is rising. And with a greater expectation, the EU is more active in making strategic plan for the development of bilateral relations, Zhang noted. "China appreciates the EU's positive stance on developing bilateral relations and is willing to meet the EU halfway, hoping that the Union could match its words to deeds, respect China's core interests and major concerns, and develop bilateral relations in a fair, equitable, open and win-win manner," Zhang said. Meanwhile, the year 2019 is important to both sides as it marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the European Parliament election. "Amid rising protectionism and unilateralism on the global arena, China and the EU have a greater responsibility to promote bilateral relations, enhance mutually beneficial cooperation for the good of the two peoples while continuously adhering to multilateralism, so as to deal with the uncertainty of the global situation with stable bilateral relations," said the ambassador. "The interests of China and the EU have been closely intertwined, but the potential for cooperation needs to be further explored," Zhang said. For now, EU's investment in China accounts for 4 percent of its total external investment stock, while China's investment to the EU only takes up 2 percent of the latter's foreign investment, according to the ambassador. "There is still pretty much room left to expand bilateral cooperation," he said. Talking about the differences between China and the EU on some specific issues, Zhang said that given their different history, culture, national conditions and developing levels, it is normal to have different views. China and the EU have a solid foundation of political mutual trust, long-standing economic complementarities. As long as the two sides uphold the spirit of mutual respect, working together for mutually beneficial results, the "growing pains" will eventually be solved, Zhang said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 04:25:52|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha on Sunday said the ministry is preparing a biannual plan to secure the capital Tripoli. Bashagha made his remarks during a meeting with the heads of the ministry's departments, according to a statement issued by the ministry. "The Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha stressed the need to join efforts of all the ministry's departments against criminals and outlaws in accordance with the Libyan legislation in force," the statement said. The minister warned against contacts and meetings with foreign ambassadors and international organizations in Libya outside the special diplomatic channels, the statement added. Bashagha also said that most of the foreign companies and embassies intended to return to Tripoli once the security inside and outside the capital is improved. Libyan security services struggle to improve security conditions in the country, particularly in the capital Tripoli. At least three people were killed and 10 others, including a paramedic, injured on Tuesday during a terrorist attack on the Libyan Foreign Ministry's headquarters in Tripoli. In September, 2018, the Islamic State (IS) militants attacked the headquarters of Libyan National Oil Corporation in the center of Tripoli, killing two and injuring several others. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 04:35:56|Editor: yan Video Player Close NICOSIA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Two more groups of Syrian refugees arrived in Cyprus on Sunday, the Cypriot authorities said. They said that 37 people, 35 men and two underage children, arrived by boat overnight in the occupied part of Cyprus, and later crossed on foot into the area under the control of the Cypriot government. Another group of 10 people were found on a ship which arrived from Turkey and docked at a port in the occupied part of Cyprus with a cargo of lorries. Turkish troops occupied the northern part of Cyprus in a 1974 military operation in reaction to a coup by the military rulers of Greece at that time. A police statement said that the group of 37 unregulated refugees were brought by a trafficker aboard a boat which had set off from the southern Turkish city of Mersin. They made the perilous crossing just three days after a sole survivor who was picked out of the sea said that seven other people had perished when their boat capsized in rough seas. The Syrian refugees said they paid a trafficker more than 70,000 euros for the 250 km trip. They said the trafficker returned to Turkey after they disembarked at a fishing facility. They were later led through a mountain track into government controlled area. Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides said in a recent interview that unregulated Syrian immigrants arrive in Cyprus to stay with relatives or friends who had arrived in Cyprus in the past. He raised the alarm, saying that the number of unregulated immigrants arriving mostly through the Turkish occupied part of Cyprus has reached 1,000 a month, stretching to its limited capacity of the island to care for the refugees. Immigration authorities have said that they are currently vetting more than 4,100 asylum applications. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 04:40:57|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Sunday said it had deported more than 16,000 illegal migrants from Libya to their countries of origin in 2018. "In 2018, more than 16000 migrants were able to return home through the voluntary humanitarian return program," IOM said. The voluntary humanitarian return program is carried out by the IOM, with an aim to arrange the return of illegal migrants stranded in Libya to their countries of origin. Migrant shelters in Libya are crowded with thousands of migrants who have been rescued at sea or arrested by the Libyan security services. The organization also said it provided essential medical care to a total of 28,633 beneficiaries, including vulnerable migrants. Libya has become a preferred departure point for illegal migrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe due to insecurity and chaos in the North African country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 05:21:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close MADRID, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Catalan regional police (Mossos d'Esquadra) on Sunday arrested a French national who attempted to enter the Sagrada Familia church with a bag containing 5 clips of 9 millimeter ammunition, according to the La Vanguardia newspaper. The man was detained by the police at around 5 p.m.local time after security guards at the entrance of the world famous church discovered the ammunition as the man passed his bag through a scanner. The man identified himself as a member of the French military and the Mossos accompanied him to his nearby vehicle. Inside the vehicle they discovered a firearm which had its serial number removed. According to reports, the detainee told the Mossos d'Esquadra it was a misunderstanding and that he had forgotten he was carrying the ammunition in his bag. He has been taken to the Les Corts police station in Barcelona while authorities attempt to confirm his story with French intelligence services. Spain is currently on a level 4 (high) alert for a possible terrorist attack, with special security measures all over the country ahead of New Year celebrations on Monday night. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 05:26:02|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Peter Ford, former Britain's ambassador to Syria, said Sunday that the return of relations between Syria and Europe is a matter of time, noting that it is about time for Syria to return to the Arab League. Ford made the remarks in a phone interview with the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV aired Sunday, during which he commented on the gradual return of the Syrian-Arab relations following the recent reopening of the embassies of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in Damascus after years of closure. "We will witness the return of the British and French ambassadors to Damascus possibly next year," Ford told al-Mayadeen TV. He added that the "European return to Syria will be without conditions." Ford said that it's about time to restore normal relations with Syria, adding that the time is ripe now for Syria to return to the Arab League, following years of suspension of its membership. He stressed that "there is no benefit in continuing the Arab enmity toward Syria and the Arab countries realize this conviction." As for Saudi Arabia, which is one of the main rebels' backers, Ford said that the kingdom has taken a decision a while ago about the gradual normalization of relations with Syria. He noted that Qatar, which obviously opposes the return of Syria to the Arab League, could change its mind after failing to topple the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad through supporting the rebels. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 05:31:04|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Photo taken on Dec. 30, 2018 shows a closed restroom at National Mall and Memorial Parks area in Washington D.C., the United States. During the U.S. government shutdown, for most national parks, there will be no National Park Service-provided visitor services, such as restrooms, trash collection, facilities, or road maintenance. U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby said Sunday that the White House and congressional lawmakers are still "at a standoff" as the partial government shutdown entered the second week, urging both sides to find a way out. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby said Sunday that the White House and congressional lawmakers are still "at a standoff" as the partial government shutdown entered the second week, urging both sides to find a way out. "Our negotiations are at an impasse at the moment," Shelby said, according to a report by Politico. "I wish it were not so, but we've got to move away from the blame game - blaming the president, blaming the Democrats, (Nancy) Pelosi and (Chuck) Schumer and others - and get back to doing what we're sent there to do: to fund the government." The shutdown began at midnight on Dec. 22 when the Congress failed to agree to a funding bill to keep a portion of federal agencies operational, with the sticking point being whether to include in the budget package 5 billion U.S. dollars for constructing a wall on the U.S.-Mexico Border. President Donald Trump has promised the wall and requested for the money. "Right now, we're at a standoff, and I think that's not good for the Senate, the House, or America," Shelby said. "Nobody wins in a shutdown. We all lose and we kind of look silly." Shelby said he tried to broker a compromise deal in which 2.5 billion dollars of border security funding is secured for the current fiscal year and the other 2.5 billion dollars will be appropriated next year. This proposal, however, "didn't work out." Trump showed little sign of backing off, as White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway said Sunday that the president may veto the funding bill depending on "what's in it." "It depends on what's in it. What is it going to say? They (the Democrats) are not even discussing it over the Christmas and New Year's break what could possibly be in that package," Conway said on CNN's "State of the Union." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-31 05:31:05|Editor: yan Video Player Close VALLETTA, Dec.30 (Xinhua) -- A total of 69 migrants rescued by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) arrived in Malta on Sunday evening. In a short statement, the AFM said that an army patrol boat saved the migrants from a wooden boat in distress, some 117 nautical miles southwest of Malta. The AFM did not give any details about the nationalities or ages of the migrants. LAHORE: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif will challenge his conviction in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case in the Islamabad High Court this week, his lawyer said on Sunday, after the PML-N supremo was sentenced to seven years in jail for corruption. 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 as prime minister in the high-profile Panama Papers case in July last year. Last Monday, an anti-corruption court in Islamabad sentenced 68-year-old Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case but acquitted him in the Flagship Investment case. The accountability court had also imposed a fine of USD 2.5 million and 1.5 million pounds on Sharif. "We have almost finalised the draft of the appeal against the verdict (against Sharif) and will file it in the Islamabad High Court this week," Sharif's lawyer Khwaja Haris told PTI. He said "We are hopeful to get relief from the high court as there are many loopholes in the judgment of the accountability court". Sharif's legal team also called on him at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore on Saturday and discussed with him legal matters related to the appeal challenging the accountability court's verdict. They also met his daughter Maryam Nawaz at the Sharif's Jati Umra residence in Raiwind and discussed the case. The accountability court had also barred Sharif from holding public office for 10 years after completing his sentence. It also ordered confiscation of his Hill Metal Establishment firm and issued perpetual warrants of arrest for his sons - Hussain and Hassan - who had been declared proclaimed offenders. This was the second conviction of three-time prime minister Sharif this year, as he had been convicted for 10 years, along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz (seven years) and son-in-law Mohammad Safdar (one year), in the Avenfield case in July. The Islamabad High Court had suspended their sentence and they were released on September 19 after spending 63 days in prison. The three corruption references were filed in the court against the Sharif family following revelations of their offshore holdings in the Panama Papers in 2016. Sharif spent a night in Adialia jail in Rawalpindi after his conviction on Monday and was shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail the next day. Sharif's younger brother and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif is also incarcerated at the Kot Lakhpat jail in the Rs 14 billion Ashiyana Housing scam. According to jail sources, both brothers meet each other as they are in the same barrack. Shahbaz, also the opposition leader in the National Assembly, will be shifted to Islamabad when the parliamentary session is underway. The PML-N has expressed hope that Sharif will get relief from the high court as no corruption has been proven against him. "According to our legal team the judgment of the accountability court is very weak and we have strong grounds to pin hopes to get relief from the high court," said PML-N senior leader and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal. He said in the Al-Azizia case "justice has not been served as there are many loopholes in the judgement". PORT BLAIR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the historic Cellular Jail and paid homage to those who were exiled and hanged as political prisoners in colonial India. On reaching the jail premises, PM Modi laid a wreath at the Martyr's Column before proceeding towards a cell, where Hindutva idealogue Veer Savarkar spent his days in captivity. Cellular Jail...this is where colonial rulers sent several nationalists and freedom fighters who fiercely resisted imperialism. Today, I had the privilege of visiting the Cellular Jail and paying homage to those greats who toiled for us and our freedom. pic.twitter.com/ofPCLmxjs3 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2018 Paying homage to thousands of Indian freedom fighters, PM Modi said that the Cellular jail was no less than a place of worship for him as he hoisted the Tricolor on a 150-ft-high mast. Among those imprisoned at Cellular Jail was the great Veer Savarkar. I visited the cell where the indomitable Veer Savarkar was lodged. Rigorous imprisonment did not dampen Veer Savarkars spirits and he continued to speak and write about a free India from jail too. pic.twitter.com/dbsyzuVUjA Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2018 Addressing a public event to mark the 75th anniversary of the hoisting of Tricolour on Indian soil by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, PM Modi also announced the renaming of three islands. Ross Island would now be called Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Neil Island would be known as Shaheed Dweep and Havelock Island would be renamed as Swaraj Dweep, the PM said. He also released a commemorative postal stamp, coin, and First Day Cover. He also unveiled a series of development projects related to the energy, connectivity and health sectors. Speaking on the occasion, he said Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not just a symbol of India`s natural beauty but are also like a place of pilgrimage for Indians. He said the Andaman and Nicobar Islands remind us of the collective resolve of our freedom fighters. Recalling Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the Prime Minister said that on Netaji`s call, many youths from the Andamans had dedicated themselves to the freedom of India. He said the flag on the 150-ft mast was an attempt to preserve the memory of this day in 1943 when Netaji unfurled the Tricolour. In 1943 Netaji Bose unfurled the Tricolour in Andaman and Nicobar islands. Today in Port Blair, I had the honour of unfurling the Tricolour to mark the 75th anniversary of Subhas Babu's brave feat. We also reiterate our commitment to creating an India Subhas Babu dreamt of. pic.twitter.com/4DQk6prFmp Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2018 He said the Union government was making efforts to highlight every glorious chapter of the country`s history. He mentioned the Panchteerth related to Babasaheb Ambedkar, the National Police Memorial, and the Statue of Unity. He said National Awards have also been announced in the names of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Sardar Patel. PM Modi, while addressing a public meeting at Marina Park in Port Blair, asked people to take out their mobile phones and switch on the flashlights as a gesture to pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. WATCH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a public meeting at Marina Park in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands asks people to take out their mobile phones and switch on the flashlights as a gesture to pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. pic.twitter.com/aoQFwfZrK0 ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 The Prime Minister said that the New India that is being built with the inspiration of these great leaders has development at its core. Efforts are being made to make the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as self-sufficient as possible, Modi said. He spoke of the expansion of Port Blair dockyard, which will enable maintenance of big ships. He called for a report on the condition of rural roads in the islands within two weeks and said that once the report has been examined, the Union Government will give whatever assistance is possible. The Prime Minister said that a new Integrated Terminal Building is coming up at Veer Savarkar International Airport. He said the undersea optical fibre cable from Chennai, once completed, would provide good internet connectivity. (With Agency Inputs) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the 51st edition of his popular radio broadcast programme 'Mann Ki Baat' on December 30, Sunday at 11 am. The monthly radio programme will be aired on All India Radio (AIR), Doordarshan and relayed on other channels. #MannKiBaat begins at 11 am today. Do tune in. pic.twitter.com/vaDwyq0qoq PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 30, 2018 One can also listen to PM Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat' on their mobile phones by giving a missed call in 1922. The official YouTube channels of Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, AIR and DD News will also stream the Prime Minister's Mann ki Baat address at 11 am. The programme will be broadcasted in by Akashvani regional languages immediately after the Hindi broadcast. Touching upon various social, national and international issues, PM Modi had launched his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio broadcast programme since 2014, which eventually became extremely popular. Through his `Mann Ki Baat`, PM Modi has reached out to millions across the country, shared the views and opinions of the citizens and lauded their contribution in nation-building. On November 25, while addressing the 50th episode of the radio broadcast programme, PM Modi recalled his journey on Mann Ki Baat and claimed that the talk show had remained apolitical in all its 50 episodes in the last four years. He had also claimed that Mann Ki Baat was not 'Sarkari Baat' but 'Bharat Ki Baat' which talked about the aspirations of the country. Bhopal: Union minister Uma Bharti Sunday said people would be "surprised" and "shocked" if no solution was found to the Ram temple issue, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath being at the helm at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh respectively. Bharti is among the leaders who have been at the forefront of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) efforts to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya. "When Modiji is the prime minister and Yogiji is the chief minister (of UP), and even then if no way is found for the construction of the Ram temple, then the masses will be surprised as to why were we unable to find a way for (building ) the Ram temple. It will be a shock to the people," she told reporters here. Bharti added that the temple had a "major role" in the BJP rising from just two Lok Sabha seats (in 1984) to 84 seats -- when the temple movement gained momentum in 1989 -- to 284 seats in the 2014 general polls. "Therefore, with Modi as the prime minister and Yogi (as the UP chief minister), people have high hopes that a way should be found for the construction of the Ram temple," the Union minister of drinking water and sanitation said. "Even today I will say this, whether it is an Act or an Ordinance, you have to find an amicable way for the Ram temple. You cannot just do it by bringing an Act for everything. Especially, when there is a lot of opposition in the society. "Therefore, earlier too I had suggested an amicable solution and everybody should support it. It should not be done like we will oppose you as we are from a particular party. It should begin like you start the talks and we will support you," she added. Bharti pointed out that talks on the issue were held during the times of then prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Chandrashekhar as well. Queried on the "waning" Modi wave in the country, she said, "We (BJP) have won the local bodies polls in Tripura and also formed the government there, which was difficult earlier. Therefore, the Modi magic is still going on." "For example, in 2003, we had won all the Assembly polls, but lost in the Lok Sabha (2004). It is not necessary that whatever happened in Assembly elections will happen in the Lok Sabha polls as well," the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister said. On the recent controversy over several leaders giving caste identities to Hanuman, she decried the move saying, "God has no caste and that is god." "Similarly, the disciples also have one caste and that is devotion. Therefore, I will say that neither a disciple nor god has any caste. Like the sun, air and water have no caste, similarly, god and the devotee have no caste," she added. Asked about former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan calling himself a tiger, Bharti said, "I know him since 1984 and he is a tiger. I will remain firebrand and he (Chouhan) will be a tiger." On the recent Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, in which the Congress unseated the BJP government which was in power in the state since 2003, Bharti said it was a "beautiful discrepancy" of democracy that such a thing happened, despite the saffron party garnering more votes than the Congress. On the government in the state led by Chief Minister Kamal Nath, she said, "We will not do anything to destabilise the new government as we respect the (people's) mandate. If it falls on its own, then it is a different thing." "We will ensure that it will not do injustice with the people's interest. I also appreciate Chouhan for accepting the verdict gracefully," the Union minister added. Asked about the state Congress's opposition to "The Accidental Prime Minister", an upcoming film on the tenure of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, she said the party feared that it would get exposed by the movie. "When no one demanded a ban on the book (written by Sanjaya Baru on which the film is based), how can they stop the film," she asked. Baru was Singh's media adviser when the latter was the prime minister. Some Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh have demanded a ban on the Anupam Kher-starrer film, which the party has termed a BJP propaganda. "There is nothing new. Whatever is written in the book is there in the film. They (Congress leaders) are asking for a ban as they fear they will get exposed," Bharti said. Singh himself had not objected to the film, she pointed out. JAMMU: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday met a terrorist's sister and her husband, days after they were allegedly beaten up by the police in Pulwama district. After meeting the family members of the terrorist, the PDP chief said, ''It's an unfortunate incident that a terrorists sister has been assaulted by the police.'' #JammuAndKashmir: Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti visited Rubina of Peti Pora Pulwama, sister of a terrorist, earlier today. She was allegedly thrashed by policemen in Jammu. pic.twitter.com/ZhHid1Xg1m ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 The PDP chief also issued a warning to the J&K Governor and the state's police and asked them to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. ''If the J&K Governor (Satya Pal Malik) has a fight with terrorists, why should their sisters be involved? I warn the Governor and the J&K Police. If they do it again itll be bad for them,'' Mehbooba said. Mehbooba said that she wont allow bloodshed in the Kashmir Valley. In a series of tweets, Mufti lashed out at the police and asked the state's Governor to take necessary action. Questions harassment of militant families while travelling to the interiors in Pulwama, a day after the encounter. Wont allow bloodshed and making South Kashmir a battleground, Mufti tweeted. Visited Patipora Pulwama where Rubina (whose brother happens to be a militant) was along with her husband and brother beat mercilessly in police custody. The severe nature of her injuries has left her bedridden, she informed. Visited Patipora Pulwama where Rubina (whose brother happens to be a militant )was along with her husband & brother beaten mercilessly in police custody. The severe nature of her injuries has left her bedridden. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/HX3JwVf8gh Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) December 30, 2018 She also urged the Jammu and Kashmir Governor to take action against the culprits. Urge the @jandkgovernor to initiate action and prevent such incidents in the future. If harassment of families of militants isnt stopped, it will have consequences leading to further alienation in the valley, she said. Urge the @jandkgovernor to initiate action and prevent such incidents in the future. If harassment of families of militants isnt stopped, it will have consequences leading to further alienation in the valley. 2/2 Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) December 30, 2018 According to media reports, Rubina, her husband and brother were brutally beaten up by station house officer (SHO). Her visit is being viewed by many as yet another attempt by the PDP chief to strengthen her base ahead of assembly elections in the state. She is trying to send out a larger message to these families that somebody is there to hear them out, they say. The state is expected to vote for a new government by May next year. Notably, Jammu and Kashmir is under President's Rule. Governors Rule was imposed when the BJP withdrew its 25 legislators from its coalition with the PDP, reducing the latter to a minority. Due to the special status enjoyed of J&K, Article 356 cannot be invoked to impose Presidents Rule. As per section 92 of J&K constitution, the state is placed under Governors rule for the first six months and it can be followed up with Presidents rule after that, thus extending the Centres rule. In November, Governor Satyapal Malik had abruptly dissolved the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival National Conference and the Congress, followed by another bid from the two-member Peoples Conference which claimed the support of the BJP and 18 legislators from other parties. Lumthari: Amid the ongoing operation to trace and rescue 15 trapped miners, a team leader from the Navy and NDRF personnel went inside a 370-foot-deep mine to ascertain the water level inside on Sunday afternoon. The Navy divers and their equipment arrived at the site around 1.30 PM Sunday after which they started measuring the actual level of the water in the mine shaft. The 10 pumps brought by the rescue team from Odisha have been kept on standby. Meanwhile, the divers have also been kept on standby, the officials said. ''Some other agencies have joined us in the operation. Odisha Fire Services reached here with 10 high-pressure pumps, a team of Navy divers has also reached here. I've briefed them of the situation,'' SK Singh, Asst Commandant, NDRF said. SK Singh, Asst Commandant NDRF on miners trapped in East Jaintia Hills #Meghalaya: Some other agencies have joined us in the operation; Odisha Fire Services reached here with 10 high pressure pumps, a team of Navy divers has also reached here. I've briefed them of the situation. pic.twitter.com/dcj5sdeN09 ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 Here are the early visuals of the rescue operation being carried out in East Jantia Hills in Meghalaya. East Jaintia Hills: Visuals of operations underway to rescue the trapped miners. #Meghalayaminers pic.twitter.com/6eaPArPqpd ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2018 The Navy wanted to ascertain the water level as their divers can operate up to 100 feet in a closed container-type situation, a district official said. Nearly 200 rescuers from various agencies are stationed at the site. The Odisha Fire Service team had brought 10 high-powered pumps with them. East Jaintia Hills district SP Sylvester Nongtynger said that at least two pumps will have to be lowered down to the water level inside the mine shaft to begin the operation. Odisha Chief Fire Officer S Sethi said his team was tasked with pumping water out and they are ready for the job. "Our only concern is that if we install the pumps now, the carbon exhaust may suffocate the entire mine shaft," Sethi said. The remaining eight pumps will be placed at various locations identified in the area, he said. One high-powered submersible pumps with an output capacity of 500 gallons per minute is arriving Sunday from CIL Ranchi, CIL Kolkata GM A K Bharali said. Bharali, who arrived here four days ago, said that as soon as the generators and platforms are made available at the mine shaft, the pumping of water will begin. Five more pumps from CIL Centres in Ranchi, Dhandbad and Asansol are on road and are expected to arrive anytime, he said. A senior district official said a few pumps of Coal India Ltd have arrived in Guwahati and are expected to reach the site soon. A team of 25 CIL personnel are at the site and survey teams are doing their job, Bharali said. The miners have been trapped in the mine in the Ksan area of Lumthari village in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district since December 13, after water from the nearby Lytein river gushed into it. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is coordinating the rescue operations with the help of Navy, the NDMA and Coal India Ltd. "The Navy divers have reported that they have the capacity to go a depth of 100 feet, whereas the NDRF divers can go to a depth of 30 feet," East Jaintia Hills district SP Sylvester Nongtyngerthe said. (With PTI Inputs) Lucknow: A day after a constable was killed by a stone-pelted mob in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, police have registered an FIR against 32 people. While 60 unnamed people have also been mentioned in the FIR, a few of them have been arrested in connection with the violence. "32 people have been named in the FIR. 60 unnamed people also mentioned in the FIR. A few people have also been arrested," MP Pathak, CO City, Ghazipur said. The incident took place while Constable Suresh Vats was returning from the venue of a public meeting addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday. According to Ghazipur Police, Constable Suresh Vats, 48, from Karimuddinpur police station was hit on the head by a stone when he went to end a traffic jam caused by the protests. Superintendent of Police (Ghazipur) Yashveer Singh said the protesters were workers from the Rashtriya Nishad Party who were prevented by the administration and the police from going to the rally venue. "Police is not being able to protect their own. What can we expect from them? What will we do with compensation now? Earlier, similar incidents took place in Bulandshahr and Pratapgarh," VP Singh, son of deceased constable said. Vat's death came less than a month after the killing of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, who was shot dead during mob violence in Bulandshahr district over alleged cow slaughter. (With inputs from agencies) BHADOHI: In an extremely disturbing development, a woman was beaten up, stripped naked and chased on the streets in her village in Gopiganj area of the district for resisting eve-teasers, said reports on Sunday. According to police, the incident took place in a village in Gopiganj area of the district on Saturday, when a woman from the weavers' community objected to being teased by one Lal Chandra Yadav. Later, in the evening, Yadav along with his three accomplices forcibly entered her house and badly beat her up, tore her clothes and forced her to run in the village, the police added. As the woman ran naked in the village, some villagers shot the incident and its video subsequently went viral, the police said. A case against four miscreants believed to be involved in the incident has been registered and one of them had been arrested by the police. We have arrested one of them, said Circle officer Yadavendra Yadav, adding they are trying to apprehend others. Yadav said the woman is undergoing treatment at a hospital and a case has been registered against all four involved in beating and disrobing her. "One accused has been arrested, while efforts are on to nab the rest of the culprits," he said. Meanwhile, Inspector Anil Yadav of Gopiganj Police Station has been sent to the police lines. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Dr Sanjay Kumar said that a case has been lodged against the unidentified accused and those found reprehensible will be brought to justice. This incident came to light on the same day as protests broke out in Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh over the disappearance of a five-year-old girl (With PTI Inputs) The Ministry of Temporary Occupied Territories, together with the Navy, did a lot of work on preparing the necessary documents and identifying all those who should receive such assistance The families of 24 Ukrainian sailors detained by Russia were paid 100 000 UAH (3610 USD) of one-time monetary assistance. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Temporary Occupied Territories. The Ministry of Temporary Occupied Territories, together with the Navy, did a lot of work on preparing the necessary documents and identifying all those who should receive such assistance. In particular, relatives of all sailors. I can responsibly declare that all families received UAH 100 000. The ministry constantly maintains contact with international humanitarian organizations, lawyers of prisoners of war for the speedy release of sailors from Russian prison," said the head of the ministry Vadym Chernysh. Earlier German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron said that the capture of Ukrainian sailors in the Kerch Strait is illegal, as DW reported. "We demand safe, free and unimpeded transit for all ships through the Kerch Strait and the immediate and unconditional release of all illegally detained Ukrainian seafarers," Merkel and Macron said. They too should be able to celebrate the upcoming festivities with their families, the leaders of France and Germany claimed. On November 25, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy attacked the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. 21 Ukrainian sailors have been delivered to Lefortovo remand center in Moscow, three others are in the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison, also in the Russian capital. On December 3, the Russian prosecutors officially accused Ukrainian sailors with the 'illegal crossing of the state border' during the attack in the Kerch Strait. The positions of our troops were fired from IFV near the village of Novotoshkivske in the Luhansk direction Open source Over the day, December 30, the pro-Russian militants fired at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Donbas conflict zone once. No losses among the Ukrainian military reported. This was stated on the JFO HQ page on Facebook. In this case, the use of weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements is not reported. The positions of our troops were fired from IFV near the village of Novotoshkivske in the Luhansk direction. Units of the Joint forces responded the provocations of the enemy using their duty weapons. The OSCE mission observers registered militants tanks near Kruglyk and Myrne settlements in Donbas. It is reported by the press center of Joint Forces Operation. According to the OSCE SMM report, 20 tanks (ten T-72 and ten T-64) were spotted near Kruglyk outside the designated weapons storage sites in the occupied territory In addition, observers sae 20 tanks (twelve T-72 and eight T-64), 12 towed D-30 Lyagushka howitzers, 8 self-propelled 2S1 Gvozdika howitzers, three anti-tank guns MT-12 Rapira, 2 2B11 Sani mortars and 9 anti-tank missile systems near Myrne. "On the same day, according to the available data of SMM aerial surveillance, were identified more than 60 armored combat vehicles of mercenaries (mainly infantry fighting vehicles) and about 450 people in full combat gear who, according to estimates, were preparing for combat shooting exercises," the report said. President of Czech Republic Milos Zeman has publicly called Prague to officially express the protest against glorification of war criminals by Ukraine, Zemans Press Secretary Jiri Ovcacek reported this on Twitter. In the claim, Zeman criticized the reaction of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs by calling it shameful. Related: Ukraine extradited ten suspects to Russia in 2018 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czech Tomas Petricek thinks that Ukraine is the one who has to deal with its history. Ukraine must cope with the painful aspects of its history itself. To do so, Ukraine needs sufficient time. I will talk about this to my colleagues during a visit to Ukraine in early next year, he stressed. Related: Political prisoners Sentsov and Karpyuk receive letters from Ukraine Recently, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a law, which expands the list of participants in combat actions by the warriors of a number of forces, which fought for the independence of Ukraine in the 20th century, including the members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and armed units of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. Gerashchenko called everybody to take part in the support and send letters to political prisoners Ukrainians have sent letters to at least 55 political prisoners of the Kremlin, some of the letters have already been delivered, First Deputy Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament Iryna Gerashchenko reported on Facebook. Oleg Sentsov, Mykola Karpyuk and Ihor Kyiashko received emails with the words of support from all Ukrainians. Words of gratitude for their courage and belief that they will be back home, Gerashchenko. Related: Ukraine offers Russia to exchange prisoners on January 5 She clarified that she had received a message from the administration of Labytnangi prison, where Sentsov is kept, from Vladimir Central Prison, where Karpyuk is kept, and from the prison in Nizhny Novgorod, where Kyiashko is kept, the message about the delivery confirmation, that the sent letters went through the censor and were given to the recipients on December 29. Unfortunately, the emails havent been delivered to our three sailors, who are still kept in Matrosskaya Tishina prison. I have received the following: It is being delayed due to investigative actions or for reasons related to the internal order of the institution, Gerashchenko added. Yesterday, the Serbs protested against President Alexander Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party in the center of Belgrade. This is reported by Reuters. Thousands of people chanted Vucic thief as they marched peacefully through the city center in the fourth such protest in as many weeks. They demanded media freedoms, an end to attacks on journalists and opposition politicians, the report said. It is noted that the demonstrators consider Vucic an autocrat, and his party a corrupt one. In an interview with the pro-government Studio B TV during the protest, Vucic said he was ready to discuss the opposition demands. I am ready to look at what causes dissent of the people, he said, after being jeered by a group of protesters as he entered the television station building. Vucic earlier suggested he was willing to test his partys popularity in a snap vote, although Vuk Jeremic, a former foreign minister and the head of the small Peoples Party, part of the alliance, said the opposition would boycott any election. This is the fourth protest against the president in Serbia. Three Ukrainians were released from the Russian captivity in 2018. This was reported by the first deputy speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko on Facebook. "Unfortunately, during this year, by joint efforts of the president, diplomats, border guards, we managed to release from Russian prisons only three Ukrainians - in January it was Roman Savkov and in March - two border guards (B. Martson and I. Dzyubak)," she wrote. We recall, the fighter of the 92nd brigade Roman Savkov was released from captivity in late January. And in early March, Ukrainian border guards Bogdan Martson and Igor Dzyubak returned to Ukraine from captivity. Earlier the families of 24 Ukrainian sailors detained by Russia were paid 100 000 UAH (3610 USD) of one-time monetary assistance. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Temporary Occupied Territories. The Ministry of Temporary Occupied Territories, together with the Navy, did a lot of work on preparing the necessary documents and identifying all those who should receive such assistance. In particular, relatives of all sailors. I can responsibly declare that all families received UAH 100 000. The ministry constantly maintains contact with international humanitarian organizations, lawyers of prisoners of war for the speedy release of sailors from Russian prison," said the head of the ministry Vadym Chernysh. The U.S. and China have been waging trade war for a long time President of the United States Donald Trump claimed that the U.S. has reached significant progress in negotiations with China on trade issues. Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China. Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made! Trump said on Twitter. Related: Ukraine asks U.S. to extradite MMA fighter suspected in murder of journalist Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China. Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018 The U.S. introduced additional tariffs for the import of Chinese goods of 200 billion dollars. More than 5,000 items of goods fall under the tariffs. Among them are paper, rice and textiles. The duties entered into force on September 24. Recall that the US introduced a 25% duty on goods imported from China. President of the United States Donald Trump accused the PRC of stealing intellectual property and repeatedly stressed that he does not like the deficit in trade with Beijing. Then duties were raised by another $16 billion. Totally, the Prosecutor Generals office of Russian directed 42 requests on extradition to Ukraine Open source In 2018, the Prosecutor Generals office of Ukraine approved the claims of Russia on the extradition of ten individuals suspected of having committed criminal offenses, Ukraines Prosecutors office told the journalists, reports UNN. We report that the Prosecutor Generals office of Ukraine approved the extradition of eight people to Russian side in 2017, when in 2018 there are ten of them, they said. Related: More than 1,500 orphans adopted in Ukraine in 2018 The Prosecutors office has also noted that they received 42 requests from the Russian side about the transfer. Earlier, the Ukrainian Parliament intends to extradite the foreigners who took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation or joined Forces Operation in Donbas or JFO. Ukraines Prosecutor General's Office extradited Ingush Timur Tumgoev to the Russian Federation upon the request of the Federal Security Service of Russia. Related: Chernobyl exclusion zone visited by 60,000 tourists in 2018 The FSB of Russia suspects Tumgoev of participating in one of the radical groups in Syria. The General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine then decided to extradite Tumgoev. The European Court of Human Rights twice refused to suspend the extradition, but the UN Human Rights Committee obliged the Ukrainian authorities to suspend the extradition. Gilets Jaunes protests continue in the cities of France. About 12 thousand people went out to the streets throughout the country; in particular in Paris about 800 people took part in the protests. It is reported by Le Parisien, citing police data. It is noted that the movement of "yellow vests" is declining, and fewer people take part in the protests. In Paris, law enforcement officers detained 57 people, 33 of them are arrested. Some media report police use of tear gas against protesters. In Rouen, protesters set fire to the Bank of France building, in Lille they attacked a CNews reporter, in Marseille, a BFM employee, in Bordeaux - a TV7 representative. Volodymyr Yelchenko, Permanent Representative of Ukraine in the UN stated that special debate on Ukraine scheduled for late February in the UN General Assembly, reports Ukrinform. We made this decision through the so-called General Committee of the General Assembly, which adopts the agenda for the whole next year. Russia has not done without resistance. It was hard. Since it is an additional source of major concern for Russians. They hate it, the diplomat said. Related: 112 Ukraine General producer Marchevsky urges President to react to petition supporting TV channels Yelchenko added that the possibility of appointing such debate appeared owing to the inclusion of the separate item on the issue of Ukraine in the autumn of 2018 in the agenda of the General Assembly for 2019. At the same time, he clarified that it is not yet known whether decisions will be made on the results of the debates, although he does not exclude this possibility. Earlier, on December 17, the UN General Assembly endorsed the resolution The problem of the militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol city (Ukraine), as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. 66 countries voted in favor, 19 were against, 72 abstained. The resolution urges Russia to withdraw its forces from Crimea and terminate the illegal occupation of Ukrainian territory. It also condemns the military build-up of Russia in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Rescuers are switching to an enhanced working mode for the period of holidays The units of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are switching to an advanced working mode for the period of celebration of the New Year holidays, reports the press office of the Service. In general, 7 thousand rescuers and 2 thousand units of equipment of the State Emergency Service will be on 24-hour duty until 9 a.m. January 2. Besides, An-26 aircraft will be brought to readiness to provide an emergency response, reads the message. Related: Police receive calls on "planted mines" in Odesa court The Emergency Service has also noted that they are clarifying the locations with highly populated events in every region of Ukraine. Moreover, rescuers intensified fire safety monitoring at potentially dangerous facilities and organized preventive work with the public on actions in case of an emergency. As we reported, the police will work in the enhanced regime during the New Year and Christmas holidays. The places of the community gatherings will be checked by the bomb squad. Related: Chernobyl exclusion zone visited by 60,000 tourists in 2018 These days the police will also secure the places of the cult and religious buildings. Deputy Head of National Police Oleksandr Fatsevych emphasized that it is necessary to strengthen the security means during the celebration of Christmas. As the provision of Tomos is planned for January 6. The police officers will work to prevent the provocations. In 2019, Ukraine will test its new weapons. It is reported by the press service of the Cabinet. In particular, tests of the Ukrainian Kolibri anti-aircraft missile system will begin next year. In addition, in 2019, it is planned to complete the development and begin testing of a ground-based cruise missile complex to destroy the naval advanced targets of the Neptune project. Earlier the president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko announced the test of anti-ship cruise missile as part of the Neptune project, and also announced the start of deliveries of the Vilkha missiles to the Ukrainian military. During 2018, Ukroboronprom defense industry company gave the Ukrainian power structures more than 2,500 units of accurate weapons, as the press office of the company reports. It is noted that it became possible with the high-end manufacturing lines and very accurate machine tools. As Ukroboronprom stated, one of the key enterprises in this medium is Kyiv State Design Bureau Luch, which developed and massively produces high-accuracy missile systems: RK-3 Corsar, Strunga-P' and Barrier. The handed weapons included high-accurate 152mm Kvitnyk shells, which hits the target on 20-kilometer distance with an accuracy of a few centimeters and 80mm Oskol missiles. In addition, the State Joint-Stock Holding Company "Artem" began work on the mass production of new 152-mm shells for Giatsint artillery systems. Six coffins were taken out of the burial place before its demolition. The remains were relocated to niches within the same cemetery, located in Comas district in northern Lima. Heavy machinery was used to complete the works and the area was secured by lots of police officers. The operation was carried out in accordance with the amendment to the Cemetery and Funeral Services Act enacted by the Executive Branch last November. The existence of the abovementioned mausoleum was revealed in 2016 through a video that showed dozens of people together burying the remains of Shining Path members who died during a riot at El Fronton prison. In February this year, an order from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights dismissed the request for provisional measures preventing the destruction of the mausoleum. Terror in Peru The Andean nation's dark 1980-2000 terrorism episode is estimated to have claimed over 69,000 lives, according to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Much of said fatalities are attributed to Shining Path, responsible for brutal terror attacks such as the Tarata Bombing, as well as massive assassinations in rural Peru. The Inca country's most wanted terrorist, Abimael Guzman , was captured on September 12th, 1992, marking the defeat of Shining Path the most bloodthirsty and cruel terrorist group the country has ever seen. (END) CVC/CCR/RMB The mausoleum holding remains of Shining Path terrorist group members was demolished Saturday as part of an operation led by district mayor of Comas, Miguel Saldana, in partnership with Peru's National Police.Published: 12/30/2018 Getting the Lead Out The AAPS is working to eliminate risks at school. Some community members say they should do more. by Julie Halpert From the December, 2018 issue In May 2017, a few months before Abby Dumes' son was to start kindergarten, she thought it was important to check the test results of lead exposure in Ann Arbor Public Schools. This likely would not be a priority of most prospective parents of kindergartners. But Dumes is a medical anthropologist and U-M anthropology lecturer specializing in environmental health. "I was thinking about environmental health in the context of the Flint water crisis," she says. "It was on my radar." In 2016, the first year Ann Arbor Public Schools began testing its water for lead, most drinking fountains and sinks had undetectable levels. But that year only seventy sources were sampled. In 2017, the district expanded the sample to 388 sources, and when Dumes reviewed the results of this initial testing, she was alarmed. Only one of the district's thirty-two buildings, Huron High, had no detectable levels in any of its sources. Thirty-nine percent had at least one water source that exceeded the EPA "action level"--the threshold recommended to take action to remove lead--of fifteen parts per billion. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality recommends a lower action level, 5 ppb, which is also the FDA standard for bottled water. If the district had used that standard--as Dumes thought it should--79 percent of AAPS buildings would have had at least one source over the limit. One faucet at Burns Park Elementary initially tested at 320 ppb. Lead is particularly toxic to children, whose bodies absorb significantly more of it than adults, causing major adverse effects to brain development. The American Academy of Pediatrics says there is no safe blood lead concentration level for children and recommends that school water fountains not exceed lead concentrations of 1 ppb. The Flint water crisis was a cautionary tale. To save money, a state-appointed emergency manager stopped buying water from Detroit and reopened a treatment plant on the Flint River. But the river's water was more corrosive, and many homes ...continued below... were connected to the city system through old lead pipes. City and state officials insisted the water was safe--but a 2015 study by pediatrician Mona Hanna-Attisha found that the percentage of young children with elevated levels of lead in their blood doubled after the water change, from 2.4 to 4.9 percent.Over the last thirty years, federal programs have greatly reduced the risk of lead poisoning from old plumbing and lead-based paint. Even in Flint, the number of children with elevated blood levels fell by nearly three-quarters between 2006 and 2016. But the governmental failure became a global scandal--and focused everyone's attention on the danger of lead in drinking water.---In October, Dumes, Ecology Center deputy director Rebecca Meuninck, and two pediatricians who are AAPS parents created a petition asking that every source in Ann Arbor Public Schools used for drinking and cooking be tested. It garnered over 1,000 signatures. After an emotional school board meeting dominated by concerned community members speaking on the issue, superintendent Jeanice Swift announced that the district's lead testing program had been updated "to establish greater than 5ppb (>5ppb) as the level at which we will conduct mitigation action; any drinking water or food preparation locations testing at greater than 5ppb will be taken out of service until mitigation is completed and acceptable test results are achieved."Mitigation actions could involve replacing water fixtures, installing lead filters, and possibly replacing water pipes. (Unlike Flint, Ann Arbor's system contains no lead pipes, but until 1986, copper pipes were joined with lead-based solder.) "We are all hands on deck" now, says Swift.The district has also begun to install lead filtered "hydration stations" in each school, one for each 100 students in a building. The cost, roughly $1 million, will come from an existing sinking fund for building repair and construction. Swift also convened an advisory group of experts to wrestle with some of "the more subtle components of these issues."There are no federal rules requiring testing of drinking water in schools. "Ann Arbor is the only school district I'm aware of in Washtenaw County that is on municipal water and has undertaken this type of proactive effort," says Kristen Schweighoefer, the county's environmental health director.At an October school board meeting, Dumes said the current course of action represents "huge steps on the path to ensuring safe drinking water for every AAPS student." Meuninck was impressed that as soon as the issues were raised, "the school district acted so quickly and set a precedent for the best practices in the state."But Dumes points out that only a portion of water sources have been tested so far and that sources that tested above 5 ppb in 2017 remain in use. "I think the biggest concern is that, while a long-term solution is being pieced together, children and staff continue to drink from tested and untested sources that are at risk for elevated levels of lead," she emails. "If there are outlets that continue to be on, and there isn't communication not to use them, they're going to be used."Dumes is particularly troubled that a number of the fixtures that tested over 15 ppb in 2017 were left in service when retests after flushing showed lower levels. She points to an EPA protocol which indicates that flushing prior to sampling can result in artificially low measures of lead levels.Swift says that the 2017 testing took place in the summer, when water sits stagnant in parts of closed schools, and standard protocol is to flush the water in such situations. She says the Arch Environmental Group, which did the testing, thought the unusually high levels from some of the faucets seemed out of order, so they tested them again. (Arch did not respond to requests for comment.) For example, when the Burns Park faucet tested high on July 27, two more samples were taken. On August 15, the level was down to 10 ppb. On August 16, after the prior day's flush, the level went down to 5 ppb. The Burns Park faucet remains in use, on the assumption that the initial high level was due to stagnant water.Swift says every faucet was supposed to be flushed prior to sampling, but it's likely that eighteen faucets where levels were initially high and came down in subsequent tests had not properly been flushed before the first test. Those sources are still in service. Holly Gohlke, a water quality specialist with the MDEQ, says Arch Environmental's decision to leave those fixtures in service followed appropriate guidelines. AAPS, she says, is "doing a good job" following guidance from both the EPA and the DEQ.Seven sources continued to test over 15 ppb in subsequent testing in the summer of 2017. Arch provided assessments of what parts needed to be replaced in those fixtures. Emile Lauzzana, AAPS executive director of physical properties, says that fixtures and immediately adjacent plumbing were replaced in those drinking water sources. The mitigation reduced lead levels under 15 ppb; those fixtures will now be retested, and if they test above 5 ppb additional mitigation will be performed.Wayne State civil and environmental engineering professor Shawn McElmurry, whose research focuses on the transport of pollutants in urban systems, says that presuming the high levels of lead are due solely to stagnated water and leaving them in service may not be the most prudent approach. Any time a high concentration of lead is found, it indicates a potential source of lead exposure, he says, and the first draw typically reflects sources that are closer to the faucet. But "you can't guarantee that the lead in the first draw sample is due only to the immediate plumbing"--there could be a lead source farther back in the system.Dumes remains concerned, she writes, that "AAPS continues to conduct pre-stagnation flushing, or flushing prior to sampling. This is out of step with EPA recommendations and, according to the EPA, 'may cause results showing lower than representative lead levels in the water.'"She also wants the district to be more aggressive in restricting access to untrusted sources while testing is conducted, and points to the Detroit Public Schools: In August, after testing found high levels of copper and lead at sixteen schools, DPS shut off all drinking water sources in its system. Swift says AAPS is taking appropriate precautions, since most of its drinking fountains and sinks already are at or below 5 ppb.Detroit, with its older housing stock, also has a much more serious problem with childhood lead exposure. The Michigan Department of Human Services reports that 8.8 percent of Detroit children tested in 2016 had elevated lead levels--far more than in Flint at the peak of the crisis.In Washtenaw County, the figure in 2016 was just 1 percent. According to preliminary 2017 figures provided by Schweighoefer, of 1,116 children tested who gave Ann Arbor addresses, just eleven had lead levels over 5 mg.---Given the risks, however, no one wants their child exposed to lead. The challenge, says McElmurry, is that there is there is no single protocol or set of regulations that schools must follow. Stagnant water can allow lead to build up and antibacterial chlorine to decay. "To avoid that, we want clean water to flow through the pipes to consumers as fast as possible," McElmurry says."We have definitely been seeing stagnant water being a factor in elevated lead results," says Gohlke, the MDEQ water quality specialist. "We are highly recommending that schools do a water moving program in the building on a routine basis."Jerome Nriagu, professor emeritus at the U-M School of Public Health, who has published several papers on lead poisoning, isn't surprised there is an issue with lead in drinking water. "It's what you would expect in any plumbing system that is thirty to fifty years old," he says, due to the use of lead solder. He believes there needs to be more effort invested in trying to identify the source of the lead in water. And he's worried there won't be enough hydration stations to ensure that all students have easy access to safe water, particularly in a large school like Pioneer High. After they play sports, "they're very thirsty. They'll have to get permission to run to the other end of the school to get a drink. It doesn't make sense to me," Nriagu says. He suggests an interim measure: equipping every drinking fountain with certified filters. "Filters can bring the lead down to acceptable levels while they're trying to figure out how to deal" with the problem, he says.Swift says filters won't be installed during testing, since doing so would significantly slow the process of ensuring all buildings are tested and that fixtures needing remediation are addressed immediately following the current rounds of testing during this school year. She adds that the plan is to install more hydration stations at high traffic locations, like near the cafeteria or gym or busy hallway intersections--"We will look at how the building is laid out and where there are natural traffic patterns."Depending on the size of the school, more than 100 may be installed, she says. There are already some in the schools that were given to the district as gifts from graduating classes.---It's unclear exactly how long the testing will take to complete. "Our role is to get this done very, very quickly. We are expediting this," Swift says. Mitigation will begin immediately following a high reading instead of waiting for all testing to be completed.Swift says AAPS will restrict access to unsafe sources with signs and labels that say "not safe for drinking" for sources that are never intended to be used for drinking, like bathroom sinks. "I do understand the concern of parents who say 'what if my child goes to a room that has not been used for a while and takes the first drink?'" she says. "We will all be engaged in a fundamental education, teaching and learning process," spreading the word that it's important to let a water outlet run for a few seconds before drinking. "They'll be getting water in a lot of places. It's the best practice for us to follow no matter where we're drinking."Meuninck believes AAPS is on the right course. With these caveats, she says there's still work to be done to ensure students and staff know which sources to use and which should be avoided. It's crucial to avoid a situation where "children are going up to a bubbler [drinking fountain] in a classroom if it's not a trusted source." But she points out, "We have a team full of educators who know how to reach children with messaging."Swift says she's confident that AAPS will be a leader in the area of water quality. "We will continue to work on this plan," she said at an October meeting. "It is our desire to get to the lowest levels. We hope to see a day when it will be zero. That is our goal." [Originally published in December, 2018.] In a meeting held on December 17th, Minister Lubomir Metnar apprised the Czech Government of upcoming defence acquisition public tender plans for the Czech Armed Forces. Nexter Titus armored personnel carrier (Picture source: Army Recognition) This acquisition plan covers several different types of armament and equipment. Tracked infantry fighting vehicles It is the largest modernisation project in the Czech armed forces history. The Ministry of Defence will invite four selected manufactures to present their bids to supply 210 pieces of tracked infantry fighting vehicles in seven different versions. The contract with the winning bidder should be signed in August 2019, and the vehicles will subsequently be delivered between the years 2020 and 2025. Their life-span is expected to be 30 years. Wheeled armored personnel carriers The contract for delivery of 62 Nexter Titus-type armored personnel carriers will be signed before April 2019 with Eldis Pardubice s.r.o., a Czech manufacturer that has both a production licence and security clearance. Delivery is also expected between 2020 and 2025. Small arms Another Czech manufacturer, Ceska zbrojovka, based in Uhersky Brod, will deliver up to 14,000 assault rifles and 20,000 pistols. The contract will be signed in March 2019. Mobile medium air defense radars Minister Metnar also informed the Government that the Ministry of Defense would buy eight medium air defense mobile radars (MADR) from Israel. Due to the recent speculations and doubts surrounding the original public tender, Minister Metnar cancelled the invitation to tender and instead will directly approach the Israeli Government. The contract will be signed by mid-2019, and the first radar will be operational in the Czech Republic within 22 months. RBS-70NG contract signed. On December 18th, SAAB Dynamics AB, represented by Mr. Kristian Wallin, signed a contract to deliver 16 RBS-70NG air defense missile systems to the 25th Air Defense Missile Regiment in Strakonice. The contract was countersigned by Daniel Kostoval, Deputy Minister of Defence for Armaments and Acquisitions, and Major General Jaromir Zuna, Director of the Support Division of the MoD. The total cost will be over CZK 949 million (excl. of VAT), and the systems will be delivered between 2020 and 2021. "This governments priority, as well as mine, is to significantly strengthen the long-term security and defense capability of the Czech Republic. This can only be achieved by accomplishing these important armaments projects," said Minister Metnar and continued, "In our endeavour to modernise our military and its equipment, we are, at the same time, maintaining and supporting our domestic defense industry". Chief of the General Staff General Ales Opata also expressed his wholehearted support for the upcoming acquisitions. "The procurement of this new equipment will be the key to taking our armed forces to a level that will meet the challenges of the 21st century. It will also necessitate decommissioning our obsolete materiel to comply with current NATO standards," said General Opata. The Lao People`s Armed Forces (LPAF) receive a new self-propelled howitzer (SPH) armed with the Soviet-/Russian-made D-30A 122 mm howitzer on the chassis of the Ural-4320 6x6 all-terrain truck, the press department of the LPAF said. LPAF Ural-mounted D-30 122mm Howitzer. (Picture source: Soha News ) "The military is taking the deliveries of the new 122 mm SPH that is armed with the D-30A gun. The weapon will boost the combat capacity of mechanized infantry," the LPAF said in a statement. The military did not disclose the number of new guns to be delivered to its mechanized units. A source from the LPAF told TASS that the troops would receive some 100 SPHs. "The armed forces now lack firepower. The delivery of these artillery systems will allow the military to increase its field fire support capabilities in a rapid manner," he said. According to the source, the SPH is not fitted with a digital fire control system (FCS). "It is just a D-30A howitzer mounted on the Ural-4320 truck. The system carries no optical-electronic units; however, it can be coupled to an automated FCS," he said. The 122 mm D-30A howitzer is an updated variant of the world-known D-30. The D-30A is intended for destruction of manpower, hardware, engineering installations, artillery systems and mechanized units. According to the official specifications, the howitzer has a range of fire of 4-15.3 km, a rate of fire of six to eight rounds per minute, an elevation angle between -7 and +70, a traverse angle of 360, a combat weight of 3,200 kg, and a crew of six servicemen. Copyright 2018 TASS / Army Recognition Group SPRL . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. I note here, in further defence of Father Bob, the words of the Auschwitz Memorial: When we look at Auschwitz we see the end of the process. It's important to remember that the Holocaust actually did not start from gas chambers. This hatred gradually developed from words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanisation & escalating violence. I tweeted in response to them: My father-in-law lost most of his family in the Theresienstadt concentration camp. My wife is horrified at the Australian government's treatment of refugees. She recognises the same elements of cruelty & inhumanity, sickness & death, present in Manus & Nauru. The elderly priest who describes himself as patron of the unloved and unlovely had drawn a comparison between the barbed wire that fenced in the World War II concentration camp at Auschwitz and the conditions prevailing for refugees on Manus and Nauru, a link which had enraged the three chumps. NOOSA - On Saturday, Father Bob Maguire [@FatherBob] was attacked on Twitter by journalist Chris Kenny, former politician Alexander Downer and once Labor now Liberal political-hopeful Warren Mundine. I want to reprise here the story of my father-in-law, Henry Lowig, written by his grandson Ben Jackson at the time a book on Henrys life and career was published in 2012. It is a salutary story of hatred, refugeeism and redemption. Tasmanias forgotten mathematician is remembered in new book BEN JACKSON The Forgotten Mathematician by Martina Becvarova, Antonin Slavik, Jindrich Becvar and Vlastimil Dlab, v 50 History of Mathematics Series, Charles University, Prague, February 2012 When Dr Henry Lowig fled from Prague to Hobart by way of London in 1948 to take up a position of lecturer in mathematics at the University of Tasmania, he had just survived not only a very bad War but also an appalling Peace. Hobart was to become his sanctuary and its university a place of serenity in which he could pursue a lifelong passion for mathematics. It had been mathematics that had provided him with a small isle of sanity amid the ocean of madness he had experienced in Czechoslovakia during World War II and during what for him was its brutal aftermath. Henry was born in Prague in 1904 to a Jewish father and a German mother, and it was this blend of parentage that was eventually to cause so much family tragedy and personal suffering. ******* In 2012 in Prague, Czech Republic, 'The Forgotten Mathematician', a book on Henry Lowigs life and prodigious output as a mathematician was launched. Officially forgotten, that is. Back in the 1940s, to depart the embrace of Communism in his Czech homeland was a criminal act and the perpetrator condemned and never to be acknowledged thereafter . But Hobart, Australia, welcomed Henry, and he repaid the debt by gaining his second doctorate and lecturing in mathematics at the University of Tasmania. In Tasmania, a life that had been blighted by war and discrimination - first of all as a half caste Jew and then, under post-war Czech rule, as a man of German origin - was transformed by family, career and the untrammelled pursuit of mathematics. Henry achieved a normality of existence that, a year previously, he had thought unattainable. Always a studious man, and something of a prodigy, Henry earned his first doctoral degree in 1928 at age 23 for a thesis on periodic difference equations. The development of his career and research was interrupted in 1938 with the signing of the Munich Pact and the call up of Czechoslovak men for military training. By the time Henry had completed this, and he was by no means a natural born soldier, Europe was on the brink of war. Things quickly got bad in Prague. Fascist and anti-Semitic sentiments were on the rise, including within the academic community, and racist regulations were gazetted making Jews and half castes unemployable. Henrys career was in ruins. But it was more than a career that was at stake: the livelihood, and lives, of the Lowig family were also on the line. Henrys Jewish father was arrested by the Gestapo, placed on a register of Jewish residents and eventually shipped off to Theresienstadt concentration camp. A little more than a week later he was dead. The Jewish side of Henrys family, except for some cousins who had seen the writing on the wall and fled to England before the war, similarly disappeared. Henry, by now officially designated a half-caste Jew, was unemployed for three years (much of which he spent in Prague libraries with his mathematics) until, in 1943, he was assigned to work as an unskilled labourer at a metal works. Unsuited as he was for such employment, he regarded it as a mere inconvenience. His more ominous fear was of transportation to a Jewish ghetto, labour camp or concentration camp. Less than two months after the death of his father in August 1944, Henrys anxiety was realised. He was transported in a railway wagon to the German labour camp at Klettendorf. Thence followed three other labour camps. The future seemed bleak, many of his fellow labourers were despatched to concentration camps. But Henry survived. In May 1945, the German instrument of surrender was signed and Henry was told he was free to go. After eight months imprisonment he returned to Prague where he discovered his mother had been arrested for being German. Henry intervened successfully to have his mother released but, having been born in the Sudetenland and now regarded as German, in a climate of post-war paranoia he again found it impossible to gain employment. Bereft of her husband and most of her family, Henrys mother left for London in 1948, where she would live the rest of her life - a disillusioned and bitter woman. Henry was offered and accepted a position at the University of Tasmania and also left Czechoslovakia, never to return. In Hobart, Henry was joined by his Prague sweetheart, Libby, who he married in 1949. He continued his research, gaining his second doctorate, Doctor of Science in mathematics, in 1951. He and Libby purchased their first house in the suburb of Taroona, had two children and became Australian citizens in 1954. The second and more normal half of Henrys life had begun. Later appointed a Professor at the University of Alberta in Canada, Henry died in 1995 at the age of 90. A group of 69 migrants on a rickety wooden boat were rescued Sunday off Malta, the navy said, while 49 more were still at sea waiting for a country to allow them to dock. The migrants sent out a distress call 117 nautical miles southwest of Malta and a Maltese navy vessel was sent to their aid, a statement said. Meanwhile, the German NGO Sea-Eye said its rescue ship was responding to a report of another boat in difficulty with 24 migrants on board. The German-flagged ship already has 17 migrants from West Africa on board who were rescued on Saturday in international waters off the coast of Libya. At the same time, the Dutch-flagged Sea-Watch said it already had 32 migrants rescued on December 22 including three young children, three unaccompanied adolescents and four women from Nigeria, Libya and Ivory Coast. While Italy, Malta, Spain and the Netherlands have refused to accept the Sea-Watch 3 migrants, several German cities have offered to take them in. On Saturday a government spokesman, however, said Germany would only accept some of the migrants if other European countries also agreed to do so. Last week, a newborn baby and his mother were helicoptered from a boat to Malta More than 1,300 migrants have perished trying to reach Italy or Malta since the beginning of the year, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A Maltese navy vessel was sent to aid the migrants after they sent out a distress call 117 nautical miles southwest of the island nation Australia has stripped the citizenship of its most-wanted Islamic State suspect Neil Prakash for being a member of the jihadist group, the 12th dual-national to lose their passport over terrorism links. Prakash -- a senior recruiter for IS who has been linked to terror plots to kill Australians -- is currently facing charges in Turkey of joining the organisation. The government in 2016 asked Ankara to extradite Prakash, who Canberra previously reported as having been killed in a US airstrike in northern Iraq. "I can confirm that the Australian government has notified Neil Prakash that his Australian citizenship has ceased due to being in the service of Islamic State," Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said in a statement Saturday. "Cessation of Australian citizenship of dual nationals engaged in terrorist conduct offshore is a key part of Australia's response to international violent extremism and terrorism." Reported to be of Indian, Fijian and Cambodian background, Prakash used the internet "to promote the evil ideology" of the jihadist group "and recruit Australian men, women and children", Canberra has said. Known as Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, Prakash left Australia in 2013 and was linked to an alleged terror plot on Anzac Day in 2015, when Australia honours its war dead. Prakash said during his trial in Turkey last year that he regretted his involvement with IS after seeing its "true face". Canberra has become increasingly concerned about Australian nationals returning home after fighting alongside IS abroad and has passed a series of tougher national security laws in recent years. That includes legislation where people can forfeit their citizenship if they also hold a passport from another country, and therefore are not left stateless. Turkey detained and tried Australian jihadist Neil Prakash in 2017 (courthouse pictured) on charges of joining the Islamic State group; Australia has stripped his citizenship Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday rejected calls for a new vote after being declared landslide winner in an election marred by deadly violence that the opposition slammed as "farcical" and rigged. Having secured a record fourth term, Hasina swept aside opposition protests over clashes between rival supporters that left at least 17 dead and allegations of ballot box stuffing and intimidation. "The election was totally free and independent. There is no doubt about it," the 71-year-old Hasina said. "I have nothing to hide. Whatever I do I do it for the country. My conscience is clear," she added in comments to reporters. The ruling Awami League party and its allies won 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament, with the main opposition securing only six seats. Hasina insisted she had no desire "to remain in power" and that voters had backed her party because of Bangladesh's economic growth during her decade-long rule. The opposition alliance, led by the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), said it had been the target of a crackdown for months leading up to Sunday's poll and called for a rerun. "We are demanding that a fresh election is held under a neutral government as early as possible," alliance leader Kamal Hossain told reporters. Election authorities said they had not received a single complaint against the vote and that there was "no scope to hold a fresh one". Hasina has been lauded for boosting economic growth in the poor South Asian nation and for welcoming Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar. But critics accuse her of authoritarianism. Her arch-rival and BNP leader Khaleda Zia was jailed for 17 years this year on graft charges that her party said were politically motivated. Deadly violence that blighted the election campaign spilled over into voting day -- with 17 people killed -- even though authorities deployed 600,000 security forces across the country. The deaths brought the total number of fatalities during the campaign and election day to 21, police confirmed. The United Nations called for restraint in the wake of the violence. "We encourage the parties to address electoral complaints in a peaceful manner and through legal means," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. "Violence and attacks on people and property are not acceptable." - 'We'll cast your vote' - The opposition alliance accused Hasina's party of stuffing ballot boxes and using other illegal means to fix the result. BNP spokesman Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said there were "irregularities" in 221 of the 300 seats. One voter, Atiar Rahman, said he was beaten by ruling party activists in the central district of Narayanganj. "They told me not to bother, 'We'll cast your vote on your behalf'," he told AFP. The opposition said the unrest was stirred up to deter voters but the election commission reported 80 percent turnout. - Free and fair? - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first international leader to call and congratulate Hasina, the Bangladesh leader's press secretary said. China's President Xi Jinping also greeted her with Beijing's envoy handing over "congratulatory messages". Experts say Hasina's victory will be sullied by accusations that she hamstrung opponents. "This result might affect our democratic system and might also damage state institutions," Sakhawat Hussain, a former election commissioner, told AFP. The opposition claims some 21,000 of its activists were detained during the campaign, crushing its ability to mobilise support. Thirty-five of its candidates were arrested over what they said were trumped-up charges or disqualified from running by courts, which Hasina's opponents say are government controlled. The leadership of Bangladesh has alternated between Hasina and Zia, allies-turned-foes, over the last three decades. Hasina, daughter of Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has now secured her third consecutive term in office, and fourth overall. She was gifted victory in the 2014 election when the BNP boycotted it, claiming it was not free and fair. Rights groups have since accused her administration of stifling freedom of speech by toughening a draconian anti-press law and the enforced disappearance of dissenters. Hasina rejects accusations of authoritarianism but analysts say she feared young voters would support the BNP. Her government was criticised this year for its heavy handling of weeks of major student protests that brought Dhaka to a standstill. Bangladeshis read about the election result in the newspapers on December 31 Map locating cities in Bangladesh were people were killed during election-day clashes. Voting in Bangladesh's parliamentary election, which ended at 4:00pm (1000 GMT), was held under tight security Supporters of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the Awami League party walk through the streets in Dhaka Bangladeshi polling officials carry a ballot box for counting after voting ended at a polling station in Dhaka Bangladeshi women wait in line outside a polling station in Dhaka, on December 30, 2018 Brazil is about to experience its moment of truth with its new president, Jair Bolsonaro, who takes power on Tuesday as an untested leader vowing a crackdown on crime and corruption and ideological opposition to the left. The 63-year-old former paratrooper, long an obscure politician, won electoral legitimacy with a comfortable win in October, triumphing in a country left bitter and demoralized by a record recession, graft exposed at the highest levels, and a soaring murder rate. Bolsonaro and his far-right policies seduced where a divided left and a marginalized center-right floundered. His ultraconservative Social Liberal Party scooped up 52 seats in the 513-member Congress, making it the second-biggest group in the fractured legislature. To ensure he can govern, Bolsonaro will rely on deputies belonging to key lobbies rallying to his party to pass legislation. They include those defending the interests of agribusiness, burgeoning evangelical churches, and pro-gun groups. Initially at least, he will also enjoy the support of investors, hoping he can see through fiscal reforms to drag Brazil out of its unsustainable accumulation of debt. - 'A lot of unknowns' - The task before him is formidable. To overhaul the over-generous pension system, for instance, his economic team that views this as a priority is certain to butt heads with Bolsonaro allies who do not want to upset voters. Bolsonaro's high-profile embrace of Israel has alarmed the country's big meat exporters which fear losing lucrative Arab markets. An announcement of moving Brazil's embassy to Jerusalem was hastily rowed back to "not decided yet." The president-elect has warmly welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of his inauguration. Netanyahu said Sunday in Rio de Janeiro that Bolsonaro had told him the Brazilian embassy move was a question of "when" rather than "if." "We are on the eve of the president-elect taking office and there are still a lot of unknowns about his government," said Rogerio Bastos Arantes, a political science professor at the University of Sao Paulo. A few of the concrete policy moves to come are Brazil's withdrawal from a United Nations global pact on migration, an end to Cuba's sending doctors to poor parts of Brazil, and an imminent decree making gun ownership far easier. These appeal to Bolsonaro's base, which wants to see an end to Brazil's friendly-to-all-countries policy reinforced during the 2003-2016 period of center-left rule under the Workers Party. Bolsonaro, criticized during the electoral campaign for his long track record of disparaging women, blacks and gays, has promised to be a leader for all of Brazil's 210 million inhabitants, though there was no sign yet of any unifying agenda. Bastos Arantes said the country could face a "crisis of governability" if Bolsonaro does not quickly make good on that promise. "Bolsonaro has to tell society what positive things he wants to do, not just negative ones," the analyst said. "It's very difficult to govern and deal with institutions on the basis of campaign rhetoric." - Avoiding scrutiny - Observers also noted Bolsonaro's stated intention to deliver his messages directly to Brazilians via social media, which he is as big a user of as US President Donald Trump. "New technologies allow a direct relationship between a voter and his representatives," the president-elect told the Supreme Court when his upcoming mandate was validated. But such tactics, which would skip around checks and balances provided from direct questioning by journalists, could permit Bolsonaro to create narratives around external enemies in an effort to concentrate more power, Bastos Arantes said. Already, Bolsonaro has pledged to do all he can to challenge the left-wing governments of Cuba and Venezuela. "Inventing an external enemy to reinforce domestic control is a well-known formula," Batsos Arantes said. - Ex-military ministers - Openly nostalgic for Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship, Bolsonaro has formed a government with a third of ministries going to ex-military men. But the team also includes Paulo Guedes, a US-trained economist determined to bring in free-market dogma, and a formerly mid-ranking foreign ministry employee, Ernesto Araujo, as foreign minister. A star anti-corruption judge, Sergio Moro, has been named justice minister. The government, much of it inexperienced, will use its first 100 days in office to identify challenges and propose solutions. That period will be revelatory for the sort of stewardship Brazil will encounter under President Bolsonaro. President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, pictured speaking in a synagogue, has promised to be a leader for all of Brazil but there is no sign yet of a unifying agenda Army soldiers take part in security preparations for the inauguration ceremony of Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who has chosen ex-military men to lead one-third of his ministries Ceremonial guards in Brasilia prepare for the inauguration ceremony of Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who is openly nostalgic for the country's 1964-1985 military dictatorship Profile of the government of Jair Bolsonaro, who takes office as Brazilian president on January 1. Brazil will definitely move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, with only the date of the transfer to be decided, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday during a visit to Rio de Janeiro. "It's not a question of 'if' but of 'when'," Netanyahu told members of Rio's Jewish community, his office said in a statement. He said Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro assured him of the move in a meeting on Friday. He pointed to US President Donald Trump going through with his promise to move his country's embassy and said "Bolsonaro will also do so." The issue of the embassy has been hovering over Netanyahu's visit to Brazil, the first-ever by an Israeli prime minister. He arrived on Friday and went straight into his meeting with far-right Bolsonaro, who is to be sworn-in in a ceremony in Brasilia on Tuesday, with Netanyahu among the foreign dignitaries attending. Bolsonaro said in early November he intended to follow Trump's lead in moving his country's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But then he backtracked, saying "it hasn't been decided yet." Brazil's important meat producers are worried that an embassy move could threaten $1 billion in exports to Arab countries. Those countries, and Palestinians, view east Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state. But Israel asserts all of Jerusalem is its capital and is keen to see embassies move there to bolster that claim. Most countries however back Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to settle Jerusalem's status as part of a wider peace deal. - Following Trump - Trump broke with that consensus a year ago, and in May this year the US embassy was established in Jerusalem. Guatemala followed suit two days later. Bolsonaro has said he wants closer ties with the US and Israel, breaking with decades of center-left policies which sought to position Brazil as a Latin American power nurturing relations with all countries. Netanyahu had told reporters as he flew in to Rio that he was going to raise the embassy topic as a priority when he met Bolsonaro. In their discussion Friday, Bolsonaro and Netanyahu talked up their budding "brotherhood" which they said would boost military, economic, technological and agricultural cooperation. Neither man raised the embassy issue when they spoke to journalists shortly afterward, however. Nor did they post anything on it on their Twitter accounts, despite Bolsonaro in particular being a fervent social media user. Instead Netanyahu said he had extended an invitation to Bolsonaro to visit Israel, which was accepted. In the statement Sunday from his office, Netanyahu said Bolsonaro's trip would happen before March 2019. On Tuesday, the Israeli prime minister is to meet US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for talks on the sidelines of Bolsonaro's inauguration. Israel, and other US allies, were caught by surprise by Trump's abrupt decision this month to pull American troops out of Syria, where they had been fighting remnants of the Islamic State group. Israel fears the vacuum will allow arch-foe Iran to make greater inroads into Syria, where it is allied with President Bashar al-Assad. Netanyahu's Brazil trip came at a sensitive time for the leader, who is maneuvering to stay in power despite a slew of corruption allegations. Israel's parliament last Wednesday approved his government's decision to call early elections for April 9. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) is in Brazil for talks with far-right president-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who is to be sworn-in in a ceremony in Brasilia on January 1, 2019 Corruption allegations involving Benjamin Netanyahu as coalition agrees early April elections with polls saying he will likely remain as Prime Minister. Israel fears the vacuum will allow arch-foe Iran to make greater inroads into Syria, where it is allied with President Bashar al-Assad Indian navy divers on Sunday launched an operation to find 15 men trapped for more than two weeks in a flooded "rat-hole" coal mine in remote northeast India, police said. The workers have been cut off since December 13 when water from a nearby river poured into the 106-metre (348 feet) deep illegal mine in Meghalaya state. There has been no sign of life, with the delayed rescue effort drawing public outrage, but the men's families are clinging to hopes that they may have found an air pocket. "Fourteen navy divers arrived yesterday (Saturday) and surveyed the mine. They are trying to go inside now," police superintendent Sylvester Nongtnger told AFP. "Rat hole" mining involves digging into the side of hills and then burrowing tunnels up to five feet (1.5 metres) high to reach a coal seam. A federal environment court banned wildcat mining in the mineral-rich state in 2014 after local communities complained it was polluting water sources and putting the lives of miners at risk. With mine owners and the state government challenging the ban at India's Supreme Court, the practice remains rampant. Most of the miners are poor migrant labourers from neighbouring states. In 2012, 15 miners were killed after they were trapped in another flooded rat-hole mine in Meghalaya. Their bodies were never recovered. The latest incident has sparked a public outcry over the practice as well as poor rescue efforts. The rescue had been hampered by a lack of power pumps and other equipment. Last week the National Disaster Response Force requested the government send 10 heavy duty pumps to suck out water before divers could go in. The state-owned Coal India has sent some equipment and dozens of extra rescue workers arrived Friday. "We won't give up till the last moment," vowed S.K. Singh, a senior officer with the NDRF. Social media users have however drawn comparisons between India's response and the gripping 18-day-long rescue operation of 13 boys from a cave in Thailand in July. Some have called the operation to reach the miners "shameful". The workers have been cut off since December 13 when water from a nearby river poured into the illegal mine in Meghalaya state A marathon vote count got underway on Monday in DR Congo, central Africa's unstable giant, for presidential elections scarred by political turmoil and haunted by memories of violence. A day after a relatively peaceful vote, election officials began the task of counting and collating ballots in a climate of deep suspicion about fraud. The first verbal shots were fired over alleged interference and the opposition accused the authorities of cutting off the internet to thwart activism. The Democratic Republic of Congo has never had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960, and bloodshed marred previous elections in 2006 and 2011. Worries of a new spiral into violence deepened two years ago after President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, refused to quit when his two-term limit expired. But Sunday's vote -- delayed three times since 2016 -- was "relatively calm," the influential Catholic church's national conference of bishops declared. In the worst incident, four people were killed late Sunday when violence erupted at a polling station in the Walungu area of South Kivu province. An electoral official was accused of trying to rig the vote in favour of Kabila's preferred successor, said opposition figure Vital Kamerhe. The official was killed along with a policeman and two civilians, Kamerhe said. A spokesman for an independent monitoring mission, Symocel, confirmed that "an election agent tried to cheat, to get people to vote for the government candidate, and this set people off. The police intervened, and then the casualties happened." There were wounded in addition to the fatalities, the spokesman said. Provisional results are due to be announced by January 6, followed by the final results on January 15 and the swearing-in of the next head of state on January 18. The presidential elections took place alongside legislative and municipal polls. - Claims and accusations - Voting was swiftly followed by early claims of victory and the first accusations of meddling in the count. Kabila's champion Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and Felix Tshisekedi, head of the veteran opposition UDPS, each claimed they had won as the election ended. On Monday, the campaign director for the other big opposition candidate, Martin Fayulu -- until recently a little-known legislator and former oil executive -- maintained he was "way ahead" after, he said, more than a third of the vote had been counted. At Mbuji-Mayi in the central region of Kasai, the UDPS accused Governor Alphonse Ngoyi Kasanji of trying to stuff ballot boxes in favour of Shadary. Ngoyi's spokesman in turn accused UDPS supporters of trying to make off with voting machines. All three main candidates have set up "compilation centres" to track the vote. While turnout failed to reach 50 percent at some polling stations, many voters said they were exhilarated at taking part in the first elections after the nearly 18-year Kabila era. But there was also much evidence of organisational problems, including with the contested electronic voting machines. The Catholic monitoring mission said that, as of early Monday, its observers had checked overall tallies of the vote in 4,161 polling stations. In 3,626 stations, the number of paper ballot sheets tallied with totals kept by the voting machines, the observer mission said -- a figure that by extrapolation suggests possible discrepancies in 535 bureaux. - War and poverty - A country almost the size of continental western Europe which straddles central Africa, the DRC is rich in gold, uranium, copper, cobalt and other minerals. Little of that wealth trickles down to the poor. Poverty, corruption and government inertia are etched into the country's history, along with a reputation for violence. In the last 22 years, it has twice been a battleground for wars drawing in armies from central and southern Africa. That legacy endures in eastern DRC, where militias control swathes of territory and battle over resources, wantonly killing civilians. Insecurity and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in part of North Kivu province, and communal violence in Yumbi, in the southwest, prompted the authorities to postpone the elections there until March. Around 1.25 million people in a national electoral roll of around 40 million voters are affected. Despite this, elections in the rest of the country went ahead. The city of Beni held a symbolic vote in protest at the exclusion, drawing more than 60,000 people out of a local electoral roll of 182,000, the organisers of the event said on Monday. Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) officials at a school in Lubumbashi count votes during a power cut, watched by observers Election officials have begun the task of counting and collating ballots in a climate of deep suspicion about fraud Frontrunners: Tshisekedi, Shadary and Fayulu Touchscreen voting machines stoked controversy in the elections. The voter selects a candidate and receives a printout of their choice, which is then put in a ballot box and counted. Critics said the machines could be hacked The key presidential candidates in the Democratic Republic of Congo election Chronology of events in the Democratic Republic of Congo since independence in 1960 An Egyptian appeals court on Sunday sent a rights activist to prison for two years over charges including "spreading false news", her lawyer and a court official said. The court also fined Amal Fathi, who was released three days previously in another case, 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($560). Fathi had been handed a two-year suspended jail sentence in September but she appealed. Her lawyer Ramadan Mohamed said Sunday her appeal had been rejected and that she would now serve jail time. Fathi is also accused of publishing offensive content, Mohamed said. The 34-year-old was arrested in May over a video she posted online, criticising sexual harassment in Egypt and alleging that guards at a bank had sexually harassed her. She had been conditionally released on Thursday after being detained in another case with charges including "membership of a terrorist group". A police officer stands guard during a trial at an Egyptian court on December 26, 2018 Dutch security forces arrested four people in the port city of Rotterdam on Saturday on suspicion of preparing for a "terrorist crime", police said, while a fifth suspect was detained in Germany. Elite counter-terrorism units and police arrested the men and carried out searches at the locations where they were detained, Rotterdam police said. "They are suspected of involvement in the preparation of a terrorist crime," a brief police statement said. "Investigations will continue in the coming days, with the emphasis on further investigation of the nature and scale of the terrorist threat." In Germany, police in Mainz said they arrested a 26-year-old Syrian man following an extradition request from the Dutch authorities. "He is strongly suspected of taking part in the preparation for an attack in the Netherlands," they said. Further details on the suspects and the crime they were allegedly preparing for were not immediately available. The Netherlands has been largely spared the kind of terror attacks which have rocked its closest European neighbours in the past few years, but there has been a series of recent scares. In August a 19-year-old Afghan with a German residence permit stabbed and injured two American tourists at Amsterdam's busy Central Station before being shot and wounded. In September Dutch investigators said they had arrested seven people and foiled a "major attack" on civilians at a major event in the Netherlands. They said they had found a large quantity of bomb-making materials including fertiliser likely to be used in a car bomb. In June two terror suspects were arrested while close to carrying out attacks including at an iconic bridge in Rotterdam and in France, prosecutors said. The men aged 22 and 28, who are of Moroccan origin, made a film at the Erasmus bridge in which they sang a martyrdom song, they said. Dutch police arrested four men on suspicion of preparing for a "terrorist crie" and carried out searches where they were detained For years criminal websites shrouded in secrecy have thrived beyond the reach of traditional search engines, but a group of French engineers has found a way to navigate this dark web -- a tool they don't want to fall into the wrong hands. "We insist on this ability to say 'no'," Nicolas Hernandez, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Networks, says at the company's offices near Lyon, in the heart of France's Beaujolais wine country. He said Aleph refused 30 to 40 percent of licensing requests for its "Google of the dark web," based on reviews by its ethics committee and input from its government clients. Most web users never venture beyond the bounds of sites easily found and accessed with casual web surfing. But people and sites seeking anonymity can hide behind layers of secrecy using easily available software like Tor or I2P. These sites can't be found by searching: instead, users have to type in the exact URL string of often random characters. In an authoritarian regime, a protest movement could use the secrecy to organise itself or connect with the outside world without fear of discovery. But the dark web is also ideal for drug and weapon sales, people-smuggling and encrypted chat-room communications by terrorists. When Aleph's co-founder Celine Haeri uses her software to search for "Glock", the Austrian pistol maker, several sites offering covert gun sales instantly pop up. A search for Caesium 137, a radioactive element that could be used to create a "dirty" nuclear bomb, reveals 87 dark web sites, while another page explains how to make explosives or a homemade bazooka. "Some even advertise the stars they've gotten for customer satisfaction," Hernandez said. - Uncharted territory - Over the past five years Aleph has indexed 1.4 billion links and 450 million documents across some 140,000 dark web sites. As of December its software had also found 3.9 million stolen credit card numbers. "Without a search engine, you can't have a comprehensive view" of all the hidden sites, Hernandez said. He and a childhood friend began their adventure by putting their hacking skills to work for free-speech advocates or anti-child abuse campaigners, while holding down day jobs as IT engineers. Haeri, at the time a teacher, asked for their help in merging blogs by her colleagues opposed to a government reform of the education system. The result became the basis of their mass data collection and indexing software, and the three created Aleph in 2012. They initially raised 200,000 euros ($228,000) but had several close calls with bankruptcy before finding a keen client in the French military's weapon and technology procurement agency. "They asked us for a demonstration two days after the Charlie Hebdo attack," Hernandez said, referring to the 2015 massacre of 12 people at the satirical magazine's Paris offices, later claimed by a branch of Al-Qaeda. "They were particularly receptive to our pitch which basically said, if you don't know the territory -- which is the case with the dark web -- you can't gain mastery of it," Haeri added. - Ethical risks - The ability to covertly navigate the dark web is a holy grail for security services trying to crack down on illicit trafficking and prevent terror attacks. The US government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been working on a similar project, called Memex, for years. Aleph plans to soon add artificial intelligence capabilities to its software, which would recognise images such as Kalashnikov rifles or child abuse victims, or alert businesses to potential copyright infringement. Its revenues are expected to reach around 660,000 euros this year, a figure it hopes to double in 2019. That has attracted the attention of investors as Aleph steps up efforts to add more private-sector buyers to its roster of government clients. But as more people and businesses start using Aleph's search engine, the risk increases that criminal organisations or hostile governments will eventually gain access. The challenge will be to grow while setting out clear guidelines for handling the thorny ethical questions. But Hernandez insisted he would remain vigilant, comparing his role to that of the "Protectors of the City" in ancient Greek democracies. Through the dark web, brightly Arms smugglers find the dark web particularly useful Terror atttacks in 2015 focused French authorities' minds on the dark net Moscow's metro system is famed for its Stalin-era stations with glittering chandeliers and mosaics, but architects are taking a radical new approach as the network undergoes a massive expansion. While the original stations were conceived as "palaces for the people", the new designs are less formal with light boxes for seats and laser-printed glass patterns. In a major break with tradition, the Moscow city government has allowed outside architects to submit designs for several new stations in competitions that included a public vote on a phone app. It has paved the way for "truly interesting and original stations that are outside any tradition," says architecture journalist Nina Frolova. The first of these to open is in the high-rise suburb of Solntsevo, once notorious for its local mafia. Moscow's Nefa Architects won with a design inspired by the sun, the Russian word for which forms the root of the suburb's name. "We wanted to let the sun inside," said Nefa's lead architect Dmitry Ovcharov, surveying the newly opened station on a recent afternoon. They punched holes in the walls of the station entrances to "create light and shadow", he said. Down on the platform, cylindrical white light boxes serve as seats that Ovcharov promises are sturdy enough to withstand passengers' weight. This year the transport system, which dates back to 1935, opened 16 new stations and carried around two billion passengers. - 'A battle for quality' - Frolova, editorial director at the Archi.ru architecture website, said Solntsevo is a bright example of new metro trends. "There's a concept that any passenger can see. It feels pleasant being in the station." But she said another design competition for the Novoperedelkino station ended less happily, with "significant changes" to the design. It featured dramatic patterned glass ceilings that ended broken up with ugly seams and "turned out much less interesting than was planned", she said. Architect Ovcharov has grumbled about Solntsevo too, pointing out incorrectly printed panels and overhead lights that do not work. "It was a really unrelenting battle for quality, to get the design decisions complied with," he said. Yet he adds that he's now considering taking part in another metro design competition. Another architect with a winning station design, Tatiana Leontyeva of Moscow's Blank Architects, said the prestige of the commission was a draw. She was part of a team who designed a station called Rzhevskaya, which will have an "archway" theme in a nod to its location near a mainline railway station. The brief was to create a station for "the new times", she said, using Russian materials and "without excessive decoration." "There was a large number of applications and (the competition) had a big impact, not just on the Russian architectural scene but abroad too because, of course, a lot of people wanted to get their hands on a site like the Moscow metro." The historic Moscow metro was a monumental construction in the 1930s, built as an example of quality and solidity, symbolising the grandeur of Stalin and the young Soviet Union. The country's history was told in the mosaics that adorned the stations' walls and the metro could serve as a bunker if needed. - Metro expertise - Previously the state company Metrogiprotrans had a monopoly on the transport system's architecture, and it still designs the majority of new stations. One of its architects recently argued that the company was the only one with the expertise to design the facilities. "There's a popular opinion that you can just come along to the metro and draw a picture of a station," Alexander Orlov said at a recent presentation. "Even if a drawing of something seems beautiful, it can be incompatible with all the metro technology." But Metrogiprotrans is also modernising. The company's latest station interiors feature laser-printed designs on glass or glossy aluminium panels, a simple approach that critic Frolova says also works. "I think they kept a good balance with not many details and some simple, modern forms." - 'Deprived of art' - The company is also behind more elaborate stations such as Fonvizinskaya, which depicts characters from the work of a playwright by the same name in ceiling-high 3-D panels. "I'd never dreamed I'd do the metro," digital artist Konstantin Khudyakov said. "That's monumental art," said the designer, who explained his work is usually much smaller in scale. Khudyakov's stereoscopic panels use the same technology as novelty rulers or pens where figures appear to move -- but using many more high-resolution images. "It's the first time in the world that this has been done" in the metro, Khudyakov said. Public reaction to the decor at the station has been mixed. School teacher Lyudmila told AFP she didn't much care for the "gloomy" pictures, but was glad the metro system had been linked up to her neighbourhood. But designer Alexandra, travelling on a weekday afternoon, said she liked the images "purely visually -- they're cool". Either way, Khudyakov believes the metro should still be a showcase for decorative art in a city with relatively few galleries. "There's not enough art. People are deprived of art... Let there be art at least in the metro." A view of CSKA /TSSKA/ metro station in Moscow, a system dating from 1935 which is taking a radical new approach to its architecture A woman and a child wait for a train at the Solntsevo metro station where cyclindrical white light boxes serve as seats Passengers walk past walls decorated with the names of Russian writers and poets at Rasskazovka metro station in Moscow The Rasskazovka station, part of the modernised look of the Moscow metro system Commuters at Fonvizinskaya metro station in Moscow. The network has opened 16 new stations this year as part of its massive expansion Fifty years after Italy's Matera was a national embarrassment because of its extreme poverty, the city is rescuing its dignity, baroque palaces and cave churches to become a European Capital of Culture. "Yes, it's true, we went from shame to glory," Matera mayor Raffaello De Ruggieri told journalists ahead of the southern city's year-long stint as a European Union-designated cultural crossroads in 2019. In the 1950s, prime minister Alcide De Gasperi, one of the EU's founding fathers, was outraged by Matera's underdevelopment, where many lived in ancient limestone caves without electricity or running water, lives ravaged by malaria. Now, the city in the Basilicata region on the instep of Italy's boot, is hoping to draw thousands of visitors for cultural and heritage events, many inside the same caves, now renovated. "We want people who decide to come to Matera to live an experience," said Paolo Verri, director of the Matera-Basilicata 2019 Foundation. The city, one of the world's oldest, is known as the "Jerusalem of the West" thanks to its position perched on limestone rocks and ravines and its famous "sassi" cave homes "Archaeological remains show that people have been here for 8,000 years," said mayor De Ruggieri. "That's why we want 'slow' tourism," said Verri, rejecting the mass tourism of a one-day camera snapping visit in favour of getting art and culture lovers to come for longer spells. To achieve that, around 300 cultural performances, workshops, exhibitions and conferences are being organised, from music to food to readings. "Everyone can bring something, such as a book, and explain why they want to improve European culture," said Verri, who hopes the result will be a vast library of European heritage. Visitors pay 19 euros (around 22 dollars) to become "temporary citizens" of Matera, around 400 kilometres (250 miles) south of Rome, for a year. The relatively isolated city, with no airport, high-speed train station or even a motorway, hopes visitors will be inspired by the mystical atmosphere to write, sculpt and create music or installations which will in turn become an exhibit. Many films set in the early days of Christianity have been filmed in these narrow, historic streets, including Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ" and Pier-Paolo Pasolini's "The Gospel According to St Matthew". - Another Venice ? - Ariane Bieou, a Frenchwoman who helped Marseille put some of its more gangsterish stereotypes behind it when it was cultural capital in 2013, admits her job in Matera will be "a challenge". "The task of a European cultural capital is to encourage growth," she told AFP. The city, reached by winding roads, has become better known, and for better reasons, since 1993 when it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Matera is calling Europe and Europe is calling Matera," said Bieou, although not everyone here agrees with the slogan. Patrizia Capriotti, whose shop sells craft objects and clothes, many made from recycled waste, says the cultural capital is "a project that is too far from reality." "I'm worried that we'll become another Venice," invaded by mass tourism, she said. "The problem is the tourism model, people will move into the poor neighbourhoods and turn their stone houses or family caves into tourist properties," said Capriotti, an architect by training. Lower Matera, where you can visit an incredible 150 rock churches, is a hive of activity, with workers climbing up and down the steps, busy turning ancient buildings and caves into boutique hotels. Not far from the 12th century Church of the Madonna delle Virtu, as featured in "The Passion of Christ", Vito Cuscianna, a 27-year-old business and marketing graduate, is hiring out his Vespa three-wheeler to visitors. "My grandfather Donato is 90, he was a farmer and lived in a sassi," he smiled. "But he would never have imagined seeing Wifi or jacuzzis inside these prehistoric caves!" Matera will be a European Capital of Culture in 2019 The city, one of the world's oldest, is known as the "Jerusalem of the West" Many films set in the early days of Christianity have been filmed in Matera's narrow, historic streets In the 1950s many people still lived in Matera's ancient limestone caves without electricity or running water A man has died and two people have been hospitalised after taking an unknown substance at a music festival on the NSW Central Coast. The 22-year-old Queensland man was taken to Gosford Hospital about 8pm on Saturday, but died a short time later. Two other people, a man and a woman, remain in hospital for treatment after ingesting an unknown substance and becoming sick. A man has died and two people have been hospitalised after taking an unknown substance at Lost Paradise Music Festival at Glenworth Valley on the NSW Central Coast. Source: Lost Paradise Music Festival / Facebook They are reported to be in a stable condition. An estimated crowd of 11,000 people attended the Lost Paradise Music Festival at Glenworth Valley, 20km west of Gosford, which started on Friday and continues until New Years Day. Three people charged over drug supply By Sunday morning police and sniffer dogs have already searched 184 people and 97 vehicles so far, with 50 people issued with field court attendance notices for drug possession, NSW Police confirmed. Seven cannabis cautions have been issued. Three people have so far been charged with drug supply offences. A 21-year-old man from Drummoyne, in Sydneys inner west, has been charged with supply a prohibited drug after allegedly being found with 105 MDMA pills. NSW Police have so far charged three people with drug supply offences. Source: AAP, file A 23-year-old man from Elanora Heights, in northern Sydney, was allegedly caught with 80 MDMA pills and 65 bags of cocaine, and also charged with supply a prohibited drug. Both men are due to appear in Gosford Local Court on January 18. Twenty-six MDMD pills were allegedly found on a 23-year-old man from Glendale, in Lake Macquarie, who was issued with a field court attendance notice for supply a prohibited drug. He is due to appear in Gosford Local Court on February 5. The police operation continues on-site and inquiries into the death of the man are ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page. Almost eight years into Syria's civil war, President Bashar al-Assad seems closer than ever to securing a comeback at home and in the Arab region, analysts say. As 2018 ends, the Moscow-backed government in Damascus is in control of nearly two-thirds of Syria, after notching up a string of victories against rebels and jihadists. And after a shock announcement by the US this month that it is to pull all 2,000 of its troops out of Syria, the regime also seems on track to regain influence in parts of the country under Kurdish-led control. On Friday, Damascus sent troops to a northern area near the border with Turkey to stave off a long-threatened Turkish assault on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces there. It did so at the invitation of the Kurds, who feel exposed by the shock withdrawal announcement by the US, their principal backer. The Kurds reaching out to the regime represented the latest in a string of achievements for Assad, said Mutlu Civiroglu, an expert in Kurdish affairs. "He is consolidating his power day by day diplomatically and militarily," he said. Assad had previously threatened to retake SDF-held oil-rich territory, whether through ongoing talks or by force. "Rather than fighting with the Kurds, the government is now invited by the Kurds to enter these regions," Civiroglu said. "There can be nothing better than this for Assad," the analyst added. Aside from SDF-held northeastern Syria, the rebel-held region of Idlib remains beyond Assad's control, but is subject to a ceasefire deal. The SDF are battling to expel the last Islamic State group fighters from their eastern holdout near the Iraqi border. But the jihadists also retain a presence in the country's vast Badia desert. - 'Signal to the Arab states' - Kurdish fighters have spearheaded the fight against IS in Syria, and the presence of US-led coalition members alongside the SDF in northern Syria had previously deterred Turkey from attacking. The US announcement last week sparked renewed fears of an assault, after two previous Turkish incursions inside the war-torn country. But President Donald Trump's pullout order has also sent a message to fellow Arab countries in the region, says Nicholas Heras, an analyst at the Center for a New American Security. "Trump's decision to withdraw US forces from Syria sent the signal to the Arab states that they need to engage with Assad on their own terms and not wait for US policy to come into focus," he said. Even before any US troops pull out, a drive to bring Assad back into the Arab fold seems to have picked up momentum in recent weeks. The United Arab Emirates embassy in Damascus reopened on Thursday, ten days after Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir made the first visit of any Arab leader to the Syrian capital since the start of the war. Bahrain has announced it will re-open its diplomatic mission. Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions since it began with the brutal repression of anti-Assad protests in 2011. The United Nations estimates the conflict has cost the country close to $400 billion (350 billion euros). Heras said the president would be seeking deals with wealthy Gulf states to help rebuild. "Assad will look to build on his success in 2018 by scoring deals with the Arab states, especially the Gulf, to kick start the reconstruction of Syria," he said. - 'Reactivate Syria's membership' - Syria was suspended from the Arab League in November 2011, as the death toll was escalating and several regional powers bet on Assad's demise. Most Gulf states closed their embassies in 2012. An Arab diplomat in Beirut who did not want to be named spoke to AFP about an unprecedented Arab "openness towards Damascus". The United Arab Emirates "got the green light from Saudi Arabia to re-open their embassy," the diplomat said, hinting at Riyadh eventually following suit. And a high-ranking Iraqi official has told AFP Baghdad was helping to mediate a restoration of ties between Damascus and Qatar, a country in a bitter feud with its Gulf neighbours. These efforts come ahead of the next Arab League summit to be held in Tunis in March. On January 19 and 20, the Arab Economic Summit in Beirut could provide a further opportunity to discuss Syria's possible attendance at the Tunis event. Several sources say Egypt is playing a key role in efforts towards Assad's comeback on the Arab scene. On December 22, Syrian intelligence chief Ali Mamluk, a key regime figure, visited Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials. A Lebanese diplomatic source who asked to remain unnamed told AFP "there is a project to reactivate Syria's membership" at the Arab League. "Egypt is supporting it," this source said. The Moscow-backed government in Damascus is in control of nearly two-thirds of Syria, after a string of victories against rebels and jihadists A handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) on December 29, 2018 shows President Bashar al-Assad (R) meeting with Iraqi national security advisor Faleh al-Fayad in the Syrian capital Damascus Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. Oprah Winfrey As the embers of 2018 begin fading away we wait with hope and bated breath that 2019 will warm our hearts more than the previous year ever could. Looking back across the past 12 months Im surprised that its so soon to say goodbye. It seems as though it was just yesterday that we were opening our doors to 2018, and now here we are sending it packing. But despite popular opinion 2018 was not all doom and gloom. True, we did have our fair share of disasters, terrors, and heartache but like any year before we also had laughs, joys and loves. We had to say a sad farewell to Anthony Bourdain and President George Bush. Steven Hawking is now among the stars instead of just admiring them and the last Munchkin, Jerry Maren, has taken that eternal stroll down the yellow brick road. Luckily tears of joy were shed this year when the world got to watch the royal wedding and I won $5 on a scratch-off ticket. 2018 was also the year that NASA flew a $2.5 billion robot 54.6 million miles away to gently touch down on the surface of Mars while we here in Auburn complained about having to learn how to back our cars into parking spots. Kind of puts things into perspective when you see a bigger picture, but I digress. New Years Eve has always been the party holiday. Whether the celebration involves dinner and dancing while sipping champagne or just sitting home in front of the television watching the ball drop in your pajamas, everyone is an active member in the changing of time. This is one of the only holidays where you could go to bed at 7, get a good nights sleep, and still be considered involved. The only real downside to a new year is having to remember to change the date when writing on forms, but even that is a small price to pay for the opportunity to have a little midnight fun, and, as we all know, the highlight of the evening is that you get to kiss someone once the hands of the clock come together. With this in mind I only have two words of advice: Tic Tacs. Seriously, those little breathe candies can do more for you than any cheesy pick-up line ever will. It doesnt matter if youre as good looking as Ryan Reynolds or pretty as Brie Larson, if your mouth smells like feet, your date will be inclined to step away. Another little pearl of wisdom: dont make resolutions. Drunk you should not be deciding any major plans for the upcoming year that sober you cant achieve. Just try and be nicer next year than you were in 2018 and things should get better all in good time. Happy New Year! Auburn native Bradley Molloys column appears here each Sunday. He can be reached at lovonian@hotmail.com Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Between the village of Locke in the west and the Route 11/81 corridor in the east, Route 90 crosses a 12-mile-wide upland plateau called Summerhill, a part of the town of the same name. The road rises precipitously from Locke, levels off in stages and heads across high meadows and fields to descend more gently in the east to the village of Homer, at Exit 13 of Route 81. The roads long straightaways, stiff rises, big dips and far vistas seem to encourage drivers of cars and motorcycles to indulge in what is commonly called a joyride. The drive can be exhilarating. There are no stop signs! At the highest, you are 1,600 feet up. Big clouds seem near enough to touch. Drivers will probably take this road if they are leaving the east shore of Cayuga Lake and heading for New York City and points south. Be careful: An Amish horse and buggy can come trotting out of a side road at any time. The land on the north side rises to the point where Fillmore Glen and Summer Hill State Forest abut. The best views are to the south. There are fields, meadows, clumps of woods, distant hills and valleys. Along the road, there is an eight-sided silo. Some barns have roofs that almost touch the ground by the roadside. You pass rural cemeteries, logging operations, enclosures with grazing horses. You see a lot of rural life if you slow down a little. A mile or so before the Cortland County line, the road makes a big dip into the Fall Creek Valley. These are the headwaters of the same Fall Creek that flows through Ithaca before entering Cayuga Lake. The Summerhill town offices are located at the intersection of Route 90 and Lick Street, about a third of the way across the hill. (This building was once a restaurant; I enjoyed a meal of imitation pork chops there years ago.) However, road signs announcing "Summerhill" are located on either side of the intersection of 90 with Salt Road, a mile farther on. Until a few years ago, one of these signs read "Summerhill," one word, while the other read "Summer Hill," two words. On the Delorme map, this intersection is still referred to as "Summer Hill," indicating that it is, or was, a hamlet, and not just a crossroads. We have already seen that the name of the state forest is spelled with two words. I hope this clears up any confusion in the matter. The landscape, lush in summer, turns bleak in the winter, another kind of beauty. It is usually windy here. From a distance, some observers marvel at the way Route 90 goes over Summerhill. The engineering that produced such roads also permitted businesses and industries to leave for more populous areas. Summerhill was probably more prosperous a hundred years ago. On April 10, 1975, a gasoline tank truck lost its brakes coming down the hill above the village of Locke, crashed into the National Bank of Auburn, and started a huge fire that destroyed eight buildings. Three people were hurt, one of whom died later in the year, perhaps as a result of her injuries. Today, near the top of the hill, is a place where trucks can pull over to test their brakes. There are many warning signs, but no exit lane farther down, where a runaway truck can actually pull off in an emergency. Whether you are driving a truck or a car, you can end a pleasant ride happily if you descend this hill cautiously! Ed Rossmann lives in Aurora and has been an educator most of his life, including 17 years in high school. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Pac-12s revenue issues arent a secret. The Pac-12 Network has languished, struggling to reach a distribution deal with DirecTV and other carriers. This November, a four-part series from The Oregonian revealed more on the financial issues the conference is facing, while the league placed a copyright claim when Oregonian reporter John Canzano published a self-congratulatory video from commissioner Larry Scott that revealed his own contract extension, making them look even worse in the process. Scott makes $4.8 million a year, which puts him at the top of his particular category, despite the myriad issues the Pac-12 is facing. His latest attempt to justify that salary and properly monetize the Pac-12 in an era when seemingly every major conference is printing money: selling off 10% of the league. According to Canzano, thats what Scott is trying to pitch to the member universities, in a plan that would essentially create an umbrella company under which all of the leagues revenue generation would live. Via The Oregonian: The Pac-12 NewCo plan was introduced to the conference presidents and chancellors at their mid-November meeting and was subsequently discussed in a conference call in December, per sources. Private investors who knows the best crypto staking platforms would own 10 percent equity in the newly formed entity in exchange for a $500 million investment. A six-page document obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive outlines the plan presented by conference commissioner Larry Scott to his bosses during the November meeting of the Pac-12 CEO Group. If youve watched Shark Tank before (or if youre capable of basic math) you can figure out this deal would essentially be valuing the Pac-12 at $5 billion, which actually seems light, considering what theyd be selling. The conferences broadcast rights, sponsorship rights, merchandising and all other commercial assets would be consolidated under the umbrella of Pac-12 NewCo. The conference would retain 90 percent of the equity. This would obviously a short-term cash grab move for the league, with hopes that things turn around swiftly enough that theyd be looking at 90% of a much bigger pie instead of 100% of a pie without Pac-12 Network distribution. But theres nothing about the move that would guarantee anything changing on the Pac-12 Network front, even though Scotts projections optimistically include a turnaround: The strategic plan documents include a chart outlining the current and projected media-rights distributions. It reads, based on the Pac-12s current media rights deals and making conservative assumptions going forward, we estimate that a Capitalized NewCo could be valued at approximately $5 billion to $8.5 billion. The projections, however, include $36 million in annual revenue from DirecTV beginning in 2020 and a one-time payment in 2024 from ESPN in the amount of $347 million. Neither is certain. Also, the plan assumes FOX would renew its current broadcast contract with the Pac-12 in a 10-year deal worth more than $2 billion. Whats perhaps most interesting about this is that its the kind of move that typically would be seen as a last resort for any successful private enterprise. No other conference is looking to strip their own earnings potential for a short-term gain, and thats probably because they dont need to. The Big Ten and SEC, for example, are thriving. The Pac-12s footprint is massive, with multiple highly desirable media markets therein, and theyre being pitched on selling plasma for rent money. [Oregonian] In yet another troubling denunciation of Hollywood's treatment of child stars, actress Natalie Portman claims her entry into the film industry at the young age of 13 affected her in profound ways in part because she was "sexualized." Speaking with People about her new film "Vox Lux," in which the actress plays a pop icon struggling with past childhood trauma, Natalie Portman spoke about her sexualization as a child star from people who should have known better.she said.she said.Portman previously revealed that her first piece of fan mail was another man's rape fantasy.The actress got her start at age 13 in "The Professional" where she depicted an orphaned teenage girl who expresses sexual feelings toward a much older man. While the U.S. theatrical release depicted the relationship between Portman's character, Mathilda, and Leon, played by Jean Reno, as being platonic in nature, the European version suggested something more.In one deleted scene, Mathilda tries giving Leon a kiss at a fancy dinner; in another much more troubling scene , her character offers up her virginity to him. While the pubescent Mathilda's sexual desire for Leon was an arguably accurate portrayal (she came from an abusive household), the scene takes a disturbing turn when Leon rejects her sexual advances due to his lack of self-confidence from a past tragedy, not her sexual immaturity.he even tells her.The Daily Beast notes that "The Professional" director Luc Besson based the underage storyline on his own life:According to The Washington Post, Besson met the child actress Maiwenn when she was 12, the same age as Mathilda in the film. He was 29. They claim to have started seeing each other romantically when she turned 15. Maiwenn gave birth to their daughter when she was 16 (and Besson was 33), and subsequently relocated to Los Angeles. She appears briefly during the opening sequences of Leonas "blonde babe"- her listed character name-lying naked in bed, her body wrapped in sheets, having just serviced a middle-age crime boss.Maiwenn said.Portman told people that her past childhood experiences played a big role in her interpretation of her character in "Vox Lux."Portman said.Portman continued. The best film of 1972 was Mario Puzos widely read novel turned Oscar Winning film, The Godfather,and that year they got it right. This great film, directed in the perfect tones of an extraordinary classic by Francis Ford Coppola, was the initial chapter in the trilogy of the Corleone family and the godfathers: first, Don Vito, and, secondly, his son Michael. The film explained little as to the history of how the Don came to his place of power at the head of the Corleone Crime Syndicate; moreover, it revealed the extent to which he was willing to maintain it.Don Vito, portrayed by the enigmatic Marlon Brando, who deservedly won the Oscar for a Male in a Leading Role (although he rejected the award), was a community oriented criminal who exhibited great wisdom within his compartmentalized context of being a good family man - to his wife, his offspring, his community. Novelist Puzo and Director Coppola both wrote the screenplay, which fleshed out a complex life for the Don that extolled the virtues of family and community over the benefits of profits. Sadly, this became Don Vitos downfall.The Godfather politely refused to move into the illegal drug trade, which would have expanded this product into neighborhoods such as his. He had a moral objection to narcotics, and declined to allocate his familys structural support to narcotics purveyor Virgil The Turk Sollozzo, played by perpetual heavy Al Lettieri. Subsequently, he was gunned down by Sollozzos men as he shopped with produce vendors in the streets of Little Italy in Manhattan. Lingering near death, his youngest son, Michael, played by virtual newcomer Al Pacino (who was paid a mere $35,000 for the role), visits the Don in the hospital, only to find all of the guards curiously absent.When Michael quickly recognizes the obvious, he moves quickly to secure his fathers safety, exhibiting the leadership skills he learned from his father and as a decorated officerin the U.S. Marine Corps. Once Don Vito is in a quasi-secure location, Michael moves down the stairs to the gates of the hospital where he confronts the men who would finish the murder of his father. In front of the gate along the sidewalk, Michael has a verbal exchange with a police captain, Mark McCluskey, played by Sterling Hayden, who works for the Sollozzo Family as a dirty cop.Capt. McCluskey: I thought I got all you Guinea hoods locked up! What the hell are you doing here?Michael: What happened to the men who were guarding my father, Captain?Capt. McCluskey: I pulled them guys off of here, eh, now get away from this hospital!Michael: I'm not leaving until you put some guards around my father's room.Capt. McCluskey: Phil, take him in!Cop with Capt. McCluskey outside hospital: The kid's clean Captain, he's a war hero! He's never been mixed up with the racketsCapt. McCluskey: Goddamn it Phil, I said take him in!Michael: What's the Turk paying you to set up my father, Captain?Capt. McCluskey: (to policemen in his command) Take a hold of him. Stand him up. Stand him up straight.Captain McCluskey slugs the restrained Michael and breaks his jaw. The reason I mention this scene: It is Michael's pivot into the family business. Don Vito had gone to great lengths to keep Michael out of the business for Michaels well-being. It was possibly his desire for Michael to be the transformational force that would provide the untainted leadership to take the Corleone Family into a more legitimate direction. Michael knew in his heart if his father was to live, if his family were to survive, he would need to become involved.The opposition's next move: arrange a meeting with Michael, at an undisclosed public place, to initiate a truce. The Corleone Family's next move: have the requested Michael meet with the opposition, Sollozzo and the "dirty cop," discover through informants the undisclosed location, plant a "clean piece" in the toilet, have Michael gain their confidence, and then ask to go the toilet."Walk out of the toilet, put two in the head, let the gun drop from your hand and walk out fast," was the advice of Clemenza, Don Vito's most loyal and trusted associated, and Michael Corleone did not disappoint.The Don is out of the hospital, and speaking with the one son that is still alive and can be trusted - Michael.Michael is successful in his murderous endeavor, and, subsequently, he spends a few years in Sicily as a guest of family friend Don Tommasino to escape any investigation or prosecution. When he returns, his volatile brother, Sonny, portrayed by James Caan, is murdered by a rival family as the mob wars ensue as a direct result of the Corleone Family's defense of their right to exist. Upon his return, Michael is held in high regard by all of his father's associates as the likely successor to his father as the family's don.Whether the base story, as represented in this short version, is a compelling attraction to this truly great film isunimportant. What is significant to compel one to familiarize themselves with one of the world's greatest films is Francis Ford Coppola's extreme attention to cinematic details; the use of the dramatic tones of color as a backdrop to essential, nearly perfect dialogue to express a story that is timeless as a journal of the 1940's, 1950's mob in America; and the influence of one man, Don Vito, in his tenuous grasp, to hold his family together against the ravages of a dangerous societal environment.If you are interested in good films, and if you are not familiar with "The Godfather Trilogy," you should begin with the first installment that started it all - "The Godfather." One cannot truly appreciate its sequel The Godfather, Part II," if one has not laid the groundwork with this great film. In order to understand the thematic significance of this classic trilogy, you must witness one of the greatest opening scenes in cinematic history - the wedding party.In this scene, Connie, Don Vito's only daughter, played perfectly by Talia Shire, Coppola's actual sister, enjoys her large, raucous wedding party while the Godfather greets his many guests in his den/office, wishing to discuss business, favors and congratulations with the most important man in the neighborhood. Watching Luca Brasi, played by former wrestler Lenny Montana, rehearse his speech to an invisible Don is worth the price of a rental.The obligatory family group shot at Connie's wedding: Above.Luca Brasi: "Don Corleone, I am honored and grateful that you have invited me to your daughter... 's wedding... on the day of your daughter's wedding. And I hope their first child be a masculine child. I pledge my ever-ending loyalty."These smaller actors, under the astute direction of Coppola, are pitch perfect. "The Godfather" is well regarded as the film that launched the respectable careers of two of that generations most important actors. The careers of Al Pacino, who nailed the role of Michael Corleone, and Robert Duvall , as Family Consigliore Tom Hagen, were catapulted to the point where they became two of the ten highest regarded actors of the 20th century. Tom Hagen was the adopted son of Don Vito and was as much a son to the Don as was his biological son Fredo, played by John Cazale.In this film and in "The Godfather: Part II," Michael, Al Pacino, receives the counsel of Family Consigliore Tom Hagen, played by another relatively unknown actor, Robert Duvall."The Godfather" is a perfect film and one of the great classics of the 20th century. To miss it because it is too long (175 minutes of runtime), or too violent (body count: 16, including a thoroughbred) would be a sad commentary for anyone. I beg you to see this picture for the first time or once again, and please comment below if you are so led. In time, I will review "The Godfather, Part II" and "The Godfather, Part III." Until then, enjoy the classics.Rated R. Released in theaters in 1972. Last month we demonstrated channel stuffing on an international scale, quantifying the impact of the trade war with China on trade activity. The partial government shutdown means that Census Bureau still hasnt published statistics for November. It isnt clear when they will be published, either, so we looked at other sources. A quick scan of the Port of Los Angeles November volumes suggests that the predicted collapse in trans-pacific trade has begun. Year over year imports at the port, measured in Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs), are down almost 9%. Exports through the port are down over 14%. If shipment activity through the Port of Los Angeles is a valid indicator of the health of trade with China, then the conclusion is inescapable: a massive international logistics dislocation is underway. 2019 is going to be an interesting ride. Scratch creator Mitchel Resnick head of the MIT Media Lab's Lifelong Kindgergarten Group writes, "Until now, Scratch has been developed by my research group at the MIT Media Lab. In the coming year, the Scratch Team will be moving out of MIT into a separate nonprofit organization (the Scratch Foundation). We're looking to hire a new Executive Director to help build this organization and develop strategies to sustain Scratch as a free, creative platform." At this important stage in its growth, the Scratch Foundation is looking to hire a creative and entrepreneurial Executive Director to lead the organization into the future. Reporting to the Scratch Foundation's Board of Directors, the Executive Director will work collaboratively with others on the Scratch team to build the Scratch Foundation into a well-run, sustainable organization capable of realizing its ambitious vision, mission, and goals. The Executive Director will also work closely with the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, which will continue to pursue educational research and innovation related to Scratch. The Executive Director will be a proven organizational leader with experience building and managing through a period of growth. This individual will be responsible for execution of the overall strategy and ensuring that all staff, operations, and systems are working in support of the overall mission. The ideal candidate will inspire continued growth in fundraising, stakeholder engagement, and brand awareness. With a deep belief in the power of creativity and a genuine commitment to the values of Scratch, the Executive Director will also support, sustain, and grow a creative, caring, collaborative work environment that attracts and retains a motivated, diverse, mission-driven staff. Apparently, this story popped up back in 2015, but it's so cool that it's still worth reading about now: the city of Portland, Oregon has water pipes buried underneath of it that not only carry clean drinking water to the locals, but also generate hydroelectric power at the same time! From Fast Company: In Portland, one of the city's main pipelines now uses Lucid's pipes to make power that's sent into the grid. Though the system can't generate enough energy for an entire city, the pipes can power individual buildings like a school or library, or help offset a city's total energy bill. Unlike wind or solar power, the system can generate electricity at any time of day, regardless of weather, since the pipes always have water flowing through them. The pipes can't generate power in every location; they only work in places where water is naturally flowing downward with gravity (if water is being pumped, the system would waste energy). But they have another feature that can be used anywhere: The pipes have sensors that can monitor water, something that utilities couldn't do in the past. Providing power to partially operate water treatment and pump facilities during the day and then juice up streetlights at night: what's not to love about that? 2018 has been a dangerous year for those who bring us the news: according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 129 journalists were killed this year. For the first time in history, the United States has been listed as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists to ply their trade. The President of the United States has been calling the media industry an "enemy of the people" for the past two years. Many of his acolytes have bought into his bullshit: news rooms have come under assault by gunmen. Bomb threats against TV stations have been made on a number of occasions. Nicaragua's government has hamstrung the nation's independent press. Jamal Khashoggi of The Washington Post was strangled and sawed to pieces by Saudi operatives. President Trump pretty much shrugged his shoulders and got on with his life. The hate and distrust showered on those working to cast light on the dark secrets that our governments would rather not be known are a budding fascist's wet dream. And now, many of the nation's newspapers of record have suffered a cyberattack. From The Los Angeles Times: A cyberattack that appears to have originated from outside the United States caused major printing and delivery disruptions at several newspapers across the country on Saturday including the Los Angeles Times, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The attack led to distribution delays in the Saturday edition of The Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun and several other major newspapers that operate on a shared production platform. It also stymied distribution of the West Coast editions of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, which are all printed at the Los Angeles Times' Olympic printing plant in downtown Los Angeles. "We believe the intention of the attack was to disable infrastructure, more specifically servers, as opposed to looking to steal information," said the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly. According to the LA Times, which is owned by billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the attack also clipped publications owned by the paper's owners, Tribune Publishing, and Gannettthe parent company of USA Today. At the time that this story was first reported upon, the FBI wasn't aware that the cyberattack had taken place. I'm betting that the incident has a good chunk of their attention, by now. Right now, if anyone knows about who launched the attack, their keeping their mouths shut. The best that anyone seems able to manage is that the attack came from outside of the country. Image via Wikipedia Commons The Clifton Beach incident has been veiled in controversy. After ANC member Faiez Jacobs and a group of people were chased off the beach, protestors took to the beach and slaughtered a sheep as part of a ritual. PAY ATTENTION: Click See First under the Following tab to see Briefly.co.za News on your News Feed! Activists and protestors got together on Clifton Beach to protest against what they call a racist act. Visitors of the beach were told after 8 pm on the 16th that they need to vacate the beach. ANC member Faiez Jacobs was enraged and made it public that they were chased off. Since then, South Africans have been discussing the incident on social media, and it is accused that it was a racial-motivated decision by the security company. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app The protests took a turn when a sheep was slaughtered on the beach. Those involved said the offering was a way to call on their ancestors to react to the recent incident. Briefly.co.za gathered from a report by The South African that the meat would be braaied after this ritual. The security company claims it was working with local law enforcement to clear the beach after two girls were allegedly raped in the area, but the police claim there was no reports of rape. Masixole Mlandu, one of the protestors, says people should defend their right to use spaces such as the beach. Also were here to remind the country of the inequalities that exist in South Africa, daily, as were going into the 2019 national elections. READ ALSO: Outrage after missing anti-corruption official found murdered in car's boot Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news! Source: Briefly.co.za News / National by Staff reporter Considerable dividends have begun to accrue to Zimbabwe as Government and the private sector continue to ratchet up efforts to promote Zimbabwe as a safe destination. The tourism sector has since grossed more than the targeted $1 billion this year, up from the $967 million realised last year.Government is confident earnings from the industry will double next year.Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira told The Sunday Mail last week that this year's arrivals, at 2,7 million, rose the most in 19 years.She said plans are underway to increase the momentum by bidding to host major international events."In 2018, we have been targeting $1 billion in revenue and I am happy to say that we have surpassed that target."On arrivals, we have reached 2,7 million . . . We are confident that the new year will be even better if we do our things properly. . ."I don't see any reason why we cannot double those figures. For that to happen, we need enablers; that's the major issue," said Minister Mupfumira.As part of the concerted push to increase earnings from the industry, which is regarded as a low-hanging fruit, Government is currently bidding to host a global indaba on environment, including the highly regarded Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF).AHIF is a reputed hotel investment conference that connects business leaders from the international and local markets, driving investment into tourism projects, infrastructure and hotel development across Africa."We need to push for investment in resort areas to make sure that we have capacity.''Recently, we had technical people who came from Africa Hotel Investment Forum to asses if we have capacity to host big conferences," said Minister Mupfumira.Next year Government will concentrate on creating products for local tourists."A lot of our people don't enjoy our nature, our God-given experiences. There is the issue of pricing which we will be working on, especially our national parks," she said.Focus will also be on promoting cultural tourism and cultural villages in every province for visitors to feel the Zimbabwe's cultural flavour.Furthermore, various Government ministries, agencies and departments will also be working to ensure easy access and connectivity to local tourist destinations."We also have an issue of connectivity, which has become a real challenge for us. We will be working on what we can do to make sure that people are moved directly from Victoria Falls to Kariba and to Harare within a day."So we will be working closely with the Ministry of Transport (and Infrastructure Development) to see how we can connect Zimbabwe with the region and internationally. So connectivity is an issue," she said."Then we will also be dealing with the issue of visa regime. As I speak now, South Africa, Botswana and Kenya have opened their borders, but we are still restricted. So we are doing a study to find out on how we can improve our visa regime."Remember, when a tourist is coming from Japan or China to where there is visa restriction, obviously he/she will choose Botswana or South Africa ahead of us because their visa restrictions have been eased. So we need to see how we can address this because it's a real issue." Opinion / Columnist "We have been told on countless times that MDC failed to implement even one democratic reform when in fact it is common knowledge that all efforts to do the same were thwarted by Mugabe and his party. MDC was a junior partner and no fool can expect them to have performed miracles which even the broker failed," commented Meikles Moyo.A very common sentiment amongst MDC leaders and supports alike. Still, it is in fact a foolish argument put forward by those who would not accept that MDC leaders are corrupt and incompetent and are to blame for failing to implement even one reform.Here are the three key steps in implementing the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU:1. The first step was for one MP or a group of MPs to submit the proposed reforms on say the Police, to end the Zanu PF dictatorial control and restore their independence. Parliament would then debate the proposed reforms and refine them as they saw fit.2. The second step would be for parliament to submit the refined proposed reforms to the state president for his signature.3. The third and final step was for parliament and the relevant authorities to implement the refined and now lawful reforms.So what exactly did Mugabe and his party do to "thwart all efforts" to implement the reforms?It is common knowledge that MDC leaders did not submit even one proposed reform in five years of the GNU. On the eve of the 2013 elections the then Zanu PF Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Patrick Chinamasa, called a press conference to which all Zimbabwe's members of the diplomatic corp were invited. The sole purpose of the conference was to remind all that Zanu PF had done nothing to stop the implementation of any democratic reforms."As Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, I know what parliament has been doing these last five years," said Minister Chinamasa. "There was never any proposed reform from the opposition or anyone submitted in parliament. It is therefore not true that Zanu PF frustrated any reform efforts!"In any case, if Mugabe and his party had indeed frustrated MDC leaders' efforts to implement the reforms, then MDC should have gone straight to SADC, as the guarantor of the Global Political Agreement, and logged their complain.The only time MDC leaders complained to SADC was when Mugabe would not allow Tsvangirai to move into the house last occupied by then President Cannan Banana. Mugabe gave Tsvangirai the $4 million Highlands mansion and from there on MDC has never ever complained about anything.Indeed, it was SADC leaders, amongst many other, who had nagged MDC leaders on the need to implement the democratic reforms. With no reforms in place SADC leaders wanted the 2013 elections postponed."In 2013 the Maputo Summit, in June 2013, before the elections, the Maputo Summit was all about having the elections postponed the SADC summit," explained Dr Ibbo Mandaza, a leading Zimbabwean publisher."I went there. I was there at the Summit and Mugabe pretended to agree to a postponement of the elections. If you recall, the postponement was based on the need to reform at least electoral laws."And after that Summit, Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, all of them were called to a separate meeting by the Heads of State of SADC in the absence of Mugabe, that same evening. And they were told; I was sitting there outside the room with Mac Maharaj; they were told if you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done'.As we know MDC leaders paid no heed and participated in the 2013 elections with no reforms in place. Zanu PF, as we know went on to blatantly rig those elections.Five years latter 2018, MDC made exactly the same mistake and participating in the elections again without first implementing the reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections.Mugabe entrapped MDC leaders with the generous salaries, ministerial limos, the $4 million Highlands mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. They, in turn kicked the reforms into the prickly pear thicket!"MDC leaders were busy enjoying themselves they forgot why they were in the GNU!" remarked one SADC diplomat in sheer exasperate at the MDC's failure to get even one reform implemented in five years!Everyone agrees that Zimbabwe needs to implement the democratic reforms if the country is even to end the curse of rigged elections, pariah state and bad governance. The real big challenge is who can be trusted to implement the reforms?Not Emmerson Mnangagwa and his junta; they have an invested interest in making sure no reforms are ever implemented. They have managed to stay in power all these last 38 years because they rigged the elections. They are not going to reform themselves out of power.Not Nelson Chamisa and his MDC Alliance; they all forgot about the reforms as soon as they took their gravy train seats last time. We can be 100% certain that they do the same again this time especially since many still blame SADC leaders for their own failures."MDC was a junior partner and no fool can expect them to have performed miracles which even the broker failed!" Yeah right!So why is Chamisa pushing hard for a new GNU in which he be once again a junior partner expected to perform miracles. And he is asking for the same failed broker, SADC?SADC, or whoever is going to be the next broker in the new GNU, must have Zimbabweans who know what the reforms are and are committed to getting them implemented. Zanu PF and MDC leaders have already shown that they do not care about the reforms and will never get any implemented even for the second time of asking.In any case one of the reasons why Zimbabwe is in this mess is this belief that the country cannot do without Zanu PF and/or MDC leaders even when they have already proven to be corrupt and incompetent they. Selecting other Zimbabweans to implement the reforms will send a clear message that Zimbabwe is not only seeking change but has already embraced change! Hays says Canadian companies are having a tough time finding skilled workers Record-low unemployment is pitting Canadian companies against each other, as they duke it out for new talent. Employment agency Hays Canada says even though 63 per cent of employers surveyed say a strong economy will boost their bottom line, less than a quarter plan to bump salaries by more than 3 per cent. Hays found raises beyond the cost of living hit a five-year low. Instead, companies will open up their wallets to entice new recruits. More than half of employers surveyed say they plan to hire permanent staff in the year ahead. More than 60 per cent of employers surveyed admit they have hiked salaries to attract candidates, even at the risk of losing current staff. A lack of raises could help push employees out the door, considering 41 per cent say they are seriously considering leaving for higher pay. Good help is hard to find The most movement is likely to occur in IT. Demand at tech companies continues to outpace the supply of skilled candidates. And yet, IT employees are the least likely to call their current salary competitive. Smaller companies could bear the brunt of a talent war. We strive to be competitive with our salaries but know that we are up against big players that have endless resources, says Dinesh Kandanchata, Chief Operating Officer at Macadamian. Kandanchata says hes had to be creative and uses company culture as a selling point. Nearly three-quarters of employers say a shortage of skilled workers has resulted in heavier workloads and increased stress. From an employers perspective, the job market is extremely competitive and without the right people in place, next years business goals could end up in doubt, says Rowan OGrady, President of Hays Canada. OGrady says cutting back on raises for current staff isnt the solution. The intent may come from a good place, but this is a band-aid solution, says OGrady. OGrady suggests a more holistic approach to staffing. In September 2012, Samson Cree Nation leaders got an urgent call. Local schools were "filled with young children dressed up in gang colours," Chief Vernon Saddleback recalled. Gangs were terrorizing the community 90 kilometres south of Edmonton with drive-by shootings, break-ins and violence. Residents were demanding to know how the band planned to deal it. The situation spurred Saddleback then a newly elected councillor and the band to adopt a radically different policing approach. Now, a key part of the community's safety strategy, it's known as the Hub model a multi-agency intervention that mobilizes social services for those in need before harm is done. One of the architects of the Hub model is incoming Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee, who was police chief in Prince Albert, Sask., when the strategy was pioneered in Canada in 2011. "The Hub model saves lives," says a paper co-authored by McFee in 2014. "It connects people at risk to the services that can help them, when they need them most. It stops crime before it happens." CBC As McFee leaves his latest post as deputy minister of Corrections and Policing in Saskatchewan for his new Edmonton position in February, the Hub's expansion throughout Saskatchewan and beyond is noteworthy. The model is used by about 140 locations in North America including Charlottetown, Ottawa, Toronto and Surrey. The program is also quietly spreading in a pocket of central Alberta under Samson Cree and Maskwacis RCMP leadership. Proponents say the Hub model is among the initiatives improving safety in their community. RCMP figures show an 11-per-cent decrease in the severity of crimes in Maskwacis from 2016 to 2017. The number of charges laid is declining. On-reserve suicides at Samson Cree are down, with just one this year compared to nine in 2015. Rather than targeting youth associated with gangs, the Hub model focuses on assisting their families. Now, instead of a culture of silence around gang violence, residents report incidents and call police, said Saddleback. Hub members or a mobile mental health unit are dispatched to those in need. Story continues "Nowadays it's a different energy people just feel safer and happier," said Saddleback. "People are responding to try and make our community a safer and happier place to live." Nowadays it's a different energy people just feel safer and happier - Samson Cree Nation Chief Vernon Saddleback In an interview with CBC, McFee extolled the benefits of the Hub model but said he needed to look at existing programs, compare the data and talk to people before deciding if it's a fit for Edmonton. "It's pretty hard that it's probably not a fit," said McFee. "It's more, is the community ready for it? And if they're ready for it, who do we need to engage at that table?" In February 2011, Prince Albert police launched the Hub model in response to escalating crime rates and police calls, and a recognition that enforcement alone was not the answer. The strategy was inspired by a program used in Glasgow, Scotland. Within months, crimes against people and property in Prince Albert were down by at least 10 per cent. There were fewer calls for service. Other communities that have since adopted the model have tailored it to suit their circumstances but the formula stays the same. How it works Twice a week, representatives from community agencies, police, child welfare, schools and other groups discuss cases around a "Hub table" for 90 minutes. Information is shared, but some details are withheld, where necessary, to protect privacy. The goal is to offer services within 24 to 48 hours to reduce risk factors such as substance abuse, mental health issues or family violence. It often involves knocking on someone's door or meeting with family members. In Saskatchewan, McFee said, 81 per cent of police calls for service don't lead to criminal charges. He suspects it's similar in Edmonton. "That right there tells you that we're asking the police to be the social worker, the mental health worker and everything else," he said. It's way more advantageous to the individual who needs the service and obviously it's a heck of a lot more cost effective - Incoming Police Chief Dale McFee The Hub takes people out of the justice system and puts them on the path to recovery while reducing demand for services. "It's way more advantageous to the individual who needs the service and obviously it's a heck of a lot more cost effective," McFee said. In Saskatchewan, the information is collected in a data base created with the Ministry of Justice and the University of Saskatchewan to shape policy and improve service delivery. Government staff support Hub tables by troubleshooting and fielding questions. "At the end of the day you can't fix what you don't know," said McFee. "So we use that data proactively to figure out how we can actually start to focus on the right thing." He emphasized the approach is not about being soft on crime, but rather being smart about community safety. "We need to put the bad people in jail and not the poor souls," McFee told Edmonton media in November. "If your only response is the justice system, what you tend to do is you don't do a very good job of sorting intake and you overload your justice system." Reduced demand for services In Edmonton, where the index that measures the severity of crime has remained higher than the national average for eight years, the police service collaborates with community partners on several programs that help divert people from the justice system. Samson Cree Nation The Heavy Users of Services (HUoS) program was introduced in 2013. An EPS analysis showed that clients, on average, have 64 per cent fewer visits to hospital emergency departments, 75 per cent fewer admissions to hospital, 84 per cent fewer inappropriate interactions with officers, according to an analysis by police. Despite that, new criminal court cases have nearly doubled in Edmonton to 46,000 since 2012. Calls for public drunkenness and mental health issues are up this year by roughly seven per cent. In December, city council approved an extra $75 million to hire 101 new officers. Edmonton Police Service Chad Nilson, a scholar at the University of Saskatchewan's Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies, studies the impact of Hub models in use. He developed the database now used by 100 Hubs across Canada, many of which he helped establish. Nilson emphasized the Hub is a rapid intervention for people whose risk has drastically increased, not someone chronically at risk. "Too often we wait until people are full into crisis and then our systems react. This is about getting individuals to those services sooner," said Nilson. His research shows just five per cent of clients refuse support. But he insists the model is not just for communities in crisis. "To me your community's desire to have a Hub should not be driven by any data," said Nilson."It should be driven by the desire to do better." 'A great fit for every community' A version of the Hub is being embraced by three bands next to Samson Cree, the nearby communities of Ponoka and Wetaskiwin, as well as Enoch Cree Nation. All have received training from Maskwacis RCMP and Saddleback. Maskwacis RCMP Const. Morgan Kyle said while some prioritize the targeting of criminal behaviour, the root cause may be as simple as struggling to put food on the table. Through the Hub, the team can ask families what help they need. The ability to share information among agencies that have traditionally operated in silos allows a full picture to emerge, Kyle said. Kyle helped create the local training program for interested communities that couldn't afford the official Hub training. "We were asked to put together a training program and offer it to communities for free because we see the value in the Hub program and we don't want finances to be limiting communities," Kyle told CBC. "I just think it's a great fit for every community." andrea.huncar@cbc.ca @andreahuncar Areas in northern Alberta under snowfall, extreme cold warnings Snowfall and extreme cold warnings are in effect for parts of northern Alberta, according to a weather advisory issued Saturday by Environment Canada. The snowfall warnings are in effect for: Fort Saskatchewan - Vegreville - Redwater - Smoky Lake Grande Prairie - Beaverlodge - Valleyview Hinton - Grande Cache Jasper National Park Peace River - Fairview - High Prairie - Manning Slave Lake Wabasca - Peerless Lake - Gift Lake - Cadotte Lake Westlock - Barrhead - Athabasca Whitecourt - Edson - Fox Creek - Swan Hills Between 10 centimetres up to 25 centimetres of snow are expected to fall in some regions. A low pressure system will move into northern Alberta on Saturday, bringing in heavy snowfall into Sunday morning, Environment Canada said. Strong winds and blowing snow are also expected in the areas under the snowfall warning. Extreme cold Fort Chipewyan and Wood Buffalo National Park are under an extreme cold warning issued by Environment Canada Saturday. Temperatures with the wind chill could drop to 40 C to 45 C overnight. Environment Canada said the extreme cold puts people at risk of frostbite. The extreme cold warning reminds people to "cover up" during extreme cold spells. Wind warning Parts of southern Alberta are under a wind warning, including areas like Hinton, Banff National Park, Canmore and Kananaskis. Environment Canada are calling it "a damaging wind event," with winds of more than 120 km/h expected to start Saturday afternoon. "Damage to buildings, such as to roof shingles and windows, may occur. High winds may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break," says the Environment Canada warning. Strong winds in southern Alberta are expected to end Saturday evening. For more information, visit the Environment Canada's website. As 2018 comes to a close and CBC Newfoundland and Labrador looks back at the quotes of the year, we're reminded of two simple truths. First, the right quote can turn a story from interesting to memorable. And second, people in Newfoundlanders and Labrador are rarely at a loss for words. With that, check out a selection of the pithy, the poignant, the tragic and the triumphant things said in and about our province for some of the top stories of the year. CBC "She was an extra special human being and I think even in death her memory will live on and she's going to be something very special and someone that we will recognize forever, almost like Terry Fox." Dorothy Pike on the late Nevaeh Denine, 9, who died in August from a rare form of cancer. While undergoing treatment, Nevaeh started a lemonade stand that grew into a massive community fundraiser that has raised more than $100,000 for sick children "You're actually being rude, as far as I'm concerned, and I don't want it anymore. I wouldn't put up with it in court, and I'm not going to put up with it here." Commissioner Richard LeBlanc to former Nalcor CEO Ed Martin at the Muskrat Falls inquiry "The master of ceremonies had offered to marry us when he found out we weren't married. Then Diane, who had a couple of beers at that point, said, 'Well, why not?'" Nick Marson, who did indeed marry Diane, two months after the two met while being stranded in Gander together on Sept. 11, 2001 City of St. John's/Twitter "She shows us ourselves. She shows us our daily life." Curator Mireille Eagan on painter Mary Pratt, who died at 83 in August "It's been my dream to be the first person to buy the first legal gram of cannabis in Canada, and here I finally am." Ian Power, one of the first people in the country to legally buy recreational marijuana in St. John's Submitted "Seeing people having to wait because I was too fat to sit next to, that was it for me." Tony Bussey, who lost 326 pounds after needing two airplane seats to be evacuated from the Fort McMurray wildfire Story continues "I didn't think I was going to see my family ever again and, I guess, for those short moments it seemed like a lifetime I realized what Stephanie had went through." Nurse Lori Chaffey, recounting the events of the day in March 2012 when her colleague Stephanie Chaisson was shot and killed by her estranged husband at the De Grau clinic where the two women worked "Just for the record, the chicken is my treat. This is not a government treat. This is Eddie Joyce's treat." Humber-Bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce, handing out food to residents of Lark Harbour and York Harbour to mark the reopening of a highway that had washed out, isolating the two communities Submitted "This is almost getting to the point where you're almost like somewhere over in Syria where, if a neighbour leaks it to somebody else, and say, 'Oh, this guy is saying this about you,' they'd take you out and flog you before they even get a chance to speak to you." A less-jovial Eddie Joyce in the House of Assembly, 10 months later, about an investigation into his conduct "I think I've got enough guts today. I'm in that mood right now, but I don't know, when you get upstairs there? I can't even jump off a chair anymore." Retired paratrooper Douglas Parmiter, taking in the Skyhawks demonstration show in Paradise CBC "It's just creepy. Who wants to live in a house knowing that wherever they might be, it's full of beetles?" Tina Neary of Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, who has been doing just that for years "He was super genuine and just made me realize we're doing some good stuff. It was nice to hear that from someone ... who has eaten all around the world and experienced so many restaurants." Chef Jeremy Charles, remembering the late Anthony Bourdain, who took his own life not long after an episode of his Parts Unknown television show featured Newfoundland cuisine Fred Hutton/CBC "It was the worst pain felt in me life. It was nuts. Hurt so bad. Breathe it in, in me ears, me nostrils, me eyes, walking around, cursing me head off, but that's the way she goes." Prince of Wales Collegiate student Matty Thompson, about being hit with bear spray outside the school "Something more than emotional upset and a momentary interruption in a conversation is needed to constitute the criminal offence." Judge Colin Flynn, dismissing a charge against Justin Penton for yelling "F--k her right in the p---y" at NTV reporter Heather Gillis Peter Cowan/CBC "This wasn't a serious conversation. We were smoking weed. It's absurd." MHA Dale Kirby, as quoted in a report investigating accusations of harassment, including a complaint from fellow MHA Pam Parsons, about whom the report quotes Kirby as saying "might have loved in 'an aging punk rocker 1980s way'" "I'm super honest, though, and I just wouldn't want anyone to get in any trouble at the location." Pam Murphy of Paradise, who was handed a bag of winning Roll Up the Rim tabs instead of her order at a Tim Hortons drive-thru "It was a real fear for me. I feared for my reputation and the work I was doing." Former finance minister Cathy Bennett, who says bullying and intimidation by other Liberal caucus members played a role in her resignation, May 1 CBC "I had this new lease on life, honestly. I haven't sweated the small things since it happened, and I just kind of felt like everything would all work out." Tiffany Moore of Avondale, who survived a car crash a week before her mother and stepfather won nearly $4 million as part of a group of Come By Chance refinery workers who split a $60-million jackpot "The noise you hear in the background is a search and rescue helicopter. We've sent them out to look for Premier [Dwight] Ball." Unifor president Jerry Dias, addressing then-locked-out workers at the DJ Composites plant in Gander Submitted by Tiffany Moore "It has filled my heart with joy to hear the excitement in my dad's voice, to hear him strumming a beautiful instrument given to him in the most wonderful gesture of kindness, and to know that Dad has found some joy in a terrible situation." Yolanda Sheppard, after Great Big Sea's Alan Doyle replaced her father Edward's stolen guitar, a cherished gift from his late wife "My last memory of her, that I go to bed with every night and wake up with every morning, is her floating face down in the water behind the boat." Charles Truax, who lost his wife Barbara in a boating accident off the south coast of Newfoundland "Yes, b'y." Justice Minister-Of-Few-Words Andrew Parsons when he found out lawyer Bob Buckingham was suing him for $7.5 million for defamation "As a child, you can't consent to anything I went through. It wasn't my fault. I didn't ask for any of this. I wanted to become a vet and save the animals. Since then, I haven't even finished high school." Phoebe Walker, the pseudonym used by a woman with a harrowing story of child exploitation CBC published in March Alan Doyle/Twitter "Newfoundlanders are God's gift to this world. They have your back in any way. If you're a Newfoundlander, they stand behind you all the way." Machel Rayner, Jamaican trainer who was almost kicked out of Canada "Whoever killed her, I want them to know they took someone of value. She wasn't garbage. She was a valuable person in my life, in her brother's and sister's lives. May God have mercy on their soul. I forgive them. That's hard, but I do." Alice Lefurgey on whoever killed her niece Pam Asprey, who went missing three decades ago "Every single culture comes here, so there are different views and thoughts. We speak about everything here." Gustavo Valoyes, co-owner of the 1949 Barber Shop, which caters to the changing demographics of St. John's "If a church came to me, or a group of coloured people wanted to request something, we would be saying the same thing." Springdale Mayor Dave Edison on why town council turned down a request for a rainbow crosswalk "My blessed redeemer!" Roxanne Rowsell on spotting a piebald moose in a pond near Black Duck Brook on the Port au Port Peninsula "If anybody asks me, 'Is this your first?' I always say no. I have three. I may have two at home. But I have three." Stacey Barbour on having a stillborn child Ariana Kelland/CBC "The bill of a puffin is forged by generations, hundreds and thousands of years, of sexual selection. There's a lot going on there. That's why it's so colourful and pretty." scientist Jamie Dunning, who discovered that puffin beaks are fluorescent "B'ys been working here for almost 30 years and then one day they just come in and it's all gone." Steven Quinlan, a newly laid-off Rona employee Submitted by Jamie Dunning "I've had some pretty special moments in my career as far as fan interactions, but this is probably the craziest." Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman after meeting superfan Patrick Dove on Signal Hill "Society is continuously changing and family structures are changing along with it. This must be recognized as a reality and not as a detriment to the best interests of the child." Justice Robert Fowler in a decision recognizing three unmarried adults as the legal parents of a child born within their polyamorous family Marcus Stroman/Twitter "There was wings in there, too. I instantly saw it. It is quite large. It's probably about the size of a dime." Sandy Wiseman Yates, who said she opened a container of tea and found a dead cockroach inside "I just felt like we were leaving a lot of funny on the table." Comedian Shaun Majumder after being fired from This Hour Has 22 Minutes Sandy Wiseman Yates/Facebook "They taped my legs and then they started to tape the rest of me and, because I was making noise, one of them told the other guy, 'Give me some tape, I'll shut her up.'" DeeAnn Fitzpatrick, formerly of Bell Island, on being bound and gagged after speaking up about workplace abuse at her office in Scotland "We seen something on the ice. Wasn't sure what it was. So we got up closer to it. It was a little fox, Arctic fox. And he wasn't very big. He was soaking wet, and the gulls was trying to pick at him." Alan Russell of St. Lewis, a crab fisherman in a crew that rescued a fox stranded on an ice floe and nursed him back to health by feeding him Vienna sausages "I told him I loved him and I'm going to miss him. He said it back to me. We both cried." Blake Williams, on unsuccessfully trying to pull his uncle from the water after their snowmobile went through the ice on Mobile Big Pond "I don't know why the johns always lie and say their name is Jeff, but they do. You do." "Tabatha Scott," a pseudonym for a former sex worker writing to the people who paid her for sex Provided by BBC Scotland "It's like turning your computer off and turning it back on again. It's a reset of the entire body system." Musician Sandy Morris on why he swims every day he can outdoors "My only regret is that I will not know how Coronation Street will end." Newfoundlander Shannon Churchill, who wrote his own obituary Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador A search and rescue mission has found three missing snowmobilers from central Alberta on a Revelstoke, B.C. mountain, a family member told CBC News. Todd Kennedy, 45, his son Braydon, 21, and family friend Ryan Pyper, 40, went missing during a snowmobile trip. Denise Kennedy said she got a text from her son just before 4 p.m. Saturday. "All it said was 'we are alive', which was good enough for me," she said. Kennedy said the men were found walking on a mountain trail without their snowmobiles around 2 p.m. A search and rescue team then brought them to a nearby cabin to warm up. Kennedy said her husband and son told her no one was injured when she spoke to them by phone Saturday evening. Wrong Turn The three men were heading down the mountain Friday evening after a day on the trails. They ended up at a river, which is when they realized they had taken a turn sooner than they should have. The snow was deep and they couldn't get back to the trail with their snowmobiles. Kennedy said that's when the men decided to hunker down and build a fire to stay warm because it was getting dark. "They went into survival mode to make it through the night," she said. They set out on foot to find the trail around 9 a.m. Saturday morning. The rescue team found them five hours later. "Early today, I didn't know what the outcome was going to be," Kennedy said. "I consider myself really blessed that my son and my husband are alive." Weekend trip The trio left central Alberta on Thursday and were expected to return home Saturday or Sunday, said Pyper's wife, Rozanne. When she didn't hear from her husband Saturday morning, Pyper began to worry. "Your mind goes through all the different scenarios," she said. "Honestly we're trying to just keep things positive and hope for the best today that all three of them come off the mountain alive and well." The trio were last heard from Friday morning at 7:40 a.m., when Braydon posted on Snapchat a photo of one of the snowmobiles, she said. Ryan was also in contact with his mother-in-law, said Pyper. Story continues When hotel staff confirmed they weren't in their rooms Saturday morning, Pyper reported her husband missing to B.C. RCMP. She also notified the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club, who confirmed to Pyper that Ryan's truck was still in the parking lot at the base of Boulder Mountain in Revelstoke on Saturday. Search and rescue A search and rescue operation, including a helicopter and an unknown number of "boots on the ground" was dispatched, Pyper said. Poor visibility because of heavy snow made it difficult for the search and rescue mission, said Davidson. Ryan Davidson Revelstoke was under a winter storm warning as of 2:30 p.m. MST Saturday and "hazardous winter conditions" were expected in the area, according to Environment Canada's website. Avid outdoorsman This wasn't the first snowmobiling trip for Ryan, who is described as an avid outdoorsman by his wife. Both Ryan and Todd have travelled on similar trips together in the past, and both families would often camp together in the summer. She said her husband always travels prepared and this trip was no different. She said the men had four snowmobiles with them, with the fourth being used as a spare in case something went wrong, Pyper said. The trio will spend Saturday night in Revelstoke before returning home on Sunday. Wind chills in northern Sask. could plunge to 54 C this weekend People in northern Saskatchewan are being warned about "hazardous frostbite conditions" from freezing wind chills as low as 54 C. Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning for northern communities starting Saturday, cautioning residents that frostbite could occur in minutes. In Stony Rapids, temperatures are forecast to creep as low as 43 C, with the wind chill expected to make it feel like 54 C overnight. Warnings were in place for the following areas on Saturday afternoon: Cree Lake - Key Lake Fond-du-Lac - Stony Rapids Southend - Brabant Lake - Kinoosao Wollaston Lake - Collins Bay "Extreme windchill values of 45 C or less will continue over northern Saskatchewan through the weekend," said a warning from Environment Canada. "Although values will moderate in the afternoon hours, windchills will plunge during the night. Extreme cold puts everyone at risk." Residents are also being urged to keep their pets inside. For up-to-date information visit the Environment Canada website. Talks regarding the two-state solution are hyping up daily. In the last week Jordan and Palestine have been forcing the issue, stressing commitment to the two-state solution as being the only way to gain peace in the Middle East. China and Canada have publically made statements backing the two-state solution in the last week (from the 19th to the 26th of January). Pope Francis urged the two-state solution as a road to peace in his Christmas address. Pence also told Egypts Sisi that a two-state solution was still possible, even with all this business about moving the embassy to Jerusalem. However, in local polls in Jerusalem with both Israeli Jews and Palestinians alike the support for a two-state solution teeters just under 50%. The United Nations agenda It seems like the push is coming from outside nations buying into what the UN has been propagating for decades, Jewish Israel needs to concede to Palestine and give up their own rights to their land. The UN has already stated that the holy sites in Israel officially belong to Islam and not to the Jews. At the end of last year New Zealand put in motion the move to declare all Jewish settlements illegal. On the 31st January a meeting will be held in Brussels to discuss how to speed up efforts on this two-state solution by the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee. The world will not wait much longer for this to be set in motion. They are getting impatient with the stubbornness of Israel. No surprises here Of course this is what has been prophesied in Scripture. The whole world will turn against Israel as a Jewish nation, as they are so doing now. This anger at the Jewish Israel isnt coming directly or exclusively from the Palestinians in Israel, but instead coming from outside nations deluded by UN propaganda and appeasements by the Pope. The world needs a common enemy, and it is all too fitting that the Jewish Israel is being marked as that enemy. The logic is, that this is a spiritual realm and an earthly realm. We know that Satan has been given dominion over the world. The Jews as Gods chosen people have been enemies of the world at different periods over history. History repeats itself because Satan (the ruler of this world) has an agenda against the chosen people of God. War is coming, whether we like it or not All these points of news Ive cited just go to prove that there is something intensely spiritual regarding the war against Jewish Israel. Right now every nation (bar very few) is gearing up to split Israel and hand part of it over to Israels Arab enemies. There will be an excuse for every nation to come against Jewish Israel with military might if they do not kowtow to the will of Palestine. Are we seeing the stirrings of the Gog and Magog war? The solution can only lead to Israel being branded public enemy number one and every country with military capacity will become an immediate threat to the nation. I think we need to pray for Israel and oppose the two-state solution. Bridget Brenton is involved in Aboriginal and Islander based ministries, and enjoys tech stuff like making websites and making games in her spare time. Bridget Brentons previous articles may be viewed at: http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/bridget-brenton Photo - Delma Tronson welcoming 2019 at Midge Point Beach It is New Years Eve - the nation sees in the New Year 12.00am the 1 January 2019 with fireworks kind of - where we live at Tweed Heads / Coolangatta we get the 12.00am fireworks at the Jack Evans Boat Harbour NSW daylight saving time, followed by the Qld 12.00am a fireworks one hour later. One side of the street is New South Wales, the other side Queensland. Although I stopped my formal science education at 5th year high school, I vividly remember burning different metals in a Bunsen burner flame, and seeing a range of different colours. I have consistently read media reports claiming each successive festival (the fireworks display) was the most colourful (use of the periodic table). I had never realised that my school-day experiments were related to fireworks! At this time of year, with New Year's Eve and Australia Day coming up, I determined to find out more about why and how these wonderful firework displays manage to dazzle us with their wondrous displays. Photo - New Year stunning railway art for 2019 Coloured fire In the back of my brain, I somehow remember that sodium is yellow, and that it is the element in the street-lights of many towns. Copper burns blue-green, iron burns goldish-red, and many other metals have a characteristic colour that helped the early chemists to partly identify unknown substances. This quick method is only an indication of the type of metal, not a 'proof' of its existence. However, with experience of pyrotechnics (from Greek words meaning 'fire and man-made') stemming from ancient China in about the 7th century. People have learnt how to use mixtures of compounds containing specific metals to make a whole rainbow of colours when different substances are combined with a small explosive charge and a wick or detonator, and packaged in an appropriately-shaped container. These are what we call 'fireworks'. Today, the timing of the lighting of each one of the fireworks is controlled by electronics, with computer programs written so that each pattern we see is minutely planned to make the overall complex and amazing displays. Analysing the stars; and the rocks on Mars The same principle of different elements emitting different colours can be used by more sophisticated equipment called 'spectrosocopes', in which the individual patterns made by heated elements can be seen and recorded (these days, electronically). In this case, the light does not have to be visible to the naked eye because instruments can be designed to register, for example, ultraviolet or infared light that we cannot see. There are many ways of doing this, depending on the nature of the material to be analysed. For example, it can be used in environmental analysis to check for pollution or monitor clean water; or it can be used by astronomers to scan the hot gases in space to see which elements are in which stars, planets, or dust clouds This is how we know what the stars are made of, and this technique has helped scientists understand that all the elements here on Earth were originally made by nuclear reactions in the bellies of stars. The Curiosity robot currently on Mars will use a laser beam to 'zap' small areas of rock to make a tiny puff of vapour. It has an onboard spectroscope that can analyse this vapour and send the data back to Earth so that scientists will have more information about how Martian rocks differ (or are similar to) our Earth rocks, or those found on the Moon. Photo - Colourful Poinciana for the New Year Some basic chemistry for those still reading After reading about all this, I was still curious about 'how' and 'why' the metals are so colourful when they are burnt. I learnt that it is due to the basic chemical structure of metal atoms. Many metals conduct electricity, and some have a shiny lustre. This is because, in an atom, the positive nucleus is surrounded by clouds of electrons. In metals, the electrons in the outer shell are very loosely attached to the rest of the atom, and they are easily bumped around, or bumped off. We can get an electric current when the outer electrons move along from one atom to another along a metal wire. We also see a lustre or shiny surface when these outer electrons interact with photons of light. But the energy of a flame is enough to bounce and jiggle these electrons around, and when they go back to rest, they emit that same energy as a particular wavelength of light. Each metal has a different electron structure, and they are disturbed in a specific way, so we observe the different colours, each being the result of a particular wavelength being interpreted by our brain, via our eyes, as a certain colour. Happy New Year and Australia Day After all this, I trust that you will appreciate the New Year and Australia Day fireworks. I would also like you to reflect on the miracle of our eyes, that we can see these wonders and of our brains, that we can begin to understand the wonders of God's world, and I recall Matthew 6 verse 22: The light of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye be sound, your whole body shall be full of light. That is not a half bad New Year thought . enjoy, be fulfilled and creative in all that you undertake in this new adventure, the year 2019. Photo - Laguna Quays Respite ready for mission visitors in 2019 Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram CPJ believes that all journalists should be able to report freely and safely without any fear of harassment or retaliation. That is why we do what we do. Yet our work is made possible only with your support. So, as we look back today on some highlights of 2018, we thank you for standing with us. Challenges to press freedom in the United States CPJ has been standing up for press freedom in the United States to ensure that journalists in this country are free to report the news and that the U.S. continues to defend the rights of journalists around the world. In November, CPJ reported on the White House revoking a CNN correspondents press pass. In October, we called on President Trump to stop his rhetorical assaults on journalists after CNN received a mail bomb. We reported on the Capital Gazette murders and on journalists facing threats after covering white supremacists. In January, when Trump announced his fake news awards, CPJ answered with its Press Oppressors honors. We issued safety advisories for journalists covering the Unite the Right rally and counter-protests in Washington and in October, we published a special report and documentary on the chilling effect of searches and interrogations of journalists at U.S. borders. Our reporting has been cited thousands of times in U.S. media this year, from major outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Fox News to local outlets like the Laredo Morning Times in Texas and 9KXLH in Montana. We also bolstered our advocacy. In January, CPJ led an unprecedented international mission of press freedom groups to the U.S., where mission representatives met with and spoke to journalists and U.S. leaders about the media environment under the Trump administration. The mission concluded with a panel discussion at the Newseum in Washington. On World Press Freedom Day, in May, the groups published a joint report that found that Trumps hostile rhetoric and verbal attacks on the press are exacerbating an already chilling environment for journalists. The U.S. is an important ally in CPJs defense of journalists globally, so we also engage with the State Department. To be effective, the U.S. must at the same time ensure that it upholds press freedom domestically, so CPJ also engages with leaders on Capitol Hill. Following our advocacy, bipartisan leaders proposed resolutions recognizing World Press Freedom Day and its significance in both the Senate and the Housethe first time in Congressional history. Both cited CPJ data. The Senate version passed unanimously this month. Preserving a free press in the U.S. is essential to upholding our mandate of protecting press freedom globally. In the past year, CPJ has worked with Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Ben Cardin (D-MD), among others, on improving press freedom in countries like Cameroon, Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Mexico. Release of 80 imprisoned journalists For the third straight year, upward of 250 journalists were behind bars when CPJ conducted its annual prison census on December 1, suggesting that governments authoritarian approach to critical news coverage is more than a temporary spike. Its the new norm. CPJ believes that no journalist should be behind bars in relation to their workand thats why we do what we do. In 2018, CPJ advocacy helped win the early release of 80 imprisoned journalists, surpassing our record from 2017, when we helped win freedom for 75 jailed journalists. Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, Vietnamese journalist and CPJs 2018 award winner, on a plane after being released from prison. (Family photo) One of these journalists is Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, a Vietnamese blogger known by her penname Me Nam or Mother Mushroom. In October, CPJ reported on her release from prison after being behind bars since October 2016. CPJ reported on Quynhs case and advocated on her behalf, especially after she was given a 10-year sentence for distributing propaganda against the state. In 2018, CPJ named her the recipient of our International Press Freedom Award. I am so grateful to CPJ for helping to secure my freedom, Quynh said in her speech. My dream and my struggle have always been to one day be one of 90 million free citizens of Vietnamliving lives with basic freedoms, with human rights respected and protected, fully free to engage in the process of self-determination. Impunity in journalist murders For more than a decade, CPJ has waged a Global Campaign Against Impunity. We report on each journalists murder, meet with government officials, and highlight the issue in our work. We also publish an annual Impunity Index, which spotlights countries where journalists are murdered and their killers go free. Our diligence pays off. Advocacy by CPJ and other groups helped win convictions in the murders of 38 journalists over the past five years, including, this year, convictions in six murders. But our work on this issue doesnt stop. In 2018, CPJ documented the murders of at least 34 journalists in reprisal for their work worldwide, nearly double the 18 who were targeted for murder in 2017. So we will continue to call for justice all over the worldlike we did most recently in Malta, when we met in October with the prime minister to call for the killers of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia to be held to account. A successful 2018 International Press Freedom Awards dinner CPJs 2018 awardees with Meher Tatna, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the 2018 dinner chair, third from right. (Getty Images/Dia Dipasupil) In November, CPJ honored four journalists at its 2018 International Press Freedom Awards dinner for their bravery in the course of their work: Sudanese freelancer Amal Khalifa Idris Habbani, Venezuelan investigative reporter Luz Mely Reyes, Ukrainian broadcaster Anastasiya Stanko, and Vietnamese blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, who was released from prison in October. In Venezuela, journalism is an endangered species, Reyes told the audience at CPJs 2018 dinner. Sixty percent of the local press has disappeared. Newsrooms look like ghost towns. But we are stubborn. Amid the darkness, Venezuelan journalists find a way. CPJ also honored Philippine journalist and Rappler founder, CEO, and executive editor Maria Ressa with its 2018 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award. A month later, Ressa was included in TIME magazines 2018 Person of the Year announcement, along with journalists and news outlets who have been targeted in direct relation to their work. Three of CPJs other 2018 awardeesReyes, Quynh, and Habbaniwere also featured in TIMEs accompanying video. CPJ also welcomed to the stage two former award winnersCameroonian journalist Ahmed Abba and Tibetan filmmaker Dhondup Wangchenwho were imprisoned when they were honored in 2017 and 2012, respectively. I missed the last awards dinner, Abba told the crowd, but I received postcards from you with loads of words of encouragement, which helped me almost forget the fact that I was in prison for my work. A panel discussion at Chatham House in London after CPJ accepted the 2018 Chatham House Prize. (Chatham House/Suzanne Plunkett) A look back at 2018 This year kicked off with CPJ being awarded $1 million from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, an honor that was announced at the groups 75th annual Golden Globes ceremony. Later in January, CPJ honored global leaders with its Press Oppressors Awards, which named world leaders who have gone out of their way to undermine freedom of the press. President Trump was an award winner, as he has consistently undermined press freedom and declined to publicly raise freedom of the press issues with repressive leaders. In March, CPJ met with government leaders in Ecuador, where we secured a pledge to reform the countrys Communications Law, which has restricted journalists work for years. In April, CPJ met with high-level EU officials in Brussels, including Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans and Commissioner Vera Jourova, and called for justice in the murders of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia and Slovakian reporter Jan Kuciak. In June, CPJ was honored with the League of Women Voters 2018 Distinguished Service Award. In September, CPJ spoke at a panel event at the United Nations, which also featured human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and Stephen Adler, president of Reuters and a CPJ board member. We also published a Safety Kit that helps journalists improve their safety awareness and includes first aid videos to enhance journalists medical preparedness. In October, CPJ participated in an international delegation to Malta, where we met with the prime minister and other high-level leaders to urge them to pursue justice in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. That month, AT&T donated $250,000 to CPJ to help defend and support journalists and press freedom. In November, CPJs Africa program coordinator and sub-Saharan Africa representative were briefly detained by Tanzanian authorities while they were on a reporting mission to the country. The same month, CPJ hosted its 28th annual International Press Freedom Awards dinner, at which we launched a campaign that calls for justice in the murder of Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi and highlights the importance of journalism. In late November, CPJ was presented with the 2018 Chatham House Prize at an event in London hosted by the Royal Institute of International Affairs. The prize is awarded to a person or organization that is believed to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations the previous year. CPJ is proud to defend journalists every day, and we are honored to have your support. Please consider donating to CPJ today. Thank you for all that you do to support press freedom. See you in 2019! An American doctor who was exposed to Ebola while providing medical assistance to patients in the Democratic Republic of Congoin Central Africa has been brought to the United States and taken to a secure area at the Nebraska Medical Center.Unnamed Patient Does Not Exhibit SymptomsThe doctor, who was not identified for privacy reason, does not exhibit symptoms of the hemorrhagic virus.Ebolacan be transmitted through direct contact and can incubate for three weeks before the infected person starts to show symptoms of the infection.The Nebraska Medical Center has treated Ebola patients in previous outbreaks. The physician was transported to the medical center on Saturday afternoon, where he will be observed in a secure area for up to two weeks.He will be transferred to a special biocontainment once symptoms develop.Ted Cieslak, an infectious disease specialist at the medical center, said that the patient may have been exposed to the virus but is not sick and contagious."Should any symptoms develop, the Nebraska Medicine/UNMC team is among the most qualified in the world to deal with them," Cieslak saidOfficials said the patient was transported by private plane and car. A spokesperson for the State Department, which arranged the doctor's travel, said the doctor was moved safely and securely.Doctors will work with public health officials to monitor the patient and secure the area so other patients and members of the public will not be exposed to the deadly virus.Second Largest Ebola Outbreak On RecordThe DRC is facing the second largest outbreak on record that has so far killed more than 350. The World Health Organization, however, said that the outbreak does not pose a major international threat.International aid organizations warn that the worsening political situation in the country marked by protests and attacks on aid workers may hinder efforts to contain the deadly outbreak. West Palm Beach, Dec. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Palm Beach, FL December 30, 2018 Upliftv pours fresh laughter and inspiration into the new year with a faith-based story about an unlikely pair that overcomes differences and discovers The Fathers unconditional love. As the globes one-stop-hub for year-long spiritual refreshment and encouragement, Upliftv gives viewers a steady and powerful stream of Christian movies, series, documentaries, and teachings that will keep the fire burning 24 hours a day. Tune in every Saturday at 7 p.m. EST for the premier of films tailor-made to touch, move and inspire. January is laughter, redemption and unity month with the debut of the hilarious By the Grace of Bob, where a New York, Jewish filmmaker joins forces with a Baptist preacher from Alabama to record a movie about the Prodigal Son story. One of the men may be a bit pushy and the other perhaps overzealous, but together they discover that God loves us all and sees deeper that the human mind can comprehend. By the Grace of Bob (originally titled Shooting the Prodigal) was directed by David E Powers and stars Sterling Hurst from the films Bigger and Hard Surfaces and Paul Wilson from Big Stone Gap with Ashley Judd and Whoopi Goldberg. Laughter mixes with a splash of romance in The Town that Came A-Courtin, slated to debut January 5. Starring Lauren Holly from NCIS with Mark Harmon, the film centers on a former obituary writer that pens a series of novels with quirky characters that come to life in a mysterious town and become obsessed with helping her find true love. Laughter is tossed with drama in Walk on Water: Family Reunion, movie spinoff of the 2009-2011 series Walk on Water. Together again, Lilly and MacKenzie support and comfort one another through personal and family challenges, culminating in a mutual redefinition of their faith and view of life and spirituality. Airs January 19 and stars original series cast members Brianne Blowers and Peaches Brown. Costarring Kibwe Dorsey who played Barabbas in An Encounter with The Messiah. January rounds up on the 26th with the era-based Wings of The Wind. The year is 1946 and a young woman faces painful events that shake her faiths foundation and force her to dig deeper for answers. Stars Nicole Mauck and costars Al LaFleur from the Dudes television series with Owen Alabado. These films combine laughter, drama, romance, and comedy into a soul recipe that breeds hope, redemption, and unity, said Bob Higley, CEO of Upliftv. I cant think of a more powerful or important message with which to start a new year, Higley said. Upliftv is owned and operated by Olympusat, Inc. and is available on DIRECTV, Buckeye Broadband, Consolidated Communications, Frontier Communications, and Hotwire Communications. For more information on Upliftv, please visit upliftv.com. Olympusat - Editorial Contact: Jesus Pinango 561-249-5228 jesus@olympusat.com AMMAN The Court of Cassation upheld a March Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a 27-year-old man to 20 years in prison after convicting him of murdering his younger sister for reasons related to family honour in Mafraq in July of 2016. The court declared the defendant guilty of the premeditated murder of his 24-year-old sister by stabbing her multiple times on July 23 and handed him the death penalty. However, the court decided to reduce the sentence to 20 years because the victims father and mother dropped charges against their son. Court documents said the victim was constantly leaving her familys home to unknown destinations and that the last time she left she was away for almost three years. On the day of the murder, the court maintained, the victim decided to return home. The defendant decided to kill his sister for reasons related to family honour and took her to the balcony of her house where he stabbed her 10 times in different areas of her body with a switchblade, the court documents stated. The defendant fled the scene and went to his other sisters house and drank tea with her and her family and told her to raise her head high because he [had] cleansed the familys honour by killing his sister, the court documents said. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead on arrival, according to court papers. The defendant contested the Criminal Courts ruling charging that he had killed his sister in a moment of rage because she would constantly leave the house and [he] did not plot the murder. However, the Court of Cassation rejected his claims and ruled that the Criminal Courts ruling was accurate and the defendant deserved the sentence he received. The defendant had informed the Criminal Court prosecutor that he was looking for his sister and was planning to murder her the minute he found her, to cleanse the disgrace and shame she brought to their family, the Court of Cassation said. The higher court added that the fact that the defendant confessed he was constantly looking for his sister [in order to] murder her was an indication that he had plotted... and his actions were not spontaneous. The Court of Cassation was comprised of judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Yassin Abdullat, Hammad Ghzawi, Bassem Mubeidin and Naji Zubi. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde George Brinkman, Jr. is separately charged in Stark County for two more killings CLEVELAND (AP) - An Ohio man has received a death sentence for killing a woman and her two adult daughters at their home outside Cleveland. Forty-six-year-old George Brinkman Jr. didn't address the panel of judges as he was formally sentenced Friday in Cuyahoga County. His lawyer, Fernando Mack, unsuccessfully argued they should spare Brinkman. Mack indicated Brinkman doesn't plan to appeal the sentence. Brinkman had pleaded guilty to aggravated murder charges in the June 2017 slayings of 42-year-old Suzanne Taylor, 21-year-old Taylor Pifer and 18-year-old Kylie Pifer in North Royalton. Authorities say Brinkman was a family friend, and the motive remains unclear. Brinkman is separately charged in Stark County for two more slayings that month. A couple were found shot at their Lake Township home where he was house-sitting. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde The Associated Press, December 29, 2018 16 Vietnamese and 3 Taiwanese were arrested recently in central Taiwan for allegedly running a telecommunications scam ring. Photo by Shutterstock/sirtravelalot Sixteen Vietnamese and three Taiwanese were allegedly running a telecommunication scam, Taiwans Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said Friday. The Taiwan News reported Saturday that of the 16 Vietnamese, 14 were runaway immigrant workers while two were fake tourists. A Wednesday raid on two locations in Taiping and Shalu districts in Taichung City, suspected to be the base of the scam, found computers, mobile phones and victims information, among other evidence, the CIB said. The evidence has been seized. According to the bureau, the ring, which targeted people in Vietnam, had swindled approximately $490,700 from 200 victims over the past three months. The Vietnamese scammers, who masqueraded as government officials, made Internet calls to random people in Vietnam and tricked them into giving up their money, which would be collected by accomplices residing in Vietnam. This is the first cross-border fraud case involving runaway Vietnamese workers in Taiwan, the CIB said. Earlier this week, news of 152 Vietnamese tourists suddenly going missing in Taiwan made global headlines. Seventeen have been found and a hunt is on for others, who reportedly used a tourism facilitating program to gain entry to Taiwan and work there illegally. In recent years, Taiwan has emerged as a promising destination for Vietnamese workers looking for jobs overseas. As of 2017, there were around 164,000 Vietnamese working under official contracts in Taiwan, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the countrys overseas workforce, according to official statistics. Hanoians try to stay warm up as it gets very cold Vietnams capital city is experiencing a biting cold spell with temperatures falling below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). The cold spell has surrounded northern Vietnam this week and people are trying to stay warm in different ways. One man has a raincoat to protect himself from the cold wind while walking along the Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake, which is usually crowded on the weekends. Normal busy streets like the Dinh Tien Hoang pedestrian street near the Hoan Kiem Lake is neither noisy nor crowded. Motorbike drivers are wearing masks, hats, gloves, coats and extra layers of clothing. This motorbike is equipped with an "umbrella" to help the driver avoid cold rain. A group of sanitation workers, xe om (motorbike taxi) drivers and street vendors warm their hands on a fire they have lit at a corner of Phung Hung Street in Ha Dong District. Blankets and carpets have become fast moving items these days, sold in fancy upmarket stores as well as on the street, where they cost between VND80,000 ($3.44) and VND100,000 ($4.31) each. A security guard huddles covers his face with a shawl on the sidewalk of Cat Linh Street. A homeless woman wraps herself in thick cotton blanket and sleeps on the sidewalk of Phan Dinh Phung Street. Some street vendors moved to ATM booths to avoid cold breeze. The National Meteorological Forecasting Agency predicts that the cold snap will last four to five days, so Hanoians and residents in northern mountainous provinces will celebrate the New Year 2019 in very chilly weather. The northern mountainous area is seeing frost and snow. A couple enjoy the experience of snow on Mau Son Mountain in Lang Son Province. Da Nang a top pick to ring in New Year for South Koreans: Agoda Da Nang rings in the new year 2018 with a fireworks party on Han River. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong A new survey on South Korean bookings by Agoda ranks Da Nang among top 10 vacation destinations to celebrate the 2019 New Years Eve. The new year is closing in and vacation enthusiasts around the world have made travel plans, and South Korean travelers have shown great interest in the central Vietnamese city. Da Nang, home to Asias beautiful My Khe Beach and a neighbor to popular ancient town Hoi An, came ninth on the list of 10 best places to welcome the New Year based on the booking data for December 31 collected by global online accommodation reservation provider Agoda. Japan's Osaka topped the list, followed by Tokyo, Fukuoka, Taipei, and Bangkok. Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines have been the most popular destinations for South Koreans this winter, based on booking increases for December, Yonhap reported citing prominent Korean travel agency Hanoi Tour. South Koreans have become among the biggest groups of visitors to Vietnam in recent years. In the first 11 months of this year 3.1 million of them came to the country, a 46.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. A 15-day visa waiver for South Korean tourists and frequent direct flights between Da Nang and South Koreas major cities have contributed to making Vietnams third largest city a top draw for Koreans. It has gained greater prominence since its Golden Bridge opened in June this year. The Golden Bridge in Da Nang City is seen from above. Photo by Shutterstocks/Tonkin The visually stunning bridge has featured in CNNs best travel photographs of the year. Once a sleepy fishing town, Da Nang is now a tourism boom city, gaining renown for its long beaches and upscale resorts. U.S. President Donald Trump listens to questions from reporters about an impending U.S. Government shutdown as he participates in a bill signing ceremony for the First Step Act and the Juvenile Justice Reform Act in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2018. Photo by Reuters/Joshua Roberts President Donald Trump said he had a long and very good call with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that a possible bilateral trade deal was progressing well. As a partial shutdown of the U.S. government entered its eighth day, with no quick end in sight, the Republican president was in Washington, sending out tweets attacking Democrats and talking up possibly improved relations with China. The two nations have been in a trade war for much of 2018, shaking world financial markets as the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods between the worlds two largest economies has been disrupted by tariffs. Trump and Xi agreed to a ceasefire in the trade war, deciding to hold off on imposing more tariffs for 90 days starting Dec. 1 while they negotiate a deal to end the dispute following months of escalating tensions. "Just had a long and very good call with President Xi of China," Trump wrote on Twitter on Saturday. "Deal is moving along very well. If made, it will be very comprehensive, covering all subjects, areas and points of dispute. Big progress being made!" Chinese state media also said Xi and Trump spoke on Saturday, and quoted Xi as saying that teams from both countries have been working to implement a consensus reached with Trump. "I hope that the two teams will meet each other half way, work hard, and strive to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial and beneficial to the world as soon as possible," Xi said, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. Chinas foreign ministry said on Sunday the two countries relationship had endured storms before, but that strong ties were important for the economies of both nations and for ensuring global stability and peace. Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said that Sino-U.S. ties now "stand at a historic new starting point" and that the two sides should respect each others sovereignty, security and development interest and appropriately manage differences. "Both sides should stick to rationally and objectively viewing the other sides strategic intentions, strengthen strategic communication and promote strategic mutual trust to prevent strategic misjudgments," he said in a statement. Government shutdown Having canceled his plans to travel to his estate in Florida for the holidays because of the government shutdown that started on Dec. 22, Trump tweeted, "I am in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come on over and make a deal." The Republican-controlled Congress was closed for the weekend and few lawmakers were in the capital. The shutdown, affecting about one-quarter of the federal government including 800,000 or so workers, began when funding for several agencies expired. Congress must pass legislation to restore that funding, but has not done so due to a dispute over Trumps demand that the bill include $5 billion in taxpayer money to help pay for a wall he wants to build along the U.S.-Mexico border. The wall was a major 2016 campaign promise of Trumps, who promised then that it would be paid for by Mexico, which has steadfastly refused to do so. Trump has since demanded that U.S. taxpayers pay for it at an estimated total cost of $23 billion. He sees the wall as vital to stemming illegal immigration, while Democrats and some Republicans see it as an impractical and costly project. The standoff over Trumps demand for funding will be a test for Congress when it returns next week. Trump tweeted on Saturday that the deaths of two migrant children this month who had been taken into U.S. custody after trying to cross the southern border were "strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies." Italy opposition protests outside parliament against government budget It was unclear exactly which policies Trump was referring to, but his aides have referred to U.S. laws and court rulings - including laws passed with bipartisan support - that govern the conditions under which children and families can be detained as "loopholes" that encourage illegal immigration. On Friday, Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen visited Border Patrol stations in Texas after her agency instituted expanded medical checks of migrant children following the two deaths. She is also due to visit Yuma, Arizona, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Saturday. In the interim, thousands of employees of federal agencies such as the Homeland Security, Justice, Commerce, Interior, Transportation, Agriculture and other departments were staying at home on furlough or soon to be working without pay. For instance, members of the U.S. Coast Guard will receive their final paychecks of the year on Monday, the service said in a statement on its website on Friday after previously warning that payments would be delayed due to the shutdown. "The administration, the Department of Homeland Security [DHS], and the Coast Guard have identified a way to pay our military workforce on Dec. 31, 2018," the service website read. That paycheck will be their last until the government reopens. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also said on Friday that it would resume issuing new flood insurance policies during the shutdown, reversing an earlier decision. NEW YORK, Dec. 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of DXC Technology Company (DXC Technology or the Company) (NYSE: DXC). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 9980. The investigation concerns whether DXC Technology and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here to join a class action] On October 24, 2018, it was reported that Karan Puri, who headed the Companys Americas sales force was fired due to a sharp double digit decline in the regions revenue. The article also suggested that an internal Company source had indicated that DXC Technology had been struggling to efficiently serve the demand from its customers. On this news, the Companys stock price fell 16%, to a low of $69.51 per share on October 24, 2018. Then on November 6, 2018, the Company reported its second quarter 2019 financial results, and that the Company would reduce its FY19 revenue outlook by $800 million. On this news, the Companys stock price fell 13%, to close at $63.21 per share on November 7, 2018. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com. CONTACT: Robert S. Willoughby Pomerantz LLP rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 9980 The students have put the government in an awkward position because they are invoking the teachings of Mao, Marx and Lenin, which President Xi Jinping has championed , to point to problems in Chinese society including inequality, corruption and greed. The students are part of a small but tenacious group of young communists using leftist ideology to shine a light on labor abuses across China and to call for better protections for the working class. More than a dozen students from Peking University in Beijing, in a rare rebuke of authority, protested Friday on campus to draw attention to the universitys attempts to punish students for taking part in the campaign. More than a dozen students from Peking University in Beijing, in a rare rebuke of authority, protested Friday on campus to draw attention to the universitys attempts to punish students for taking part in the campaign. BEIJING Students at one of Chinas most prestigious universities on Friday denounced the governments efforts to crush a student-led campaign for workers rights that has embarrassed the ruling Communist Party. BEIJING Students at one of Chinas most prestigious universities on Friday denounced the governments efforts to crush a student-led campaign for workers rights that has embarrassed the ruling Communist Party. The stern reaction by the authorities reflects the partys deep anxieties about the young communists and their unusual campaign. The party has long feared student-led protests, especially since the 1989 pro-democracy movement, which had deep student involvement and was crushed in a bloody crackdown around Tiananmen Square. Party leaders may be concerned that the 30th anniversary of the massacre, coming up in June, could inspire new protests. They dont want to take any chances about students organizing politically, said Eli Friedman, a labor scholar at Cornell who in October suspended an exchange program with Renmin University in Beijing because of the recent crackdown. The protest on Friday came after Peking University officials tried to block a Marxist student group from organizing a celebration for Maos 125th birthday. On Wednesday, the president of the group, Qiu Zhanxuan, was taken in for questioning by security officials, students said, and he was later removed from his post. On Friday, students held signs demanding that the university reinstate Mr. Qiu and several other members. The university did not respond to requests for comment on Friday. The young communists began organizing in the summer, when dozens converged on the factories of southern China to stand with workers who were seeking to form a labor union without the Communist Partys official backing. Throughout their campaign, the activists have steadfastly voiced support for Mr. Xi and the tenets of communism. In celebrating Maos birthday this week, for example, they sang socialist anthems and chanted slogans like Long live Chairman Mao! Long live the working class! While the students leftist critique of society has gained traction among a small number of students on university campuses, their numbers have dwindled in recent weeks as the government has intensified efforts to detain leaders of the campaign. More than two dozen activists have been detained, gone missing or placed under house arrest over the past few months. In November, a recent graduate of Peking University who took part in the campaign, Zhang Shengye, was beaten and dragged into a car on campus and driven away, according to witnesses. Since rising to power in 2012, Mr. Xi has sought to rein in dissent, especially on university campuses. Advocates said that the crackdown on the young communists showed that the government was becoming even less tolerant of criticism. Tasnim news agency connected with Irans Revolutionary Guards reported on Sunday that nine evangelical Christians have been arrested in recent days in Alborz province, neighboring the capital Tehran. Tasnim had already reported the arrest of four Christians on Saturday and on Sunday it said five more were arrested on December 26, a day after Christmas. It is not clear when exactly the first four were detained. The Islamic Republic regularly persecutes people who convert from Islam to Christianity and most converts try to worship secretly in home-churches. A few Christian preachers have been killed or received long prison terms in the past. International human rights organizations have condemned Tehran for its policy towards converts. Conversion to another religion is forbidden in Islam and punishable. The issue is if a government decides to get involved and prosecute someone for changing his religion. According to the Islamic constitution of Iran, traditional established Eastern churches are officially recognized and are free to operate and serve their congregations, which mainly have ethnic composition; such as the Armenian or the Assyrian communities. The spokesman of Irans foreign ministry has denied any knowledge of conditions set by Europe for launching a special mechanism to allow Iran to trade with European countries, despite U.S. sanctions. Bahram Ghasemi in an interview with the state broadcaster on Sunday expressed regret that Europes proposed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) has not become operational due to limitless American pressure and said I hope Europe will be able to defend its identity in the face of these pressures. Europe voiced disagreement with the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran in May and the reimposition of sanctions, promising to facilitate trade with Iran in a manner as not to violate Washingtons sanctions. But the promised SPV has not yet materialized, prompting Iranian officials to periodically voice their dissatisfaction. Recently, the head of Irans parliamentary commission on national security and foreign policy had said that the European offer has been postponed to due to preconditions such as improvement of Irans relations with the United States. In the interview Ghasemi added that Iran is still hopeful the European trade mechanism will be put in place, but he claimed that at the same time Iran has many alternatives for trade, such as India, China, Russia and Turkey. Iran has also not approved new legislation, demanded by the international Financial Action Task Force against money laundering and financing of terrorism. The speaker of Irans parliament has said that if the new laws are not approved, even friendly countries will refuse to do business with Irans banks. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed Sadeq Amoli Larijani as the new chairman of Iran's Expediency Council, officially known as the Expediency Discernment Assembly. The appointment on Sunday December 30, announced less than a week after the death of the council's former chief Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, could have implications in terms of Iran's current domestic political dynamics and Khamenei's succession in the future. The Supreme Leader also appointed Amoli Larijani as one of the six theologian members of the Guardian Council. The Islamic Republic's first leader, Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, established the Expediency Council in 1988 to be the final arbiter between parliament (Majles) and the Guardian Council; a watchdog that looks into the consistency of Majles ratifications with the Iranian Constitution and Shiite religious rules. While appointing Larijani to his new position, Khamenei described him as "a prominent member of the Guardian Council" and praised him as a "hardworking and honest [religious] scholar" as the head of Iran's Judiciary. Larijani's term of office as Judiciary chief ends in August 2019. Rumors in the media and corridors of power in Iran have already named his replacement: Hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi, one of the five judges that ordered the execution of thousands of political prisoners in late 1980s; as revealed in a tape leaked from the office of late Ayatollah Hossein Ali Ali Montazeri. Larijani's quick appointment as EC Chief signifies the council's importance for Khamenei and his regime. Previously, when the former head of the Expediency Council died in 2017, it took Khamenei some eight months before he appointed a replacement. The haste in Larijani's appointment could be because of the country's critical situation after the reimposition of U.S. sanctions and the perceived threat to the regime's existence Khamenei expects in 2019 as he said in mid-December. Currently the council is tasked with deconflicting between the parliament and Guardian Council's on the bills against money laundering and funding terrorism, which the Majles has approved, but the Guardian Council has rejected. The bill's approval is a requirement by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in order to facilitate Iran's trade with international partners. Passing the bills is also essential for Europe to activate its measures to help Iran circumvent U.S. sanctions and facilitate banking relations between Tehran and its foreign trade partners. One of the implications of Sadeq Amoli Larijani's appointment as the head of Expediency Council is that it puts Larijani, one of the individuals considered a potential successor to Khamenei, in a better position for the post. Raisi is also named as a possible contestant for succession. Meanwhile, after more than a year of chaos at the Expediency Council because of the absence of its former ailing chief, Khamenei once again has his trusted person there to get the right vote at the right time to save him from the embarrassment of occasionally having to make decisions he wouldn't want to be directly associated with. Although Sadeq Amoli Larijani already was a member of the EC and as such sat in the same session with his arch enemy former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, now the latter might find it hard to be a member of an assembly chaired by Larijani. The resulting dynamic is something to watch in the future. Sadeq Amoli Larijani, is the brother of Majles Speaker Ali Larijani and Deputy Judiciary Chief Mohammad Javad Larijani. Two of their other brothers are in in diplomatic and academic services. Their father was Ayatollah Mirza Hashem Amoli Larijani a respected cleric in Najaf, Iraq and in Qom. Expediency Council members include the heads of the three branches of the government, the Guardians Council theologians, chief of the joint staff of the armed forces, secretary of the supreme national security council, as well as some thirty current and former state officials appointed by Khamenei. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The Iranian automotive industry experts, auto manufacturers and businessmen took part in the discussions held in China's Shanghai city upon the initiative of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Trend reports referring to IRNA. The export of Chinese cars has increased over 10 years. China left the US and European rivals behind. Thus, China is the world's biggest automaker by producing 29 million cars in 2018. The problems with the production of cars and car parts in Iran were discussed and solutions to these problems were found during the meeting. Presently, more than 1,000 Iranian businessmen work in China. About 300 of them are members of the Iran Chamber of Commerce living in China. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.30 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Colombia can use Alat Free Economic Zone (FEZ) in Baku, Azerbaijan as a hub for exporting its goods to Central Asia, Hamid Zeynalov, charge d'affaires of the Azerbaijani embassy in Colombia, told Trend. "Colombia considers Azerbaijan as a hub. The country is interested in delivering its products to Azerbaijan and to Central Asia, as well as to Iran through Azerbaijan, thats to say, through the Alat FEZ. Colombia, for its part, can also serve as a hub for exporting Azerbaijani goods to Latin American countries," he said. Zeynalov pointed out that there are a lot of goods that can be exported from Azerbaijan to Colombia and vice-versa. "Colombia can export coffee, flowers, meat, gold, emerald, leather goods, fruits and etc. to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan, for its part, can export tea, textile, carpet, cognac, wine, silk products and dried fruits to Colombia," he said. The diplomat noted that if the two countries manage to increase the volume of trade turnover, they can launch cargo transportation in the future. ""In general, Colombia shows great interest in the development of economic relations with Azerbaijan. The new government of Colombia is interested in cooperating in the region namely with Azerbaijan," said Zeynalov. The Free Economic Zone (FEZ) is being created in the Alat township on the basis of the presidential decree signed in March 2016. The territory of the new Baku International Sea Trade Port is also included in this zone. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement will enter into force on 30 December, 60 days after Vietnam, the seventh party to the TPP, had ratified the deal, Sputnik reports. The document will take effect from 14 January of the following year. Four more countries of the union, Brunei, Malaysia, Peru and Chile have not yet ratified the agreement. For them, the deal will take effect 60 days after ratification. In November, the Vietnamese parliament ratified the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and related documents, according to local media reports. Following the US withdrawal, the 11 remaining nations continued their efforts to create a free trade zone. On March 8, the foreign ministers of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam signed the revised version of the TPP. The TPP was signed in 2016 and originally brought together 12 Pacific Rim nations, including the United States. However, new US President Donald Trump, who repeatedly criticized TPP during his election campaign, withdrew the country from the deal in 2017, arguing that poorly negotiated trade agreements were harmful to the US job market. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: Alternative energy may take a significant share in Azerbaijans energy market, Director General of Russias Energy Development Fund Andrei Listovsky told Trend. He said this is not yet envisaged in Russia, since there are no consumers in places where it is possible to produce energy from the Sun and wind. "In Azerbaijan, everything depends on the proximity of consumers to the places of generation," said Listovsky. He further noted that wind power engineering is mainly developing in Russia. Commenting on the possibility of cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan on alternative energy, he said Russia may supply equipment for solar and wind power plants to Azerbaijan and help develop projects. Azerbaijan is taking serious steps to develop alternative energy. To this end, negotiations are underway with foreign companies and investors, including companies from China, the UAE, the US and the EU. Most of Azerbaijan's potential in this sector comes from the solar energy and this potential is estimated at 5,000 megawatts. Wind power accounts for 4,500 megawatts, biomass for 1,500 megawatts, geothermal energy for 800 megawatts, and small hydropower plants for the remaining 350 megawatts. The potential of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan exceeds 25,300 megawatts, which will allow generating 62.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually. In January-October 2018, hydropower production amounted to 1,528.4 kilowatt hours, solar energy to 35.1 kilowatt hours and wind power to 42.5 kilowatt hours, according to the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Iran's Mellat bank has disclosed the work carried out during its 9-month activity through investments worth 50 trillion rials (about $1.19 billion), Trend reports referring to IBENA News Agency. The revenues obtained from the loans issued during nine months of this Iranian year (started on March 21, 2018) amounted to 146 trillion rials (about $3.47 billion). This figure reached 114 trillion rials (about $2.71 billion) in the same period of last Iranian year, which testifies to an increase of about 32 trillion rials (about $761 million). The bank gained 138 trillion rials (about $3.28 billion) from the loans issued last Iranian year. The bank paid 112.4 trillion rials (about $2.67 billion) within deposit investments over 9 months of this Iranian year. The bank paid 119.4 trillion rials (about $2.84 billion) in the same period of last Iranian year. The bank paid 12.8 trillion rials (about $304 million) within deposit investments during the ninth month of last Iranian year. This amount declined during the ninth month of this Iranian year and the bank paid 12.1 trillion rials (about $288 million).